1. Where’s your byline?
Throughout the Palo Alto Weekly and Palo Alto Online movie reviews
2. Education:
I received an Associate's Degree from Foothill College and attended acting school at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco
3. Film education:
Comes primarily from doing rather than film school. I've co-produced five short films and three feature films alongside my twin brother, Nathan Logan Hanley, and co-operate film- and-music production company Mirror Image Entertainment
4. Indispensable film books:
Story
5. Favorite film magazines and/or websites:
rottentomatoes.com, iMDb.com, FilmMaker Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Premiere
6. Describe a typical work week:
Well, my job consists of much more than writing movie reviews. As far as my movie-review duties are concerned, I'm generally assigned 1-2 movies per week, which I'll see on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, and then I write the review(s) for the following Friday's paper.
7. How many movies did you review in 2006?
36 so far.
8. What do you take with you to a screening?
Nothing. I used to take notes during screenings, but found the note-taking to be a distraction from the film itself and frequently unnecessary. Now I simply bring my complete attention and a guest with whom I can discuss the film afterward.
9. Movie you lambasted that then got you lambasted, & have you since backpedaled?
As a filmmaker myself, I tend to not be as critical as other movie reviewers. I don't recall ever being lambasted for a film I gave a negative review to. Maybe someday...
10. To what extent do you believe home theatres will make movie theatres obsolete?
I feel that's coming closer to reality than ever. With so many cellphones and frequent "chatty" filmgoers, more and more people are getting irritated in the theater and will choose to wait until DVD and view the film from the comfort of home.
11. Advice for hitting a film fest; What are your objectives?
Give each movie your complete attention and try not to be too critical. Many of these films are made with limited budget and rely instead on passion and hard work.
12. Most over/under-rated film fest and why:
Over – Sundance (for obvious reasons); Under – Mill Valley (great fest in a beautiful location).
13. What fests did you attend in 2006, and which would you like to attend in 2007?
I was unable to attend any festivals in 2006, but will likely attend several in 2007, including Cinequest (in San Jose) and Mill Valley.
14. How do you fuel yourself during a hectic fest schedule?
Usually my mentor, Jeanne Aufmuth, hits the festival circuit, so I have yet to worry about fueling myself during a hectic schedule.
15. Your ideal film fest theme:
Crime fiction.
16. What do you consider the most prestigious non-Oscar film award?
The Golden Globe.
17. Movies/genres you can discuss better than anyone else:
Comic book films, Bruce Lee films and martial-arts films in general.
18. If you were locked in a theatre with the work of three directors...
Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.
19. How often do you watch movies that you aren’t critiquing?
Very often.
20. Three favorite sick-in-bed/easy-on-the-head movies:
The Princess Bride
21. Surprising turn from one of your least favorite actors/directors:
Vin Diesel in Saving Private Ryan
22. Three essential movies for a proper film-snob library:
Citizen Kane
23. How did you become a film critic?
I started at the Weekly as assistant to the editor. As the editors knew I was an aspiring filmmaker, and since no one else was willing, I was asked to write a review for the Mariah Carey flop Glitter
24. Career moment you’re most proud of:
Being awarded first place in the category of Entertainment Review by the Peninsula Press Club two years in a row. I won for 8 Women
