Meet ChrisJarmick, movie guru extraordinaire!

With the 2008 summer blockbuster movie season quickly approaching... We immediately thought of one of our top movie fanactics, ChrisJarmick. You can find Chris "hosting Poetry Readings in Seattle, watching a movie at Harvard Exit, or taking a photo" in his spare time. He's a professional writer (http://www.PENWA.org), photography lover and poet.

Check out his Top 10 Movies of All Time to get a sense of his extensive knowledge of film. His followup list, Top 10 Movie Masterpieces of All Time will have you Netflix-ing to catch up on stellar selections.

Chris's natural pull toward movie-making land, aka Los Angeles and Hollywood, has allowed him to meet several famous faces like Helen Mirren, a couple Baldwins, and Rainn Wilson (Dwight from The Office.)

Heading to the theaters soon? Wondering what you should see or skip? Be sure to read these reviews that are sure to help you make that ticket selection:

Speed Racer

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Stay tuned for more...

In a movie rut? Need suggestions? Read about the Best Movies You Have Never Seen for ideas!!

Things that make you Hhhmmmmm...

Wondering what products people love and hate? Check out our latest press release to see what people are saying!

Reviews that make ya wanna shake your groove thing

Gitbean is a music fanatic who has become our resident DJ at Viewpoints. His album reviews run the gamet from new releases like Madonna's Hard Candy to classics like Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life.

Gitbean may also be in the running for our best smelling reviewer. Yes, I said best smelling. He specializes in fragrance reviews as well. Nice combo of rhythm and aroma huh?...Two treats for the senses. Read his best and worst picks for men and women's fragrances here.

Can't wait to read what he's spinning (or smelling) next :)

Find out what other members are listening to by visiting the Music & Trivia thread on the NEW message boards!!

So, how much do people actually read?

Okay, so it isnt exactly the same thing as reviews... BUT... we came across an interesting study that shares insights as to how much text people read on a blog during their visit. It is INTERESTING as we discuss how long or short a review should be. Check it out.

For those that dont want to read too much (the irony!) here is a quick summary:
There seem to be two styles of bloggers. Those that drop shorter snippets into posts but do so once or twice a day and those that like to write longer posts but do so once a week/month.

Reasearchers concluded that the average web page has around 600 words and the average reader only spends time on around 100 of them (about 20-30%). To them, this means you should keep the posts to under 100 words...Interesting!

Now this doesnt exactly relate to reviews, especially if it is a big ticket item, but it definitely shows you that:

1. Clear headlines are important- so make 'em meaningful (and include the name of the product or service you are reviewing to remind people what they are looking at when they get distracted).
2. People read a little in the beginning and then scan a page. So, offering a quick recap at the top is probably meaningful and helpful.
3. Know that writing 4 pages does not really appeal to most people. Do you have that kind of attention span anywhere on the web?

Hope this helps!!!

Look who's back in action... Say hey to Cyndi, ya'll!

CyndiA just hit her year anniversary with Viewpoints this March. She's kept our members laughing for well over 365 days now. Her witty and brutally honest reviews appear on our most helpful list all the time. If you can read her Ass Blaster Hot Sauce review without falling out of your chair laughing, then you should see a doctor. (You may also need to see a doctor if you actually try the sauce she's writing about.)

Cyndi's a southern belle who knows her way around the kitchen. You can find her reading, writing, teaching class or riding her Harley! How cool is that?

Luckily, she made it up to the Windy City last year for the Viewpoints Launch Party!! We were sooo thankful she shared her photography skills and some true, southern-style goodies for our shindig like Cheerwine and Pork Skins.

She's one sweet lady who helps make our community feel welcoming. So as they say down south... that just butters our biscuit.