Netflix (www.netflix.com) is a popular online DVD rental service that sends members movies via the US Postal Service or streams them directly to users over the internet. After viewing the movies of your choice, members are encouraged to rate the movies according to a five star system. Your movie ratings are then used by Netflix to determine a “best guess” of how much you would or would not enjoy the other movies in their inventory. Netflix defines this system as:

5 Stars “Loved It”

4 Stars “Really Liked It”

3 Stars “Liked It”

2 Stars “Didn’t Like It”

1 Star “Hated It”

How well does this work? Since October of 2006, Netflix has offered one million dollars to any individual or group that can improve their prediction algorithms by 10%. What I find interesting is never hearing mention of improving the rating definitions themselves. It seems to make sense when you consider algorithms manipulating data that the data itself should be as meaningful and precise as possible. Certainly filling a computer with vague or subjective data will only provide vague and subjective results. Consider the fact that what I really like and what you really like may mean something completely different… what do my ratings even mean to me? What could they mean to Netflix or movie studios?

If you are like me, you share your movie queue and past ratings with family, friends, or other Netflix members. Whether you are miffed, mixed, or melodramatic your vote on a movie’s performance can create quite a buzz around the office water-cooler. Defining more accurately the system of ratings will help you to better understand and convey to others how you really feel about movies.

So let’s produce a more definitive script for the star system. Here are mine:

5 Stars “Would like to own a copy and zealously recommend”

4 Stars “Most likely to view again and will recommend to others”

3 Stars “Will not view again, but worth viewing once”

2 Stars “Wish I had watched something else, will not recommend”

1 Star “Hit stop before ending, would never recommend”

Sharing your modified rating system with friends will allow you both to better understand how you feel about the movies you have viewed.  If nothing else you may find it fun to just discuss what you think the ratings should mean.

My rendition of the Netflix rating system can also predict real revenue dollars to the movie studios as well. After all, every studio wants a DVD sale and word of mouth recommendation. If a viewer desires to own a copy of the movie it is likely that they are willing to spend more dollars on the soundtrack, books, T-shirts, or even have interest in other movies with the same actors, producers, or directors.

While even a five star system cannot completely convey your feelings of a film, it is more descriptive than Siskel and Ebert’s original thumbs up or thumbs down. However it was not the thumbs that made Siskel and Ebert highly successful and respected among movie audiences. It was their commentary that entertained and informed. To get the most out of your Netflix membership you may also consider writing actual reviews that can be read by other Netflix members. Here you can describe the exact elements of the film that you found to be deserving of your accolades or not.

Personally I have a lot of fun with my Netflix account and share that fun with others. Discussing the film with other movie addicts can be as rewarding as the viewing itself. You may want to adopt your own system of rating movies on Netflix or feel free to try out any of my ideas as well.