Movie review bias? - Blu-ray Forum

lewis77 · 01-31-2010, 07:48 AM

I've always enjoyed reading the movie reviews. I think they give great insight into PQ, AQ, and supplements. However, I really don't think its fair that a movies OVERALL rating can be diminshed based on the reviewer's opinion of the movie. Don't get me wrong, I like to read what they have to say about the movie, as sometimes it has saved me from bad blind buys. On the contrary however, I have at times been astonished that movies I like so much get such poor "movie" ratings. Im aware that PQ, AQ, and Supplement ratings are also subjective but not nearly as much as the movie review itself. C'mon we all know what a dynamite and a dreadful blu-ray looks like! So what do you all think? Should the movie rating portion be left out of the overall rating and put on a side-note?

P.S. I didn't know quite where to stick this post

Q? · 01-31-2010, 08:11 AM

https://forum.blu-ray.com/feedback-forum/

IMO I don't think what you've decribed is a major problem or a problem at all

blu_sharpy · 01-31-2010, 08:37 AM

I think you have to remember that the movie rating is subjective to the person who is viewing the film. You may like the film, the reviewer may not. Maybe try to skip past this part of the review and focus more on the A/V if it is a problem to you.

QuasidodoJr · 01-31-2010, 08:49 AM

Don't see an issue, here. When you type a movie into the search function, they list just the video and audio portions of the review on the front page. Not to mention, each section of the review is given an individual score.

Ultimately, though, in the end, if a movie is bad it doesn't matter how great it looks or sounds - it's still bad. Hence, why the movie score should be included in the overall score.

DrrnHarr · 01-31-2010, 08:58 AM

I often disagree with the review on the merits of a movie, but that's still the reviewers opinion and one they are entitled to.

Heck, two of my favorite guilty pleasures, "Flash Gordon" (1980) and "Force 10 From Navarone" (1978), were both mauled by the critics when they were originally released only to find a cult following later.

At the end of the day aren't reviews biased by their very nature.

Johnny Vinyl · 01-31-2010, 09:56 AM

If you disagree with the reviewers opinion on the movie itself, then I might suggest you write a mini-review and post it.

John

Steve · 01-31-2010, 01:24 PM

For this reason I don't pay alot of attention to the overall rating of the movie. I just look at the technical aspects of AQ and VQ. Most of the time if I'm looking at a review I've already seen it and know whether I like it or not.

Beta Man · 01-31-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John72953

If you disagree with the reviewers opinion on the movie itself, then I might suggest you write a mini-review and post it.

John

Great advice...... also, you should use the reviews to draw new insights into movies you've already seen, and have formed an opinion about..... and for the movies you have yet to see..... or are trying to determine "If" you should see.... you should use multiple reviews to get the best possible gauge.

howarmat · 01-31-2010, 02:56 PM

i always look at the final rating and section. To me that is what is is going to push me over the edge in buying the movie that i am on the fence or havent seen. Sometimes the moview review itself is a bit revealing for my tastes so i would read them. And well if i have seen the movie it would matter much anyway. I love the reviews here and have picked up many movies because of them and havent steered me wrong either. They have also kept me from picking up some and then i netflixed them, most times i have agreed it was not work the purchase and glad i didnt.

Sussudio · 01-31-2010, 03:21 PM

Lewis -- why should a movie with great PQ/AQ but a lousy story get high overall marks? I definitely think a reviewer's critique should be factored into the final score...blu-ray technology may be about picture and sound, but movies as art have always been about story and that comes before everything else (imo). Amazing picture/sound simply cannot save a poor script with poor actors, and I strongly believe reviews should reflect that and am glad they do. That's not to say "great" movies with poor PQ/AQ should always get high marks, as it should be a balance since this is a blu-ray review site so the movie is obviously not the only thing that matters

. But that's just my opinion of course.

Steve46 · 01-31-2010, 04:10 PM

Even though this is a blu-ray site, I still consider the story the most important factor when determining whether I will buy a movie. I don't care how good something looks if the story is weak. So I would always prefer The Silence of the Lambs to Transformers for instance.

I use the reviews on this site to judge PQ and AQ. That's why these reviews exist. They are watched with the presentation in mind.

Judging the overall story is more difficult and much more subjective. It depends on so many things. To some people, an action movie or superhero movie will be their favorite of all time. To others, it might be a slow-moving drama, a subtitled movie, or a comedy.

The rating for the story is only really relevant to me if I am considering a blind buy. I don't particular care who else likes it, I only care whether I will like it. The best solution for me was to find an established critic with similar views to my own. I wanted someone that would not automatically dismiss a movie due to its genre. It was also important to find someone that would not simply give certain directors high marks for one of their weaker efforts out of some kind of misguided loyalty.

My solution: Use Ebert's reviews for story as I agree with most of his ratings and then look at blu-ray.com to see whether the PQ and AQ are up to expectations.

If I am still in doubt, I try to catch the movie on cable or borrow it from the library before buying.

