Movie Rating System
The Problem
Have you ever tried to rank your top ten movies of all time? You probably named 5 or 6 relatively quickly but then struggled with the last few slots right? There are so many movies you like, you simply can't fit them all in and want to be sure that the films you have chosen are indeed your favourite top ten films.
The rating system below will help you grade your favourite films more accurately, so that films you struggle to choose between can be rated against each other fairly.
The Rating System
Where as many rating systems may work along the lines of a simple 1 to 10 basis. The All Star Rating system (ASR) is graded out of 100 and requires you to do a little more work.
Why? Because the difference between one film and the next is almost impossible to pigeon hole into such a small range, leaving you far to many films with the same rank.
The ASR system will provide the more discerning movie buff with a greater range to rate their movies by, and maybe help them think more closely about how they are ranked in comparison to other films they have seen and liked.
Basically the ASR breaks a film down into 10 levels or criteria, and asks the viewer to grade each criteria on a further 1 to 10 basis. The result is a value out of 100, which when placed next to other films you have assessed, should place them in a more widely distributed spectrum, allowing you to more easily asses which your favourite movies are among the many contenders that potentially exist.
What To Do
Below are two lists of categories along with the scores within each category by which to grade your chosen movie. The descriptions against each score are simply a basic guide to help you decide what grade out of 10 to apply.
There are 3 compulsory categories in list 1 which you must grade your movie by, these are the ‘Acting’ category, 'Watch-ability' and the 'Overall' category. You may then select a further 6 categories from List 1 of your own choosing, that you feel most closely resemble the best aspects of the film. Finally choose 1 categories from List 2 which you feel is the most appropriate genre for your movie.
Once you have chosen your 10 most applicable categories to rate your movie by, simply rate your film in each category (minimum score of 1, maximum score of 10) and keep a track of the score. Your total for that movie will become your ASR TOTAL.
Once you have rated a number of films in this fashion, you will easily be able to analyse how your favourite movies rate and compare to one another, along with your overall impression of the film.
List 1
You must grade the 3 compulsory categories and then choose and additional 6 categories most befitting the movie. A description and advice on grading each individual category is detailed after 'List 2'.
Acting (Compulsory)
Action
Authenticity
Direction
Drama
Effects
Entertainment
Humour
Musical Score
Originality
Scary
Storyline
Thought
Watchability (Compulsory)
Overall (Compulsory)
List 2
Pick the most compatible movie genre for your film and grade it out of 10. Your grade should represent roughly how this movie compares, to other movies you have seen of the same genre.
Action/Adventure
Animation
Comedy
Drama
Epic/Historical
Family
Fantasy
Film Noir
Gangster
Horror
Martial Arts
Musical
Romance
Science Fiction
Teen Film
Thriller
War
Western
Descriptions And Advice For 'List 1' Categories
Acting
The art of acting is to perform a part or roll in a story. The art of good acting is to entertain the audience to the point where they believe what they are seeing is real, or it evokes a strong emotional response.
You should grade a movies acting according to individual performances. This can be done according to how much they moved you, or how much they made you laugh. Overacting, whilst unrealistic, is still a skilful art and should be awarded just as well as a strong dramatic roll, or realistic portrayal.
Try to think if the Actors performances improve the entertainment factor of the movie, or weather their performances simply left you feeling hollow.
Action Films have tremendous impact, continuous high energy, lots of physical stunts and activity, extended chase scenes, races, rescues, battles, fights, destruction, disaster, explosions, fires… you get the general idea.
When grading on action you should consider the non-stop motion or spectacular rhythm and pacing that makes up the flow of the movie. You should grade frequency of action, quality of action regarding the effects, choreography and stunt work, as well as the rhythm of action sequences. The flow of action from one scene to the next, and how well balanced it is with relation to the story telling is key to a successful action movie, and often overlaps with other categories such as effects, direction, drama and originality.
Authenticity is the quality of being real or true. It is often very difficult to grade a films authenticity if you know little about the subject matter within it, however you can award points to a fictional or non fictional story, if you think it was done so well as to seem real, or believable to you the viewer, or if you believed what you saw was real.
If it is a factual movie about real life, the environment, historical events, or real life stories, you should avoid scoring in this category unless you know what you are talking about.
Direction is the smooth and seamless art of story telling, it encompasses such elements as camera angles and lighting, scene and character integration, cinematography and set location. In short a Director is responsible for bringing the whole story together, they are the ultimate story tellers with a thousand tricks up their sleeves.
Often it is very difficult to grade the Directorial talent in a movie, as the subtle art of story telling simply washes over the viewer without them knowing. When watching a film more than once, it becomes easier to pick up on the clever little nuances of the movie.
