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The author expresses his opinion regarding film critics' views on the film knowledge of beginning filmmakers. He discusses definitive films for beginning filmmakers, remarks on motion picture directors in Great Britain who are influenced by classic cinema, like Ben Wheatley, Joanna Hogg, and Richard Ayoade, and offers information regarding filmmaking education in Great Britain, such as the Royal College of Art, National School of Film and Television, and the London Film School.

The author reflects on the job market for film critics since 2008, focusing specifically on their employment by British newspapers. He notes that while many American publications reduced their staffs or focused more on online content, the British press initially did not follow this trend. The importance of the retirement of critic Philip French is discussed as well as the replacement of other critics such as Christopher Tookey, Sukhdev Sandhu, and Derek Malcolm.

The article presents the author's views on the apparently declining role of film critics in the press, as seen in the number of such reviewers who have been laid off in the U.S. without being replaces. The status of movie writers in Great Britain is discussed, and the author sees them as pressured to write only about British film, even at international festivals like Cannes.

The author reflects on the lists of top films for 2006 as chosen by reviewers for the periodical "Sight & Sound," discussing the ten films that were featured the most. He suggests that the inclusion of two British films, "The Queen," and "Red Road," in that category might represent a more open-minded approach to British cinema from critics. The author also discusses the lack of American films on the lists, and the lack of aesthetic consensus from the critics concerning their individual lists.