01-31-2010, 07:48 AM	#1
lewis77 Member Member since:Jul 2008 Blu-ray collection:89 Blu-ray reviews:1	Movie review bias? I've always enjoyed reading the movie reviews. I think they give great insight into PQ, AQ, and supplements. However, I really don't think its fair that a movies OVERALL rating can be diminshed based on the reviewer's opinion of the movie. Don't get me wrong, I like to read what they have to say about the movie, as sometimes it has saved me from bad blind buys. On the contrary however, I have at times been astonished that movies I like so much get such poor "movie" ratings. Im aware that PQ, AQ, and Supplement ratings are also subjective but not nearly as much as the movie review itself. C'mon we all know what a dynamite and a dreadful blu-ray looks like! So what do you all think? Should the movie rating portion be left out of the overall rating and put on a side-note? P.S. I didn't know quite where to stick this post

01-31-2010, 08:11 AM	#2
Q? Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Nuuk, Greenland Blu-ray collection:168	https://forum.blu-ray.com/feedback-forum/ IMO I don't think what you've decribed is a major problem or a problem at all Last edited by Q?; 01-31-2010 at 08:13 AM.

01-31-2010, 03:21 PM	#10
Sussudio Blu-ray Champion Member since:Sep 2008 Blu-ray collection:1 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:11	Lewis -- why should a movie with great PQ/AQ but a lousy story get high overall marks? I definitely think a reviewer's critique should be factored into the final score...blu-ray technology may be about picture and sound, but movies as art have always been about story and that comes before everything else (imo). Amazing picture/sound simply cannot save a poor script with poor actors, and I strongly believe reviews should reflect that and am glad they do. That's not to say "great" movies with poor PQ/AQ should always get high marks, as it should be a balance since this is a blu-ray review site so the movie is obviously not the only thing that matters . But that's just my opinion of course. Last edited by Sussudio; 01-31-2010 at 04:12 PM.

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01-31-2010, 08:37 AM	#3
blu_sharpy Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Nov 2009 Location:United Kingdom Blu-ray collection:743 DVD collection:11 Blu-ray reviews: 4 Trading Score:1	I think you have to remember that the movie rating is subjective to the person who is viewing the film. You may like the film, the reviewer may not. Maybe try to skip past this part of the review and focus more on the A/V if it is a problem to you.

01-31-2010, 08:49 AM	#4
QuasidodoJr Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Cincinnati, OH 4K collection:614 Blu-ray collection:1649 DVD collection:152 Trading Score:267	Don't see an issue, here. When you type a movie into the search function, they list just the video and audio portions of the review on the front page. Not to mention, each section of the review is given an individual score. Ultimately, though, in the end, if a movie is bad it doesn't matter how great it looks or sounds - it's still bad. Hence, why the movie score should be included in the overall score.

01-31-2010, 08:58 AM	#5
DrrnHarr Power Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Wisconsin 4K collection:41 Blu-ray collection:818 DVD collection:352 MA collection:2122 Digital collection:6033 iTunes collection:6958 Prime collection:282 Blu-ray reviews: 13 Trading Score:3	I often disagree with the review on the merits of a movie, but that's still the reviewers opinion and one they are entitled to. Heck, two of my favorite guilty pleasures, "Flash Gordon" (1980) and "Force 10 From Navarone" (1978), were both mauled by the critics when they were originally released only to find a cult following later. At the end of the day aren't reviews biased by their very nature.

01-31-2010, 09:56 AM	#6
Johnny Vinyl Moderator Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Jul 2007 Location:At the crossroad of Analogue Dr & 2CH Ave Home Theater Gallery:19 Blu-ray collection:205 DVD collection:7 Blu-ray reviews:3 Trading Score:8	If you disagree with the reviewers opinion on the movie itself, then I might suggest you write a mini-review and post it. John

01-31-2010, 01:24 PM	#7
Steve Blu-ray Knight Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Location:Anna, TX 4K collection:128 Blu-ray collection:416 Trading Score:41	For this reason I don't pay alot of attention to the overall rating of the movie. I just look at the technical aspects of AQ and VQ. Most of the time if I'm looking at a review I've already seen it and know whether I like it or not.

01-31-2010, 02:56 PM	#9
howarmat Power Member Top contributor Member since:Mar 2007 Location:Noblesville, IN 4K collection:635 Blu-ray collection:4607 DVD collection:115 Digital collection:35 Trading Score:43	i always look at the final rating and section. To me that is what is is going to push me over the edge in buying the movie that i am on the fence or havent seen. Sometimes the moview review itself is a bit revealing for my tastes so i would read them. And well if i have seen the movie it would matter much anyway. I love the reviews here and have picked up many movies because of them and havent steered me wrong either. They have also kept me from picking up some and then i netflixed them, most times i have agreed it was not work the purchase and glad i didnt.

01-31-2010, 04:10 PM	#11
Steve46 Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Jan 2009 Location:Oshawa, ON 4K collection:156 Blu-ray collection:1040 Blu-ray reviews: 79 Trading Score:16	Even though this is a blu-ray site, I still consider the story the most important factor when determining whether I will buy a movie. I don't care how good something looks if the story is weak. So I would always prefer The Silence of the Lambs to Transformers for instance. I use the reviews on this site to judge PQ and AQ. That's why these reviews exist. They are watched with the presentation in mind. Judging the overall story is more difficult and much more subjective. It depends on so many things. To some people, an action movie or superhero movie will be their favorite of all time. To others, it might be a slow-moving drama, a subtitled movie, or a comedy. The rating for the story is only really relevant to me if I am considering a blind buy. I don't particular care who else likes it, I only care whether I will like it. The best solution for me was to find an established critic with similar views to my own. I wanted someone that would not automatically dismiss a movie due to its genre. It was also important to find someone that would not simply give certain directors high marks for one of their weaker efforts out of some kind of misguided loyalty. My solution: Use Ebert's reviews for story as I agree with most of his ratings and then look at blu-ray.com to see whether the PQ and AQ are up to expectations. If I am still in doubt, I try to catch the movie on cable or borrow it from the library before buying.

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