Thursday, October 30, 2014

Reviews to Choose and Read. From Mike Lohre

 Students,

Please read the following links to reviews to get an idea of how different writers approach the genre.

As you read, think about why we use reviews and the different purposes these reviews take on.

Write a response to one of the reviews in the Comments section of this post.

Consider:

  • What is the conclusion of the review? Do you agree or disagree?  
  • Is this review fair or biased?  How can you tell? 
  • What counts as evidence here?  Research? Comparison/Contrast? Personal experience and taste?  Storytelling? Historical testing? 
  • What values are implied or stated in this review? 


 LINKS


http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/taylor-swift-1989/

or any of these. . .    http://www.collapseboard.com/music-blogs-3/no-one-sent-us-the-new-taylor-swift-album-to-review/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/book-review-i-am-malala-by-malala-yousafzai/2013/10/11/530ba90a-329a-11e3-9c68-1cf643210300_story.html





http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/oct/23/fury-review-brad-pitt-second-world-war-drama


http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-6/



14 comments:

  1. I read the review for the iPhone 6. At the end of the review, I now have a better idea of the difference between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 plus, I felt that it did not have a down pat this is the conclusion. It seemed to leave it open ended on purpose, so that the reader could make their own decision of what they wanted. Which is important as when you are about to invest anywhere between $200 to $300 on a product I want to 110% informed about everything. Which is why we have CNET.

    I thought while the writer was trying to give an unbiased opinion and make sure the article was informative there was biased moments in the tone of the article. The moments were subtle but enough to pick out the fact that maybe he/ she is a big apple product user overall and wanted to sate their own curiosity about the latest and greatest that Apple has to offer.

    The comparison and contrast is the biggest of evidence that usually sways me to buy. It's the most informative portion of the whole article. Not only can I see the iPhone 6 but to see similar phones stacked up against it helps me see what I maybe missing with another product. That helps me put into perspective what I want in my next phone.

    One of the values stated were to make sure that you are comparing apples to apples when purchasing either the 6 or the plus. This is a lot of money and while it has its flaws like the limited battery life and the picture quality is not where it should be with this model, people are still getting them. Apple must have done something right.

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  2. I read and watched the review for the movie Fury. The conclusion that they came to is that the movie is good, but the reviewer didn't understand the hype. They state "...though I can’t share the saucer-eyed excitement with which it has been received by some, due to a certain bizarrely naive “coming-of-age” sex scene that director David Ayer seems to think is some kind of humanistically redemptive moment." They use information within the movie to help form their opinion. I myself have not seen the movie, but I have seen the previews and believe that the movie looks entertaining.

    I feel that this review is biased. The reviewer shares his opinions on what he thought was good and bad about the movie. There was no research done aside from an interview with everyone else's opinions on what the movie was supposed to mean. There was no factual information. When reviewing a movie I believe it all comes down to personal preference without having any factual information to back it up.

    So what counts as evidence here is the reviewers opinions and thoughts. The reviewers shares their personal opinion on a scene within the movie and what they think the movie means or how it should be interpreted, but there's no factual information or research.

    The values that are stated here are more just opinions and feelings of the movie and the actors. I found that there was nothing value worthy with this review. They talk about the movie and what they believe it is conveying, they also speak of Brad Pitt and how he believes this movie and war should not be compared to a video game. The movie is getting great hype and is very popular in the U.S. and making its way across the world, the implied statement here is that the movie is worth seeing regardless of this reviewers dislike of a particular scene.

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  3. I read the review for the iPhone 6. The conclusion for the review is that the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 plus are very similar, but most people prefer the 6 because it's not as large. The iPhone is a great upgrade continuing to be more like the Andriod, which is not a bad thing considering it is still a better phone than the iPhone. What will make the difference in this iPhone is Apple Pay, when it is released. This will make your iPhone like a credit card. It could be Apple's biggest release in years. I agree with this review because I've heard similar things from my peers.

