Which film critics do you trust (if any?)

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Though Ebert's reviews are generally short and heavy on plot synopsis, there are often one or two unique insights that make it worthwhile. In his review of Monster, he makes the case that Christina Ricci's performance is not bad so much as the character she's playing is a "bad actor." Not sure if I agree, but interesting. His review of The Company is structured around his assertion that it's Altman's most autobiographical film ("Mr. A" = Mr. Antonelli [the Malcolm McDowell role] but also Mr. Altman). Neither of these ideas seem to have surfaced elsewhere.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 05:10 (twenty years ago) link

Ebert's good because he's predictable - if I see a movie (sometimes even just hear a synopsis), I can usually guess his star count. I don't read him for criticism or insight that much, mostly just as a 'reviewer.'

I don't pay much attention to actual reviews until after I see a film. I'm more interested in seeing how my thoughts compared to Zacharek, the NY Times and VVoice people, the Washington Post, Chris Vognar of the Dallas Morning News (my professor one semester) and a few others (though not all of them for every film I see).

I like reviewers who are willing to judge movies on their own merits rather than against some perceived 'greatness' standard. Zacharek, especially, is good at this, and Ebert.

Rosenbaum, I feel mixed. The moralistic tone he takes on some films (Mystic River comes to mind) bothers me. It's too simplistic and black and white for me.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 05:46 (twenty years ago) link

grrr salon movie critics grrr

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 16:55 (twenty years ago) link

Oh yeah it was you, s1ocki!

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 17:07 (twenty years ago) link

hahaha yes -- zacharek especially...

― Enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 17:07 (twenty years ago) link

S. Zacharek and C. Taylor would be OK if they were banned from using the words "deliciously," "scrumptiously," "wickedly" (etc) for the rest of their movie-going days.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 03:01 (twenty years ago) link

the only film critic I like much is Dave Kehr - I wish he'd publish a book of his capsule reviews, they're probably the best film writing I've read anywhere.

usually, the more I read of a critic's work, the less interesting I find them, eventually. even a lot of Pauline Kael's stuff doesn't hold up as well as I'd like it to - good as the writing is, a lot of her reactions to movies seem flaky and ill-thought-out.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 03:12 (twenty years ago) link

otm! the word "delicious" I have a specific objection to, it's funny that you should bring that up

(I think for the time being it should only be applied to food, at least until everyone straightens their heads out)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 07:47 (twenty years ago) link

Oh man, now I have images of Zacharek and Taylor saying "delicious!" and "scrumptious!" in bed together.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 07:58 (twenty years ago) link

Namedrop 101: Roger Ebert used to date my step-aunt (aka daughter of my grandfather's second wife), which I find odd (but she was 6 feet tall and was Robert Redford's PA at the time Sundance was founded).

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 08:40 (twenty years ago) link

"this food is really...searching"

― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 09:26 (twenty years ago) link

Ebert had something to do with the Sex Pistols 'Swindle' movie.

― Enriq (Enrique), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 13:17 (twenty years ago) link

He and Russ Meyer were supposed to write and direct. Russ however took exception to Johnny R.'s manners.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 16:02 (twenty years ago) link

Armond White is the Trife of movie critics.

― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 18:19 (twenty years ago) link

I'll second Nick Mirov's mention of Kenneth Turan. 70% of his reviews are negative and his criticism of the industry is that there are too many movies being released. I know this reeks of film-rockism but search his reviews before you dismiss him.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 18:25 (twenty years ago) link

I really have to say I like the critics for the Onion and Film Comment, generally speaking. They're quite thoughtful and not at all mean-spirited in their dismissals. Even if you disagree with them, they usually bring up valid points as opposed to snarky one-liners.

Peter Travers must be destroyed, along with the rest of the RS staff.

― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 18:34 (twenty years ago) link

I like the FC crew as well, though I've been having some trouble lately seeing where exactly Kent Jones is coming from on certain films... but he's still a great writer.

Scott Tobias has always been and always will be among my favorite on the internet. Up there with Steve Erickson.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:13 (twenty years ago) link

PAULINE KAEL! WHAZZZZZUUUUUUP.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 5 February 2004 07:10 (twenty years ago) link

The Onion critics also bring up snarky one-liners as well, that's why they are grebt.

I'd just like to recognise the great opening shot from N., which was exactly my reaction to the title.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 5 February 2004 10:07 (twenty years ago) link

i like Zacharek too. She really attempts to do the whole Kael "judging movies without preconceived notions" thing.

