This critic was told to stay at home tonight when TWILIGHT: NEW MOON screens in Atlanta. And I was not alone. While it is not news for a film to not screen for critics, it is troubling that press invitations to see the hotly anticipated sequel to the 2008 blockbuster were only sent to a select few, especially in a growing market like Atlanta. Such a thing calls into question the entire process of advanced screenings for review purposes. And it begs the question, what does Summit have to fear?
In a growing trend, a host of films just don’t screen for the critical intelligentsia. Most horror films and inspirational offerings (I’ve not seen a Tyler Perry film since the sequel to DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN) have opted to bypass the critics altogether releasing their films without any critical examination. But the approach taken with the release of NEW MOON is to restrict access to the film in certain markets and circumstances. Right now, there are several reviews on RottenTomatoes, so, the film has screened in other markets prior to tonight yielding mostly positive response. Note: anyone seeing a film at an advanced screening agrees to hold publication of their film review, referred to as an embargo, until the day of the release. This guideline is hardly followed--see the NEW MOON reviews already making their rounds. Certainly, on Friday, a larger group of print critics will weigh in on NEW MOON when audiences will flock to the film and be able to judge for themselves.
While I won’t pretend to be qualified to comment status and future of film criticism as a whole, after writing about movies for over a decade, I personally find myself at a crossroads. I certainly intend to take in press screenings in the future, but I will do so with a jaded eye. In Atlanta, most screenings are held in the evenings merely for promotional purposes. Radio stations are given a large amount of tickets (more than can be seated), which are given away on the air. EI readers might remember from my days in radio, this can create problems with long lines of people expecting to be seated because they hold a promotional screening pass. These overbooked screenings often result in folks being turned away and given a ticket to a future screening. The promotional passes clearly state on their face that this is the arrangement, but some people still complain bitterly. And to the credit of public relations firms, great efforts are made to keep everyone happy. It is a thankless job.
The effect of these promotional “free” screenings is to create a word-of-mouth buzz in favor of the film. And it should come as no surprise that many, but not all, folks attending promotional screenings tend to come out of the film saying good things, even if the film is a failure. This response is sometimes out of politeness, and other times, with the hope that they will be invited back to another screening. And ever since the Internet gave a voice to all of us, anyone can be a critic. Therefore, these promotional screenings often end up creating “reviews” on social networking sites and blogs. I’ve even noticed that such postings have been used to promote films with quotes splashed onto to movie trailers.
The great amount of public discourse devoted to movies on the Internet is wonderful. But readers must be selective in who they read. Over the years, I’ve developed a voice and an audience. Readers of EI can read the great wealth of reviews and interviews (dating back to the late 1990s) and get a clear picture of my personality and determine whether my views square with their own tastes. Some readers just don’t agree with my observations. And I’ve at times gotten cross-ways with filmmakers unhappy with my take on their vision. And as a filmmaker myself, I will always to give respect to filmmakers. Making movies ain’t easy! Making great movies depends on talent but also on luck and magic!
To be honest with all of my readers, my reaction to being closed out with other Atlanta area critics from the NEW MOON screening was initially a blow to my ego. I’d been told that I wasn’t invited to the party. Film criticism invariably involves ego—critics criticize, after all. But at their core, critics are merely giving their opinion. Some critics do this by moaning about choices made by the filmmaker and even suggest how things might have been had the critic been in charge of the production. I’m guilty of this. Playing Monday morning quarterback is one way to write a film review. And while some might call such an approach egotistical, that observation just goes with the territory.
What is bothering me lately is the concept that we critics are “treated” to an advanced screening. I called it a “party” in the proceeding paragraph. But there is hardly anything glamorous about week after week attending these nightly screenings. They occur at various theaters all over town, which means that critics must drive great distances often through heavy traffic to make the screening time. For me, this has always been a labor of love, EI has until recently been a fairly non-commercial enterprise created out of a passion for film by its founders. And it has taken literally years to be taken seriously as a film critic while I developed my voice through thousands and thousands of words written. Whether I continue sharing my opinions has been in doubt during this maturation process, but I just can’t imagine giving it up. Writing is part of my being, helping to define who I am.
So I’ll continue to review movies, even if I have to pay to go to screenings. And maybe that is the way it ought to be. But I’m not prepared to make that decision at this time. Rest assured that my opinions will not be influenced by invitations to join in the “fun” and “party” at the movies. I never looked at it that way, and hopefully, none of my fellow critics do either.
Finally, I wonder about the decision of Summit, the distributor of NEW MOON, as well as, one of this year’s finest films, THE HURT LOCKER, not to screen the film widely for critics in the Atlanta market. Not that it matters, and it doesn’t, but I liked the first TWILIGHT film. And Summit’s decision was certainly not a personal slight (my ego isn’t that big), but the effect is to generate ill will and has caused me to write this column. Hopefully, such decisions will be handled differently in the future. NEW MOON might be a wonderful film, but my opinion won’t be part of the discourse.
