As a critic it’s hard not to get swept up by the tide created by your peers.
The Internet allows us to see any number of movie reviews before a film opens.
Most movies receive mixed notices, so it’s not awkward when a critic loves – or loathes – a film. They can easily find a peer or two with whom to commiserate.
But what about when a film gets near universal raves or pans – and you couldn’t disagree more?
Entering the screening for “Inception” Monday night I was fully aware of the early reviews – nearly all glowing for the mind-bending adventure film. Critics have been praying the movie, created by “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan, will be the savior of Summer 2010.
WWTW might have said a prayer or two to similar effect. It’s been a bad season.
Could that explain the rapturous reviews so far? Did critics exhaust their supply of snark with such clunkers as “The Last Airbender” and “Sex and the City 2?” Or did they feel a subtle pressure when they read the early notices for the movie?
I confess the raves were on my mind as the movie played. It’s impossible to shut those thoughts out.
A handful of critics thrive on publishing contrarian reviews – Armond White, take a bow – but I’m betting most critics feel some peer pressure when they see a movie they know their colleagues adored.
WWTW will post a review of “Inception” July 16, the film’s first full day of release.
UPDATE: Related navel gazing from the land of movie critics.
(Photo: Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Arthur in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ sci-fi action film “Inception,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Stephen Vaughan)
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Is this your version of a cliffhanger?
I have been wondering the same thing about this movie myself – looking forward to your review!
Yes
I always thought “movie reviewer” a more accurate title than “movie critic”.
The word critic suggest, at least to me, talking about where a film doesn’t measure up and what is wrong with a film. It can be done in a civil manner, without the snark and a critic of a film would be be just that.
A reviewer on the other hand talks about what is both right and wrong with a film.
A movie with Leo as the lead doesnt have much of a chance of being a blockbuster
This is one of the reasons that I do my very best to avoid reading reviews and critical discussion before I see and write up my review of a film. Heck, sometimes I regret our little text messages back and forth after we walk out of a screening.
I also know that you and I had a different take on “Inception”, but I can assure you I don’t care about other critics (as demonstrated by my one-star review of “Despicable Me”, I expect).
I can’t help reading early reviews, especially on films I’m very curious to see. Goes back to the whole subjective nature of reviewing films.