This really isn't news, but I just want to say that in the interest of fairness, I try to judge an author's flash movie based on what I perceive as his or her actual level of skill, rather than use the bar of the most skilled Flash artist. Not everyone simply has the talent or time to create a timeless piece. As a result, I may look down on some pieces that more technically proficient in favor of ones that are clearly made by beginners.
It's not easy to draw well, and it's doubly hard to do so in Flash, let alone to create the animations, menus, etc. As a result, I can't expect every piece to be an instant classic. That's not to say that I'm not biased in favor of pretty productions (I certainly am), but something that is animated poorly or drawn poorly can win a lot of points in my book if it's made with heart. Conversely, something that is shaded well, animated well, and put together well will end up with far lower score if there are basic problems with it.
If an artist can draw with phenomenal talent, then I expect the artist to create something far better than the average with that skillset. A person who may not have much ability may need to improve, but everyone starts somewhere, and as long as it looks effort was made and it's well written (or even good sound), I'll try not to hold underwhelming visuals against it. If the production is sleek and beautiful, though, then you had better bring an equal level of skill to all aspects.
TomFulp
It's a good way to judge stuff. I always look for that certain quality and effort that shines through beyond artistic skill. I do demand good voice quality, though... Poor audio quality ruins a lot of great amateur Flash. Some things I look for:
1) Good audio quality and voice work.
2) Gets to the point quickly (or gives an incentive to keep watching) and avoids drawn out intros.
Anything that does those two things already has an advantage over everything else.
Nangbaby
Thank you for commenting and for your feedback. I agree with your guidelines as well, even if I can't seem to follow them myself.
Now that I look at my post, though, it does seem condescending. I have my own preferences, faults, and biases just like everyone else. But people have a right to their own opinions and votes, and my personal guidelines aren't the same as everyone else.