critic/critiques

In general, I don't like critics. I just don't like the phenomenon of a select group/person putting forth their (always) biased opinion on the merits of art.

That said: I work in the arts and I know that critics are a necessary evil. I know that we wait on pins and needles for the reviews to come out, and that those reviews have a big effect on how a show does. Although, oddly, sometimes a really bad review is as intriguing to people as a good one. And of course, if you read certain reviewers regularly you know how to interpret their reviews based on what you know they like and dislike. The guy who hates musicals is never going to give a good review for a musical - it's that simple.

I am thinking about all of this because of a movie that I saw recently that I loved (LOVED!!) and because of the fact that I am reading reviews for this film like a mad man! Film reviews in particular are something I don't give much credence to. I have enjoyed many a movie that was panned by the critics, and been bored to tears by some of their favorites.

But perversely I am feeling oddly vindicated that so many of the reviews for this movie are good. (Some are bad, it's a sci-fi movie which tend to get mauled by critics anyway). I feel like a bit of a hypocrite because if the reviews had been mostly bad I would have said "What do they know? They just don't appreciate the genius behind it."

'Cause I don't like critics...you know?