How do you rate movies?

This is a good question.
Personally, I go with my gut for the most part. If a movie looks like it's worth giving a chance, I'll go see it, and most of the time I'll end up liking it.
As for the way I rate them, this is usually a combination between how much I enjoyed the movie and how good it actually is. If I had a lot of fun watching a B movie, I probably won't give it a ten, but I'll give it a high grade nonetheless. For example, Troll 2 is an 8/10 for sheer comedic gold. If I find a movie to be indisputably awesome and can't think of anything I disliked about it, it's most likely going to be a solid ten. Excision was a movie that affected me on every possible level. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it disturbed the hell out of me; I'd give that one a 10/10.

Vide my RYM rating descriptions:

- Metaphysical - the best of the best, the one and only Werckmeister Harmonies, aka a rating reserved for my favourite film only.

- Supreme Masterpiece - an outstanding film that made a great emotional impact and impression on me; mostly it's arthouse stuff with that rating, but you can also find some blockbusters here.

- Glorious - wonderful film, which for some reason isn't a masterpiece, be it due to some flaws, or my self-indulgent, pretendious arthouse lover taste; great arthouse ends here; the best action-packed stylish films end here (Inglorious Basterds, best spaghetti westerns, excluding the best of the best one)

- Exquisite - Very good films, which either have some major flaws, or fail to reach the awesomeness of flicks with higher ratings. Good arthouse stuff ends here, very good action-packed films end here, generally it's closer to than to

- Nice - as the title says a rating for good films that somehow failed to draw my attention, or had some uninteresting elements in them, but still deserve a (re)watch; many films from that bracket would have been given higher rating after rewatch, some of them would've been given lower, though.

- Decent - Mediocre films that still gave me some pleasure while I was watching them, but weren't anything special; a lot of blockbusters here, also some unsuccessful arthouse I didn't fancy here as well, but mostly it's mainstream.

- Watchable - A somehow bad film that is still watchable, which means that I don't have to struggle to finish it; some easy-watching but overall horrible films here as well, arthouse I really didn't like, some dumb comedies that I can stand, also some choices that would make some of the users here want to kill me or at least poke out my eyes (Pulp Fiction, Jaws II, The Night of the Hunter)

- Bad - self-explanatory, arthouse I can't stand but think it has some meaning and it's only the matter of my taste (8 1/2), bad mainstream with very low entertainment value (Avatar) - will watch to the end only to give a low rating.

- Atrocious - horrible films, which in my opinion have no artistic value nor entertainment value. The latter may be omnipresent, but utterly pathetic, like some comedies with poo humour or very bad mainstream blockbuster trash.

- Oh God, why? - the worst of the worst. Films I watched to the end only to have a pure satisfaction of granting it the lowest rating. Piece of crap recommended only to masochists. Mainly films that made me angry, like Psycho's remake (why trying to enchant a perfect film?) or Scooby-Doo films starring real actors (the magic of childhood destroyed). There's American Pie 2 as well. A film that turned me off comedies for a year.

I never rate a film if I haven't seen it in its full glory (or disgrace), which is the reason I don't give too many low ratings. I simply turn off most of films I know would be a chore to stand. Like I did with pathetic comedy Dictator.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

I don't have one strict rating style; and I don't think there should be one.

A film with extreme historical importance--Battleship Potemkin or Birth of a Nation--should not be rated in the same way as other films because of what they did to cinema. If a critique can be pointed out, fine, but I'm not gonna sit here and give the film a 3/5 simply because I wasn't overly excited by it.

That's why I give a lot of films full ratings; because they're truly great movies. The Searchers was not specifically made for me, so why would I review it taking that position. Admittedly, I wouldn't call a film one of the greatest if it doesn't evoke a certain reaction from me.

The best of the best - These I think are the best cinematic works. Absolute masterpieces. These are also films that strike a personal cord with me, tap into thoughts and ideas I really enjoy or I can personally connect with. This category also includes works that are extremely entertaining, with the most re-watch value. These I either saw in theaters an insane amount of times, or I can pop in the DVD player anytime and I never get sick of them. A movie like The Avengers and The Boondock Saints gets this rating for entertainment; and movies like Taxi Driver, Seven Samurai, get this rating as a great work of film and art. Also includes timeless classics like The Godfather.

great films - These are films that are very well made, including many timeless classics, and or films that are very entertaining. I do not connect with them as much as those with ratings, but still worthy of great praise. As for entertainment, these movies are a hell of a lot of fun! I can give something mindless this rating if it entertains me enough too. Also has high rewatchablity. Classic examples: All the Presidents Men and 12 Angry Men. Entertainment examples: The Toxic Crusader and Iron Man

Very good films. Not great films but are excellent to watch. The medium between good and great.

Good solid films - Good but not great films. These can include a few classics I do not like as much. Might also include historically significant films I think are good, and respect what they did for film, but I do not like that much. They are not bad films by any stretch of the imagination, and may be rated higher by others, but they do not connect with me as much. A movie like Tootsie and Citizen Kane. For Entertainments, these are movies that are pretty entertaining, but not something I want to rewatch a whole lot. Maybe a movie I put on once every blue moon.

Average - These are movies that deliver what they promise, but they do not do it very well. These include many a generic action movie like Bloodsport. Good dumb action, but not much else. Good entertainment for a one and done deal. These movies have more flaws to them. They show enough skill to prove good cinematic ability, but other aspects of the film are lacking. But over all, a good movie.

