Movies: Why are you angry about movie critics?

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

I posted this in the Suicide Squad thread, but immediately realized it might be better as a general topic of discussion. No need to take that thread down a different path (though I suspect it’s going to go that way at some point anyway).

Here is my question: Why do people care what reviewers think?

I like critics. Grew up reading reviews and still do to this day (though my personal preference is to try to avoid as much as possible until I see a movie myself). I care in the general sense in that I’m interested in other people’s opinions on things. Same reason I’m here. I have nothing against critics. There are several I like though I don’t always agree with them. But that doesn’t diminish my enjoyment of a movie that a critic may dislike. I’m confident in my own feelings and tastes.

But it seems a lot of the discussion around critics today, however, is much more angry and personal. Lets be honest, it seems to be centered on these blockbusters, particularly these last two DC movies. Discussion doesn’t have to be limited to that, but those two films seem to be at the center of the divide.

Fans of the movies/properties seem legit PISSED that critics don’t agree.
I mean, petitioning to shut down Rotten Tomatos? http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/suicide-squad-rotten-tomatoes-asked-916787
The backlash to the backlash against Superman v. Batman?

If you’re one of those fans, why does this make you so mad?

I’m not looking to be argumentative. I’m genuinely curious why some people can’t just shrug it off as a difference of opinion.

Click to read more...

 

[BonMorrison]

Not caring about what film critics think is fine as everyone can formulate their own opinion but it genuinely irks me when people wear it as some sort of badge of pride, like they're above everyone else for thinking this way. "Yeah well, this one time the critics gave good reviews to this bad movie or bad reviews to this good movie so they don't know what they're talking about anyways."

Granted I think this forum is very good at avoiding that attitude but I have definitely seen an up-tick of this ever since both Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad came out.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Granted I think this forum is very good at avoiding that attitude but I have definitely seen an up-tick of this ever since both Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad came out.

Exactly. I was feeling that too, which is what prompted the question. It feels like people are angry - like it's a sign of personal disrespect and not just a different view.

 

[Jussi]

I'll just leave this here:

I'm signing so I can smugly tell you that Rotten Tomatoes is owned by Warner Brothers, who also owns DC Comics.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I don't pay attention to reviews (or very very rarely). I don't give a **** about some hack paid to tell me what movies he enjoyed or not. They all have a schtick and are more about "entertaining" you than they are about truly discussing film. I am not interested in opinion pieces. "BvS sucks because" ok, cool, but not interested in reading 1000 words telling me why Bob from Alberqueque enjoyed the film or not.

I see the movies that interest me and if they suck, well, they suck.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The critics don't like the thing I love. Wah!

Never understood why some people need consensus validation to the point of wanting to shut down a dissenting voice. I love a lot of things most people hate.

 

[Ozz]

They sssstink!

 

[Shareefruck]

I don't think this board is good at avoiding that at all. Many groups of posters here have an anti-critical attitude and think people should just not think so much and learn to enjoy what everyone else does.

Wearing the anti-critic sentiment, "I don't listen to anyone but myself! I don't need to be told what to like!", like a badge of pride is silly and bothers me. You want the opinions of people who are passionate about something and know alot about it to share it-- They are not an authoritative voice, they are essentially making a personal argument that other critics and readers are free to consider and openly agree or disagree with. This exchange of ideas can only be beneficial.

Frankly, considering that the only other force out there that influences what people see is marketing-- reinforcing the shallow and ignorant gut whims and instincts of the general population-- it just seems mad to me. Critics (the good ones, anyways) may be the sole professional outlet available that resists this force and has some freedom to be authentic and passionate in a world that's dominated by the profit motive and by the politics of offending as few as possible.

I for one feel that we shouldn't have total trust in our initial instincts anyways and that it's a good thing to be impressionable, particularly by people who have more invested into the thing than we do. It only helps. It doesn't prevent us from making up our own mind about what we like. Our own impressions only have significance when we consider other impressions and allow ourselves to be temporarily swept away by the ones that are compelling.

If the only thing I watched or listened to was what was marketed to me and the only opinions I paid attention to were the voices in my head, the things I would be aware of, and therefore like most would be complete dog-****.

