There has been some talk lately of people not being happy with Peter Bracke from HDD. Most of the reviews we read come from the same few people (John Puccio, Kenneth Brown, AVS reviewer Ralph Potts).

Simple question, who is your favorite reviewer that you can trust you will usually agree with in regards to HD media and why? Also, where is he/she from?

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/2787/timepersonoftheyear5b25wj4.jpg

I like Ralph Potts' reviews! :)

Kris Deering. His reviews consistantly match what I see. I would not hesitate to blind buy something he gives a good review to.

Ralph Potts, definitely. I always look forward to his reviews, keep up the excellent work Ralph.

Chad Varnadore and Kris Deering. Utterly professional and accurate on PQ and SQ assessment using top notch equipment properly calibrated.

I find the reviews at HDD are generally decent but bias of particular titles/formats/specs comes into play too often.

Kris Deering. His reviews consistantly match what I see. I would not hesitate to blind buy something he gives a good review to.

Where can I read his reviews?

Where can I read his reviews?

http://www.hometheatermag.com/moviereviews/

Chad Varnadore and Kris Deering. Utterly professional and accurate on PQ and SQ assessment using top notch equipment properly calibrated.

Add Ralph Potts, and Josh Zyber to that list and I have my favorite foursome.. Erm. Yeah.

Ralph, Dave, Gary, Josh, Mathew, Kris and sometimes Kenneth. There could be few more that I might have left out, so pardon me.

I just find HDD too off the mark. As mentioned, they don't seem to judge objectively as well as other reviewers. One particular reviewerover there seems to give high PQ ratings to movies he simply prefers.

I really like Deering's reviews, but I wish he'd give just a bit more detail/description for PQ.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/moviereviews/

I just read a bunch of his reviews, and I definitely like his audio reviews. I get the impression that he is torn over DNR. His Patton review is generally positive but he almost apologizes to the "purists"...aka people on AVS :D

My favorite reviewer is Peter M Bracke over at HDD. I was rolling on the floor with his review of Celine Dion:A New Day. Below is an excerpt from his review:

Celine Dion is the one musical artist on this planet that I love to hate more than any other. For me, her multi-octave voice, while technically impressive, is the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. Add to that her zillion-selling albums stuffed with Ready Whip-tunes by songwriters-for-hire, and an utter sincerity as a live performer that makes irony seem like a four-letter word, and Dion is a hilarious spectacle to witness. Blissfully unaware of her own cheesiness, and blessed with a stage persona that makes Napoleon Dynamite seem graceful, Celine is about as cool as Barry Manilow, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Lawrence Welk all rolled into one....

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1177/celinedion_newday.html

This is an excellent thread. I am very curious as to which reviewers are preferred. My favorite is David Vaughn. I have never agreed with a reviewer on so many reviews. He is spot on.:D

I check various resources and look for consistentcy for a title. When I don't see that, I have to question why that one isn't on par with the others.

I don't specifically favor one reviewer over another but only hope to get as many as possible for specific BDs I'm looking to acquire.

Xylon when he talks about PQ since he is usually dead-on. With him would be guys like Art and other trustworthy AVS members like gremmy, etc who actually care about what is on the disc and not simply rating based on 3d pop.

As for an "official" reviewer, I like Ralph here for how he does his reviews. Generally I agree with his opinion but on some he misses the mark like Patton, etc. I also like that he uses a front projector rather than the typical flat panel most use.

I think bracke and brown at HDD are downright useless and either are smoking up before they review some of the discs they do or they are watching on small displays. They are off so often on PQ scores that it is scary. Also, bracke especially has issues with slamming a transfer for director/artistic intent and IMO it is lame to criticize a transfer because you don't like the style.

What I'd really like is for a reviewer to spend less on content and more on the technical aspects of the disc. No offense to reviewers but I really do not care what you think of the movie. I am there to read the comments on the disc quality and more often than not, the space given about the movie is more than the audio/video sections combined. The worst is when you have a catalog title and these people spend a good deal talking about the movie. Umm, chances are if you're interested in a blu-ray catalog title you have seen the movie.

If I care or want an opinion on the actual movie content I will go to sites dedicated to that.

/\
Totally agree.

