Be Quiet, Critics!
By matersfish
@matersfish (6306)
United States
December 31, 2012 4:02am CST
There's something about mainstream Hollywood critics that really gets under my skin. Now, I'm as harsh a critic as any when it comes to a movie I don't like. I say how I feel. I don't get nasty and pretend that my opinion is the right opinion and the truest words ever spoken like these trolls online, but I still don't hold back.
I just got through watching Cloud Atlas, and if I would have read the reviews beforehand, I wouldn't have watched it.
I caught a torrent that was an overseas release with a dubbing, but my WMP has filters installed so I can just hear the English. So, why not? Let's give it a try.
Absolutely brilliant, original, heart-warming, thought-provoking movie! And what's best: It's not a big-budget "Hollywood" film; it's an independent film. So it didn't exactly sell its soul for high-dollar effects (although the futuristic bits have a new-Star-Wars quality to them).
I don't understand why so many people are reviewing this movie so harshly.
My guess: They're used to movies that last roughly 90 minutes and explain the plot through spoken word and visual assists. I think people really hate to follow along with a plot these days. They want instant gratification. They want to know what's going on with the story before it's been told. And if they can't get that, they break out the adjective fluffer and start berating the movie on multiple levels.
A lot of movies I've seen recently that I haven't liked: House at the end of the Street, Looper, Intruders, Taken 2, Lawless, Stolen, Moonrise Kingdom, Pitch Perfect, That's my Boy, Total Recall, and a few more. But what's with the brutality in trashing the story, the actors, the industry, etc?
Mini spoiler for Cloud Atlas if you haven't seen it:
A critic is thrown off a balcony in this movie, so maybe that's why critics are treating it so harshly.
Okay, spoiler over.
It could also be that there are fans of the book who felt that the movie jumped between stories too much. But I still think it's because you have to pay attention to the movie and actually seek out the characters to figure out how they're interwoven.
Sorry, critics. Cloud Atlas isn't a dumbed-down action film.
Have you seen it? If so, did you like it? I think it's definitely worth watching.
3 people like this
5 responses
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
31 Dec 12
I'm not a movie-goer although I would love to be, it's just too expensive. So I wait till they come on TV. Cloud Atlas sounds like a good investment in my entertainment time!
Generally, if the critics hate a movie I make a point to watch it as I will probably like it. If they love it then I usually find that it's a waste of my time. That's why I read critical reviews sometimes before I record a movie on TV.
Cloud Atlas sounds like a good film, mainly because of the very thing you say might keep people away or make them dissatisfied--a real, unfolding plot and lack of expensive special effects. In the past 20-30 years movies have increasingly degenerated in quality because they could depend on effects to fill in the void of character and plot development. As a result, we have a generation of "actors" that couldn't act their way out of a paper bag if they were forced to ply their craft with mere words and minimal staging.
I'll watch for Cloud Atlas to come around on TV. Thanks for the heads up! (My kids say I should try Red Box, where you can rent a movie for a dollar, and while it's a good value it's pretty rare that I want to commit to a 2-3 hour movie within a specific time frame.)
1 person likes this
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
1 Jan 13
i know cloud atlas bombed in the box office but i have read reviews that it was great. haven't read the book and haven't seen the movie yet.
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
1 Jan 13
@ dragon:
I am usually the same way with critics. I don't take their word for it. However, I've never seen critics actually lie about a movie as they did Cloud Atlas. Most of the hateful reviews I read talked about the plot not connecting, or it being a fancy Hollywood getup, neither of which were true in the slightest. So while I never listen to "the movie sucked" stuff, I probably would have believed the whole plot holes fallacy (maybe 1 or 2, but you just need to watch it twice lol).
Not having 2-3 hours to spend on a movie is why I download them on the PC. I can watch for 20 minutes, work some, watch for 20, clean up, watch again, sleep, and on and on until the movie's finished. Movies for me are more a procrastination device, so I watch them by the boatload these days.
Thanks for the response.
@ iluvusabado:
Yeah, it bombed in a big way. And as for your photo -- when is Grimm coming back? I want to see Nick vs. the Captain!
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
1 Jan 13
I think some people (especially critics) have just seen so many movies that they've stopped liking movies. 
