Kael made people feel uncomfortable both in her presence and in print. She wouldn’t have had it any other way. More to Read . Mindy Kaling: Hollywood intuitionist . June 2, 2024.

The most distinctive feature of Kael’s criticism was its voice. When people respond favorably to her work, it’s often the chatty, urgent, and unrestrained tone of the reviews that draws them in.

Pauline Kael, long-time New Yorker film critic, was famous for her scathing, but honest movie reviews. She took digs at many popular films like The Sound of Music and Star Wars with no inhibitions.

Pauline Kael's "Last Tango" typist thinks she might like Oscar nom "Black Swan," but not "The Social Network" -- and "The King's Speech" would hit too close to home.

The first piece Kael wrote for The New Yorker, “Movies on Television,” suggests why she remains a vexing influence in cinema more than a half century later.

Why Pauline Kael’s fight over ‘Citizen Kane’ still matters, whichever side you’re on (Golden Cosmos / For The Times) By Amy Nicholson. April 8, 2024 3 AM PT .