It's either Xylon or some of the other tech people whose opinions hold any weight. This guy's (http://whiggles.landofwhimsy.com/) observations (with screen captures) are pretty useful though.

IMO, I woudln't be surprised if many reviewers are just out there to get free discs.

I check various resources and look for consistentcy for a title. When I don't see that, I have to question why that one isn't on par with the others.


yeah good point. I also do this and will come here to see if some guys I trust feel the same way or if it is a case where the main reviewers are all wrong, ie patton.:) Patton has now made me really question the main reviewers.

I am also more inclined to put more value in reviewers who use a front projector. Anyone who has both a fp and a 42-60" flat panel can tell you the difference is easily visible meaning stuff could look great on the 50" but looks mediocre blown up to 100"+.

Chad Varnadore and Kris Deering. Utterly professional and accurate on PQ and SQ assessment using top notch equipment properly calibrated.

I very much second that! Good job, guys. (I know you're reading!)

What I'd really like is for a reviewer to spend less on content and more on the technical aspects of the disc. No offense to reviewers but I really do not care what you think of the movie. I am there to read the comments on the disc quality and more often than not, the space given about the movie is more than the audio/video sections combined. The worst is when you have a catalog title and these people spend a good deal talking about the movie. Umm, chances are if you're interested in a blu-ray catalog title you have seen the movie.

If I care or want an opinion on the actual movie content I will go to sites dedicated to that.

Totally agree and my recommendation is leaving a score off for the movie content itself.

I should also add I that I do appreciate the time and effort that members of this forum spend on giving their opinions on the PQ and AQ. I must admit I kind of look forward to their review also.

No offense to reviewers but I really do not care what you think of the movie.

Taken out of context, this is a very funny statement. In context, though, I couldn't agree more. When I read reviews on HD discs, I ALWAYS scroll through the beginning. The worst is the folks at DVDTown.com. They dedicate a whole page to reviewing the film. I don't care about their excitement as they watched this in the theater as a little boy or about how they hated it 10 years ago, but now it kind of grows on them. Ugh. Get to the good stuff.

This is an excellent thread. I am very curious as to which reviewers are preferred. My favorite is David Vaughn. I have never agreed with a reviewer on so many reviews. He is spot on.:D

Thanks. Some people on other threads were bashing Peter Bracke and the folks at HDD, so I was interested to see who most of you guys trust. I have already been introduced to two new guys thanks to this thread.

Xylon when he talks about PQ since he is usually dead-on. With him would be guys like Art and other trustworthy AVS members like gremmy, etc who actually care about what is on the disc and not simply rating based on 3d pop.

As for an "official" reviewer, I like Ralph here for how he does his reviews. Generally I agree with his opinion but on some he misses the mark like Patton, etc. I also like that he uses a front projector rather than the typical flat panel most use.

I think bracke and brown at HDD are downright useless and either are smoking up before they review some of the discs they do or they are watching on small displays. They are off so often on PQ scores that it is scary. Also, bracke especially has issues with slamming a transfer for director/artistic intent and IMO it is lame to criticize a transfer because you don't like the style.

What I'd really like is for a reviewer to spend less on content and more on the technical aspects of the disc. No offense to reviewers but I really do not care what you think of the movie. I am there to read the comments on the disc quality and more often than not, the space given about the movie is more than the audio/video sections combined. The worst is when you have a catalog title and these people spend a good deal talking about the movie. Umm, chances are if you're interested in a blu-ray catalog title you have seen the movie.

If I care or want an opinion on the actual movie content I will go to sites dedicated to that.

I completely agree with your HDD comments. Another trend I hate in reviews is that everything looks good because it is HD. You know the ones where picture score never dips below 8/10 for any HD movie. It's ok to like HD. I do but be a bit more discriminating in your reviews. Not all HD is the same.

Anyone who uses a front projector. A review on a small tv doesn't translate well to a large CH front projection setup.

Chad Varnadore and Kris Deering. Utterly professional and accurate on PQ and SQ assessment using top notch equipment properly calibrated.


Does Chad post reviews on the net? I know he no longer does for the spot.

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/2787/timepersonoftheyear5b25wj4.jpg


I like this answer the best.

