There are plenty of reasons a critic might not write about a film - perhaps it's not being widely distributed, or they don't think people will be interested, or it's difficult to write about, or they simply haven't heard of it.
(I've seen some great films at film festivals, but I absolutely have had festivals that were a complete bust. So I took exception mainly to your "guaranteed" claim, which you seem to be stepping back from now)
I'm not stepping back from anything. Plenty of critics have hated films that end up being cult classics. A critic is no substitute for individual sensibilities. You can defer to them all you want, doesn't mean it's a great way to develop culture. But it is a great way to develop an insular culture.
