(I'm making this a new post, even though it's really just my reaction to discussion of my previous post, because it's my Weblog and I can. So there.)

See, Mike's point about going tabula rasa and not wanting to read or even skim an actual review while making the decision on whether or not to shell out and hit the multiplex is the most compelling one I know of for some kind of rating scale.

Here's another argument in favor of ratings or letter grades: they neatly fulfill the "consumer guide" function of a review for those who are trying to decide whether or not to see a movie. That could, in theory, make it OK to include SPOILERS!!! in the body of a review — which I generally avoid, but which could facilitate more detailed discussion of my reaction to a film.

So here's one of the questions I deal with — are people using these reviews for consumer-guide purposes? Are they using just the letter grades for that purpose? Obviously Mike D. is, and while he could just email me and ask what I thought of The Hunted (I liked it quite a bit, Mike, though I wouldn't call it "terrific" and wouldn't recommend it to you in particular because of what I know about your fondness for, y'know, a decent script, which The Hunted lacks) the Web site is intended to save everyone the trouble.

To be honest, though, I've never thought the consumer-guide component of what I do was really worth writing home about. I don't get email complaining that somebody went to a movie on my recommendation and hated it (though lots of people write in to bitch after they read my review of something they loved). Because my day job keeps me more and more busy later and later into the evening with each passing year, I tend to miss out on the vast majority of press screenings, even when the studio folks deign to invite me, and that means that reviews run days after a film's opening at best — and often it takes me weeks to get something up. Just the way my life is working right now. But the publishing business is rough right now and in three months, who knows, I could have all the free time in the world to dedicate to movie-viewing and reviewing.

Anyway, I digress. I could be wrong about the wrong-ness of "grading" movies, which always seemed vaguely vulgar to me when I was a pretentious undergraduate who thought he understood everything. And certainly the first thing I get asked by friends after the credits roll is "So what grade are you giving it?" (Lately I've been grumbling something about how I don't give grades any more, which seems to throw a soggy blanket over the conversation.) Anyway, I'm having a great time reading and considering the responses to date.

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Comments

You put forward this question in your initial post and no one really discussed it until now. And I think you have to remember that of course people use your reviews and grades as a consumer guide. You have to admit that one of the principal reasons to write a review is to recommend, as well as to give an opinion, or join in critical discussion.

Now, whether your feelings about movies translate into consistent recommendations to particular readers is another question. The way I see it, it is up to the reader. My strategy has always been to read reviewers widely until I find a small group of reliable writers that seem to have similar reactions to the films I see. That doesn't mean I don't read other reviews for their opinions, it's just that if I want a recommendation, I will turn to this select few (of which you, Brant, are one - congratulations!). If I disagree with you greatly over a movie, I don't feel compelled to write to you and complain, because I know that the vast majority of the time we will be in the same ballpark. Those that disagree with you regularly should not bother to use you for recommendations, and probably don't waste time on multiple emails to you.

I'm therefore one of those (obvious minority) who are disappointed to see your letter grades go, because I know from experience what they (roughly) mean to me. Who cares if the grade is a little variable? I know if you give something an A- or a B+ or even a B-, I'm likely to enjoy it, in contrast to a 4-star movie of, say, Roger Ebert, which is never a guarantee for me.

Yes, it's often impossible to resist reading through your review straight away, but I often find myself getting halfway down and not wanting to get into any more details, hence the dependence on the grade, as others have already argued. No, I don't always see a review from you of a movie that interests me, nor do you always get one out on time, but that doesn't mean I don't value the reviews (and grade assessments) you do write. And, no, you shouldn't feel obliged to make a top ten list if you feel it would be too transient over time, nor should you feel bad about changing your grades, or even about not bothering to change them. As an independent online critic, I think any obligations you may have to the readers are highly debatable at the least.

I guess on that note I have to end by saying whatever you choose to do is entirely up to you, but if you were to throw out the odd mildly-imprecise, completely-uncatalogued, but considered grade from time to time, I'd be a happier reader.

Posted by: Andy K at April 16, 2024 11:06 AM

I'm philosophically opposed to a rating system. And I miss your letter grades.

Do I contradict myself? I am large, I contain multitudes. Besides, the well-bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves.

Carry on.

Posted by: Dan Jardine at April 17, 2024 01:11 AM

The consumer guide aspect of your reviews is particularly useful for those of us who live in places like Australia - where we usually have to wait a few months after a US release of a movie. For less mainstream movies, it can somtimes be years.

It's good to see the grades back.

Posted by: Matty at May 6, 2024 09:08 PM

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