Zach is a lifelong cinephile and, as a screenwriter, filmmaker, video editor, and teacher himself, knows how hard it is to make one. He has a broad appreciation and seeks to be a “Movie Friend”: a bridge person for those who want to get into and enjoy film as much as he does. Zach creates movie-themed content for his YouTube channel The Z List with Zach Hammill (soon to be rebranded as Movie Friend!) and writes film reviews which appear on social media and on his website, http://www.zachhammill.com/moviefriend.
Read more about Zach in his own words below – we’re thrilled he’s joined the Minnesota Film Critics Alliance.
How long have you been producing content about movies?
I’ve been writing reviews since 2002, somewhat informally on IMDb, and I have really kicked it up in the last five or six years or so.
Where do you live and/or produce content about movies?
I live and work in Minneapolis, MN.
What type of content do you produce about movies?
I write film reviews a few times a month, I create filmmaker rankings, monthly lists of what I watched/rewatched and what I liked about them, jokes about movies, and I host conversations on my YouTube channel around different themes such as Oscar nominated films and so forth.
What motivated you to create content about movies?
I love movies to my core, and want other people to discover their love of them too. Recently folks have told me I should review movies professionally, and I sort of figure that since I’m planning on watching movies anyway, I thought it best to not just simply consume them, but give back through recommendations and discussions.
What inspired your love of movies?
I’m not really sure. It’s not like we were a big movie family growing up. I just think I loved them, ever since the first one I remember seeing, which was Robert Altman’s Popeye. That love really blossomed when I got a job at a video store in high school. Then I was watching movies constantly, even watching them before school or during lunch in the choir room, which had a VCR.
What do you enjoy most about living in Minnesota?
Its natural, unwieldy earthy beauty. When I’m not in a movie theater, I like to be experiencing Minnesota’s breathtaking seasons.
What is your favorite movie theater in Minnesota?
I ping pong between Emagine Willow Creek 12 and AMC Rosedale 14. I’m also a huge fan of Trylon. That’s a happy place for me.
What are some of your favorite movies from the past year (2023)?
Past Lives, Godzilla Minus One, Beau Is Afraid, American Fiction, Oppenheimer, Anatomy of a Fall, You Hurt My Feelings, Barbie, Fremont, Showing Up. Last year was a really great year for movies.
What are your favorite movies set in Minnesota?
A Serious Man is the greatest film made in Minnesota, head and shoulders above the rest. Other favorites are Fargo, the Grumpy Old Men movies, and the brilliantly subversive Young Adult.
What are your Social Media accounts?
Movie Friend on Facebook, @zachhammill on IG, The Z List with Zach Hammill on YouTube
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