This is my personal opinion. My own likes/tastes will always play into it. I value the artistry of film highly and it plays a major part in my general enjoyment of film. But, my own feelings can color my seemingly rigid rubrics.
Expectations are inescapable, but I try to have them stand on their own.
Every film is unique and assessed on its own merit, but nothing exists in a vacuum.
This is all subjective, but this is my general scale with examples:
1. Awful. Little to no redeeming quality.– Alone in the Dark, Catwoman, Home Alone 3 (Nothing recent to give as an example)
2. Bad. Slight amusement possible, but a poor film. – Stop! Or my Mom will Shoot, Dragonball: Evolution, Cat in the Hat (Recent recipient examples: Extraterrestrial, Inbetweeners 2)
3. Mediocre. Limited redeeming qualities rising it above a cinematic horror, but has some real shitty elements. Often times, these were very disappointing films.– Alice in Wonderland (2010), The Last Airbender, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Planet of the Apes (2001) , (Recent recipient examples: Fantastic Four (2015), Jupiter Ascending, BvS, Terminator Genisys)
4. Below Average. Not bad films, but certainly not good. Problematic. These films may also have some great elements, but significant and detrimental flaws.– Ladybugs, Sucker Punch, Nightmare on Elm Street 4, The Santa Clause, Divergent, Waterworld (Recent recipient examples: World of Kanako, Jurassic World, San Andreas, Spectre)
5. Baseline Average. Decent films. Some may have had the potential for really good, but were drug down by flaws. Some may just be enjoyable and plain. Some may be really fun/quality films that would be generally substandard. (I would expect all film to strive for at least this.)– Mothman Prophecies, American Pie, Hulk (2003), Idiocracy, Hostel (Recent recipient examples: Buzzard, When Marnie Was There, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Ant-Man, Magic Mike XXL)
6. Baseline Above Average. Good film. Not great, but worth watching certainly. (I would expect all film to strive for at least this.) – Bad Santa, Stardust, Zombieland, Slacker, Sherlock Holmes (2009) (Recent recipient examples: Kingsmen, Edge ofTomorrow, The Lobster, Black Mass, Trainwreck, Star Wars Force Awakens)
7. Really Good. A darn good film experience. Often well made, but without stand-out/above and beyond elements. It can have flaws, but the overall quality is so extraordinarily grand to rise above them. - Dazed and Confused, Blazing Saddles, Beauty and the Beast, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, L.A. Confidential (Recent recipient examples: Ex Machina, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Favourite, Birdman)
8. Great. Wonderful film that does truly great things. Though it is really terrific, it is not out-of-this-world. - Nashville, Touch of Evil, Godfather Part 2, Goodfellas, Chinatown (Recent recipient examples: 1917, Dunkirk, Cold War, Mad Max Fury Road)
9. Superb. A must-see near classic. Usually one of the best film of any given year. Amazing skill, craftsmanship, vision, and quality. Love this film. – Godfather, The Searchers, Pulp Fiction, In The Mood For Love, Blade Runner (Recent recipient examples: Parasite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Moonlight, Look of Silence, Her, Boyhood)
10. One of the greatest films of all-time. The Best. As good as films can be.– Rear Window, Apocalypse Now, Citizen Kane, Alien (no recent examples)
+/- often come into it when things are leaning one way or the other.
Does this help?
