How I Rate Movies
The main goal of this site is to inform you, the reader, about media that I think is worth your time. While most reviews come with a short description of what I did and didn't like, I also make sure to include a star rating to help you quickly understand how I felt about a movie.
My rating is a grade between 4 and 1 stars. A high score indicates a strong recommendation, the middle two are "yes but" and "no but" respectively, and the lowest is reserved for movies I absolutely couldn't stand.
Rating movies with this method can be tricky. There are plenty of popular movies that don't do it for me, or widely panned movies that I love. It's important to remember that my rating is not a measure of something's objective goodness; it's whether I thought it was worthwhile and think people with similar tastes will as well.
It's also worth noting that my ratings skew high: I get to choose what I watch and I tend to choose things I think I'll enjoy. Keep that in mind when you see how many things earn a 4. It's a very different grade than a perfect 10 on something like IGN's rating system.
With that out of the way, let's go through what exactly each score means and provide some concrete examples!
: Yes!
A 4 star rating is both my highest and my most common score. Movies in this bracket can be recommended emphatically. They may not be perfect, but I never felt bored while watching them. A 4 usually means that a movie excelled in multiple areas and the result is more than the sum of its parts. Another way to earn a 4 is to succeed so highly in a specific area (such as performances or direction) that any concerns are dropped by the wayside; they didn't stop my enjoyment.
If you want to see the absolute cream of the movie crop, you can check my list of movies that were been the best thing I watched that year
Here are some recent movies that earned 4 stars:
Not Just a Goof
A great dive into the production of a great movie. Plenty of cast and creator interviews, plus a step back to look at the film's impact on people of a certain age. It's a fun watch!
A great dive into the production of a great movie. Plenty of cast and creator interviews, plus a step back to look at the film's impact on people of a certain age. It's a fun watch!
They Came Together
It’s basically "Wet Hot American RomCom". I loved its commitment to subtle (or not) absrudity and it’s wildly large ensemble. Tightly written too, no lines were wasted. Perfectly captures 90s NYC romcoms.
It’s basically "Wet Hot American RomCom". I loved its commitment to subtle (or not) absrudity and it’s wildly large ensemble. Tightly written too, no lines were wasted. Perfectly captures 90s NYC romcoms.
Wolfs
Pitt and Clooney carry this dark action comedy hard. The story is simple (and makes a little less sense the closer you squint), but it didn't stop me enjoying the ride. The cast is focused (good!), the shootouts minimal (also good; more time for dialogue!), and the runtime 20 minutes longer than it needed to be (oops!). Great to see them both back together though.
Pitt and Clooney carry this dark action comedy hard. The story is simple (and makes a little less sense the closer you squint), but it didn't stop me enjoying the ride. The cast is focused (good!), the shootouts minimal (also good; more time for dialogue!), and the runtime 20 minutes longer than it needed to be (oops!). Great to see them both back together though.
: Yes, but...
Most movies that earn a 3 could have been a 4, but something held them back. Maybe it was a plot that didn't quite line up, poor pacing, or too many jokes that didn't land. Whatever it was I was annoyed enough about its shortcomings that I have to qualify this recommendation with a "I liked it, but wish they hadn't done XYZ".
Here are some recent movies that earned 3 stars:
The Net
It’s mostly a schlocky 90s action computer thriller, but it does make some precient points about how much of "truth" lives in computers and how badly that can go if they start lying. Ther eare better hacker movies and Sandra Bullock never really plays it convincingly, but it had its tense moments.
It’s mostly a schlocky 90s action computer thriller, but it does make some precient points about how much of "truth" lives in computers and how badly that can go if they start lying. Ther eare better hacker movies and Sandra Bullock never really plays it convincingly, but it had its tense moments.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Charming, yet more modern feeling. Lots of great jokes. Pacing was a little slow and the story was less focused than it could have been. That's what happens when you translate 30 min movies into a 90 minute one. Felt like they could have tightened it up a fair bit.
Charming, yet more modern feeling. Lots of great jokes. Pacing was a little slow and the story was less focused than it could have been. That's what happens when you translate 30 min movies into a 90 minute one. Felt like they could have tightened it up a fair bit.
Pretty dumb, but goodhearted and not to overwrought.
: No, but...
Welcome to the bottom half! Movies that earn a 2 have more hits than misses, but there are redeeming qualities. It can also mean I would have scored it higher, but I was so put off by something (such as plot holes or distracting performances) that I couldn't rate it higher. If you're a fan of this genre you might still find the movie worthwhile, but I'd start elsewhere.
Here are some recent movies that earned 2 stars:
Deep Blue Sea
Plot wise, it’s like a really wet Jurassic Park? I didn’t love the really slow first half and unremarkable characters. Some good action pieces and some good cast members though.
Plot wise, it’s like a really wet Jurassic Park? I didn’t love the really slow first half and unremarkable characters. Some good action pieces and some good cast members though.
Our Little Secret
A decent premise that was never quite fun enough to be truly fun. Wasn’t much christmas magic. Chenoweth is great as always and it’s nice to see Lohan doing things again.
A decent premise that was never quite fun enough to be truly fun. Wasn’t much christmas magic. Chenoweth is great as always and it’s nice to see Lohan doing things again.
Fame
Exhausting theater kid energy. Had some interesting perspectives on everyone's journey through their art and the paths that can take. But, felt disjoint, with too many characters. It also just seemes like drama for drama's sake- they just kept throwing bad things at these kids and everyone seemed miserable. It's ending was especially unsatisfying- it's a song where the ensemble pretends like everyone is fine when all evidence from the film points to the exact opposite. Whole thing was a real slog.
Exhausting theater kid energy. Had some interesting perspectives on everyone's journey through their art and the paths that can take. But, felt disjoint, with too many characters. It also just seemes like drama for drama's sake- they just kept throwing bad things at these kids and everyone seemed miserable. It's ending was especially unsatisfying- it's a song where the ensemble pretends like everyone is fine when all evidence from the film points to the exact opposite. Whole thing was a real slog.
: No!
The lowly 1 is my rarest rating. Because I mostly watch things I (hope to) enjoy, for something to earn a 1 it's got to really fail across multiple areas. As long as a movie has reasonable plot, cast, or artistic direction, I'll usually find enough to like about it that it earns a 2. Earning a 1 means I feel bad for having spent time on this movie at all.
Here are some recent movies that earned 1 stars:
Hot Frosty
It's a fun premise and a decent cast, but the lack of chemistry and an odd but not-fun performance out of Milligan left us out in the cold.
It's a fun premise and a decent cast, but the lack of chemistry and an odd but not-fun performance out of Milligan left us out in the cold.
Freelance
The most remarkable thing this movie did was star both John Cena and Alison Brie yet be so boring and un-funny. The dictator was sort of the emotional core of the whole thing, which leads to some complicated messaging.
The most remarkable thing this movie did was star both John Cena and Alison Brie yet be so boring and un-funny. The dictator was sort of the emotional core of the whole thing, which leads to some complicated messaging.
Holiday in the Wild
Not very christmas-y. Some nice elephant protection messaging, but remarkably lacking in any further charisma or interesting (or even funny) plot
Not very christmas-y. Some nice elephant protection messaging, but remarkably lacking in any further charisma or interesting (or even funny) plot