If I read HD reviews it would be for one reason and one reason alone: to know what the picture is like. But since most real reviewers seem to be unable to assess this properly, either due to lack of personal experience, involvement and understanding, or due to hardware masking the imperfections, I would also say that my favourite reviewers are the more technical people here as well as myself after seeing screenshots (thanks Xylon et al!)

I usually take into account Robert Harris' comments too (he failed to mention the DNR on Pan's Labyrinth though.)

...Some people on other threads were bashing Peter Bracke and the folks at HDD, so I was interested to see who most of you guys trust. I have already been introduced to two new guys thanks to this thread.
Trust is a word I would not use in the same sentence with reviewer.:eek:
For me, I know before hand what HDM discs I'm going to buy simply based on my list of "must have" titles and a trust that the HDM version's PQ/AQ will be superior to the SD DVD title. Works for me every time.
More often than not, I read the reviews after I've bought the title....kinda backwards I admit....

Kris Deering. His reviews consistantly match what I see. I would not hesitate to blind buy something he gives a good review to.

I agree!

I only look for technical aspects in reviews and how their reviews correspond with my own experiences.

Dan Ramer at http://www.dvdfile.com/index.php

& Chris McEneany at http://www.avforums.com/index.php

McEneany has as good as grasp as I've seen in accurately assessing picture quality on Blu-ray.

Deering and Zyber.

Ralph, Dave, Gary, Josh, Mathew, Kris and sometimes Kenneth. There could be few more that I might have left out, so pardon me.

little ol me ? :p

thanks dude

-Gary

Kris Deering for me.

Todays review of Point Break reminds me of why Bracke is my least favorite reviewer. I often times wonder if he watched the movie. His personal biases so profoundly prejudice his writings and ratings that it is truly unreadable...yet, I continue to browse his reviews. Here is a section of his review of Point Break:

...particularly the eradication of libertarian ideals by capitalist forces, which is most clearly alluded to in film by having all of the gang wear masks of Republican presidents (Bush, Reagan et al). It's the film's only truly subversive touch.

The 4 presidents represented were Johnson, Carter, Nixon, and Reagan. I believe that represents 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats basically destroying his whole argument. The filmmakers intentionally used 2 from each party to drive home the point that all presidents and government regardless of party are hosing us. While the actual movie review is pointless to most of us curious about PQ and AQ, it still heightens my curiousity. Did he not watch the movie or does he not recognize the presidents (Bush is not even used in the movie)? Whatever the case, my trust in him as a reviewer diminished months ago. I'm very glad we do not see these biases in our avsforum official reviewer.

My top 3...
1. Kris Deering
2. Josh Zyber
3. Ralph Potts

I disagree most with... Both did fine for DVD, but I'm less impressed w/their take for HDM
1. Peter Bracke
2. Bill Hunt

Gary and Xylon.

While I've never been a big fan of Bracke's PQ reviews, Kenneth Brown over at HDD seems to have grown in his role as reviewer. His more recent reviews seem much better informed on issues of picture quality. I've said it before but virtually any online Blu-ray review over a year old I pay very little attention to. Much like the early days of dvd, reviewers really had no point of reference early on to rate image quality. I also pay very little attention to reviewers who had known or admitted affinities for HD DVD.

I NEVER read what a reviewer thinks of a movies content. I go right to the PQ/AQ portion.

I like Peter Bracke's reviews the best. I know you guys get upset when he didn't like Rambo, but he's almost always spot on. At least he's not afraid of having his own opinion of a film. Thumbs up from me.

I'm surprised no one has made a blacklist using the GONY reviews./suggesting jokingly

using the info from these posts
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14163332#post14163332
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14176829#post14176829
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14177222#post14177222

You know because
Woah. Previous Sd-dvd looked outstanding? I think some of these people are just in it for the free discs and don't even watch what they get sent...
The guy at that website responded to me almost immediatley and was very defensive. I'm betting free copies = better provide a great review. Numerous websites are likely plagued with the problem.

But then again, many of these reviewers are looking at High Def on small sets and have no clue [what] film is supposed to look like.
I've worked at several review sites over the years, and have never been pressured by anyone to write a positive review as quid pro quo for free screeners. No worthwhile editor would ever allow that to happen.

