Mark Kermode, for my money, is easily the greatest movie critic ever. I recommend both his weekly podcast (A brilliant listen for any film fan) and his video blog... http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/markkermode/


Anyway, here is his great review of Angels and Demons....

Mark, is that you??

Mark Kemode is a pompous ass.  He hardly likes any films.  Always moans.

Quoted from Grandma Bear That guy is out of shape!   I read the book and loved it. I read the screenplay and really liked it. I saw the movie and liked it. Not as good as the book and script, but I still liked it. I can see how someone who has not read either might find the film confusing and there were times when I almost started thinking about some other stuff, but the end worked well and left me feeling satisfied. I did like A&D better both as book and film than I did DaVinci Code, but I still liked those too.

A movie is rarely as good (in the same way) as a book. I always enjoy watching a movie after reading the book because of the visuals, but I know what you mean. It's just not the same.

A very good movie though.

Sandra

Quoted from jayrex Mark Kemode is a pompous ass.  He hardly likes any films.  Always moans.

Haha, a little unfair there. Yes he likes to have a moan about some of the crap coming out of Hollywood at the moment but this is a guy who loves film and is a great champion of independent cinema. Some of the best films I have ever seen in my life were only watched after learning about them from him, the ones the mainstream critics seem not to have time for. Pan's Labyrinth is one such film that he was championing from the word go, so too "Let the right one in".

You write and direct a real, proper, great film and this guy will try his best to fill a cinema for you, there is not enough critics like that around and I think he deserves some credit for that. I actually look forward to him ripping apart the latest hollywood tripe, after all it is not like they often do not deserve it.

I think he should exercise more. lol!

Quoted from Murphy Yes he likes to have a moan about some of the cr** coming out of Hollywood at the moment

I hate these type of people - sucking off the teet of Hollywood, and then constantly dropping sly, pompous digs.

Nobody is forcing anyone to watch "Hollywood rubbish", and he can quite easily find himself a different job. The bloody "Hollywood is dumb" elitism make me want to *********!

Go to theatreland if you can't bear the Hollywood 'machine'!

Rant over.

Andrew

Quoted from Andrew I hate these type of people - sucking off the teet of Hollywood, and then constantly dropping sly, pompous digs. Nobody is forcing anyone to watch "Hollywood rubbish", and he can quite easily find himself a different job. The bloody "Hollywood is dumb" elitism make me want to *********! Go to theatreland if you can't bear the Hoolywood 'machine'! Rant over. Andrew

Andrew, some great films come out of Hollywood, I doubt anyone denies that, not even Mark Kermode. But there is also piles of steaming crap designed only to make money from stupid kids that have nothing whatsoever to do with film and it is great that someone is happy to say so too rather that the vast majority of lame critics who actually do suck the teet from Hollywood. You complain that a critic dare to criticize a crap film? what, you would prefer he just lie like everyone else?

Besides, Hollywood is not the center of the universe, despite what most film critics think. There are much better films coming out of independent land and Europe that just do not get the exposure they deserve from the Hollywood loving critics. To have somebody prepared to buck the trend and showcase these movies is a wonderful thing. How anyone can be against this is beyond me.

Quoted from Murphy Andrew, some great films come out of Hollywood, I doubt anyone denies that, not even Mark Kermode. But there is also piles of steaming cr** designed only to make money from stupid kids that have nothing whatsoever to do with film and it is great that someone is happy to say so too rather that the vast majority of lame critics who actually do suck the teet from Hollywood. You complain that a critic dare to criticize a cr** film? what, you would prefer he just lie like everyone else? Besides, Hollywood is not the center of the universe, despite what most film critics think. There are much better films coming out of independent land and Europe that just do not get the exposure they deserve from the Hollywood loving critics. To have somebody prepared to buck the trend and showcase these movies is a wonderful thing. How anyone can be against this is beyond me.

Sure, I don't deny that he acknowledges good films do come out of Hollywood, but his general disdain for Hollywood smacks of elitism. That's what I take issue with.

