How do you approach your MF reviews?

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That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
So, I just rediscovered the header list portion of the Reviews sub-forum where several reviews are sorted by user name. For some reason, I tend to skip past that area when browsing through here. Anyway, while clicking through a few random posts I got to thinking on a thought that's been floating around for a while: when you write a review, specifically to post here, what is your approach and objective?
  • Are you writing casually to give your personal subjective account of experience while watching a movie?
  • Are you thinking in terms of a more formal type essay, referencing cinematic and cultural points to dissect the movie from a more objective, academic perspective?
  • When reading reviews here, what type of review do you prefer to follow?
  • Why?
  • Do you entertain other reviews?
  • Do you expect a certain style of review in a forum dedicated to movies?
  • Do you measure all movies to a baseline standard? Or do you see each movie measurable to the ambition and intent of the creator regardless of external contexts?

I know that I am overly simplifying these ideas, but that is only to get a conversation going. Feel free to expand!


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Interesting thread idea and one that at least I know something about So here's my take on your questions.

when you write a review, specifically to post here, what is your approach and objective?
I usually write from the hip, so to speak, or maybe it's more accurate to say my reviews write themselves and I just do the typing...It really does feel that way sometimes, as if the review has a mind of it's own and all I do is type what it tells me too.


Are you writing casually to give your personal subjective account of experience while watching a movie?
That's usually what I do, I try to keep the reviews informal.


Are you thinking in terms of a more formal type essay, referencing cinematic and cultural points to dissect the movie from a more objective, academic perspective?
My objective is to be subjective. No sense IMO, to write a review that doesn't say what the reviewer thinks of the movie. On the other hand...some movies don't review 'well'...That is I don't have much to say about them...So then yes, sometimes I do dig into the cinema history of it.

Some movies are important for their cultural impact or cultural statement they made, so for those films I do go into cultural stuff. Mainly I try and stay fluid and mix up the styles of reviewing and have some fun while doing it.

I did a cultural reference POV for The Graduate link to my review.


When reading reviews here, what type of review do you prefer to follow?
I read reviews from other reviewers based on my interest in the movie and if I know the reviewer. Too long of a review or too technical with lots of obscure verbiage and I hit the back button.


Do you expect a certain style of review in a forum dedicated to movies?
No, not at all. I expect the unexpected. I expect the individual reviewer will have their own style.

Do you measure all movies to a baseline standard? Or do you see each movie measurable to the ambition and intent of the creator regardless of external contexts?
That's a good question and one I think about as I write a review. Mostly I try to measure a movie by my own reaction and by what the intent of the film maker was.
I gave Earth Girls Are Easy review link, a
and yet it's just, plain stupid fun. I judged it by what the film was trying to be, as it didn't seem fair to compare it to say Citizen Kane.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
That was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for taking the time to hit this point by point.



“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”
when you write a review, specifically to post here, what is your approach and objective?
  • Are you writing casually to give your personal subjective account of experience while watching a movie?
  • Are you thinking in terms of a more formal type essay, referencing cinematic and cultural points to dissect the movie from a more objective, academic perspective?
  • When reading reviews here, what type of review do you prefer to follow?
  • Why?
  • Do you entertain other reviews?
  • Do you expect a certain style of review in a forum dedicated to movies?
  • Do you measure all movies to a baseline standard? Or do you see each movie measurable to the ambition and intent of the creator regardless of external contexts?

I know that I am overly simplifying these ideas, but that is only to get a conversation going. Feel free to expand!


...

  • Are you writing casually to give your personal subjective account of experience while watching a movie?
I am. I don't really consider them reviews. My writing skills have always been rudimentary and this format favors articulation. I am very binary and often struggle to get past, "I like...so pretty...Goo-Goo-Gah-Gah." Stream-of-consciousness aided by scratch notes would best describe my feeb attempts.

  • Are you thinking in terms of a more formal type essay, referencing cinematic and cultural points to dissect the movie from a more objective, academic perspective?
I can't dissect film well enough to bring up this and that, it is usually a gaggle of emotional responses I have. Formal essay, ha. They don't make margins wide enough.

  • When reading reviews here, what type of review do you prefer to follow?
Ones that don't regurgitate the plot synopsis.

  • Why?
Every major review that I read prior to a film in the paper or online will have the same, "Jon is ____ , doing ____, winds up ____." That's great, but I have a semblance of relationship with the Fo's. I enjoy the personal reflection, regardless of what it is. What was their unique experience.
  • Do you entertain other reviews?
Yes. I've mentioned before how important I believe it is to find one that suits my sensibilities. People will throw out the cliche, "I don't listen to critics." Whatever, I guess. I listen to the ones that I know fit in my realm of perspective. When you click with one it is so gratifying. Contrasted with ones that I don't follow as well helps to add a little depth to my perception.

I didn't care for the Post. It was pretty, but hollow. I am slowly losing my pretentiousness and fear of upsetting the herd. Attempting to say what I do, pure of heart , lessens my worry of upsetting people and appearing anything less than sincere.

  • Do you expect a certain style of review in a forum dedicated to movies?
Big Negative Ghostrider. What's the point of having so many if they are all the same (refer above) . I like the individual touch because it offers more of a connection.

  • Do you measure all movies to a baseline standard? Or do you see each movie measurable to the ambition and intent of the creator regardless of external contexts?
No way. I'll make a shocking disclosure. Predator and Drive are two of the best movies ever. If I were rating them, they are
. I am neurotic enough to think, who am I to say a movie is perfect. Given that, they excel in their respective style, even though you can't compare them. They do such a good job at creating an emotion...well, we won't talk about what I think of the "guerilla camp" scene from Predator and how that movie can still be equal to Drive in light of this.



