Posts by Jerry Martin19

man, these rankings 😱

they need to go too. right now... ☕

P. S. for those obsessed with the top rankings, tell me... what's even the point? how are they actually useful? 🙂

Dennis Carter said:James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver teaming up again for Avatar.
Smart move...

so...? 😕

Tyler Hall83 said:I’m mostly with you, except for the idea that critics' takes have to be right. Most people aren't easily swayed by what others think, even if some of that criticism sticks in the back of our minds whether we like it or not. They can rate it, praise it, hate it, or trash it (and honestly, they usually just trash it), but they aren't going to ruin the experience for the actual audience.
It's not like individual opinions represent the whole damn world.
now I'm getting deep... 🙂

Look, I'm not saying their word is gospel, but in the eyes of most viewers, big studios, and the entire Hollywood industry, those reviews basically dictate everything. Why do critics even exist if nobody cares? Because someone needs them. They're the ones cranking out all those "top ten" lists and those "deep" (🙄) essays on specific titles. Do you actually need someone else's take to help you form your own? Not me. If I already have an opinion on a movie, why the hell would I care about someone else's? Who am I watching movies for, anyway? That's the point I'm making. 🙂

Tyler Hall83 said:You went a bit overboard with that RADI-concept. Honestly, I’m lost in all the jargon... there's definitely too much of it. 😁 )

Moving on to my take... no offense intended...

Wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders when I stumbled through the door last night... 😁

I feel like every time you tear a movie apart or sing its praises, you're basically joining the ranks of the critics... and in doing so, you're giving them a taste of their own medicine.

Look, I thought being critical was worse than giving props, even if they aren't exactly the same thing, but I think you get what I mean...

I critique movies for myself. I don't force my standards on anyone else, even when they try to do it to me. My takes aren't being put on a pedestal like those "professional" critics act like they are. You can take my opinion, think about it, or just ignore it... but when critics speak, most people just nod along. Not me...

P. S. Most of the criteria I laid out here are just personal preferences—unless someone decides to jump in and turn this into a debate—mostly just to make things a little easier on you. Critics tend to weaponize their standards for different reasons. That’s where the real problem lies...

offtopic:

Jason Chavez32 said:"Criterion bias" is hands down the best thread title ever... 🙏

Give me a break... 🙂

Henry Campbell5 said:I’ve gotta say, I don’t see how my point leads to your conclusion. Who movies are actually made for is a whole different conversation...

Movies are made for the people they want to reach and the people who actually want to watch them, not for the folks sitting around judging everything based on their own little checklists. Pretty sure you're thinking the same thing.

Sure, if a movie catches my eye, I’ll look it up, but I don't need some critic to "explain" things to me. Most of the time, reviews just serve to kill the hype and make everything feel tedious. I'd much rather just browse a forum thread, read what I need, and ask a question if something’s unclear. If I wasn't hanging out here, I've got friends I can talk shop with. Critics just drop their opinions and walk away—there's no back-and-forth, so there's nothing to gain from it. It doesn't feel helpful or insightful...

P. S. The very concept of "criticism" implies finding flaws. Every single movie gets picked apart, and if we went by a critic's logic, we'd have to assume no movie is actually good. That's just nonsense... 🙂

crimsonmoose3 👍

@Henry Campbell5/">@@Henry Campbell5, sounds like movies are only made to please critics if we're going by what you're saying... 🙂

Jose Chase2 said:From what I've heard, that's actually a Clint quote... 🙏 🙏

Personally, I can't stand the whole concept of art "critics." 🤮 Art isn't some hard science where you can hand out "final" grades. Seriously, take any movie—from the absolute trashiest flick to the ones labeled masterpieces—you'll always find some "critic" looking for something to complain about. Plus, a lot of people struggle to tell the difference between movies meant to deliver a message (though, let's be real, you can pull a message out of anything, like how 😬 Dude, Where's My Car is clearly a sharp critique of weed culture) and movies that are strictly there for the ride. So, what's better: a mediocre "art" film or an awesome movie with zero message that's just pure fun? I'll take a great popcorn flick over a bad "artistic" movie any day of the week.

In my book, critics are only useful if you happen to vibe on the same wavelength as them, maybe as a heads-up on something worth watching. Beyond that, they aren't worth a dime.

👍

and what's better: a mediocre "art" film or an awesome movie with zero message that's just pure fun? I'll take a great popcorn flick over a bad "artistic" movie any day of the week.

