Have you ever dreamed of being a Rotten Tomatoes reviewer, but don’t have the social clout, the following, or the desire to become a full time critic? Do you love Letterboxd for your ability to save and rate movies, but still lack the opportunity to share how you really feel with words? Are you constantly railing against the critical reception of your favorite new property because modern reviewers just seem out-of-touch with audiences?
These frustrations are shared by one Blaine Andrews, who for years had a vision for a better way for cinephiles to share their thoughts and socialize with like-minded movie lovers.
“I could never work out a reasonable way to execute my dream. The idea was simple: What if we had a platform for regular people to review entertainment similar to Rotten Tomatoes, one that didn’t cater to out-of-touch or corporate-influenced critics? What if that platform worked more like Facebook, Instagram or X ‘the artist formally known as Twitter’?”
After many years of complaining to friends about the state of film criticism, but lacking the technical knowledge to create the platform he so desired, Blaine was finally able to take a leap of faith after he inherited his grandmother’s home. His wife of 11 years took this leap with him, and together they embarked on creating Criticless which launched in early 2023.
Blaine and his team strove to create a platform with an instantly recognizable aesthetic that embodies the platforms values of independent artistic expression. It’s a retro-neon explosion of ‘80s nostalgia that captures a simpler time of film appreciation, a time with Leonard Maltin and Siskel & Ebert ruled to critical roost. A time when reviews really meant something.
When you download the app, the load screen logo flickers behind an old box TV, flashing the words “down with the establishment.” It’s instantly captivating, and well-coded for a dude who knew nothing about making apps just a few years ago. This thing feels like you’re being invited into the counterculture of film criticism. There’s a rebellious and anarchical excitement around reviewing movies on this place. It also feels safe – like no matter what, your opinion is going to be respected and not trolled out of existence like on Reddit.
“Criticless is more than just a pretty face…it is an intuitive, free-speech social ecosystem that has all the features you would expect (such as groups and lists) and some you wouldn’t.”
The actual rating system shares an aggregate score that looks like a Mortal Kombat health bar, ranging from 0-20% Heinous to 80-100% Most Excellent, with Bogus and Rad in between. Clicking on any specific film will show you the Audience Rating and, if you’re lucky enough to have Friends with Benefits on the platform (don’t worry, Blaine is kind of like MySpace’s Tom in the FwB category), you’ll also see their combined rating. In this way, if your FwB list likes the same movies you do, you get a more accurate image of if you’ll enjoy a flick with this feature.
Want to share your thoughts about a film without giving it a full review? You can check out “The Water Cooler” – an ongoing discussion board on every title where you can engage with questions, comments, memes, and GIFs.
Every reviewer on Criticless is treated to their own profile page, fully customizable with backgrounds and banners designed by independent artists from all over the world. Blaine’s focus on independent artistry is always at the forefront on the platform, including a highly giftable merch shop that features these same artist designs.
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I’ve been on the platform now for several months, and by far my favorite aspect is the social connection I feel to those active on the platform. From sharing comments and ideas to joining a myriad of groups each curated for its own purpose, I can easily spend hours review and chatting with fellow cinephiles. In the group ‘The Evil Eye,’ people share their uncensored hatred of certain flicks without bogging down the review score. In ‘Mo Scary, Mo Better,’ I’m excitedly finding the horror movie news actual fans are most excited about. It’s an immerse, interactive experience that has brought quite a bit of love back to a movie watching experience I had grown relatively tired of in recent years.
“Most of all,” Blaine tells us, “Criticless is a movement for social & cultural change, emphasizing the opinions of regular people and their communities, and forcing the entertainment industry to acknowledge what the public really wants. We hope you will join us because this is truly about your voice, your culture and your platform.”
To join the movement, it’s as easy as visiting Criticless and signing up! And if you love it, they also offer the “Crit Club” premium option for an ad-free experience that extends you reach, gives you a verified badge, fully customizes your profile, and offer free shipping on all that awesome merch.
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