Every film page shows a rating out of 10 with one decimal place.
What the number means
The rating is the reviewer's own score, not an average of readers and not imported from another site. It is set when the review is published and is not adjusted afterwards, even when a film's reputation changes.
The scale
- 9.0 and above — essential; we expect to still be writing about it in twenty years.
- 8.0 to 8.9 — excellent, with no significant reservations.
- 7.0 to 7.9 — good, with reservations stated in the review.
- 5.0 to 6.9 — flawed but worth your time for specific reasons.
- Below 5.0 — not recommended.
What we do not do
We do not round up to reach a round number, and we do not rate a film we have not seen in full. Films are never re-scored in exchange for access, screeners or advertising.