Hello, welcome to Cinesthesia!

My name is Carlos Cuevas and I’ve been a fanatic of genre movies since I was around eight and my parents took me to see the special edition of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Several years later I bought Peter Nicholls’ book The World of Fantastic Films (1984) and I was changed for life. The result is the website you’re reading now.

If you’d like to submit a review, please write me at ciancuevas@gmail.com.

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Grading movies is a largely silly exercise. While there are obvious indicators of craft, the experience of watching a film is highly subjective and elastic. But since we need some sort of guide, here is how I rate them (with exhibits from John Carpenter’s filmography):

**** Excellent

Emotionally resonant and technically impressive films that push the medium forward. Example: The Thing (1982).

***½ Great

A cut above the rest. Films that go above and beyond in terms of skill and overall effect. Example: Halloween (1978).

*** Good

Generally well-rounded films, even if there are some minor kinks here and there. Example: Assault on Precinct 13 (1976).

**½ Pretty Good

Solid efforts with more hits than misses. Nevertheless, you can’t shake the feeling that they could’ve achieved more. Example: In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

** Average

As Dylan said, no reason to get excited. While these films may have some entertaining moments, they are mostly unexceptional. Example: Vampires (1998)

*½ Poor

Substandard and incompetent, these films make you wish you could get those two hours of your life back. Example: Ghosts of Mars (2001).

* Awful

These are not “so bad they are good” cult films that could conceivably earn a higher spot on the list. No, these are just… bad. Example: Escape from L.A. (1996)

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Site title generously suggested by Gerry “The Stillness” López.