When reviewing a movie/game/TV show on the internet there are a couple ways I've seen people do it. A popular one is to go through the subject in question while pointing out positive and negative traits with general final thoughts. Another is more straight to the point about the critisms as used by Siskel and Ebert.

My question is two fold
A) Which do you prefer?
B) Which is more appropriate for this groups reviews?

4007316
I prefer the former; it's important to showcase what's right as well as what's wrong. That's just me though.

4007316 I prefer the MST3K style, as it's better to point out what works and what doesn't, and it gives comedian/reviewers like me more options to make jokes.

4007316 4007340
I'd like to mention something I thought of, the first isn't really MST3K style. In fact, MST3K isn't a reviewing show, it's a riffing one. They may say something good, or (more often) something bad, but it's largely more commentary for entertainment than critical analysis; not that that's bad at all, just what it is.

MST3K is awesome. I prefer it because when you review something it sometimes takes the fun out. With MST3K you don't have to worry about anything but laughter!

4007316

1.) The former, for one, it is kind of nicer and more balanced. While being critical is good and all, you risk seeming like you hate everything about it. It makes you look like you are a unable person and or you hate the material you are working with. (This is how some people see anylasis)

2) I think the former.

4007363

On top of that, Siskel & Ebert don't only point out the negative of a film, they also point out positives. The late Roger Ebert's articles are all online, so you can read them and see very clearly where he does both; especially with movies he particularly liked.

From the thread title, I expected this would be about a humorous review where the emphasis is on entertaining, and a serious review where the emphasis is on informing.

I very much tend to be the latter, more serious type of reviewer. Humour is not my strong point. But either way, I definitely make a point to note things I like and things I don't like, and give constructive criticism for correcting the latter when warranted.