I spent a good deal of time watching short video clips on YouTube last month and very little time watching anything more substantial, which I’m not happy about. In fact, aside from a series of documentaries about my favorite early 20th-century sculptor – which I am going to strongly recommend to you – I managed to see only two feature-length films during the entirety of the 31 days. However, one was good, and the other was very good.

As you will see, I’m using a new rating system. Here’s how it works:

Each film is evaluated in terms of six categories:

1. Verticality – How deeply it explores the human condition.

2. Horizontality – How well it brings to life the particularities of the time and place in which the story is set.

3. A/V Resonance – The richness of the film’s audio (background music, sound effects, audio enhancements, etc.) and visual (lighting, scenery, colorization, etc.) components.

4. Acting – The quality and authenticity of the performances.

5. Directing – The director’s vision and execution.

6. Editing – The coherence and pacing.

I give the film a score of 0 to 10 for each category, with a possible total score of 60 for all six. Then, based on the film’s total score, I deliver mv verdict:

55 to 60 – Rare Gold
48 to 54 – Strongly Recommended
42 to 47 – Worth Watching
36 to 41 – Take a Chance
Below 36 – So Bad, I Couldn’t Finish It

But first, before I get to the reviews…