Though I've been writing like crazy, most of my recent reviews have yet to see the light of day thanks to studio-mandated embargoes that prevent publication until the week of release. Thus, I only have three new reviews for this Friday, with more to come soon, including Doubt and In the City of Sylvia arriving later this weekend, and other "Revolutionary" and "Curious" Oscar hopefuls appearing sometime after that...
Now Playing:
Punisher: War Zone (Slant magazine)
The Black Balloon (Slant magazine)
Nobel Son (Slant magazine)
Honestly man, I prefer that embargo.
Otherwise, the reviews come out before I even know the film exists, never mind when the public is talking about it.
And that's just a waste IMHO. I find the reviews to be more valuable in proximity to when I make a decision to see a film.
Anyhow what's weirdest to me is, if the film studios have this embargo ... why do they hold the screenings so damn early? Move 'em up to two weeks before opening.
"But that's just me" as Floyd Gondolli would say.
Posted by: Joe Grossberg | December 07, 2008 at 12:38 PM
I have no issue with embargoes, except that the studios tacitly allow certain publications to break them while coming down hard on others that do the same. But it doesn't really matter to me when my reviews actually go online.
As for why they hold screenings so early - publications have different deadlines; they want to build good word-of-mouth; there are only so many available times to book screening rooms; etc.
Posted by: Nick Schager | December 07, 2008 at 08:06 PM
Well, the system should revolve around me.
Posted by: Joe Grossberg | December 07, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Obviously.
Posted by: Nick Schager | December 07, 2008 at 11:24 PM