When choosing books or movies to see do you ever look for awards won?

[Locut0s]

We all have our favourite authors and directors but when looking for something new to read or watch what do you use as a guide? Aside from sticking to certain genres I know I like and staying away from those that I don't, everyone does this, I find that I often look for awards to help narrow down my choices. If it's a book I find myself looking for the bookers, Pulitzers and Nobel prize winners or runners up. If it's a film I look for the wheat stalk symbol (not sure what this is called) signalling the film was a finalist or runner up for a prize in film festivals. That or Oscar winners and candidates. Of course I read and see other material besides these but I find them to be good indicators of quality.

Edit: If it's an upcoming film I will often read the reviews but if I'm just browsing the isles looking for something to rent I don't usually go back home to look up reviews. And for books I don't find most reviews to be all that helpful as they are either reader reviews on something like Amazon which 99% of the time seem to completely miss the point of the book, or they are professional reviews which don't help much either. For me the style of the pros in a book is very important. I'm looking for language and style that will really sweep me off my feet and engross me. It's really hard to capture this in a review without using works like "ground breaking" "breathtaking" "beautiful" etc etc... which apply to all the great works but don't really tell you much.

 

[Crono]

Nope. I look at recommendations and reviews, not awards.

 

[nageov3t]

not really.

I tend to rely more on reviews, word of mouth, and amazon "you may also be interested in..." link chains.

 

[Locut0s]

Nope. I look at recommendations and reviews, not awards.

If it's an upcoming film I will often read the reviews but if I'm just browsing the isles looking for something to rent I don't usually go back home to look up reviews. And for books I don't find most reviews to be all that helpful as they are either reader reviews on something like Amazon which 99% of the time seem to completely miss the point of the book, or they are professional reviews which don't help much either. For me the style of the pros in a book is very important. I'm looking for language and style that will really sweep me off my feat and engross me. It's really hard to capture this in a review without using works like "ground breaking" "breathtaking" "beautiful" etc etc... which apply to all the great works but don't really tell you much.

 

[Locut0s]

not really.

I tend to rely more on reviews, word of mouth, and amazon "you may also be interested in..." link chains.

Yes I can see from the few books I have purchased from Amazon that they have a fairly good recommendation engine.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't really watch movies. If I do, it's never in a theatre, and only under strong recommendation of people I trust.

I don't read so much anymore, and when I do, it's seldom new material. If I see something that looks interesting, I just pick it up and give it a shot. I don't pay attention to awards.

 

[pontifex]

never. i tend to like those movies even less anyway.

 

[shortylickens]

Nope. In fact given what the average American likes, I prefer stuff thats not popular or award-winning.

 

[Locut0s]

Nope. In fact given what the average American likes, I prefer stuff thats not popular or award-winning.

While not all Pulitzer prize winning novels are great literature, many of them are. The "average American" you are talking about reads Dan Brown thrillers and other pulp fiction.

 

[shortylickens]

While not all Pulitzer prize winning novels are great literature, many of them are. The "average American" you are talking about reads Dan Brown thrillers and other pulp fiction.

Coming from Canada, thats probably what you would think.

Nope, the Average American reads nothing. What they do read is stuff I dont care about.
And most prize winning novels suck. The Great Gatsby was stupid and irritating. So was To Kill A Mockingbird.

 

[Locut0s]

Coming from Canada, thats probably what you would think.

Nope, the Average American reads nothing. What they do read is stuff I dont care about.
And most prize winning novels suck. The Great Gatsby was stupid and irritating. So was To Kill A Mockingbird.

Well yes most people world wide don't read much or at all. I was talking about those that do read. Most of the people I see reading on the bus or in a cafe are reading some type of pulp fiction. Yes it's a cliché but I do find there to be some basis for it. What types of books are you thinking of that poeple on average read that you don't care for?

 

[RoloMather]

Coming from Canada, thats probably what you would think.

Nope, the Average American reads nothing. What they do read is stuff I dont care about.
And most prize winning novels suck. The Great Gatsby was stupid and irritating. So was To Kill A Mockingbird.

You fail at the reading.