Conference bookie::movies

1008.0. "The moviecritic Web site" by SPSEG::COVINGTON (serpent deflector) Fri Jan 05 1996 15:38

    
    Try this site out:
    
    http://www.moviecritic.com
    
    Here's a description, from the "how it works" page.
    It really works! try it.
    
    
    
    
    I'm The MOVIE CRITIC�, and here's what I do: 
    
    Simply put, I let you selectively benefit from other people's reactions
    to movies, and I let other people benefit from yours. 
    
    Whenever you see a new movie, whether theater or video, you tell me how
    much YOU liked it. I save your ratings, and use them to predict how
    much YOU'd like each movie you haven't seen. 
    
    Of course, nobody is EXACTLY like you, but by studying you and
    thousands of other people, I become surprisingly attuned to YOUR
    notions of a "good movie". 
    
    
    Frequently Asked Questions... 
    
    Will The MOVIE CRITIC ever "misjudge" you?
    
    Occasionally I might, especially at first... but still FAR less often
    than even your best friends. Furthermore, I'm always learning about
    you. (So, if I happen to recommend a movie you've seen and didn't like,
    be sure to rate that important movie immediately.) 
    
         How long will The MOVIE CRITIC "keep" you?
    
    Currently, I keep you as an ongoing user as long as you regularly ask
    me about, and rate, movies (...like the normal-to-fanatic moviegoer you
    probably are). 
    
         When does a movie show up on The MOVIE CRITIC?
    
    As soon as it hits theaters. (Of course, I can't make even
    low-confidence predictions about ANY movie until a few people have seen
    and rated it. So, once in a while, YOU be first in line at the
    box-office....) 
    
         What movies are in The MOVIE CRITIC?
    
    I try to include the movies that seem aimed toward at least some
    minimal number of ticket-buyers. (No kids-only. No made-for-TV.) If you
    strongly suspect I've mistakenly omitted a particular movie, send
    E-mail. 
    
         But, what about the "oldies"?
    
    With an older movie, nostalgia often clouds peoples' "modern" tastes.
    So, most of my titles are less than 10 years old, with none older than
    20. (Anyway, you don't NEED my recommendation about 'Citizen Kane' or
    'Jaws'.) 
    
         Does The MOVIE CRITIC notice particular genres, etc.?
    
    No. I don't aim to recommend Westerns to Western-lovers, for example.
    To me, a movie is ONLY the ratings people give it. And, if I interpret
    from them that YOU'd rate the movie highly, enough said. (Actually, I
    don't even know what a "Western" is....) 
    
         What's the best way to rate a movie?
    
    Compare it to movies you've previously rated (which I make easy for
    you). And remember, I want to know ONLY how much YOU ENJOYED the movie.
    So, for example, be especially careful rating a movie that you
    "admired", or that your friends called "boring", or that you're
    personally connected to, or even one that seems "politically correct".
    If you sometimes CAN'T see past those distortions, just give that movie
    the non-committal rating: 'Won't-ever-see-or-rate-it'. 
    
         What if some people WEREN'T conscientious in their ratings?
    
    Because of how I work, they'd have little or no effect on you.
    Remember, too, that, to get personally accurate recommendations,
    everyone is motivated to enter personally accurate ratings. (Truth in,
    truth out....) 
    
         May a password be shared by two people?
    
    No, never, and absolutely NOT. The two of you would be merely a
    nonexistent, "homogenized" person, with nothing to say, and no way to
    hear.... 
    
         How long does The MOVIE CRITIC take to develop recommendations?
    
    Hard to say, because I'm ALWAYS refining my recommendations for you,
    under circumstances that are always changing. Still, a good
    middle-of-the-road answer is: overnight. (So, the ratings I receive
    today, from you or anyone else, might not greatly affect my predictions
    for you until tomorrow....) 
    
         Will advertisers appear here? Will they affect anyone's
    recommendations
    
    Yes. No. (Don't ask stupid questions....) 
    

    
    	I put in a bunch of "reviews" [rated them 1-10 or so], and as I
    	got to around 20-25 movies the suggested rating was either right
    	on or within 1 rating point of what I would have entered for a
    	movie I'd already seen.
    

    
    The only one it missed on for me was "Heathers," which I liked. I
    suggested that I would rate it dead bottom. Other than that, except for
    really obscure movies (which I guess don't have enough ratings in the
    database) it's either right on or within one point.
    
    I REALLY like the "recommendations!"
    
    We print it out & take it to the video store. It hasn't missed yet!
    
    Anyone else want to rate "Heathers?" It was so far off for me that I
    was surprised (& confused.)
    

    
    	I'd rate it 1 point below "Excellent", if I remember the rating
    	system correctly.
    
    	I'll try it and see what it gives me.
    

    How do I get the valid password to sign on?
    
    CJ
    

>    How do I get the valid password to sign on?
    
     You make one up. Hit the first-time-user button and it will set you up.
     Unlike other systems, this one has JUST a password, no "username".
     So when you select your password, do be sure it's awkward. Otherwise
     someone might log in as you and screw up your ratings.
    
       John