Watching the special features and extras that are bundled with movies these days will enlighten you further as to the hard work that has gone into making a film.
Drama is the serious presentations of part or all of a movie story. It usually encompasses situations in film that portray realistic characters in conflict with themselves, others, or forces of nature. It is the tension that grips you to your seat, which has you hanging on the edge of every second, every word and every event in the film. A dramatic film often shows us human beings at their best, their worst, and everything in-between.
A good way to gage the emotional drama of a movie, is not only how you felt while watching the film, but how long those emotions stayed with you after the final credits. Appropriate use of drama is also important in the overall enjoyment of a film. The mood should not be so oppressive as spoil the entertainment quality of a film.
Effects are the extra dynamic used to make the movie convincing. They may be computer generated graphics, models and props, pyrotechnics and explosives, stunt work, make up, and camera trickery.
There are numerous effects that can be used in a movie, and some movies require more than others. Good effects are the ones that come with wow factor, or that integrate so invisibly that you simply don't even know they are there.
Extra points should be awarded for originality and innovation. Bear this in mind when grading old films that now seem to contain dated effects, they may well have formed the foundation for film making today.
Entertainment value is a personal level by which to grade a movie. What is entertaining to one, may be nauseous to another. Also a film that scores highly on the technical side for realism and direction, may not always be Entertaining, and likewise a film with poorer technical merit could well be very Entertaining.
You need to decide how much this movie captivated your attention. Was it agreeable and gratifying to watch. If the film was very enjoyable to watch, to you should grade it highly.
This category is primarily used on Comedy movies, however it may also be used on other genre to gage the appropriate levels of humour throughout the movie.
Many dramatic films, or films with a heavy demeanour will often include a few scenes of a more spirited or jovial nature. When done well this technique can greatly enhance the entertainment factor of a movie, by lifting the viewers spirits from an otherwise dour movie atmosphere.
Apart from the obvious grading for how much the movie made you laugh, you should also try to award points for the appropriate use of humour, creative and original humour, and the humorous effect (how the humour content effects the atmosphere of the movie).
Particularly with films that evoke a strong emotional response, the musical score is often the unsung hero of the film. It sets the mood, creates the atmosphere and builds up the climatic finale of a scene to fever pitch proportions. It is in my opinion, one of the most important aspects of any movie, though most of the time you will scarcely be aware of it. When done to perfection it can elevate an average film to a good film and a good film to exceptional. It can provide a dynamic signature that once heard can instantly be associated with that movie.
Musical Score is not a reference to songs used in a movie, unless the songs have been written specifically for the titled film. Using other peoples pre recorded, pre written music in a film is not to be graded in this category. Instead award further points to Direction if you feel the appropriate use of songs was used.
Movies that immediately spring to mind when talking about originality, are Star Wars, Willow, Terminator II, The Matrix, and Lord of the Rings.
A film can be original on a number of different levels. It may contain special effects that have never before been done, the storyline may contain new and refreshing ideas and concepts, or the style in which the movie is made may be quite different from the norm. Even how scenes are shot can comprise a number of techniques out of the norm.
Try to award points for the appropriate use of originality. If something was original but completely misplaced with the rest of the film, don’t be tempted to grade it highly unless you have good reason to.
Scary moments in film are unsettling and designed to frighten, panic, cause dread and alarm, or invoke our worst and hidden fears.
Whilst being terrifying, the scare factor should captivating and entertaining us at the same time. It often requires empathy for the characters in the story, good acting and even better direction. It should invoke our most primal instincts for self preservation, and our vulnerability to events out of our control.
What comprises a good story? You could argue that it is largely personal preference, however there are a couple of things that should be taken into consideration, such as originality of script, character and story development, and level of complexity to name but a few.
A good story should have characters you can relate to, that you care about, or feel some emotional attachment towards. The story line should try to contain interesting material, preferably in an original manner. It should culminate to a climatic finally and not leave you feeling hollow or emotionless at the end of it. It should not be so simplistic as to patronise the viewer, nor be to complex to comfortably follow.
Complexity to a particular story, and how much effort was involved in understanding it. Films of this ilk require the audience to be both attentive and interested in order to follow what is unfolding before their eyes. The level of complexity should be adequate to the point where most attentive viewers could follow, and not so complex that few people can understand it without significant knowledge of the subject matter.
You should attempt to award points for how much the story line made you think, did it have multiple meaning at different levels, how much compassion and empathy did you feel towards the characters. Where you left pondering over the events of the movie long after the final credits.
Watchability refers mainly to how likely you are to watch this film again, or add it to your DVD collection. It signifies your intentions towards the film, and encompasses you viewing preference.
It is entirely subjective and does not come with any technical reference other than to say it is your viewing preference, and your likelihood of viewing over and over again. If you it’s a film you would like to watch again, or would be likely to own, then grade highly.