― sym (shmuel), Thursday, 5 February 2004 10:51 (twenty years ago) link

Peter Ezekiel Baran

― chris (chris), Thursday, 5 February 2004 11:13 (twenty years ago) link

Zacharek's got a girlbody fetish only rivaled by Ebert. But she's probably as good a critic as is out there right now.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 5 February 2004 18:27 (twenty years ago) link

"judging movies without preconceived notions"

Yeah and indeed .

Even if this were possible it would be a bad idea, but it isn't, so it is. SZ might well be the worst critic to have an international profile. I'm no Kael fan but SZ isn't fit to polish PK's glasses.

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 6 February 2004 09:30 (twenty years ago) link

kael is the most frustrating critic ever, i can't read her at all

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 6 February 2004 11:13 (twenty years ago) link

P.E.B's spoken word review of Cold mountain was the best review of any film ever that I've heard, read, seen.

― chris (chris), Friday, 6 February 2004 12:34 (twenty years ago) link

who's PEB?

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 6 February 2004 12:34 (twenty years ago) link

Peter Ezekiel Baran

― chris (chris), Friday, 6 February 2004 12:36 (twenty years ago) link

Oh. I rep his work in general. Did anyone transcribe it for posterity?

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 6 February 2004 12:38 (twenty years ago) link

no, how can you describe an impression of Renee Zellweger?

― chris (chris), Friday, 6 February 2004 12:40 (twenty years ago) link

For shame! Socrates never wrote a word...

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 6 February 2004 12:43 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...

http://davekehr.com

Kehr's often spot-on and to the point; he got The Ice Harvest, and I often consult the many Brief Reviews he has here:

http://onfilm.chicagoreader.com/search/briefs

(to wit)

Bullitt

Steve McQueen as a tres chic San Francisco cop, though the real star is his sports car. There isn't much here, and what there is is awfully easy. With Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn, Robert Duvall, and a chase sequence that achieved classic status mainly by going on too long; Peter Yates directed this 1968 feature. 113 min.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:34 (eighteen years ago) link

Dave Kehr
David Thomson
Stephanie Zancharek
Alfred Soto
Dennis Lim
Dr Morbius

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:13 (eighteen years ago) link

rofl ;)

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:20 (eighteen years ago) link

I don't understand the love that Dave Thomson gets here.

My list:

Jonathan Rosenbaum
Dave Kehr
J. Hoberman
Michael Atkinson
Dennis Lim
Adrian Martin
Kent Jones
Philip Lopate (not really a critic as such, though)
Steve Erickson
Stewart Klawans
WSWS guys
David Sterritt
Tony Rayns

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:54 (eighteen years ago) link

Armand White
Harry Knowles
My gut

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:55 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh, Mark Peranson too.

x-p

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:55 (eighteen years ago) link

Mark Lamarr
Roeper

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:56 (eighteen years ago) link

None of 'em. Definitely not Armand White (although I'd rather read his reviews than say Eberts.)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:56 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh, AMY TAUBIN

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:56 (eighteen years ago) link

Armand White is brilliant. Don't join the conspiracy, fight it.

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:57 (eighteen years ago) link

C01in's list and Alfred's list are pretty good, though I've never read any film criticism by this Soto guy.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:58 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm trolling because I don't have a real answer. I sort of hate them all.

Maybe J Hoberman.

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:58 (eighteen years ago) link

He's far from brilliant and he likes tons of stuff I can't stand, but like I said he's interesting at times and his reviews can often be funny.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:58 (eighteen years ago) link

I like reading Edelstein more than any other mainstream critic. He was unforgivably wrong about Domino, though.

― Erick Dampier is better than Shaq (miloaukerman), Friday, 2 December 2005 21:59 (eighteen years ago) link

There's a guy in Film Comment who is pretty good and amusing too. I can't remember his name. Hes very punny.

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:00 (eighteen years ago) link

Gavin Smith?

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:01 (eighteen years ago) link

No, not Guy Maddin either.

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:01 (eighteen years ago) link

Howard Hampton, maybe.

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Also David Thomson IS (IMHO) great if you want to read about a certain kind of film (or more specifically a certain kind of actor).

― Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:03 (eighteen years ago) link

Bradshaw can be funny but he's more often frustrating. i tended to either strongly agree or strongly disagree with his reviews but i'm not sure any more since i don't go and see movies (and don't really miss it). Philip French is the worst, he just gives a plot summary these days.

― jed_ (jed), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:04 (eighteen years ago) link

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