short movie review example

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Arts and Entertainment
• Film Studies

How to Write a Movie Review

Last Updated: August 11, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Marissa Levis . Marissa Levis is an English Teacher in the Morris County Vocational School District. She previously worked as an English director at a tutoring center that caters to students in elementary and middle school. She is an expert in creating a curriculum that helps students advance their skills in secondary-level English, focusing on MLA formatting, reading comprehension, writing skills, editing and proofreading, literary analysis, standardized test preparation, and journalism topics. Marissa received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 5,662,522 times.

Whether a movie is a rotten tomato or a brilliant work of art, if people are watching it, it's worth critiquing. A decent movie review should entertain, persuade and inform, providing an original opinion without giving away too much of the plot. A great movie review can be a work of art in its own right. Read on to learn how to analyze a movie like a professional film critic, come up with an interesting thesis, and write a review as entertaining as your source material.

Sample Movie Reviews

Writing an Intro for a Movie Review

• Comparison to Relevant Event or Movie: "Every day, our leaders, politicians, and pundits call for "revenge"– against terrorist groups, against international rivals, against other political parties. But few of them understand the cold, destructive, and ultimately hollow thrill of revenge as well as the characters of Blue Ruin. "
• Review in a nutshell: "Despite a compelling lead performance by Tom Hanks and a great soundtrack, Forrest Gump never gets out of the shadow of its weak plot and questionable premise."
• Context or Background Information: " Boyhood might be the first movie made where knowing how it was produced–slowly, over 12 years, with the same actors–is just as crucial as the movie itself."

• Using stars, a score out of 10 or 100, or the simple thumbs-up and thumbs-down is a quick way to give your thoughts. You then write about why you chose that rating.
• Great Movie: ABC is the rare movie that succeeds on almost every level, where each character, scene, costume, and joke firing on all cylinders to make a film worth repeated viewings."
• Bad Movie: "It doesn't matter how much you enjoy kung-fu and karate films: with 47 Ronin, you're better off saving your money, your popcorn, and time."
• Okay Movie: "I loved the wildly uneven Interstellar far more than I should have, but that doesn't mean it is perfect. Ultimately, the utter awe and spectacle of space swept me through the admittedly heavy-handed plotting and dialogue."

• Great: "Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer's chemistry would carry Fruitvale Station even if the script wasn't as good. The mid-movie prison scene in particular, where the camera never leaves their faces, shows how much they can convey with nothing but their eyelids, the flashing tension of neck muscles, and a barely cracking voice."
• Bad: " Jurassic World's biggest flaw, a complete lack of relatable female characters, is only further underscored by a laughably unrealistic shot of our heroine running away from a dinosaur – in heels."
• Okay: "At the end of the day, Snowpiercer can't decide what kind of movie it wants to be. The attention to detail in fight scenes, where every weapon, lightbulb, and slick patch of ground is accounted for, doesn't translate to an ending that seems powerful but ultimately says little of substance."

• Does the film reflect on a current event or contemporary issue? It could be the director's way of engaging in a bigger conversation. Look for ways to relate the content of the film to the "real" world.
• Does the film seem to have a message, or does it attempt to elicit a specific response or emotion from the audience? You could discuss whether or not it achieves its own goals.
• Does the film connect with you on a personal level? You could write a review stemming from your own feelings and weave in some personal stories to make it interesting for your readers.

Composing Your Review

• When you name characters in your plot summary, list the actors' names directly afterward in parenthesis.
• Find a place to mention the director's name and the full movie title.
• If you feel you must discuss information that might "spoil" things for readers, warn them first.