Back to talking about Peter Greenway again, huh?
🙂

😬

Back to the topic: I'm with you on all counts. You can squeeze a message out of any movie depending on how much you care to look for one. If you can't figure that out yourself, you shouldn't need some "expert" to guide you through it anyway. Critics are pretty much useless. 🙂

So, read a review earlier today in National (in 🙄) just to see what's coming. Skimmed through it and honestly... it’s a pretty rough write-up. Feels like someone is just guessing, acting like they actually watched the movie or knew how it should look, drawing these weird lines between the director and David Fincher's style and where a director's path goes. They even started spoiling parts of the plot, which shouldn't happen in a decent review, but whatever—I don't count this as a real review anyway. Rating was probably a 3/5, though more like a critique than a review. Honestly, you could use that magazine and their film reviews as coasters for your coffee to keep it off the table. Or maybe if you're incredibly forgetful, use it to check a director's name or credits, but I doubt anyone that forgetful would care about David Lynch and his work. Anyway, since I've moved on from that text, it's time to look ahead and speculate based on Lynch's previous stuff. It looks like we're getting that non-modernist Lynch style again. We all know our David shifted gears a bit starting with Mulholland Dr. and who knows when he'll stop or pivot to something totally different. If we aren't talking about quality, I'm hoping for something a bit clearer than the talk around Mulholland Dr. and the fact that Lost Highway wasn't mentioned—I haven't even seen that one yet, embarrassingly. Hopefully, it's as clear as possible, because I don't think they intend to keep us trapped in paranoia for three hours like they did during MD or LH. Three hours is plenty of time for Mr. Lynch to throw us into a spiral of paranoia before pulling us out, otherwise we'll just be stuck in a loop. The subgenres for Inland Empire should be mystery, thriller, and psychedelia (maybe some mystical horror stress too, since we're talking Lynchian psychedelia 😍), and there's mention of some humor to lighten things up, but I bet Lynch just wants to trip us up so we can't follow the threads. As for quality, I'm not expecting anything. Expectations usually lead to disappointment, and meeting them isn't something that satisfies me; I don't live by expectations. I just want them to give us David Lynch 🙂 😍

Offtopic: someone brought up Peter Greenway as a director within the Lynchian canon, but I've seen a couple of his works and I'll say it without hesitation: he's a potential candidate for this kind of stuff, but in his film (I remember 8 ½ Women), I saw nothing but attempts rather than actual realization. It felt more like imitating Lynch than anything serious, so don't try to change my mind. 🙂

P.S. I think it's time I file a complaint with the local city council because there's still no sign of a theater opening here. 😠Have mercy, fellow cinephiles 😢

David Price5 said:Larry Flint

Brian Molko 😉

Maybe he was quoting a movie line, or maybe she was quoting him... hard to tell since I can't find the date he actually said it...🙂

P. S. All in all, props to whoever said that... 🙏

lonelynx16 said:I personally live by this paraphrase of Mihovil Pansini based on Peter Bichsel’s take on literature:

"If film criticism can actually mean anything at all, it's probably just acting as a public conversationalist for lonely viewers—basically being a witness alongside them. It's a shame so many critics don't see their job that way. After all, viewers know exactly what it feels like to be alone even when they're totally blown away by a movie..."

👍

irongardener12 said:Yeah, this is pretty much how it should go down. Giving 🙏 credit where it's due—there are still people out there who actually enjoy movies without all the baggage and overthinking. They hit the nail on the head. We could close our eyes and argue that debating purpose or intent is pointless, but honestly, whatever. Who are they to tell me which movie should move me and which shouldn't? Some critic with a few lines in a magazine? That’s just one person with their own set of emotions. Someone else is just another person with theirs. I'm just another guy. I don't react to things, tastes, or vibes the same way everyone else does. Everyone’s got an opinion shaped by a million different factors. There's no gold standard for whose take matters more. Every opinion is equally (un)important. Personally, I can't stand chocolate, I don't do sweets, and I'm not a cake guy. Why would anyone find that weird? If someone else loves it, let them enjoy it as much as they want.......

Didn't you see I started the whole thread with that exact mindset? 😕

irongardener12 said:Honestly, you nailed it. You clearly have zero clue about cinema. Go buy a magazine or something and try forming an actual opinion based on what you read for once. 1/10. Seriously, you're something else... idiot...

Jerry Martin19 said:Be glad it wasn't someone else. They would've absolutely wrecked you...

