Which film critics do you trust (if any?)

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (1469 of them)
You've got be able to properly deploy your "Bressonian"s and "Brechtian"s.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:05 (eighteen years ago) link

If I can Brecht it down for just a second here.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:06 (eighteen years ago) link

I can't imagine liking David Thomson unless you want to consistantly read about how disillusioned with cinema he is and how any new celebrated (non-American) filmmaker will never rival the old masters.

(you're right though, his writing on acting is great.)

C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:06 (eighteen years ago) link

I can't imagine liking David Thomson unless you want to consistantly read about how disillusioned with cinema he is and how any new celebrated (non-American) filmmaker will never rival the old masters.

Except Wes Anderson, apparently!

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:07 (eighteen years ago) link

David Thomson is totally one of those people who I can imagine playing his own wife in drag.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Of course I do that all the time, which is why I can spot it so easily.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:08 (eighteen years ago) link

I have no idea who any of these people you guys are talking about are.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:09 (eighteen years ago) link

Well, if you put down Fangoria for just a second...

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:10 (eighteen years ago) link

Gavin Smith has sat in my row at films twice this year, and fidgets too much.

Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:11 (eighteen years ago) link

Haha what makes you think I read Fangoria?

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:12 (eighteen years ago) link

:)

Call it a hunch.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:12 (eighteen years ago) link

...Do you?

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:13 (eighteen years ago) link

I can't remember the last time I saw a movie wholely because of a review I read. I can't stand reading movie reviews though for the most part.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:15 (eighteen years ago) link

I see Gavin Smith at Film Forum pretty frequently.

C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:15 (eighteen years ago) link

No, I don't.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:15 (eighteen years ago) link

Reviews are better after you've seen the movie.

Erick Dampier is better than Shaq (miloaukerman), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:15 (eighteen years ago) link

Reading film criticism is about as fun as watching paint dry. I like interviews with directors occassionally, but only when the interviewer does not ask the director about HIS PROCESS.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:17 (eighteen years ago) link

Haha.

WHY?

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:18 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, I used to see GS at screenings allatime as well.

You're a hard man, Alex.

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Because it's such a vague and stupid question and directors always give the lamest answers.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:20 (eighteen years ago) link

I generally skip interviews and read tons of criticism (generally after I've seen the movie--though I read the whole Voice and Chicago Reader sections when they come out).

C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:21 (eighteen years ago) link

I like good film criticism. It's like any good writing. There's just not enough of it. I like it when it's creative and funny and contrary and mad.

I am here all afternoon to pepper your board with the obvious.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:23 (eighteen years ago) link

"I like good film criticism."

Of which there is basically like none.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:26 (eighteen years ago) link

That's not true at all. (You said yourself you don't read any and haven't heard of any of the critics listed!)

C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:27 (eighteen years ago) link

This is just what he's like.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:28 (eighteen years ago) link

Colin and I are leading parallel lives (sorry, bub).

Reading film criticism is about as fun as watching paint dry.

Alex quoting a Gene Hackman private-eye character pretending to be an Eric Rohmer critic! C'mon man, that's extreme -- there is no good MUSIC criticism...

Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:29 (eighteen years ago) link

alex's compulsion to keep talking on this thread despite stating he hates everything is interesting to me.

kyle (akmonday), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:32 (eighteen years ago) link

not as interesting as watching paint dry though

kyle (akmonday), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:32 (eighteen years ago) link

i find it queer.

the jaymcfox (jaymc), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:32 (eighteen years ago) link

Paint is hilarious!

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:33 (eighteen years ago) link

nabisco otm

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:34 (eighteen years ago) link

uff, sorry wrong thread!

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:34 (eighteen years ago) link

but sooner or later he'll post here and he'll be otm.

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:34 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh, I thought that was a joke about how everybody says "nabisco otm", even when the context doesn't warrant it!

It was hilarious.

xp

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:35 (eighteen years ago) link

i enjoyed that joke.

the jaymcfox (jaymc), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:35 (eighteen years ago) link

It was. But then I tried to cover my tracks.
(xpost)

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:36 (eighteen years ago) link

But why would you do that?

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:36 (eighteen years ago) link

i think ken was trying to cover his tracks.
(xpost!!!)

jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:37 (eighteen years ago) link

see, like that. that wasn't really an x-post. but i made it look like it was. it's fun.

jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:37 (eighteen years ago) link

I had a joke and then I thought of another joke and then I needed to set it up

(multiple xpost)

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:38 (eighteen years ago) link

I revived this thread only so I could quote Dave Kehr and imply that Williamsburg Noise Dudes watch Bullitt just to butch up.

Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:39 (eighteen years ago) link

What's "Williamsburg"?

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:39 (eighteen years ago) link

Why do they need to butch up? Is Noize girly?

Erick Dampier is better than Shaq (miloaukerman), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:43 (eighteen years ago) link

I don't know from the movie Bullitt, but I have cat named Bullitt, an orange tabby just like Ian's was, and he is a prince among cats.

(If I haven't ruined the joke for you by now, here's the stake-driver's confession: at the very start I thought the jaymcfox WAS the nabiscofox, causing the now-classic ILX-meme to flood my brain)

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:43 (eighteen years ago) link

'Cause they won't let Morbs post on the Noize Musical thread anymore.
(xpost)

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:45 (eighteen years ago) link

Rosenbaum/Ebert, maybe some Scott or Hoberman here and there

really don't like Zacharek anymore. don't get Thomson a-tall

gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:46 (eighteen years ago) link

would you trust anyh of these people to house sit for you? to take care of your kid or cat?

kyle (akmonday), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:47 (eighteen years ago) link

There should really be more female film critics. Looking at this thread, it's kind of ridiculous.

xp

Actually, David Thomson would do a good job of that yes.

Soledad (nordicskilla), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:48 (eighteen years ago) link

Actually, Molly Haskell - who, as Morbius is wont to point out, is Andrew Sarris' wife - is a good critic.

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:50 (eighteen years ago) link

"That's not true at all. (You said yourself you don't read any and haven't heard of any of the critics listed!)"

Yes well, I was exagerrating. I just haven't heard of David Thomsom and Kent Jones.

I guess what it comes down to is that film criticism is inadequate for making me want to go see a movie. It's better for explaining/discussing a film after I've seen it, but usually by the time I have seen it I don't want to read about it as much as I want to talk about it. Music criticism is the exact opposite though. Music criticism makes me want to hear (or not hear) music.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 2 December 2005 22:50 (eighteen years ago) link


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.