ABOUT
WHO WE ARE
Loud and Clear was launched in October 2017, out of a writer’s desire to share her thoughts on the movies she was watching. Since then, the site has grown from a small personal blog to a larger cinema portal. We are now a Tomatometer-approved publication, with a team of 46 film critics. We’ve published 3.3K+ reviews, covered many festivals all over the world, conducted interviews, and covered red carpets. We organized many giveaways, and our quotes have appeared on trailers, DVDs, posters, and promotional material. We currently have 13K+ followers on our socials, and publish 3-8 articles per day.
WE ARE
OUR MISSION
Sometimes you watch the first scenes of a movie and you already know how it’s going to end. The hero that saves the day, the lucky coincidence, the star-crossed lovers. The ultimate battle that saves the universe from total destruction, the coming of age story disguised as a road trip, the not-so-accurate revisitation of the past, the same old dystopian future. The remake of the remake of the remake of what might have been a remake; the struggle, the growth, the noble sacrifice.
You find yourself coming out of the cinema feeling frustrated by the excess of action and lack of content of what could have been a great film if only it had focused a little more on finding out what it wanted to say and a little less on special effects.
And then there’s the day you start watching something —anything—just to pass the time, and that one film speaks to you so unexpectedly and strongly that it suddenly reminds you why it is that you love cinema. Art, literature, entertainment are among the most powerful, intimate ways for human beings to communicate.
And when a film makes us laugh, cry, think and, most of all, feel. That is when the message has been received —loud and clear!— in that intense, unique, overwhelming way we’re all familiar with, even if we can’t find the words to describe it.
Let us help you fall in love with cinema over and over again!
THE L&C TEAM
I quote obscure movie references in conversations, take disappointing book endings way too seriously and I still haven’t recovered from the trauma caused by the most heart-wrenching 4:17 minutes in film history. I take life lessons from Dawson’s Creek, I’ve written a dissertation on Joker, and I once had to explain to the security guards at the airport that the ‘sharp item’ they found in my bag was, in fact, a Harry Potter wand.
A freelance journalist who probably relates to Little Women‘s Jo March a little too much. I love comic books, sports, concerts and anything directed by Kevin Smith or Spike Lee. Growing up, I dreamed of being a movie critic because I was fascinated by the art of cinema and the magic of going to the movie theater. I’m a big believer in physical media, and can likely be found watching the cinematic masterpiece that is Bottoms.
Member of: Georgia Film Critics Association, OFTA
Modern Languages and International Film student with too much time on his hands and too many films in his watchlist. Shameless fan of summer blockbusters and an unapologetic completionist when it comes to movies – most commonly found buying snacks for my next trip to the cinema.
Member of: Ripe Banana
I’m what I like to call a late bloomer cinephile. I took a career path about as far removed from film as you can think, but over the years I realized how much the medium could capture my heart and how exciting it is to explore and analyze. So, to cope with an unhappy period of my life, I decided to do something extremely groundbreaking: write movie reviews on the internet. By some miracle, I have yet to completely go mad by doing this, so I might as well keep going!
Member of: OFTA
She/Her
Alise is a film critic out of Morgantown, West Virginia. She has loved going to the movies since her dad promised to take her to the drive-in if she could read the title of the film. Alise loves highlighting movies from women and/or queer directors. She writes for The Dominion Post and Movies We Texted About. Her book “The Ted Lasso Relationship Guide” is available on Amazon.
For many years my phone alarm was set to the opening theme of Taxi Driver, which is unsurprisingly a very dramatic and rather dark way to wake up. It was just one way for me to experience the wonderful world of film and more specifically scores and soundtracks, a passion that was ignited when I was just a teenager seeing Danny Boyle’s Sunshine in the cinema for the first time. Watching films is a huge part of my life and I am in a constant battle with my ever-growing watchlist.
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Member of: UK Film Critics Association
Ben Sears is an Indianapolis native, aspiring filmmaker, and film critic. Lover of all things animation and Kurt Vonnegut, Ben has been writing and talking about film professionally since 2019. When he’s not catching up with movies and TV, he’s most likely spending time with his wife and kids, or training for his next marathon.
Jason Blum and Sharknado enthusiast. Lover of all things horror, especially if it stars Katharine Isabelle. Big on female led, written and directed films in any genre (emphasis on Sarah Polley and Gillian Robespierre). Probably found watching Another Round, Suspiria (1977) or Never Goin’ Back in my room.
Member of: The Cherry Picks, Ripe Banana
Watching films ties with eating macaroni and cheese as my favourite past time. In December of 2001, my parents took me to see The Fellowship of the Ring. There, I fell in love with cinema and decided my life-long dream was to be a Hobbit. Unfortunately, I’m still working on that, as I inevitably get side tracked into watching a film I’ve already seen three times on a streaming service while the DVD gathers dust on my alphabetised shelves and forget to move to New Zealand.
Clotilde’s love for film began at a very young age with the Disney cartoons she would watch over and over. However, her passion for films truly sparked with franchises like Hunger Games and Harry Potter. After graduating with a BA in Film from King’s College London, Clotilde started working in film production and entertainment journalism while developing a deeper understanding of film movements and trends. Although most of her time is occupied by watching films, writing and talking about them to anyone who will listen, Clotilde enjoys reading and baking in her free time.
