Are Critics Messing with Us?

[Jager X]

If a critic took movies they see at face value, then they would not be doing their job. Also, who says a critic has a choice in what movie they watch? A job is a job, and they would be dumbasses to turn down money because the movie doesn't suit their sensibilities - especially when there are only 5 or so movies out of the year that they really look forward to.

 

[GhostPoet]

Critics are just completely out of touch with the rest of society. Unlike Critics...we, the general public do not go to a movie with the goal of picking it apart while we watch (some do I suppose.) For most...it's based on emotions at the time, escapism and FUN.

GI Joe for instance is a fun movie...that's all I see it has...a little escapism and fun...i'm not trying to pick it apart or critique it. I know what i'm in for...and had a good time.

Other times...my mood may be for something more mellow and character centered...so, i'll see something that fits my mood.

To be honest...I hate most of the movies i've seen critics praise because to me they are boring. I couldn't care any less what the political message behind a movie is...i'm not there to LEARN.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

I'm glad you somehow were able to gain the position of Representative of the general public's opinion of and taste in film. How did you go about doing that? I hear there's a lot of red tape involved.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Critics are just completely out of touch with the rest of society. Unlike Critics...we, the general public do not go to a movie with the goal of picking it apart while we watch (some do I suppose.) For most...it's based on emotions at the time, escapism and FUN.

GI Joe for instance is a fun movie...that's all I see it has...a little escapism and fun...i'm not trying to pick it apart or critique it. I know what i'm in for...and had a good time.

Other times...my mood may be for something more mellow and character centered...so, i'll see something that fits my mood.

To be honest...I hate most of the movies i've seen critics praise because to me they are boring. I couldn't care any less what the political message behind a movie is...i'm not there to LEARN.

But they're not trying to preach to us. They are simply explaining their thoughts on the film as we do in a blog or even here on the boards. It's the same thing. The only difference is it's published and millions can read it. They're not forcing us to see it. It's interesting to see another person's views on something anyway. Especially a movie. Everybody is a critic. Our opinion of a film is just as being an opinion as their's. I think commercials kind of throw their remarks in our faces to get people to see the film when in fact they are just stating how good it is.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

Besides, thinking critically makes a great movie so much more enjoyable and meaningful. And if you only go to the movies to watch blow 'em ups (not to "learn", as if that's a bad thing...I'm reminded of that great Bill Hicks bit: "Whatchu READIN fer!?")then you'll never get beyond the shallow end of the pool.

 

[Jager X]

Critics are just completely out of touch with the rest of society. Unlike Critics...we, the general public do not go to a movie with the goal of picking it apart while we watch (some do I suppose.) For most...it's based on emotions at the time, escapism and FUN.

GI Joe for instance is a fun movie...that's all I see it has...a little escapism and fun...i'm not trying to pick it apart or critique it. I know what i'm in for...and had a good time.

Other times...my mood may be for something more mellow and character centered...so, i'll see something that fits my mood.

To be honest...I hate most of the movies i've seen critics praise because to me they are boring. I couldn't care any less what the political message behind a movie is...i'm not there to LEARN.

That is why YOU are not a critic. It is their job to critique movies. What, are architects out of touch when they critique the structure of a building instead of enjoying the beauty of them? Besides, I agree with some of the critics. What happened to having a decent narrative in a film or at the least a story that does not require you to "turn your brain off?" I don't go into movies expecting the laws of reality to be fully applied but I don't want to be spoonfed stupidity.

 

[Laderlappen]

Critics are just completely out of touch with the rest of society. Unlike Critics...we, the general public do not go to a movie with the goal of picking it apart while we watch (some do I suppose.) For most...it's based on emotions at the time, escapism and FUN.

GI Joe for instance is a fun movie...that's all I see it has...a little escapism and fun...i'm not trying to pick it apart or critique it. I know what i'm in for...and had a good time.

Other times...my mood may be for something more mellow and character centered...so, i'll see something that fits my mood.

