The Movie Critics: Do you listen?

[Dominus]

Does anyone listen to movie critics? Base there opinions of movies on their favored critic?

I know I don't. The only critic I read is the one from the local paper, Lawrence Toppman. I think I can say with great certainty that he's bashed every movie I've liked, and praised the others. One time he even tried to compare LotR with Harry Potter (when the first two movies came out), I was sort of angry, so I sent a letter to the editor, that was actually printed, that showed Mr. Toppman his place.


"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worth cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid sould who know neither victory nor defeat."
-Teddy Roosevelt

Actually, that's how I feel about all critics.

[Shehzad]

The only website I look at is www.filmthreat.com - I kinda like their revies and they coincide commonly with my opinion of the movie.

[Pluvious]

When I was younger I thought movie critics had no idea what they were talking about. Now I think they get it right more often then not. It depends though. I tend to agree much more with Ebert then Roebert. Ebert seems more to just tell you what movies he enjoyed, while Roebert wants to thought of as sophisticated. It really just depends on where you are at in life though.

A lot of the fun action movies get ripped by critics, even though they can be fun to watch. I think this is fair.

[kater]

I don't listen or read any movie reviews other than Empire, even then I put very little stock in what they say - the job of a critic has become some intellectually-mutated position full of deep analysation and bag of bs rhetoric, ridiculously spouting banalities when all we want to know is: has it got explosions, plot twists, nudity and lots of guns :D

[Dominus]

Agreed! I think they need new blood. kater, it seems like you know what you like, try getting a job at the local newspaper, and from then, the world!

[Nevyn]

If critics were really worth the money they're paid Hollywood would be bankrupt !!:D

[saintjon]

man that quote from Roosevelt was golden. Really inspiring to one who is starting out in the culinary industry as a new cook in a new hotel.

As for critics, I tend to listen to how they describe what they did or didn't like as opposed to what they're final verdict was. I find this way I avoid a lot of the bias they invariably (being critics) bring.

[Dominus]

I liked the quote too, which is why I put it up there. :) That's a good idea about reading individual stuff as opposed to the whole, the critic I mentioned before just seems to hate everything.

[Pluvious]

Originally posted by kater
I don't listen or read any movie reviews other than Empire, even then I put very little stock in what they say - the job of a critic has become some intellectually-mutated position full of deep analysation and bag of bs rhetoric, ridiculously spouting banalities when all we want to know is: has it got explosions, plot twists, nudity and lots of guns :D

I completely disagree. The good reviewers do try to rate the "quality" of a movie. This includes the quality of acting & story, as well as originality. I for one do not want to see the same types of movies over and over again. The more quality and thought that goes into a movie the better. Explosions only do it for me if everything else is in place as well.

[Dallandra]

I do read the critics in some papers but I usually don't take them so seriously and try to make my own oppinion about the movies I watch.

But if I'm planning on going to the cinema and there is two movies going that I kind of want to watch and one of them has gotten good critics and the other one bad, I go and see the one with the good critics.