It’s no secret that the people that cover Hollywood are in bed with Hollywood.

It’s certainly not like it was in the days of the studio system, where the press printed only what the studios fed them.  But still, when “journalists” are flown on deluxe junkets to London to cover the opening of the latest Harry Potter movie, you can’t expect them to write anything but glowing reviews…not if they want to continue to travel in style on a scribe’s salary.  There are other reasons for going easy, too – if you want the stars to talk to you, to give you access to their fabulous lives, you better play nice.

Of course, you bite back once in a while to show you’re “independent.”  But we all know better.  And frankly, that’s fine.  We’re not talking about covering the Pentagon here.

But I want Entertainment Weekly to give me my $12.50 and two hours back for “Super 8.”  They just went too far.

In their June 17th issue, EW not only put the movie on the cover, they did a loooong feature, listed it in the front of the book as a “must see” AND gave it a review with an “A” grade (“loving, playful and spectacularly well made!”).

By bowing down on the altar of Spielberg (and Abrams) they slimed me – and their readers.  To which I say: Ewwwwwwww EW!

Look, I go to popcorn movies with low expectations, even when there’s big talent attached.  But “Super 8″ just sucked.  From the “we’ve got a $40 million left in the budget” train wreck at the beginning to the “What the F?” ending and all the derivitive nonsense in between, I was bored to tears at the best moments and just plain angry at the worst.  And the more I thought about it the madder I got – big movies often suffer at the hands of the studios who “note” and focus group them to death.  But this one, with such powerful personae above the title, did not have that excuse.

But this wasn’t intended as a rip on the movie.  I promised never to pan a movie (see my post “If You Can’t Say Something Nice…”) – there’s enough snark out there already.  And I love J.J. Abrams – I think his “Star Trek” is what all studio films should strive to be – fabulously entertaining and smart and moving at the same time.

This is a “shame on you” to EW.  I understand that you have to smile and bow when Spielberg’s in the room – I get it and I don’t begrudge you that.  But at some point, you have to draw the line.  And for not doing that, I, for one, am cancelling my subscription.

No I’m not!  Who am I kidding?  I love that magazine!  Everything you need to know about popular culture in one bathroom visit.  I’m sorry EW, I just really hated “Super 8.”  Just try to be more careful next time.