Sincerely,
The Internet

This reviewer’s views of himself and how he’d like to be perceived, as well as how he’d like other critics to live, far outweigh this or any movie. It was bad enough that he didn’t understand the movie with his first review, but still doesn’t after repeat viewings.

If I want the insight of a professional whose understanding and education of cinema surpasses my own, I find a good critic. If I wanted the opinion of the stoned prick at the bar soap boxing about the next new Most Important Movie Ever Made, I’d pay attention for once.

I still think No Country is pretty great, though.

No Country for Old Men was a tremendous film, but I just can’t say the same thing for it. Thoughts of “one of the greatest films ever” come quickly when I think about TWBB. Not so with No Country.

I also agree that critics - unlike bloggers (not to toot our own horns too much there) - do tend to be much more fearful about sticking their necks out a little on their opinions. They don’t take what may be perceived as a big risk by declaring a film like TWBB to be a masterpiece (though, in some critics’ defence, many have) or even that an obviously mediocore film can still somehow be entertaining and enjoyable for what it’s worth.

All of that aside, I agree with the fact that 1) TWBB was better than NCFOM–in absolutely every respect. Period. And I felt this way immediately after walking out of the theater the first time I saw it. 2)Most critics are stupid fucks that do not deserve to have the great jobs they have. 3) TWBB is probably already on the top 10 of all time.

Thanks Peter for all the right things you have done with this site.

Do drugs? Honestly? Are you implying that society needs to do even more drugs to ‘get’ movies?

I’m only 18 years old, and while I may not be as intelligent or experienced as you are when it comes to the film industry, is it really necessary to call out your fellow critics as ‘wankers’ and ‘mocha-choking-assholes’?

And Peter? “We will not tolerate any personal attacks of any kind on /Film, be it towards a blogger or another commentator.”? Hypocrisy, much? Your dude just called Gregory Kirschling a wanker for not acknowledging TWBB as a brilliant movie. I don’t know, I reckon that’s a bit personal, attacking his personal opinion, don’t you think? Or are you both of the the belief that people who pay to go watch films like Norbit are less intelligent creatures than us true movie fans, who wouldn’t touch a movie like that with a ten foot pole?

With that being said, I completely agree with you about how the more ‘popular’ movie critics these days tend to skim the surface when there normally is much more to a movie (for instance the two being debated in this post) than the average moviegoer cares for. But therein lies the point; the average moviegoer doesn’t care; the average moviegoer wants to be entertained; and these ‘popular’ critics write reviews that are read by the average moviegoer. That doesn’t make them wankers or idiots. It just makes them, perhaps, unfit for their jobs? Maybe even that’s a stretch.

I think I’ve picked the bones out of this enough. To echo what ethanhedman said, this is a credibility-detrimental ‘rant’. Never tell anyone to do drugs. Srsly.

This was my thought exactly. I have enjoyed every /film posting I have read up until this one, and if it is a reflection of where the blog is heading then I am going to look somewhere else. Peter, you run a professional website, and if you continue to post articles such as this one, articles that are pretentious, pointless, and smattered with foul language, I believe you will find your readership declining quickly. Peter I would suggest that you stop posting rants if this is what is encouraged of them.

Hunter, this post was complete garbage, it’s this shit that makes critics look bad, get over yourself. You weren’t the first to hail TWWB as a classic; neither do you have the definitive or most thorough interpretation of its themes. You do seem to have perfected the ability to put your foot in your mouth.

This was a disappointment.

Calling people “idiots” for not “getting” a film is a bit much though.