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Airbolt 
"teil mann, teil maschine"
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 Posted - 09/10/2007 : 14:27:35
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I know this is a subject that gets debated a lot but i feel moved to write by the nature of some recent rejections. They seem to go against the ethos of this site as i understand it - ie to represent the film in as short and as witty a means as possible. The whole point in my eyes is to incorporate word play , puns and so on.
So if theres a film about a World war 2 Brazilian Dentist , you could write " Wartime Brazilian Dentist" and be factually accurate and not too generic. It was also be rather bland.
I'm not going to submit my declined reviews for debate on this thread. They have been resubmitted with the explanations that they had before.
Not trying to upset anyone - its a great site and Benj and the MERPS are doing a great job. |
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turrell
"Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh "
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Posted - 09/10/2007 : 14:43:07
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The review is a little generic - while I can't immediately think of other films that this pertains to, it certainly doesn't do enough on its own to summarize a film uniquely. I'm no MERP, but I've had several rejected reviews over the years and have a pretty good barometer of such things.
You have an ewxtra word, I'd suggest using the actor's name in the possessive form - this would tie it specifically to that film. I don't know the movie so I'll use the name Faulkner as an example:
"Faulkner's Wartime Brazilian Dentist".
Just a thought. You could also use the director or screenwriter if their names are better known. |
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Airbolt
"teil mann, teil maschine"
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Posted - 09/10/2007 : 14:51:18
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quote:
Originally posted by turrell
The review is a little generic - while I can't immediately think of other films that this pertains to, it certainly doesn't do enough on its own to summarize a film uniquely. I'm no MERP, but I've had several rejected reviews over the years and have a pretty good barometer of such things.
You have an ewxtra word, I'd suggest using the actor's name in the possessive form - this would tie it specifically to that film. I don't know the movie so I'll use the name Faulkner as an example:
"Faulkner's Wartime Brazilian Dentist".
Just a thought. You could also use the director or screenwriter if their names are better known.
Good point . I try and lever the star/director in if possible .
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Edited by - Airbolt on 09/10/2007 14:58:56 |
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BiggerBoat 
"Pass me the harpoon"
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Posted - 09/10/2007 : 16:59:24
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| Maybe Benj should set up a sister site: FFWFR - Funny Four Word Film Reviews. No descriptive reviews, no factual ones, alliterations can take a jump, just the clever amusing ones. And reviews get either a 'funny' or a 'not funny' vote, with the top 100 based on a percentage vote. I'd buy that for a dollar. |
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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 09/10/2007 : 17:13:21
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quote:
Originally posted by BiggerBoat
Maybe Benj should set up a sister site: FFWFR - Funny Four Word Film Reviews. No descriptive reviews, no factual ones, alliterations can take a jump, just the clever amusing ones. And reviews get either a 'funny' or a 'not funny' vote, with the top 100 based on a percentage vote. I'd buy that for a dollar.
Ahhh ... well BBoat, just think of all the people who laugh at Jackass, and all the people who laugh at Pillow Talk, and all the people who laugh at The Life of Brian, and all the people who laugh at Abbott and Costello, and all the people who laugh at Dr Strangelove and all the people who laugh at Mae West ... and all the people who only laugh at one of them, or two, or three. Is Emo Phillips funny? Is Ben Elton? Is Steve Coogan? Is Victoria Wood? Is Phyllis Diller? Is Chris Tucker? Is Shazia Merza? Many thousands of people say yes, and many say no.
Who exactly would be your comedy judge?
When the NY cops were persecuting Lenny Bruce [who, whatever you've heard, was FUNNY!!!] ... the arresting officer was told to read out his stand-up act in court to "prove" it wasn't funny. Guess what the judge thought?
I'm guessing, that as a stand-up himself, benj prob'ly considered something like you suggest, and prob'ly rejected it in favour of a system promising the fairest criteria for approval.
In an imperfect world, I think he's succeeded handsomely.
But your own reviews are true gems, and worth far more than a dollar of anyone's stash 
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BiggerBoat
"Pass me the harpoon"
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Posted - 09/10/2007 : 17:20:42
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Many thousands of people say yes, and many say no.
That, if I daresay myself, is the genius of the 'funny' / 'not funny' buttons. The closer to 100% you get, the more universally funny your review is.
Edit: Obviously it wouldn't be as good as this site though. |
Edited by - BiggerBoat on 09/10/2007 17:32:47 |
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TitanPa 
"Here four more"
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Posted - 09/10/2007 : 19:54:47
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I submitted a review that I thought was funny. I never heard of the movie, never saw it, etc. So I decided to write a review that I thought was funny. I dont know if it had anything to do with the movie. But it's what might have been thought while watching the movie.....Well...maybe by Mel Gibson.
The movie is called 'Soupernatural'
ITs about how Jesus is found serving soup at a church festival.
My review?
"No soup for Jew!"
If you know the story in the bible and understand what some people think than you would have gotten the joke. Heck, Even Mel would have got the joke. Now I dont want you to bash the review or tell me why it was rejected or why I never should have written it. I understand. Im just glad it wasnt passed. Some jokes need to be held in. |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 06:49:00
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quote:
Originally posted by BiggerBoat
Maybe Benj should set up a sister site: FFWFR - Funny Four Word Film Reviews. No descriptive reviews, no factual ones, alliterations can take a jump, just the clever amusing ones. And reviews get either a 'funny' or a 'not funny' vote, with the top 100 based on a percentage vote. I'd buy that for a dollar.
