Ryan McNeil
Dear Readers and Fellow Bloggers…Riddle Me This…
I’ve been wondering for a month or two now about the format of my reviews. As it is, I know many of you don’t read reviews on movies you haven’t seen, so that isn’t really what has this cat so curious.
What I would like to know is two-fold: do my reviews seem too long, and if so, could you do without the paragraphs that talk about the plot (since you can read about the plot anywhere…or might already know it).
In describing the story, I do still like to tell it in my own smart-assed way, but if most of y’all are skimming past it, or worse – getting bored and clicking away before you get to my actual thoughts on the movie, then I think I might cut that part down or cut it out entirely.
So gang – leave a comment and cast a vote. Likewise if there’s any other ideas for feedback that you can think of – spill ’em! Help me make this humble soapbox of mine more user friendly.
I’m of the opinion that the plot summary should usually be in a review. Even if there are other ways to find it elsewhere, it does save time. 🙂
And your reviews don’t seem long to me.
I actually really like your reviews. But I do tend to leave most of the plot details out of my own reviews… I figure I’m writing to people who’ve seen it, or to people who might see it and don’t want to know too much.
First of all, thanks so much for recommending my “Decline of Cuba Gooding Jr.” post to LAMB Chops, that was very, very cool of you.
As for reviews, I’m with Nayana Anthony in that I usually try to write for people already aware of the general plot, characters, etc. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with including them in your reviews.
I like how you describe the films and also give us something different, something unique.
They’re not too long, either. I just re-read your Kung Fu Panda review and seven paragraphs seems about right.
Keep up the good work.
Scott
he-shot-cyrus.blogspot.com
An interesting question to pose. In my regular review format I have a “synopsis” section. I assume most people don’t read this carefully (whether they’ve seen it or not), but like you, I like to tell the story in my own way sometimes.
I say just write what comes naturally out of your head. Maybe some movies will need more discussion about the plot and others won’t need it at all.
I think a review needs a brief plot summary. Even a movie everyone has seen deserves a refresher otherwise, analysis might be rendered pointless if one is without a reference point.
Right?
Mav,
Your reviews are always great. They never feel long-winded, and the inclusion of a plot summary is, in my opinion, a necessity. I don’t get out to see films as much as you, but I’ve always looked to your blog as a compass pointing to the good, a signpost displaying the bad, and yellow-taped DO NOT CROSS line for the ugly.
Your writing has come such a long way since The Scroll, but it retains that humour and honesty that has become a trademark of your writing style since grade 12.
In short, don’t change a frigign’ thing.
Always nice to meet a fan Cheshire – thanks for the kind words.
It doesn’t matter, really. The only thing I’d add is maybe a search button to see if you’ve done a review particular movie in past posts (I was trying to find a review on Charlie Wilson’s War and had to search back…alas I found none, other than a comment about it being up for an Oscar, or something like that).
I think Daniel G has hit it on the head. Just write whatever comes. That’s how my best posts usually come about.