• Cinematography: " Her is a world drenched in color, using bright, soft reds and oranges alongside calming whites and grays that both build, and slowly strip away, the feelings of love between the protagonists. Every frame feels like a painting worth sitting in."
• Tone: "Despite the insane loneliness and high stakes of being stuck alone on Mars, The Martian's witty script keeps humor and excitement alive in every scene. Space may be dangerous and scary, but the joy of scientific discovery is intoxicating."
• Music and Sound: " No Country For Old Men's bold decision to skip music entirely pays off in spades. The eerie silence of the desert, punctuated by the brief spells of violent, up-close-and-personal sound effects of hunter and hunted, keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat."
• Acting: "While he's fantastic whenever he's on the move, using his cool stoicism to counteract the rampaging bus, Keanu Reeves can't quite match his costar in the quiet moments of Speed, which falter under his expressionless gaze."

• Keep your writing clear and easy to understand. Don't use too much technical filmmaking jargon, and make your language crisp and accessible.
• Present both the facts and your opinion. For example, you might state something such as, "The Baroque background music was a jarring contrast to the 20th century setting." This is a lot more informative then simply saying, "The music was a strange choice for the movie."

• Great: "In the end, even the characters of Blue Ruin know how pointless their feud is. But revenge, much like every taut minute of this thriller, is far too addictive to give up until the bitter end.""
• Bad: "Much like the oft-mentioned "box of chocolates", Forest Gump has a couple of good little morsels. But most of the scenes, too sweet by half, should have been in the trash long before this movie was put out."
• Okay: "Without the novel, even revolutionary concept, Boyhood may not be a great movie. It might not even be "good.” But the power the film finds in the beauty of passing time and little, inconsequential moments – moments that could only be captured over 12 years of shooting – make Linklater's latest an essential film for anyone interested in the art of film."

Polishing Your Piece

• Ask yourself whether your review stayed true to your thesis. Did your conclusion tie back in with the initial ideas you proposed?
• Decide whether your review contains enough details about the movie. You may need to go back and add more description here and there to give readers a better sense of what the movie's about.
• Decide whether your review is interesting enough as a stand-alone piece of writing. Did you contribute something original to this discussion? What will readers gain from reading your review that they couldn't from simply watching the movie?

Studying Your Source Material

• The title of the film, and the year it came out.
• The director's name.
• The names of the lead actors.

• Make a note every time something sticks out to you, whether it's good or bad. This could be costuming, makeup, set design, music, etc. Think about how this detail relates to the rest of the movie and what it means in the context of your review.
• Take note of patterns you begin to notice as the movie unfolds.
• Use the pause button frequently so you make sure not to miss anything, and rewind as necessary.

• Direction: Consider the director and how he or she choose to portray/explain the events in the story. If the movie was slow, or didn't include things you thought were necessary, you can attribute this to the director. If you've seen other movies directed by the same person, compare them and determine which you like the most.
• Cinematography: What techniques were used to film the movie? What setting and background elements helped to create a certain tone?
• Writing: Evaluate the script, including dialogue and characterization. Did you feel like the plot was inventive and unpredictable or boring and weak? Did the characters' words seem credible to you?
• Editing: Was the movie choppy or did it flow smoothly from scene to scene? Did they incorporate a montage to help build the story? And was this obstructive to the narrative or did it help it? Did they use long cuts to help accentuate an actor's acting ability or many reaction shots to show a group's reaction to an event or dialogue? If visual effects were used were the plates well-chosen and were the composited effects part of a seamless experience? (Whether the effects looked realistic or not is not the jurisdiction of an editor, however, they do choose the footage to be sent off to the compositors, so this could still affect the film.)
• Costume design: Did the clothing choices fit the style of the movie? Did they contribute to the overall tone, rather than digressing from it?
• Set design: Consider how the setting of the film influenced its other elements. Did it add or subtract from the experience for you? If the movie was filmed in a real place, was this location well-chosen?
• Score or soundtrack: Did it work with the scenes? Was it over/under-used? Was it suspenseful? Amusing? Irritating? A soundtrack can make or break a movie, especially if the songs have a particular message or meaning to them.

