Pop Culture Curmudgeon

Is Ben Lyons the Worst Movie Critic Ever?

I like watching the E! channel. I enjoy watching Ben Lyons talk about the upcoming movies and guessing how much each will make. I have always enjoyed his father’s movie reviews, and the Lyons have a great on-screen relationship. But I am apparently alone in those warm sentiments.

Serious film critics call Ben Lyons a quote whore, a celebrity chaser, and an uneducated boob. They also claim he got his job solely because of his looks and his father’s work history. Harsh.

Of course, as a casual viewer, I wasn’t aware that Ben Lyons said both 300 and I Am Legend were among the best movies ever made. I also haven’t watched his new version of At the Movies–I don’t even know when they play it here in the Portland area.

I also don’t treat reviews as the be all, end all when making my decision whether to see a movie. Reviews are part of it, but I also look at the cast, director, writer, and story line. I know that rom coms are not high art, but they can still be fun. I know that movies based on books by Michael Crichton are likely not to my taste. I know that movies directed by the late Robert Altman will be well written, thought provoking, and interesting. I know that anything that skews teen will not be fun to watch in the theater but might be a lot of fun at home. I know that movies released in December are considered Oscar caliber, and those in January, not so much. I also know that when I need a review to help me make my decision, I usually go to Roger Ebert. Gene Shalit is a good alternative, as is our friend Ben’s dad.

How about you. Does Ben Lyons make your skin crawl? Or do you think the film world is being overly harsh?

Read more about the critiques of Ben Lyons here:

Critic Ben Lyons Gets Many Thumbs-Down
Ebert Has Rules for Reviewers