Monday, August 4, 2008

Can we please ban movie reviews???

It has happened with me so many times now. Before I get a chance to see a movie I have read and heard so many reviews about it already that I am far from forming an opinion. In the interest of all those who love watching movies, all kinds of reviews should be completely banned.
Now you’ll ask if I was forced to read or listen to the review. I wasn’t but I still do as there is no escape. Its on the TV, it’s in the newspaper, it’s on the radio, people blog about it, colleagues discuss it over lunch and coffee. Now how the hell do I escape all this? In my media savvy world ignoring so much noise is practically not possible. I can’t virtually insulate myself.

Case in point – Remember Mithya?? I was keenly waiting for it. And then just before going for the movie I happened to hear what Rajiv Masand had to say. He went all out praising Mithya giving it 4 stars and calling it an answer to everyone who feels Hindi movies are mindless and predictable.
So whoop goes my expectations. And ironically I didn’t find it too great.
No doubt it is an interesting movie, with a brilliant performance by Ranvir Shorey and an exciting plot too. So why was I not all that thrilled after watching it??
The answer is “EXPECTATIONS”. Yes expectations - the mother of all agony. Expectations - that build up as an after effect of these reviews.

Another example is of Jodha Akbar, a movie that received comparatively sad reviews but I liked it. my colleagues hated it and they made it a point to come and tell me so. And as a result throughout watching the movie more of my attention was on being critical about it rather than enjoying it.

Not just these two but many more movie watching experience has been spoiled because of listening to people talk about them. So in the general interest of many more sufferers like myself I plead all the day 1 watchers – zip your mouth and don’t solicit information unless I ask for it.

I essentially dash away from the sight of these reviews but it feels like I am being bombarded with these reviews from all possible directions. Looks like there is no escape. Ahhmmm.

7 comments:

~anu~ said...

hahaha.. by the way you must not miss "the dark knight".. its awesome! and did you watch "Jaane tu.." by the way.. voddamovieyaar!! :) :)

Iya said...

boo...
i just posted it and u commented..do u have like an alert on??

Masood said...

hehe...my reviews never contain spoilers! :)

Sathish said...

I agreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

Anonymous said...

Good for people to know.

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