More TV Film Critics

TV’s debauchery of what Goldstein called serious film criticism has an overlooked benefit: The TV film critic/pitchmen/media stars usually don’t have enough time in their 3-minute capsules to give away the entire plot (which is more than can be said of certain L.A. Times reviews).

I agree that a 6,000-word Terrence Rafferty column is more thoughtful than a Yogi Berra “home run” rating, but does it really matter which reviewer is more popular?

Ultimately, a film’s artistic worth is decided not by the reviews it gets at its release, but rather by how well the film stands up against the passage of time.

Critics (both print and broadcast) take themselves too seriously.

TIM WEEDLUN

Santa Monica