Do movie reviews affect your movie-going decisions?

Nope. Never.

 

I read reviews of dramas. I do not read reviews on comedies.

 

Well said. I don't care much for Rotten Tomatoes because I don't know who 90 percent of the so-called critics are. It really all depends on the preview/trailer and if I enjoy it, I may look into it more. I saw "Hall Pass" in theaters and it got creamed by critics, but I went with a couple friends and had some good laughs. People get way too dramatic about movies and whether they are good or not, in their eyes. Who cares in the end if you want to see it?

 

I have certain directors and actors who I love. I will see anything they do, I couldn't care less what reviewers think. Most of them are film snobs anyway, especially one of the local critics.

 

I read the AP reviews only because I'm sitting around the office browsing the wire. Otherwise, I would not.
Soooooo, if Christy Lemire slams a movie, I'll rush out and see it. If she likes it, I avoid it like the plague.

 

I almost always read the reviews AFTER I've seen the movie, just because I want to see if the critic saw the movie the same way I did. I never read them before I go.

 

^^This^^

And ^^This^^

 

I really want to see Safe House, I like Denzel Washington (don't give a shit about the other guy) so even if it gets trashed, I am going.

 

I'm sorry, I don't know if anyone mentioned this but, I lost the ability to read after I saw the words, "'The Happening' by M. Night Shyamalan was a good film."

What? I mean, WHAT? I'm probably one of the biggest Shyamalan defenders on this board and ... WHAT???

I am completely flabbergasted not just to read that statement, but to read it under Dick Whitman's handle. Did Schieza log in under your name??? Holy crap this is an all-time confusing post.

 

As for the thread itself, I generally avoid reading critics before I see a movie. I'd rather avoid the spoilers and outside opinions and go in with a clean slate.

The exception, though, are movies I expect to be terrible that generate enough buzz and/or critical acclaim to catch my attention.

A recent example was Mission: Impossible 4. I didn't like the first two and skipped the third, but I heard such good things about 4 that I went to see it and I rather enjoyed it.

But for the most part, I know what films interest me and I don't particularly care what the critics think. If I go and spend $10 and it sucks, I'm OK with that. I enjoy movies on the big screen enough that I won't complain much.

 

What's notable for us is that, while we love movies we hate going to movies.

I read every review at AV Club, for instance, but it's just to organize my Netflix queue.

 

I don't actually read movie reviews because I prefer to know as little about a movie as possible before going to see it. I don't even like seeing a trailer if it's a movie I really want to see already.

But, I answered "Only on certain types of movies," because, while the review itself means nothing to me, I usually try to watch any movie nominated for Best Picture. I'll also see other movies based on awards. There was no way in hell I would have seen King's Speech until it was nominated for (and eventually won) Best Picture, but I loved it.