Member of: AWFJ, IFSCritics, UK Film Critics Association, The Cherry Picks
I have always loved cinema – so much so that I studied Film Studies at university. But I also love writing about all sorts of films. Good or bad, long or short, futuristic or of its time. Hopefully I can share my love for cinema with you. When I’m not here, you can find me writing for my film blog, Cinematic Sense. I think Minority Report is the greatest film of all time, but I would be happy to be proven wrong.
Member of: UK Film Critics Association
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Emma is a freelance writer and a lifelong movie and television fan. When she’s not at the cinema enjoying the latest movie release or talking to fellow film lovers on Twitter, you can find her at Starbucks consuming peppermint mochas.
Member of: The Cherry Picks, WFCC, OFTA, Houston Film Critics Society
A connoisseur of all things mumblecore, coming-of-age, and psychological horror, but a consumer of all film. My love language is learning more about you so I could give you customized movie recommendations. My way of travelling to new places is visiting their local movie theaters. My opinions stay safely-stored until you unleash Pandora’s Box by asking me “What do you think?” I have an Oscar on my bookshelf for having the largest score of accurately-guessed winners at a local Oscars screening party. I thanked mom, dad and cinema for teaching me everything I know about life.
Native New Yorker and natural-born film lover. I earned a degree in journalism with a minor in film studies at the University of Georgia and studied film critique at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. I’m an expert on all things A24 and always keeping an eye out for the next round of up-and-coming filmmakers. You can usually catch me at the nearest film festival or whichever NYC theater is screening the latest foreign films.
I’m a Puerto Rican freelance writer and film critic and a member of OFTA, PIFC, and GFCA. I got raised watching horror films like Nightmare on Elm Street, Evil Dead, Carrie, Alien, amongst others, and ever since then, I have been in love with the genre (hence David Cronenberg being one of my favorite directors, and Julia Ducournau’s Raw is my favorite film of all time).”
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Member of: OFTA, PIFC, RB
It was January of 2017 and I was 14 years old. I begged my parents to go see La La Land with me to help feed my current obsession with Emma Stone ever since she appeared as Gwen Stacy just a few years prior. In that movie theatre, I experienced life, love, and culture in a way that I have never seen or felt before. Around a thousand new movies later, I consider myself a true film buff and an Awards Season enthusiast. Nowadays, I try to watch everything I can get my hands on to distract me from the everyday stressors of being in undergrad and I don’t see my love for film diminishing anytime soon.
I am a long time film fan currently trying my best to combine my love of cinema with my passion for writing. I live in small-town Ohio and teach high school language arts and a film class! When I’m not watching movies (or grading papers), I’m hanging out with my dogs, watching football with my family, or getting into deep philosophical conversations with my friends. Oh, and I’m always drinking coffee.
I’m an avid reader, writer, and cinephile. When I’m not reading fantasy, I’m writing on religion and pop culture. I’m a firm believer that horror films are beautiful cinema, a movie poster evangelist, and the one who will still bring up Toni Collette’s Oscar snubbing to anyone willing to listen.
I sit back, relax, and lose myself in a few hours worth of muscle-bound heroes, explosions, magic, spaceships, and heart. Such is the experience I am positively addicted to. I have written reviews and discussions for a wide range of media since 2016, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. My favorite genres are horror and high fantasy.
Member of: OFTA
Having not secured vocation as an Explorer or a Time Traveller, I instead write about movies from countries I have not visited, and times I cannot know.
My love affair with independent film began at Manchester’s dearly departed Cornerhouse in the early 2010s. Ever since, I’ve been passionate about combining my love of film, literature and languages to uncover hidden gems and raise the profile of world cinema in the UK. Alongside my writing, I have worked at Phoenix Cinema and Arts Centre in Leicester, and I am currently part of the team behind Wigan and Leigh Short Film Festival. My favourite directors include Bernardo Bertolucci, Sidney Lumet, Richard Linklater and Céline Sciamma.
A Sofia Coppola protagonist and lover of banana smoothies. I have been obsessed with movies ever since my Grandma sat me down at four years old to watch the Cropduster Scene from “North By Northwest.” When not watching movies, I can be found going on long walks and re-reading Jane Austen.
I’ve been in love with movies for as long as I can remember, and that passion has only grown over time. Watching and writing about films brings me real happiness, as it allows me to connect with stories and ideas in a way that’s deeply fulfilling. Some of my favorite directors include Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Christopher Nolan, and Paul Thomas Anderson.
Sebastian Zavala has a Bachelor’s Degree in Audiovisual Communication from PUCP, in Peru, and a MA in Film Directing from MetFilm School in London. He is the co-founder and editor of FotografiaCalato.com and NoEsEnSerie.com, and writes film reviews for Cinencuentro.com, MeGustaElCine.com and Ventana Indiscreta, and video-game reviews for Nintendo.pe. He directed two short films and one web show while studying in London. In Lima, Peru, he has directed two short films (and counting), and is developing a feature based on the novel “Heavy Steps” by Gunter Silva, and other feature film projects.
