The Social Media Effect
We are living in an era where films garner fan bases like they never have done before due to the presence and popularity of social media. Nowadays, "liking" or "loving" a film simply isn't enough - to truly express your commitment and adoration of a film, it seems one must set up a social media account (primarily a Twitter one) and effuse over the film's properties, such as its leading actors and its director.
A number of films over the past few months have ignited fans' passions and resulted in a twitter community of its own. One of these films has been Call Me By Your Name (dir. Luca Guadagnino 2017). It's based on the Andre Aciman book of the same name about a love affair between a 17 year-old American-Italian boy and a visiting 24 year-old American Jewish scholar in 1980s Italy. The film stars Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer as Elio and Oliver respectively.
Due to the film's LGBT visibility and romantic story, it has received a wide following of largely teenage girls. This fan base is very passionate and invest themselves of every part of the film's journey, from its financial and critical success to its awards prowess:
Another notable case of twitter furore has been Marvel's Black Panther (dir. Ryan Cooler, 2018). Fans online have flocked to show their support, adopting new usernames and avatars to celebrate the first superhero film and blockbuster to feature an almost entirely black cast. Before Black Panther was even released, fans were adamant that it would be the most acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe entry.
via GIPHY
However, it's not only film fans that engage feverishly in film culture online; it's also a medium that critics love and utilise, often exercising their 280 character privilege to share their thoughts and condensed reviews on recent releases.
The vast majority of critics also reacted positively, with LA Times critic Jen Yamato tweeting:
She received tweets of assent and support from cinema goers, with Twitter user LuxPalatinus responding, "Amen to this." Black Panther currently stands at an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, but after it was given its first negative review and thus affecting its perfect score, people were outraged. The negative review came from Ed Power of Independent.ie (although he gave the film 3 out of 5 stars):
People were outraged that his review was anything less than glowing and it prompted counter articles in response with the aim of discrediting his opinion. One notable piece came from Mashable UK that acknowledged, "Critical reviews are always subjective opinions. So in general, you can't really say a reviewer got it objectively 'wrong'" but concluded with "We're pretty sure we'll be on the right side of history when we say: Nope. You are incorrect, sir."
As social media has rose in prominence, it has changed the way in which both film fans and critics engage with cinema. This shift has understandably altered how the two aforementioned parties interact with each other and how their roles, both as consumer and reviewer, have changed and developed over time.
I asked Empire critic Helen O'Hara several questions about this growing trend of the public adopting a critical persona through online means. These were her responses:
You are active on social media yourself (Helen's Twitter), do you think it's important to engage in the online film community as a critic?
H: Important is a strong word. It's all up to critics to decide for themselves. I quite enjoy talking to my readers, who seem like a nice lot, but I know that other writers are subjected to regular abuse, or don't feel comfortable engaging, or simply find it a distraction from their work. I don't think critics owe it to readers to engage; some may find it positively hinders their work. That's obviously true in the case of those who face intimidation or even death threats, but may be true in cases of even smaller-scale interaction.
Are you more hesitant to share your honest thoughts and opinions (especially ones that may be deemed "controversial" or not in favour with popular opinion) online due to the nature of social media and fan accounts?
H: I am probably hesitant to share some things on social media; I try to maintain boundaries between what I'm comfortable sharing and the rest. In terms of opinions, I don't care if I offend those on the right, because screw 'em. It's more hurtful to be attached from those more at my end of the political spectrum because they think I've been prejudiced or whatever, so if I'm arguing with someone like that I'll take an extra minute or two to consider the possibility that I'm wrong, that I'm failing to be intersectional or failing to check my privilege or whatever. Usually, it's not a matter of not saying something or saying something different but wording things more carefully.
Do you think the prominence of social media has started to blur the lines and divide between critics and audiences?
H: In regards to blurring the lines, yeah, maybe. I think the studios certainly think that the public's reviews are good enough, and tend to try take advantage of public reaction, especially in cases where critics have been less than kind. I hope that the public still value critics, and certainly some seem to (anecdotally), but then there are some who value critical consensus on sites like Rotten Tomatoes or Meteoritic over individuals, which is also a strange, new phenomenon.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Additionally, I also conducted a short interview with several Twitter users who run film fan accounts (they all wished to remain anonymous) to acquire their thoughts on the changing technological landscape and its affect on review culture.
