***** A timeless classic. Reserved for the best of the best. Citizen Kane, Star Wars, The Godfather (I&II), The Battle of Algiers, etc. I would put the three Lord of the Rings movies, as a unit and in their extended version, into this category, but probably not any one of them, in its theatrical version, by itself. Others would include Branagh’s Henry V, Psycho, The Graduate, Bridge on the River Kwai, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dr. Strangelove, My Fair Lady, The Wizard of Oz.
**** An excellent movie. Top ten %. Movies from 2003 that I would give four stars to would be The Return of the King & The Fog of War. Past movies would include The Shawshank Redemption, Casablanca, Pulp Fiction, The Pianist, Shakespeare in Love, Gone With the Wind, Forest Gump, maybe Spider-Man (right in between ***˝ and ****), Toy Story, Rollerball.
***˝ A very good movie. Doesn’t have quite the “oomph” to get four stars, but is highly recommended. From 2003, Capturing the Friedmans would probably fall into this category. Old movies would include Return of the Jedi, Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman, Clerks, The Matrix, Black Hawk Down, Caddyshack.
*** A good movie; an enjoyable movie. Recommended, but not a must see. Lost in Translation, Master and Commander, Bad Santa, Elf, X-Men and X-2.
**˝ A decent to good movie. Could be the type of movie that has some strong, perhaps even very strong, points, but doesn’t sustain itself all the way through. Probably worth seeing if the movie is your “type,” but probably not if it isn’t. I’ll probably put a lot of movies into this category, since I tend to avoid movies that suck, but am not easily impressed. 21 Grams, Mystic River, The Dreamers, Big Fish, Finding Nemo, Last Samurai.
** An average movie. It won’t be painful to watch, is moderately enjoyable and, in the right context, can be a good experience. Decent formula movies go here. Decent movies with something “original” get **˝ stars. Rounders, Pirates of the Caribbean, Matrix ReLoaded.
*˝ A weak movie that does not offend. Or possibly an ok movie that, nevertheless, sets back the movie making industry. Demonlover, most Adam Sandler movies, The Mummy. I have not seen it, but from what I have heard, I suspect the Passion falls here.
* A bad movie. A movie you should stay away from. Might have a few minutes of real drama or humor, but as a whole is garbage. Matrix Revolutions.
˝ A worthless piece of harmless crap lacking in redeeming qualities. Any movie with Pauly Shore in it.
No Stars A worthless piece of crap that sets back the movie making industry and the pursuit of art. Batman and Robin.
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***** A timeless classic. Reserved for the best of the best. Citizen Kane, Star Wars, The Godfather (I&II), The Battle of Algiers, etc. I would put the three Lord of the Rings movies, as a unit and in their extended version, into this category, but probably not any one of them, in its theatrical version, by itself. Others would include Branagh’s Henry V, Psycho, The Graduate, Bridge on the River Kwai, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dr. Strangelove, My Fair Lady, The Wizard of Oz.
**** An excellent movie. Top ten %. Movies from 2003 that I would give four stars to would be The Return of the King & The Fog of War. Past movies would include The Shawshank Redemption, Casablanca, Pulp Fiction, The Pianist, Shakespeare in Love, Gone With the Wind, Forest Gump, maybe Spider-Man (right in between ***˝ and ****), Toy Story, Rollerball.
***˝ A very good movie. Doesn’t have quite the “oomph” to get four stars, but is highly recommended. From 2003, Capturing the Friedmans would probably fall into this category. Old movies would include Return of the Jedi, Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman, Clerks, The Matrix, Black Hawk Down, Caddyshack.
*** A good movie; an enjoyable movie. Recommended, but not a must see. Lost in Translation, Master and Commander, Bad Santa, Elf, X-Men and X-2.
**˝ A decent to good movie. Could be the type of movie that has some strong, perhaps even very strong, points, but doesn’t sustain itself all the way through. Probably worth seeing if the movie is your “type,” but probably not if it isn’t. I’ll probably put a lot of movies into this category, since I tend to avoid movies that suck, but am not easily impressed. 21 Grams, Mystic River, The Dreamers, Big Fish, Finding Nemo, Last Samurai.
** An average movie. It won’t be painful to watch, is moderately enjoyable and, in the right context, can be a good experience. Decent formula movies go here. Decent movies with something “original” get **˝ stars. Rounders, Pirates of the Caribbean, Matrix ReLoaded.
*˝ A weak movie that does not offend. Or possibly an ok movie that, nevertheless, sets back the movie making industry. Demonlover, most Adam Sandler movies, The Mummy. I have not seen it, but from what I have heard, I suspect the Passion falls here.
* A bad movie. A movie you should stay away from. Might have a few minutes of real drama or humor, but as a whole is garbage. Matrix Revolutions.
˝ A worthless piece of harmless crap lacking in redeeming qualities. Any movie with Pauly Shore in it.
No Stars A worthless piece of crap that sets back the movie making industry and the pursuit of art. Batman and Robin.
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Signor Ferrari’s 4 Star Movie Rating System (which actually has 5 stars):
