How does it work? I’m glad you asked! As usual, the Geek Stranger score is determined through an indepth scientific process which totally isn’t just me going from the gut on four different and arbitrarily chosen categories! I’m offended you even think that. We have crack mathematicians here doing the hard work. See?
Each individual score will be treated not unlike what’d you get in school, except on a 1-10 scale. So an 8.5 would be akin to an 85 on that test you didn’t study for and still somehow got a B on. I hate you. It may look like bad movies are getting really good scores, but they’re not, exactly. They’re bad, but most of them are at least passable. To even make it to the theater a movie pretty much has to score at least a 6, otherwise it would be an automatic fail. Less than a 6 would be me getting up and leaving in the middle of the film. So, while the very rare less than 6 may sneak through, it’s safe to say the average theatrical release has the confidence of the studio to at least earn a D. Like what I got when I spent a week cramming instead of sleeping or socializing. How does that even work!? ANYway, the four categories we’ll painstakingly consider are:
The story, originality, and execution of the movie, where even a reboot or rehash can score high if they do it right or with a good twist.
Acting, directing, and effects, which is basically saying that the people who made it had to have really tried, have some degree of talent, and made me believe that they at least believe in what they’re doing. Like my 3rd grade teacher who I believed when she said we could all be successes in life if we just believe. A lot of believing going on here, people. Also, the effects should probably justify the budget.
Suspension of disbelief is a necessary component of any movie or story, and given an initial premise, I’ll run with that. If the film is about a demon hunter from 31st century set in Mumbai, I’m good with that. But it’ll lose points if she’s also a physicist with advanced degrees who dabbles in high level genetic engineering between building and flying her own planes on the weekends and being fluent in Icelandic, just because. This category, the more disbelief I must suspend, the lower the score goes. Basically, just don’t kick me out of the movie with something stupid.
Total enjoyment. Even when everything else about the movie may suck, if I still loved it, I still loved it and I’m not going to lie about it (I’m looking at you, Howard the Duck, the true start of the MCU).
And from this cauldron of completely subjective and illogical rationales comes forth… the GEEK STRANGER SCORE!
The GSS? Eh. We’ll figure it out. 