brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,160
There are literally thousands of movie review sites on the Web ranging from the giant and comprehensive, like Movie Review Query Engine down to sites of dubious value. I was looking for a site that would offer me the opinions of many published reviewers at a glance, though I doubted if such a thing existed.
Fortunately, I stumbled upon ROTTEN TOMATOES which, despite its name fulfilled all those criteria and more. The procedure is simple. Type in a title and a page appears with the first few sentences of multiple reviews along with a red (good) or green (bad) tomato next to each review. You can read each review in depth if you would like.
But that isn't the best part. At the top of the page is what looks like a big horizontal thermometer. It goes from "0" at the left to "100" on the right. The red filling of the thermometer extends from left to right until it stops at a specific percentage. That percentage is the average of all those reviews. Even without the percentage figures, a single glance gives you the data.
I was thinking of renting "AMELIE". One look at that thermometer told me all I had to know: 88% Ripe Tomatoes! I have yet to be really disappointed by any movie rated higher than 75%, and often the lower rated movies are surprisingly good until you start getting into the low 60's or upper 50's, though of course that's a matter of personal opinion.
I like the fact that many reviewers opinions are balanced against each other. It leads to a pretty reliable consensus.
My only real complaint is that it isn't as comprehensive as a few of the gigantic sites, but their database keeps growing.
I found "Rotten Tomatoes" very helpful so I pass it along to you.
Enjoy,
Brightnorm
"ROTTEN TOMATOES"
.
Fortunately, I stumbled upon ROTTEN TOMATOES which, despite its name fulfilled all those criteria and more. The procedure is simple. Type in a title and a page appears with the first few sentences of multiple reviews along with a red (good) or green (bad) tomato next to each review. You can read each review in depth if you would like.
But that isn't the best part. At the top of the page is what looks like a big horizontal thermometer. It goes from "0" at the left to "100" on the right. The red filling of the thermometer extends from left to right until it stops at a specific percentage. That percentage is the average of all those reviews. Even without the percentage figures, a single glance gives you the data.
I was thinking of renting "AMELIE". One look at that thermometer told me all I had to know: 88% Ripe Tomatoes! I have yet to be really disappointed by any movie rated higher than 75%, and often the lower rated movies are surprisingly good until you start getting into the low 60's or upper 50's, though of course that's a matter of personal opinion.
I like the fact that many reviewers opinions are balanced against each other. It leads to a pretty reliable consensus.
My only real complaint is that it isn't as comprehensive as a few of the gigantic sites, but their database keeps growing.
I found "Rotten Tomatoes" very helpful so I pass it along to you.
Enjoy,
Brightnorm
"ROTTEN TOMATOES"
.
