Rath Write-Up: Update - Rapid Reviews

Given this is the first time I'm doing something like this, I'm sure several of you are wondering what it's about. 

First, some transparent context. I still love this hobby and how rewarding it has been, but the time sink it can become is no longer conducive to either A) other demands in life and B) my fulfillment. Specifically, the organization, creation, editing, and posting of reviews has drained me in recent months - particularly for films where I may not have all that much to say. 

In some extreme transparency, I almost made the decision to end Rath's Reviews after the 2022 Rath Awards this year. I'd want it to be a "clean cut" because I'm anal like that and I couldn't really imagine another year of putting together so many reviews. The more I thought about it however, I realized I still have a lot of love for the actual activity that spurned all of this: 

Going to the movies.

The thought of throwing that away or severely reducing it was very sad. Even thinking about bottling up my opinions (because I have an opinion about everything) felt dissatisfying. 

So, and I promise this has a point, I solved the problem that needed to be solved: time commitment. Yes, I may be choosier with the films I go after, but it's really on the backend where I need to cut it down. Hence, Rapid Reviews. 

What are Rapid Reviews? Well...they're exactly like they sound. They're quicker reviews, 1-2 paragraphs, that I can knock out in 15 minutes. Pros and Cons will not be present, but I'll still end each review with a Rath's Review Score. Current Rath's Reviews posts can run anywhere from 800 - 1,500+ words. That's an essay! Rapid Reviews will likely aim to be between 150 - 300 words, give or take.

Will all of your reviews be "Rapid"? No! I plan on still writing extended reviews for big films I'm passionate about. Most Marvel films (for example), impactful indies, movies that surprise or wow me, and yes...potentially those where I need to rant a bit.

So how many of your reviews will be "Rapid" then? Who knows? We're on this journey together and my guess is that it will vary by season. January, February, and March could have a lot of them while months like June or November may have none. We'll see!

Will anything else be changing? Nope! I'll still be posting to Facebook and Instagram the same way I always have and, if anything, it'll save you time as a reader. You'll still get my opinion, I'll still be [mostly] timely with my film reviews, and the 2023 Rath Awards should still happen as planned.

I've been doing this hobby for 12 years now, across 872 posts (most of which are movie reviews). I appreciate any reader whether you've been with me for years, just started visiting my site, or are simply popping by right now. And I also appreciate the understanding and support to allow this hobby to change and morph to be more aligned with my life's needs and my own fulfillment. 

Here's to a fantastic 2023 and the 2022 Rath Awards!