 

[BonMorrison]

I for one feel that we shouldn't have total trust in our initial instincts anyways and that it's a good thing to be impressionable, particularly by people who have more invested into the thing than we do. It only helps. It doesn't prevent us from making up our own mind about what we like. Our own impressions only have significance when we consider other impressions and allow ourselves to be temporarily swept away by the ones that are compelling.

This paragraph nails it. Well said.

 

[Whiplash27]

It's probably because critics have the ability to sink a movie. Often times, tons of bad reviews = doing bad at the box office. That said, RT is a aggregator not much different than Metacritic and is actually even more forgiving. RT gives a fresh if the reviewer gives at least a somewhat positive score. Then again, movies that have tons of hype around them hardly get affected anyway. At that point it's more word of mouth.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I don't care about "appreciative" criticism. I don't care if Bob from the Washington Post (or whatever) liked the movie or not. I don't really care about qualitive opinions in general (good or bad). I don't even value my own opinion on the matter. It is only a matter of taste.

I do enjoy "intellectual" criticism though. The type of reviews that make you learn something about film as an art form (how the medium work). What so and so appreciated in a movie? Meh.

I do not have an "anti-criticism" position, I just don't read them. I read a few The Force Awakens reviews because I was curious about what people would complain about, but that's about it.

 

[Whiplash27]

Typically movies that are highly acclaimed by critics are moves that the average movie goer won't care to watch anyway.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Fanboys are silly and critics serve a purpose.


If you hate critics and don't trust them for whatever reason...then...ignore them. That is an option.

 

[Eisen]

I like them. I usually read a couple before I go to the theatre. It gives me an insight I might not have had. But generally, I collect information about the movie is want to watch. First, because it costs money to go. I don't want to spend money on something I wouldn't like. Second, I almost never (did it twice) go a second time to see the movie, so I want to see more things at once.

 

[BonMorrison]

Typically movies that are highly acclaimed by critics are moves that the average movie goer won't care to watch anyway.

Whilst that applies to some films, there are many many blockbuster movies that have been critically acclaimed so I wouldn't say it's typical.

 

[LarKing]

I love critics for the most part. I can't remember the last awful movie I saw in theaters because I refuse to pay $10+ for a movie that isn't getting good reviews anymore. I end up seeing anything I wanted to see with bad ratings online anyway so it's perfect really.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

They sssstink!

Yes, Mr. Sherman, everything stinks.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I'm giving this thread my worst rating ever.

7 thumbs up.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

I hate super-hero movies universally and haven't kept up with the noise but...

Rotten Tomatoes is a very bad aggregator, just because they aggregate a binary rating system.

And many critics are straight up bought, shamelessly. They serve to push the media, not to criticize or challenge it. They'll only blast the media if it serves to sell another one.

I have a few trusted reviewers - Vince Mancini of FilmDrunk, Armond White the contrarian, and Richard Brody of the New Yorker. Otherwise, I usually watch the movie and then read reviews - by and large the best ones are the ones that actually analyze the film and don't treat it like a commodity to classify as acceptable gruel or unacceptable gruel.

The truth is, I'd always prefer an ambitious but not-quite-well executed film (eg The Counselor) to a sleek, empty piece of nothing (eg Avengers).

edit: I also think that people want what they like to be liked by everyone. It's natural, no? To like something that is blasted by the critics kinda sucks. It's a hollow feeling. And we live in a world where feeling not-excellent is likened to being attacked and crucified.

 

[Muston Atthews]

People on here who dissect every scene of every show and movie annoy me more than movie critics.

 

[LarKing]

People on here who dissect every scene of every show and movie annoy me more than movie critics.

Yeah how people talk about details of movies on a message board. It's people like this that are ruining the world.

 

[Eisen]

People on here who dissect every scene of every show and movie annoy me more than movie critics.

Close reading/viewing is a very basic technique. Doing that with a brain dead blockbuster is likely uses but do that with a Gilliam movie and you hit a gold mine. Some movies are not meant to be taken only at face value. You have to dig.

 

[Section337]

Do people hate critics? Or do people just get up in arms when they interpret opinion stated as fact?

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Do people hate critics? Or do people just get up in arms when they interpret opinion stated as fact?

Yes

 

[SB164]

All this over Suicide Squad?