Ranking

Scariness

Does this film make you jump in your seat, scream out loud, frighten you in a physical way? Are you forced to look away from the screen or grip your partner’s hand?

Horror

Does this film create a new phobia in you? Does it have such strange, twisted, horrible imagery that it leaves you feeling… changes… some how. Unable to sleep that night.

Terror

Does this film make you watch it through your fingers, shielding your eyes from what is to come because of the tension and anticipation creating a palpable unease?

Entertainment

Does this film just flat out rock? Despite any other flaws it might have, could you watch it over and over and never get tired? Is it badass, funny, crazy, or stupidly entertaining?

Premise

Does this film have a strong opening sequence? Does it have a basic premise that is unique, clever, scary, and well thought out? Is the setting interesting and intriguing?

Characters

Does this film have believable characters, who are fun to spend time with, that do not seem like simple one-dimensional tropes, and who develop over the course of the film?

Societal Impact

Does this film have a societal impact; does it reflect the zeitgeist of the time it was about or the time in which it was made? Does this film influence horror films that came after it? Did it make a big splash critically or at the box office?

Memorability

Does this film stand the test of time? Is it easily discernible from other films in the genre? Do the horrors communicated in the film transfer to any era?

Performance

Does this film have acting performances that are fun to watch, skillfully performed, and believable realized? Are the performances unique and memorable?

Production / Effects

Does this film’s special effects, cinematography, pacing, art direction, and any other technical aspects of movie-making stand out as memorable, unique, or exemplary?

Villain

Does this film’s Monster or Villain scare you? Are they unique, memorable, well realized, and just plain awesome?

Ending

Does the film stick the landing? Does it deliver on the premise from the beginning of the film, or does it suffer from the problem plaguing horror, the “third act problem?”

Gore

Does this film have a large amount of blood, guts, and viscera?

Sexual Content

Does this film have a lot of weiners, boobies, butts, and … chaste flash of ankle? Is there lots of sex and suggestive material? How awkward would this be to watch right next to your mother?