Its “make your mind up” time. You have graded the various different categories and analysed the technical aspects of the film along with its entertainment value. Now its time to give your overall opinion of the film.
This is your basic out of 10 grade for the film overall. It can act as a biased for particular films that you love, but which didn’t necessarily score high technical marks. It is purely down to your own viewing preference how you grade in this category.
Have you ever tried to rank your top ten movies of all time? You probably named 5 or 6 relatively quickly but then struggled with the last few slots right? There are so many movies you like, you simply can't fit them all in and want to be sure that the films you have chosen are indeed your favourite top ten films.
The rating system below will help you grade your favourite films more accurately, so that films you struggle to choose between can be rated against each other fairly.
The Rating System
Where as many rating systems may work along the lines of a simple 1 to 10 basis. The All Star Rating system (ASR) is graded out of 100 and requires you to do a little more work.
Why? Because the difference between one film and the next is almost impossible to pigeon hole into such a small range, leaving you far to many films with the same rank.
The ASR system will provide the more discerning movie buff with a greater range to rate their movies by, and maybe help them think more closely about how they are ranked in comparison to other films they have seen and liked.
Basically the ASR breaks a film down into 10 levels or criteria, and asks the viewer to grade each criteria on a further 1 to 10 basis. The result is a value out of 100, which when placed next to other films you have assessed, should place them in a more widely distributed spectrum, allowing you to more easily asses which your favourite movies are among the many contenders that potentially exist.
What To Do
Below are two lists of categories along with the scores within each category by which to grade your chosen movie. The descriptions against each score are simply a basic guide to help you decide what grade out of 10 to apply.
There are 3 compulsory categories in list 1 which you must grade your movie by, these are the ‘Acting’ category, 'Watch-ability' and the 'Overall' category. You may then select a further 6 categories from List 1 of your own choosing, that you feel most closely resemble the best aspects of the film. Finally choose 1 categories from List 2 which you feel is the most appropriate genre for your movie.
Once you have chosen your 10 most applicable categories to rate your movie by, simply rate your film in each category (minimum score of 1, maximum score of 10) and keep a track of the score. Your total for that movie will become your ASR TOTAL.
Once you have rated a number of films in this fashion, you will easily be able to analyse how your favourite movies rate and compare to one another, along with your overall impression of the film.
List 1
You must grade the 3 compulsory categories and then choose and additional 6 categories most befitting the movie. A description and advice on grading each individual category is detailed after 'List 2'.
Acting (Compulsory)
Action
Authenticity
Direction
Drama
Effects
Entertainment
Humour
Musical Score
Originality
Scary
Storyline
Thought
Watchability (Compulsory)
Overall (Compulsory)
List 2
Pick the most compatible movie genre for your film and grade it out of 10. Your grade should represent roughly how this movie compares, to other movies you have seen of the same genre.
Action/Adventure
Animation
Comedy
Drama
Epic/Historical
Family
Fantasy
Film Noir
Gangster
Horror
Martial Arts
Musical
Romance
Science Fiction
Teen Film
Thriller
War
Western
Descriptions And Advice For 'List 1' Categories
Acting
The art of acting is to perform a part or roll in a story. The art of good acting is to entertain the audience to the point where they believe what they are seeing is real, or it evokes a strong emotional response.
You should grade a movies acting according to individual performances. This can be done according to how much they moved you, or how much they made you laugh. Overacting, whilst unrealistic, is still a skilful art and should be awarded just as well as a strong dramatic roll, or realistic portrayal.
Try to think if the Actors performances improve the entertainment factor of the movie, or weather their performances simply left you feeling hollow.
Examples:Action
1 - Extremely poor acting. The performers showed little or no passion, they did not relate to the characters they were portraying.
5 - Average
10 - Superb acting. They captivated your attention, pulled your heart strings, made you laugh uncontrollably, or brought a tear to your eye.
Action Films have tremendous impact, continuous high energy, lots of physical stunts and activity, extended chase scenes, races, rescues, battles, fights, destruction, disaster, explosions, fires… you get the general idea.
When grading on action you should consider the non-stop motion or spectacular rhythm and pacing that makes up the flow of the movie. You should grade frequency of action, quality of action regarding the effects, choreography and stunt work, as well as the rhythm of action sequences. The flow of action from one scene to the next, and how well balanced it is with relation to the story telling is key to a successful action movie, and often overlaps with other categories such as effects, direction, drama and originality.
Examples:Authenticity
1 – Action sequences were infrequent and poor. The action drove the story, not the other way round, and there was nothing original any of the action scenes.
5 – Average
10 – Non stop action throughout, integrated smoothly into the storyline. The effects and stunt sequences were original, well choreographed and visually spectacular.
