h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Surely a subscription to Sight and Sound is an essential for the pretentious film buff - it averages about 40 'mise en scenes' per issue, and can be pretentious about any film it reviews (the phrase 'Kafkaesque use of string' was used to in the review of the film Mousehunt). What's more, it gives away the endings, so you don't actually have to watch them.

Reviews must be the very epitome of the pretentiste's art. I've long enjoyed the way that the NME (New Musical Express for non-UK personages) veers about all over the place - first supporting, then worshipping, then completely loathing a band/artist - all according to some vague idea of cool I suppose. Radiohead are a prime example, and a major headache for pretentious people everywhere - well, fairly young ones anyway. Their last album, Kid A, generated some of the finest toe-curling reviews I've ever come across. Was it any good? One would never quite know from reading a review. It's definately pretentious though


-Dan-

Radiohead are extremely pretentious. Sadly they are also very good.
Of course if you are truly pretentious you will say that Kid A is their best album and far better than that popular "rock" nonsense they used to play. You also have to despise either the first or last album of any band you like claiming either that they have "matured" from their immature start (e.g. REM) or that they have lost their touch when they became popular (Manic street preachers).
You also have to say touche' whenever beaten in an argument.