Sad blogosphere news: Karina Longworth, founder of Cinematical and, more recently, head (and only) critic for Spoutblog, is looking for a new internet home. She and Spout have reached the end of their contract agreement and have decided to part ways. I mention this here because Karina is the only reason I read Spoutblog, and Spoutblog is a website that I check daily. Karina’s reviews are–like those of any good critic–not always in accord with my views, but always to my liking.

In the outpouring of support Karina has received since the announcement, I noted one comment, by screenwriter David Augustyn, that I think best describes Karina’s particular appeal. He lauds her skill “as a critic who’s able to parse a film’s language without resorting to florid prose,” which he rightly claims demonstrates not just her skill as a writer, but also her embracing of all kinds of film and all sorts of readers. This is the type of criticism we aspire to at St. Eliot–smart, personal, rigorous, clear and, most importantly, a joy to read. I wish Karina good luck wherever she takes up writing next. I wish us good luck, too, because now that I’ve explicitly set Karina as the bar, we’re going to need it.