Making You Feel Better About Seeing Crappy Movies

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 3, 2005 6:43PM

The Loews Cineplex at 600 N. Michigan announced their list of free movies for this month as part of their Fan Favorites series. Again, we’re not sure what kind of person lists Open Water as one of his or her favorites but this month’s nautical theme does allow for some honest-to-goodness decent films like Master and Commander, A River Runs Through It and Whale Rider. Don’t forget to register for the free tickets before you show up (click here for the form).

While we’re usually willing to see a less-than-stellar film for free, what about all those crap films that proved a foolish moviegoer and his money are soon parted? Like Hollow Man, Vertical Limit, A Knight’s Tale, The Patriot, or (god help us) the Rob Schneider movie The Animal? Perhaps, in the words of Doug Llewellyn, “don’t take the law into your own hands, you take ‘em to court!”

Two California moviegoers who alleged they were fooled into seeing A Knight’s Tale because of the glowing review from The Ridgefield Press’ David Manning spawned a class-action lawsuit against Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2001. The lawsuit was filed because David Manning is not a movie critic...or an actual person. Last month a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that Sony must pay $1.5 million dollars to settle the suit.

What does this mean for you? If you saw any of the above films (all of which feature Manning’s glowing reviews) then you’re eligible to receive a five dollar refund for each ticket purchased. Full details on how to file a claim are printed here in PDF format (don’t submit a false claim or you’re committing perjury, Lil' Kim).

While we’re pleased that Sony Pictures is taking a (miniscule) hit in the pocketbook for this admittedly sleazy practice, Chicagoist thinks class-action lawsuits exist mainly to keep lawyers happy. Plus, no one should be rewarded for encouraging the career of A Knight’s Tale’s Shannyn Sossamon. That’s just wrong.