How to Write a Good Movie Review
Sometimes high school, college and university students are asked to prepare a movie review of the student’s favourite film or the film suggested by the teacher. The assignment sounds to be an easy one, but the reality is different because the student has to observe the movie from all sides, find out about the technical side and evaluate the film form the artistic and educative side.
Step One: Write down all your thoughts during the watching
The student’s primary duty is to watch the film attentively in order to catch as much information as possible. One can not rely on his memory, so the student is supposed to take notes all the time in order not to miss the important facts, details and descriptions. A movie is a specific kind of art which its definite structure and elements, so one should follow the plot of the film, observe the characters and their behaviour and pay attention to the special effects and the quality of the performance.
Step Two: General information and more
The introduction of a movie review paper is expected to contain the title of the film, the director, the scriptwriter, the cast of the leading actors, the genre of the film, the year of production, etc. These basic facts should introduce the movie to the audience and probably make it interested in it. It is quite difficult to introduce the technical staff of the movie, because very few people know the names of the director and the whole crew which shoots the film and the student should pay attention to this fact and learn more information about the staff.
Step Three: The core of movie
Now the student is supposed to describe the plot of the film and dwell on the core events presented there. It is possible to do it in a one paragraph, because the plot itself is not too important for the analysis. The only thing related with it is the analysis of quality of the screen version (if the film is shot on the motives of a book). The student should analyze the quality of the actor’s performance and decide whether they have played professionally, sincerely, naturally or not and whether they managed to embody the character successfully.
Step Four: Evaluate different sides of the picture
Technical side of the movie review is very important, because the student analyzes the work of the director, the quality of the work of the cameraman, the quality and effectiveness of special effects, music, costumes, etc. Finally, one should evaluate the budget of the film and decide whether the film is worth its money and whether it managed to earn more money and conquer the international audience.
Step Five: What is your own point?
The concluding part of the movie review essay should contain the subjective student’s attitude towards the film, its actors and the quality of the designer’s work, scenario and actor’s play and the strong and weak sides of the film.
