Film Critics
Film Critics
#1Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:16pm
Who is your favorite and least favorite?
I think I'd have to say Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) is my favorite. I don't always agree with him, though I do a lot of the time. And his reviews are usually pretty concise and to the point. And usually pretty funny.
As for least favorite?
I might have to say Stephanie Zacharek (Salon).
I agree with her occasionally, but she also gave bad reviews to a great number of good movies (Letters from Iwo Jima, Dreamgirls, Brokeback Mountain, Thank You for Smoking, V for Vendetta, Matchpoint, Batman Begins, Closer, Finding Neverland, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, etc, etc).
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
Plum
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
#2re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:29pm
Hm, I wouldn't put Zacharek as my least favorite. There are so many ignorami with the writing skills of a middle schooler at papers all over the country.
Janet Maslin got me reading reviews in the first place. I also like A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis of the current New York Times lineup. But I have a special fondness for David Edelstein (formerly of Slate, now at New York Magazine)- I disagree with him sometimes, but I really loved his tenure at Slate.
#2re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:31pm
"There are so many ignorami with the writing skills of a middle schooler at papers all over the country."
Very true. I was thinking more along the line of critics at the big time publications.
Obviously, there are numerous "ignorami" at lesser publications that don't know what the hell they are talking about, so I kind of ruled them out automatically.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#3re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 4:02pm
I don't have any. I never take any single critic's opinion of anything. I like to look at a consensus of opinions, and I do take into consideration the overall sources.
There is a small group of critics somewhere that will always think "this is the best movie/play/tv show ever!" And it goes right into print and into quotes in the ads. And it means nothing to me. If the best reviews are coming from the Po-Dunk City Gazette, etc., or WXOP-TV in Belchfart, Maine... I pay them no heed.
But if 20 reviews come out from NY Times, LA Times, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Time, Variety, etc., and they ALL say "this is the best ever," I'll go check it out (usually, unless the subject matter completely turns me off). But even when a film is universally praised by the biggy critics, I've come away on occasion with the exact opposite opinion.
That's show biz.
So... I would have to say that for ME... I'M the best film critic around. I ALWAYS agree with myself, and my own opinion... I'm never wrong, in my opinion... and I've never been let down or misled by ME yet.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#4re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 4:05pm
That's funny, because I usually agree with me, too.
Me must be very astute.
And, as an add on to why I like Peter Travers, it's not only for his opinions, but the way he expresses them. I just really like his style and sense of humor.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#5re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 4:37pmI'm with Besty on this one. A long time ago I used to enjoy reading Pauline Kael and then later critics like Vincent Canby, David Denby and Sheila Benson (among others), but now I rely on Metacritic to decide if a film is worth seeing or not. I find that the consensus of two dozen major reviewers is much more likely to be a good indicator as to whether I'll enjoy a particular film or not, than the opinions of any one or two individual critics.
miss pennywise
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/7/04
#6re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 4:41pmI agree with Margo...Pauline Kael truly loved film.
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
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#7re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 5:03pmI don't read the critics because I form my own opinions, but after I've already seen the film, I'll go back and read what others have written, to see if we agree.
#8re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 5:05pm
Jane2, that's usually the case for me, too.
I love reading review after I see a film.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#9re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 5:12pmRight, Priest. And I have weird tastes, too, so I am usually the dissenting voice!
#10re: Film Critics
Posted: 2/25/07 at 5:43pm
Of the current crop of critics, my favorites would be Manohla Dargis (New York Times), J. Hoberman (The Village Voice), and Anthony Lane (The New Yorker).
Least favorite...Lou Lumenick (New York Post) and Leah Rosen (People).
All time favorite: Pauline Kael, of course.
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