Comments on: Going to the movies? Who do you trust?

By: Full Interview: David Edelstein on movie review aggregators | Spark | CBC Radio

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:10:34 +0000

[...] week, I blogged about movie review aggregators like Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, and wondered how they are [...]

By: Gary Liao

Gary Liao — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:23:09 +0000

honestly i consider my movie tastes a tad more sophisticated than my friends or the geeral public. I expect to be surprised, impressed and see my movie and or time as as an invesrtment. I found filmspotting. A Chicage based podcast.

By: Matt Gamble

Matt Gamble — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:34:36 +0000

I tend to use a combination of all sorts of things. I read a few reviewers that I know have similar taste to mine, visit a couple of sites that I know can help me find movies that would otherwise not get reviewed (like Twitch) and then I use aggregators to help find the occasional hidden gem that might otherwise get passed by.

Its not a perfect system, but I watch far more movies that I enjoy then I don't, so I think it is a successful one.

By: Bob Bossin

Bob Bossin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:01:59 +0000

I used to be a movie reviewer, and regularly had people say, "I always listen to your reviews… and then do the opposite" which is an absolutely sound strategy, I figure. Know thy reviewer. Me, I often check the New York Times and The New Yorker, and even if I occasionally disagree, I know we are in the same ballpark. I do find the compilation ratings useful as a rough measure of merit. If no-one likes something, chances are there's a reason.

By: Ben_Babcock

Ben_Babcock — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:10:13 +0000

Totally agree re: Yahtzee. I don't even play video games that often; I just love his witty observation about the trends in gaming.

By: Dan Mansfield

Dan Mansfield — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:20:11 +0000

Agreed, Nora. To survive, small, independent video stores need an efficient system, and an active web presence. There's an independent video store in Kingston, Ontario that with its new movies, specializes in old, obscure, and classic videos. This store has embraced the web with multiple search features, links to movie review websites (e.g. IMDB), and user reviews. The store is small and has competition from Rogers Video and Blockbuster, but is consistently popular, especially with the student population.

It's the embrace of technology that makes the difference.

By: Dan Mansfield

Dan Mansfield — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:03:22 +0000

I have to agree with Lee R… I don't usually find anything interesting in new movies. I tend to watch documentaries and TV shows on-line or from the library… saves on the price of a ticket (or a DVD), and no exorbitant concession prices. I've seen quite a lot of quality documentaries (e.g. PBS's NOVA, CBC, etc.) that you can get for free download for the price of a monthly internet connection.

As for determining what to watch, I find that Wikipedia actually provides a reliable information, if the movie is well-known. A quick plot synopsis, perhaps criticisms, and usually links to the IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes pages. I know Wikipedia may not be the most accurate guide for movies, but if the movie is well-known, you can guarantee that the collaboration of worldwide wikilovers will ensure the article has been well-researched and documented.

By: Ben_Babcock

Ben_Babcock — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:50:11 +0000

I eschew review sites when deciding what movies to watch. I choose based on the trailers/plot descriptions and who stars in it. Sometimes a friend's recommendation helps, but ultimately I choose based on what interests me.

Review sites are great for discussing and critiquing movies. I do much the same for books. I'm a voracious reader, but I don't always remember if I liked a book (or why I liked it). Writing reviews records my thoughts for the future me to rediscover.

By: Kittyhawk

Kittyhawk — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:25:04 +0000

I try to stay away from reviewers in general both for games and movies. The one exception would be Yahtzee from Zero Punctuation, although thats for pure entertainment rather than his opinion!

Other than that, I usually go off movies that my friend Amber recommends in her blog. She has excellent taste and I know anything she recommends will worthwhile.

By: Lee R.

Lee R. — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:31:04 +0000

I don't watch new movies anymore…too many great old ones to watch on TCM. But I do read reviews sometimes and mostly go to imdb.com and sort by "hated it".