This is the real crux of the problem. Many of the High Definition reviewers out there simply aren't qualified to write on the topic.

There's some truth to those comments.

They all equally suck.

I'll just Netflix something if I want to check it out before I buy.

I think Ralph Potts from this forum does a great job

Ralph and the other Spot reviewers are where I look the most. Adam at DVD talk as well.

If I see a review from Zyber, Dan Ramer or Bracke, I go elsewhere. I find I'm in most disagreement with them the most.

If I see a review from Zyber, Dan Ramer or Bracke, I go elsewhere. I find I'm in most disagreement with them the most.

I love you too. Kisses and hugs. :D

Ralph, Dave, Gary, Josh, Mathew, Kris and sometimes Kenneth. There could be few more that I might have left out, so pardon me.

This is an excellent thread. I am very curious as to which reviewers are preferred. My favorite is David Vaughn. I have never agreed with a reviewer on so many reviews. He is spot on.:D

Ralph and the other Spot reviewers are where I look the most. Adam at DVD talk as well.

Thanks for the kind words.

Shane, as you probably realized, none of us are writing for The Spot anymore. Ralph has moved here to AVS, Kris left a few years ago and is now at Home Theater Magazine, Chad has retired, and I am writing for Ultimate AV Magazine. You could say there was a "falling out" behind the scenes at The Spot.

As for content in reviews, I tend to only write a paragraph or two on the story and really try to stay away from spoilers. I do say whether I liked the film or not but I'm really looking at the A/V quality on the disc...if I could skip the bonus features I would, but that's just me...most of the bonus features are garbage IMO and are promotional pieces to sell the movie to make people want to watch it (even though most people watching have already bought it or rented it).

Thanks again. Virtually everyone who reviews movies do it for free (other than you get a copy of the movie) and it takes a lot of time an effort, so your comments are very appreciative.

David

While I look to Kris and Dave for PQ\AQ accessments, I don't look to anyone for content evaluation.
Taste is just too personal a thing.
What these guys need is someone like me, who has a most refined sense of taste and perception, to do the content part.;)
Kris is one of the pickiest if not the pickiest guy I know.
He also watches films in theaters on a regular basis which is important imo.

Milt,

When I read reviews regarding content of a movie, I look to see if I have agreed with the writer in the past and if our tastes are the same...if not, I generally don't look to them for recommendations ;)

My favorite reviewer is Peter M Bracke over at HDD.

Very interesting. You are strong proponent of DNR and lack of grain and you love Bracke.

I hate DNR and grain reduction and I think Bracke's reviews are frequently so off the mark that I believe he is being paid to tailor his reviews to someone else's agenda.

Very interesting. You are strong proponent of DNR and lack of grain and you love Bracke.

I hate DNR and grain reduction and I think Bracke's reviews are frequently so off the mark that I believe he is being paid to tailor his reviews to someone else's agenda.

That's a pretty strong accusation.

I personally thing it is due to his display size and how far he sits away from it.

Bill Hunt is my favorite.

When he writes reviews for films that are near and dear to him, they are usually some of the absolute best and he gives an honest opinion. I dont see how ANYONE could criticize his review of Blade Runner or the Alien Quadrilogy.

Bill doesnt do many reviews, but when he does I usually listen.

I dont feel that Bill Hunt gets enough love around here, so I thought Id chime in.

Ralph Potts is also very good.
Dan Ramer is excellent.
I dont really have a problem with Peter Bracke, but I can see why some people might.

The main problem I've seen with Bracke is that I think he lets his personal view of the movie creep into the ratings for the A/V portions. I'm not sure how script problems can affect the picture quality.

Phantom,

Not to defend Peter, but I do find myself being not as critical of movies where I actually "get into" the actual movie and get so wrapped up in the story, I forget that I should be paying more attention to the A/V quality. Poorer movies I find myself being a bit overcritical of because the script/actors/direction doesn't strike a chord with me. BUT, I realize that it could be an issue and try to avoid such circumstances and not be so critical of a poor movie or too positive on a good movie.

