We Are All Made of Stars

As I was putting the finishing touches on my review for UP, I found myself struggling with my actual rating of the movie. Ratings can sometimes be the bane of my existence, since my own rule is that I can only rate something after the first time I see it. I don’t allow myself to go back and bump something up/pull it down.

At the same time, I realized that since I started this blog almost two years ago, I’ve never really clarified my ratings system. When I first started I tried to be clever and use some sort of Mad Hatter reference for good or bad films (I believe good was to be “A Very Merry Un-Birthday”, wheras bad was “Clean cup – move down”. But then I thought better of it and switched to the standard star-rating system, mine being on a scale of 1 to four.

If you’re curious about my thinking behind each of the ratings, take a look after the jump as I provide some details.

Four Stars Out of Four: “Awesome- See this movie now. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars”. These are the movies that really knock me on my ass, and tend to be those I later refer to as the best of the year. I tend not to give this rating all that often (8 times in 2008 by my count), as there’s almost always something I think a movie could do better. Movies of this rating have included MILK, THE DARK KNIGHT, and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.

Three and a Half Stars: “Excellent, make a point to see this movie soon”. This is a funny classification since many of these movies could round themselves up into a four, or down into a three depending on my mood. Essentially, they are movies that aren’t perfect, but come pretty darned close. They are well created dramas, smart action/adventures, or very funny comedies. Movies of this rating have included ATONEMENT, IRON MAN, and STAR TREK.

Three Stars: “Very Good – Check it Out”. I haven’t done a tally, but I’ll bet this is the rating I give most often. Three star movies for me are thoughtful, fun, and engaging. They leave me feeling like the cost of my ticket was money well spent, and are often films I later want to buy. They might have a moment or two of silliness, but they stay on point and ultimately deliver the goods. Movies of this rating have included FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, BLINDNESS, and 3:10 TO YUMA.

Two and a Half Stars: “Not bad – Worth a Look”. Here’s where the tea party starts getting weird. I’ve been called an apologist by some, and this is my way of saying that a movie might not be the greatest, but it’s still better than a lot of other films out there. Movies with this rating are ones I’d say to approach cautiously, as you may find them to be a waste of time/money. In my eyes they are ones that barely succeed…which also usually leads to some asking if I’m nuts to say that these titles are good. Movies of this rating have included APPALOOSA, BODY OF LIES, and THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON.

Two Stars: “Close but No Cigar”. Once I get to the rating of two stars and below, I’m really just qualifying badness. These are the movies I’d say to skip, however as I reflect on them I find that they had something to offer in their two hours traffic. Some great photography, a fun set of action scenes, a moment or two of witty dialogue. I might not have liked them, but I can see how someone else might. Movies of this rating have included PRIDE & GLORY, CHOKE, and HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE.

One and a Half Stars: “Bad. Pure and Simple.” These are the movies that I only made it through because I hoped they’d eventually get better…but they didn’t. The movies that ripped me off for $11.95. Two hour blocks of my life that I am never getting back. Movies that I would flip past if it was 3 a.m. and I couldn’t sleep. Pretty clear, wouldn’t you say? Movies of this rating have included EAGLE EYE and TWILIGHT.

One Star or Half a Star: “Run away!” I’m lucky in that I’m doing this for fun, thus I get to choose everything I want to see and write about. Likewise, I have friends and family that share my tastes, and thus I’m not forced to see movies against my will too terribly often. However, every once in a while, I find myself watching a train wreck. Something so horribly awful that it goes from bad to good and then back over to bad. These are the lowest of the low…avoid them at all costs. Movies of this rating have so far only included W and STEP BROTHERS.