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I’m a 20 year old autistic writer who loves anything from that one movie that won an oscar once to some undeniable trash you wish never existed. You’ll probably find me in a cinema one day hogging all the popcorn.
He/Him
I am an applied arts graduate who accidentally started freelance writing thanks to my obsession with cinema. Watching Hirokazu Koreeda’s After the Storm and Asghar Farhadi’s The Salesman at the first film festival I attended changed my life’s trajectory and got me singularly obsessed with film festivals! I’m still not over the second season of The Bear or the last scene of Another Round. When I’m not analysing films or TV shows, I’m shuffling through albums, listening to Andre 3000, Beth Gibbons, Jane Remover, and anyone in between or beyond.
I’ve had a fascination with films and storytelling for as long as I can remember, and it’s just never dwindled ! I’m no film snob; I will watch absolutely anything before I make a judgement (I am unashamedly a huge Adam Sandler fan). I graduated with an MA in Contemporary Literature in 2020 and have since been trying to venture into the world of film in whatever way I can! I discovered that I can talk to my friends relentlessly about film and thought I should channel that into writing. In my spare time, I run a TikTok account recommending films!
She/Her
Christina Brennan is a UK-based freelancer with by-lines in places like Little White Lies, Flux Magazine and Movie Marker. She’s reviewed several international film festivals, including Salem Horror Fest, Sheffield DocFest, FrightFest Glasgow and Sundance London. She’s due to publish a book about George Sluizer’s thriller The Vanishing, and in the not-so-recent past, she did a PhD on North American post-apocalyptic fiction.
Freelance writer, actor and aspiring screenwriter. Unapologetic fan of big battle scenes and unbroken long takes. Probably a little bit too obsessed with awards season, but oh well.
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Dave is a lifelong film fan who really got his start in the independent film heyday of the 90s. Since then, he has tried to branch out into arthouse, international, and avant garde film. Despite that, he still enjoys a good romcom or action movie. His goal is to always expand his horizons, through writing and watching new movies.
I am a critic and writer with a background in law. World cinema has a special place in my heart and though I regard the works of such film masters as Tarkovsky, Ozu and Bresson as “sacred canons”, I also have an eclectic taste in film, and watch and appreciate different genres, including horror, science fiction, anime and documentaries.
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Elliott is a UK-based writer with a deep-rooted obsession with movies and television. He’s never happier than when watching, writing or talking about film, and he’s willing to absorb practically anything and everything he can get his hands on, from the latest blockbusters to niche titles and foreign language cinema. Lover of all things horror, a Letterboxd list-maker, and both passionate about and a collector of physical media. Outside his love for cinema, Elliott is a long-time beleaguered football fan.
Screenwriting graduate, creative writer and film podcast host from Australia. Film became my escape from the harshness of growing up but now as an adult, it has become my favourite source of immersion and joy. I am a huge advocate for cinema-going alone, it’s so remedial for me. I have been writing reviews and discussion pieces since graduating from university, before translating that passion into a film podcast and my carefully curated Letterboxd profile. I hope to one day travel to an abundance of international film festivals.
I’m a recent college graduate from Texas A&M University whose true appreciation for film started after a History of Film Gen Ed class I took my sophomore year of college (Cléo from 5 to 7 is weirdly what got me hooked). I’m just starting my journalism career and am passionate both reporting, primarily about culture and people, and reviewing movies. I’m chronically a Starbucks, skincare, Hot Girl Walk, Taylor Swift, Pinterest-obsessed Gen Z, a Meg March girl, and Zendaya’s #1 stan.
Maxance is a film student at the Université de Montréal, with a minor in Video Game Studies and a freelance film/TV and culture critic, focusing on genre cinema and contemporary feature films, while initiating as many people as he can to the incredible chaos of Uncut Gems.
Irish-born, London-based critic of many years. Has an MA in Film Studies, so yes, he actually knows what he’s talking about. Has interviewed Russell Crowe and Mike Leigh, and lived to tell the tale.
If found, please deliver to an aisle seat in the middle row. Scotland-based scribe, lover of sincerity and horror. Skips the trailers, stays for the credits. Storyteller, interviewer, podcaster, general yapper, and a ‘subtitles on’ kind of guy.
Though I’m currently residing in Edinburgh, UK, I grew up at the end of a dirt road in a small town in Vermont, USA. Considering my nearest friend was a few miles away, I often had to make my own fun, frequently resorting to film and music. These interests eventually manifested into my current passions for writing OK genre fiction, writing dope heavy metal music, and even critiquing a film or two now and then. I have watched every Batman movie ever made, including the direct-to-video animated ones.
I am a published reviewer and sportswriter, but one of my main passions is writing about film. I gained this love of writing my senior year of high school when I wrote at length about Marvel’s Avengers and discussing its cultural relevance for the time. Since then, I have written many reviews on Letterboxd and the (now defunct) student newspaper at George Mason University called The Rival. My primary interests in movies include science fiction and animation.
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