To be honest...I hate most of the movies i've seen critics praise because to me they are boring. I couldn't care any less what the political message behind a movie is...i'm not there to LEARN.

Many so called "fun" movies arent fun. GI Joe doesnt look entertaining to me.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I've seen fun bad movies and fun good movies. Being fun doesn't equal good.

Atfirst I hated critics but as I got older and starting looking deeper into movies I came to the conclusions that I'd rather listen to a critic than a fanboy. Do I always agree with critics? Hell no but atleast the make f**king sense sometimes.

 

[Episode29]

I've seen fun bad movies and fun good movies. Being fun doesn't equal good.

Atfirst I hated critics but as I got older and starting looking deeper into movies I came to the conclusions that I'd rather listen to a critic than a fanboy. Do I always agree with critics? Hell no but atleast the make f**king sense sometimes.

Pssht! Are you implying that Spider-Man 3 ISN'T teh worst film in the history of cinema??? That is rediculos!

 

[Sarge 2.0]

She's also implying that GI Joe was in fact not "teh awesome".

 

[mclay18]

Let's not be ridiculous. Blockbuster films such as those will ALWAYS be critic-proof. Doesn't change the fact that many thought those two, in particular, sucked...AFTER we paid to see it.

However, glowing reviews of a blockbuster movie do help with word-of-mouth for people "on the fence" about seeing a particular movie. The positive reviews of Star Trek, Iron Man, The Dark Knight and Batman Begins did help add to the anticipation for the core audience and drew in interested newcomers to the franchises.

But some critics are right on the money when it comes to scathing reviews about blockbuster movies. Transformers 2, for me, was every bit the piece of s**t the critics said it was (even from those who liked the first movie). (Yes, I have a grudge against Michael Bay, deal with it.)

 

[Jack O Lantern]

Pssht! Are you implying that Spider-Man 3 ISN'T teh worst film in the history of cinema??? That is rediculos!

But he danced

 

[BatJeff7786]

you know i never had liked any reviewers since siskel and ebert because i enjoyed there reviews overall but after siskel died i cant get behind any reviewers because they all hate summer movies.

having said that starting mid last year me and my girlfriend starting going by rottentomatoes.com because surprisingly we agree with all there reviews except a couple. I cant tell you this that they were right about every movie we have seen this year. every movie we didnt like was rotten and everyone we liked was fresh. we were gonna go see gi joe this past weekend but after seeing its score we decided to to go blockbuster instead.

as side from rottentomatoes.com i really cant stand other critics.

This post is hilarious.

 

[Jolly Rolly]

I watch or read movie critics because I'm curious how their opinions are to my own and mostly they usually lambast the big budget movies.

At first I wasn't going to see The Hangover judging by the trailer it looked like a sophmoric fart and pee joke kind of movie but after reading the positive reviews I checked it out and loved it.

 

[marvelman2006]

This post is hilarious.

why?

 

[Evil Twin]

I'm trying to figure out how the critics are really off base this summer. Yeah, there's a disconnect between the popularity of Transformers, but even many who went don't have good things to say about it. But, other than that, where does the disconnect lie? Up is popular and critically acclaimed. So is The Hangover. And Harry Potter. And Star Trek.

Personally, I think you guys are hanging around message boards too much if you think the divide is that huge. What the divide actually is, is between "challenging" and "unchallenging" fare, and I'll say upfront that it's not quite as black and white as I've divided it.

 

[Max J Power]

Critics are just completely out of touch with the rest of society. Unlike Critics...we, the general public do not go to a movie with the goal of picking it apart while we watch (some do I suppose.) For most...it's based on emotions at the time, escapism and FUN.

GI Joe for instance is a fun movie...that's all I see it has...a little escapism and fun...i'm not trying to pick it apart or critique it. I know what i'm in for...and had a good time.

Other times...my mood may be for something more mellow and character centered...so, i'll see something that fits my mood.