    I think that this review is fair because the person who wrote it had the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 plus and talks about her own experiences with it. Also, I see it as fair because the author is not saying anything like how it's so great and no other phone is better than it. Something that would support this is how she says the Andriod is a better phone. If she was being biased then she would only be talking about how great the iPhone is and how no other phone is better. That's not the case in this review, which makes it fair.

    Things that count as evidence in this review would be what I already stated, how the author had the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 plus, this would make it a personal experience. Also, how I talked about in the last paragraph how the author compared the iPhone to the Andriod, and even the iPhone 5s.

    A few values that are stated in this review are when the author talks about and states facts and studies on the battery life, the camera, the fingerprint sensor, especially Apple Pay. This is a huge value for the iPhone 6 because if it works as well as Apple expects it too, this is the only phone that you will be able to have this on. This could potentially make the value of the iPhone 6 sky rocket.

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  4. I read the review for the new iPhone 6. In the end, the conclusion is quite accurate. I recently invested in the iPhone 6 and I can honestly say that the size of the screen makes a huge difference. Although the 6 is the biggest iPhone yet, it isn't that big of a difference from the iPhone 5s. Also, the battery life is incredible. I haven't gone below fifty percent battery life yet and I am on my phone 24/7. This review was one of the better reviews for the iPhone and i really enjoyed reading this review.

    This review in my opinion is not biased. If someone has an iPhone, they will be able to tell you more in detail about what they like and what they do not like as opposed to someone on the outside looking in who might have a Droid. This review had both pros and cons and descriptively gave insight as to what you will be getting if you decide to purchase the iPhone 6.

    Within this review, evidence lies towards the end of it. For example, the comparing and contrasting of the news iPhone 6 and the Android. Discussing the detail of the camera, the battery life, and most importantly the overall system are big topics, saying that with the iPhone stacked up against any competing cell phone, is tough to top.

    The main value that I took from this review is that you are simply getting your money's worth with the iPhone 6. From the battery life to the durability, you are getting your "bang for your buck." This phone is faster than it ever has been before, allowing for owners to look up what they need to in a short amount of time. There are obviously cons to this phone but that being said, the pore outweigh them any day of the week.

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  5. I read the review for Taylor Swift's new album, 1989. The conclusion of the review is that Taylor's new album is nothing like she has done before. She has gone from country music to pop music. She started to change to pop music a little bit in her album, Red, but this album is all pop. Her lyrics are still her same lyrics about love, relationships and break-ups. I agree with this review. I personally like Taylor Swift's new album. It is not like anything she has done before. She manages to write her songs for anyone from young girls to adults. I agree with the review that this change has just made Taylor's music career that much longer.

    In my opinion, the review is fair. The writer simply just stated facts about the new album. They talked about how Taylor's music has went from country to pop and also how her lyrics are still hers. The writer also wrote that "Taylor Swift has said" meaning that Taylor herself has said it. Therefore, they have not stated their opinion about what a song was about rather than Taylor has said what certain songs are about.

    There are many counts of evidence in this article. Like I previously said, the writer wrote several facts that Taylor herself has said before. Another count of evidence is the compare and contrast of Taylor's albums Red and 1989. Red was still a country album but a little bit of pop was starting to show but her new album 1989 is all pop. More evidence in the article is when the writer talks about all of the interments used in Taylor's album making it more pop than any other albums of hers.

    A value that I took from the article is that Taylor was brave and took a chance to change up her music. She was successful with her chance. Many people of all ages are able to still relate to Taylor's lyrics that she writes. Taylor's music career will now last longer than it already was with her new pop album.

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  6. I chose to read the review on Taylor Swift's new album. The conclusion of the review is stating that Taylor's new album does have some resemblance to the late 80's. It says that her musical instincts are stronger than ever, and that this album is really personal and gives you a glimpse into the private life of Taylor. This review also talks about why Swift is so successful as an artist and that she should probably stick with pop for a little longer. I haven't heard or listened to her album, but I do agree that her album seem to be very successful and based from the things I've seen on twitter people love it.

