Do you generally agree with critics reviews?

andynick42

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Do you find that you agree with film critics scores a lot?

For the last year I’ve been reading through year old Empire magazines, as after a year almost everything is on a streaming service subscription (and I have most). I have been watching almost everything that they’ve scored 3 stars or above (3 stars is a recommendation). I would estimate that I disagree with 90% of their scores. 87% are too high 3% are too low.

I know some will say find a better critic, but I’m generally not that bothered what I watch, just as long as I haven’t seen it before. I’m just amazed how often I disagree. I would often knock 2 stars off some of their reviews. Funnily enough yesterdays film was one of the very few where I would rate the film higher than them. WolfWalkers deserved 5 stars imo.

Is it just me? Anyone else read Empire or other publications and disagree a lot?
 
Unless I’ve misunderstood how aggregators work, the problem is that they’ll simply give an average score, which is not as telling as you think. Eg a film is rated by 4 people, 2 hate it (0,1), 2 love it (9,10) average is 5; another is judged ok by 4 (4,5,5,6) average 5. First film is marmite, that you’ll either love or hate (so a gamble), the second is highly likely to be ok, but not blow your mind. Unless I’m wrong, there is no way of differentiating.

That‘s where a critic who has similar tastes to you is invaluable, but you should ignore one whose taste is different.

If you just follow aggregators, you’ll miss out on the ”10’ films which are a bit marmite.
 
Do you find that you agree with film critics scores a lot?

For the last year I’ve been reading through year old Empire magazines, as after a year almost everything is on a streaming service subscription (and I have most). I have been watching almost everything that they’ve scored 3 stars or above (3 stars is a recommendation). I would estimate that I disagree with 90% of their scores. 87% are too high 3% are too low.

I know some will say find a better critic, but I’m generally not that bothered what I watch, just as long as I haven’t seen it before. I’m just amazed how often I disagree. I would often knock 2 stars off some of their reviews. Funnily enough yesterdays film was one of the very few where I would rate the film higher than them. WolfWalkers deserved 5 stars imo.

Is it just me? Anyone else read Empire or other publications and disagree a lot?
Empire has really gone downhill in recent years. I think they are pandering to a younger target audience with everything that entails. Certain films and directors will get great reviews no matter what for instance. Sad really. The current issue wasnt too bad I suppose.
 
Generally I think I do. However, I don’t take as gospel. If I want to see something I’ll see it regardless.
 
I actually find myself in agreement with Kermode on more occasions than not. Empire I stopped reading a few years back, although I'll still browse the site.

I also find myself in tune a lot with the review guys here, and I guess I use all members who post in these sections as reviewers.

One thing I don't do anymore is read paper reviews. Some absolute nonsense to be found in those.
 
Do you find that you agree with film critics scores a lot?

For the last year I’ve been reading through year old Empire magazines, as after a year almost everything is on a streaming service subscription (and I have most). I have been watching almost everything that they’ve scored 3 stars or above (3 stars is a recommendation). I would estimate that I disagree with 90% of their scores. 87% are too high 3% are too low.

I know some will say find a better critic, but I’m generally not that bothered what I watch, just as long as I haven’t seen it before. I’m just amazed how often I disagree. I would often knock 2 stars off some of their reviews. Funnily enough yesterdays film was one of the very few where I would rate the film higher than them. WolfWalkers deserved 5 stars imo.

Is it just me? Anyone else read Empire or other publications and disagree a lot?
I still read Empire, and as much as look forward to it dropping through my letterbox, it's rare for me to agree with their reviews. The vast majority are at least 1 star too high. I'll hardly ever award full marks to anything, but they do that a little too frequently imo.
For a lot of stuff, i 'll sometimes skim the higher profile ones via Rotten Tomatoes, but the best indicator for a movie is surely the OFFICIAL AVF review!
 
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I actually find myself in agreement with Kermode on more occasions than not. Empire I stopped reading a few years back, although I'll still browse the site.

