There are few groups of people more likely to gossip than film journalists. Those 15-20 minutes waiting for a screening to start often result in a great deal of rumour-mongering. Such is the case this week, dear reader, with the impending release of Diana in cinemas.

A quick google search will tell you that the film has not fared well. One national newspaper’s critic labelled it ‘car crash cinema’ (I know, I know – I’m as uneasy as you are). This causes a little bit of sadistic glee every time this happens, for you see, we get shown a lot of rubbish over the year, and the films that are universally panned attract a kind of morbid curiosity. How bad can it really be? Of course, the opinions of the critic community at large are rarely universal. There’s always someone that thinks Batman & Robin is a masterpiece, or that Inception was drivel (I don’t generally talk to these people, but I’m aware they exist), and occasionally, you’re the voice of dissent yourself. For example, I absolutely adored Superman Returns (as did many other critics, if you look up reviews from the time) and will defend it to my dying breath. There was, however, one time when I praised a film and then got it spectacularly wrong – the summer flop Spider-man 3.

Stop laughing. Seriously, stop that. I lavished praised on it – it was a rave, five-star review. You couldn’t have got a better review if Tobey Maguire himself had written it. But you see, I wasn’t truly in my right mind at the time, so if you let me explain, perhaps I can persuade you that I am not a complete lunatic. I had only just started reviewing semi-professionally, working during the day on a building site while I built up my portfolio. When you’re starting out in your career, everything’s jaw-dropping. Meeting movie stars, going to the UK headquarters of Hollywood studios, attending junkets in posh hotels… you feel like Little Orphan Annie if she was a film geek. When these kinds of doors open up, things get a bit overwhelming. And so, in the plush, private screening room, handed super-rare glossy press notes, and given all the free drinks and nibbles I could handle, it’s safe to say I was in such a good frame of mind anything that went up on the screen would have gotten at least a positive notice.

Do I still feel the same about Spidey now? Of course not, I watched the film again and realised my folly.

Despite this one blip, I like to think most of my reviews have been fairly reliable (or at least defendable), and no amount of luxury can make you see past a stinker. You may not always agree with me, but I like to think I get my point across in an informed manner. Will I agree with the crowd on Diana? Tune in to BBC Radio Oxford on Friday at 5.20pm and hear for yourself!