Mr. Cranky, a satirical film critic, was created in 1995 by Jason Katzman and Hans Bjordahl. The Cranky personae premises that all movies are terrible; at issue, solely, is the severity of pain, insult, discomfort or idiocy projected, injected, ingested, subjected or otherwise presented. There are no good films in the Cranky pantheon; only films which inflict greater or lesser suffering. Subtextually, the Mr. Cranky website is a comment on an uncritical film-reviewing culture.

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  • Mr. Cranky, a satirical film critic, was created in 1995 by Jason Katzman and Hans Bjordahl. The Cranky personae premises that all movies are terrible; at issue, solely, is the severity of pain, insult, discomfort or idiocy projected, injected, ingested, subjected or otherwise presented. There are no good films in the Cranky pantheon; only films which inflict greater or lesser suffering. Subtextually, the Mr. Cranky website is a comment on an uncritical film-reviewing culture. In contrast to boilerplate, overly effusive reviews -- often including declarations that incorporate a film's theme or title in a pun or play-on-words -- the Cranky review is received on the originality of its portrayal of physical suffering and mental anguish effected by the viewing experience. The movies are rated on a six-step scale, with the least worst (i.e. best) film receiving one "bomb. " Films that cause greater suffering receive additional "bombs. " (Up to four. ) Movies deemed particularly offensive receive a Dynamite or "Boomstick" rating. The worst films (i.e. those Cranky has marked as irredeemable-- "Proof that Jesus died in vain" in classic Cranky vernacular) receive the Animated Atomic Explosion or "Kaboom!" rating. In October 2001, a "guest reviewer" named Mr. Smiley appeared. A post-modern reflection of the Cranky character's anti-reviews, Mr. Smiley is a mirror opposite of the Mr. Cranky personae: all reviews are hyperbolically positive. Mr. Smiley is a stereotypical smiley face smelling a pink Freesia flower, appearing every year near Halloween. Consistent with the theme, the Smiley character has a rising five-step scale going from one smiley face to the "Prozacerrific!" Happy Pill. Consistent with other 20th century artists including the post WWI Dadaists (Absurdists) and post-modern anti-art of the 1960s -- best embodied by Warhol's "pop art" works and Lichenstein's self-portraits -- Mr. Smilely was an effective ironic tool used to comment on the deficiencies of uncritical analysis and review.
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  • Mr. Cranky, a satirical film critic, was created in 1995 by Jason Katzman and Hans Bjordahl. The Cranky personae premises that all movies are terrible; at issue, solely, is the severity of pain, insult, discomfort or idiocy projected, injected, ingested, subjected or otherwise presented. There are no good films in the Cranky pantheon; only films which inflict greater or lesser suffering. Subtextually, the Mr. Cranky website is a comment on an uncritical film-reviewing culture.
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  • Mr. Cranky
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