It's been a tough week for film critics, what with Batman V Superman fans accusing them of being paid off by Disney and IMDB pretending they don't exist, so for our latest twitter poll we asked "Have you ever sought out or avoided a movie because of a review?"
Have you ever sought out or avoided a movie because of a review? (Please comment with details)— TheMovieWaffler.com (@themoviewaffler) March 27, 2016
Thankfully the majority of you claim that reviews do hold some sway, so we here at TMW don't feel like we've completely wasted the last five years. Just for the record, we hope you take our reviews with a pich of salt, and it's never our intention to dissuade anyone from seeing a movie, no matter how hard we come down on it. We do hope of course that you pay attention to our positive reviews and seek out movies you may have previously ignored.
Our readers had a lot to say on this issue, so here are some of the best tweets.
@themoviewaffler I've sought out indie films that wouldn't otherwise get any coverage because of reviews.— Kevin Dillon (@KevinWriteStuff) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler Yes on both accounts. Film critics have opened me up to films I would never have known of otherwise...— Joshua Wilson (@magadizer) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler negative reviews wont stop me but a positive review by a great writer may make me seek one out.— Kieron Casey (@KCBFD) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler Nope. Reviews may temper my expectations, but they've never swayed me away from seeing something I'm interested in.— Patrick Campbell (@pj_campbell) March 28, 2016
@themoviewaffler I haven't bothered with BvS as reviews suggest the same issues I found problematic with MoS are present. As it's so long— Janis Thomas (@JanisThomasMktg) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler visiting the cinema is becoming more and more expensive, sometimes reviews help me decide what I'm spending my £££ on— Movies Made Simple (@MoviesSimple) March 27, 2016
@KevinWriteStuff @themoviewaffler Mostly avoided. I have learned not to listen to reviewers but wait for word of mouth. Some critics are bad— Brian Scott Krause (@Bigolegoofy1) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler Yes, but usually when films are fawned over and lionised rather than criticised. Positive hype puts me off far more.— What The Craggus Saw (@TheCraggus) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler a good review will make me watch a film I wouldn't have otherwise, a bad review won't put me off a film— FilmLand Empire (@FilmLandEmpire) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler a little from column A & a little from column B. I prefer to make my own mind up but I also tend to see everything anyway!— Sarah (@sarah_buddery) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler sought out but not avoided. I like to make up my own mind about the ones said to suck, but have gotten excited over raves.— Albert Muller (@aj_macready) March 28, 2016
@themoviewaffler absolutely. I doubt I’ll watch BvS now- one review won’t turn me off, but general consensus saying much the same thing will— Dan Auty (@MondoDan) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler In some cases, I gone great distances to see a film (Let The Right On In for example) at the cinema due to great reviews.— Kevin Crighton (@KJCrighton) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler Yes and no. I'll see any film I'm interested in regardless of reviews but a good review of an unfamiliar film helps a lot.— Tom Connors (@baloobas1) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler I don't usually read reviews in advance but didn't go see Riddick (as I'd planned to) just because of @HelenLOHara's review— Your Eris (@ErisLovesMovies) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler No, because we don't all love or hate the same films. The reviewer might also not enjoy the genre of the film. i.e. Horror— Stevie (@dicanio72) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler Only when it comes to home video; I've heeded advice from SFX and Total Film occasionally— MacDara Conroy (@MacDara) March 27, 2016
@themoviewaffler The one that pops into my mind is A Serbian Film. I won't go anywhere near that one.— Gravedigger Glen (@DiggingTooDeep) March 27, 2016
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