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Weekend box-office: Spidey rules - but why?

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By Scott Rosenberg May 7, 2007, 0:34 GMT


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ALockMay 7th, 2007 - 01:15:46

cool beans

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KTMay 7th, 2007 - 01:20:06

I went and saw S3 on opening day and would have been sorely disappointed if I had been expecting anything good. Fortunately, I had seen the previews and therefore was not expecting anything beyond the usual Spiderman tripe. I believe the Rotten Tomatoes percentage to be a little kind, if anything. The only good thing about the movie was the action sequences, which were well choreographed. And by the way, Tobey McGuire has less acting talent than anybody I have ever seen. If you have seen ANY of the Spidermans you know what I mean. Just look at the guy's smile. Good grief. His smile sums up S3.

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Alfred BHMay 7th, 2007 - 13:24:18

Who listens to critics?They are a fairly useles lot.

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Is KT a moron?May 7th, 2007 - 13:26:15

Why go to a movie you know you will not like?

-sigh-

Americans,truly a lot of morons!

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Critics are uselessMay 7th, 2007 - 13:34:18

I'm afraid that most critics have become increasingly unable to predict or understand what audiences enjoy watching. I find I often enjoy movies most harshly attacked by critics. The drivel that seems to please critics often repells me.

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Critics are uselessMay 7th, 2007 - 13:34:24

I'm afraid that most critics have become increasingly unable to predict or understand what audiences enjoy watching. I find I often enjoy movies most harshly attacked by critics. The drivel that seems to please critics often repels me.

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RandallMay 7th, 2007 - 14:03:19

I have to agree. I think the majority of critics fail at their task. Even good critics tend to get hung up on esoterica and forget the audience.

If a movie:

a) cost $100 million + to make
b) stars popular actors
c) doesn't carry a hidden 'message'

it will never rate high with critics. Before ever setting foot in the theater, any critic 'worth his salt' is going to shy away from heaping praise on a certain blockbuster, even if the movie is very, very good.

So, all that we can infer from the critical response is that a large portion of critics simply aren't interested in critiquing a movie.

Frankly, I'm not that interested in a critics level of 'positivity.' I'm interested in the details of the movie: what they liked about those details and what they didn't.

For example: if a critic says 'The movie was great because the violence was spectacular and artful,' that might tell me to shy away if I'm the type of person for whom violence takes me out of the film (regardless of what the director is trying to say with that violence.) On the other hand, if a critic says 'The movie is horrible because it spends way too much time focused on the conversations of the lead characters' but I happen to like heavy exposition and dialogue, I may be drawn to it.

A critic's 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' is irrelevant to me. The details of what he responded to are what matter to me. I'd argue that so-called 'negative' reviews are more likely to get me interested in a movie, as long as the details criticized are ones that intrigue me.

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CandiceMay 7th, 2007 - 16:14:49

critics over analyze everything. i only read them because sometimes i enjoy their snarky comments but for the most part i don't care. I LOVE SPIDERMAN. I read reviews left and right about how there were too many villians, too many plots going on at once, bad dancing and bad singing. But I thought everything was tied up pretty nicely and the Toby's dancing was the best part. Pure hilarious. If anyone follows this director you'll know that that is just his style. Remember in Spidey two. There was a 'That Girl' sequence of Toby walking down the street to music then it pauses on him smiling. Who does that !?! But i loved it. This guy is willing to take chances and doesnt care because no matter what he is going to be filthy filthy rich.

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akpoon.comMay 7th, 2007 - 17:29:38

Reasons:

1) The first two films were fantastically great. So naturally people that loved the first two would go see the third.

2) Marketing blitz

3) No competitors (nobody was stupid enough to release a competitive movie this weekend, even last weekend...)

4) Spiderman is probably one of the coolest superheroes

5) Venom is probably one of the coolest supervillains

6) And yes, watching a superhero fight crime provides a wonderful escape from this bleak world of pointless bloodshed and terror.

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daveMay 7th, 2007 - 18:26:21

Yes, critics are useless. All critics; music, television, movies, books... I honestly think some of them are paid by the competition to trash certain things. Also, I think the old cranky 'critics' should be fired and replaced with a new young version who at least have their hormones in balance and have a sense of joy de vivre. Enough with the on-purpose, no-reason-for-it negativity. It's like they're spoiled children screaming for attention and outraged hits to their websites. All they care about is getting a response. If they have to be hateful to get your attention, they're more than happy to oblige. They're not only useless... most of them have an agenda. Be aware and judge all products for yourself.

Anyway, I went to see this movie because of the cool special effects. I thought it was great. :)

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Spider-Man 3

Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges ...more

  • US Release: 2007-05-04
  • UK Release: 2007-05-04

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