Expert Q&A

• If you don't like the movie, don't be abusive and mean. If possible, avoid watching the movies that you would surely hate. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Understand that just because the movie isn't to your taste, that doesn't mean you should give it a bad review. A good reviewer helps people find movie's they will like. Since you don't have the same taste in movies as everyone else, you need to be able to tell people if they will enjoy the movie, even if you didn't. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Structure is very important; try categorizing the different parts of the film and commenting on each of those individually. Deciding how good each thing is will help you come to a more accurate conclusion. For example, things like acting, special effects, cinematography, think about how good each of those are. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about writing, check out our in-depth interview with Marissa Levis .

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/terminology_and_starting_prompts.html
• ↑ https://www.spiritofbaraka.com/how-write-a-movie-review
• ↑ https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/9-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
• ↑ https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/writing-help/top-tips-for-writing-a-review
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/summary-using-it-wisely/
• ↑ https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/film-review-1.original.pdf
• ↑ https://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/film_writing_sample_analysis.html
• ↑ https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/onnyx.bei/dual-credit/movie-review-writing-guide
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-a-movie-review/
• ↑ https://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/editing_proofreading.php
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://edusson.com/blog/how-to-write-movie-review

About This Article

To write a movie review, start with a compelling fact or opinion to hook your readers, like "Despite a great performance by Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump never overcomes its weak plot." Then, elaborate on your opinion of the movie right off the bat so readers know where you stand. Once your opinion is clear, provide examples from the movie that prove your point, like specific scenes, dialogue, songs, or camera shots. To learn how to study a film closely before you write a review, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Did this article help you?

Breanna Lukes

Oct 17, 2018

Mar 31, 2021

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

• Essay Topic Generator
• Essay Grader
• Reference Finder
• AI Outline Generator
• Paragraph Expander
• Essay Expander
• Literature Review Generator
• Thesis Generator
• Text Editing Tools
• AI Rewording Tool
• AI Sentence Rewriter
• AI Article Spinner
• AI Grammar Checker
• Spell Checker
• PDF Spell Check
• Paragraph Checker
• Free AI Essay Writer
• Paraphraser
• Grammar Checker
• Citation Generator
• Plagiarism Checker
• AI Detector
• AI Essay Checker
• Proofreading Service
• Editing Service
• AI Writing Guides
• AI Detection Guides
• Citation Guides
• Grammar Guides
• Paraphrasing Guides
• Plagiarism Guides
• Summary Writing Guides
• STEM Guides
• Humanities Guides
• Language Learning Guides
• Coding Guides
• Top Lists and Recommendations
• AI Detectors
• AI Writing Services
• Coding Homework Help
• Citation Generators
• Editing Websites
• Essay Writing Websites
• Language Learning Websites
• Math Solvers
• Paraphrasers
• Plagiarism Checkers
• Reference Finders
• Spell Checkers
• Summarizers
• Tutoring Websites
• Essay Checkers
• Essay Topic Finders

Film&Movie Review Examples and Samples

Reviewing films can seem fun, but it actually takes discipline to explain all the elements of a film and to express your opinion succinctly. Check out our film review samples to gain a better understanding of how to write one yourself.

How to Write a Movie Review: A Comprehensive Guide

Writing a movie review is an engaging process that combines film criticism, analysis, and personal opinion to create an informative and thought-provoking piece. A well-crafted review not only serves as a helpful guide for potential viewers but also deepens our understanding of the cinematic experience. In this article, we will explore the essentials of review writing, focusing on crucial elements such as plot summary, thesis, opinion, characters, cinematography, and more.

Start with a Plot Summary

Begin your movie review with a brief synopsis, offering an overview of the film’s storyline. This recap should be concise and engaging, giving readers a general idea of the movie’s premise without revealing too much. For a more structured approach, consider using an AI literature review generator to help you summarize key points efficiently. Remember that your summary sets the stage for the critique and analysis that follow.

Develop a Thesis

Your thesis is the central idea or argument that you will explore in your movie review. This main point should be clear and focused, serving as the backbone of your critique. Consider what themes or aspects of the film stood out to you, and build your thesis around these observations.