    I feel that this review is fair. The person writing this isn't being completely one sided on whether or not they like or dislike Taylor. They gave an honest opinion I feel like, and had positive and constructive criticism things to say.

    Evidence is seen throughout the whole review. It starts off by talking about her album and saying some of the things they feel could be better, but it gradually shifts into why the album is great, and how talented Taylor is as an artist.

    Th values that are stated in this review is how they talk about the particular songs on the album and how they show a different side to Swift. They talk about how amazing of a person Taylor is and how she relates to an every day girl.

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  7. I chose to the read the review on Taylor Swift by grantland.com. This conclusion of the review was based on how the negative traits and weaknesses that are portrayed towards Taylor Swift are evidently describing all the negative aspects towards women and their weaknesses. It was saying how these aspects are what are so negative and that Taylor is not actually weak in the public but that she shows her weakness in her music because that is the only place that she can do so. So I do agree with the conclusion of the review, as it rips apart the critical peoples' look on how taylor swift acts and is seen. As people see only negative and do not look at the positive of her music.

    This review is actually fair in my point of view. I can see this based on how it points out the looks from both sides. People who love her only the see the good, and the people that only see her negative aspects. So it shows both perspectives and looks deep into what peoples thoughts on this review are.

    The evidence portrayed in this review includes the comparisons of past music with her recent music, this including the use and recognition of other artists that are associated with her album that was just released. The writer also used past hits and personal outlooks on her music and personality, along with her age to prove their point.

    The values that are implied or stated in this review are to not just judge a book by the cover, or in this case judge the musician by their songs without really listening to them. This is what shows a different outlook and different perspectives of her music and her in general.

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  8. I read the review on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus. I understand why they continue to try and improve and better their phones. Me as an Apple product user am more about the performance of the product rather than the screen size and clarity. To me there doesn't seem too much more difference from the 5s compared to the 6. I would be a little more impressed if the hype was made around an increased battery life, or processing speed but rather the hype is built up around screen size.

    I think the writer did a good job trying to stay unbiased and explain that there are other phones out on the market than the iPhone. But you can tell that this person does favor Apple products a little bit.

    Some evidence is the fact that this phone has been tested as far as an increase or decrease in battery life. They are trying to improve the phones somehow, and the Apple iPhone continues to be an extremely popular phone so Apple definitely has their marketing playing field down.

    This review implies that this phone is meant to fit the needs of different kinds of consumers as far as the size and capabilities of the phone.

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  9. I decided to read the review by Peter Bradshaw concerning the movie "Fury". After reading the review, I found the conclusion to be that people think that the movie is good. But in the end, the reviewer still doesn't understand all the hype and attention that the movie is getting. Bradshaw says, "it is watchable and well-made, though I can’t share the saucer-eyed excitement with which it has been received by some, due to a certain bizarrely naive “coming-of-age” sex scene that director David Ayer seems to think is some kind of humanistically redemptive moment." As he says this quote, we can see his stance on the movie, and his opinion on one single scene of the movie. Personally, I haven't seen the movie yet, but i'm a sucker for war movies. It is definitely on my agenda to see this film at some point. As of right now, I can't agree or disagree about Bradshaw's opinions when it comes to "Fury". (I'll have to see the movie first)

    I find this review to be very biased because Bradshaw only uses his opinions to talk about the movie, "Fury". He says that the movie is "clearly influenced by video-games" and he talks about how he doesn't understand the "coming-of-age sex scene" within the movie. He also talks about how well Director Ayer does with depicting "sudden frenzies of violence and fear as the soldiers engage the enemy." Most of this review is formed by opinions only, and that is why I think it is biased in my mind.

