The Shrine

<div style='font: 11pt "comic sans MS", Modern; text-align: left; '>Mummy Returns! That movie kicked bookoo ass, my friends! Fast, nonstop action! Great entertaining story!</div>

<div style='font: 9pt Arial, Modern; text-align: left; '>The Podunk Gazette's Hank McGee gives it 4 stars!</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "Copperplate Gothic", Modern; text-align: left; '>According to Roger Ebert, Hank McGee's name is more entertaining than the movie.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", Modern; text-align: left; '>Ebert sucks his dead partner's cock!</div>

<div style='font: 9pt arial, Modern; text-align: left; '>Another productive comment brought to you by Sine.</div>

<div style='font: 14pt Agatha, Modern; text-align: left; '>...me and Dragonfly went to go see it last night and we thought it was pretty cool. Not as good as the first one, but definately entertaining. It basically boils down to if you liked the first one, you'll like this. If you didn't like the first one, then you're not going to have your mind changed.</div>

<div style='font: 14pt Agatha, Modern; text-align: left; '>...I mean, even critics that ~like~ a movie seem to have this burning desire to point out things that make them sound much more educated or cultured than they really are. It's like they forgot the entire purpose of movies, which is to have a good time.</div>

<div style='font: 9pt arial, Modern; text-align: justify; '>Jesus. I saw it yesterday, and I.....oh, Jesus, it sucked. But...PYGMIES, bitch!</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", Modern; text-align: left; '>I don't think I'm the only one that thinks Ebert is full of shit (at least in this case).</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", Modern; text-align: left; '>Most critics have an ego complex.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", Modern; text-align: left; '>I really don't see how anybody could have hated the first one.</div>

<div style='font: 14pt Modern; text-align: left; '>It was alright..., not something I'll see a second time, though I loved the pygmies. But..., only 4 minutes of The Rock?!!? Come on, you hype him up, but he doesn't have much play time in the movie? Jeez....</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Arial, Modern; text-align: left; '>Speaking of critics: I've been to your website. I've seen your anime reviews. I think it's safe to say you form and express judgements of things according to certain standards and values. Now, what is it do you suppose you're doing, here?</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Arial, Modern; text-align: left; '>Good for you. I'll bet you haven't even read one of his reviews.</div>

<div style='font: 9pt Arial, Modern; text-align: left; '>Heehee.</div>

<div style='font: 14pt Agatha, Modern; text-align: left; '>Whether I do mine or not makes exactly jack shit difference. But when Ebert whips out the pretentiousness people listen simply because he ~is~ paid to do them. That's the western world for you. Someone does something for free it can't be worth all that much, but if they're getting paid for it their opinion automatically gets more weight. And yes I have considered that critics might give movies bad grades because they didn't like them and I still find it more likely that they've got to stroke their own ego and make themselves sound much more important than they should be.</div>

<div style='font: 14pt "Times New Roman", Modern; text-align: left; '>Not as good? Damn, it was quite a bit better, if you ask me.</div>

<div style='font: 9pt Arial, Modern; text-align: left; '>I kinda liked the first one. It wasn't great, but is was an entertaining flick. A good way to start the summer movie season.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", Modern; text-align: left; '>Well, considering the previews are already more entertaining than Hank McGee's name, I already know he's full of shit :)</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Arial, Modern; text-align: left; '><B>Whether I do mine or not makes exactly jack shit difference.</b>

In other words, because you're an amateur* (and probably haven't taken a single course on film criticism, ever) you're off the hook? Sorry, but there's no unwritten Amateur Exclusion Law in the world of film criticism for pedantry. I've read as many lofty displays of pretension by wanna-bes than I have by professional critics. Amateurs who trumpet the fact that they aren't paid (and are therefore more trustworthy) are humping the high horse.

<B>But when Ebert whips out the pretentiousness people listen simply because he ~is~ paid to do them.</b>

Wrong. Most people listen to Ebert because they want a knowledgeable film critic's perspective on movies they're interested in seeing. And then there are probably a few masochists (like Sine) who simply like getting angry over someone else's viewpoint. "In Search of Outrage," one might call it.

Speaking of Roger Ebert's "pretentiousness," I challenge you to find five <I>specific</I> instances where he engaged in the practice. Otherwise, I see no reason to try and defend him against invisible charges.

<B>That's the western world for you.</b>

Ah, so listening to professional critics is an inherently western trait. Does this mean there are no paid film/anime/game critics in Indonesia and Japan?

(Jesus Christ, Wolf. I expect this kind of flagrant pro-Japan, anti-Western attitude from self-professed otakus, but...shit, never mind.)

<B>I still find it more likely that they've got to stroke their own ego and make themselves sound much more important than they should be.</b>

And I find it even more likely that self-righteous amateurs will roundly criticize the professionals for perceived elitism to lend imaginary credence to their own viewpoints. Only, unlike the professionals, they'll do it free of charge.

*You should know that I, too, am an amateur critic. Everyone on this board is. Some of us just like to flaunt it more than others.</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Verdana, Tahoma, Modern; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>The problem is that it's a critics' JOB to watch movies, so they've seen so many they get jaded. If I want to see a movie, I don't read reviews for it before hand. I'll watch it, make my own judgement, then read what others have to say on it.</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Verdana, Tahoma, Modern; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>Trailers don't mean anything. They're essentially music videos with scenes from the movie playing in the background. They're VERY entertaining to watch (I frequent the trailer section fo Apple's site a lot), but can make even the worst of movies look good.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "Copperplate Gothic", Modern; text-align: left; '>Good critics don't tell you what to see. They simply relate their personal feelings about film so that you may compare how you yourself may feel about it.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "Copperplate Gothic", Modern; text-align: left; '>And the Sears-Roebuck foundation...</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "Copperplate Gothic", Modern; text-align: left; '>What's with the ~tildes~? Are you singing or something?</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Verdana, Tahoma, Modern; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>And sometimes, I really don't want to know. It's best to go into a movie knowing nothing about it.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt Dominion, Modern; text-align: left; '>like when they show up and start attacking the men,, it reminded me of Jurassic Park II :)</div>

<div style='font: 11pt Dominion, Modern; text-align: left; '>Instead of trying to make it not sound like a bad sequel, they made fun of it being a sequel which makes it that much better. The cinematics were kick ass and it didn't skip on plot or action

Only thing I didn't like was the crowded movie theatre ;)</div>

<div style='font: 11pt "Copperplate Gothic", Modern; text-align: left; '>Yeah, I think that if you want to go to a movie, don't let a bad review stop you.</div>

<div style='font: 14pt Tahoma, Modern; text-align: left; '>Ditto.</div>

<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif", Modern; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>If I had a nickle for every movie I got suckered into because of an awesome trailer, I wouldn't be in the job market now...</div>

<div style='font: bold 9pt Modern; text-align: left; '>*cough*CoyoteUgly*cough*</div>