Rating System

Here is my modified rating system, as of 2/27/10:

I am not a professional critic; just an avid movie fan who likes to be entertained above everything else. So when I rate my films, I don’t necessarily do so based on directorial merit or sound screenplay principles. Instead, I consider how enjoyable the viewing experience was, how well the story was told, and how likely I would be to see the film again. Of course your mileage may vary, so take my ratings with a grain of salt!

5 stars — An excellent film from beginning to end. I was thoroughly engrossed in the story, completely invested in the characters, and would watch it again in a heartbeat.

4 stars — A good story with intriguing characters that held my interest more often than not. A few slow spots here and there, but nothing I couldn’t work through.

3 stars — Average, predictable story. Just entertaining enough to get through to the end, but not a film I’d necessarily want to watch again.

2 stars — Boring story with characters I didn’t care about. I slogged through the whole thing just hoping for something good to happen, but was ultimately disappointed.

1 star — A complete snoozefest that I had to fight my way through. I most likely watched the film as part of a class, a bet, or as a form of self-flagellation. I wouldn’t wish this experience on my worst enemy.

0 stars — The movie was so bad that I couldn’t even finish it. Considering the fact that I hate leaving films unfinished, this says a lot about how unappealing the story was.