Box Office Numbers, Reviews or Word of Mouth, etc.

[criterionmaster]

Totally stealing this idea from Hollywood Saloon, but it is a good idea I think.

What makes you want to go and see a film in the theater the most? And why do you think that is? How is one source better than another for you? I mean, how high do you really put critic reviews? And does it make it better if it is an online review, or do you really have to trust the person writing the review? And, do you feel obligated to see a movie if it makes TONS of money? Or does that actually make you stay away from the movie? What about word of mouth as well? Does it make you weary of seeing a film, or does it make you actually want to see it?

What are your thoughts on this topic, and please share any other reasons you can think of for going to see a film? Also, if you want to, you can also tell why you see a film altogether, like on DVD or whatever.

[Clark Nova]

Mostly reviews, a touch of word of mouth, and also my own personal taste really plays into it.

[captainofbeef]

I usually go by reviews, I only go by word of mouth when the words are coming out of the mouth of someone I trust.

[criterionmaster]

I can't really go by reviews, well I mean, do you guys both go to see a movie because of those reviews you see on the trailers? Like Cheaper by the Dozen 2 "two thumbs way up!"-kind of reviews? I definitely do not, I might say to someone who asks me if a movie is suppose to be good, that it is getting good reviews, but that doesn't really make me want to see it.

The main reason I see movies, for the most part, is because of people on forums like this. When people rate movies and stuff on here, or post threads about up-coming movies, that is what usually will make me check something out. But it is iffy, some people on forums just don't have the same kind of taste as me, so that is why I have to really trust a person, or if it keeps getting good reviews from people on here, then that will make me see it (i.e. Children of Men, etc.).

Box Office Numbers normally keep me away from a film, I hate hearing about them. If a trailer says like "number ONE comedy in America" or something, or tells how much money it made, it is like saying: "you are a loser if you don't see this film, like everyone else already has." Those types of things make me stay away from a lot of movies. Does that happen with anyone else?

[ie]

I'm not really sure how to answer.


Not at all by box office numbers, because then I would have stayed the fuck away from one of 2007's best and dry humped one of 2006's late-comer overrated movies.

Some reviews have convinced me to check out movies, and most of what I've seen came from word of mouth suggestions.

It'd look something like this:

10% - reviews
60% - word of mouth / recommendations

5% - blind buys (probably influenced by either of the two above now, or a true "look at the back, check the price, buy" kind of blind buyt)
25% - blind watches (literally, today I saw an obscure movie on my whim alone, I used to watch random movies on the Sundance channel when I was bored and I have been known to borrow random DVDs from the library)

[criterionmaster]

ie said:

I'm not really sure how to answer.


Not at all by box office numbers, because then I would have stayed the fuck away from one of 2007's best and dry humped one of 2006's late-comer overrated movies.

Some reviews have convinced me to check out movies, and most of what I've seen came from word of mouth suggestions.

It'd look something like this:

10% - reviews
60% - word of mouth / recommendations

5% - blind buys (probably influenced by either of the two above now, or a true "look at the back, check the price, buy" kind of blind buyt)
25% - blind watches (literally, today I saw an obscure movie on my whim alone, I used to watch random movies on the Sundance channel when I was bored and I have been known to borrow random DVDs from the library)

I was just thinking, how much of a blind buy is it really for most of the movies we get? I mean, it might be blind in that we haven't heard much about it, but would it count as a blind buy if we base the renting on who directed it? I tend to use “blind buy” too much, seeing as how, if I rent a Kurosawa film that I haven't heard much about, how much of a “blind” is it really? Like, there is a 99.6% chance the film will be good, or have artistic merit. So, rarely do I get something that is 100% blind, normally it is based on SOMETHING, whether it be an actor, director, or something.

And now that you mention just randomly watching a film on TV or whatever, that also would apply for me seeing as how some days I will just watch a film on TCM, or watch whatever might be on. I would NEVER do that at the theater though. I would never go there not knowing what I wanted to see or something, and then just randomly picking a movie, unless I was at like some art house theater or something, where everything had a chance to be good. Films just cost too much at theaters.

[ie]

It's still a blind buy because you're still risking it.
To me, there are even some Kurosawa movies that are decent, but... just aren't the kind of movie I would spend money on, to put it lightly. And then there are movies that every kid that thinks they know shit about movies says is a brilliant masterpiece, then I go into it and am like "yeah..." because it wasn't, yet everyone convinced each other that it was.

For example, I finally received my blind purchase of Princess Mononoke. I haven't seen it, but I'm pretty much led to believe that it could be one of the single best movies ever made, and based on the first ten or so minutes and what I've come to attribute to being from that movie, that's a reasonable assessment. But it's still a blind purchase because I just don't know how I'll react to it until I see it.

[criterionmaster]

ie said:

It's still a blind buy because you're still risking it.
To me, there are even some Kurosawa movies that are decent, but... just aren't the kind of movie I would spend money on, to put it lightly. And then there are movies that every kid that thinks they know shit about movies says is a brilliant masterpiece, then I go into it and am like "yeah..." because it wasn't, yet everyone convinced each other that it was.

For example, I finally received my blind purchase of Princess Mononoke. I haven't seen it, but I'm pretty much led to believe that it could be one of the single best movies ever made, and based on the first ten or so minutes and what I've come to attribute to being from that movie, that's a reasonable assessment. But it's still a blind purchase because I just don't know how I'll react to it until I see it.

Well, for me, with many directors, including the already mentioned Kurosawa, I have seen enough films from him, as well as people like Bergman, etc. to know that I want to see all of their films. While some could suck, like both directors first couple films or something, that is not something I care about, because I love the director so much that seeing another work from him will at least be interesting, and owning them all will let me see his whole career develop and change or time. So, in this case, I am buying it no matter what, so while it would still be blind, there is really no risk involved, it is not like I will sell it if it sucks, I still already want to own it or whatever. It is a blind watch though, since I will have no clue if it will be good or not. A funny quote I recently heard was: (in my own words) "since there is no entertainment involved people immediately think it is profound.” So I can definitely agree with you on that, directors like Bresson just aren't my favorite, although I can tell he (they) is talented.

Yeah, I guess your point there is true. TONS of the movies I see I have no clue how I will react to them, unless I have heard about the plot (which is not very often), or someone told me I should like it or something. Enjoy Princess Mononoke, by the way. That is a blind buy you should fucking cherish. In fact, I love when I blind buy something that I know nothing about, and it turns out being good. That makes it feel extra special. Do you know what I mean?

[lordofdance]

It used to be reviews, but now I'll go see almost anything at the theatre without knowing much about it. Occasionally an "event" movie will come out and I'll go see it because of the hype.

[criterionmaster]

What do you mean by an "event movie"? Would that be like Spider-Man or a film like that?