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Saturday, April 22, 2006

New Ratings

Us journalists (Jesus, I kill me). Um yes; Us journalists have a dilemma when it comes to rankings for food, books movies, etc. If we've done a good job in the editorial section of our review then a simple rating shouldn't be necessary. The rating is probably more of a distraction. Ratings are an appeal to the lowest common denominator among us who wants content without depth. But, yet... so handy and ubiquitous are ratings that it's natural and expected to use them.

So going forward I will be changing the way I rate movies. Instead of a letter grade (which are great because they are so clear) I'll be switching to something more descriptive, more important, and more relevant to you the reader than just a simple rating of movie quality. Instead I will be making a terse suggestion of what you should do. Example: Saving Private Ryan would go from an A- to "pay full price". This new rating reflects not only the quality but the perceived importance of the film while also taking into account the relative value of watching films in a particular medium.

The ratings I'll be using for now will be following: "Avoid", "Catch on TV", "Rent", "Matinee", "Pay Full Price", and the ever rare "Opening Night". I reserve the right (as I always do) to change these ratings up all willy-nilly.

The clever amongst you have probably already realized a weakness in the new system. Example: Finding Nemo is a good movie that is probably best seen in the theater, and I might well recommend "Matinee" but by now its not in the theaters any more. Well... tough. You'll just have to do the best you can. And plus, sometimes things do go back to the theaters, or sometimes be found at a second run cinema.

Huzzah! I have spoken.

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# posted by Max : 4/22/2006 12:02:00 AM  
Comments:
I think you need a few more. Like watch while cleaning house/doing laundry or Netflix it cause it doesn't cost you any extra or catch it at the $2 theater.
# posted by Laura : Saturday, April 22, 2006 7:31:00 PM
 
I'm throwing Netflix in with "Rent". The best way to rent is clearly Netflix, but since they are so slow for Butte I'm protesting. The "Whatch While Distracted" category is an excellent idea.
# posted by Max : Saturday, April 22, 2006 9:03:00 PM
 
"Opening Night" in my case applies only to Quentin Tarantino flicks, and X-Men movies. Everything else -- I can wait until it comes to cable!
# posted by david : Sunday, May 14, 2006 11:02:00 AM
 
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