A Teflon summer season?

By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — Critics haven't been crazy for this season's biggest movies.
But who cares? Studios are learning that a thumbs up from movie reviewers hasn't mattered much at the box office this year. That may explain why they're showing fewer films for the media.

Through the first quarter of the year, at least 11 films have not screened for critics before their release, the Associated Press reports. In the same period last year, only two movies didn't screen.

And when critics do see a movie, a negative review seems to have little effect on sales — especially for films with a built-in audience.

Take The Da Vinci Code (some critics would say "please"). According to the movie review site rottentomatoes.com, fewer than a quarter of critics gave it a positive review. And only 55% recommended X-Men: The Last Stand.

No matter. Da Vinci was the first bona fide hit of summer, opening at $77.1 million. X-Men's $122.9 million was the biggest Memorial Day opening ever.

"We make movies for people, not critics," says Jeff Blake of Sony Pictures, which released Da Vinci. "The best thing you can do is get your movie to the public and let them decide."

This year has marked some particular differences of opinion between the press and public. Mission: Impossible III got the best reviews of the franchise, earning a thumbs up from 70% of critics. But the $150 million Tom Cruise thriller has mustered only $116.2 million.

Akeelah and the Bee won over 85% of critics, but the Laurence Fishburne drama has taken in just $16.9 million.

"Critics' clout has gone down," says Harry Kloman, who teaches journalism at the University of Pittsburgh and reviews movies for Pittsburgh's City Paper. "With the advent of new media and the Internet, studios know they can reach the audience they want to reach. They don't need us for big movies."

Studio executives say critics still matter, "especially for smaller movies," says Don Harris of Paramount Pictures. "But you don't have to cater every movie to them. Some movies, like Da Vinci Code, are bulletproof."