Grab some popcorn. Freshen your beverage. Get comfortable. Welcome to the new In Reel Deep. We hope you like what we've done with the place.

Two years can feel like two eons in the world of web design, and so that's the main impetus behind all the changes you see today. We were sick of looking at our old design, so our guess is that our loyal readers (yes, there are a few) were either right there with us or not far behind. A fresh look and feel isn't the only thing this new design will allow us to deliver, though. Beyond the massive aesthetic upgrade, you might notice some other changes, either today or in the coming weeks and months.

The Logo

It's clean and simple, and, thankfully, it puts a lot less emphasis on my name. I'm still the brains behind this operation, but so too is Steve Cimino. This little corner of the Internet is just as much his as it is mine. And none of this would be possible without Tinisi Paelay, the technical whiz who gives us the framework to let our cinephilia flow. The logo itself was designed by my wife, who is as beautiful as she is talented. She's a big part of this place too, given that she is often right beside me for so many of the movies you end up reading about here.

The Reviews

These are our bread and butter, we have come to realize, and so the new design emphasizes them to an even greater degree. You'll see them front and center on the home page, and because we see them as an enduring resource for our fellow movie-lovers out there, you'll also see a collection of our favorites from the current year on our reviews page. We realize there are certain movies that are not to be missed every year, and we want to make sure you know which they are.

The Ratings

Or the lack thereof. Steve and I have talked for a long time about their value, and we've come to the conclusion that they just don't have very much. For starters, he and I clearly grade on a different scale. An 8 out of 10 means something different to each of us, and so that can only lead to further confusion for you, the reader. If you spend the time to read one of our reviews, you surely have the comprehension to figure out if the film is for you, and so our star-rating system is mostly just a gimmick for generating arbitrary debate.

As you can see on the home page, we'll still give you a thumbs up or a thumbs down on every film we review, but beyond that, we're trusting that you can figure out what we think of a movie, and from there if it is for you.

The Overall Structure

Check out our Film 101 page, and then imagine the possibilities -- the way our year in review package or Oscar coverage can get that much better. We're going to be able to experiment with how we keep this glorified barstool discussion interesting, surprising and engaging.

What isn't changing is our commitment. We want to bring you the type of intelligent, fun, yes, even a little pretentious film conversation you've always found here. Now we have more ways to package it all together in appealing manner. The bow tying it all together is that much nicer.

This is the next step in our evolution. We're glad you've followed us this far. Now come a little further, won't you?