Critics

[Obdurate]

Not sure if this has been debated or not. It's light discussion compared to what's usually debated around here.

So are critics (of movies, books, music, etc) necessary? Do they have any use? Is the usage beneficial or not? Insert other question here.

 

[Zorak]

Valid question.

Probably not in most cases, I mean I have no interest in what some wanker from the national paper things about the latest Hollywood blockbuster, but if someone like T.S Elliott sits down to talk about Hamlet, I think you have to listen.

But then people have always been interested in what other people think, hence why so many buy the newspapers and magazines, you might read facts in a newspaper - but it is always followed by a long essay on how you should interpret the facts above to agree with the author.
Maybe this stems from the human condition, and that unexplainable and insatiable desire to belong...

 

[Obdurate]

It could be.

A good critic won't tell you what to like, so much as he/she will lay the entertainment/art out for what it is. A critic who I do follow, because he genuinely loves and knows movies, is Roger Ebert. I don't always agree with him (it's not even possible), but he's always informative. If every critic was like him, critics would be really beneficial.

I'll admit, I check out Rotten Tomatoes/Ebert/Ebert & Roeper when movies come out, mainly because I, like others, am entertained by other opinions. And it can change my mind at times. Like if I don't want to see a movie but it's gotten high ratings, I'll go "Hm, maybe it's not so bad..." But very rarely does it do the opposite (stay away from it), because if I want to see something I'll go see it regardless. Sometimes it's nice to have your opinions confirmed as well.

I think criticism is beneficial, but you gotta pick and choose the critics you listen to. Like you said, some wanker doesn't mean shit. You gotta look at their whole body of work and decide whether or not they have valid opinions. I'm not going to go to someone who loves Meet the Spartans for a review on a Fassbinder film, or someone who doesn't like satire for a Vonnegut review.

 

[dt3]

I find out what the critics think and then do the exact opposite

 

[sharpies]

Everyone's a critic dude, maybe not doing the best to actually critique, but don't you tell your friends when somthing is shit, or is great.

Critics that write for the media are really just extensions of ourselves. I try to find a critic that I like & stick to only reading his/her views otherwise you get too much of a mix.

This guy runs a blog on movies that I really enjoy reading.

Filmstalker

Allan

 

[mullins]

Everyone's a critic dude, maybe not doing the best to actually critique, but don't you tell your friends when somthing is shit, or is great.

Critics that write for the media are really just extensions of ourselves. I try to find a critic that I like & stick to only reading his/her views otherwise you get too much of a mix.

This guy runs a blog on movies that I really enjoy reading.

Filmstalker

Allan

Very true, we all have our own take on things, therefore we are all critics.
Its just a pity that most media critics are crap!

 

[Peter Parka]

Critics are like eunuchs in a harem. They're there every night, they see it done every night, they see how it should be done every night, but they can't do it themselves. - Brendan Beehan

:nod::clap

 

[GraceAbounds]

I use ---> Common Sense Media - Family Movie Reviews, Movie Rental Reviews, Family Movies, TV Reviews, Website Reviews, Music CD Reviews and Video Game Reviews

I don't really use it for their opinion. I use it to find out if there are things in the movie that I believe to negative, so that I don't have to subject myself or my family to it. A pre-screening tool basically.

 

[Dana]

I judge a movie on my tastes alone. If it looks stupid to me I won't watch it. I don't care what Ebert said about such and such.

 

[Obdurate]

Only Ebert?

 

[Zorak]

I have no idea who Ebert is.

I like critics who hate absolutely everything, at least then they are consistent

 

[Obdurate]

Roger Ebert - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Minor Axis]

Not sure if this has been debated or not. It's light discussion compared to what's usually debated around here.

So are critics (of movies, books, music, etc) necessary? Do they have any use? Is the usage beneficial or not? Insert other question here.

Yes, they have use and are beneficial if you apply the correct filters. Some critics are overly picky. Do you know they panned the original Star Wars movie? The fools! But I'll admit it's all most gotten to the point that if a critic likes a movie, I'm suspicious and if they hate it that might be a good sign. Anyone remember "Out of Africa" or "The English Patient", the critics loved those two movies. I did not care for them, and really all most hated OoA.