    The majority of this review was based on personal opinion of the reviewer. So as a result, I found that the personal experience and taste of the reviewer is the only thing that stands out as evidence in this review. (It's the only thing that counts as evidence for the movie & the review itself)

    While reading this review, it was very difficult for me to pick out implied or stated values. The bulk of the review was based entirely off of opinion, so the only notions that would count as values would be what Bradshaw reflects upon after his viewing of the film. I feel like this movie is definitely gaining some attention though, so maybe it's implied that people should still go to see this film and find out for themselves if it lives up to the hype or not.

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  10. I read the review for the Fury movie. I think overall this review seemed as if it were sort of on the biased and personal opinion side. The review wasn't very informative over the actual content of the movie as I personally think a review should be in this case. Whether or not I agree with this review, I can't say because I have yet to see the movie but I will definitely keep this review in mind while I watch it.

    Like I already mentioned I think this review comes off mostly bias. Although the author of this review did refer back to an interview in which Brad gave some of his own opinions on the movie, the review is mainly written from his own opinions and what the public's opinions seem to be on the movie so far.

    The interview could be considered research and the rest of the review I would say is personal experience and taste.

    As far as implied or stated values within the review I didn't come across any.

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  11. I reviewed the movie Fury. This is an action movie starring Brad Pit towards the end of WWII. The overall review shows that the reviewer liked the movie. He didn't feel quite as enthusiastic as some other reviewers did. I have seen this movie and find this review very accurate.

    I think this review is fair. He looks at the pros and cons and gives his honest opinion of the movie. This could be potentially biased if he worked for the movie or something along those lines.

    I think this review is mainly based on personal opinion. The reviewer makes a comment about box office standings but other than that he mostly talks about what his opinion was after watching the movie.

    I am not sure of any values from this review. The reviewer mainly just explains his opinion of the movie. He may be using values he has gained in the past to intelligently write about this movie. Also he may have instilled values of how to watch movies to write a detailed report.

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  12. I read the review of the film Fury. It was short and to the point about how the movie was good but the writer didn't understand why it was so hyped. "I can’t share the saucer-eyed excitement with which it has been received by some..." I disagree with the reason he gave about why he didn't think the movie was amazing. I think the cast of the movie really drew the attention of the public and that is what all the hype was about.
    I think the review is fair based on the fact that he is a reviewer. He doesn't work for the filming company and has no association with the film, so he is publicly stating what he thinks about the movie.
    The reviewer states that he has seen the movie and has reviewed it before in London. That is the only experience the reviewer seemed to have and his posting is on personal experience.
    I couldn't identify any values in this review although the author did bring up a specific scene from the film stating his belief that it may cause the viewer to hype more about the movie.

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  13. I read the review for the new iPhone 6 and 6 plus. it told how is I Phone 6 different the other phones. it looked like iphone 5S more likely. although this one has high LTE.

    My opinion it is not biasing because they have to tell what it is good or what it is bad.also people will tell what they saw if i wrong something.

    the contrast and comparative iphone 6 and the other iphones were many things like speed, sizes and camera. similar was same company, it has same color the other iphones and you use same way.
    there are value like boast better battery life, more cost,new iPhones are massive leaps in screen size. many people like the it is now. they were spend a lot of money.

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  14. I read the review on the iPhone6. The conclusion of this review is that the phone is rated outstanding with a 8.8/10 rating. For phones, that usually is known for having several problems it seems as though Apple has stepped up by making the iPhone6 and seems to be pleasing all their customers. I agree with this review, however I don't personally own the iPhone6, but I would love to for the bigger display. It seems like 8.8/10 is an accurate review for me.
    The review from this website seems fair as it gives both the positive and the bad things about the iPhone6. The evidence the CNET used was a guys personal experiences with using both of the phones for several weeks and seeing what pros and cons they came with. Also, the actual factual information came from the phone dealers websites where the prices are listed for each cost of the phone.
    The values that come in this review are set in three categories, Design, Features, and Performance. With an overall review concluding these three catorgories. The iPhone6 is made to seem like a perfect phone for someone looking for a big, easy to use phone.

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