movie reviews by est120

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movie reviews

POSTED BY: EST120
UPDATED: Friday, May 20, 2005 05:43
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Friday, May 20, 2005 5:04 AM

i am curious how many people really use the reviews published by movie reviewers to make decisions about movies to go and see. conversely, do people use more word of mouth or a "gut" feeling? i am asking because most of the reviews from movie reviewers i have read for the new star wars movie (and granted, i have not read THAT many of them) have been average to poor yet the movie will obviously do quite well with ticket sales. so here are some questions for people (and my answers):

1. of course, star wars is kind of an anomoly but my question is more would you not go and see a movie if the reviews were bad?

no. i generally (though not all the time) ignore most reviews about films and just watch what i think is interesting. most of the movies i have gone to see in the theatre lately have had bad reviews. what does that say about me?!

2. on the flip side, have you gone to see a movie you were not all that interested in because the reviews were good?

i have, but only a few times.

3. have you ever gone to a critically acclaimed movie and thought "i have no idea why people liked it so much"?

yes. i still do not understand why people liked sideways so much.

4. have you ever gone to a critically panned movie and thought "why did they hate it so much"?

lots of times. i could point out a list, but i would probably get flamed for my rather unusual taste in feature films.

okay, what are other people's thoughts?

i really am quite curious!

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Friday, May 20, 2005 5:11 AM

THALOS

For me it really depends on what the reviewer says about why he/she either likes or dislikes a particular movie.

Example:

The Harry Potter films. Critics, at least the ones I read, said that 1 and 2 were "bad" because it hardly deviated from the books, meanwhile critics liked 3 because of the changes made by the director.

However, I liked 1 and 2 because it was the movie I was looking forward to and expecting. Meanwhile, I did enjoy 3 but I was dissapointed in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban because it left out details which I thought make s the books as interesting as they are.

For the most part I would say that reviewers hardly effect my decision to see a movie. They more effect whether I will waste the $20 to see a movie in the theatre or spend only $3 to rent it later.

"Whoa, good Bible."

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Friday, May 20, 2005 5:27 AM

SERGEANTX

I tend to read particular reviewers that I've grown to trust. The good ones can give you enough non-spoilery information to tell whether a particular movie suits your tastes - even if they didn't like it for whatever reasons.

I usually won't go see a movie on opening weekend unless its something I know quite a lot about ahead of time, like Serenity for example. I'll usually wait a week or two until I've had a chance to read reviews or talk to friends who've seen it. I very rarely will see a movie based on the promotional campaign. There are movies, however, that I will avoid based on their ads.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

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Friday, May 20, 2005 5:33 AM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by est120:

1. would you not go and see a movie if the reviews were bad?

2. have you gone to see a movie you were not all that interested in because the reviews were good?

3. have you ever gone to a critically acclaimed movie and thought "i have no idea why people liked it so much"?

4. have you ever gone to a critically panned movie and thought "why did they hate it so much"?

For me it often comes down to who is in the film...and what my friends say (rather than a reviewer)

1. If the reviews are bad but it has some actors I love, then I'll go anyway (with low expectations) just to see what I think. I mean I loved Blow Dry just for Alan Rickman's performance and even the stupid Jaws 5 had a great performance by Michael Caine!

2. I will rarely get interested in a movie just because reviewers liked it, BUT if a lot of my friends also loved it then I'll over-come my own reluctance. I loved Motorcycle Diaries but it wasn't something I would have gone to see if I hadn't had so many friends talk it up.

3. Oh God Yes! All the time, I have really hated a lot of films that received all kinds of great reviews, popular acclaim and even Oscars. I mean Titanic

4. Yeah, this happens a lot too, movies that got ignored or panned, and when I see it I think it is one of the most brilliant movies I've ever seen.
Good example is 'Stage Beauty' which got as many bad reviews as good ones in the press, but everyone I know has loved it as much as I do!

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Friday, May 20, 2005 5:43 AM

IAMZOE

That's a really interesting question -
I too have certain movie reviewers that I read all the time - one magazine I occasionally read because I'm almost certain to love everything their movie reviewer hates! I have to say (dubious magazine taste here) that some of the best reviews are in the strangest places: 'Heat' magazine for example - anyone agree?

I still go to see stuff I'm interested in, even if the reviews are generally bad, but usually only if I liked the trailer. Occasionally I do wonder if cinema reviewers have even seen the same film I have.

But I tend not to do the opposite: if all the reviews are good, it doesn't make me go see it. I think the only movie I changed my mind on because of reviews was 'Amelie' - I just didn't fancy the premise, but every single review was so good, I thought I'd give it a shot.

I've actually been reading some okay reviews of the latest star wars though - but I would be going anyway - I promised my grandma I'd take her!

Can you recommend any decent film reviewers on the internet?

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