As a fan of film that's active on social media, do you engage with critics and take notice of their reviews? If so, are you influenced by them?
1: I wouldn't say I actively interact with critics, but when the embargo gets lifted on films I'm interested in, I do take notice of the general critical consensus so I have somewhat of an idea of what to expect going in. It doesn't influence me exactly, but it gives me an idea of what the general feeling is about the movie and it makes me curious to know which side I will stand on as well.
2: Yes, I often seek out critic reviews of new films, and they certainly influence my likelihood of seeing a new film. Critic reviews can also sway my opinions after I've seen a film, often providing new insight I had missed my first time viewing.
3: I do read some articles about movies before and after seeing them because I like to have an opinion and share my ideas with people. I sometimes am influenced by them but it's usually rare. I disagree with them more than I agree with them because their criteria for a good movie and a bad movie are sometimes bizarre and I have difficulties with the way they present movies.
Are you hesitant to share your honest thoughts and opinions (especially one that may be deemed "controversial" or not in favour with popular opinion) online due to the nature of social media and certain fan accounts?
1: With regards to sharing thoughts, yes, I do sometimes feel hesitant to give my honest opinion because of potential backlash. I personally have been quite lucky in that I have never really been the target of any negativity, but I have seen plenty of it and it is discouraging. Lately however, I have been feeling more confident about giving my own views because in the end, you will think whatever you want to and what your friends/the general public feels can't change it completely. I do try and see the positives in every film I see, even if I don't like it, but the way I see it, if you don't like something there isn't much point in forcing yourself to enjoy it because there are many other films out there that you can enjoy much more instead of trying to agonise over something you don't.
2: I always voice my opinion no matter how unpopular it is, but I think the film community on social media has created an environment that shames people who have different views on film. For example, people who liked Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri are getting a lot of backlash.
3: Yes, I sometimes feel if I share my honest opinions about a movie, certain people will find my account and critique the way I saw the movie because I didn't understand the meaning of the movie the same way they did. I just don't share my thoughts on social media anymore, only the things that aren't related to an opinion because everyone can be offended these days.
Do you think social media has started to blur the lines and the divide between critics and audiences?
1: I think audiences have always been critics but they have shared their views in ways that aren't as direct as official film critics, but because of social media, it is so easy to share and access opinions. Now everyone has the opportunity, and I believe the right, to share what they feel. And I think it's great because it means you can have more discussions that are less judgemental. But you can discuss things with people who have the same mindset and experiences as you and it doesn't feel as unattainable. Before, when only 'professional critics would write about films, the way they would talk about them would seem almost pretentious and as it they had an understanding of film that I could never hope to have. But now more young people and, for want of a better word, regular people have a genuine interest in film, and this interest is being cultivated by websites such as Letterboxd which actively encourages personal opinion and debates, it makes me realise that watching films and understanding them for their technical prowess/themes/production etc. isn't an intellectual process, it's something very personal that each person will respond differently to and yet so easy to share and open up to others about.
2: I do believe social media is starting to blur the lines between critics and audiences. Critics and film analysis are more accessible now to general movie audiences, and with the power of social media and such reviews such as Chris Stuckmann or Jeremy Jahns, audiences feel more emboldened to put their own opinion out there.
3: Yes, sometimes an audience will love a movie and the critics won't - they perhaps just don't see the message that a mass audience responds to. But I also think that social media can hype up some movies that aren't that good and praise them way too much. Social media has taken a huge place in the critic world where maybe it shouldn't have.
_________________________________________________________________________________
The findings from the questions posed both to the film critic and several film fans who avidly engage with social media proved to be very interesting. However, every answer seemed to acknowledge that criticism, both professional and fan, has become increasingly difficult to navigate because social media has allowed for more direct contact - and that contact often comes from strongly opinionated people.
The heightened relevance of social awareness and political correctness has also undoubtedly affected the way that audiences and critics (and audiences with audiences and critics with critics) engage with each other. Everything film must now be viewed and analysed through a lens of social consciousness, taking into account its depiction and treatment of race, ethnicity, gender roles etc. One of my contributors highlighted this by declaring that those who enjoyed Martin McDonagh's Academy Awards contender Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri have received criticism from other movie goers. The film, that deals with subjects such as racism, rape and brutal and murder, and police brutality, can be read in many different ways; but those who interpret it negatively and deem it to be problematic cannot seem to accept that others feel dissimilarly. This shows how our politics have begun to bleed into our view of entertainment.
