comment #1

lazespud says ...

Really this was an article about quote whores. The real article should have focused on, sadly, Roger Ebert. He has a 4 star rating system, yet his average rating given is about 3.2 stars. It's like grade inflation in college where the average grade is now a B+.

I say sadly because Ebert is writing as good as ever and his observations are as excellent as they've ever been. But when push comes to shove, and he has to give a star rating (which he apparently doesn't like to do), he has invariably been overly generous over the last five years or so.

It reminds of the fake movie critic in Spy magazine in the early 90s. His name was Walter Monheit, or something like that (he had a monocle). Every review was either 3 and half stars or 4 stars, and all of the writing was written in convenient "pull quote format" Here's a favorite I just found on the web from his review of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

“Terrapinrific! A snapping good yarn! Dontello is the thinking man’s Stallone!”

comment #2

adaml says ...

Yeah I immediately wondered why Ebert's pic wasn't on that front page either. He dishes out 4 star ratings like they are going out of fashion.

comment #3

Arran says ...

Ebert may have been overly positive lately, but a quote whore he is not. He actually writes REVIEWS, not collages of possible poster quotes.

comment #4

corey3rd says ...

Nobody cares about puling a quote from Ebert since all they want on the ad is "Two Thumbs Up!" Roger Ebert & _______

comment #5

Craig Kennedy says ...

If you only use a critic's star rating to pick movies, you deserve every bad movie you get.

Also, Childress is doing the lord's work. Thank you, Eric.

comment #6

filmfestivalgeek says ...

70 to 80%? -- that's being kind. If you even slightly expanded the definition to read as "irksome, problematic, mediocre or just crap...OR NOT ORIGINAL OR EVEN SEMI-IMPORTANT", doesn't the figure climb up to more like 95-98%? I think I may even be generous on those numbers.

Let's face it, people need work - producers, directors, actors, key grips, the gofer who runs out for more bagels and coffee, the quote whores - whether it's the summer tentpole or a lot of so-called "arthouse" stuff, a lot of work gets made for the sake of making it. Porn actors risk Aids and other STD's because they need work; other wise why make skin flicks? Even if you were the biggest wanker on the planet you wouldn't be able to keep up with all the porn produced up to 2004 when the last big Aids scare hit the adult business, so why make it unless people NEED to work? The hamster keeps cycling in his cage.

I used to think in the 80's that New York film critics found a new masterpiece every two weeks but at least they weren�t laying it on thick for CGI, assembly line rated film candy for the eyeballs. A lot of these films are excellent in their own way, but candy they are...

Quote whores are out of control but even the good critics are often a bit too benevolent. It's probably easier than ever to make a good film but to achieve greatness you have to be willing to land on your face and look like an idiot.

Orson Welles said all the truly great films have already been made.

Of course, he was probably referring to his own stuff.

comment #7

berg says ...

cue drum roll ... Obama just said he'd replace Freddie Mac with Bernie Mac

comment #8

Edward says ...

good one berg.

comment #9

pchu says ...

Am I reading this correctly? Roeper is 2nd on the Critics you can trust list?

comment #10

saranie says ...

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comment #11

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