Comments on: Open Forum Friday: Is a Critic Who Disagrees with the Masses No Longer Credible? http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/ Blog and Podcast Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:02:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Byron http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619800 Byron Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:32:30 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619800 Interesting read...but I just don't share his love for the same films he does. Also I think he's looking at all films in the same light. I did not read his district 9 review as I'm not reading any reviews of it as of yet (apart from your podcast of course). Interesting read…but I just don’t share his love for the same films he does. Also I think he’s looking at all films in the same light. I did not read his district 9 review as I’m not reading any reviews of it as of yet (apart from your podcast of course).

]]> By: Byron http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619789 Byron Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:55:27 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619789 I have no idea who this guy is but that picture I have to say is bloody 'orrible. I'm going to give his reviews a quick read and see what the fuss is about. I have no idea who this guy is but that picture I have to say is bloody ‘orrible. I’m going to give his reviews a quick read and see what the fuss is about.

]]> By: Samuel Beckett http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619229 Samuel Beckett Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:07:31 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619229 ESTRAGON: That's the idea, let's abuse each other. They turn, move apart, turn again and face each other. VLADIMIR: Moron! ESTRAGON: Vermin! VLADIMIR: Abortion! ESTRAGON: Morpion! VLADIMIR: Sewer-rat! ESTRAGON: Curate! VLADIMIR: Cretin! ESTRAGON: (with finality). Crritic! VLADIMIR: Oh! He wilts, vanquished, and turns away. ESTRAGON:
That’s the idea, let’s abuse each other.

They turn, move apart, turn again and face each other.

VLADIMIR:
Moron!

ESTRAGON:
Vermin!

VLADIMIR:
Abortion!

ESTRAGON:
Morpion!

VLADIMIR:
Sewer-rat!

ESTRAGON:
Curate!

VLADIMIR:
Cretin!

ESTRAGON:
(with finality). Crritic!

VLADIMIR:
Oh!

He wilts, vanquished, and turns away.

]]> By: David Wilson http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619225 David Wilson Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:53:05 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619225 Not everybody likes the same movies, if people don't like him then they shouldn't read him. The rottentomatoes film site is pretty flawed anyway. Stars mean different things to different reviewers and rottentomatoes should just create their own system to get a gauge of the film's criticism instead of just taking ratings off these blogs. But ultimately if you like something and someone else doesn't, it doesn't lessen your movie experience. Why does this movie need to have a 100% for you to absolutely love it? Not everybody likes the same movies, if people don’t like him then they shouldn’t read him.

The rottentomatoes film site is pretty flawed anyway.

Stars mean different things to different reviewers and rottentomatoes should just create their own system to get a gauge of the film’s criticism instead of just taking ratings off these blogs.

But ultimately if you like something and someone else doesn’t, it doesn’t lessen your movie experience.

Why does this movie need to have a 100% for you to absolutely love it?

]]> By: JakeTheFatMan http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619184 JakeTheFatMan Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:49:04 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619184 Not surprisingly, adolescents make up the majority of internet users. Growth into adulthood requires developing an individual identity. Part of that process is finding what to identify with, whether its athletes or the latest pop cultural gimmick. For whatever reason “fanboys” (even prior to watching the movie) have picked it to give themselves a sense of that self-validation and take it personally when the movie, hence themselves, have been attacked. Most people grow out of this phase in life. In the meantime, it’ll be enjoyable to make fun of them. Its also why I’m not a fan when people say things like “everybody hated Transformers 2” or “everybody knows Star Wars Episode 1 sucked”. Internet commenters are not a microcosm of the world. Not surprisingly, adolescents make up the majority of internet users. Growth into adulthood requires developing an individual identity. Part of that process is finding what to identify with, whether its athletes or the latest pop cultural gimmick. For whatever reason “fanboys” (even prior to watching the movie) have picked it to give themselves a sense of that self-validation and take it personally when the movie, hence themselves, have been attacked. Most people grow out of this phase in life.

In the meantime, it’ll be enjoyable to make fun of them.

Its also why I’m not a fan when people say things like “everybody hated Transformers 2” or “everybody knows Star Wars Episode 1 sucked”. Internet commenters are not a microcosm of the world.

]]> By: Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619160 Sean Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:31:02 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619160 I think an even better question is why do people get so riled up over a critic who doesn't like a movie that they *think* they're going to like but haven't even seen yet?! To play devil's advocate, I suppose if you like a movie and you also want it do well, you want to see critics supporting it. Still, one dissenting voice among hundreds of positive reviews does not seem worth getting upset over. I think an even better question is why do people get so riled up over a critic who doesn’t like a movie that they *think* they’re going to like but haven’t even seen yet?!

To play devil’s advocate, I suppose if you like a movie and you also want it do well, you want to see critics supporting it. Still, one dissenting voice among hundreds of positive reviews does not seem worth getting upset over.

]]> By: Bob The Slob http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619157 Bob The Slob Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:25:06 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619157 I think swarez just hit the nail on the head. I think swarez just hit the nail on the head.

]]> By: Swarez http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619103 Swarez Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:28:22 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619103 Why do people care so much about what one has to say about films? I've never understood why people get so riled up over a critic who doesn't like the same stuff you do. It's fucking pointless. All of it. Why do people care so much about what one has to say about films? I’ve never understood why people get so riled up over a critic who doesn’t like the same stuff you do.
It’s fucking pointless. All of it.