Both O'Hara and film fans believe that social media has started to blur the once distinct lines between critics and audiences. O'Hara views this blurring as an opportunity for studios to rely much more heavily on public reaction to a film's quality rather than the general critical overview and has noted the rise in the public's emphasis on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes. However, the film fans all claimed to read individual critical reviews, even if it may not affect their decision to see a certain movie or not. Fans seem more accepting of the separation between critic and the audience as it makes film reviewing and criticism seem less prestigious and less like a pretentious art form that they are excluded from engaging in. Due to social media, anyone can offer their opinion on a film on almost any platform, whether that be Twitter or Letterboxd. But film fans also recognised that social media is often a place of dominating thoughts that is influenced heavily by cultural value and they still view critics as a vital part of the movie-going process - even if nowadays you can virtually class anyone with an interest in film, a Twitter account and a boldness to speak their mind a critic.
My next blog post will delve further into an audience's relationship with critics by analysing a survey I conducted called "Review Culture and Audience Engagement".
Bibliography
Power, E (2018). Black Panther first review: 'It is expected to stand for something bigger than itself - the strain is visible'. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/movie-reviews/black-panther-first-review-it-is-expected-to-stand-for-something-bigger-than-itself-the-strain-is-visible-36573275.html [28.02.2018]
Joho, J (2018). 'Black panther' gets first bad review, and the reason will enrage you. [online] Available at: https://mashable.com/2018/02/08/black-panther-negative-review-rotten-tomatoes/#vdHaTeEc0kqy [28.02.2018]
A number of films over the past few months have ignited fans' passions and resulted in a twitter community of its own. One of these films has been Call Me By Your Name (dir. Luca Guadagnino 2017). It's based on the Andre Aciman book of the same name about a love affair between a 17 year-old American-Italian boy and a visiting 24 year-old American Jewish scholar in 1980s Italy. The film stars Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer as Elio and Oliver respectively.Due to the film's LGBT visibility and romantic story, it has received a wide following of largely teenage girls. This fan base is very passionate and invest themselves of every part of the film's journey, from its financial and critical success to its awards prowess:
I'll say this once and won't repeat it again but Call Me By Your Name is such a human and completely beautiful story and the fact that its box office numbers don't reflect the love that it got and it is still getting on social media pisses me the FUCK off so give her coins! pic.twitter.com/S4KIk996bn— ramone (@goodtimotea) February 28, 2018
so these Oscar voters don't mind Gary Oldman hitting his wife cause he gave a ''transformative'' performance in the Darkest Hour but what about Timothée Chalamet hitting thousands of SOULS with his performance in Call Me By Your Name? y'all know what this is? YES, TWINKPHOBIA. pic.twitter.com/e8Fy7uV8TB— ramone (@goodtimotea) February 28, 2018
Another notable case of twitter furore has been Marvel's Black Panther (dir. Ryan Cooler, 2018). Fans online have flocked to show their support, adopting new usernames and avatars to celebrate the first superhero film and blockbuster to feature an almost entirely black cast. Before Black Panther was even released, fans were adamant that it would be the most acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe entry.
via GIPHY
Whoever comes here and says Black Panther is overhyped has either not seen the movie or God has punished him/her— CrÂzy Twitt3r Usēr (@IamPreshioloye) February 28, 2018
However, it's not only film fans that engage feverishly in film culture online; it's also a medium that critics love and utilise, often exercising their 280 character privilege to share their thoughts and condensed reviews on recent releases.
The vast majority of critics also reacted positively, with LA Times critic Jen Yamato tweeting:
BLACK PANTHER is incredible, kinetic, purposeful. A superhero movie about why representation & identity matters, and how tragic it is when those things are denied to people. The 1st MCU movie about something real; Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger had me weeping and he’s the VILLAIN— jen yamato (@jenyamato) January 30, 2018
She received tweets of assent and support from cinema goers, with Twitter user LuxPalatinus responding, "Amen to this." Black Panther currently stands at an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, but after it was given its first negative review and thus affecting its perfect score, people were outraged. The negative review came from Ed Power of Independent.ie (although he gave the film 3 out of 5 stars):
People were outraged that his review was anything less than glowing and it prompted counter articles in response with the aim of discrediting his opinion. One notable piece came from Mashable UK that acknowledged, "Critical reviews are always subjective opinions. So in general, you can't really say a reviewer got it objectively 'wrong'" but concluded with "We're pretty sure we'll be on the right side of history when we say: Nope. You are incorrect, sir."