Express Your Opinion

A significant aspect of writing a movie review is sharing your personal viewpoint or perspective. Offer your judgment on the film’s strengths and weaknesses, providing specific examples from the movie to support your appraisal. Be honest and thoughtful in your assessment, considering both your own preferences and the film’s intended audience.

Analyze the Characters

Discuss the film’s characters, examining their roles, personas, and the actors’ performances. Consider how the cast contributes to the overall narrative and whether their portrayals are convincing and memorable. Analyze the characters’ development throughout the movie, as well as the relationships between them.

Examine the Cinematography

Cinematography plays a crucial role in a film’s visual style and storytelling. Delve into the camera work, lighting, photography, and framing, evaluating how these elements enhance or detract from the movie’s overall impact. Consider how the cinematography supports the film’s themes and emotions.

Conduct a Thorough Analysis

A comprehensive movie review requires a detailed examination of various aspects of the film. Study the director’s choices, the music and sound design, and the technical elements such as craftsmanship and artistry. This thorough scrutiny will help you provide a well-rounded critique that captures the essence of the movie.

Discuss the Director’s Role

The director is the creative force behind a film, responsible for shaping its vision and execution. Analyze the director’s choices, considering their impact on the film’s storytelling, pacing, and overall atmosphere. Reflect on the director’s previous work, if applicable, and how this film fits into their oeuvre.

Evaluate Music and Sound

Music and sound play an essential role in creating a film’s mood and atmosphere. Examine the soundtrack, score, and audio design, considering how these elements contribute to the movie’s overall experience. Discuss the effectiveness of the composition, melody, and soundscapes in enhancing the narrative.

Assess Technical Aspects 

Review the technical aspects of the film, such as the expertise and proficiency of the crew, the quality of the special effects, and the overall production value. Analyze how these elements contribute to the film’s success or shortcomings, and whether they support the movie’s themes and narrative.

Evaluate the Acting 

Analyze the actors’ performances, considering their delivery, expression, and interpretation of their roles. Discuss whether the acting feels authentic and engaging, and how it contributes to the film’s overall impact. Pay attention to standout performances or any instances where the acting may have detracted from the movie’s overall quality.

In summary, writing a movie review involves a careful balance of plot summary, thesis development, opinion sharing, and thorough analysis of various aspects of the film, including characters, cinematography, directorial choices, music and sound, and technical elements. By considering all these factors and incorporating the appropriate keyword density and LSI keywords organically throughout your review, you can create an engaging, informative, and well-rounded critique that will appeal to readers and enhance their appreciation for the film. Remember to be honest and thoughtful in your assessment, and most importantly, enjoy the process of delving into the world of cinema.

Dance Me Outside (1994) Movie Review Essay Sample, Example

Dance Me Outside Dance Me Outside, a 1994 Canadian film directed by Bruce McDonald, is a thought-provoking and engaging movie that explores themes of racism,…

The Meg Essay Sample, Example

The first horror movie I ever saw was “Jaws”–an all-time classic filmed in 1975 by Steven Spielberg. My parents did not let me watch “Alien,”…

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Essay Sample, Example

It is a well-known fact in the video game industry that movies made after video games are often impossible to watch. A lot of legendary…

For Honor – Video Game Review Essay Sample, Example

When something becomes ubiquitous, it tends to lose its uniqueness and complexity. I believe this is some sort of universal law opposite to the famous…

Good Time: Film Review Essay Sample, Example

There is a saying that lightning never strikes the same place twice. Many of us, however, probably experienced a series of misfortunes at least once…

Neon Demon Essay Sample, Example

I love beautiful movies. If a film is eye-candy with carefully designed decorations, masterful camerawork, lighting, and architectural frames, I can forgive anything else in…

Isle of Dogs Essay Sample, Example

I do not like cartoons. When I was a child, I preferred reading and drawing to watching television, cartoons included–which makes the fact that I…

X-Files Essay Sample, Example

Before starting to review one of the greatest–in my opinion–TV shows of all time, let me put some suspense and psychological pressure on you first.…

