Masters Film Review just recently celebrated its third anniversary where I covered the 2014 Phoenix Film Festival for Renegade Cinema and relaunched my Game of Thrones Podcast which both mark huge milestones for my career as a writer and critic. It’s been an exciting adventure and I’m thrilled to say my projects are in no way slowing down anytime soon. I’ve been meaning to write this declaration of purpose/mission statement for a while now, but the motivation kind’ve escaped me for a while. I’ve always had a drive and passion behind my work, but for readers who pass in and out, I think it’s important for people to know what I’m all about.

I am Caleb Masters and I am a passionately analytical lover of stories, pop culture, and the conversation that is created between people and the culture they live in. I believe that our world is shaped by the experiences we share in all forms of media including movies, television, music, books, and video games thanks to my first hand insight into awe inspiring storytelling that has impacted lives across the globe.

It’s my job to see that the conversation between our culture and the stories being told are explored and fully realized by those participating in the creative process and theater going experience. Individual lives are shaped on a daily basis by stories coming from anywhere and everywhere including the ones we all tell ourselves. I’m like a DJ who is here to know my stuff, keep the party moving, and even know my art well enough to spice up the entertainment driven conversation we all partake in on a daily basis.

I come from a Christian tradition and I believe the art expressed through the media is so crucial and powerful that it hits us at our most spiritual core, inspiring us to do things both grand and terrifying. It is my conviction that God is the master storyteller who has inspired us to craft our own stories and experiences.  My job is to investigate and see that readers, viewers, and listeners can look more closely at the arts to have a deeper understanding about their opinions, the world they live in, and the people they interact with everyday. My most heartfelt hope and desire is to inspire critical thought and earnest action in all of us that will change the world.

There will be a day when we are all dead and gone and the things that will be remembered, revered, and possibly despised are the stories we passed down and the world they inspired us to create. Critics are here to raise pivotal questions and  thought to steer the ship in a bright hopeful direction.

See you at the movies,

-Caleb Masters