Open Forum Friday: Are Movie Critics Out of Touch with their Audience?
For years people have been debating the relevance of movie critics to the average moviegoer. Their job is to review a film based on its artistic merits and (arguably to a lesser extent) their entertainment value. These are people who typically have an extensive background in film, a very “refined” taste, and are a little bit cynical after seeing hundreds of movies in a year… clearly they have a completely different headspace from the rest of us. How can these people possibly offer opinions that non-critics can relate to?
Lately the gap between critic and audience has seemed wider than ever before, with horribly reviewed movies like Ghost Rider, Wild Hogs and Norbit ruling the box office. This has pushed studio execs to declare critics “snooty” and “out of touch with their readership”. Do you think that’s a fair assessment? Are these movies actually as bad as critics say? And if so, why do so many people ignore bad reviews and still pay to see them? Give us your thoughts here on Open Forum Friday.
Comments (13)
People are stupid and pay more attention to advertising because it’s easier to understand, and require less effort to grasp.
That and people still Eddie Murphy apparently.
Posted by Henrik on March 9th, 2007I totally agree with you Henrik. More people watch and are able to grasp tv. spots then watching Ebert and Robrt (cant spell) or read a newspaper. I dont think they are the ones out of touch, we are.
Posted by Nick on March 9th, 2007the average movie goer does not even read what most critics say, they see they trailer on tv or online and say to themselve, man that looks cool or funny. Also most people just hear eddie murphy, nicolas cage, john travolta has a new movie out and automacially expect gold just because of who is in it, but the movie ends up being crap..And most people do not realize what makes a movie good and what makes it bad…just boils down, just like Henrik said, “people are stupid”
Posted by @spence on March 9th, 2007I totally agree, you hear a name or see a face you instently think that that must be good and that kind of also blinds there jugment when they are watching it. It is sad that americans can not see good movies and the top ten are always Norbit or Ghost Rider!!! People need to start profiting good movies!!!
Posted by Nick on March 9th, 2007Critics’ worst put-downs just aren’t enough to keep audiences away.
Someone can write Ghost Writer is juvenule, too flashy, cartoonish, with no depth, etc, and the public will say “yeah, but it’s a flaming skull on a motorcycle, awesome.”
You can’t judge a rollercoaster like a piece of theatre.
Posted by Phil on March 9th, 2007It seems like most people, especially Americans, go to the movies primarily to escape. Sadly, this usually means that movies that make you think about something that is actually prevalent to your life, or reality in general, are often discarded for a clusterfuck of explosions, sex, cheap laughs or thrills…. just as long as it is something that you simply don’t need to process on a deep level or think about after you leave the theater.
Now, at the same time I agree that it is a little absurd to judge a Hollywood Action Film the same way you would a movie like Half Nelson…. but that’s not to say it’s not reasonable to be critical.
I mean, look at a film like the new James Bond movie. Critics praised it and audiences loved it. It’s just that audiences will also love crap films.
Posted by Zedd on March 9th, 2007Overall, the critics are just old enough to be right about absolute shit such as Norbit, but also old enough to occasionally be out of touch regarding certain subversive films. and then theres that other level of out of touch where movies that critics like (and audiences that actually see them love) such as Children of Men get ignored. theres many levels of ‘out of touch’ basically.
Posted by Goon on March 10th, 2007Audiences mainly see movies as entertainment. Critics see movies as artistic expression, and so have little patience for the familiar, the banal, the low-brow, etc, hence their often harsh reviews of films like Norbit. They are looking for the next great movie. Meanwhile audiences buy their popcorn and coke, they laugh, scream or cry, then go home. Their only criteria of quality is: did I have a good time, was it worth the price of admission? Nothing wrong with that, but audiences and critics are watching movies for different reasons. It’s the difference between product and art.
Posted by thesnowleopard on March 10th, 2007In every media there is a high brow and low brow. Some people just want to be entertain, they aren’t looking for life changing experience. They just want to laugh or see bright explosions. Other people want character studies and high concept plots. I think Critics are for everyone in between. The action and dumb comedy people and the high brow people already know what movies they want to see.
But everyone else riles on word of mouth and reviews.
Posted by The man on March 11th, 2007What I’m sick of reading in some of these posts and others I’ve read on the net about this subject, is people bashing others for their taste in films.
What I want to know, is who died and made some of you the gods of film? Who the hell do you think you are to dictate to me what is good and what is not. I’ve got my own opinions on what a good film is, and if someone doesn’t like it, I don’t give a damn.
I’ve enjoyed some movies that critics have praised, such as Saving Private Ryan, and I’ve enjoyed movies that critics have belittled, such as Equilibrium. The point is that everyone’s tastes are different. I could care less what some critic has to say about a film. If I want to know whether or not the film is any good, I’ll watch it myself.
All of you who think that your opinions are the absolute definitive law on what makes a film good or bad can take your elitist attitude, and shove it up your ass.
Posted by averageguy on March 28th, 2007averageguy,
Are you outlawing any discussion on film? The whole point of sites like this is to discuss a personal point of view on movies…who says anyone is dictating anything to you? If you’re comfortable enough to decide what you like or don’t like, then what the fuck is the problem? You don’t have to listen to what anyone has to say about anything. Chill out.
And you’re wrong, Equilibrium was shit.
Posted by Jay C. on March 28th, 2007Why do you respond? Just bear with him. Afterall, he *is* only average.
Posted by Henrik on March 28th, 2007Jay C and Henrik,
fuck you
Posted by averageguy on April 2nd, 2007Leave a Reply