Cinephile [sin-uh-fahyl]

noun

a devoted moviegoer, especially one knowledgeable about the cinema.

Basic Cinephile [bey-sik sin-uh-fahyl]

noun

a devoted moviegoer, especially one knowledgeable about hot men in romantic comedies, legendary leading ladies like Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union, with a deep appreciation for the flavor pairing of a fine boxed wine and movie theater popcorn.

Since 2019, we have sought to create an inclusive online community where basic cinephiles can read reviews and discuss movies daily.

 

Our Mission

The Basic Cinephile is devoted to voicing female opinions on movies of all calibers. Whether you’re a film school graduate who’s an authority on Kubrick or an aspiring influencer who can quote every word of Legally Blonde and Clueless, both are like totally basic cinephiles.


It’s really important for boys to see that girls take up half of the planet - which we do
— Geena Davis, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
I went deep, deep, deep, deep into Rotten Tomatoes, and I counted how many contributors there were — critics and bloggers and writers. And of those allowed to rate on the Tomatometer, there are 168 women. And I thought, ‘that’s absolutely fantastic.’ And then, if there were 168 men, it would be balanced. If there were 268 men, it would unfair but I’d get used to it. If there were 368, 468, 568 ... Actually there are 760 men who weigh in on the Tomatometer. The word isn’t ‘disheartening,’ it’s ‘infuriating’. I submit to you that men and women are not the same. They like different things. Sometimes they like the same things, but their tastes diverge. If the Tomatometer is slided so completely to one set of tastes, that drives box office in the U.S., absolutely.
— Meryl Streep, 2015