What we are witnessing is a polarization. The general public still uses the 10-point scale based on entertainment value. But the indie-film community has developed a different shorthand. A 3.5/5 on Letterboxd from a user who reviews 500 films a year is often a higher recommendation than a 4.5/5 from a user who only watches blockbusters.
Furthermore, the rise of newsletter critics (on Substack) has allowed for long-form, philosophical critiques. Outlets like The Film Stage or Bright Wall/Dark Room don't even assign numeric grades; instead, they write essays that "grade" a film by placing it within a historical or political context. This is the purest expression of the indie review: criticism as art in itself. If you are a film lover feeling burnt out by the franchise machine, changing your critical perspective is liberating. Start watching movies not as a consumer looking for a dopamine hit, but as a student of human behavior. What we are witnessing is a polarization
That is the final, highest grade : Truth over spectacle. And in a world of deep fakes and manufactured blockbusters, that is the most radical grade of all. Do you have an independent film that changed your grading scale? Share your own "grade" and review in the comments below. This is the purest expression of the indie
Consider the work of Kelly Reichardt ( First Cow , Certain Women ). From a mainstream grade perspective, her films are often labeled "boring" or "uneventful." But from an independent grade perspective, they are masterclasses in patience and observation. A review from an indie outlet will grade her use of negative space, the way wind sounds through a wheat field, or the silent negotiation between two characters at a campfire. These are not plot points; they are poetic verses. they are poetic verses.