One of the stories of the last few days has been the increasing tendancy for Studios not to advance screen movies for critics. So far this year there have been 11 movies not screened vs. 2 this time last year. Most of them have been horror movies and such that the critics probably would have given negative reviews. Three of them, Underworld: Evolution, When a Stranger Calls, and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion opened at #1. Some are saying the Studios aren't screening the films to prevent negative reviews from hurting opening weekend business. On the other hand, most of these movies are more or less critic proof. I went to see Underworld: Evolution opening weekend. The critics would have slammed it but I thought it was a lot of fun.
One critic was accidently invited to a screening of BenchWarmers and wrote a review which went out over the wire services. Sony Pictures tried to get the review pulled, calling it 'unauthorized'. The critic didn't even give it that bad a review.
The funny thing about the situation with Sony is they got caught a couple years ago making up phony quotes from nonexistant critics praising some of their less films.
Disney publicity chief Dennis Rice said, "If we think screenings for the press will help open the movie, we'll do it. ... If we don't think it'll help open the movie or if the target audience is different than the critics' sensibilities, then it may make sense not to screen the movie." Sounds like a public relations way of agreeing with the critics.
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