We will screen the conclusion of Citizen Kane today. After we conclude our viewing, please retire to the lab to write a review of the film in which you examine the narratology and strength of the film & script.
RULES: I am looking for an article between 500-1000 words in length. That's a pretty wide range. Your review should include a summary of the film, some history about the film (you'll have to look this up or review the article we read in class), and examine the narrative structures present in the film. Overall, your review should also spend time examining and evaluating the acting, technical aspects of the film and the cinematography, the musical score, the lighting or sound elements, the shots and cinematography, literary elements and narratology. You will want to be concise and specific, but detailed enough to cover all of these aspects in your review.
How to Write a Movie Review
Writing a movie review is a great way of expressing your opinion of a movie. The purpose of most movie reviews is to help the reader in determining whether they want to watch, rent or buy the movie. The review should give enough details about the movie that the reader can make an informed decision, without giving anyway any essentials such as the plot or any surprises.
Below are our guidelines and tips for writing a good movie review.
1. Watch the movie (seems obvious, but…)
The first step in writing the review is to watch the movie. Watch the movie in a relaxed environment you are familiar with. You do not want to be distracted by an unfamiliar room. Watching the movie a second time will help you absorb a lot more details about the movie. Take notes as you watch the movie. You will need to use your notes to help you write your review of the film.
2. Give your opinion
Most movie reviewers will give their opinion of the movie. This is important as the reviewer can express the elements of the movie they enjoyed or disliked. However, as in all good journalism, the reviewer should also give impartial details, and allow the reader to make their own mind over an issue the reader liked or disliked. Opinions should be explained to allow the reader to determine whether they would agree with your opinion.
3. Who is your audience? (In this case it is your peers and me)
You need to consider who your likely readers are. Writing a movie review for children requires a different approach than if writing for a movie club. Ensure you report on the factors that matter to your likely audience. For this review, I want you to consider the important history and impact the film has had largely because of its narrative.
4. Give an outline/summary
Give the plot outline or short summary of the movie (beginning, middle, end), but don't give away essential details such as any surprises. If there is a big surprise you want to entice readers by telling them something special happens, just don't say what.
5. Actors
If the movie contains actors, as most do, detail who is starring in the movie and how well you think they acted. (research the actors / directors, etc); See previous Citizen Kane posts and articles for some details you can use. You can look up this information easily on IMDB.com.
6. Structure
Did the movie follow a regular predictable story line? Flashbacks? Foreshadowing? Examine and evaluate the narrative structure of this film.
7. Cinematography/Directing/Lighting/Technical aspects
Give details about how well the movie was shot and directed. How did the camera shots and angles contribute to the tone and mood? How effective were these techniques?
8. Music
Did the movie have its own score, or did it feature songs from popular artists? How did diegetic and non-diegetic sound play a role in the film? Was there a particular theme, or scene that was enhanced by the musical score? Explain & evaluate this scene.
9. Many of those literary element terms that have you have had in English classes carry over into the film critic vocabulary: plot (and its various components), setting, characters, tone, dialogue, point of view, imagery and don’t forget to look for symbolism. How do some of these elements work to unify the film as a whole? Explain and evaluate the effectiveness of some of these literary (narrative) elements.
10. Read, read and read
Read and check your review thoroughly. It can be embarrassing to find errors in your work after it has been published. This is especially important for reviews that will be published on the Internet, as search engines are always looking for the correct spellings of key words.
Final due date for your review draft will be forthcoming. Remember: the more on-task you are on this project in the lab, the more time I will allow to get the work done in class.
HOMEWORK: None.
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