Authenticity is the quality of being real or true. It is often very difficult to grade a films authenticity if you know little about the subject matter within it, however you can award points to a fictional or non fictional story, if you think it was done so well as to seem real, or believable to you the viewer, or if you believed what you saw was real.
If it is a factual movie about real life, the environment, historical events, or real life stories, you should avoid scoring in this category unless you know what you are talking about.
Examples:Direction
1 - A completely false and misleading representation of science or evidence, so far fetched and contrived it was ridiculous.
5 - Average
10 - True to the facts or real events. Believable to the point where you felt you where watching live television.
Direction is the smooth and seamless art of story telling, it encompasses such elements as camera angles and lighting, scene and character integration, cinematography and set location. In short a Director is responsible for bringing the whole story together, they are the ultimate story tellers with a thousand tricks up their sleeves.
Often it is very difficult to grade the Directorial talent in a movie, as the subtle art of story telling simply washes over the viewer without them knowing. When watching a film more than once, it becomes easier to pick up on the clever little nuances of the movie.
Watching the special features and extras that are bundled with movies these days will enlighten you further as to the hard work that has gone into making a film.
Examples:Drama
1 - Very poor direction. The story jumped from one scene to the next erratically detracting your attention. No originality, and bad choice of characters and props.
5 - Average
10 - Superb direction. Clever and interesting camera angles, well worked scene integration, unique style and feel, a complete and masterful piece of story telling.
Drama is the serious presentations of part or all of a movie story. It usually encompasses situations in film that portray realistic characters in conflict with themselves, others, or forces of nature. It is the tension that grips you to your seat, which has you hanging on the edge of every second, every word and every event in the film. A dramatic film often shows us human beings at their best, their worst, and everything in-between.
A good way to gage the emotional drama of a movie, is not only how you felt while watching the film, but how long those emotions stayed with you after the final credits. Appropriate use of drama is also important in the overall enjoyment of a film. The mood should not be so oppressive as spoil the entertainment quality of a film.
Examples:Effects
1 – The drama was neither moving or tense. It did not play on my emotions at all. Wooden performances and poor unrealistic story line lead to a dramatically weak movie.
5 – Average
10 – My emotions were in tatters at the end of this movie, I had a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes, was on the edge of my seat throughout, and bit my nails down to the bone.
Effects are the extra dynamic used to make the movie convincing. They may be computer generated graphics, models and props, pyrotechnics and explosives, stunt work, make up, and camera trickery.
There are numerous effects that can be used in a movie, and some movies require more than others. Good effects are the ones that come with wow factor, or that integrate so invisibly that you simply don't even know they are there.
Extra points should be awarded for originality and innovation. Bear this in mind when grading old films that now seem to contain dated effects, they may well have formed the foundation for film making today.
Examples:Entertainment
1 - Extremely poor effects that distracted you attention away from the story, and made you realise instantly that what you just saw wasn't real.
5 - Average
10 - Spectacular effects unlike anything you have ever seen before. You were blown away in awe. The effects were very subtle and clever, but superbly done.
Entertainment value is a personal level by which to grade a movie. What is entertaining to one, may be nauseous to another. Also a film that scores highly on the technical side for realism and direction, may not always be Entertaining, and likewise a film with poorer technical merit could well be very Entertaining.
You need to decide how much this movie captivated your attention. Was it agreeable and gratifying to watch. If the film was very enjoyable to watch, to you should grade it highly.
Examples:Humour
1 – I did not enjoy this film at all, I would probably not watch it again. It did not entertain or lift my spirits at all.
5 - Average
10 – Highly entertaining throughout. I was captivated from the start, a real joy to watch.
This category is primarily used on Comedy movies, however it may also be used on other genre to gage the appropriate levels of humour throughout the movie.
Many dramatic films, or films with a heavy demeanour will often include a few scenes of a more spirited or jovial nature. When done well this technique can greatly enhance the entertainment factor of a movie, by lifting the viewers spirits from an otherwise dour movie atmosphere.
Apart from the obvious grading for how much the movie made you laugh, you should also try to award points for the appropriate use of humour, creative and original humour, and the humorous effect (how the humour content effects the atmosphere of the movie).
Examples:Musical Score
1 - There was nothing I found humorous in this movie at all. It was to serious, to heavy and otherwise moody for my taste.
5 – Average
10 – The use of humour was superb, it lifted my spirits at the right moments, titillated my emotions, and had me laughing heartily with appreciation. It was so funny throughout, I couldn’t stop laughing.