I tend to look for certain words and a pattern in a review these days such as "The image is very smooth and film like with not a hint of grain to be found anywhere" - If i see that and it's an older film i instantly think oh no it's had the DNR treatment so i then hunt down other reviews and reach an opinion formed on all the reviews rather than just one and i take AVS members opinion's into account too.

Or a reviewer might say of an older film "Unfortunately the image quality does not have the snap of many newer titles and lacks 3D Pop and suffers from grain during any scene set at night" - I'll instantly think Yep that's a good image it's retained it's cinema look and then i'll read some other reviews and then probably buy the film.

I never take one reviewers word on anything and ultimately it's only when i view it myself that i reach the full conclusion and then i either keep it or it's onto Ebay to sell it.

Dave,
Thanks for the kind words. I meant "former Spot team" as you said. For the longest time, that's the only place I would trust. I don't even bother to look at how the movie is reviewed itself. That's a personal thing. I just enjoy the writing style and Ralph has an added bonus of the "Why it's rated". I think it helps out a great deal if you have kids.

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/2787/timepersonoftheyear5b25wj4.jpg

If a person uses only their own judgement, they tend to lack perspective. The only way people learn, is by listening to others; otherwise, why have teachers and places of higher learning?

Listening only to one's own council, has been proven historically to be a path to folly. There are of course, those rare moments when...a man alone, stands in judgement of the world, and does it...his way. It's a romantic, heroic notion that has precious few real world examples of success, and certainly seldom applies to this negligible corner of existence.

Given the large number of "reviewers" on the web, it's somewhat easier to understand that stance, for the online world requires little to nothing, aside from a domain name, access to a server and some software.

But I for one, find the knowledge gained from listening to those whose experience in a certain field far outweigh my own, whether in this small corner, or some vastly more important area, to be invaluable sources of knowledge and learning. Of course, a person has to have enough desire to seek and do some light research, along with some use of personal judgement, in order to ascertain who those people are, who are most worth listening to.

All that being said, my personal favorites are:

Kris Deering, for his extremely concise and accurate reviews.
Ralph Potts, for his lengthier, more detailed approach.
Robert A. Harris, for his irreplaceable experience and insight. Though he can't always be described as a "critic", in the traditional sense, his observations are extremely valuable.

There are no doubt, some online critics whose work I haven't read, but if a person can't read the work of the above three, concerning any given title, and synthesize it into useful, reliable information...well, what can I say?

No reviewer will decide for me, whether or not a disc is purchased. If I love the movie and want to own the movie, I'll buy it. But at least after reading some experienced opinions, I'll know in advance what I'm likely getting into.

I like looking at Hi-def Digest for release dates and press releases but the reviews are mostly mirthful. I generally look to this site for reviews. Several of the leading reviewers frequent this joint so often I don't even have to see their actual reviews, just get their comments here.

I like Josh Z. and Chris D. alot. I like to drop by HTF to see if Robert Harris has commented. He seems to be opening up lately, well, getting more vocal. Das goode! I'll be checking out anybody new I hear about in this thread.

Funny, yesterday I was searching the net for new review sites. I found about a half dozen but none seemed too promising after sampling them.

I'm really tired of reviews that centre on grain and pop. I'm really peeved with reviewers that are clueless about historical audio, older audio. You don't judge historical audio by today's standards.

Generally, I will just buy the movies I like from Warner, Sony, and Disney with few worries. It's the other studios that I worry about, particularyly Fox-MGM.

Personally, I love to read what Robert Harris has to say about BD releases in his little "A few words about...." threads over at Home Theater Forum. They aren't always in-depth reviews, but it's great to hear what he thinks about releases.

Gary and Xylon.

;) appreciate the nod mack daddy :cool:

-Gary

I like looking at Hi-def Digest for release dates and press releases but the reviews are mostly mirthful. I generally look to this site for reviews. Several of the leading reviewers frequent this joint so often I don't even have to see their actual reviews, just get their comments here.

I like Josh Z. and Chris D. alot. I like to drop by HTF to see if Robert Harris has commented. He seems to be opening up lately, well, getting more vocal. Das goode! I'll be checking out anybody new I hear about in this thread.

Funny, yesterday I was searching the net for new review sites. I found about a half dozen but none seemed too promising after sampling them.