Interstellar Essay Sample, Example

I do not know about you, but to me, about 90% of the movies you can see in cinemas nowadays are dull. I know that…

Twin Peaks Essay Sample, Example

Skeptics like to debate whether humanity’s way of entertainment has changed throughout recent centuries or not. Some claim that it never did, and just as…

Whiplash Film Review Essay Sample, Example

Whiplash (2014), directed and written by Damien Chazelle, is a film mainly about the relationship between a music teacher and his student, and what it…

The Hunger Games Essay Sample, Example

Dystopia is not a new genre in literature and cinematography. Dystopian worlds have been described in the novels of such writers as Herbert Wells (the…

Fifty Shades Darker Essay Sample, Example

Creating an erotic melodrama movie is an extremely delicate matter. There is a thin line between erotics and vulgarity, and an even thinner divide between…

Mean Streets, Directed by Martin Scorsese Essay Sample, Example

By Dan Schneider There is a scene in Martin Scorsese’s seminal 1973 film, Mean Streets, that is key to understanding not only the characters that…

Broken Embraces Essay Sample, Example

By Valentine Rossetti Once more, the maestro of Spanish cinema, Pedro Almodóvar, gives us a heady mixture of suspense, stormy melodrama, and theatrically dramatic characters.…

Alien: Covenant Essay Sample, Example

The scariest movie I watched in my childhood was definitely “Alien.” As I grew up, I watched it several more times, and although I still…

Being Cross with Trump Essay Sample, Example

By Luke Douglas-Home You may have seen it at one of the many documentary festivals it has wowed, in Sheffield, Edinburgh, Birmingham or Toronto. You…

Wuthering Heights Essay Sample, Example

By David Birch The tagline of Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights—‘Love is a force of nature’—is almost too good. As a selling-point, it is best not…

Certified Copy Essay Sample, Example

By Valentine Rossetti Persian director and pioneer of Iranian new wave cinema Abbas Kiarostami graces the silver screen with his oeuvre once more. Not since…

Letter from an Unknown Woman Essay Sample, Example

By Timandra Harkness It is a glorious film, but you could not make it now. And that is not just my opinion. My preview screening…

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

• Film Theory

The 49 Best Short Films of All Time That Every Filmmaker Can Learn From

• How to Make a Short Film
• Short Film Schedule Tips
• Write a Short That Gets Noticed
• How to Storyboard a Short Film
• Phases of Short Film Pre-Production
• How Whiplash Went From a Short to a Feature
• Best Short Films of All Time
• Best Short Film Ideas
• Crowdfunding Movies
• The Ultimate Film Grants List
• Top Film Festivals
• Write your short script for free →

T he best short films have a few key things in common: concise storytelling, great performances, an original concept, and stunning visuals. You can learn from each, but which are the best to watch?

Right now, we’ll give you our list of the best short films of all time. We’ll also break down these short movies to show you how to make your next project one of the best short films of all time. Commence learning.

Best Drama Short Films

Run time under 45 minutes, best drama shorts, short films have the best narratives.

The best short films are just like any great film - it all start on the page. If you're planning to create your own short film, you will want a professional script.

Need FREE screenwriting software to write your short film?

Our professional screenwriting software helps you format along the way, and you can access your screenplay from any computer, anywhere in the world.

Check out the sample script below:

Sample Screenplay | Made in StudioBinder

Take a look below for some of the most exceptional movies.

Best Drama Shorts The top narrative short movies

The red balloon, the phone call, session man, hotel chevalier, small deaths, glory at sea, lick the star, 1.1  best drama short film.

Albert Lamorisse directs this short film about the experiences of a young boy and his balloon in Paris. 

It’s one of the greatest survival and friendship stories ever told. The imagery lends itself to suspense, and it makes me think of Cast Away .

1.2  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

Mat Kirkby directs this short film about a volunteer at a crisis center who receives a phone call from a man slowly poisoning himself to death.