If so, then my review for the movie Jesus "My lord, he's Jewish!" might not have been rejected.
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BiggerBoat
"Pass me the harpoon"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 11:45:25
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
quote:
Originally posted by BiggerBoat
Maybe Benj should set up a sister site: FFWFR - Funny Four Word Film Reviews. No descriptive reviews, no factual ones, alliterations can take a jump, just the clever amusing ones. And reviews get either a 'funny' or a 'not funny' vote, with the top 100 based on a percentage vote. I'd buy that for a dollar.
If so, then my review for the movie Jesus "My lord, he's Jewish!" might not have been rejected.
Well, speaking as the virtual administrator of this imaginary site - yes, it would have been accepted (reviews with exclamamtion marks may even get to bypass the acceptance process) but it would then be down to the users to decide if it were funny or not. |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 11:59:12
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| Well, I thought it was funny, but then again, I'm also Jewish, so I might be biased. |
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zulu
"Resisting the Bay lobotomy"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 13:49:44
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quote:
Originally posted by BiggerBoat
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Many thousands of people say yes, and many say no.
That, if I daresay myself, is the genius of the 'funny' / 'not funny' buttons. The closer to 100% you get, the more universally funny your review is.
Edit: Obviously it wouldn't be as good as this site though.
I love your idea BB. Maybe Benj will sell you a franchise?
To a significant degree, the current voting system rewards funny/clever reviews. It must be working because you and I are first and second in the average votes per review league table.   
Z |
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Stalean
"Back...OMG"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 14:14:21
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quote:
Originally posted by zulu
quote:
Originally posted by BiggerBoat
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Many thousands of people say yes, and many say no.
That, if I daresay myself, is the genius of the 'funny' / 'not funny' buttons. The closer to 100% you get, the more universally funny your review is.
Edit: Obviously it wouldn't be as good as this site though.
I love your idea BB. Maybe Benj will sell you a franchise?
To a significant degree, the current voting system rewards funny/clever reviews. It must be working because you and I are first and second in the average votes per review league table.
Z
You need to clarify your BB, zulu. If you meant BiggerBoat and BaftaBabe, you need to add an 's' to idea and BB.  |
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rockfsh 
"Laugh, Love, Cheer"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 15:08:48
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It could be that with the backlog, MERPs don't spend much time per review. I've noticed a large increase in approved reviews so they must be working hard. I've also noticed that I've had rejections for "Not factually accurate" where I think the review is accurate.
For Woodstock "Nation's no reservation generation" . I explained that there were many gate crashers and they were uninhibited. I've resubmitted it twice. We'll see.
For Italian Job "Charley's cooper's raise Caine" was also rejected as "factually inaccurate" but I don't know why. I've also resubmitted it.
I haven't yet made six months here so I'm still a newbie, splashing around in the shallow end. I'm not in the position to dispense advice. |
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Stalean
"Back...OMG"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 15:37:41
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quote:
Originally posted by rockfsh
It could be that with the backlog, MERPs don't spend much time per review. I've noticed a large increase in approved reviews so they must be working hard. I've also noticed that I've had rejections for "Not factually accurate" where I think the review is accurate.
For Woodstock "Nation's no reservation generation" . I explained that there were many gate crashers and they were uninhibited. I've resubmitted it twice. We'll see.
For Italian Job "Charley's cooper's raise Caine" was also rejected as "factually inaccurate" but I don't know why. I've also resubmitted it.
I haven't yet made six months here so I'm still a newbie, splashing around in the shallow end. I'm not in the position to dispense advice.
I've been here a looong time, and I'm still no expert on what will be accepted. Maybe, if you add an 's' to "reservation" and (') around 'no reservations' it would be accepted. I take it to mean the attendees have "no inhibitions" (which, they didn't--it was free love, remember ).
As far as the other one, I always receive an "Inaccurate." I didn't know there was a "Factually." Maybe you're supposed to capitalize "Cooper" and Charlie's instead of Charley, which is incorrect. (place a shrug/I don't know emoticon here) I would think if it is a spelling error, they would just go ahead and correct it. |
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BiggerBoat
"Pass me the harpoon"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 16:01:54
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quote:
Originally posted by zulu
I love your idea BB. Maybe Benj will sell you a franchise?
To a significant degree, the current voting system rewards funny/clever reviews. It must be working because you and I are first and second in the average votes per review league table.
Z
I'll give him ONE MILLION POUNDS <little finger goes to lip>
Yes, the current voting system rewards reviews/reviewers to an extent, but you don't get icons for a vote average or for getting reviews into the top 500. You get rewarded for volume, which you could argue encourages quantity over quality. This has led to the recent cap on quantity submitted, which has in turn led to a slight rise in the quality of reviews.
I don't want to be critical, because I love this site, but my personal raison d'etre when I stop by is to read and write funny or clever reviews - that means that there are a good 200,000 + reviews that I'd be quite happy to never see. But you get what you want from this site - I'm number one in a particular category, and I'm delighted about that, but it's not for me to say what people should or shouldn't be doing when they come here.
What I'm basically saying is that I have immense respect for Benj and his worker ants but I don't think I could handle such an undertaking. Without being paid. Huzzah to Benj! Huzzah to the worker ants! |
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BiggerBoat
"Pass me the harpoon"
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Posted - 09/11/2007 : 16:07:24
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| By the way Zulu, your review for the Straight Story currently on your consideration list is friggin' brilliant. |
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Reviews declined
