What happened to all the film critics??

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • What happened to all the film critics??

    It used to be, when I wanted info / criticism on a flick, I'd check in with IMDP and boom, there was Ebert, the NYT, Rolling Stone, Variety, Salon, the Village Voice, HR, etc. (and God bless Ebert, he reviewed EVERYTHING).

    Nowadays, even with flicks I thought for sure would be covered, nothing, nothing but blogs and "peripheral" media outlets.

    Why is that? Is HW suddenly producing so many more films per year that the nation's main film critics can't handle the load? Or is it that the paradigm is shifting so rapidly that we can't rely on our old stand-bys anymore?

    Or maybe it's IMDB just failing to cull what they used to cull.... I know the Chicago Reader, for instance, has always been a great source of movie criticism, but for some reason it was never on IMDB radar. But still, all those others I mentioned above, they used to always be part of the list.

    I sense shenanigans and I do not like it!

    On a more serious note, if indeed the main media publications are cutting back on film reviews due to the proliferation of blogs and social media, I find that a very sad reality.

  • #2
    Re: What happened to all the film critics??

    People realized they didn't know what they were talking about and they froze to death.
    It's the eye of the Tiger, it's the thrill of the fight

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: What happened to all the film critics??

      Metacritic has been my go-to site a long time. It includes a full list of art-house/limited release films, along with the big studio movies. The review sources you mention are mostly all there, with links from the excerpts to the complete articles.

      Example for August: Osage County --
      http://www.metacritic.com/movie/augu...critic-reviews

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: What happened to all the film critics??

        Originally posted by Donreel View Post
        Metacritic has been my go-to site a long time. It includes a full list of art-house/limited release films, along with the big studio movies. The review sources you mention are mostly all there, with links from the excerpts to the complete articles.

        Example for August: Osage County --
        http://www.metacritic.com/movie/augu...critic-reviews
        Wow, yes, you're right. I'm an instant convert, thanks. Good to know film reviews are indeed alive and well.

        The movie I was just raving about in this forum recently, ENOUGH SAID, well almost no "important" reviews on IMDB, but yeah, on your site, the whole gang is there, mostly with lavish praise. So thanks again.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: What happened to all the film critics??

          Am I reading this right? You go to ONE source on the Internet, dont find what you`re looking for, and conclude that the sky must be falling in???

          Surely you dont read every critical review of a film, so why not just bookmark your favorites??

          There is also, Rotton Tomatoes, job done, world saved.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: What happened to all the film critics??

            Here are some film review and criticism sites I've been following for some years which cover a lot of cinema mainstream criticism doesn't:

            -Midnight Eye (Japanese cinema): http://www.midnighteye.com/

            -Not Coming to a Theater Near You: http://notcoming.com/

            -Senses of Cinema: http://sensesofcinema.com/

            -Strictly Film School: http://www.filmref.com/

            -They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?: http://www.theyshootpictures.com/index.htm

            -MUBI: http://mubi.com/

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: What happened to all the film critics??

              The Craig's List Syndrome is what happened. Like most everything else, no one wants to actually pay a film critic anymore.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: What happened to all the film critics??

                Originally posted by Jules View Post
                People realized they didn't know what they were talking about and they froze to death.


                There's also the fact the big six film studios own the main five broadcast TV networks. One of them happens to own a NYC-based newspaper. Lots of conflicts here and there, man.
                "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

                "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: What happened to all the film critics??

                  There's so much more word of mouth due to social media. It's also too easy to just download a brand new flick for free before The NY Times or Entertainment Weekly tell you it stinks. Both amount to most folks simply not caring anymore about what a critic has to say. It's like an interruption in the flow of entertainment to audience.

                  Besides, these days anyone can create a cinema blog without knowing who the hell someone like Michael Curtiz is.

                  The end.
                  "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
                  - Screenwriting Friend

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: What happened to all the film critics??

                    Originally posted by miktal-1 View Post
                    Am I reading this right? You go to ONE source on the Internet, dont find what you`re looking for, and conclude that the sky must be falling in???

                    Surely you dont read every critical review of a film, so why not just bookmark your favorites??

                    There is also, Rotton Tomatoes, job done, world saved.
                    HA you're absolutely right. Guess I've been a little out of touch with things lately.

                    Thanks Dr. V for the additional links.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: What happened to all the film critics??

                      You can find the "Top Critics" at Rotten Tomatoes. They offer that specific link on the menu bar at the top of the review list so you only read reviews from major critics -- NY Times, LA Times, Rolling Stone, TIME, USA Today, etc.
                      All of the major newspapers and magazines, as well as TV outlets, still do reviews of every major movie that comes out.
                      And yes, there are lots of online and blog critics that have no idea what they're talking about. But thank God they have tiny audiences.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: What happened to all the film critics??

                        Sight and Sound reviews every film when it's released in the UK, from Transformers 15 to teeny indie films released on three screens. It also has a synopsis for every film, which is really useful for checking that the genius plot-twist in your latest script hasn't just been done.
                        My stuff

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X