"Synecdoche New York" is a terrific movie, and I think many critics feel this but are reserving judgment for repeat viewings. However, Roger Ebert (probably the most mainstream film critic?) already believes it's the best of the decade:
Yeah, I don't really look to him for recommendations, but he's a really good writer, and usually that means I can tell if I'm going to agree with him about a movie or not. (Which is often more valuable than just a recommendation.)
But, I wound up watching "Knowing" because of him! Urgghh.
And "Crash"--jeez! I'd forgotten that he likes that movie.
I noticed that his writing seemed to get a bit more interesting after the jaw operation that left him mute, not a coincidence I'm sure.
Now that you mention it I don't think I really take recommendations from movie critics in general. The whole field seems kind of Leonard Maltinized. I mean, there are critics who are obviously highly intelligent human beings but it seems like most of the time they still end up thinking that most of the garbage out there "really isn't THAT bad." A lot of movies that deserve the one star get three and so forth.
I do like Anthony Lane of the New Yorker who is pretty uncompromising, and also Dana Stevens of Slate but I think that is partially just because I have a crush on her.
Yeah I agree Ebert's post-surgery changes have been interesting--it was especially neat when he started that personal blog. His constant twittering is a little overboard sometimes, but I'm still interested in whatever he writes.
If I had to choose a favorite critic, it would be Jonathan Rosenbaum (probably one of Ebert's as well), but he retired recently. I was kind of put off by Dana Stevens's Slate podcasts, but then again people often write better than they talk (I know I definitely do), so maybe I'll give her a try...
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/12/the_best_films_of_the_decade.html
(The rest of his list is kind of all over the place though.)
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He's such a weirdo cause he is so erudite about film but then ends up championing things like "Knowing"
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But, I wound up watching "Knowing" because of him! Urgghh.
And "Crash"--jeez! I'd forgotten that he likes that movie.
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Now that you mention it I don't think I really take recommendations from movie critics in general. The whole field seems kind of Leonard Maltinized. I mean, there are critics who are obviously highly intelligent human beings but it seems like most of the time they still end up thinking that most of the garbage out there "really isn't THAT bad." A lot of movies that deserve the one star get three and so forth.
I do like Anthony Lane of the New Yorker who is pretty uncompromising, and also Dana Stevens of Slate but I think that is partially just because I have a crush on her.
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If I had to choose a favorite critic, it would be Jonathan Rosenbaum (probably one of Ebert's as well), but he retired recently. I was kind of put off by Dana Stevens's Slate podcasts, but then again people often write better than they talk (I know I definitely do), so maybe I'll give her a try...
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