Modern Annoyance with a Specific View on Film Criticism

 

I have read comments on various boards and Reddits where a reader says they don't like a specific critic or believe they aren't very good because they didn't recommend a movie they liked or recommended one that they hated.

I get in an ideal world a recommendation would turn you towards a movie you'd love. But a differing of opinion does not invalidate one of them. And a critic whose views differ from the consensus or just from a loud minority does not make them a bad critic. Their success in recommending things you actually like is a very minuscule part in the value of a critic.

I couldn't even guess how many times I disagreed with Roger Enert on a movie, yet he is an inspiration for this site and The Movie Breakdown, and my favourite movie critic of all time.

He provided insight, entertainment, and value even when his actual opinion of the movie drastically differed from my own. The value he provided came from how he was able to articulate his views and delve into the layers of the picture to give me a new appreciation of what the movie was trying to say. I disagree on his views of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Paul Blart Mall CopPaul Blart Mall Cop, but I love reading them and find them crucial to the conversation around movies.

It seems more and more readers have become confused on what is the role of the film critic what is the role of the film critic. They seem to have completely failed to understand art is subjective. One person's trash is another one's masterpiece. A critic's job is to eloquently explore how they came about their opinion and gleam some expertise on the craft and nature of storytelling.

This wasteland of unjustified objectivity of opinion is a major reason why I've shied away from film criticism recently, I just can't handle pointless and useless attacks from those who don't grasp the form.

But I owe it to readers and listeners to buckle down and return. I want to provide my own voice in the dialogue around films and try to bring as much value as possible.

This week should have some new release reviews, episodes of The Movie Breakdown, and the start of the punishment movie reviews.