Particularly with films that evoke a strong emotional response, the musical score is often the unsung hero of the film. It sets the mood, creates the atmosphere and builds up the climatic finale of a scene to fever pitch proportions. It is in my opinion, one of the most important aspects of any movie, though most of the time you will scarcely be aware of it. When done to perfection it can elevate an average film to a good film and a good film to exceptional. It can provide a dynamic signature that once heard can instantly be associated with that movie.
Musical Score is not a reference to songs used in a movie, unless the songs have been written specifically for the titled film. Using other peoples pre recorded, pre written music in a film is not to be graded in this category. Instead award further points to Direction if you feel the appropriate use of songs was used.
Examples:Originality
1 – Inappropriate and inadequate music score, lead to film with the wrong atmosphere. I was unable to relate to the performance due to the poor musical score.
5 – Average
10 – Superb musical score that touched me emotionally and brought life and soul to every scene of the film. I will never forget the movies anthem which will remain a signature to the films excellence.
Movies that immediately spring to mind when talking about originality, are Star Wars, Willow, Terminator II, The Matrix, and Lord of the Rings.
A film can be original on a number of different levels. It may contain special effects that have never before been done, the storyline may contain new and refreshing ideas and concepts, or the style in which the movie is made may be quite different from the norm. Even how scenes are shot can comprise a number of techniques out of the norm.
Try to award points for the appropriate use of originality. If something was original but completely misplaced with the rest of the film, don’t be tempted to grade it highly unless you have good reason to.
Examples:Scary
1 - There was nothing original in this movie whatsoever, it was predictable, and everything I saw has been done a thousand times before in other movies and better.
5 – Average
10 – It was refreshing to see so many new ideas and concepts, I have never seen anything quite like that before. The camera angles and filming techniques were very unique. The style of the movie was very original and interesting to explore.
Scary moments in film are unsettling and designed to frighten, panic, cause dread and alarm, or invoke our worst and hidden fears.
Whilst being terrifying, the scare factor should captivating and entertaining us at the same time. It often requires empathy for the characters in the story, good acting and even better direction. It should invoke our most primal instincts for self preservation, and our vulnerability to events out of our control.
Examples:Storyline
1 – Though the film was designed to be scary, I felt no emotion to either the characters or plot. The unrealistic or poor portrayal of events, coupled with over exaggerated effects left a shallow feeling that was neither scary or entertaining.
5 – Average
10 – Spine chilling moments that dragged me out of my comfort zone and had me fearing for the characters lives. That fearful emotion will play on my subconscious fears for some time to come.
What comprises a good story? You could argue that it is largely personal preference, however there are a couple of things that should be taken into consideration, such as originality of script, character and story development, and level of complexity to name but a few.
A good story should have characters you can relate to, that you care about, or feel some emotional attachment towards. The story line should try to contain interesting material, preferably in an original manner. It should culminate to a climatic finally and not leave you feeling hollow or emotionless at the end of it. It should not be so simplistic as to patronise the viewer, nor be to complex to comfortably follow.
Examples:Thought
1 – Pathetic story line with no originality whatsoever. A mindless excuse to show effect after effect with no direction or consideration to the viewer.
5 – Average
10 – Fantastic story, that teased and piqued my interest throughout. Its non predictability and original script thoroughly entertained me, I fell in love with the characters right away and could immediately related to them.
Complexity to a particular story, and how much effort was involved in understanding it. Films of this ilk require the audience to be both attentive and interested in order to follow what is unfolding before their eyes. The level of complexity should be adequate to the point where most attentive viewers could follow, and not so complex that few people can understand it without significant knowledge of the subject matter.
You should attempt to award points for how much the story line made you think, did it have multiple meaning at different levels, how much compassion and empathy did you feel towards the characters. Where you left pondering over the events of the movie long after the final credits.
Examples:Watchability
1 – No thought required at all to watch this simple and mindless charade. A zombie falling asleep could still follow this plot.
5 – Average
10 – Wow the intrigue and plot where so rich with thought provoking material that I could watch this film a dozen times and still find something new to think about. An amazingly clever piece of script writing and story telling.
Watchability refers mainly to how likely you are to watch this film again, or add it to your DVD collection. It signifies your intentions towards the film, and encompasses you viewing preference.
It is entirely subjective and does not come with any technical reference other than to say it is your viewing preference, and your likelihood of viewing over and over again. If you it’s a film you would like to watch again, or would be likely to own, then grade highly.
Examples:Overall
1 - This film may have been good or bad, but its not my sort of film at all. I would never watch this film again by choice.
5 – Average
10 – I could watch this film over and over again. I cant wait till it comes out on DVD, I will be the first person in the cue.
Its “make your mind up” time. You have graded the various different categories and analysed the technical aspects of the film along with its entertainment value. Now its time to give your overall opinion of the film.
This is your basic out of 10 grade for the film overall. It can act as a biased for particular films that you love, but which didn’t necessarily score high technical marks. It is purely down to your own viewing preference how you grade in this category.