The film has a great ticking clock that somehow seems both urgent while also relaxed enough for character development.

1.3  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

Seth Winston directs this Oscar winning short film about a session guitarist hired to help a famous rock band finish up their latest album.

Session man

This is a perfect example of a miniaturized story that works great as a short film that may not have worked as a feature.

1.4  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

Wes Anderson directs this short film about two past lovers who reunite in a hotel room in Paris, and is a prologue to The Darjeeling Limited.

Hotel Chevalier 

The film works so well because the logline is also the synopsis. The film is about past lovers, and how we view them.

1.5  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

This is a great film by director Lynne Ramsay that works really well as a short because it shows us three moments in a girls life where she learns something about the world. Often this can be less than pleasant.

There is something very focused and yet hands off about this film. Anytime you can say that, I think you’ve got a winner.

1.6  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

Director Ben Zeitlin used this clever idea to catapult his name into the ranks of serious directors, and went on to helm Beasts of the Southern Wild which earned him Academy Award nominations for directing, writing, and best picture.

This film is great and it plays with reality and death in such a unique way it’s no wonder this is one of the best ever.

1.7  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

The full display of Stephen Daldry’s directing ability is evident in this short film that launched his career. The promise of his future work such as Billy Elliot , The Hours , and The Reader , is definitely evident in Eight.  

The writing is concise and focused. Those with an especially good eye can notice some of the director’s style in his later offerings. Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close to his first film. From stunning tracking shots to close-ups, Daldry seems to say I know film theory and can put it to use.

1.8  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

Director Sofia Coppola uses this short film to talk about celebrity, teen angst, and suicide. The whole thing is done with such an objective point of view, and the realistic tone mixed with the dramatic imagery works well.

Lick the Star

The film also features Peter Bogdanovich and Zoe Cassavetes.

1.9  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

If you have yet to see a Gaspar Noe film, this may be the perfect bite size snack for you. He makes films that are not easy to watch, but they’re good enough to make you wonder why that is, and to challenge yourself.

The films aren’t ugly, but they aren’t easy to digest.

1.10  BEST DRAMA SHORT FILM

This short film is a recent arrival to the festival circuit, having screened at least thirty festivals such as the Academy Awards qualifying Hollyshorts, and was screened by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.

Writer/director Marvin Nuecklaus creates stunning photography, with a keen use of visual color palette for time delineation.

Best Comedy Short Films

Best comedy short films the top narrative short movies, a dog’s life, six shooter, the music box, bottle rocket, it’s always sunny on tv, frankenweenie, thunder road, greener grass, 2.1  best comedy short film.

Charlie Chaplin was one of the first directors to realize what a gold mine Dogs and Children would be on film, or maybe he is to blame. The film shows how an out of work man, harassed woman, and stray dog all have their vulnerabilities and reasons for living.

Nothing Chaplin ever did was completely comedy, and while there are plenty of laughs in this film, the message still works today, and forever.

2.2  BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM

Martin McDonagh was already a celebrated playwright at the time that he  made this short film, but he then went on to write and direct In Bruges , Seven Psychopaths , and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

The film has a great cast, and is simple enough to work as a short film.

2.3  BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM

James Parrot directs this short film that takes cues from the greek story of Sisyphus, who was cursed for eternity to push a rock up a hill that would never make it to the top.

They swap the rock for a piano, and the tragedy for some serious laughs.

2.4  BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM

Director Wes Anderson took this film to Sundance where it got very little attention, but those who saw it loved it. This short film about boredom, crime, adolescence, and masculinity launched the careers of the Wilson Brothers, and of course Anderson himself.

Much like THX, this is a must watch for that reason alone.

2.5  BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM

A small story about a bunch of vain actors. This short film paved the way for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to become one of the greatest comedy shows of all time, and it started with a conversation about cancer.

The performances and writing made this idea work.

2.6  BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM

This short film, directed by Tim Burton and funded then scrapped by Disney, this darkly humorous film about a dog brought back to life.

