Let me take a guess, Anonymous: You like the film or like the idea of it, and feel obligated to defend it simply because it's an "artsy" film, regardless of whether it's substantial or not. Mr. Reed has made good criticisms and, unlike you, has backed each and every one of them up.

By the way, there are many on-line sites where you can review a film. How about putting your keyboard where your mouth is and churn out a review better than Reed's? Somehow, I think -- and heavily bet -- that you're unable to do so.

(By the way, if you think I'm a toe-the-line Reed admirer, you're wrong, for my two-best films of all time -- "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Blue Velvet" -- are ones he hated.)