Examples:
1 – Rubbish, I hate this film, I must be mad to even grade something I hate so much, what a waste of my life.
5 – Average
10 – Outstanding. Of the thousands of film out there, this one is definitely in the top flight. Without a doubt one of my all time favourite movies.
Top Ten Movies
1) Lord Of The Rings (Triology)
2) The Matrix
3) Star Wars (IV,V,VI)
4) Braveheart
5) Indiana Jones (Triology)
6) Back to the Future (Triology)
7) Aliens
8) Terminator II
9) Blood Diamond
10) Inception
Note: This list is subject to change. Films were chosen on the bias of what made the biggest impression in my life, the emotional response they evoked, and how many times I have re-watched them.
Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
All Star Rating
Acting (10)
Direction (10)
Effects (10)
Entertainment (10)
Musical Score (10)
Originality (10)
Story Line (10)
Watch-ability (10)
Overall (10)
Fantasy (10)
ASR TOTAL 100
Review
This has to be my favourite film of all time. It has everything I could ever want from a film and more.
Adapted from the most popular novel of all time, and second in sales only to the Bible, this majestic fantasy tale takes you on an adventure beyond compare. The life’s work of J.R.Tolkien is brought to life in a vision made only possible by the scrutiny and detail of a dedicated cast and crew, directed with mastery by Peter Jackson who’s energy and excitement for the story is unequalled.
Analysis of every aspect of this film, leaves the viewer in awe of its flawless creation, from props, costumes and set design to stunning and unparallel special effects. Breathtaking cinematography, passionate acting from a perfectly cast crew and an inspiring story line that drags you through every emotion possible. Lord Of The Rings is truly an epic movie worthy of the unprecedented 17 total Oscars.
The Matrix
All Star Rating
Acting (9)
Direction (9)
Effects (10)
Entertainment (10)
Originality (10)
Story Line (10)
Thought (10)
Watch-ability (10)
Overall (10)
Science Fiction (10)
ASR TOTAL 98
Review
”Unfortunately no one can be told what the Matrix is, they have to see it for themselves”
The Matrix is essentially a science fiction action film who’s plot is so intense and intricate, and exists on so many levels that you could spend forever just thinking about it. Splice in some of the best action, fight choreography, and never before seen, ground breaking special effects, and The Matrix is a film to make you eyes bubble out of the sockets in supersonic amazement and you brain go into synaptic overload from intrigue.
First time directors the Wachowski brothers pull of a miracle by shaking the foundation of George Lucas’s Lucas Art Productions and steal the limelight from the long awaited sequel to Star Wars, the Phantom Menace. They catapult into stardom actors like Lawrence Fishburn, Carry-Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving, and revive the career of Keanu Reeves elevating him to household name.
If you haven't seen the Matrix yet, then stop reading this review and go and watch it now. It might just change how you view the word.
I, Robot
All Star Rating
Acting (7)
Action (8)
Direction (7)
Effects (9)
Entertainment (7)
Originality (7)
Storyline (7)
Watchability (7)
Overall (8)
Science Fiction (8)
ASR TOTAL 75
Review
I, Robot is basically a murder mystery set in the future where humans only just outnumber robots by a factor of 5 to 1. Detective Spooner (Will Smith) has a real problem with this, and doesn’t share the same view as the rest of society, that Robots are the best way forward, in fact he hates them.
The story line holds enough twists and fascination to keep your attention, and the special effects are very well done indeed. From the robots through to the computer generated backdrops and animation sequences, your eyes are lead to believe that what you see is real and not just some elaborate cartoon.
A number a moral questions are asked of the audience, and your left with a few poignant thoughts for your journey home.
What makes I, Robot work for me is director Alex Proyas’ surprisingly effective balance of action, intrigue and emotion. Sure, Spooner’s hang-ups aren’t nearly as interesting as what’s happening with the robots, but they at least give you something more to think about than the last explosion or fight scene. It may not be high drama but its entertaining.
If you like fast paced action, special effects, Will Smiths charm and witty ‘one-liners’, mixed in with a smidgeon of intrigue and story telling, then you will probably love this film so go and see it.
The Bourne Supremacy
All Star Rating
Acting (8)
Action (7)
Authenticity (8)
Direction (8)
Effects (6)
Entertainment (8)
Storyline (8)
Watchability (8)
Overall (8)
Espionage (8)
ASR TOTAL 77
Review
Essentially a Spy-vs-Spy movie, packed with thrills an spills of action and suspense. The Bourne Supremacy kicks off where the first movie finished, and soon throws you back into the mindset of the paranoid but deadly Jason Bourne.