My rating is purely a gut feel that I base on emotion. They can't be compared, because they aren't based on anything that is easily quantifiable. Take my rating for Paterson. It is low by comparison to most, but that's because it was a little too advanced for me at the time. Not that it's not this or that, it's just my emotional response. My ratings can't be compared, because they are basically just snapshots of a mood on a given day.


I know that I am overly simplifying these ideas, but that is only to get a conversation going. Feel free to expand!


I think I have written two "flagged for" reviews. When I first hit the block, I felt I needed to in order to be a part of things. Then I realized I have no talent at coherent dissection and analysis. What I try to do now is squeeze out a piece of me. Something that someone will read with me in mind and go, "story checks out". It is also why I don't "flag" my qualifying bits as reviews. It's not that I don't think they are worthy, they just might be a little too random to offer a true representation of the film in question. I think a lot of MoFo and wouldn't want to do anything to damage its representation to an outsider.



People often mistake honesty for some sort of reflection of your self-esteem. I was the least intelligent guy in the AP English class. I struggled and tried and charmed my through, but it never came to me. In college, I never got any better at writing either. It is just not in my cards. Me in a kitchen, well...ah, it must be genetic.



My sister is borderline genius, parents well-educated and then there's me sitting at Thanksgiving dinner with a Navy Chief and people with the alphabet trailing their name. I admire it so much and part of me feels like that towards the great writers on here. I've just come to realize it's not me. My talents lie elsewhere, but I really like it here.



[list][*]Are you writing casually to give your personal subjective account of experience while watching a movie?[*]Are you thinking in terms of a more formal type essay, referencing cinematic and cultural points to dissect the movie from a more objective, academic perspective?
Casually subjective. Though occasionally I'll go deeper. I called my thread a "Movie Log" rather than a "review thread" (and I never tag my reviews) because it allows me the flexibility to write up the films in any manner I choose.

[*]When reading reviews here, what type of review do you prefer to follow?[*]Why?
I like reviews that tell me as much about the reviewer and their viewing experience as they do about the film being reviewed. I joined a movie forum just as much to get to know people as to learn about movies.

That said though, I often find myself restricting my review reading to people or films that I'm already familiar with. That's a habit I ought to break.

One thing that I think makes a big difference in how likely I am to read a review or follow a particular MoFo Reviewer - regardless of their style of reviewing - is formatting. If I have to struggle to figure out which film they're discussing, if I'm confronted with a huge block of text, if they don't include any images from the film, or if they don't provide some sort of easily referenced rating system, I'm much more likely to look elsewhere.

[*]Do you entertain other reviews?
Not really. I usually don't read reviews of films I haven't seen and if I do it's usually only for the sake of getting an idea of what the movie is about. I try not to let other people's views influence my own.

[*]Do you expect a certain style of review in a forum dedicated to movies?
Not at all. I expect certain styles from certain reviewers, but I like that there's such diversity in the way people look at movies and the way they express their feelings about them.

[*]Do you measure all movies to a baseline standard? Or do you see each movie measurable to the ambition and intent of the creator regardless of external contexts?
I measure my movie watching experience moreso than the movies themselves. Rather than trying to judge how well the creators realized their vision, I judge based on what I got out of watching what they created.



[*]Are you writing casually to give your personal subjective account of experience while watching a movie?
Yes.
[*]Are you thinking in terms of a more formal type essay, referencing cinematic and cultural points to dissect the movie from a more objective, academic perspective?
I might talk about how the something makes the audience feel something, but I'm very far from being an official film critic. I might right a lengthy review if I absolutely loved the film though.
[*]When reading reviews here, what type of review do you prefer to follow?
When the reviewer reviews a film I have strong opinions on.
[*]Why?
It's more interesting to hear why someone liked/disliked mother! than why someone liked/disliked The Sting.
[*]Do you entertain other reviews?
What do you mean by entertain?
[*]Do you expect a certain style of review in a forum dedicated to movies?
I expect them to be more open to out-there movies.
[*]Do you measure all movies to a baseline standard? Or do you see each movie measurable to the ambition and intent of the creator regardless of external contexts?
I rate my movies based on how much I enjoyed them, not on their technical aspect. That's why I gave The Room a 10/10 and Room a 6/10.



Are you writing casually to give your personal subjective account of experience while watching a movie?
Yep, and I think subjective is a good word for it. I try to write from a personal perspective instead of technically, simply because I feel I am better at that.

Are you thinking in terms of a more formal type essay, referencing cinematic and cultural points to dissect the movie from a more objective, academic perspective?
No. That kind of review is plenty great for it's own reasons, but I think certain reviews and their writers might have different goals in mind. Mine is to simply express my inner feelings in a way that resonates with others, to form that kind of connection.

When reading reviews here, what type of review do you prefer to follow?
I think there is value to both objective/academic reviews and more personal reviews, so I'm not picky.

Because I'm Folsom. Beau Folsom.

Do you entertain other reviews?
Not nearly as much as I'd like - something I want to change.

Do you expect a certain style of review in a forum dedicated to movies?
On the contrary, this is a great place for different voices to be heard.

Do you measure all movies to a baseline standard? Or do you see each movie measurable to the ambition and intent of the creator regardless of external context?
Latter, for sure. All I ask is the filmmakers have genuine artistic intentions with their work. I will do my best to approach it honestly in that case.