I’ve never given much credit to professional film critics. I’ve found them either on a cultural level way beyond my reach, or mere indiscriminate fans of the medium itself and its associated fame and glamour without anything much deeper to contribute.

However, after watching Empire Records (1995) on my partner suggestion and having some sprouting thoughts about it, I looked for a more established opinion about why this box-office flop became a cult classic.

And I found this excellent article by jason Bailey that articulates some of the same burgeoning ideas I had better that I ever could while still remaining accessible for neophytes like me. Definitely a “wow” moment, and not just because a stranger agrees with me.

#Movies

The Quick Failure and Unexpected Comeback of ‘Empire Records’

In September of 1995, a teen-geared comedy called Empire Records opened quietly in only 87 theaters. It was greeted by hostile reviews and meager box office, grossing barely a quarter of a million dollars before its theatrical run came to a halt two…

^{Jason Bailey (Flavorwire)}