Do you find movie critics useless? (inspired by The Break Up)

[vivilasvegas]

Movie critics never really seem to like what I like!

They highly recommended Crash...I hated it.
They loved Wedding Crashers....just okay for me.

Trashed Old School....one of my favorites!!

now they are saying the Break Up is really bad...I don't know, I haven't seen it.

Do you pay attention to them? Does it influence your decision?

I find them to be pretentious and out of touch usually.
although I love anything with Owen/Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and the rest of them...

 

[Quinn222]

I read a very good review of it in the New York Times today.
I don't pay much attention to the critics either.

 

[cardaway]

Only to tip the scales if I'm on the fence. I will not see anything just because any one reviewer likes something, but if something is on a lot of top ten lists I'll see it even if I never heard about it before.

But of course, I can even enjoy a movie others don't like because I like seeing the direction, and many times those other things is why the movie is on the top ten lists. It's not always because it's a great piece of entertainment.

 

[Shugardrawers]

Reviewers are looking for something in these films that I'm not. I don't much care about "art" or reality as long as it's entertaining. I've loved some movies that critics have panned and hated some that they raved about. Maybe it means I'm trashy but usually if the critics love it it's too high brow for me. But then, I adore Coneheads

 

[Stitchfans]

I never pay attention to the critics. If the movie looks interesting and I think I would like it I go to see it.

 

[wvjovifan]

If the critics hate it, I usually love it....especially comedies!!

If the critics love it, its usually the kind of movie to put me in a coma!!!

I go to the movies to be entertained and amused. Those artsy, dark, sophisticated "films" aren't my cup of tea. Give me a funny, light, slightly sexy movie that includes at least one absoulutely gorgeous man and I will pay to see that over something that has to make sense and be intelligent and blah blah blah....I just want to have fun at the movies. CAN'T WAIT FOR POC!!!! It will have every element I want in a movie (especially the sexy pirate)

 

[foxfire]

If the critics hate it, I usually love it....

If the critics love it, its usually the kind of movie to put me in a coma!!!

This is pretty much my experience, also....especially the movie critic for our local paper.

I pay no attention to critics when deciding to see a movie. Their review is, after all, only their opinion and I like to make up my own mind, not rely on someone else's take.

 

[Tracey1974]

I read the reviews for "The Breakup" and still went to see it last night. I don't usually pay attention to the critics anyway. For what it's worth, I did like the movie but the critics were right- the ending stunk.

Still- I'd see it again if only for Vince Vaughn!

 

[diznygirl]

I don't pay any attention to the critics. I know what I like.

I will trust reviews from my bros - they usually see movies before me and can tell me not to bother cuz they know my tastes.

 

[Christine]

Our critic also kind of gave it a thumbs down review. As I read his review, I noticed that he really didn't say that the movie was bad, but he was more peeved that Vince Vaughn seemed to be the one "getting all the laughs" while Jennifer Aniston played the serious, annoying one who "lost" every battle in the movie.

Now, if that's the way the movie was written, how can you call it bad. I think the critic here thought that Jennifer was going to be playing a more comedic role and he was disappointed that it didn't turn out that way.

 

[MinnyGranny62]

I also pay no attention to the critics. Everyone likes something different. The critics here said that RV was terrible....DH and I laughed all the way through the movie. But then again...I sometimes have a weird sense of humor.

 

[3princesses4us]

One in particular. People's critic Leah Rozen is almost always the polar opposite of what I feel on every movie.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Critics hated Dukes of Hazzard and I got the biggest kick out of it. Ok, so I love movies that need little brain since those are sometimes the most fun.

They hated Red Eye but I loved it. Plus Cillian Murphy is a looker

 

[azgal81]

Movie critics are useless. If you like a movie see it every one has different opinions about what they like and don't like as far as movies go.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I almost always agree with the critics. I can't stand watching useless movies. I had the total opposite opinion of the movies you listed in your OP =)

I have heard from people IRL that Break Up was bad bad bad. Had no desire to see it anyways but I'm thinking there's a reason for the bad reviews...

Different strokes for different folks!

 

[Robinrs]

I have a degree in theatre and was trained to look at a film like a critic. It RUINED my appreciation of today's theatre! Why? Most films are not made the way we were trained to look at them, they are made for 11 year old boys who come back to see them 15 times over and then watch the DVD a million times over.

I realize that all critics are not trained. In fact one of the critics I worked with in NY was a sportscaster! They are humans just like anyone else and in that business they have a hard time admitting to liking what the untrained public likes and their constituents dislike.

I, unlike most people. DO NOT go to the movies to be entertained. I do, however, go with my son to see movies for pure entertainment. Being a Mom has totally opened up another realm of watching film in a way I never thought possible.

That being said, I do check the PERCENTAGE of rotten vs. fresh tomotoes on rottentomatoes.com to get an idea of whether or not it's worth spending my money on.

 

[minkydog]

Well, don't you remember when Pirates of the Caribbean came out and all the critics hated it? We didn't go see it for about 6months because the reviews were just so-so. But then we started hearing from friends how great it was, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, blah blah blah and discovered a fantastic movie

No I don't listen to critics.

 

[DISUNC]

Honestly, I dont understand the purpose of Film/TV Critics!!!! They rarely even agree with themselves! I always had a thought that they are secretly paid 'under the table" by Film/TV Companies to HAIL really Crap movies/TV!

Never paid any attention to them!

 

[Charade]

The only "critics" I listen to are the ones on IMDB. Generally, if it's 5-6 or higher, it's a good pick. I said generally. They rated the "The Innocents" (remade into "The Others" with Nicole Kidman) very high. I hated it. It was a typical 60s fright flick. They aslo rated the original release of "The Italian Job" very high. It stunk IMO. Again, another 60s style movie. The remake was much better.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Lately I've enjoyed the movies the critics have dissed--"RV" and "Benchwarmers" come to mind as two good examples. Both movies had me laughing pretty much beginning to end--maybe I was just in a silly mood. Actually, what a critic has to say about a movie has little effect on whether I'll go see it--I want to make up my own mind!