''The Dissolve'' was a film review, news, and commentary website which was operated by

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

and based in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. The site was focused on reviews, commentary, interviews, and news about contemporary and classic films.{{cite web, url=http://pitchfork.com/news/50949-introducing-the-dissolve-a-new-film-site/, work=

, access-date=April 14, 2014, date=May 30, 2013, title=Introducing The Dissolve, A New Film Site Its editor was Scott Tobias, the former editor in chief of '' The A.V. Club''. Editorial director Keith Phipps announced ''The Dissolve'''s closure on July 8, 2015.{{cite web , url=http://thedissolve.com/news/6187-the-end/ , publisher=The Dissolve , title=The End , access-date=21 June 2017 , date=8 July 2015 , last=Phipps , first=Keith , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708130121/http://thedissolve.com/news/6187-the-end/ , archive-date=8 July 2015

History

After Phipps parted from ''The A.V. Club'', he felt he wanted to focus his career on writing about film opposed to the wide-ranging topics that ''The A.V. Club'' discusses.{{cite magazine, url=http://entertainment.time.com/2013/06/03/qa-keith-phipps-talks-about-pitchforks-new-movie-site-the-dissolve/, magazine=

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

, access-date=April 14, 2014, title=Q&A: Keith Phipps Talks About Pitchfork's New Movie Site, The Dissolve, author=Subramanian, Courtney, date=June 3, 2013 The site launched on July 10, 2013.{{cite web, url=http://pitchfork.com/news/51424-pitchforks-film-site-the-dissolve-to-launch-this-wednesday/, work=Pitchfork, access-date=April 14, 2014, date=July 8, 2013, title=The Dissolve, Pitchfork's New Film Site, Set to Launch This Wednesday In the first two weeks of publication, ''The Dissolve'' was set to present the following regular articles: ''The Conversation,'' which is a weekly discussion between ''The Dissolve''{{'s writers about current films and a ''Movie of the Week'' feature, where the staff focuses on a film of their choosing for several days. On July 8, 2015, ''The Dissolve'' announced its closure with editorial director Keith Phipps stating, "Sadly, because of the various challenges inherent in launching a freestanding website in a crowded publishing environment, financial and otherwise, today is the last day we will be doing that."{{cite web , url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150708/NEWS07/150709865/pitchfork-media-shutters-movie-website-the-dissolve , title=Pitchfork Media shutters movie website The Dissolve , publisher=Crain's Chicago Business , date=8 July 2015 , access-date=8 July 2015 , first=Ally , last=Marotti {{cite web , url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/pitchfork-movie-site-dissolve-shuts-807303 , title=Pitchfork Movie Site 'The Dissolve' Shuts Down , publisher=The Hollywood Reporter , date=8 July 2015 , access-date=8 July 2015 , first=Chris , last=O'Shea , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708180843/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/pitchfork-movie-site-dissolve-shuts-807303 , archive-date=8 July 2015 {{cite web , url=http://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/the-dissolve-2013-2015 , title=The Dissolve: 2013-2015 , publisher=Chaz's Blog - Roger Ebert , date=8 July 2015 , access-date=8 July 2015 , first=Matt , last=Zoller Seitz , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708182106/http://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/the-dissolve-2013-2015 , archive-date=8 July 2015 {{cite news , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2015/07/08/intermission-a-eulogy-for-the-dissolve/ , title=Intermission: A eulogy for the Dissolve , newspaper=

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

, date=8 July 2015 , access-date=8 July 2015 , first=Alyssa , last=Rosenberg Scott Tobias—in an interview with ''

Indiewire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Holl ...

''—stated, "This was simply a case of everyone trying their best to make something great and the economics not being kind to those efforts."{{cite web , url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/criticwire/editors-keith-phipps-and-scott-tobias-on-the-end-of-the-dissolve-20150709 , title=Editors Keith Phipps and Scott Tobias on the End of The Dissolve and the Future of Film Criticism , website=Criticwire (Indiewire) , date=9 July 2015 , access-date=9 July 2015 , first=Sam , last=Adams {{cite web , url=http://scotttobias.tumblr.com/post/123549397881/acknowledgments , title=Acknowledgments , website=Sweet Emulsion , date=8 July 2015 , access-date=13 July 2015 , first=Scott , last=Tobias {{cite web , url=http://noelmu.tumblr.com/post/123891879019/week-in-review-7-6-15-7-12-15 , title=Week in Review 7/6/15-7/12-15 , website=Hey Hey in the Hayloft , date=12 July 2015 , access-date=13 July 2015 , first=Noel , last=Murray Former ''The Dissolve'' writers Scott Tobias, Keith Phipps, and Tasha Robinson later went on to develop the Next Picture Show podcast.