To be honest...I hate most of the movies i've seen critics praise because to me they are boring. I couldn't care any less what the political message behind a movie is...i'm not there to LEARN.

But fun and popularity are not synonymous with quality. Just because audiences at large find a movie like GI Joe entertaining does not mean that critics give it a free pass because it's "just supposed to be fun." I haven't seen the movie, but all the critics who enjoyed it said it was fun because it was silly and campy. Not because they thought it was a proficient work of filmmaking.

And escapism doesn't have to mean something that doesn't require you to think. I find more escapism in thought-provoking movies than simple ones (which is not to say that I don't like simple or even dumb ones sometimes)

 

[Nivek]

I think more critics look at film being an art, instead of entertainment, for the most part. But the thing is with critics (in my opinion) is that most of them are failures in whatever field they are criticizing. Roger Ebert wrote the sequel to Valley of the Doll's for crying out loud. It's not like Francis Ford Coppola is checking out Transformers 2 giving his 2 cents.

 

[Evil Twin]

I think more critics look at film being an art, instead of entertainment, for the most part. But the thing is with critics (in my opinion) is that most of them are failures in whatever field they are criticizing. Roger Ebert wrote the sequel to Valley of the Doll's for crying out loud. It's not like Francis Ford Coppola is checking out Transformers 2 giving his 2 cents.

Roger Ebert is an outstanding success in his field. He won the Pulitizer Prize after all. How many people throwing potshots at Ebert can claim as much? Heck, even if it was the low budget exploitation end of the pool, Ebert still has more movie experience than 99% of anyone here.

He's just not a fanboy. And, considering the breadth of films that he has to review, that's a good thing.

 

[Episode29]

I think more critics look at film being an art, instead of entertainment, for the most part. But the thing is with critics (in my opinion) is that most of them are failures in whatever field they are criticizing. Roger Ebert wrote the sequel to Valley of the Doll's for crying out loud. It's not like Francis Ford Coppola is checking out Transformers 2 giving his 2 cents.

That's a ridiculously broad generalization.

 

[dark_b]

Armond White is a very popular critics because he writtes some f.... up reviews.

here is a movie podcast with Armond White where they all review Inception.
http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/07/20...ption-guest-armond-white-from-new-york-press/

here they talk about film crtics
http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/07/26...ories-guest-armond-white-from-new-york-press/

what do you think?

 

[Nivek]

Roger Ebert is an outstanding success in his field. He won the Pulitizer Prize after all. How many people throwing potshots at Ebert can claim as much? Heck, even if it was the low budget exploitation end of the pool, Ebert still has more movie experience than 99% of anyone here.

He's just not a fanboy. And, considering the breadth of films that he has to review, that's a good thing.

A big issue I have with Ebert is how he reviews films with children committing acts of violence, be it something older like Robocop 2...

I didn't much like "RoboCop 2" (the use of that killer child is beneath contempt),

...up to Kick Ass.

A movie camera makes a record of whatever is placed in front of it, and in this case, it shows deadly carnage dished out by an 11-year-old girl, after which an adult man brutally hammers her to within an inch of her life. Blood everywhere. Now tell me all about the context.

Just a peeve I have, but at least the guy is consistent.

 

[Dr Strange]

It is all people's opinion at the end of the day, sometimes I agree with critics sometimes i do not. I love many films films critics laud but i also love many films not liked by critics at all. It's all an opinon and i read critical analysis to see they're opinion on the film. I may or may not agree. I will see a trailer and if the film interests me then hell yes i will watch it.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Armond White loved Transformers 2 more than Inceptin and loved the Clash of the Titans remake more than The Lord of the Rings...

I don't know what to make of this. If White likes your film, I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.

 

[lou2099]

sometimes critics get it right, many times they don't. I rarely read professional reviews but both The Village Voice and The New York Times hold interest because of their blatant pretentiousness.

Now that we can review movies on imdb, pro critics are completely irrelevant.