Typically, in my reviews, I want my readers (you) to have an idea of whether or not they should invest their time to see a movie, new or old. I go to the cinema quite a bit, so I’d love to share my thoughts with the world. However, you may notice a rating at the bottom that you’ve never seen before. I call it an “authenticity rating.” Essentially, an authenticity rating is a rating, out of four stars, that paints a picture of how the film’s story and acting intertwine to evoke authenticity and vulnerability on screen and how that might effect you. For example, a film with a scenario too wacky to be evocative on the authentic level might be something like the new Spiderman trilogy (2017-2021) or Fall (2022) but films that structure their story and hire a fitting cast, no matter how fantastical the plot, would be something like all three Guardians of the Galaxy titles or Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse (2018) or Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse (2023). The reason I’m using such popular titles is to prove my point to as many people as possible. The new Spiderman trilogy is a lot of fun, but it’s too focused on the plot to have a lot of tender moments (ending of No Way Home aside) whereas Miles’ story in Into and Across the Spiderverse is very layered and broadcasts powerful performances from beginning to end, not just in the acting department but in the core of its story.

Before I define my rating system exactly, let me start this post by telling you a story from my life, and why this is important to me. In the summer of 2017, I got my first gig as a camp counselor in the mountains of North Carolina. Once a week, after a long hike in the woods, we would always spend the night in the wilderness. After a sermon (it was a Christian camp), gathering wood for the fire, and dinner, most of the counselors and 12 year old children would set up their ENO Hammocks (pictured below), gossip about the day, and fall asleep. The counselors usually slept together and the kids stayed amongst each other as well.

To me, though, I found it odd that anyone would choose to be far away from a burning fire when they could be warm next to it. Contrary to my peer counselors and the children that almost universally set up their hammocks, I decided to lay my sleeping bag down next to the fire and stay warm throughout the typically cold night ahead. To my surprise, a couple of the campers asked me where I would be sleeping for the night, and I told them, “By the fire.” A lot of them asked me, “Aren’t you gonna get dirty? Isn’t there dirt on the ground? Won’t there be soot from the fire? Is it comfortable on the rocky ground?” I just shook my head and said, “Warmth is worth all the drawbacks.”

The conversations I had with those kids around the fire are things of legend. We told stories, sung songs, and opened up about our secrets. One night around the fire, I asked kids about their experiences with bullying. One by one the kids would share what they experienced in school, but one brave young man told us about how he was the bully. He shared how much he regretted hurting other kids and making them feel powerless. The fact that he admitted something so cruel to the judgmental eyes of twelve year olds and myself (I could have judged him for all he knew) obliterated my expectations of young people. I had always prided myself on authenticity, but that young man showed me just how powerful opening up can be. Just how powerful the honest word can be in a society where most people would rather die than admit their darkest fears or most egregious mistakes. I believe it was the power of authenticity that guided all of us that night. It’s in moments of vulnerability that I feel someone’s greatest power.

So, in film, I look for moments that “obliterate my expectations of honesty.” In our society, we’ve been conditioned to say certain things with certain tones around certain people to avoid being socially outcast, as speaking about certain subjects can alienate even the closest friends and family members, especially politics and religion. However, those people who break those boundaries to be honest about how they feel about things…ignoring social norms in the process…impresses me more than anything on film. Take my favorite moment from any film, Good Will Hunting. Look at how raw and authentic this sequence is.

Movies or any kind of media that can capture the vulnerability of this scene above or the boldness of that kid who admitted he was a bully all those years ago will receive the highest praise from me. I care about people who aren’t afraid to be themselves. Who aren’t afraid to say they’re not okay when they’re not okay. Who aren’t afraid to tell their friend that what they did hurt them. Who aren’t afraid to tell someone their darkest secret. Who aren’t afraid to cry. These moments of authenticity, what I call them, are the things that I appreciate most in film. Here’s how I describe the scale.

1. Half Star – There were actors and actresses playing their roles, poorly.
2. One Star – There were actors and actresses playing their roles.
3. One 1/2 Star – There were glimpses of raw human emotion, but nothing substantial. A step above completely basic acting.
4. Two Star – There were moments of genuine connection of any emotion, whether that be heartwarming, terrifying, or joyful.
5. Two 1/2 Star – There were elevated performances that touched me at some points.
6. Three Star – I really felt things that I can only feel in real life. I can barely distinguish this movie from things that can actually happen. I felt it. I was there. Might be a scene here and there that shattered my expectations or broke me.
7. Three 1/2 Stars – Raw emotion and talent littered throughout every sequence and scene. An absolutely powerful script that meshed with acting performances that I’ll remember for a long time afterwards.
8. Four Stars – This film captured the very essence of being human to the extent that I cannot explain how they even captured such raw performances on screen. I was moved and won’t be the same after experiencing the sheer vulnerability of characters on screen. I may have been moved to tears, frightened, disturbed, or challenged intellectually beyond what a film should be capable of. No one wore even part of a mask throughout the entire film’s runtime.

I may rate all movies based on this scale at some point, but for now, I’m going to rate movie normally (as in, should you see this movie?) and then provide a brief description defending my authenticity rating from half star to a full four stars.

What are some movies that have moved you deeply, that you felt were extremely authentic? Please share your favorite movie moments below!