As with the first movie (The Bourne Identity) the action sequences and plot are strung together in an intelligent way, making you believe that the special-opps spies are smarter than smart, highly trained individuals, rather than the mindless gun slinging action hero’s of old.
The film is fast paced, keeps you on the edge of your seat with suspense, and has a enough twists and turns throughout to keep you well entertained. Matt Damon proves once again that he is a versatile top class actor, and Director Paul Greengrass proves that sequels can be as good as the original.
If I had one complaint to make, it would be the shaky camera work that seems to be coming far to common place in action movies of late. A little shake now and again can compliment the aesthetic feel to an action sequence, but to much can leave you with that sick to the stomach ‘Blair Witch’ feeling. Please everyone, lets not get lazy and just shake the camera violently for effect.
Fans of The Bourne Identity should definitely enjoy The Bourne Supremacy equally as much, just don’t expect anything more than that.
The Village
All Star Rating
Acting (8)
Direction (9)
Drama (8)
Entertainment (8)
Originality (10)
Scary (7)
Thought (8)
Watchability (8)
Overall (8)
Thriller (9)
ASR TOTAL 83
Review
M. Night Shyamalan's 4th big movie comes in the form this suspenseful and claustrophobic thriller ‘The Village’.
The small village of Covington is surrounded by woods inhabited by mysterious creature. Though this is the setting for the entire film you would be mistaken into thinking this is a stereotypical monster movie.
Unlike some of the reviews I have read, and contrary to what seems the popular opinion, I actually found ‘The Village’ to be an excellent movie. The acting, story line and direction are all original and superbly executed.
Shyamalan sticks to his traditional way of filming by not indulging in special effects and sophisticated props. He allows his directorial talent to lead you through the story, and points the camera at a more than capable cast and crew. He leaves everything open to the imagination of the viewer, giving nothing away until the climax of the movie.
Though Joaquin Phoenix provides another excellent character portrayal, I was equally impressed with the first big screen daybiew for young female actor Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of accomplished film director Ron Howard), who masterfully captivates the audience with a performance that seemed both experienced and mature.
For lazy viewers intent on witnessing a flurry of special effects, monsters, blood and carnage, then dig out your old copy of Starship Troopers and watch that instead. For those more discerning viewers, who love to have their imagination piqued with original and gripping cinematography and story telling, then The Village is a film you should enjoy.
Dodgeball
All Star Rating
Acting (7)
Direction (7)
Entertainment (9)
Humour (9)
Musical Score (6)
Originality (7)
Storyline (6)
Watch-ability (7)
Overall (8)
Comedy (8)
ASR TOTAL 74
Review
Dodgeball is silly slapstick comedy about a group of athletic misfits, led by gym owner Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaughn). They fall foul of a large rival fitness chain owned by White Goodman (Ben Stiller), who threatens to take over their gym and shut them down. There only chance to save the gym is by winning the prize money from a Lass Vegas Dodgeball tournament.
Light hearted, well paced comedy is the name of the game and who better to run the show than Ben Stiller who’s ever exaggerated characters and hairstyles are enough to reduce even the moodiest viewer to tears of laughter. His exuberant expression, comic timing, and superfluous over acting is always top entertainment and coupled with some decent lines as well its impossible to keep a straight face.
Vaughn plays up the straight, more sensible guy very well and levels the stupidity out to a more even keel. The supporting actors are also brought into the movie more as the story moves along, but the laughs are evenly enough distributed throughout the film in order to keep you constantly amused.
Very funny, very stupid, very entertaining.
The Chronicles Of Riddick
All Star Rating
Acting (6)
Action (7)
Drama (7)
Effects (9)
Entertainment (7)
Originality (6)
Storyline (6)
Watch-ability (6)
Overall (7)
Science Fiction (7)
ASR TOTAL68
Review
A follow up of the cult film ‘Pitch Black’, The Chronicles Of Riddick is a film in its own right, with little reference made to the first film. It’s inflated budget is spent entirely on dazzling effects, and flash action sequences.
Vin Diesel plays his stereotypical roll as Riddick, the emotionless, rugged, one man slaughter house. His cool demeanour and impressive physique almost carry the film on their own. Tandy Newton plays the cunning temptress, and Karl Urban makes his second big movie appearance since Lord of the Rings (Eomer) and Bourne Supremacy, as the villainous opponent Uaako.
Though David Twohy continues to show he is a writer and director with incredible imagination, adding his own feel and style to the movie, there is something not quiet there to make the movie click into place. The storyline and history seems to cramped and rushed, without due explanation for the events that are unfolding before the viewers eyes, and the enemy Necro’s are just a little to similar to Star Trecks Borg for my liking.
That being said The Chronicles Of Riddick is not a bad film. The special effects are excellent, the action sequences are well done with enough originality to pique your interest, but there is just that little special something that seems missing.
