DVD Talk review of 'Over Her Dead Body'

[chris_sc77]

3.5 stars for Over Her Dead Body! Thats gotta be the best review that movie has ever received.

[William Fuld]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

3.5 stars for Over Her Dead Body! Thats gotta be the best review that movie has ever received.

The actual review is a mess. It should be pulled and rewritten.

[chris_sc77]

Originally Posted by William Fuld

The actual review is a mess. It should be pulled and rewritten.

My favorite excerpt from the review:
" I know first hand just how devious latinas are in real life..."

[Kubrick4277]

I read Ravyn C.'s DVD review of Over Her Dead Body at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=33208 and...

I would have to say this is an atrocity for DVDTalk. I hold this website in high esteem when it comes to theatrical and DVD releases, but having someone make a cutesy (and error filled) review of a crap movie like Over Her Dead Body makes me want to yack! This movie is clearly in the realm of Skip It (At All Costs) and everyone else who reviewed this turkey on DVDTalk felt the same way up until Ravyn's review. Just because you like movies and have a state of the art sound system and television does not make it right for you to review movies on this website. Go to a more chick-oriented website.

[L Fechtenberger]

For those puzzled by the venom of the above comments, allow me to explain their subtext:

There are many boys who feel that they must denounce anything that can be considered a "chick flick." They think this is necessary to show that they are not gay.

The same impulse is also behind the mockery you will find on-line for any actor who is considered handsome.

[Paul Mavis]

Originally Posted by L Fechtenberger

For those puzzled by the venom of the above comments, allow me to explain their subtext:

There are many boys who feel that they must denounce anything that can be considered a "chick flick." They think this is necessary to show that they are not gay.

The same impulse is also behind the mockery you will find on-line for any actor who is considered handsome.

Um...surely you jest. Hopefully, you're trying unsuccessfully to be funny or ironic, because if not, that's truly a cliched, facile, cracker-barrel analysis that has next-to-no value.

And only one of the posts mentions anything that could be construed as referring to "chick flicks."

[Rockmjd23]

Originally Posted by L Fechtenberger

For those puzzled by the venom of the above comments, allow me to explain their subtext:

There are many boys who feel that they must denounce anything that can be considered a "chick flick." They think this is necessary to show that they are not gay.

The same impulse is also behind the mockery you will find on-line for any actor who is considered handsome.

On Rotten Tomatoes, 80 out of 92 reviewers gave the movie a rotten rating, with the majority of them that I read saying much worse about it than anyone has in this thread. They must all be macho guys trying to prove they aren't gay!

[chimaster]

I am a longtime lurker, and also happen to be an English teacher and am compelled to join in here. This review is going to be my new example of inept writing for my students. Ignoring the formatting errors for a moment (don't they teach two spaces after periods in typing class anymore?), the grammatical and spelling errors are awful. Does no one proof these things? Does no one care how absurd they look to anyone with more than a second grade education? There are at least a couple of very good writers on this site, but this sort of drivel is inexcusable (and I'm not commenting at all on the opinion content, simply the basic written elements).

[Houstondon]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

3.5 stars for Over Her Dead Body! Thats gotta be the best review that movie has ever received.

I think you mean "highest rating the movie has ever received" considering the nasty responses that followed...

Originally Posted by Kubrick4277

This movie is clearly in the realm of Skip It (At All Costs) and everyone else who reviewed this turkey on DVDTalk felt the same way up until Ravyn's review. Go to a more chick-oriented website.

Personal taste is a majority of one, not generally subject to mob rule. She liked the movie, outlined why, and gave a description of the flick detailed enough to know I'd rather jump under a bus than watch it unless I was going to get laid afterwards. I know that some consider DVD Talk to be a "boy's club" of sorts but there are a lot of female readers too (some of which have inquired why we seem to have such a hard time keeping female reviewers...I wonder why...).

