I rate films on a five star scale. One star is the least a film can earn, and I don't award half or quarter stars. Ratings largely reflect how successful a film is in achieving what it set out to accomplish. An ambitious art film that got four stars and a comedy aimed at children that got four stars shouldn't necessarily be considered exact equals. That would just be stupid and would make star ratings something way more important than they need to be. That said, the ratings look like this...
* Terrible. Accomplished nothing but getting made and seen.
** Bad. Not a success, but had one or two strong elements.
*** Okay. Exhibits both the good and the bad pretty equally.
**** Good. More good than bad, now we're getting somewhere!
***** Excellent. The work of true artists.
