Now that Harold Camping is doing the usual Apocalypse prophet excuses and Oprah has had her send off for her talk show, the way seems clear enough for Kung Fu Panda to get its fair share of media attention this week.

However, I've discovered that for films I'm looking forward to, there is a drama to them that begins long before they are screened.  That happens when you follow the film's status on the movie review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes, in the days leading up to its release.

It's hard to believe that seeing the updates of a percentage number can be so suspenseful, but each film is an artistic crapshoot and that even the greatest filmmakers have created their share of bombs.  Thus, as the release date approaches, the regular updating of the film's Tomatometer rating becomes a roller coaster ride as you wait to see where the critics are leaning.  That especially goes for the films hovering around the vital 60% that marks it as Fresh or Rotten as you endure the rise and dip as the opinions mount.  There's even a finish line to this challenge when the tally is clear enough for a consensus statement to be issued as the final word, except when it isn't when a late shift comes dramatically enough to force a rewrite.

So, however much criticism of RT deserves of reducing film reviews to a vote tally, the fact remains that the site provides a unique thrill to the filmgoing experience that is supposed to consciously defy the hype. Instead, I can know the hopefully well considered opinions of critic who simply want to say if a film is any good. When that happens, I'm sold in a way that beats glossy trailers or commercials any day.

As it is, Kung Fu Panda has 83% so far with only 6 reviews, so the ride to Thursday is just beginning with a hopeful start.