You've all heard the expression. It's usually grumbled by some discouraged painter, playwright or poet who can't stand the heat of disapproval, or disinterest. It's something like saying "Nobody understands me," or "You just don't get it."

Sometimes, maybe that's true. Great artists have been misunderstood in their lifetimes Van Gough sold one painting, Kafka one story. And sometimes, maybe the public gets ahead of itself. Michael Bolton, anyone?

Years ago - you're not asking, I'm not telling - I was film critic-in-residence at the Santa Cruz Good Times, a weekly entertainment rag whose unofficial motto was, "No News is Good News." Restaurant openings, entertainment listings, the latest hot bands, community theater: this was the stuff of Good Times, not city council meetings, endangered wetlands or business on-the-move columns.

I had what I thought was the best beat of all, going to screenings of blockbusters before they opened and confidently expressing my uneducated opinion for the masses to read on Thursday morning. (Nice work if you can get it.)

Nowadays, things a little different. Roger Ebert, Leonard Maltin, even Gene Shalit became household words, their opinions respected or dissed by television audiences everywhere. Every town has its film critic, every opinion is fair, and any movie is fair game.

Since I'm doing this column pretty much as a labor of love - I even pay for my tickets, just so's you know - there's no reason I can't share the love.

Did you see "Star Trek" already? What do you think?

Was "Sin Nombre" what you expected?

Is "Obsessed" really the best movie out there?

If you've ever wanted to do a film review, write it up and send it in. Click on this link and email me your review, thoughts, insights or even criticism of a movie currently playing, either in local theaters or coming up on TV or cable.

It's not a contest. If it's well enough written, we'll publish it in this blog. Honest. Critical consensus be damned.

Before I left Santa Cruz, I tried something similar, opening up the paper to film reviews from anyone. We had only a dozen people respond, maybe half a dozen reviews. But there was really only one "writer," who delivered a thoughtful, well-crafted film review. I handed her my job when I moved on.

Her name was Lisa Jensen , and last I time I looked she still had the job. And she's an even better writer.

Movies will do that to do.