slashfilm.com
In 2007, Slashfilm was acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Slashfilm is an entertainment website that has been operating since the early 2000s, and it has a focus on geeky movie news. The website's founder, Peter Sciretted, launched it in 2005. The website grew rapidly due to the blogging staff and was acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2007.
Originally, Slashfilm posted a lot of celebrity news. They quickly learned that the nerd culture demand was much greater and therefore went in that direction instead. The website offered unique personal opinions about new movies and pop culture.
In January 2007, Slashfilm underwent a redesign in an effort to make the website more accessible for their audience. The data provided by their About Us section suggests that viewership skyrocketed as a result.
Website Design
Slashfilm is in need of a redesign. The desktop view is not ideal, as there are a few continuity issues with the design. I am unsure if the theme was meant to look this way, but more often than not sections and boxes look like they are being cut off.
There are many ads clustered on this page, making it difficult to navigate. Ads are necessary for websites to profit, but placement is important. There are ways to place ads on websites without distracting from the content, but unfortunately, Slashfilm does not do this well. They are very in your face and bothersome.
The website is well-organized with a main focus on the header. It is easy to find, and when you hover over the primary menu categories it displays subcategories for you to choose from underneath it. The search bar is located at the top of the page, but as soon as you start typing into it it takes you to google search results instead of website archive results. It would be helpful if someone could provide instructions on how to access previous archives.
Content
It's hard to go wrong with anything on the site.
The variety and quantity of content on Slashfilms is a strong suit. There is so much to read, watch, and listen to on the site, which makes it difficult to go wrong.
The website has utilized a great mechanic in subcategories. There are many articles to sift through subcategories, which makes it much easier. Further, the articles also have related links to it, making reading similar content simple. Tags are also a great resource and the website uses them liberally. Since the search bar does not perform well, tags provide an alternative search tool. By clicking on a tag, the website takes you to a list with all titles related to the specific tag.
Slashfilm reports on new releases, castings, and buzz-worthy happenings in the movie world, as well as highlighting some of the best TV shows and movies coming to Netflix in 2020. The article includes a rundown on titles such as Horsegirl, Jerry McGuire, Love Is Blind, and many more.
The 'cool stuff' category on the Slashfilm website is another nice feature. In this section, readers are able to find neat products like Funko Pops, exclusive art prints, and other unique items. My favorite find from this corner of Slashfilm is Ben & Jerry's ice cream - Netflix and Chill?d. The flavor is peanut butter ice cream with sweet and salty pretzels and fudge brownies.
Early buzz in the News section consists of early reviews for newly-released titles. Frozen 2, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and Doctor Sleep are some of the titles that have been covered in early buzz.
Slashfilm's reviews are unbiased and come from real writers. Although I may not agree with all of the reviews, they are very well written and make valid points. The writers pay close attention to detail in their chosen films, and their opinions are clear.
Desktop & Mobile Accessibility
There are several issues with the desktop browser for Slashfilm that I would love to see fixed. A redesign of this website would be amazing, and there is so much amazing quality content on there, but the design is just not welcoming. Additionally, some tools on this website do not work properly, specifically the search bar which searches Google instead of the website archives.
The mobile browser is okay. It is formatted differently than the website, but it is more readable than I expected it to be. The text size is pretty good. The header looks better in the mobile form. There is also a side menu that is well-utilized. The primary menu and the sidebar menu share the same contents, but it can be difficult to slide through the main one. Creating the sidebar also allows users to access the menu while in the middle of scrolling. Unfortunately, there is no mobile app for the website.
Positives
There are many positive aspects of the Slashfilm website. For one, the website is one of the larger geek-centric entertainment websites. Additionally, due to the site's close relationship with press passes for large events like the annual Sundance Film Festival, the staff has access to some of the most coveted spots in Hollywood.
The name and logo of Slashfilm intrigue me at first because I associate it with horror genre entertainment, but upon further exploration I understand that the platform is much more than that. The text film with a slash in front of it is clever and unique, and I enjoy using it as my screen name on the website.
I have several complaints about the website design, but sometimes Slashfilm gets it right. The use of sidebars is great. It helps break up walls of text and keep viewers' eyes from being bored of the same layouts. The menu categories and subcategories are other good examples that work in favor of the website. The organization on Slashfilm is very meticulous.
Slashfilm is a website that features a variety of interesting articles. Some of these articles include interviews, trailers, movie reviews, photo galleries, and interesting products. The content on this website is written well and the related posts are wonderful. The writers do an amazing job of posting unbiased and honest reviews. My favorite category on this website is the Cool Stuff section where their readers can find exclusive Funko Pops, Legos, unique collectibles, and more.
Negatives
Despite having many positive features, there are also some negative aspects to the website. One of the most pressing issues is the dated and messy design. The website claims to have undergone a large update in 2007, but it still does not look accessible or modern. The color scheme and overall theme is jarring for a site of this caliber.
Many advertisements are placed on Slashfilm, which is not a huge issue for readers. It helps websites earn some extra cash, but the placement of the ads can be problematic. Most of them are hidden among other featured articles, but ads at the top and bottom of the page get in the way.
My final complaint is that the Slashfilm search bar functions as a google search and external links are used instead of using the website's library. It leads readers away from the website and beyond the content they would be interested in. Aside from the search bar, the cool posts from around the web section caught my attention. I am sure the links are affiliate ones, but I would prefer to be linked to more content on Slashfilm rather than outside sources.
Improvements Needed
A major website redesign would be very beneficial to Slashfilm. If the page were more visually appealing and easier to navigate, I would likely visit the page daily. However, sometimes the design makes things confusing. For example, the cool posts from around the web section lead readers to a different website. A new logo and facelift for this website is needed and well deserved. The content is phenomenal.
Slashfilm could improve its placement of ads on the site by hiding them between its own featured content and making sure they do not overlay text. This change would have a large impact on the site.
Summary
Entertainment websites provide a fun way to learn about your favorite television shows, movies, and other popular media. Slashfilm is a good source of information for pop culture fans of all interests. The website's classic design from the 2000s is well-suited to the available content, which includes insightful staff writers. Overall, this website is a great resource for anyone interested in pop culture!
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