Kyle Smith (critic)

Last updated

Kyle Smith
Born1966 (age 5657)
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation
  • Critic
  • columnist
  • novelist
Alma mater Yale University (BA)
Spouse
Sara Austin
(m. 2007)
Military career
AllegianceFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Service/branchFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
Rank Lieutenant
Battles/wars Persian Gulf War

Kyle Smith (born 1966) is an American critic, columnist and novelist. He is currently the film critic for The Wall Street Journal [1] and the theater critic for The New Criterion . [2] Earlier, he was critic-at large for National Review , [3] a film critic and columnist for the New York Post , [4] and a contributor to The Wall Street Journal, [5] People , New York , Forbes , [6] The New York Times , [7] [8] [9] and Commentary . [10]

Contents

Education

Smith graduated from East Longmeadow High School in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts in 1984 and from Yale University, summa cum laude, as an English major, and as a Phi Beta Kappa member. [11] [12] Smith served in the U.S. Army during the Persian Gulf War, holding the rank of lieutenant. [13] [14] From 1996 to 2005 he worked at People magazine as editor of book and music reviews. [15]

Writing

A writer in Entertainment Weekly described Smith's film-reviewing style as "an exercise in hilarious hostility". [16] He has been dubbed "America's most cantankerous film critic" by The Atlantic . [17]

Love Monkey

Love Monkey was published by William Morrow [18] in 2004. [19] Times critic Janet Maslin called the book "hilarious". Time magazine said, "You couldn't ask for a more entertaining drinking buddy – watch out for a memorable strip-club meltdown scene – but there's a deep, dark subway of despair running underneath his riffs, and that's what makes the book more than a standup routine... Love Monkey nails it." [20]

On January 17, 2006, [21] a one-hour CBS TV series based on the book debuted; it was a dramedy also called Love Monkey . It starred Tom Cavanagh, Judy Greer, Jason Priestley and Larenz Tate. [21] The show aired on CBS in January–February 2006, but was pulled from the CBS prime-time schedule after only three episodes had been aired. Shortly afterwards, VH1 announced that it had acquired the rights to broadcast all 8 episodes which had been filmed to that point. They aired on VH1 in April and May 2006. [22]

A Christmas Caroline

Smith's second novel, A Christmas Caroline, [23] was published in 2006, also by William Morrow. The Wall Street Journal critic Joseph Bottum wrote, "For those who prefer their sentimentality seasoned with a dash of cynical wit, Kyle Smith's A Christmas Caroline may be a good selection. Mr. Smith ... turns in a quick, enjoyable read about a selfish woman at a fashion magazine who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by three spooky visitors. From the moment you meet Caroline's assistant—a devious redhead named Ursula Heep—you know you're at play in the fields of Charles Dickens.... Mr. Smith takes Dickens' old, familiar tale and stuffs it into a woman straight out of The Devil Wears Prada ". [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Bogdanovich</span> American film director (1939–2022)

Peter Bogdanovich was an American Serb director, writer, actor, producer, critic, and film historian. He started his career as a film critic for Film Culture and Esquire before becoming a film director in the New Hollywood movement. He received accolades including a BAFTA Award and Grammy Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

<i>Chasing Amy</i> 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film by Kevin Smith

Chasing Amy is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, and Jason Lee. The film is about a male comic artist (Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian woman (Adams), to the displeasure of his best friend (Lee). It is the third film in Smith's View Askewniverse series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Broflovski</span> Fictional character in South Park

Kyle Broflovski is a fictional character in the adult animated sitcom South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is one of the series' four central characters, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman. He debuted on television when South Park first aired on August 13, 1997, after having first appeared in The Spirit of Christmas shorts created by Stone and long-time collaborator Trey Parker in 1992 and 1995.

<i>Scenes from a Marriage</i> 1973 television miniseries by Ingmar Bergman

Scenes from a Marriage is a 1973 Swedish television miniseries written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Over the course of six hour-long episodes, it explores the disintegration of the marriage between Marianne, a divorce lawyer, and Johan, a psychology professor. The series spans a period of 10 years. Bergman's teleplay draws on his own experiences, including his relationship with Ullmann. It was shot on a small budget in Stockholm and Fårö in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridget Moynahan</span> American actress and former model (born 1971)

Kathryn Bridget Moynahan is an American actress and former model best known for her role as Erin Reagan in the police drama Blue Bloods. She graduated from Longmeadow High School in Massachusetts in 1989 and began pursuing a career in modeling. She appeared in department-store catalogs and magazines, and after doing television commercials, began taking acting lessons. She made her television debut in a guest appearance in the comedy series Sex and the City in 1999, where she later had a recurring role as Natasha.

<i>The New World</i> (2005 film) 2005 film by Terrence Malick

The New World is a 2005 historical romantic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick, depicting the founding of the Jamestown, Virginia, settlement and inspired by the historical figures Captain John Smith, Pocahontas of the Powhatan tribe, and Englishman John Rolfe. It is the fourth feature film written and directed by Malick.

<i>Written on the Wind</i> 1956 film by Douglas Sirk

Written on the Wind is a 1956 American Southern Gothic melodrama film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, and Dorothy Malone. It follows the dysfunctional family members of a Texas oil dynasty, including the complicated relationships among its alcoholic heir; his wife, a former secretary for the family company; his childhood best friend; and his ruthless, self-destructive sister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Chandler</span> American actor (born 1965)

Kyle Martin Chandler is an American actor. Making his screen acting debut in a 1988 television film, Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story, Chandler's first regular television role was in the ABC drama Homefront (1991–93). This was followed by the lead role of Gary Hobson in the CBS series Early Edition (1996–2000), for which he won a Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television. His other television roles include the sitcom What About Joan? (2001) and the legal drama The Lyon's Den (2003), both short-lived, and a well-received guest appearance on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, for which Chandler received his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

<i>Untamed Heart</i> 1993 film

Untamed Heart is a 1993 American romantic drama film directed by Tony Bill, written by Tom Sierchio, and starring Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei. It tells the story of an unlikely romance between a young woman unlucky in love and a shy young man who has a heart defect. The original music score was composed by Cliff Eidelman, and includes a classical arrangement of "Nature Boy". A remixed version of Suzanne Vega's 1987 song "Tom's Diner" is featured in the opening scene of the film.

