DouglasRobert

Just wondering if movie critics reviews alter your desire to see a movie or not?

Personally I don't care what a movie critic thinks of a movie. I see a movie that I am interested in seeing. Either the story, actor or director are the main reasons I go to see a movie.

I think that in America we give to much importance to what critics think of things. Be it movies, music, TV, food, restaurants etc.

Remember that a critics review is just their thoughts on something. One persons opinion about it. Why give them so much power.

Personally I think that in a way movie critics power is starting to lose its power already. Look how many films they rave about, that flop or the movies they hate but the audiences love.

If a movie is good or enjoyable to the masses then it will succeed on it's own merits, not critics opinions.

Cusm

It all depends on who it is and what exactly they say. Ebert has technically given the thumbs up to some, that if you read/listen to his review; you are left wondering how he gave it a thumbs up.

audrey

I rarely let a review talk me out of seeing a movie I'm interested in; however, I often catch movies I would normally pass on that get great reviews. I try to use reviews to expand my horizons, not limit them.

Geofferson

At times - yes. If a movie that I did not anticipate to be very good is given exceptionally high ratings, then yes, it will affect my decision to see it.

Groucho

Not really, but if a movie gets really low ratings over at RottenTomatoes, and word of mouth is really bad, I'll probably stay away.

Corvin

Yeah, but think about how broad the thumbs up/thumbs down rating really is. Talk about unreliable.

Yeah, this is pretty much my mentality as well. If I really want to see something, though, I'll see it regardless of the reviews. Bad Boys II is a fine example of this; it got lombasted universally, but I saw it nonetheless.

While critics don't generally deter my choices, I will often let them recommend movies. What I mean is if all the critics generally praise a movie, I'll give it a shot.

MJKTool

I NEVER listen to critics. They are absolutely worthless to me.

Morf

No they doesn't.

greatjedi

If it's a movie I'm really anticipating, then I'll see it despite reviews. For everything else, I usually go by the Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer. One review isn't enough to sway me, but an average of a hundred or so reviews gives a pretty good picture of what a film is like IMO.

wendersfan

Maybe, it's hard to say. I read a lot of film journalism and film criticism, and it's got to have some influence. If I read a lot of good things about a particular director's work, say Samira Makmahlbaf or Tsai Ming-Liang, I'll tend to seek out films they've directed.

Film criticism is as useful as you allow it to be. Rejecting it out of hand is being close minded, whereas paying too much heed to it is just being a sheep.

tasha99

I definately care what critics say, especially if there is a consensus. Many movies get polarized ratings--either great or awful, and for those, I just go see them. But if most critics say a movie is stupid, I wait for it to come out on dvd if I have to see it.

tasha

DFWMovieGeek

I've noticed that if the film is a genre that interests me and reviewers such as Ebert and Roeper both give it thumbs up, then its likely going to be a fun film.

If its a genre or story that I have no interest in, who cares.

Kal-El

Nope. I see what I want to see and follow MY tastes. The hell with critics. Titanic owned all of you.

fumanstan

Sometimes. There are definatly movies that i'm unsure about after watching the previews and trailers, where i will read reviews to see what the general consensus is.

For movies that i anticipate or look awesome from the trailers, i could care less. Bad Boys II is an easy example. I couldn't give a damn how much the critics panned it, it was awesome

Chad

No. I can only imagine the countless number of good movies I would have missed if I hadn't gone on gut instinct.

devilshalo

Nope.

lesterlong

Yes. I don't like going to the theatre so the movie better be really good.

Iron_Giant

Never, if I want to see the movie I will see it. Critics have not like some of the most poplar films of all time. And some of the movie they have said were bad, were some of the most entertaining movies I have seen.

I watch the movie critics to just see the clips and here a little bit on how the movies were made.

mwj

Since I have limited time and money, criticism plays a part in what I see and buy. Plus, I enjoy reading criticism in general.

eedoon

Yeah, they did. Especially if I read their review often. (ie. Ebert, Bernardinelli)

Heat

Yes, definately. If the review says the movie is bad, I'll wait until it goes out on DVD before I see it (if at all).

If the review is good, I am much more likely to catch it in a theater / drive-in.

DFWMovieGeek

If the reviews are good and I want to see it. I'll try to catch it on an afternoon matinee.

If the reviews are good or bad and I want to see it, I'll see it at the dollar theater a few weeks/months later (Best deal in town)

Blockbuster too expensive, unless you have a rent one get one free coupon.

matome

I never let reviews actually keep me from seeing a movie that I feel I may enjoy. I will use a consensus of them to help judge my expectations going into it. If a lot of critics say "this movie sucked", I'll still go to make my own decision, but just lower my expectations and the opposite holds true as well.

Ginwen

If I really want to see a movie, I'll see it, no matter what individual critics say.

If I'm marginal about a movie, I'll listen to critics. Unless there's nothing else to see, and I just want to go to a movie.

If I don't have any interest in a movie, and then it gets excellent reviews or word of mouth, sometimes I'll see it (most recent example: Pirates of the Carribean).

If I want to see a movie, and it is of a type/genre where I would expect it to get good reviews, and it gets roundly panned (not just by one or two critics, but by virtually every critic, ala Rotten Tomatoes), I may be less likely to see it, or go in with reduced expectations.

Another factor in this is my wife. A movie may be on my must-see list, and on her no-interest list. Good reviews, I may be able to get her to go (this worked out with T3 for me recently), bad/average reviews, I lose some ammunition (which happened with Italian Job).

resinrats

Sure. If a critic hates a movie, that means that it is worth my time to go see. If they love it, then I'll save my money.

I have no respect for movie critics. Their tastes are the total opposite of mine. The only critics i semi-like are Ebert & Roper. Even then, their show airs sunday night so I see the movies before their show is on.