Pauline Kael

famously influential movie critic whose acerbic wit, vast knowledge of the filmmaking process, and passion for film were widely imitated but never rivaled. She was The New Yorker's film critic from 1968 until she retired in 1991, lamenting the disappointing state of cinema. She was especially fond of 1970s films, and championed the works of directors Steven Spielberg, Brian De Palma, and Robert Altman.