FILM CRITIC CLOSE-UP: MARGARET A. McGURK

Hardly a day goes by when someone doesn't say to me, ''You have the best job in the world.'' To which I can only answer, ''Yes, I most certainly do.''

Philosophy: Movies are an inextricable part of my life, and yours too, whether you go to the theater or not. They influence how we talk, how we dress, what jokes we tell. They mirror the world in fact, and in our imaginations. They make our most elusive selves solid and specific.

Even the frothiest entertainments entice us to participate in emotional experiences as if they were real. Filmmakers who don't understand that -- who don't know what they are saying or have no good reason to ask for our attention -- almost inevitably make bad movies.

That's why I insist that even mindless diversions come across with the goods. Just because a movie is fluff is no reason for it to insult the paying customers with ill-constructed plots, clumsy dialogue and cardboard characters. Clarity of purpose solves a lot of those problems; without it, all the talent and money in the world won't yield a good film (see Sphere).

do not judge movies on a curve. Even though for the convenience of our readers we assign star values to each movie, there is no fair way to make a direct comparison between, say, Saving Private Ryan and There's Something About Mary. I strive to measure each film on how well it achieves what it sets out to do.

Technical standards in the movie business are so high, and filmmakers at all levels so sophisticated, that mechanical shortcomings -- sound, lighting, costumes -- are rarely a major issue. Most of the time, when movies fail, they fail on the page. A good story -- intelligent, engaging, original -- and a well-written script are still the essential ingredients, and the achievements I rate highest.

Pet peeves: Children's movies that show someone getting kicked in the crotch -- which lately are almost all children's movies. People who talk during the show.

What I'd like to see this year: Theatrical engagements for the growing number of low-budget, independent films shot in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.