The Projectionist

I was worried that The Projectionist would be another dirge about the end of an era, but it's Ferrara's light touch and likable subject that make it so much more.

The Projectionist is not so much a hidden history of the movies as one that shines a light on an underground culture, fighting for survival, then and now.

Nicolaou and Ferrara arrive in The Projectionist to recount the New York, the cinematic experiences, and the movies of their childhoods. And we're all better off for it.

The documentary excels as kind of cultural microcosm, rich in its broader implications.

For cinephiles, this will be effective propaganda in service of a belief they already hold, a reaffirmation of their purist convictions from a simpatico mind.

The film does convey respect and regard for Nicolaou and makes a strong case that he, and people like him, are more in tune with the soul of the city than the big businesses could ever be.

By the last act it feels like we're watching a local sales video for a small multiplex -- come on by, the popcorn's fine enough, we guess?

The Projectionist is a small film in the best sense of the word, as it documents gentrification and the corporatization of the movie theater business.

[A] dividing line between generations is whether you remember the days when, outside of the potluck and frequently mangled versions played on television, the only way to see a movie was in the theatre.

Combining a tribute to the theatrical moviegoing experience with a profile of an immigrant living the American dream, Ferrara's documentary is both relevant and heartfelt.