An Intro

   Hello, everybody.
   I decided to use this first blog entry to kind of introduce myself. You could probably get the same effect by looking at the "about me" panel on the side or viewing my whole profile, but I decided I might as well try to explain as best I can about myself and what I do here.

   My name's Max (obviously), and the first thing you should know is that I'm a huge film buff. In fact, filmmaking is what I hope to go into later in life. It's certainly what I intend to study when I return to college. I used to do drama studies, you see, but I didn't get on too well there, and overall I wasn't that interested in the course anyway. So in the meantime, I'm just looking for a job, like so many other people.
   Anyway, since movies are what I talk about most often, I decided that's what my blog would mostly be dedicated to. Whenever I see a movie for the first time, I'll give a brief summary of my initial impressions.
   Why brief? Well, I'm not really one for trying to write full reviews after only one viewing; I used to do that on a website called Listal, and just found it too damn difficult. So I'll just settle for a brief summary of my first impressions for now, and if I see the movie again at some point further down the road, I'll do a full review. After all, I think most people will agree that the more times you see something, the clearer your impressions become, and the easier it is to write about.

   But of course it isn't just movies I'm interested in. My two other biggest passions are nature and technology.
   Ever since I was a little kid, I've always loved animals. I attribute it mainly to a Microsoft PC program called Dangerous Creatures. That game left a huge impression in my young mind, and I practically obsessed over it as a child. I have no desire to become a zoologist, though, for two reasons. One: I can't really see myself working in a lab (or in the field) to answer questions first-hand. And two: I studied biology for my Leaving Certificate (the Irish equivalent of the A-levels or whatever), and I realised that studying it in-depth like that just wasn't my scene.
   Dinosaurs were another of my obsessions in my young days, and still continue to be. But even as a kid, I never wanted to be a palaeontologist. It's a job that requires too much patience for me.
   And, again ever since I was a kid, I've always been highly computer literate. But again, I have no desire to become a computer engineer or anything, because, just like with biology, my expertise and comprehension only goes so far. Quite a few aspects of computers, and technology in general, just go right over my head. Still, I'm competent enough that I can usually help out my family and friends with any computer problems they may have! :)

   As for my taste in music… Well, I do love music, but I don't analyse it like I do with cinema. You know how most people adore music and have only a passing interest in movies? Well, for me, it's the other way round. I consider myself a casual music listener.
   I like just about every genre of music, and have a little bit of everything on my iPod, but most of my favourite songs and artists are from the rock scene.

   Well, I guess that should do for now. After all, I wouldn't want to write a full autobiography here! :)
   So I'll just finish by saying that, as a critic, my biggest inspiration is probably Doug Walker (best known as the Nostalgia Critic) – in fact, everyone on his website, ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com. Also James Rolfe (best known as the Angry Video Game Nerd), who's also probably my biggest filmmaking idol, Mark Kermode, the only mainstream critic I follow regularly, and the immortal double-act of Siskel and Ebert.

   So check in for the first impression comments to follow – and, I'm sure, full reviews further down the line.
   I'll see you later.


PS. Perhaps I should go over the rating system I use for movies.

100% = outstanding
90% = great
80% = very good
70% = good
60% = not bad
50% = okay
40% = mediocre
30% = poor
20% = dire
Turkey (10% or less) = atrocious

Or, here's another way to look at it:
100% + 90% = 5 stars (love it)
80% + 70% = 4 stars (like it)
60% + 50% = 3 stars (it's okay)
40% + 30% = 2 stars (don't like it)
20% + turkey = 1 star (hate it)

I may also give a movie a …5% rating. On websites like IMDb, I have no choice but to use a scale of one to ten, but a …5% rating means that, on my own personal system, I have a bit more trouble rounding it off to the allotted ten. For example, if I give a movie 95%, it could be either an exceptional 9/10 or a reluctant 10/10.