]]> By: J http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-619007 J Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:03:19 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-619007 The masses have pretty terrible taste in things. The flaw is inherent in something having "mass appeal". You can't piss people off and you have to appeal to this phantom ideal of a majority consensus. For example GI Joe can't be an American organization because it has to sell in a global market (Or if anyone remembers Superman Returns, he fights for "truth, justice, and all that stuff"). I don't have a problem with that. These studios are sinking millions of dollars into these films, so they are just trying to insure that they will sell well/ they'll get a return on their investment. I have a problem with critics who know that these movies are pretty much just financially driven,choose to ignore that, and judge a movie on a criteria it will never hold up to. Certainly the critics are justified in having their opinions, but if their job is just going to come down to tearing apart other peoples work, who's going to care to hear them? It sounds to me that Armond White guy needs to spend some more time championing the movies he actually likes than trying to (unsuccesfully) stop the hollywood mass media movie machine. The masses have pretty terrible taste in things. The flaw is inherent in something having “mass appeal”. You can’t piss people off and you have to appeal to this phantom ideal of a majority consensus. For example GI Joe can’t be an American organization because it has to sell in a global market (Or if anyone remembers Superman Returns, he fights for “truth, justice, and all that stuff”). I don’t have a problem with that. These studios are sinking millions of dollars into these films, so they are just trying to insure that they will sell well/ they’ll get a return on their investment. I have a problem with critics who know that these movies are pretty much just financially driven,choose to ignore that, and judge a movie on a criteria it will never hold up to. Certainly the critics are justified in having their opinions, but if their job is just going to come down to tearing apart other peoples work, who’s going to care to hear them?
It sounds to me that Armond White guy needs to spend some more time championing the movies he actually likes than trying to (unsuccesfully) stop the hollywood mass media movie machine.

]]> By: Reed Farrington http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-618969 Reed Farrington Sat, 15 Aug 2009 07:05:36 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-618969 I had never heard of Armond White before, but when I read that he did not like the new Star Trek, I just had to read his comments. I thought maybe he would have articulated some reasons that would explain why I did not like the new Star Trek. Film Junk readers gave me grief for not being able to explain why I disliked Star Trek. Well, I don't think I can say that I agree with Mr. White's main reason. I think his main criticism is that the new Star Trek movie is structured too much like a television show. But if his main reason for being negative was that the new movie was banal, then I would tend to agree. I think I do agree with his view that the Star Trek television show was structured to appeal to mass sensibilities. Just because something appeals to mass audiences doesn't make it "art." This raises the question of whether a film critic is grading a film as art or as entertainment. Ironically, Ebert was also a critic who didn't give the new Star Trek movie a rave review, and I thought he was trolling until I saw the movie. I believe he essentially had the same problem with the movie that White did. And I had the same problem with the movie as well. The new movie didn't tackle new ground. And for those who would defend against this statement by saying that the new movie was intended to simply reboot the franchise, then fine. But as a work of "art," it left much to be desired. I had never heard of Armond White before, but when I read that he did not like the new Star Trek, I just had to read his comments. I thought maybe he would have articulated some reasons that would explain why I did not like the new Star Trek. Film Junk readers gave me grief for not being able to explain why I disliked Star Trek. Well, I don’t think I can say that I agree with Mr. White’s main reason. I think his main criticism is that the new Star Trek movie is structured too much like a television show. But if his main reason for being negative was that the new movie was banal, then I would tend to agree. I think I do agree with his view that the Star Trek television show was structured to appeal to mass sensibilities. Just because something appeals to mass audiences doesn’t make it “art.” This raises the question of whether a film critic is grading a film as art or as entertainment.

Ironically, Ebert was also a critic who didn’t give the new Star Trek movie a rave review, and I thought he was trolling until I saw the movie. I believe he essentially had the same problem with the movie that White did. And I had the same problem with the movie as well. The new movie didn’t tackle new ground. And for those who would defend against this statement by saying that the new movie was intended to simply reboot the franchise, then fine. But as a work of “art,” it left much to be desired.

]]> By: JakeTheFatMan http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-618871 JakeTheFatMan Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:20:20 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-618871 One of the many comments on Rotten Tomatoes "...they could offer a feature where you can filter out reviewers whose opinions you don't agree with so that you can get a more accurate picture" Considering the nature of the film, thats pretty fucking hilarious. One of the many comments on Rotten Tomatoes “…they could offer a feature where you can filter out reviewers whose opinions you don’t agree with so that you can get a more accurate picture” Considering the nature of the film, thats pretty fucking hilarious.

]]> By: Shut-Up Ed http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/08/14/open-forum-friday-is-a-critic-who-disagrees-with-the-masses-no-longer-credible/comment-page-1/#comment-618863 Shut-Up Ed Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:01:39 +0000 http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=24399#comment-618863 "When dealing with opinions, there is no right or wrong. I may not agree with what he writes but I defend his right to do so." Jesus F-ing Christ, Tim. Get over yourself. "When dealing with opinions there is no right or wrong?" What a bunch of ass backwards, feel good, extra-special snowflake, bullshit. "I defend his right to do so." He's not being systematicaly censored by the government so I'm not sure what you are defending - he's a friggin film critic - but have a blast. “When dealing with opinions, there is no right or wrong. I may not agree with what he writes but I defend his right to do so.”

Jesus F-ing Christ, Tim. Get over yourself.

“When dealing with opinions there is no right or wrong?” What a bunch of ass backwards, feel good, extra-special snowflake, bullshit.

“I defend his right to do so.” He’s not being systematicaly censored by the government so I’m not sure what you are defending – he’s a friggin film critic – but have a blast.

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