Slant Magazine is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.

<i>Love Monkey</i> American TV series or program

Love Monkey is an American comedy-drama television series starring Tom Cavanagh. The series was created by Michael Rauch, based on the book of the same name, by Kyle Smith. It was a co-production of Paramount Television and Sony Pictures Television.

<i>Love Monkey</i> (novel)

Love Monkey is a comic novel by Kyle Smith published in 2004. It is the basis for the 2006 CBS television series of the same name. Love Monkey is Kyle Smith's first novel. Smith is currently a film critic for the New York Post.

Hitchcockian films are those made by various filmmakers, with the styles and themes similar to those of Alfred Hitchcock.

<i>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</i> (film) 2008 film by David Fincher

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy romantic drama film directed by David Fincher. The storyline by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate Blanchett as the love interest throughout his life. The film also stars Taraji P. Henson, Mahershala Ali, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas, and Tilda Swinton.

<i>Colma: The Musical</i> 2006 American film

Colma: The Musical is a 2006 American musical independent film directed by Richard Wong and written by H.P. Mendoza. The film, which is Wong's feature directorial debut, is a coming of age story based on the lives and the relationships between three teenagers living in Colma. Colma: The Musical features 13 songs all written and produced by H.P. Mendoza.

East Longmeadow High School is a public high school located in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, United States. It is the only secondary school in the East Longmeadow School District. It enrolls 833 students.

<i>Love & Hip Hop</i> American music media franchise

Love & Hip Hop is a media franchise that consists of several reality television series broadcast on VH1. The shows document the personal and professional lives of several hip hop and R&B musicians, performers, managers, and record producers residing in various metropolitan areas of the United States. The original franchise version, Love & Hip Hop: New York, premiered on March 6, 2011. Its success resulted in spin-offs based in Atlanta, Hollywood, and Miami.

Mob Wives is an American reality television series that premiered on VH1 on April 17, 2011. The show focuses on the lives of several women residing in the New York City borough of Staten Island, whose family members and husbands have been arrested and imprisoned for crimes that are connected to the Italian-American Mafia.

<i>Love & Hip Hop: New York</i> American music media franchise

Love & Hip Hop: New York is the original installment of the Love & Hip Hop reality television franchise on VH1. The series premiered on March 6, 2011, and chronicles the lives of several people in New York City, involved with hip hop music. The show features appearances from notable figures associated with East Coast hip hop. Its success has produced the spin-offs Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, Chrissy & Mr. Jones, Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood, K. Michelle: My Life, Stevie J & Joseline: Go Hollywood, Leave It to Stevie, Love & Hip Hop: Miami and Remy & Papoose: Meet the Mackies.

"Wrapped in Red" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson. It is the titular song and the opening track from her sixth studio album of the same name. Written by Clarkson, Ashley Arrison, Aben Eubanks, and Shane McAnally, the song is produced by Greg Kurstin, who recorded the track using the Wall of Sound production technique developed by Phil Spector. A soul-pop ballad, "Wrapped in Red" is a Christmas song about unrequited love in the holidays, in which the color red is used as metaphorical device to express someone's truthful feelings, apart from being a quintessential holiday color. "Wrapped in Red" was serviced by RCA Records to Adult Contemporary radio stations as the second single from the album on November 25, 2014.

References

  1. Archive of Kyle Smith's pieces at The New Criterion Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  2. "Kyle Smith". New York Post . Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  3. "The Wall Street Journal Online - Taste Commentary". Opinionjournal.com. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  4. "Kyle Smith - Moneybull". Forbes .
  5. ""Metropolitan Diary", December 11, 1996". The New York Times. December 11, 1996. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  6. "SUNDAY, JULY 23, 1995; NOBLES: Get Ready For Ethelred". timesmachine.nytimes.com.
  7. "Metropolitan Diary". The New York Times. May 10, 1998. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  8. "Bridge to Nowhere". November 2014.
  9. "Kyle Smith," Bookreporter.com. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  10. "Sara Austin, Kyle Smith - New York Times". The New York Times. August 26, 2007. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  11. "Author Profile: Kyle Smith". Bookreporter.com. October 31, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  12. "The Wall Street Journal Online - Leisure & Arts". Opinionjournal.com. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  13. "BOOKS OF THE TIMES; Corrosive Characters in Two Novels About Journalists". The New York Times. February 12, 2004. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  14. Ross, Dalton (January 26, 2007). "Reviewing the Reviews: 'Catch and Release' | PopWatch Blog". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  15. Randall, Eric (March 16, 2012). "America's Most Cantankerous Film Critic". The Atlantic .
  16. "William Morrow -". HarperCollins Publishers. March 24, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  17. Kyle Smith (March 24, 2010). "Kyle Smith from". HarperCollins Publishers. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  18. Grossman, Lev (February 16, 2004). "You've Got Male". Time. Archived from the original on January 12, 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  19. 1 2 Flynn, Gillian (January 23, 2006). "Love Monkey". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  20. "'Love Monkey' finds new life on VH1 - TV comedy - MSNBC.com". Today.com. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  21. Lamb, Wally (October 31, 2006). A Christmas Caroline: A Novel: Kyle Smith: Books. ISBN   0061119873.
  22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved January 7, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)