Well... people on Rotten tomatoes gave it 7%, which is worse than on IMDB. Is has a 100% fresh review, but with only 5 critics who obviously say it is good if you want to "escape". It is like saying "it is good if you like bad movies". The movie is bad. Not the worst I've seen, but hey, I didn't like much "The Dark Knight Rises", "Rush", or "Warrior" for example, they aren't in my own top 250 film I've seen, but they are high in the top 250 movie of all time, and I have to respect that. Shawshank redemption isn't the best movie I've seen, and it is still at the top. There are dynamics at play here, those movie brings attention only because of the existence of the top 250 or bottom 100 charts. In a way that is how democracy works. People always vote for the most popular choices. They follow the masses, and that's true even for politics.
There is nothing more genuine in a democracy than these kind of dynamics.
You told it yourself; "I mistakenly have used IMDb ratings for years to decide which movies to watch..." ... in a way you did exactly what you criticize about the way things works. You relied on other people to make some choices, and then when you realize other people do the same, you say you don't like the way things are...
IMDB voting system isn't perfect. No wonder why most film have a rating between 6 and 8... people are not stupid, they will watch movie they know they'll like, and won't check and vote those they doubt they won't like. At the end of the day, we have some kind of a democratic system in which there is people who are mostly favorable with something who goes to vote... or people who watches bad movie because they want to watch bad movies (that is why the bottom 100 exists). We have high ratings for everything. Everything is flat because people only watch what they know (or guess) they'll like.
The thing is, people don't want to take risk anymore. They want to choose to watch a good or bad movie, and they want people to confirm their choice even before they make it. They want a list of bad movies they can watch and know what to expect, bad movies they will watch and know before watching that they'll vote it 1 at the end.
Rotten tomatoes isn't better man. You own opinion and independent thinking will always be you best friend. Your should make your choice depending on some beliefs or life experience or tastes of some sort, not based on what the mass think, even if sometimes a good advice can be relevant. At least Bangladeshis understood that. They saw the movie was insulting to their identity, and they reacted in that sense with their vote, disregarding what other thought of it. At the end they made more of a change and an influence on IMDB than most of us who check the TOP 250 to watch good movie we will also want to vote a 10.
I respect that.
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christopherabc422
10 years ago
SamJ_3000, I don't base my view of a film I've watched on what the other 'masses' have voted or think, I think some of the films that are considered 'classics', such as A Clockwork Orange and Midnight Cowboy are overrated, and I think it's an insult to film that A Clockwork Orange has an 8.4 and has a higher score then 2001: A Space Odyssey, one of the best films I've ever seen. Same goes with The Tree of Life, which I was stunned to find at a 6.7, when I think it's fantastic. Same with Mud, a 7.5, but I think it's a modern classic. But then again, like you said and I mentioned before, that IMDb ratings were flawed and that there are an excess of films rated between 6-8.
Just because I was asking why Gunday had a 1.7 and was considered the worst film ever on IMDb, and that I previously would check the IMDb ratings of films so that I could see what others considered the best of the best, does not mean that I only want to watch the best films or the worst films. I too, love nothing more then finding a film, knowing next to nothing about it and finding out its brilliance. That happened to me with The Way Way Back, hence why it's now my profile picture.
Rotten Tomatoes or finding a critic might or might not be as good as IMDb ratings, but they can give me suggestions of what seems like the best new films that are out at the moment. If I like the look of it, then I'll check it out. Otherwise, if I don't check it out, I might never know about it.
I also urge you to re-watch 'Warrior', a very good film in my opinion, 'The Dark Knight Rises' was good but definitely overrated and haven't seen 'Rush'.
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SamJ_3000
10 years ago
christopherabc422, sorry for the answer I gave you yesterday. After reading it today, I find it a bit arrogant. I wrote it somewhere between 2 and 4 am last night, I was not at my best. My intentions were not to accuse you, but to make the point the existence of Top 250 and Bottom 100 influence user rating, promotes those movies, and in itself justify and confirm the content of both list. I wonder where would be the Shawshank Redemption ratings (which is a pretty good movie by the way) if it was not of its position in the TOP 250 list. The fact it is there push more people to see it but also to vote high, which at the end solidify the movie's position in the top.
I agree the movie A Clockwork Orange is overated, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people rated it high just because it is considered a cult movie by some people (it is for many reasons, but it doesn't mean the movie is perfect). I also preferred 2001: A Space Odyssey, and also really liked The Tree of Life which I think it is sad people don't have the patience to appreciate more.
I also check rating or read critics to make some decisions on what to watch. I'm not much better than other on that subject. Now that you mentioned it, I'll had the Way Way back to my watch-list. But I mostly check the directors and actor, or subject before choosing my next film to see. That is what I wanted to express yesterday, that there are other ways to choose than check the ratings.
Warrior was good, the actors were awesome, but I think the story was a bit classic and cliché (The brothers fighting each other story is common is a lot of asian movies). Rush isa good movie worth seeing I think. Well, I was surprised by how good it was, but also, to see it was in the Top 250...
Cheers
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christopherabc422
10 years ago
At least you are self-conscious and sympathetic enough to know when to stop and apologize, unlike the occasional troll or completely ignorant IMDb users that are steadily becoming far more common.
Agree with what you say about Top 250 and Bottom 100 influencing better or worse votes; the lists are designed to showcase the best and worst films ever as chosen by the general public (ie IMDb users), but their appearance on the list and the rating can make someone believe that they must vote with the rest of the 'masses'. I used to follow IMDb ratings because I thought people that could be bothered to watch a film, get an IMDb account and give it a rating or a review, was not just your average moviegoer that appreciates Bay as much as Scorsese. I think now, looking through the message boards, I'm probably wrong.
Looks like you have a similar taste in films as me, but if you are going to watch The Way Way Back, I insist that you don't expect any visual or narrative masterpiece. It is a film that I put up on my profile picture because of how it related to me personally, which only a few other films and shows have ever done. It is still, however, a very good film.
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