Mr. Cranky

Who is Mr. Cranky?

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 film receiving one "bomb." Films that cause greater suffering receive additional "bombs." Movies deemed particularly offensive receive a Dynamite or "Boomstick" rating. The worst films receive the Animated Atomic Explosion or "Kaboom!" rating.