how personal sms reviews pan hollywood

an article in the LA Times from sunday discussing the impact and method of sms messaging (only just now really impacting the US) on Hollywood movies. Europe has been largely insulated from this phenomenon because of the long lag time between US and UK release - those dissed in the US aren't seen as much here also because the European press picks up on American public dislike. In Hollywood however, where the opening weekend is king, they're finding that it's becoming harder to buy these crucial few days with an all-out marketing onslaught. One text message to a group of people (easier than 20 phone calls) could spread to hundreds in minutes. Link to story
"Fatima Bholat stepped into the summer sunshine, fresh from the darkened theater where she'd just seen "The Hulk." It was opening day, and the 16-year-old high school junior had rushed out with her younger brother to see director Ang Lee's moody take on the big green superhero.

Now she wanted to tell her friends all about it. She whipped out her silver-and-blue T-Mobile cell phone, pressed a button and did something that strikes terror into the hearts of studio executives:

She tapped out a message telling her friends exactly what she thought of the movie — and the verdict was brutal.

"In the old days, there used to be a term, 'buying your gross,' " said Rick Sands, chief operating officer at Miramax, referring to the millions of dollars studios throw at a movie to ensure a big opening weekend. Widely released movies this summer dropped off an average of 51% between their first weekend and their second, according to Nielsen EDI Inc., a box office tracking firm. Five years ago, the drop-off averaged 40.1%."