Writing a Movie Review

Introduction

Basic Information

• Genre/Title/Year
• Director/Screen Writer/Notable Actors
• Evaluative/Central Concept
• Analysis and Assessment

Plot Summary

No Spoilers!

• Many readers may have not seen the film
• Brief overview of plot
• Avoid specifics

Description

Details

• Your Experience
• Impression
• Sensory Details
• What stands out? Why?

Analysis

Formal Techniques and Themes

• Cinematography/Editing/Mise-en-scene/Lighting/Sound/Narrative/Story
• History, race, gender, class and sexuality
• Do the techniques work?
• How did this affect your experience and interpretation?

Conclusion

General Thoughts

• Implicitly State
• Explicitly State
• Reminders
• Thumbs up or thumbs down

Examples of Film Reviews

• One of the best ways to learn how to write a film review is simply by reading good film reviews. The New York Times The Washington Post The Guardian The Atlantic Rolling Stone