Calibration Run, Part 1

Hero (Zhang Yimou, 2002):
E: 4 (lots of great kung-fu warriors)
A: 5 (rarely seen a more beautiful movie, or one that so thoroughly develops its themes)
T: Yes (Director Yimou will blow you away, and all the kung fu-ers are top notch but expected)
C: 5 (Most foreign films rate high here, even though they may be old hat in their own country, I'll never know - this one takes an intensely important period in Chinese history and turns it into a stunning legend that reveals important foundations of their national spirit)
M: -2/+2 (A brief but obvious under-the-sheets but vocal sex scene and a few blood drops, in addition to the pervasive kung-fu fighting. However this movie stands out as a moral positive, developing the nobility of sacrificing one's self for a higher good.)

This is my favorite movie of all time, so now you see how that scores. Moving on.

The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987):
E: 5 (to not be entertained by this movie is "Inconceivable!")
A: 3 (totally literary in every possible way, but not originally)
T: N (it is one of the strengths of this movie that every character shines equally in exactly the way they should)
C: 4 (an original way to treat being unoriginal - this movie makes it so obvious it is taking from the book, but it perfectly accomplishes being a cinematic retelling of the story)
M: -0/+3 (this movie upholds and supports everything that is good and right in the world, and even some that is good and right and not in the world)

I think I'm going to rearrange the system to put Concept first, since that's what you first become aware of in a movie. Then Entertainment and Artistry as representations of how well the concept is executed, then Moral Objection set over and against that, and finally Talent letting us know if this movie is that 'something special' or not.

Only a couple more - this is getting long!

Here's a review of a movie I didn't much care for. This would be a 'no' recommendation, despite my crush on Drew Barrymore:

Ever After:
C: 1 (ok at least you put a twist on it, but you're still remaking Cinderella. Unoriginality at its facebiting, copycatting finest. Groan.)
E: 2 (for the scenes where Drew's character's wit eviscerates everyone from the prince to the wicked step-sisters to Leonardo Da Vinci)
A: 1 (the only pretty things are the masque ball, some of the medieval scenery stands out as not-just-standard. But the movie is kind of blunt with its themes - they are stated plainly and are very weak for this reason.)
M: -1/+0 (just because I'm tired of stressing emotion over logic in romantic relationships and I think it is corrupting America's ideas of how marriage should work, and certainly not helping to bring our divorce rate down. Every romantic comedy will earn a point in this category for that reason, even if the characters don't have premarital sex)
T: No. Not really. yawn.

Ok one last one from the cabinet:

Goodfellas
C: 4 (not five for being another gangster movie, but not three because this gangster movie shows us, more than any other one has, the very bad bad bad things these people and those they are close to have to go through)
E: 3 (not much of a feel-good flick, but gangsters talkin' tough and doin' their thing always excites something in the average viewer)
A: 3 (Tough to be subtle with a film like this, but everything is sharp and good looking, the way that gangsters ought to be. Themes are a bit broad but well-played)
M: -4/+2 (though it clearly shows us that gangsters are bad in the end, it clearly shows us just how bad those gangsters are throughout the whole movie. Can be tough to watch)
T: Y (Ray Liotta plays a new part with a new perspective)

Calibration Part 2 tomorrow: I rate movies that I hope everyone has seen, thus making it even easier to calibrate.