I also find myself in tune a lot with the review guys here, and I guess I use all members who post in these sections as reviewers.

One thing I don't do anymore is read paper reviews. Some absolute nonsense to be found in those.
I'm always interested in Kermode's opinion, but only agree with him about 60% of the time.
 
I'm always interested in Kermode's opinion, but only agree with him about 60% of the time.

That's probably thereabouts the same for me as well. Hence my more often than not comment.

He does some good reviews and picks out some hidden gems, but other times I think if he's in a lesser mood he lets subjectivity take over too much.
 
I'm always interested in Kermode's opinion, but only agree with him about 60% of the time.
Lucky if that 10% with me e.g. was so wanting to like Wonder Woman 84 and yet thought a 4/10 but Mark liked it, so always a good to think the opposite.
Always get up Saturday morning to watch his reviews on the BBC even if I disagree with him like to hear his insight.
 
I read empire/Total FIlm magazines for years, and they were my guide to what films to watch at the time. I only read them now as they are part of the apple news subscription, and would agree with the general consensus that the reviews do not tend to be overly critical any more.

Also I think as with music, streaming has made a wider selection of films much more accessible, and the need to read up on critic opinions before going to see a movie in the cinema has diminished (for me anyway).

I tend to be guided more by comments, and reviews on sites like AVF now, as they are generally viewed by like minded people who do not usually have an "agenda" when reviewing movies. There are a couple of youtube reviewers I like (Chris Stuckmann in particular) as they are genuine film fans first, and foremost.

I also think Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic serve a purpose as a quick scan to see if a film is absolute pants or truly excellent. The films that are in the middle on such sites if I am interested in the film I would do a bit more digging myself.
 
Remember critics are people too who have their own preferences. Not everyone prefers the same films. Not all critics agree. It is quite likely there will be critics you disagree with but there are probably some out there who you largely agree with.

A film critics opinion of a film is just their personal opinion. It isn't really objective. It doesn't matter if you agree with them or not.
 
I read empire/Total FIlm magazines for years, and they were my guide to what films to watch at the time. I only read them now as they are part of the apple news subscription, and would agree with the general consensus that the reviews do not tend to be overly critical any more.

Also I think as with music, streaming has made a wider selection of films much more accessible, and the need to read up on critic opinions before going to see a movie in the cinema has diminished (for me anyway).

I tend to be guided more by comments, and reviews on sites like AVF now, as they are generally viewed by like minded people who do not usually have an "agenda" when reviewing movies. There are a couple of youtube reviewers I like (Chris Stuckmann in particular) as they are genuine film fans first, and foremost.

I also think Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic serve a purpose as a quick scan to see if a film is absolute pants or truly excellent. The films that are in the middle on such sites if I am interested in the film I would do a bit more digging myself.

I never really used to read Empire/Total Film for the reviews. I liked the features they did, and the behind-the-scenes stuff. Some of it was excellent, especially when they revisited the films of yesteryear.
 
I still read Empire, and as much as look forward to it dropping through my letterbox, it's rare for me to agree with their reviews. The vast majority are at least 1 star too high. It's very rare for me to award full marks to anything, but they do that a little too frequently imo.
For a lot of stuff, i 'll sometimes skim the higher profile ones via Rotten Tomatoes, but the best indicator for a movie is surely the OFFICIAL AVF review!
Agree with all of this.

As with many publications, the stars in reviews are often an editorial decision, not necessarily something that the reviewer decides, and I do think that Empire skews upwards. But I do like their writing in general - the features and interviews are still pretty good IMO.

The reviews I pay more attention to these days are Kermode and this site's official reviews. I sometimes disagree with them, but they're presented/written in a way that really helps me work out whether a film will be right for me, as well as helping to single out the unmissable ones.

I particularly appreciate that Kermode highlights when a film isn't resonating with him - but has lots of fans elsewhere. He also seems to make an effort to get a second opinion when that happens.
 
