10 Years of The Movie Guy: How it all began

I can’t believe it’s already been a decade since I started this film review column, and when I look back, I’m amazed at what I’ve managed to achieve.

The Movie Guy didn’t begin as just one idea but rather as a collection of things that came together in a remarkable way. In April 2016, my first proper film review was published, and, if I remember correctly, it was for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

I started at the Windhoek Express in March 2016, and since it was a community newspaper, I wanted something that would be uniquely mine. I tried sport, school news and entertainment, but nothing really stood out. Then I realised that most newspapers didn’t have a dedicated film review section.

I submitted my first review in early April, and that’s where it all truly began. I loved – and still love – films, and I could share my opinions on all kinds of movies. If I couldn’t make it to the cinema, I would focus on a TV series instead. I think it was around mid-2018 that I decided to start a blog, separate from my regular reviews.

I still wanted it to focus on films, but not only reviews. I wanted to create film rankings and share my thoughts on different pop culture events. I didn’t have a name yet, but it was easy enough to come up with one. I’m a man who loves films, so I decided to call myself The Movie Guy.

The Instagram page came much later. In July 2019, I uploaded my first video review on YouTube, which was for Spider-Man: Far From Home. It’s still on the channel. I did, however, give up after three or four videos.

It was also in 2019 that I attended Comic Con Africa for the first time. Then 2020 came, and everything came to a standstill. My dream of becoming the next big film reviewer fell apart.

I carried on writing reviews for a while, but eventually I couldn’t go to the cinema anymore.

In May 2022, I started watching TikTok videos and decided to begin posting videos again.

I uploaded my first TikTok, where I spoke about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I started writing reviews again, and it seemed like people were actually reading them.

I went back to Comic Con Africa, and at that point I knew I had to keep being The Movie Guy. It may have all started 10 years ago, but in 2022 I truly committed myself to it. There were moments when I wanted to give up. I experienced breaking points, sleepless nights, hundreds of rejections and online bullying, but I still wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As I see it, this is only the beginning. I’ve now interviewed actors, attended various film events, and made friends in the industry, and I’m finally doing something I truly love. I’ve relaunched my blog, www.themovieguy.co.za, so that everyone can follow my reviews.

The Movie Guy is no longer just a man who loves films. It’s a brand that will continue to share a love for films, TV and pop culture long after I’m gone.