tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1250324745932561231.post2125047796174708148..comments2023-11-19T10:38:36.512-06:00Comments on Film Walrus Reviews: But Who Will Review the Reviewers?FilmWalrushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14822833888119348361noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1250324745932561231.post-8665021209594692682008-02-17T14:27:00.000-06:002008-02-17T14:27:00.000-06:00Brian, I could just as easily apply the same stand...Brian, I could just as easily apply the same standards to music and the way I review. I approve of your standards.Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17295562938792511228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1250324745932561231.post-15831302462733354412008-02-17T13:25:00.000-06:002008-02-17T13:25:00.000-06:00I don't consider the Grump Factory to be all that ...I don't consider the Grump Factory to be all that harsh, but you probably are the bad cop to Tim's good cop more often than not. For a quick estimate I flipped through the GF movie reviews and found I tended to be more critical about three times as often as I was more accepting. I don't think that necessarily makes me all that harsh, but I do tend to get excited about a different set of criteria.<BR/><BR/>I don't think you need worry about alienating readers by giving harsh reviews to films widely regarded as crap. Canby, Rosenbaum, Kael, White and other notoriously harsh critics often slammed even highly acclaimed and prestigious films. They occasionally made me wonder if they even enjoyed movies all that much. When harsh casual reviewers tear into old films and art films I sometimes cringe, wondering if they really understood the film when they dismissed as "boring and stupid."<BR/><BR/>I think your policy of avoiding the "two star" films is a wise approach, one I would say I ascribe to. The ambivalent middleground is hardly helpful for anyone and rarely interesting. The burden for professional reviewers is to make these reviews worth reading. Considering that reviewing every film is their job, I'm not sure it is fair to criticize them for writing so many "namby-pamby bullshit ambivalent reviews." They can't help it if mediocrity is the norm in theaters. Then again, I don't tend to read them very much either...FilmWalrushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14822833888119348361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1250324745932561231.post-69866574481767273752008-02-17T12:35:00.000-06:002008-02-17T12:35:00.000-06:00I would like to defend my harsh stance by saying t...I would like to defend my harsh stance by saying that there are more than enough people out there willing to give a bad (or maybe even just mediocre or average) movie a nice review. Netflix can back me up on this "It's a good film to watch with kids!"<BR/><BR/>I may be alienating some readers, but I prefer to think of it as self-selecting readership to people that are sick and tired of namby-pamby bullshit ambivalent reviews. I realize this means I give out less "two star" reviews, but really, if I feel a movie is two stars... I don't think it's interesting enough to write about.Mad Doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10716883645607032782noreply@blogger.com