Movies: A critical aspect

How cool would it be if I was a movie critic?  Being able to review movies, influencing what complete strangers see.  When you get into the depth of the question I would be a lousy critic.  I like almost everything I see, even if it’s some little thing (the voiceover, some corny nuggets of dialogue sprinkled into the script, ect).

Thinking more about it though critics, themselves, have it all wrong.  Why would you take the advice of someone who does not know your personal tastes in movie going?  You could be missing out on a movie that you may truly love.  I know, I’m guilty of posting what I believe to be some of the better cinematic offerings at any given time on this blog but what I’m trying for is conveying my adventures in movie going.  Whether is be dressing up for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter or passing an evening at the latest pixar offering.  But I rant so back on track.

What I think a critic should be doing is not giving her or his personal spin on the quality of a movie.  A critic should be knowledgable of not only the movie that has just flickered across the screen but have an in depth knowledge of movies in general.

What does that mean? A critic should be able to say that a certain movie has traits similar to other movies and if you liked those specific qualities in those specific movies then this movie maybe for you.  For example the crowd that enjoys Return of the  Living Dead and other fine B grade horror flicks might enjoy the current family friendly release Paranorman because they share many of the same qualities.  On the other hand the same crowd may night enjoy the sci-fi comedy The Watch even though it shares some of the same back ground (b grade sci-fi in this case).  The Watch would appeal more to those who enjoyed Superbad for instance because it has the same since of humor.  (I can say I enjoyed both movies and movies like them but I may be a rare exception.)  

So with all that said that maybe the sub conscience reason I don’t read reviews but more so I don’t want somebody who hasn’t the slightest idea of what I want to see in a movie telling my if a movie I want to see should or should not be seen.  I’m not a fan of movie critics and until they change from there current ways of saying movies are good, bad, or ugly then I will continue to have absolutely no faith in what they write.

One final Summer Flick

As the summer season fades into the fall nights so the film season changes.  The summer fireworks have been fired and the awards season canons are ready to be unleashed.  Not all awards movies come out during the fall but trends lately have been that most have.  For this reason it’s no secret, well should not be a secret, that the fall is my favorite time for movies.  It all leads up to the movie event of the year and that is my annual Oscar party.  Yes, I am biased like that and I’m sure those who have attended can verify that fact.

I ended what I call the summer season Friday night on a high note when I saw the late showing of the independent flick Robot And Frank.  The movie itself stars Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, the guy from the Straw Dogs remake (why was it deemed a good idea to remake that one?  The Dustin Hoffman 1971 movie is great and did not need to be remade), and the voice of Peter Sarsgaard.  

Though set in the slight future and one of your title characters is a robot the movie is a very far cry from science fiction. The movie itself touched on aging, alzheimers, and how it effects those around them.  I loved how the movie portrayed its subject.  It touched on it without being sappy.  

What I really loved about the movie was its weird since of humor.  It’s a very dark sense of humor but that has never stopped me from enjoying some laughs.  The jokes weren’t slapstick which made me think why I was laughing and that challenge I really enjoyed.  

Robot & Frank I enjoyed and was a fine entry in the summer season as well as an enjoyable movie from 2012.  Now for those long fall nights and movies that tend to battle in the arena of Oscar.