Movie Critics Don’t Matter?
The huge success of “Transformers 2” (almost $600 million worldwide at the box office) has had the movie blogosphere continuing to wring its hands over the moribund commercial power of critics. Reviewers of the performing arts are also commiserating over their decline in the face of social-networking’s ability to get the word out about a play or concert or ballet. I’m not sure this is anything new. A crucial factor in the success of a live performance has always been word-of-mouth; it’s just the vehicle for that word that has altered.
