Suggestion: have member rating system along with reviews
05-23-03, 09:49 AM
#1
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Suggestion: have member rating system along with reviews
I really use the review section (link @ top of page) to search and find great movies and to cut down on buying bummers.
I've recently bought several DVD's that were not that great (as were thought to be) as per it's review. I certainly know that everyone has different tastes and that I can't expect to have a 100% foolproof good/bad movie review.
I was thinking how cool it would be to allow DVD Talk members to rate a movie (1 to 5 stars) and have that info be available on the review page of any given movie. The forum user ratings could be represented by a different color star than the blue that is currently being used and placed directly underneath them.
The only negative I can forsee is for a member (or studio) to try and skew the rating by voting multiple times. I can't remember if one can vote numerous times on forum polls.. can they?
It could be a useful feature provided it could be implemented correctly.
I'm also posting this in the DVD Reviews section, so mods, feel free to close or delete whichever you deem not neccessary.
Any thoughts or suggestions on this?
Sincerely,
Sonicflood
I've recently bought several DVD's that were not that great (as were thought to be) as per it's review. I certainly know that everyone has different tastes and that I can't expect to have a 100% foolproof good/bad movie review.
I was thinking how cool it would be to allow DVD Talk members to rate a movie (1 to 5 stars) and have that info be available on the review page of any given movie. The forum user ratings could be represented by a different color star than the blue that is currently being used and placed directly underneath them.
The only negative I can forsee is for a member (or studio) to try and skew the rating by voting multiple times. I can't remember if one can vote numerous times on forum polls.. can they?
It could be a useful feature provided it could be implemented correctly.
I'm also posting this in the DVD Reviews section, so mods, feel free to close or delete whichever you deem not neccessary.
Any thoughts or suggestions on this?
Sincerely,
Sonicflood
05-23-03, 09:56 AM
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I think it would be pretty pointless, myself. There are already things like that on Amazon and, of course, the IMDB, and I find them to be next to useless. I gave up on the IMDB scores years ago... everything blends together into a middle ground of about 7.5, and the only thing you can tell is that if it's lower than 4 it probably is not a very good movie, and if it's a 9 or higher it's probably pretty decent. Other than that, it could be anything.
There can never be any absolutes about reviews (being based ultimately on personal taste) but if a reviewer does his/her job and explains WHY he felt as he did about the film, then that will be useful information for the reader to decide whether to buy it or not. In fact, the score IMO is the *least* important part of the whole review; it's the written review that matters, and the stars are just a convenient summary/condensed version.
If you disagree with a particular review, a great thing to do would be to start a discussion thread about it in the Reviews section - get others' feedback as well. In general, getting people to *talk* about a movie is going to give you a better idea about the film than just a number.
There can never be any absolutes about reviews (being based ultimately on personal taste) but if a reviewer does his/her job and explains WHY he felt as he did about the film, then that will be useful information for the reader to decide whether to buy it or not. In fact, the score IMO is the *least* important part of the whole review; it's the written review that matters, and the stars are just a convenient summary/condensed version.
If you disagree with a particular review, a great thing to do would be to start a discussion thread about it in the Reviews section - get others' feedback as well. In general, getting people to *talk* about a movie is going to give you a better idea about the film than just a number.
05-23-03, 10:21 AM
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I don't have any strong feelings either way. It would be easy to implement technically, and I'd be more than happy to do it if I'm given the thumbs-up. Administration would be the biggest headache, particularly if users were allowed to enter text with their reviews. I agree that numeric ratings are pretty useless; I'd just as soon not use then in my reviews, given the option.
05-23-03, 10:34 AM
#4
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Unless... the only people who can vote are the DVDTalk reviewers. I have no idea how many reviewers there are, but I assume 15 or 20 in all. Their average score would be quite useful.
Sure, each review has a rating by that individual reviewer, but then there could be something like a "DVDTalk Reviewer Composite Rating", which any DVDTalk Reviewer (the official ones) could vote. And of course they would be encouraged to vote on any DVD that they've seen.
Sure, each review has a rating by that individual reviewer, but then there could be something like a "DVDTalk Reviewer Composite Rating", which any DVDTalk Reviewer (the official ones) could vote. And of course they would be encouraged to vote on any DVD that they've seen.
05-23-03, 10:53 AM
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The value of reviews isn't necessarily in the number of "yays" or "nays", but rather the skill of the writer to convey if a given film is the type of film I (me personally, that is) would enjoy.
As a long-time reviewer for another DVD site, I like to think that people reading reviews I have written will leave with a definite feel whether a particular film is up their alley or not (as opposed to just doing a rehash of the plot), regardless of my personal feelings.
After all, it's all opinion.
With that said, all the glowing reviews in the world probably couldn't get me to watch Fast and The Furious or Notting Hill.
As a long-time reviewer for another DVD site, I like to think that people reading reviews I have written will leave with a definite feel whether a particular film is up their alley or not (as opposed to just doing a rehash of the plot), regardless of my personal feelings.
After all, it's all opinion.
With that said, all the glowing reviews in the world probably couldn't get me to watch Fast and The Furious or Notting Hill.
Last edited by Pointyskull; 05-23-03 at 10:56 AM.
05-23-03, 02:33 PM
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12thmonkey, I completely agree.
Another problem would be that a small number of reviews would get the majority of the ratings - I know that I review far more small, independent and/or little-known films than well-known ones. One of the things I like about DVDTalk is its broad, egalitarian coverage - the lesser-known titles alongside the blockbusters. I wouldn't be in favor of something that seemed to favor the well-known films (by virtue of more people rating them) over the lesser-known ones. (Even the Popular Reviews list is open to the "little guy" since it is based on what people are reading here, not on whether or not they've seen it/bought it already)
I guess, in a nutshell, I just really don't like the idea.
Another problem would be that a small number of reviews would get the majority of the ratings - I know that I review far more small, independent and/or little-known films than well-known ones. One of the things I like about DVDTalk is its broad, egalitarian coverage - the lesser-known titles alongside the blockbusters. I wouldn't be in favor of something that seemed to favor the well-known films (by virtue of more people rating them) over the lesser-known ones. (Even the Popular Reviews list is open to the "little guy" since it is based on what people are reading here, not on whether or not they've seen it/bought it already)
I guess, in a nutshell, I just really don't like the idea.
05-23-03, 02:41 PM
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Originally posted by ordway
I know that I review far more small, independent and/or little-known films than well-known ones.
I know that I review far more small, independent and/or little-known films than well-known ones.
I would much rather visit a site that covered a wide range of indie/obscure discs than read 200 loved it/hated it reviews of Daredevil.
05-23-03, 06:16 PM
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I agree with my fellow simian. Also, I don't think <B>Geoff</B> particularly wants to advertise how bad the general forum membership's taste in film really is. 
das
das
05-23-03, 06:23 PM
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Well, I guess this is a dead issue now, due to the underwhelming interest. Oh well, one can wish 
Thanks for the feedback guys/gals & simians!
Sincerely,
Sonicflood
Thanks for the feedback guys/gals & simians!
Sincerely,
Sonicflood
