Online Public Relations Thoughts

This is an interesting story about movie companies bypassing critics and getting films directly to market. Ignoring a gatekeeper is a PR and marketing decision and a daring one. It is an in-your-face statement to a critic that the critic's opinion doesn't matter. It also, as the article notes, tells professional critics their judgments aren't any better than amateur opinions on internet forums such as this, this and this.

There is merit in having more outlets for critical opinion because there is a chance someone might like what is otherwise a piece of junk. On the other hand, one can't fool readers for too long. For the short-term marketing advantage one gains by shunning established critics, one loses in long-term credibility.