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There has been a spate of big Hollywood movies coming out this year and last year that received a panning from film critics but were very popular with regular film goers. Not surprising. We've all seen this, right? The movies that come to my mind are 300 and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. There is a giant chasm-like disconnect between critics and everyone else.

Frankly, it leaves me wondering whether "film critic" is a job that should be tossed into the obsolescence bin. I say this because I, as a movie-goer, find the opinions of many film critics and reviewers increasingly tiresome and offensive. I think many are too jaded to really enjoy a simply told story. Too many have lost touch with the real reason Hollywood makes movies.

I say this because there was once a time when I had a lot of respect for film critics and their opinions. There was once a time when I would NOT see a movie without first combing through review after review to see what the taste arbiters had to say on the matter. Although most movies coming out of Hollywood don't interest me I often wonder how many movies that I might have liked that I decided to skip because some snooty critic couldn't see past the action, explosions or the theme of clear right and wrong to recognized what may have been a good entertaining yarn.

These days I ignore what they have to say unless I need to find information on art house or foreign language films. They do not have the ability, in my opinion, to judge most mainstream movies. Too many of them are invested in elitism and snobbery and their expectations are out of line when I read reviews these days. Most film critics in my opinion need an attitude re-adjustment.

Take 300 for instance. Most reviews that I read were incoherent rants on how offensive many found its portrayal of supercharged masculinity or how racist it supposedly was against people of color or how it misrepresents the current political situation we now see between the US and the Middle East. This is not film criticism. It's political ranting. Never mind that the movie have nothing to do with what we see today in the news beyond mere applicability. Never mind that 300 was MEANT to be heavily stylized - it was based on a highly stylized graphic novel after all - and NOT MEANT to be a realistic look at certain events in history. Most critics completely missed the point and this "missing the point" is a regular occurrence which has made me lose respect for the profession. I'm not saying they have to like movies that I like but when criticism devolves into over-the-top tearing apart of actors, directors and the intelligence of people who happen to like a certain movie that a critic doesn't like one really has to wonder whether as a group these people really serve any useful function in society other than irritating people?

Example: Try walking into Jerome's Chicken 'n' Jojos Waffle House, requesting a wine list and a selection of wheat-free vegan items and throwing a fit when the owners of the place look at you like you've lost your mind? That's how I see most critics. Not all movies exist to educate and expand visual and artistic boundaries. Most movies exist to simply entertain the most people possible. Judging them by broader standards, most seem to do fine.

There are a few critics that I still respect and look for when deciding to see a movie from time to time but mostly I've found that by not caring any longer what critics think I'm able to relax and simply enjoy what I see on screen. I don't think people are stupid because they want to see a movie I don't like or have nay interest in. I assume that they can think for themselves. Without my help, condescension or contempt.

Learn more about this author, Victoria Jeffrey.
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