What's Up With Movie Critics?

[Lucy Diamond]

Originally Posted by Jeremy1983

I saw a TV spot for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans last night and some critic said it is "The best of the Underworld Trilogy!"

Granted, I haven't seen the film. But why is there always some douche critic that hails a crappy sequel as better than the original. It happens EVERY TIME a sequel comes out.

Does this annoy anyone else?

Critics don't pay to see movies, so I never trust them.

Now think about your critic (the one you mentioned): He had everything to gain by making that comment, because he then got a tv spot. You don't remember his name, but it is now in his reel and on his record and resume and that is why he did it.

It is even worse with gear reviews in guitar magazines. Most of the gear companies pay a LOT of advertising dollars to...say...GuitarWorld and guess how many of their products get awesome reviews....yep...ALLL OF THEMMMM.

The saddest thing I learned working in the film industry is that films ALL FILMS are simply commodities to be bought and sold. Critics can be used as marketing tools by the right people and they usually are.

[Jeremy1983]

Originally Posted by Lucy Diamond

Critics don't pay to see movies, so I never trust them.

Now think about your critic (the one you mentioned): He had everything to gain by making that comment, because he then got a tv spot. You don't remember his name, but it is now in his reel and on his record and resume and that is why he did it.

It is even worse with gear reviews in guitar magazines. Most of the gear companies pay a LOT of advertising dollars to...say...GuitarWorld and guess how many of their products get awesome reviews....yep...ALLL OF THEMMMM.

The saddest thing I learned working in the film industry is that films ALL FILMS are simply commodities to be bought and sold. Critics can be used as marketing tools by the right people and they usually are.

Sad, but true. Although I think that most critics have honesty and integrity, the studios have none.

[Packerfan75]

Deals are made between the studios and critics. I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. Because studios know that many people will see a movie they never heard of on the strength of it's reviews.

[Crim122]

Originally Posted by reallyagi

I enjoy reading Roger Ebert because his columns are more than reviews, his writing style is really unique and he has a tendency of noticing little details in movies that fascinates me. I also respect A.O. Scott and Peter Travers (despite what many have said of him).

Ebert is my favorite lol

Originally Posted by cadetcorbett

OMG, Crim. I thought I was the only one who hated Renee Zellweger. I avoid any movie she's in like the plague.

Originally Posted by Packerfan75

Deals are made between the studios and critics. I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. Because studios know that many people will see a movie they never heard of on the strength of it's reviews.

So is that the reason indy films get such great reviews most of the time?

[reallyagi]

Originally Posted by Packerfan75

Deals are made between the studios and critics. I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. Because studios know that many people will see a movie they never heard of on the strength of it's reviews.

Just 'cause you don't like a movie that 90% of critics loved doesn't meant there's a conspiracy involved.

[reallyagi]

Just check an excerpt from Ebert's Armageddon review and tell me it's not genius:

The movie begins with a Charlton Heston narration telling us about the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. Then we get the masterful title card, ``65 Million Years Later.'' The next scenes show an amateur astronomer spotting the object. We see top-level meetings at the Pentagon and in the White House. We meet Billy Bob Thornton, head of Mission Control in Houston, which apparently functions like a sports bar with a big screen for the fans, but no booze. Then we see ordinary people whose lives will be Changed Forever by the events to come. This stuff is all off the shelf--there's hardly an original idea in the movie.

``Armageddon'' reportedly used the services of nine writers. Why did it need any? The dialogue is either shouted one-liners or romantic drivel. ``It's gonna blow!'' is used so many times, I wonder if every single writer used it once, and then sat back from his word processor with a contented smile on his face, another day's work done.