I just assumed the Netflix top 10 were movies/shows they were trying to push, not based on actual veiwership.
That’s a bingo. Any “trending” algorithm is designed to get you to click on it. It’s not a source of accurate information.
It’s the same with search results. You’re searching for X? Here’s something X-adjacent we’ve been paid to show you that you might click on while looking for X. We’re going to call it “what others buy” and hope you do, too.
It really bothers me because I want to buy actual good quality stuff but I have no idea how to find it because I don’t trust any reviews or anything on search engines at all really.
This is one of the big things that killed Amazon for me. They used to have a great search and filter function that was designed to make it as easy as possible to find what you were looking for. Now it’s designed to find things that are related to your search and ignore your filters when sellers pay them to promote their product. Combined with the fake reviews and the ocean of low quality trash that fills 95% of their inventory, it’s now actually easier to drive to a store and search shelves manually than it is to sit and click.
And don’t get me started on AI generated “reviews” that are just reworded marketing material with affiliate links. It used to be that google could get you some relatively reliable sources, but most of those have long since replaced real reviews with this bullshit. At this point, I just assume every review is a lie unless I see a video of a human testing the product while taking about it.
I honestly think that anyone who is making money by misleading consumers with product reviews that aren’t actually based on some interaction with the product should be in prison for fraud.
I don’t get why the streaming services would care what media people watch. Are they pushing stuff that is cheaper to license?
They want to get recommendations just good enough to keep you hooked. If they show you just the objectively best, you would instantly know after seeing the best ones, that the rest of the catalogue is worse and worse.
This is how Netflix was in the beginning. I actually unsubscribed for a while for yhis reason. Now I’m as hooked as ever, there might still be a few good ones out there - I just need to keep scrolling for a few hours. /s
I believe that they have said the top 10 is based on views, but haven’t given the windoww for that count or whether the thimbs up/down ratings factor into it. That seems plausible as it is promoted as a popularity indicator and tends to have recent additons and already popular stuff listed.
Now the trending category is most likely the stuff they are trying to promote.
Browsing YouTube while logged out is 1,000 times worse.
Remember when Netflix had a million dollar competition to improve their recommendation system by something like 10%? Remember when they had user ratings and reviews? Remember when they threw it all in the fucking trash?
The original recommendation engine was amazing. Showed me stuff I loved that I would have never found myself. My favorite example is the French claymation acid trip called “A Town Named Panic”
Now all I get recommended are shows that are cancelled and that I’ve already watched.
During the pandemic I just sort of forgot about movies and most TV. I hadn’t even heard of 90% of the stuff nominated last awards season.
For the most part it doesn’t come up, but every so often I end up in a conversation where I feel like an alien.
You can find good stuff aound 5+ sometimes.
The Outfit is good. Atlas is shit.
I liked Atlas…
Behold, I am both of you: I liked it and I thought it was kinda shit 😎
Right? Like it has its moments of good and bad. I mean it’s not an Oscar winner, but it wasn’t so bad that I lost interest.
Tbh I thought JLo did a pretty good job.
Damn JLo was my main reason not to watch, historically she’s just not that great. But if she pulled it off or made it kinda self-aware I’ll check it out.
65 is also really good.
Well it’s still JLo. If you aren’t much a fan you won’t be too impressed. Imo she can be fairly one directional in her movies.
That said, when I watch a movie that has heavy CGI I try and take a step back throughout the movie from all the special effects and evaluate an actors performance.
Ya ok sounds pretentious, but I try to imagine the environment they are in when acting. It’s basically nothing but a green box, with someone off to the side reading lines.
If they can give a fairly believable performance I’m impressed, because we see all the special effects, editing, direction and production. The actor has to imagine it, and hope they don’t look like a dumbass in post.
65 was alright. Wanted more dinosaurs though lol
