My Movie Rating System

Tomorrow, I plan on adding the first of what I hope will be many short movie reviews. For the most part, these will not be of new releases, but I will instead write a review anytime after I see a movie. I was trying to think of how to rate these movies. Most reviewers use a number system, often 1-4 or 1-5. But I thought I would try something a little more different, and practical. So, here follows my 4-point rating scale.

• Buy! --This is the highest rating. A Buy! movie means I feel it is worth owning. Most people buy way too many movies, and often never watch them more than once, if that. I try to be a bit more selective with the movies I buy. If I'm spending $20 or so on a DVD, I want it to be one I will watch over and over again. So, these are movies that are good enough to own, and watch at least once a year.
• Ticket-Worthy --This is a movie that is not quite worth owning, but is still very good and worth seeing. In fact, this movie would be worth a trip to the theater, complete with expensive tickets and food, and possibly annoying crowds and screaming children.
• Rent --A movie that's only worth a rental is just not that great. They're just average movies. They're only worth watching if you can see it cheaply or for free. This category also includes movies you might see for free on cable, or accidentally at a friend's house. Or, movies in this category may be worth while if you particularly like a certain genre, director, actor, or source material, regardless of what I think.
• Avoid at All Costs --Pretty self-explanatory. These movies should not be watched under any circumstances. They are terrible, and an embarrassment to movies in general. Don't waste your time. Your time would be better spent drinking curdled milk, or perhaps trying to punch a hole through a concrete wall.

One final note: I'm usually pretty careful when I select movies to rent or see at a theater. I have a general idea of how I expect to feel about most movies before I see them. So there probably won't be too many low ratings. The few low ratings will likely come from movies I accidentally see.