I never really used to read Empire/Total Film for the reviews. I liked the features they did, and the behind-the-scenes stuff. Some of it was excellent, especially when they revisited the films of yesteryear.

That is a good point about the other magazine articles which included great interviews, and informative features. I have to say though that the days I read those mags for reviews were pre internet (showing my age), and I had to somehow try and avoid terrible films!
 
Worth using reviews to sift through films that you might be interested in. I treat reviews as a yes/no/maybe rather than a score out of X*.

*Irrational annoyance, yes, yeeeess...

Rotten Tomatoes is great - but only for those in publicity and marketing.

For superhero/blockbuster films, I tend to avoid 'reviews' from (paid or rewarded) fans with a big audience on social media and YT. Their 'review' is designed to get clicks; strongly positive or strongly negative.

Empire and Total Film - I ignore them.

I like some critics (sometimes):
  • Anton Bitel
  • Peter Bradshaw (sometimes I strongly disagree)
  • Simran Hans
  • Mark Kermode
  • Tim Robey
  • Larushka Ivan-Zadeh (Metro is very underrated for film reviews)
Kermode and Ivan-Zadeh are the ones that I find myself agreeing with the most.

Bradshaw, Kermode and Hans are top writers.

Goes without saying that the gold standard is AVF. 👊

Film festivals have lots of strong films every year, but films are there looking for a distribution deal and/or to raise interest and hype.

Critics are a part of that*; be wary of film reviews at a festival. Sometimes a publication will have one critic at the festival, and a different one on release. And reviews may differ.

*As ever, with critics on anything, it's all a bit (w)incestuous. A conflict of interest (for critics) that benefits both sides.
 
Kermode: he gets really excited about some films (like Widows for example) that I really dont understand. I generally agree with him though. I enjoy his podcasts.

Grace: she has some weird views/interpretations but a lot of what she says is spot on for me

Jeremy Jahns: mostly agree with him

Critical drinker: I pretty much like what he likes

Total Film and Empire: they score popular films too high
 
In the past yes, especially during the IMDB era but after Robert Ebert I'd stopped reading and gave up on my Empire magazine.

2004 - 2010 were the good times.
 
I never read to much into the reviewers film score out of 5 or 10 etc but enjoy their sypnosis. I stopped subscribing to empire a few years ago but did enjoy their articles / features behind the scenes etc.
I never get the criticism of reviewers score for the actual film as it’s always a personal score.
 
This issue I have with Mark Kermode (probably the most high-profile UK critic if you ignore eg the likes of Jonathan Ross who does it as a sideline), is that he appears to try a bit too hard to be edgy/controversial, which makes him appear a bit patronising and pretentious (and his 50s affectations don’t exactly dispel this). However TV personalities need a hook, so these are to some extent inevitable. I often disagree with his verdicts, but I accept that this is personal opinion.

Similarly, the high profile writers in the broadsheets (indeed as MK writes for The Guardian) are expected to take a slightly derisive position on “unworthy“ movies. This often leads to examples of movies getting a critical mauling, becoming hugely popular with the “undiscerning masses”, then critics re-evaluating their position. (Although I think this is less common with the newer generation of critic, as they grew up with pop culture. Used to be a major issue - iirc Barry Norman could be a bit sniffy about popular entertainment).
 
Interesting to read several of you think Empire score too high. I though it was just me being too hard to please or too stupid to understand what the film’s trying to do. (both could still be true)
They were much more high brow in the early 90’s when I started reading it.
Quite middle of the road now, take this weekends The 355 for example, an absolute stinker, I’ve not checked but I’m sure this’ll get three stars from them, more than likely Helen O Hara.
 
Don’t read ’pro’ critics reviews any more so nothing to generally agree/disagree with. Just go by word of mouth of these forums.
 
They were much more high brow in the early 90’s when I started reading it.
Quite middle of the road now, take this weekends The 355 for example, an absolute stinker, I’ve not checked but I’m sure this’ll get three stars from them, more than likely Helen O Hara.


Good call if you really didn’t check first before your statement. :)
 

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