I think the problem is with calling them critics. There are companies (basically media) which run businesses, and among other services, they offer their readers/viewers help with making their decisions on spending their time and money. So there are write-ups on the watchability of movies. And there are people hired to do that, based on the correlation between how much they like a movie and how much most of the junta likes the movie (which should be the main criterion - are you accurate 80-90% of the times).
Calling these people critics and then bringing up a whole debate on whether write-ups should be pro-writer or pro-reader is perhaps missing the point of those write-ups done specifically to help readers. Don't call them critics - call them movie-advisors or something instead. Have specially labelled columns for the actual critics. (The readership difference will be the same as that between the readership of the front page and that of the editorial page.)
With due respect to Mr. Rangan, this line: "They want one person sitting somewhere to decide whether they should go to the film." sounds dismissive. The whole world works like that - people ask their friends if they would recommend a movie, and then decide. In this case, the friend has moved into a bigger medium, that is all. And it's far tougher when you have to tell people whether *they* (meaning the majority) will like a movie than when you have to tell them whether you liked a movie. Especially when your judgemen
Hey, I watched most critics rip apart Madhuri Dixit's come back film. And then i saw it. Honestly, i enjoyed the film. everything about it. Needless to say Madhuri was spectacular. That got me thinking, why were the critics so harsh towards this film. it surely merited more than one star. Why some critics have Saawariya 2.5 stars, Goal 2 stars, Laaga Chunari too got some 2.5 stars. I still cannot fathom why was there so much of unfair criticism towards Aaja Nachle. How did the critics judge this film??
RE:On criticism
by monty on Dec 06, 2007 04:37 PM
Chup kar Yaar!! Time waste movie. Yash Raj films now making only bundal movies. This year they have made more than five movies, only Chak de is hit otherwise all are flop....
Don't see yashraj movies now, only time waste and money waste movies............
RE:On criticism
by Sandeep Rane on Dec 06, 2007 09:42 PM
Problem lies with us, because we build our expectations based on reviews. You will always meet people who havent seen 1 frame of the film but still raving or ranting about the film, based on its "critical" review.
THere is difference between the way critic sees a movie and a common audience sees it. For a common audience the only agenda is 3 hours FUN. thats the reason they pay big bucks in theatre or rent DVD's... do people actually go for movies for its creative expression? If that wud have been the case then films like Dhol or Dhammal would have never seen days light in theatre.
As for Saawariya, if people or critics would have read the "White Nights"( on which the film is based on) before watching the film, they would have known that its a sad ending movie, the pace of movie is slow. It would be shot in dark because the story happens at night.
Also for a 1 page story to make a 21/2 movie, subset of stories and characters would be added. All these point should have been taken into account while watching the film. But audience and critiques just saw through the film. So when a critic or a audience says that it was a slow film, it was shot in dark... i just laught out...laugh at their ignorance and for their foolery.
Next time decide to watch a film...dont read reviews, you got ur own mind to decide whether the movie is good or bad....why u need someone else make that decision for you.
