Any form of media, such as newspapers, music, videos, books and even movies are things people enjoy, as well as things some people don’t enjoy. There are also people who can’t decide and may need help with that. Luckily, there are people that help them decide by not just telling them, but explaining it, in great detail. Either by writing in a newspaper or a prompt on a website online. Sometimes, one person’s writing can change the minds of no one, or a million. It really depends on the audience they are trying to reach out to the most, and tell them how this one thing is good or bad.
A.O. Scott (Joker 2019):A.O Scott has been reviewing movies since 2000 and was later picked up by the New York Times where he can give his insight on movies to whatever audience the movie is towards. Joker is currently at the top of the box office as of October 10th, 2019, and people are saying it’s one of the best movies they had ever seen, some saying the opposite, with words such as bland or bleak and others saying not to take your kids to it. One reviewer opens up with “Are you kidding me?” As said in a post on the New York Times, the reviewer states that the title is at first just a boring title. Expecting the Joker to be much more dangerous and “clowney”, but instead says that it’s: “an empty, foggy exercise in second-hand style and second-rate philosophizing”. Also saying that the movie doesn’t come out of its shadow or is too scared to. He just finds the movie to be unfunny and boring, and wonders if that’s the joke hidden within the movie. Despite his claims on the movie being uninteresting, it went on to become the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time.
Roger Ebert (The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997): Roger Ebert is one of the most famous movie reviewers looking at old and modern movies. He sadly passed away in 2013, but is still seen as the best that the industry had to offer. Back in 1997, Jurassic Park had received a sequel to the original Jurassic Park movie in 1993. On his website rogerebert.com, he starts off by saying that the movie doesn’t start with the same awe that the first movie had, how it doesn’t have that same feeling as what would happen if dinosaurs still roamed the earth and that how the humans in the movie didn’t deliver the same amount of input as they were just there for plot conventions or cheap action shots. He found the structure to be weird and didn’t enjoy it, thinking one thing was over but it wasn’t. He saw this movie as a disappointment to the first movie and thought that Steven Spielberg didn’t have enough time to revise it. Either way, he shows that he didn’t like it as much as the first movie and wished it could have been done better.
Justin Chang (Terminator: Dark Fate 2019): Justin Chang is a known movie critic for the L.A Times, getting early showings of movies that aren’t out yet to give some early insight to those who may want to see the movie or not. Beforehand, he worked for Variety before being picked up by the L.A Times. Recently, he reviewed the newest Terminator: Dark Fate movie that is set to come out on November 1st, and says on the L.A. Times, probably the best Terminator sequel in 20 years. He says that the movie is a tie in to the 2nd movie back in 1991, almost 30 years later giving it the proper sequel that it deserves. He goes on to explain that it is a good movie in which Schwarzenegger is once again back onto the acting scene with his signature terminator character.
Michael Cavna (Finding Dory 2016): Michael Phillips is reviewer for the Chicago Tribune, in which here reviewed Finding Dory, which is a sequel to Finding Nemo released back in 2003. On the Chicago Tribune, he explains how he saw the movie in his own words. To start off, he found it to be a satisfying follow-up, explaining that bringing back old movies can still bring back good memories to the original, even if it’s bad. He also finds the personality very vivid and bright but not so much with story with some errors, stating that going from a marine institution to dry land was a weird change of pace for some action. Which was absent in Finding Nemo with only the ending having to do anything with dry land. He finds the movie fantastic and a great follow up from the 2003 movie, as well as him stating that it deals great with those who have disabilities in a charming way. This is a good movie for those with disabilities as it shows how they can impact one’s life in a good and funny way and not in a patronizing way, making them seem annoying and unpleasant. Here? They do it in a good way according to Michael.
Leonard Maltin (Toy Story 3 2010): Leonard Maltin is a well known critic for his work on reviewing old popular movies. In reviewing Toy Story 3, on his own website, he begins by saying that it is one of the greatest movies of its time. The amount of work, creativity and imagination that is possible with it is what made Toy Story 3 great in his eyes. He finds its strongest aspect to be the main stars, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Mr. Potato Head, all the familiar characters from previous movies, still the same and funny as ever. Even finding the ending quite dark and pulling on people’s heartstrings, he found it to be a really good tie in towards the Toy Story series. Even with the story changing tones very fast along with new characters having a bad meaning, it always seems to come out with a wholesome or good ending to leave a movie with. Maybe even the whole series as people thought 3 was going to be the final one. Leonard Maltin does review the 4th one, but that’s for another time. He gives the movie a good rating with its amazing plot and ending.
Pauline Kael (GoodFellas 1990): Pauline Kael was known for her quotes about certain movies, such as the GodFather, JAWS and GoodFellas. For this one, she reviews GoodFellas, a 1990 crime movie loosely based on the GodFather. Some people gave this movie a good rating, however for Pauline, she didn’t find the movie all that great with a number of reasons. On the New Yorker, she first asks the question if it is a great movie. She doesn’t think so, but finds it to be a triumphant piece of filmmaking, having each frame just being active and vivid, as well as knowing that the director loved what he was making when these pictures were moving. She likes how it looks, but not how it is structured with its characters. One point is with a guy named Henry reacts to Tommy and Jimmy’s act of violence with a puzzled expression, and not scared or angry one. Another with Joe Pesci’s character shooting a teenager who was slow with serving a drink. She didn’t like how they were, which is what caused her to not find the movie all that great to those adults who want to see it.
Scott, A. O. “’Joker’ Review: Are You Kidding Me?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Oct. 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/movies/joker-review.html.
Ebert, Roger. “’The Lost World: Jurassic Park” Roger Ebert, Roger Ebert, 6 Jun 1997, https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lost-world-jurassic-park-1997
Chang, Justin. “Review: ‘Dark Fate’ is the best ‘Terminator’ sequel in over 20 years” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2019, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-10-22/terminator-dark-fate-review-arnold-schwarzenegger-linda-hamilton
Cavna, Michael. “How ‘Finding Dory’ and ‘Finding Nemo’ deal beautifully with disabilities” Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jun, 2016, https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-finding-dory-finding-nemo-disabilities-20160617-story.html
Maltin, Leonard. “Film Review: Toy Story 3” Leonard Maltin, Leonard Maltin, 17 Jun 2010, https://leonardmaltin.com/film-review-toy-story-3/
Kael, Pauline. “Tumescence As Style” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 17 Sep, 1990, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1990/09/24/tumescence-as-style
