Welcome to the first post of Sunshine State Cineplex! My name is Alan French and I’m hoping to make this one of the most exciting film and television blogs in the country. I am a member of the Critic’s Association of Central Florida and sit on the board for the organization. I am also a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic. My reviews count towards the Tomato-meter, regardless of where I write. In the past, I’ve written for several big sites, including WeLiveEntertainment.com, InSessionFilm, WeBoughtaBlog.com, and the now defunct AwardsCircuit.com.
I will be running this site as the Editor-In-Chief, while also serving as the primary critic. Several friends and colleagues will be given a space to express their opinions on the biggest pop culture. If you want to reach out and write for our team, do not hesitate.
Additionally, we’re going to do a couple other fun aspects to the site. My first job in the entertainment industry was at a 12-plex in Tallahassee (shout out the Regal Governor’s Square). I was able to look up at portraits of Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Susan Sarandon and Meryl Streep that had been painted on the walls. I will never forget the effort theater employees put into making your time at a theater a good experience. To salute that time, we will always run a fun section of the site where we will pick 12 films for the theater.
A horror podcast, ‘Bela Lugosi is Undead’ will also be live in the next week. Hosted by myself and lifelong horror fan Spooky Ryan, we dive into sub-one hour discussions on our favorite films. More podcasts and ideas will come on the horizon.
Finally, we will look to cover the Florida Film industry as a primary focus. As a native Floridian, I hope to shine a light on the incredible festivals and film culture that can exist in our state. We want to showcase writers from Florida, or those who currently live in the state. With any luck, we can help bring more attention to independent features being created in the Sunshine State.
Welcome to Sunshine State Cineplex! We hope you’ll stick with us to be part of the fun.
