Film Critics

I never give much attention to critics. They are full of their own importance
and usually have their own pet favourites filmmakers and actors.

Cue Barry Norman who slobbered over every Woody Allen movie ever made and had to have at least 1 or 2 art house French or Italian movies that you had never heard of and were never likely to see.

His replacement Jonathan Ross is not much better I just cant stomach him.

In the US Leonard Maltin seems to pop up everywhere. Praise the Lord for fast forward as he tells you nothing new. Other critics in the US have never made it here.

Anyway most critics cant find a classic or decent movie until at least 20-30 years after it has been released for example The Searchers enough said!!

Glad they are having a hard time LOL

Mike

Hi Jim

It goes the other way too. I have seen films raved about by the critics that were like watching paint dry.

Mike

This only goes to show you that critics don't know what the hell they are talking about. If you like a movie, you like a movie, no matter what the critics say.

Well you know what they say?

Opinion's are like _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Everybody has one!!!

PS As you might tell from my last few posts, I am feeling alittle contentious!!! Must be cabin fever!!!

Come on Viper, like what???

I echo what everyone says here. I use to watch those critics years ago, but they don't have a clue. As a matter of fact, they usually don't agree with each other. I rather have your opinion here, and trust your tastes.

Let me say that over the past few years nothing has been that great at the movie theater, so something must change, but it seems that today's movies are more artsy and no substance. I mean the best movie in 2005 is Brokeback Mountain? Give me a break. And movie of the year at the academy awards was The Departed? Even the comedies were bad. I haven't heard much about Talladega Nights, but that was a terrible movie, and it was a top rated comedy last year.

Need I say more?

Cheers

When it comes to wanting or not wanting to see a movie, I don't listen to the critics. I don't know those people. They don't know me. What I go by is what my friends and co-workers tell me about the film. I share interests with my friends, so they are more inclined to know what appeals to me and what doesn't. Not some critic getting paid to watch films.

As for the quality of films coming out of late, I kind of agree with Hondo. The great films are getting less as time goes by. But there are still good films being put out. I just pass by the ones I can tell are put out just to make money. I have my favorite actors, and if I see a movie put out with them in the cast, I am more inclined to go see it. Critics are paid to give their opinion, I'm not paid to listen. So I don't

Mark

Hi Stumpy and all,
I agree with your points and don't trust critics much, but movies they are talking about in this article seems to be real bad, so critics are right to disgrace them. And their success at box office has nothing to do with the quality of these films.
Regards,
Senta

Senta,

According to box office reciepts, the money from these movies are down, and numbers are not what they use to be. Some how Hollywood doesn't acknowledge these facts because they are still making poor movies. Nothing good that I can see right now.

Cheers

I appreciate good critics, I don't think the point is to agree or disagree with everything but to create discussion, get insights and new viewpoints to the subject. I also believe there are some universal rules how to evaluate art, for example our list of best JW movies proves that - most reviews I've read would more or less agree.
That said, I rarely read movie reviews nowadays - not out of any principle, just the circumstances and change of habits - I barely go to movies or read newspapers. In my most active movie going days, mid-80s, I watched about 150 films a year in cinema, and I still have most of the newspaper and handout reviews of those films. It was a valuable archive before the time of internet databases.

Quote from Stumpy

Vera,
We've missed you - where ya been so long?

Hi Jim,
Thank you for kind words. I have some comuter problems which I coudn't solve, so I can't post here as a member, only view posts as a guest. But now it's all over and I'm here again.
Regards,
Vera

Having sat in the critic's chair for over 25 years (covering classical music), I can say that all critics operate from a personal like and dislike viewpoint. There are some (but not as many as legend would have) that get full of themselves and go on a power spree. If you find critics whose viewpoints closely follow your own, continue to use them as guidelines for likes and dislikes.
I must have done something right over the years because I had numerous good vibes from local orchestra musicians and others during the time I was active.
Cheers - Jay

Quote from Senta

I have some comuter problems which I coudn't solve, so I can't post here as a member, only view posts as a guest. But now it's all over and I'm here again.
Regards,
Vera

So glad to have you back, Vera . You have been sorely missed!
Cheers - Jay

Quote from Jay J. Foraker

So glad to have you back, Vera . You have been sorely missed!
Cheers - Jay

Great to have you back and you were able to resolve your problems Vera!!!

Ditto on all the postings here. I might add that I think Molly Haskell and Leonard Maltin are the worst of the citics lot. As Popeye said more than once: "Is can't stands it no more." Yuggg yugg yuggg.