Originally Posted by chimaster

I am a longtime lurker, and also happen to be an English teacher and am compelled to join in here. This review is going to be my new example of inept writing for my students. Ignoring the formatting errors for a moment (don't they teach two spaces after periods in typing class anymore?), the grammatical and spelling errors are awful. Does no one proof these things? Does no one care how absurd they look to anyone with more than a second grade education? There are at least a couple of very good writers on this site, but this sort of drivel is inexcusable (and I'm not commenting at all on the opinion content, simply the basic written elements).

Since your comments are limited to grammatical flames, would it be fair to apply the same standards to everyone, including English teachers? I only ask since your comments don't have "two spaces after periods" (this forum removes the extra space just as the review submission seems to when we use some word processing software), you began with a run on sentence, and then make the back handed compliment about "at least a couple of very good writers" here as if the rest were less competent (by default).

I have no idea what led to her formatting issues here (and I'm not going to defend spacing of characters, choices of words I don't agree with, and try to mystically divine what you are referring to when you speak of "drivel" which is contrary to your stated commentary about "opinion content") but most of the comments lacked enough substance to work with. Dismissing the comments about taste issues (like politics, you aren't going to convince many people that their taste in movies is inferior to your own), maybe if a few of you would have been kind enough to email her some constructive criticism, she'd know what to work on in the future. Can any of you honestly tell me that having read the entire review, you failed to get a pretty good head's up about the movie? Cut the chick some slack...

[John Sinnott]

One of the things we like to do at DVDTalk is work with new writers, especially if they can bring something to the table that our other reviewers don't have. One of the things that I think is fairly obvious to anyone who regularly scans our reviews is that women are woefully underrepresented on our staff. I'd like to bring on more women to get a different point of view, so it's not such a "boy's club" as Don put it.

Read enough reviews on this site (it won't take many) and you'll find an opinion you don't agree with. The idea that the review is bad, as several people mentioned, because you don't agree with the analysis is absurd. We have different writers who rated Juno both "Skip it" and "DVDTalk Collector Series". I've had e-mail from readers who agreed with both viewpoints too. Rayvn defended her opinion of the film better than anyone who has attacked the film so far.

Having said that, the writing isn't as smooth as it should be and there are grammatical errors that should be taken care of. I've taken the review down until Rayvn has time to give it another pass.

[chimaster]

Mr. Houston, you might want to review what constitutes a run-on sentence. Compound verbs and independent clauses do not a run-on sentence make. For several excellent examples of run-ons, you might want to take a peek at the second paragraph of your review of Glass Fleet. As far as the formatting issues go, I read reviews here regularly and have never before seen the lack of spaces after periods, but perhaps I simply haven't read whatever reviews to which you're referring.

I don't want to get into a flame war with anyone; I have a doctorate in English and a 35 year teaching c.v., so I know full well whereof I speak. If you choose not to accept my opinion, that's certainly well within your rights, but don't argue the technicalities of English grammar and spelling with me, please.

[Houstondon]

Originally Posted by John Sinnott

Rayvn defended her opinion of the film better than anyone who has attacked the film so far.

Having said that, the writing isn't as smooth as it should be and there are grammatical errors that should be taken care of. I've taken the review down until Rayvn has time to give it another pass.

Originally Posted by Chim

I have a doctorate in English and a 35 year teaching c.v., so I know full well whereof I speak

"Net" credentials are amusing, to say the least, but given the tone of your posts in this thread, I have little doubt you are exactly what you say you are. This is a new mainstream writer and giving her the benefit of the doubt is a common courtesy. Berating her as you did is less likely to inspire her to "do better" than to simply walk away from her unpaid writing hobby. If that is the kind of education you provide your students, I doubt you'd understand any of those "teacher as hero" movies that have come out over the years. My main point to all of you is to respectfully ask you tone it down a little as the gal gets her footing.

PS: Thanks for reading Glass Fleet! If you look closer, you will likely find two or three spelling errors too.

[William Fuld]

Did Ravyn C. quit?

[NoirFan]

I think she was beaten to death by a pack of disgruntled Latinas.