I'm no film critic. I'm just a little nobody who likes watching films a lot and decided to share some of his thoughts with, well, nobody in particular. It turns out I wasn't smart enough to figure out a perfect scoring system, opting for a simplistic out-of-ten approach. I didn't really think it mattered too much, as what I really think about the film is in the body of the review and the score is more like a general indication of my overall assessment. I have, I'm both saddened and somewhat ecstatic to tell you, received complaints.
I've only got ten numbers to play with. Some films get the same score. This does not necessarily mean I like Children of Men, Stranger Than Fiction and The Departed equally. They all got eight because that's what I felt they should get. Not that it matters. What is a review? It's the opinion of the person writing it. Rarely are two people's opinions the same. If you tell me there's no way Stranger Than Fiction deserves eight, it isn't going to make me go 'Oh, right, fair enough, I'll knock it down a point then'. It just means you don't think it's as good as I do. To be frank, I'm pleased this thing is receiving any attention at all, good or bad. The whole point was I hoped it would kick-start discussions about the films featured. Still waiting for comments, though. Go on, be the first.
It's been pointed out to me that I apparently think The Incredibles is as good as The Departed. Firstly, I don't really disagree - The Incredibles is a marvellous film. Second, in order to show exactly where each film fits compared to others the rating would have to be out of 1000 or something. If two films get the same score, it means they are broadly similar in quality, not exactly the same. Thirdly, the subject matter of The Departed and The Incredibles are not comparable in any way. The idea is each film should be compared to its peers. The Incredibles should have its eight compared to what I give other films of a similar type (which will hopefully be possible when the blog has a few more reviews published on it). As for The Departed, as mentioned in the review, it should be compared to its contemporaries - against Goodfellas or, say, The Godfather, it does OK, but is closer to Casino. It's nothing like The Incredibles, Stranger Than Fiction or Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The quality is generally similar, but the comparisons don't and can't add up.
The Incredibles was also snorted at and written off as a film for children. It's aimed primarily at kids, sure, but I fail to see how this matters. Should kids films automatically be given a maximum potential score of seven before even being watched? Of course not. Some of the greatest films ever made - Bambi, Spirited Away, Toy Story - are made for kids. Also, Star Wars and Dr. Who, overrated as I find them both, are made for young 'uns. The 'but it's for children' argument is hereby declared null and void.
So, in the interests of helping out those of you who are confused, here is a brief breakdown of what each score means:
1/10 - Quite possibly my least favourite ever film. Ever.
2/10 - Truly, tragically bad.
3/10 - Maybe there is one or two nice things to say.
4/10 - Wasn't dreadful, but wasn't really worth the time out of my life to watch.
5/10 - Average. OK. Alright.
6/10 - Not bad, but there are better alternatives out there.
7/10 - Really rather decent.
8/10 - Outstanding.
9/10 - Among the very best - cinematic bliss.
10/10 - Quite possibly my favourite ever film. Ever.
Got it? Good.
No comments:
Post a Comment