Nobody can doubt that Hollywood is a machine that churns out inoffensive movies that cater to a film-going segment - but just because Mark Kermode/elitists deem it to be rubbish, well, it doesn't mean it is. If 50 million people derive great joy from 'Fast and Furious', who's losing out? We choose to watch a film, or we choose not to.

Just because it does not suit a critic, doesn't mean it's not a valid release. It may just say more about the critic than the viewer. Making money or providing the product that the masses want to see? It's a fine line.

I love film from all over the world, but I am not so in my arsehole that I believe something not to my taste can be instantly deemed "steaming piles of crap".

This is in no way an attack on you, Murphy, but is more of a nod to the ignorant critics who think they know best.

At the end of the day, I can as easily identify with 'The Notebook' as I can 'Downfall'. Movies are about entertainment as much as they're about anything else.

'Looking for Eric' for example, looks a great film, but there is nothing to suggest it should be lauded, while 'Obsessed' is derided just because it's the thing to do. Personal opinion is all that matters in movie enjoyment, and as I say, people can rightly steer clear of "rubbish", but attacking these movies and assuming the audience is a little thick is an attitude that stinks.

Andrew

Quoted from Murphy Haha, a little unfair there. Yes he likes to have a moan about some of the crap coming out of Hollywood at the moment but this is a guy who loves film and is a great champion of independent cinema. Some of the best films I have ever seen in my life were only watched after learning about them from him, the ones the mainstream critics seem not to have time for. Pan's Labyrinth is one such film that he was championing from the word go, so too "Let the right one in". You write and direct a real, proper, great film and this guy will try his best to fill a cinema for you, there is not enough critics like that around and I think he deserves some credit for that. I actually look forward to him ripping apart the latest hollywood tripe, after all it is not like they often do not deserve it.

Now that I know who Mark Kemode is, I'm a fan. LOL

I just watched the video post now and had a good laugh. Thanks for posting! I "did" really like both movies, flaws aside.   I like a good swalf now and then.

Sandra

Quoted from jayrex Mark Kemode is a pompous ass.  He hardly likes any films.  Always moans.

He's a critic, and he does his job. He critics.

I always wondered what kind of films these people would do if they ever should make a movie. Would it be a better film?

Anyway, he's funny.

Let's go running (and pointing)

Michel

Andrew - what, then, in yours eyes, is the role of the film critic? It's their job to think they know best, isn't it? Or at least to appear to think they know best, since their respected opinion is, after all, what they're being paid for.

Quoted from JonnyBoy Andrew - what, then, in yours eyes, is the role of the film critic? It's their job to think they know best, isn't it? Or at least to appear to think they know best, since their respected opinion is, after all, what they're being paid for.

That's not really the issue. We all know the role of a critic. My point is that there's no need to insult an audience if a critic doesn't think a movie is any good. Insinuating an audience is dumb is simply intolerable.

That's all I am saying - I am not attacking anyone here or anything like that, but just cannot abide people lording it over others.

I hated '300', but I wouldn't dream of labelling its audience based on my own limited perspective - I just think critics like Kermode should do the same.

Of course, this is all IMO, and quite rightly, it won't be the same for everyone.

Andrew

Quoted from Grandma Bear has anyone who took part in the script club seen it yet? I'm curious what you guys think.

Yes, I did participate and I figured I'd enjoy the movie. Did I notice all the "running and pointing"? No, but that's what makes a movie infant like myself enjoy them more perhaps than (brilliant/or not so brilliant as some believe) critics think.

What totally freaked me out Pia, was the scene under water. I completely was in a Deja Vu moment brought on obviously, from reading the script first. What I need to do is go back and re-read that portion to see why that laid claim to my subconscious in an extremely visual way.

Sandra

I enjoyed the movie a lot, great action, thrilling, edge of your seat, some good dialogue, much better than the Da Vinci code, even though I liked that one too
Good film