Staff

Aside from Phipps, ''The Dissolve''{{'s original staff comprised five of his former ''A.V. Club'' colleagues: Scott Tobias, Nathan Rabin, Genevieve Koski, Tasha Robinson, and Noel Murray.{{cite web, url=http://thedissolve.com/features/special-feature/12-a-letter-from-the-editor/ , title=A Letter from the Editor , publisher=The Dissolve , date=2013-07-10, access-date=2013-07-10, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211110122/https://thedissolve.com/features/special-feature/12-a-letter-from-the-editor/, archive-date=February 11, 2015 Staff members Noel Murray left ''The Dissolve'' to write freelance status in September 2014, and news editor Matt Singer left to contribute to ScreenCrush in November.{{cite web, url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/criticwire/nathan-rabin-leaves-the-dissolve-20150501, publisher=

, title=Nathan Rabin Leaves The Dissolve, access-date=May 19, 2015, date=May 1, 2015, last= Adams, first=Sam Critic Nathan Rabin left the site in May 2015. The staff also included news editor Rachel Handler, replacing Matt Singer, and contributors Mike D'Angelo and Sam Adams.{{cite web, url=http://thedissolve.com/authors/sama/, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413114939/http://thedissolve.com/authors/sama/, archive-date=April 13, 2015, title=Our Writers: Sam Adams, publisher=The Dissolve , date=2013-07-10, access-date=2014-05-09

Ratings

''The Dissolve''{{'s film rankings in comparison to other film reviews tended to be more harsh in their 1,555 reviews aggregated by

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, who stated that on average, the website grades films 8.9 points lower than other critics from a 0–100 scale. Their average score is 56. Out of all the reviews, 566 were considered positive, 770 were considered mixed, and 219 were considered negative.{{cite web, title=The Dissolve's Scores, url=http://www.metacritic.com/publication/the-dissolve, url-status=live, access-date=December 8, 2021, work=

''The Dissolve'' Film of the Year

{, class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! bgcolor="#efefef" , Year ! bgcolor="#efefef" , Film ! bgcolor="#efefef" , Director ! bgcolor="#efefef" width=125px, Nationality ! bgcolor="#efefef" class=unsortable , Top 5 Films ! bgcolor="#efefef" class=unsortable , {{Abbr, Ref., References , - , align="center",

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

, ''

Her Her is the objective and possessive form of the English-language feminine pronoun she. Her, HER or H.E.R. may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Music * H.E.R. (born 1997), American singer ** ''H.E.R.'' (album), 2017 * HIM (Finnish ...

'' ,

Spike Jonze Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television. Jonze began his ca ...

, {{USA , {{smalldiv, * 2nd: '' 12 Years a Slave'' dir.

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and ...

* 3rd: ''

Inside Llewyn Davis ''Inside Llewyn Davis'' () is a 2013 period black comedy musical drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in 1961, the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac in his breakt ...

'' dir. Joel and Ethan Coen * 4th: ''

Frances Ha ''Frances Ha'' is a 2012 American black and white comedy-drama film, directed by Noah Baumbach and written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig. Gerwig also plays the title role, a struggling 27-year-old dancer. The film premiered at the Telluride Film ...

'' dir.

Noah Baumbach Noah Baumbach () (born September 3, 1969) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for making witty and intellectual comedies set in New York City and has often been compared to writer-directors such as Woody Allen and Whit St ...

* 5th: ''

Upstream Color ''Upstream Color'' is a 2013 American experimental science fiction film written, directed, produced by, and starring Shane Carruth. The film is the second feature directed by Carruth, following his 2004 debut ''Primer''. It stars Amy Seimetz, Ca ...

'' dir.

Shane Carruth Shane Carruth (born 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, composer, and actor. He is the writer, director, and co-star of the prize-winning science-fiction film ''Primer'' (2004), which was his debut feature. His second film, ''Upstream ...

, align="center", {{cite web , title=The best films of 2013 , url=https://thedissolve.com/features/2013-in-review/330-the-best-films-of-2013/ , publisher=The Dissolve , access-date=18 December 2014 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402150804/http://thedissolve.com/features/2013-in-review/330-the-best-films-of-2013/ , archive-date=2 April 2015 , - , align="center",

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...

, '' Boyhood'' ,

Richard Linklater Richard Stuart Linklater (; born July 30, 1960) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for films that revolve mainly around suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies ' ...

, {{USA , {{smalldiv, * 2nd: '' The Grand Budapest Hotel'' dir.

Wes Anderson Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their eccentricity and unique visual and narrative styles. They often contain themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Cited by ...

* 3rd: '' Under the Skin'' dir.

Jonathan Glazer Jonathan Glazer (born 26 March 1965) is an English film director and screenwriter. Born in London, Glazer began his career in theatre before transitioning into film. Over the course of a career spanning nearly three decades, Glazer's directing ...

* 4th: '' Whiplash'' dir.

Damien Chazelle Damien Sayre Chazelle (; born January 19, 1985) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is known for his films '' Whiplash'' (2014), '' La La Land'' (2016), and '' First Man'' (2018). For ''Whiplash'', he was nominated for t ...

* 5th: '' Only Lovers Left Alive'' dir.

Jim Jarmusch James Robert Jarmusch (; born January 22, 1953) is an American film director and screenwriter. He has been a major proponent of independent cinema since the 1980s, directing films including ''Stranger Than Paradise'' (1984), '' Down by Law'' (19 ...

, align="center", {{cite web , title=The best films of 2014 , url=http://thedissolve.com/features/2014-in-review/857-the-best-films-of-2014/ , publisher=The Dissolve , access-date=18 December 2014 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320190225/http://thedissolve.com/features/2014-in-review/857-the-best-films-of-2014/ , archive-date=20 March 2015

References

{{Reflist

External links

The Dissolve
(official website; still online, but no longer updated) {{DEFAULTSORT:Dissolve Film magazines published in the United States Online magazines published in the United States Defunct magazines published in the United States Defunct American websites American film review websites Magazines established in 2013 Magazines disestablished in 2015 Magazines published in Chicago Internet properties disestablished in 2015