I'm really tired of reviews that centre on grain and pop. I'm really peeved with reviewers that are clueless about historical audio, older audio. You don't judge historical audio by today's standards.

Generally, I will just buy the movies I like from Warner, Sony, and Disney with few worries. It's the other studios that I worry about, particularyly Fox-MGM.

Alot of peolple like these three, myself included. What i really hate as of latley is reviewers from other sites spamming in every other thread "My review of XXX will be up shortly"! Shameless.

If a person uses only their own judgement, they tend to lack perspective. The only way people learn, is by listening to others; otherwise, why have teachers and places of higher learning?

Listening only to one's own council, has been proven historically to be a path to folly. There are of course, those rare moments when...a man alone, stands in judgement of the world, and does it...his way. It's a romantic, heroic notion that has precious few real world examples of success, and certainly seldom applies to this negligible corner of existence.

Given the large number of "reviewers" on the web, it's somewhat easier to understand that stance, for the online world requires little to nothing, aside from a domain name, access to a server and some software.

But I for one, find the knowledge gained from listening to those whose experience in a certain field far outweigh my own, whether in this small corner, or some vastly more important area, to be invaluable sources of knowledge and learning. Of course, a person has to have enough desire to seek and do some light research, along with some use of personal judgement, in order to ascertain who those people are, who are most worth listening to.

All that being said, my personal favorites are:

Kris Deering, for his extremely concise and accurate reviews.
Ralph Potts, for his lengthier, more detailed approach.
Robert A. Harris, for his irreplaceable experience and insight. Though he can't always be described as a "critic", in the traditional sense, his observations are extremely valuable.

There are no doubt, some online critics whose work I haven't read, but if a person can't read the work of the above three, concerning any given title, and synthesize it into useful, reliable information...well, what can I say?

No reviewer will decide for me, whether or not a disc is purchased. If I love the movie and want to own the movie, I'll buy it. But at least after reading some experienced opinions, I'll know in advance what I'm likely getting into.

I think after the end of the day it is "you" who will make up your own mind, and I think that was the original intend of the poster of that Time cover.
And since this is not a make or break the world subject, one can take a stand alone quiet successfully and not worry about how history will judge them. ;)

Alot of peolple like these three, myself included. What i really hate as of latley is reviewers from other sites spamming in every other thread "My review of XXX will be up shortly"! Shameless.

My next review will be up in a couple of days.

Greetings,

I am honored to be mentioned along with so many writers that I have great respect for. I very much appreciate your comments...:)


Best,

Ralph

I like to check this site as it takes all the reviews from different sources (online, newspapers, magazines. etc) and provides an overall score. Also, not just Movies and Dvds, it also includes Video games, TV shows and Music Cds.

Metacritic.com


http://www.metacritic.com/


It will give you a good idea if the movie itself is any good.

My next review will be up in a couple of days.

I can't wait !! (you need to promote your website in sig for full cheesyness) ;)

DVD Basen is great if you want to compare all the different reviews.

Milt,

When I read reviews regarding content of a movie, I look to see if I have agreed with the writer in the past and if our tastes are the same...if not, I generally don't look to them for recommendations ;)

I couldn't agree more. There probably is no one critic you will agree with 100% of the time but still this is a great philosophy!

My favorite reviewer has to be our own Josh Zyber.:)

But I may be a little biased; he is an old friend.:p

Zyber
Tyner
Bracke

I would like to apologize to Jason Vargo and anyone else that I may have offended with my comments (which have since been deleted). My opinions were just that, my opinions, and they were inappropriate and rude. I will be more careful in the future.

I will reserve future discussions for PM.

To Dave Mack, your post was well taken. I am not a conservative, but your point was received.

Political discussions etc from either side of the aisle are not allowed at AVS. Let's move on. No hard feelings from all concerned...back to topic

I think Kris Deering is the best reviewer on the net. His reviews are timely and actually compares a new blu-ray release to the hd dvd if the title was released on that format. Davin Vaughn is outstanding as well but since leaving the "spot" his reviews are no longer timely. I am sure this has nothing to do with David and everything to do with Ultimateavmag. Any reviewer who didn't blast Gangs of New York no longer has credibility with me.