Picking a good movie

Why is it so hard to pick a good movie? It’s because your good movie isn’t the same as someone else’s good movie. I like my popcorn salted without butter. You may prefer it with butter. A movie is something you experience. And one of the most important parts of the experience is what you bring to it… your own life experiences, your preferences, your background, even your frame of mind on the day you see it.

It’s impossible for a critic to know all of these things about you. When critics give you their opinions on movies, those opinions come from their personal experiences, which are certainly different from yours. Some reviews are so brutal they make you feel embarrassed to say you actually enjoyed the movie! On the other hand, a plot synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes often spoils the movie. And what about trailers? Trailers are marketing tools, designed to sell movies… even if that means giving you inaccurate impressions about the movie.

Popcorn Diary tries to give you a feel for each movie, without spoiling the plot or presenting opinions as universal truths. I respect the fact that everyone has different favorites… and your favorites are as valid to you as mine are to me. I don’t rate movies or give them stars. That’s not what Popcorn Diary is about. I try to give you the kind of information that helps you decide if it will appeal to you. You can give it stars if you want.

NEW… by popular demand… a popcorn rating system

It’s finally here… popped and unpopped kernels… with a recap of the ingredients I found to be the most delicious… and sometimes the ones I didn’t think were fully popped.

Don’t let my popped-kernel ratings discourage you from seeing a movie you think you’d enjoy. As always, the “preview” is intended to help you figure out how many kernels… popped and unpopped… you might give it.

4 popped kernels

An excellent idea... what took so long!