Everyone's a critic. In this internet age, I've also noticed lots of people are exceptionally harsh and downright mean in their criticism. If a movie did not please them, they talk like the filmmakers and actors have committed a personal offense against them. 
It's made me stay away from reviews, just because I can't stand to hear so much nasty negativity.
I never read reviews before I see a movie. I rarely even take recommendations from friends, because I want to see something and find out for myself whether or not I like it. And if I talk about a movie I don't like I try to express my opinion in a civil manner, fully acknowledging that my opinion is not law and other people may enjoy the film.
Everyone's a critic. In this internet age, I've also noticed lots of people are exceptionally harsh and downright mean in their criticism. If a movie did not please them, they talk like the filmmakers and actors have committed a personal offense against them. It's made me stay away from reviews, just because I can't stand to hear so much nasty negativity.
I never read reviews before I see a movie. I rarely even take recommendations from friends, because I want to see something and find out for myself whether or not I like it. And if I talk about a movie I don't like I try to express my opinion in a civil manner, fully acknowledging that my opinion is not law and other people may enjoy the film.@matersfish (6306)
• United States
1 Jan 13
That could definitely be true. Perhaps they can be burned out on movies.
It's the folks who are meanspirited about it that get under my skin the most. There's no call for all that.
As for reading the reviews, I also avoid them beforehand. I'll read after to see what other people thought.
But in this case, my opinion on the movie should be law! 
Cloud Atlas rocks.
Thanks for the response.
Cloud Atlas rocks.
Thanks for the response.1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
1 Jan 13
Riiight. Please forgive me if I'm not immediately tripping over my own feet to see it. 
I agree, there's no call to be mean-spirited. I never understood why people get so upset at movies they don't like. If you're personally offended by a movie you didn't enjoy, then you take entertainment way too seriously.
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
31 Dec 12
Generally speaking, if I like a movie the critics will hate it, and vice versa. I do not watch movies often, this one sounds pretty good. I just have a hard time being still and in one place long enough to watch one.
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
1 Jan 13
I'm usually the same in that regard, as long as they seem to dislike it. But the critics I read in this particular instance outright lied! 
I'm also with you on not being able to sit still long enough. It's why I download to my PC. I can watch 20 minutes and then do something else. Plus with the media player right there, if there's something I don't grasp, I can just slide the bar back and catch up on the plot points in a few seconds.
Thanks for the response.
I'm also with you on not being able to sit still long enough. It's why I download to my PC. I can watch 20 minutes and then do something else. Plus with the media player right there, if there's something I don't grasp, I can just slide the bar back and catch up on the plot points in a few seconds.
Thanks for the response.
@Bionicman (3958)
• Czech Republic
31 Dec 12
I don't pay much attention to critics. I just check what general public thinks by looking at IMDB or by hearing my friends. However I am subscribed to Mark Kermode's YouTube channel. He does review movies without spoiling them. Don't agree with him every time but he has good points and is well spoken.
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
1 Jan 13
I try not to pay much attention either, but the way they were trashing this movie was incredible. Usually if there's that much bad publicity, I would just rather not waste the time. For Cloud Atlas, it's not a mixed bag really. It's about 6:1 critic hate vs. probably 8:1 viewer love.
I'll check out Kermode. I like movie reviewers, as long as they're honest and don't get too nasty.
Thanks for the response.
@robspeakman (1700)
•
31 Dec 12
I tend not to listen to the critics, I prefer to make up my own mind. I do agree with you though, if we all listened to the critics we would never go to the cinema.
When BladeRunner was originally released it was slated by critics and it was a commercial failure - It was only through VHS and DVD sales that it became a cult classic....
However the critics were right on that one, terrible film - over rated.
I have gone along sheep like when critics and reviewers give a film a overly favourable review - Two spring to mind as possible the worst films ever
Lovely Bones - No idea what it was about, and I read the book too.
A.I. - self obsessed drivel - spielberg ay his most sickly
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
1 Jan 13
I don't think I've ever seen Bladerunner. I remember Lovely Bones, and barely remember A.I., but I can't remember being too thrilled about them.
I also stay away from critics' opinions, but what I read about this particular movie weren't opinions. They were outright lies that seem to have been born of parity via net review rather than watching the movie.
Thanks for the response.