As social media has rose in prominence, it has changed the way in which both film fans and critics engage with cinema. This shift has understandably altered how the two aforementioned parties interact with each other and how their roles, both as consumer and reviewer, have changed and developed over time.
I asked Empire critic Helen O'Hara several questions about this growing trend of the public adopting a critical persona through online means. These were her responses:
You are active on social media yourself (Helen's Twitter), do you think it's important to engage in the online film community as a critic?
H: Important is a strong word. It's all up to critics to decide for themselves. I quite enjoy talking to my readers, who seem like a nice lot, but I know that other writers are subjected to regular abuse, or don't feel comfortable engaging, or simply find it a distraction from their work. I don't think critics owe it to readers to engage; some may find it positively hinders their work. That's obviously true in the case of those who face intimidation or even death threats, but may be true in cases of even smaller-scale interaction.
Are you more hesitant to share your honest thoughts and opinions (especially ones that may be deemed "controversial" or not in favour with popular opinion) online due to the nature of social media and fan accounts?
H: I am probably hesitant to share some things on social media; I try to maintain boundaries between what I'm comfortable sharing and the rest. In terms of opinions, I don't care if I offend those on the right, because screw 'em. It's more hurtful to be attached from those more at my end of the political spectrum because they think I've been prejudiced or whatever, so if I'm arguing with someone like that I'll take an extra minute or two to consider the possibility that I'm wrong, that I'm failing to be intersectional or failing to check my privilege or whatever. Usually, it's not a matter of not saying something or saying something different but wording things more carefully.
Do you think the prominence of social media has started to blur the lines and divide between critics and audiences?
H: In regards to blurring the lines, yeah, maybe. I think the studios certainly think that the public's reviews are good enough, and tend to try take advantage of public reaction, especially in cases where critics have been less than kind. I hope that the public still value critics, and certainly some seem to (anecdotally), but then there are some who value critical consensus on sites like Rotten Tomatoes or Meteoritic over individuals, which is also a strange, new phenomenon.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Additionally, I also conducted a short interview with several Twitter users who run film fan accounts (they all wished to remain anonymous) to acquire their thoughts on the changing technological landscape and its affect on review culture.
As a fan of film that's active on social media, do you engage with critics and take notice of their reviews? If so, are you influenced by them?
1: I wouldn't say I actively interact with critics, but when the embargo gets lifted on films I'm interested in, I do take notice of the general critical consensus so I have somewhat of an idea of what to expect going in. It doesn't influence me exactly, but it gives me an idea of what the general feeling is about the movie and it makes me curious to know which side I will stand on as well.
2: Yes, I often seek out critic reviews of new films, and they certainly influence my likelihood of seeing a new film. Critic reviews can also sway my opinions after I've seen a film, often providing new insight I had missed my first time viewing.
3: I do read some articles about movies before and after seeing them because I like to have an opinion and share my ideas with people. I sometimes am influenced by them but it's usually rare. I disagree with them more than I agree with them because their criteria for a good movie and a bad movie are sometimes bizarre and I have difficulties with the way they present movies.
Are you hesitant to share your honest thoughts and opinions (especially one that may be deemed "controversial" or not in favour with popular opinion) online due to the nature of social media and certain fan accounts?
1: With regards to sharing thoughts, yes, I do sometimes feel hesitant to give my honest opinion because of potential backlash. I personally have been quite lucky in that I have never really been the target of any negativity, but I have seen plenty of it and it is discouraging. Lately however, I have been feeling more confident about giving my own views because in the end, you will think whatever you want to and what your friends/the general public feels can't change it completely. I do try and see the positives in every film I see, even if I don't like it, but the way I see it, if you don't like something there isn't much point in forcing yourself to enjoy it because there are many other films out there that you can enjoy much more instead of trying to agonise over something you don't.
