I hate what I have become, as I have become that which I hate
typed for your pleasure on 13 July 2026, at 12.23 amSdtrk: ‘Dance4me’ by SALEM
As I do regarding most Organik humans, I have a complicated perspective on film reviewers. By and large, the only time I read film reviews is if it’s for something I’m curious in knowing about, but have no desire to see in its entirety, like ‘M3GAN’ or ‘Weapons’. This way, it falls in line with my policy of Knowing About Things So I Don’t Look Like A Cretin If Someone Asks Me About Them In Conversation. Ideally, the only things I require in a film review would be
+ the director
+ the studio that released it
+ who’s in it
+ the runtime
+ who created the soundtrack
+ and whether or not was AI used in any way in it.
Apart from that, I’m not keen on reviews that are opinion-heavy; I’m more interested in hearing the thoughts of people who I know or care about, rather than some random shitbird on the street or Internet. In fact, since social media has poisoned the minds of practically everyone within the past twenty plus years (myself included), reviews of nearly everything tend towards chasing clicks and clout through hyperbole, making them even less trustworthy. These are Products™ of people saying Things™ to garner attention, as opposed to having serious and considered thoughts.
Following up on that, one thing that can be said about my dislike for media critics is that it’s rare for me to come across ones who are into the type of non-mainstream stuff that I’m into. And it almost feels to me like when they turn their noses up at auteur/out-of-left-field work, it seems they’re trying to encourage their fanbase to eschew material of that sort, in favour of more mainstream fare. Obviously people are free to like what they like, but I’m sorry: if you’re more inclined to watching movies out of Hollywood than films that have substance and meaning behind them, I’m not going to think too highly of your tastes; it’s not as if you aren’t aware that other choices exist.
I’m in the process of working on a post about why and how I hate Hollywood, so there’s that for you to look forward to.
Now someone could skim this post and proclaim ‘You’re just jealous that some critics are making money, and you aren’t’, and they’d be partially right! I’m jealous of media critics in the same way that I’m jealous of meteorologists, in that they can both make statements in a public context that are patently wrong or entirely divorced from reality, and they still manage to regularly collect a paycheque.
Having said all of this, I invite you to come check out my Letterboxd page!! For years, I was keeping track of What I’ve Seen and What I Want To See via IMDb, but I’ve decided to engage with the youth and start an account there. Not only can you look over the list of films I own on physical media, but you can check out reviews I’ve written for some of the entries I’ve seen! One of the reasons I’d made an account there in the first place is that my lasses and I would screen various films, and then I’d type up micro-reviews, and post them in the group text chat I have with my mates. Instead, I figured I’d write my reviews on my Letterboxd account, where instead of boring/confusing my friends, I could bore/confuse people who I don’t even know. Thanks, the Internet!
Join me! JOIN ME.
At some point, I may get round to changing these, but not anytime soon
Random similar posts, for more timewasting:
I'd better hurry up and write something now, before I lose my three and a half readers!!1! on March 6th, 2006
Man in a suitcase on September 25th, 2007