Mediocre - This category blurs the line a bit. While I cannot say the film is bad, I cannot say the film is good either. Once again they prove cinematic skill, but lack much more in other aspects of the film. The border between good and bad. These are also one and done movies. Movies like Avatar and Pain and Gain go here.

Boring - This is where the bad movies begin for me. This category is what I like to call the polished bad movies. Movies I personally did not like at all, were very dull, but have artistic merit. The best example I can give for this category is Nashville by Altman. Very well made movie, but very very boring.

Bad - These are also polished bad movies. But unlike other polished turds, I hate these movies to some degree. These include films like like Salo, and movies that I think missed the mark completely like New York New York.

***** - No artistic merit, not entertaining, and simply a really bad movie. Movies like Freddie Got Fingered and Sharknado. I also reserve this rating for objects of fanboy rage like Batman and Robin.

Steaming turd - Somehow even worse then *****. Bad production values, bad acting, poor execution, and over all a complete waste of time. Vasa De Noces (The Pig F**king Movie) the prime example.

Anti-Life Justifies My Hate! - That rare movie that is so bad not only is it poorly made and awful, it changes my outlook on something. The best example is The Blair Witch Project. A terrible film, but the fact that critics liked this damn movie and it got so much hype, that after I saw this movie I walked out of the theater forever a cynic towards professional film critics.

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Fear and Loathing in MoFo... The Gunslinger 45's Top 50 Favorite Films

In the 10 Ring: Gunslinger45's reviews

(10/10) - Masterpieces, obviously. These are personal favourites, films that I consider to be flawless and as the greatest that I have seen.

(9/10) - Truly great films, and films that I would include in my top 100 list if I ever made one, or other similar lists. These films consist of minor flaws though, which stops them from being masterpieces.

(8/10) - Very good films that I truly enjoyed, and that I would gladly rewatch. Perhaps I would include some of the movies from this list in a favorite movies list.

(7/10) - Good movies, but nothing more. These are also movies I would rewatch and would recommend to people, and that I consider to be well made, but they're not films that I would include in any of my lists.

(6/10) - Above average, but sometimes they can be closer to the 'good' category, than the 'average' category. It all depends on the movie and its entertainment or artistic value.

(5/10) - Simply put, mediocre films, but they're films that I did not regret seeing. If it is a movie that receives praise from critics and audiences (i.e Fast and Furious 6), I consider it to be a disappointment. If it's the other way round, though, then my feelings toward it are more positive.

(4/10) - Below average really, but I do consider some of the films in this category to be well-made (i.e Chinatown). Some of the films in this category may have some qualities, but I just didn't like them. Chinatown, for instance, is obviously not a horrible movie, I just consider it to be very boring, and I think it is devoid of interesting dialogue, or enjoyable music, or any good scenes for that matter, even if the acting isn't bad at all.

(3/10) - Very bad or very stupid films, that I definitely wouldn't watch again. This category also contains some films that I found to be extremely overhyped and that I strongly disliked, like The Third Man for example. Or films like Broken City, which I consider to be poorly made and a waste of time, or Sorority Boys/Wild Hogs, that I consider to be disgusting and stupid (even though mildly humorous), and very stupid, respectively.

(2/10) - Extremely bad films. Films like 88 Minutes (I actually thought this was pretty good after I first watched it, but that was many years ago and I used to watch a lot of awful movies then). I had the misfortune of seeing it for the second time recently. Almost gave me a headache. I would seriously rather watch paint dry next time.

(1/10) - Horrible, awful, crap, rubbish, garbage (and all other synonyms and other similar related words would be suitable here). Films that are full of cliches, outdated, extremely predictable, with awful acting and direction... list goes on. The Final Destination being the prime example here. The difference between this category, and the one below, is very minor.

(0/10) - The absolute worst, and the ugliest movies ever made. Films I love to hate. But I honestly wish these films never existed. Films like American Pie: The Book of Love, or Catwoman, or College Road Trip. I would refuse to watch these movies even if I was going to be stranded on a deserted island all alone, with nothing else to watch for years.

How I rate movies:

1. 5 stars is not enough to rate a movie. I always rate out of 10 and fractions in rating will always be there when i vote.

2. I rate my movies on IMDB. But unfortunately, they don't allow voting in fractions.

3. My major rating factor is the plot. Then acting, then direction, music, camera work and other stuff.

4. Then finally if the movie meant something (if it hit a spot in heart or the brain) add and extra 0.5 or something for that.

5. Mostly my movies rating range from 7.9 or lower. Hardly even vote a movie at 8.0 to 9. And 10 is only reserved for The Shawshank Redemption. Very strict while rating.

So for me

1-4- Poor.
5.x - Average
6.x - Very Good.
7.x - Awesome
8.x - Simply Amazing.
9.x - Mind Blowing.
10 - The Shawshank Redemption.

I usually based my film reviews here based on the numbers one through five stars. Here is what those rankings mean to me.
5 A movie that is breathtaking and essential for anyone to see.
4 A movie that I enjoyed alot despite the flaws in it.
3 A decent film that I would recommend.
2 A so-so film, even if there were parts of the film I enjoy.
1 Really bad and I don't want to see it again.