"Another Winner!?, he said of dire Rob Schneider comedy The Animal. ?This year?s hottest star!? he gushed over A Knight?s Tale star Heath Ledger. David Manning has been one of the most effusive supporters of Sony Pictures? recent films; a critic who is vastly knowledgeable, sharply observant and entirely fictional, according to news from Empire Online UK.

After making a few exaggeratingly glowing poster quotes from the 'movie critic', Sony Pictures has been forced to plead guilty, admitting that the man who wrote such place was a completely fabricated character. The scam was uncovered by a shrewd Newsweek reporter, and it forced Sony Pictures to confess when he queried the credibility of the gushing comments. Somewhat embarrassed at being caught with its hand in the proverbial cookie jar, Sony Pictures has been quick to condemn the whole affair.

?It was a case of incredibly bad judgement,? a Sony spokeswoman told virtual news anchor Ananova. "We're taking all the steps necessary to determine who's been responsible and will act appropriately."

The infamous critic has given a lot positive "opinions" on a number of opiniatedly bad titles including last year?s Hollow Man and the preposterously bad Vertical Limit. Manning was listed on posters as a reporter for The Ridgefield Press, a small newspaper from Connecticut. The publication has claimed they were unaware that their name was being misused.

Looks like someone is being paid a lot of dough to create "good publicity."