Once again I am totally out of sync with movie reviewers. I actually enjoyed the movie The Tourist. It was not profound and anything. But I did really enjoy paying attention to Johnny Depp and how he could portray a midwest mathematics professor - a very non-A type personality. Not just the voice, but the body language and facial expressions. The movie has been criticized as unbelievable, etc. But I thought it had enough twists to keep the interest up.
What am I missing? What are movie reviewers looking for?
Can anybody help me understand movie reviewers so I can be one in the next century when my social security runs out?
The Tourist - Reviews
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Arab Nights (imported)
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DeaconBlues (imported)
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Re: The Tourist - Reviews
Who knows what is running through their silly little heads?
I lost all respect for most movie reviewers when I heard that "Borat" had won such "great critical acclaim."
They largely ignore the really good movies any normal person likes to watch (e.g. "The Illusionist," or "Assasination Tango") and then they go gaga over some of the most worthless trash ever to waste celluloid over (e.g. "Heaven's Gate" or "Borat"). I am actually pretty certain that movie reviewer's opinions are "for sale or rent." Think about it, IF you were approached by some Hollywood bigshot and offered $50,000 to give a less than candid and frank assessment of one of their dud movies... maybe not give it all five stars but give a ZERO star movie three stars instead of telling the truth, well I am sure there are some movie reviewers who would do it. And when you look at the Hollywood budgets, buying off a few movie reviewers is relatively "chicken feed" or merely the "price of doing business" for some of the big producers.
Myself, I am watching more and more foreign films, NOT particularly because I like the foreign points of view, but because most of the foreign films, and independent films, are produced outside of the Hollywood "house of mirrors."
When I see the original "El Mariachi," and contemplate that it was made by some poor kids from the University of Mexico, who scraped up about $7,000 and made a GREAT movie... Then Hollywood got a hold of the idea and made several sequels... with BIG NAME STARS like Antonio Banderas, Selma Hayek, Cheech Marin... and with all their money and fame I think they did not do as well as the poor kids. The poor kids actually had a story to tell.
Ironic to think of it, but Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz and others got their starts with the GREAT director Pedro Almodovar. I very very highly recommend any his works (e.g. Matador, Volver, All About My Mother, etc).
There are clearly a few DUDS among the foreign films that I have watched, l'Enter (english title "The Intruder") comes to mind. But for the most part, the independent start up producers working overseas just put out a better product.
I lost all respect for most movie reviewers when I heard that "Borat" had won such "great critical acclaim."
They largely ignore the really good movies any normal person likes to watch (e.g. "The Illusionist," or "Assasination Tango") and then they go gaga over some of the most worthless trash ever to waste celluloid over (e.g. "Heaven's Gate" or "Borat"). I am actually pretty certain that movie reviewer's opinions are "for sale or rent." Think about it, IF you were approached by some Hollywood bigshot and offered $50,000 to give a less than candid and frank assessment of one of their dud movies... maybe not give it all five stars but give a ZERO star movie three stars instead of telling the truth, well I am sure there are some movie reviewers who would do it. And when you look at the Hollywood budgets, buying off a few movie reviewers is relatively "chicken feed" or merely the "price of doing business" for some of the big producers.
Myself, I am watching more and more foreign films, NOT particularly because I like the foreign points of view, but because most of the foreign films, and independent films, are produced outside of the Hollywood "house of mirrors."
When I see the original "El Mariachi," and contemplate that it was made by some poor kids from the University of Mexico, who scraped up about $7,000 and made a GREAT movie... Then Hollywood got a hold of the idea and made several sequels... with BIG NAME STARS like Antonio Banderas, Selma Hayek, Cheech Marin... and with all their money and fame I think they did not do as well as the poor kids. The poor kids actually had a story to tell.
Ironic to think of it, but Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz and others got their starts with the GREAT director Pedro Almodovar. I very very highly recommend any his works (e.g. Matador, Volver, All About My Mother, etc).
There are clearly a few DUDS among the foreign films that I have watched, l'Enter (english title "The Intruder") comes to mind. But for the most part, the independent start up producers working overseas just put out a better product.
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Riverwind (imported)
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Re: The Tourist - Reviews
I like watching the Movie Critics, if they love something then I know I will hate it and if they hate something its a must see in my book. Lets face it, they like artsy movies, not to fond of special effects, and there are some actors they love and others they hate.
Johnny Depp is maybe the most talented actor out there today, yet how many Oscars does he have? He can play any part, he is not a John Wayne playing John Wayne.
He is Willy Wonka, Edward Scissorhands, The Mad Hatter, Sweeny Todd, Sir James Matthew Barrie, Captain Jack Sparrow and Ichabod Crane, he has never played Johnny Depp.
River
Johnny Depp is maybe the most talented actor out there today, yet how many Oscars does he have? He can play any part, he is not a John Wayne playing John Wayne.
He is Willy Wonka, Edward Scissorhands, The Mad Hatter, Sweeny Todd, Sir James Matthew Barrie, Captain Jack Sparrow and Ichabod Crane, he has never played Johnny Depp.
River
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Arab Nights (imported)
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Re: The Tourist - Reviews
Riverwind (imported) wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:17 am Johnny Depp is maybe the most talented actor out there today, yet how many Oscars does he have? He can play any part, he is not a John Wayne playing John Wayne.
He is Willy Wonka, Edward Scissorhands, The Mad Hatter, Sweeny Todd, Sir James Matthew Barrie, Captain Jack Sparrow and Ichabod Crane, he has never played Johnny Depp.
River
You put my thoughts into words better than I could.
I do remember years ago seeing two movie critics talking about - being movie critics. One seems like a really grounded and normal guy to me. He said that life is busy and the job of a movie critic is to help you pick which movies to fit into your busy schedule. If you know that you are going to like a movie that a critic pans, then he has still done his job. You can still use him to decide which movies to spend your time and money on.