kevinthecritic

Hello. My name is Kevin Thomas, and I have always had a fascination and love for film and media. Born at 3 1/2 pounds and well-attended by a male nurse named Rocky, no one really expected much from me. I was also diagnosed with a form of Autism called Non-Verbal-Learning Disorder (NLD), a name which I found peculiar because I always loved to talk. Add another diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy (essentially making my handwriting harder to read than the ending of 2001: A Space Odyssey), and It appeared I had a long hard life ahead of me, certainly not one that would involve creating and operating a WordPress site..

However, I beat the odds, growing up in a loving family that taught me that I could do anything I was willing to work hard at. Though in my younger years that phrase was just something that my dad said before I went to sleep every night, I later realized that he had told me that so I would know not to run when the going got tough, to be ever-persistent in my pursuits, and that I could accomplish absolutely anything if I put my mind to it. I also developed a love for watching TV during these years (Thank you Grandma for telling my parents they were depriving me of a true childhood without Sesame Street), slowly realizing that I looked at these shows and films differently than my peers. While other kids would watch cartoons because of the slapstick, I would watch them because I liked the characters, writing, and animation style. I cannot tell you how many times I revisited Shrek, Osmosis Jones, and Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island as a youngster. These and other films captivated me in ways that I couldn’t verbally explain.

When I was 10 years old, I started writing film reviews for The Citizen Newspaper in Peachtree City, GA. While my intense focus on movies would (understandably) drive some people batty, my family and friends at the paper saw a potential in me that I hadn’t fathomed. I remember the elation of seeing a movie review in the newspaper. I couldn’t believe someone could actually watch and write about movies for a job. With some coaxing from my parents, I wrote a review of Madagascar for a competition in the paper for a kid to send in a review of something. Turns out, I was the only applicant, and the head editor liked my writing so much that I was offered a position right there on the spot. I honed my craft over the years, learning what I could from people at The Citizen as well as increasing my analytical skills with all forms of content.

I attended Mercyhurst University and graduated in 2017 with a B.A. in English and a Minor in Communications. I launched the site in 2015 so I could provide a different voice in the conversation, one that could help people decide if the newest Disney blockbuster is actually worth shelling out the dough for opening weekend, or if that much-buzzed Oscar contender really lives up to the hype.

At the end of the day, I believe that a movie should set out to give the audience a good experience. While I certainly appreciate movies that make bold statements or push thought-provoking messages, sometimes I just want an entertaining experience where I can sit back, relax, and chow down on overpriced concessions. With my reviews, I intend to inform the general audience of just how entertaining (or not entertaining) their experience will be. Thank you to Rocky, thank you to my parents Peggy and Joe, and thank you to everyone at The Citizen who saw there was much more to me than a kid who just loved watching movies.