One Star
Sam: Awful, perhaps even unwatchable at times. Significant and fundamental problems. Only appreciators of bad films should watch this. Go and play with a lion instead: more fun, less dangerous.Ben: Films receiving this score not only fail miserably at pretty much everything they attempt, but are also likely to be really quite insulting or offensive in their terribleness. Writing reviews of these films is, more often than not, much more fun than sitting through the films themselves.
Two Stars
Sam: Really pretty bad. Some positive points make it worth watching if you're a genre fan but there's little here to recommend.Ben: The underachievers of the movie world. Their writers and directors had such high hopes for them, and there might be glimmers of potential within, but for the most part something went seriously wrong. The kind of films that make you say "I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed".
Three Stars
Sam: A good film but never approaching anywhere near greatness. Generally an easy watch with some noticeable problems.Ben: Most films receiving this score have a fair amount going for them and are consistently enjoyable to watch. However, they can also be incredibly frustrating, as had a few key issues been resolved some of these films could have easily notched up another star.
Four Stars
Sam: Extremely good. Features many things that work well and is only held back by a few that don't.Ben: An excellent film. There may be a few areas which could have been tightened up, but anything receiving this score gets more than enough right to feel seriously impressive.
Five Stars
Sam: A classic, an absolute must watch. Very few films get the Film Intel five star award.Ben: Films that set themselves ambitious goals and comprehensively achieve them. Films that stay with you long after you've watched them. Films that have a lasting impact on their genre, on cinema, or on you as a viewer.