Film critics are an endangered species.
Newspapers and magazines are shedding their regular critics at an alarming rate, and more people are picking film tips up from their friends via Facebook and Twitter.
But a recent survey regarding “Avatar” by Fandango.com gave this critic a glimmer of hope.
The study found that 72 percent of respondents indicated the film’s positive reviews have increased their interest in seeing the movie.
To paraphrase Sally Field, “you like us … you really like us.”
Actually, it’s far more complicated than that.
Some movies remain critic proof – witness the runaway success of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” And no eight year old in his or her right mind would pass on “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” based on what a film critic said.
But I sense people still seek out film critics. I know I do, and I hope this site offers a reasonable guidepost for people choosing a movie or DVD to watch.
The web may be putting some critics out of work, but it’s also exerting pressure on film critics across media platforms. So if a stuffy print critic can’t find it in his or her heart to enjoy the latest low-brow comedy, even if it’s executed flawlessly, readers will look elsewhere.
And, if WWTW gets a fact wrong about a film the readers will let me have it. I wouldn’t want it any other way, even if it stings on occasion.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Personally, I think when asked why you’re seeing “Big-Explodey-Actiony Movie”, Joe Sixpack is not going to say that mindless entertainment and a bag of Goobers is his bag. Not if he can tell them that Ebert gives it a thumbs up for transcending the epic bounds of visual entertainment or some such tommyrot.
So critics do still serve a purpose. They give people with no opinion of their own one that falsely implies they’re deeper than a pie pan.
I was pretty disappointed when I figured out that it would be virtually impossible for me to make a living as a film critic. Finally, something I wanted for a career, and it turns out the profession, at least as far as making a living is concerned, is on the verge of going extinct. I consider myself lucky that I make a couple g’s a year off of it.
To be honest I rarely read reviews anymore. I just make the determination whether I want to see something going by gut instinct. And close friend’s opinions matter the most. However, and I’m not saying this to kiss up because it’s why I post here, I very much seek out and respect your opinion. Mainly because you’re not one of those stuffy critics. You’re a real movie lover and that speaks volumes to me.
Christian – Is facebook really a good venue to leverage your critics chops? Seems that it isn’t the quickest or deepest way to express yourself re: a new release or (even an opinion on the oldies.) Perhaps too many consumers expect the swiftness and brevity of a ‘Tweet’ to be the only incentive to herds themeselves into the dark for such treats as ‘Avatar’. ( Question: If Hollywood has disgorged bland product tuned to the tweeners and male adolescent for all these years, does that audience of now twenty- and thirty somethings look for anything else? Does that have anything to do with why your occupation may be dying off? I said may…)
On the other hand. ‘Lead, Don’t Follow’ is the best way to live, so I see a series of deep pieces from you appearing at http://www.american.com/ which will lead to a seminal e-book! Happy New Year!