2: I always voice my opinion no matter how unpopular it is, but I think the film community on social media has created an environment that shames people who have different views on film. For example, people who liked Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri are getting a lot of backlash.
3: Yes, I sometimes feel if I share my honest opinions about a movie, certain people will find my account and critique the way I saw the movie because I didn't understand the meaning of the movie the same way they did. I just don't share my thoughts on social media anymore, only the things that aren't related to an opinion because everyone can be offended these days.
Do you think social media has started to blur the lines and the divide between critics and audiences?
1: I think audiences have always been critics but they have shared their views in ways that aren't as direct as official film critics, but because of social media, it is so easy to share and access opinions. Now everyone has the opportunity, and I believe the right, to share what they feel. And I think it's great because it means you can have more discussions that are less judgemental. But you can discuss things with people who have the same mindset and experiences as you and it doesn't feel as unattainable. Before, when only 'professional critics would write about films, the way they would talk about them would seem almost pretentious and as it they had an understanding of film that I could never hope to have. But now more young people and, for want of a better word, regular people have a genuine interest in film, and this interest is being cultivated by websites such as Letterboxd which actively encourages personal opinion and debates, it makes me realise that watching films and understanding them for their technical prowess/themes/production etc. isn't an intellectual process, it's something very personal that each person will respond differently to and yet so easy to share and open up to others about.
2: I do believe social media is starting to blur the lines between critics and audiences. Critics and film analysis are more accessible now to general movie audiences, and with the power of social media and such reviews such as Chris Stuckmann or Jeremy Jahns, audiences feel more emboldened to put their own opinion out there.
3: Yes, sometimes an audience will love a movie and the critics won't - they perhaps just don't see the message that a mass audience responds to. But I also think that social media can hype up some movies that aren't that good and praise them way too much. Social media has taken a huge place in the critic world where maybe it shouldn't have.
_________________________________________________________________________________
The findings from the questions posed both to the film critic and several film fans who avidly engage with social media proved to be very interesting. However, every answer seemed to acknowledge that criticism, both professional and fan, has become increasingly difficult to navigate because social media has allowed for more direct contact - and that contact often comes from strongly opinionated people.
The heightened relevance of social awareness and political correctness has also undoubtedly affected the way that audiences and critics (and audiences with audiences and critics with critics) engage with each other. Everything film must now be viewed and analysed through a lens of social consciousness, taking into account its depiction and treatment of race, ethnicity, gender roles etc. One of my contributors highlighted this by declaring that those who enjoyed Martin McDonagh's Academy Awards contender Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri have received criticism from other movie goers. The film, that deals with subjects such as racism, rape and brutal and murder, and police brutality, can be read in many different ways; but those who interpret it negatively and deem it to be problematic cannot seem to accept that others feel dissimilarly. This shows how our politics have begun to bleed into our view of entertainment.
Both O'Hara and film fans believe that social media has started to blur the once distinct lines between critics and audiences. O'Hara views this blurring as an opportunity for studios to rely much more heavily on public reaction to a film's quality rather than the general critical overview and has noted the rise in the public's emphasis on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes. However, the film fans all claimed to read individual critical reviews, even if it may not affect their decision to see a certain movie or not. Fans seem more accepting of the separation between critic and the audience as it makes film reviewing and criticism seem less prestigious and less like a pretentious art form that they are excluded from engaging in. Due to social media, anyone can offer their opinion on a film on almost any platform, whether that be Twitter or Letterboxd. But film fans also recognised that social media is often a place of dominating thoughts that is influenced heavily by cultural value and they still view critics as a vital part of the movie-going process - even if nowadays you can virtually class anyone with an interest in film, a Twitter account and a boldness to speak their mind a critic.
My next blog post will delve further into an audience's relationship with critics by analysing a survey I conducted called "Review Culture and Audience Engagement".
Bibliography
Power, E (2018). Black Panther first review: 'It is expected to stand for something bigger than itself - the strain is visible'. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/movie-reviews/black-panther-first-review-it-is-expected-to-stand-for-something-bigger-than-itself-the-strain-is-visible-36573275.html [28.02.2018]
Joho, J (2018). 'Black panther' gets first bad review, and the reason will enrage you. [online] Available at: https://mashable.com/2018/02/08/black-panther-negative-review-rotten-tomatoes/#vdHaTeEc0kqy [28.02.2018]
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