It’s honestly no surprise seeing those trash ratings over there when they're coming from people like you—guys who spend all night tossing and turning because you can't handle some critic's take. You don't actually have an opinion, period. If you did, you wouldn't even be wasting everyone's time starting this thread. Honestly, the title alone tells me more about you than anything you could ever write about a movie...👎

Look, keep that kind of talk to yourself. I’m not out here disrespecting anyone, so there's no reason for you to come at me for no reason either. And just to be clear, this isn't a request—it's an insistence. By any standard, you have no business calling me an idiot, especially over a movie rating. If I felt like giving every single one of Kubrick's films a 1/10, I'd do it, and nobody's stopping me... least of all someone named irongardener12...
You totally missed the point. If you think it’s bad, why even bother weighing in? That's your problem... I made it clear I'm not looking for unsolicited advice or anyone trying to force their take on me. I have my own views, yet you're acting like you can read my mind and telling me I'm wrong about my own thoughts. Maybe people let you talk down to them, but they won't do that with me. Get that straight...

Alright, enough with all the personal biases...

And what exactly makes you think I don't know the first thing about movies?... 🙂

I didn't report your post even though I could have... mostly because I'm hoping you'll stop acting like that...

Richard Wilson4 said:Koreans, Japanese, and even Hong Kongers (though not like they used to be) are just superior to the Chinese when it comes to cinema...

You say that like you're some kind of authority on what's universally accepted. It’s like if I pointed at a glass and said, "this is a glass," and you replied, "no, it's a mug," and somehow you were right.

Superior in what way?

The Korean film Lost brotherhood is one of the best war movies I've ever seen—it's actually a realistic story, and I'd go as far as calling it a drama.
Takeshi Kitano is one of the greatest Asian actors and directors out there...
Hong Kong's glory days might be fading, but they're still hanging in there...

I haven't seen Lost brotherhood, but I have seen some of the more famous Korean hits like Oldboy and Memories of a Murder, and both are absolute masterpieces. To me, Takeshi Kitano is also a genius director. I'm actually glad they've been showing him on American TV over the last couple of months, though they could really use better scheduling... 😠

Everything you mentioned is brilliant, sure, but nothing is more brilliant than Hero or House of Flying Daggers or any other movie with similar choreography. One thing is what you, me, or someone else thinks, and the other is what is actually true. You can't just state it as an objective fact like that, and honestly, I don't think anyone on the planet is qualified to make that claim.

Charles Evans said:Everything needs balance. Honestly, from the moment I saw the first trailer for "300," I just wanted it to be exactly what it promised. Here’s a comment from RT that pretty much sums up why people dig this movie:

You don't go to Hooters for the chicken wings—no matter what you tell your wife—and you aren't going to 300 for the deep plot nuances.

Should I probably take that advice to heart?

Richard Wilson4, give me a break. You think Tiger and Dragon is trash? That's on you. But not every Chinese movie is Tiger and Dragon (I know what you're getting at), because every Chinese film in that genre brings its own vibe regardless of the choreography. It’s that specific Chinese style they stick to—kind of like how Koreans lean into those dark horror thrillers where everything feels similar on the surface, yet every single one is actually pretty original. Saying otherwise is like saying all Spanish films are Volver just because they share a stylistic heritage...

Charles Evans said:What's there to laugh at? Unlike most other big-budget trash, "300" actually delivers exactly what was promised. Top-tier action, a killer soundtrack, and a massive visual punch. Nobody expected anything more, and we got exactly what we wanted.

You're being way too modest about a spectacle of this scale... honestly, it should have been 🙂

Charles Evans said:Mine.

Then go ahead and give it a 10/10 if you want... personally, it’s a straight up 1 for me, and one of my main reasons is right 🙂

Charles Evans said:"300" is easily the best movie this year, with Apocalypto right up there. Honestly, the only other thing even close is The Prestige.

By whose standards though?... ☕

Charles Evans said:Nah, critics don't always make sense to me either. Some guy over here in Sweden called "300" a total disaster—didn't even give it a single star out of five, gave it a negative one...

I just gave it a 1/10 on IMDb ☕

Henry Campbell5 said:Jerry Martin19, look, would you even bother writing about movies you absolutely love or hate? Would you actually want people reading your takes and respecting your opinion? And more importantly, would you be able to stay objective? You can only pull that off if you actually know your stuff. To be good at this, you need solid arguments you can actually defend, and you have to spot layers in a film that everyone else missed. That’s how you earn respect—when a reader feels like you’ve opened their eyes and they start looking forward to your reviews because they actually trust your perspective. Personally, I think it's all the same as getting a movie recommendation from a buddy whose taste you actually respect, rather than some guy who just thinks a flick is "cool" because there was a shootout, fast cars, and a hot actress...

How do you even get good at it? Sure, you can be a walking encyclopedia of trivia, but being a walking database doesn't make you a good critic. You can't truly interpret what a film means just by knowing facts, no matter how much fancy vocabulary you throw around. 🙂