The Terminal
All Star Rating
Acting (9)
Direction (8)
Drama (8)
Entertainment (7)
Humour (7)
Originality (8)
Storyline (7)
Watch-ability (7)
Overall (7)
Comedy (7)
ASR TOTAL 75
Review
Loosely based on a true life story about Merhan Karimi Nasseri, a man without country, trapped by his lack of papers in Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, since 26 August 1988.
The name has changed from Merhan Nasseri to Viktor Navorski (played by Tom Hanks), and instead of Charles De Gaulle Airport its based at JFK International in New York. The rest of the movie is probably entirely fictional.
Though dubbed as a romantic comedy, The Terminal is neither especially funny, or overly romantic. That being said it is highly entertaining. It’s a ‘nice’ movie, it wont go down in your cinema all time greats, but it will make you smile and give the odd romantic sigh.
Surprisingly Hanks strong accent wasn’t annoying to me personally, and after a few minutes of listening I even bought into it. His strong screen presence and commanding acting skills do come to the forefront on occasion as his character struggles through this state of limbo, exile, and constant torment from the airport official Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci).
The Angelic Catherine Zeta Jones does a reasonable job of supporting Hanks as the flighty air hostess Amelia, and other than being pleasing to the eye, does portray her character to an acceptable standard, if not unrealistically being attracted to Viktor Navorski.
The lack of eventful material to base a two hour movie in an airport does call for some original direction from Steven Spielberg, but nothing the worlds most famous director cant handle with ease.
All in all The Terminal is a decent film, a popcorn flick that will keep you entertained at least for the duration of the movie.
Collateral
All Star Rating
Acting (9)
Action (7)
Direction (8)
Drama (8)
Entertainment (8)
Originality (8)
Storyline (7)
Watch-ability (7)
Overall (8)
Action/Adventure (8)
ASR TOTAL 78
Review
Collateral is an action thriller which gives you a glance into the mindset of hit man killer Vincent (Tom Cruise), while recoiling at the emotions of kidnapped cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx).
Excellently acted by both Tom and Jamie, with a refreshing role reversal for each of them. The dialogue and character interaction is both poignant and entertaining with an occasional sprinkling of black humour to alleviate the tension.
Michael Mann (Last of the Mohicans, Heat, The Insider) continues to evolve his stylish sense of direction, and almost provides a signature for the movie by creating a unique mood and feel.
Fans of Cruise should definitely go and see this movie, but be prepared for a darker roll than he usually plays.
Anchorman
All Star Rating
Acting (7)
Direction (7)
Entertainment (8)
Humour (8)
Musical Score (6)
Originality (7)
Storyline (7)
Watch-ability (7)
Overall (7)
Comedy (8)
ASR TOTAL 72
Review
Coming Soon.
Man On Fire
All Star Rating
Acting (10)
Action (7)
Direction (9)
Drama (8)
Musical Score (7)
Storyline (7)
Thought (7)
Watch-ability (7)
Overall (9)
Crime/Gangster (9)
ASR TOTAL 80
Review
Man on Fire paints a very sinister tale of revenge in which Creasy (Denzel Washington), a former special forces operative now turned body guard, wields the grim reapers scythe against an organised kidnapping racket in Mexico, fighting terror with even greater terror.
Though rated 18, the certificate is geared more towards the adult nature of the film rather than the explicit content of gore. In fact director Tony Scott (Enemy Of The State, True Romance, Top Gun) chooses to more tastefully cut the camera focus away from the blood and guts, and instead bring greater emphasis on the actors expressions and emotional skills to pull off the various scenes of violence and butchery.
Denzel provides another commanding performance, proving again he is one of the best actors in the world. Indeed the only criticism, if any, is that he is type cast once again in a stereotypical role.
Christopher Walken has a relatively small role in the movie, as does Mickey Rourke and the famous Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini. Rachel Ticotin is probably underused also, giving you the impression that all these minor roles could have easily been played by any competent actor.
That being said the performances from Dakota Fanning, the young girl who gets kidnapped, and Radha Mitchell who plays her desperate mother, are both excellent. You cant help but warm Dakota’s sweet persona, and shudder at the horror and fear projected through Radha Mitchell when she learns the terrible truth.
But without doubt the film is definitely carried by the cold and almost sadistic performance by Washington, who’s demeanour and mood ground you firmly in your seat, filling you with dread and emotion throughout the entire movie. You get a real sense for the character and how dangerous and on the edge he really is.
Paul Cameron provides lots of kinetic photography and editing techniques to give the film a gritty visual style, and frequent symbolic references throughout, that are rarely shot in action movies, give the film a nice overall touch.
This film dares to go places that films of a similar ilk failed to do.
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