The film shows where Burton was headed, and gained him even more attention as a filmmakers beyond just a visual artist.

2.7  BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM

Jim Cummings writes and directs the Sundance Film Festival award-winning Thunder Road . The film was adapted into a long-form feature film and was a giant hit in France.

Director Jim Cummings turned a substantial profit from this short film and gave the world a very signature calling card.

2.8  BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM

This short film directed by Paul Briganti makes fun of materialism and social competition in a way that doesn't hold back. It has irony, a smart theme, a bite size premise, and is filmed pretty well.

The film was accepted by the SXSW film festival.

Best Horror Short Films

Best horror short films the top narrative short movies, the big shave, the smiling man, cutting moments, 3.1  best horror short film.

Martin Scorsese may be synonymous with mob films and Leo DiCaprio, but before all the glitz and glamour he made a film about a guy shaving.

What could be so terrifying about a guy shaving? Haven’t you already answered that question with your own question?

3.2  BEST HORROR SHORT FILM

This short film from director A.J. Briones grabs the terror bull by the horns, and places a little girl all alone in a face to face with pure evil.

Again, this is a short film and the filmmakers understand that simplicity is often your best friend. Show off your skills.

3.3  BEST HORROR SHORT FILM

This short film directed by Ben Franklin and Anthony Melton deals with the topic of bullying, and a young man who summons an ancient spirit in an effort to seek revenge.

I actually quite like Birch trees.

3.4  BEST HORROR SHORT FILM

David F. Sandberg made this film and it is another one that takes some of the great horror tropes of all time, and relies on nothing else. It is sort of like eating a buttermilk donut, sometimes that plan taste is the best to have.

This short went on to become a feature length film.

3.5  BEST HORROR SHORT FILM

This short film is truly disturbing, and instead of relying on some distant or supernatural evil, this film shows our own need to please and to be loved as the ultimate horror.

I don’t want to give any huge details away, but if you love horror but are tired of jump scares and raspy trailer voice, check out this short film.

3.6  BEST HORROR SHORT FILM

This short film directed by Andrés Borghi shows a woman with the desire to keep the memories of her loved ones alive and the unintended consequences that follow.

Horror films are as much about filmmaking as they are about dread. Check this film out to see both.

RELATED POSTS

• FREE: TV Writing & Development Master Class →
• FREE: Screenplay Examples: Pulp Fiction Script →
• FREE: How to Write a Script Outline [Free Template] →

Best Sci-Fi Short Films

Best sci-fi short films the top sci-fi shorts, alive in joburg, electronic labyrinth: thx 1138 4eb, trip to the moon, the nostalgist, 4.1  best sci-fi short film, alive in joburg.

Neill Blomkamp proved his abilities to none other than legendary director Peter Jackson with this  short film that inspired the hit film District 9.

Peter Jackson said Blomkamp “needed to be making films”, and hired him to his visual effects studio in New Zealand.

4.2  BEST SCI-FI SHORT FILM

This film by George Lucas paved the way for some of the greatest films of all time like Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB 

They also made a feature length version with Robert Duvall, and while the pacing is a little slow there is a ton of insights for any filmmaker.

4.3  BEST SCI-FI SHORT FILM

This fantastic short film by Spike Jonze also happens to be a bit of a corporate advert for Absolut Vodka, but the quality, thoughtfulness, and execution of the film sort of erases any ill will that may generate.

This short film, based on the book The Giving Tree , is a film about sacrifice, love, and existentialism all rolled into a nice looking package with Andrew Garfield playing the lead.

4.4  BEST SCI-FI SHORT FILM

The influence of this film from director and actor George Melies cannot be overstated. Out of the hundreds of film this Godfather of cinema completed, this is the one that has stood the test of time.

The story follows a group of astronomers who voyage to the moon. They explore the surface, come to blows with the natives, before returning to earth with a captive.

This short film has cutting-edge special effects… for the time. In 1902, seeing Trip to the Moon must have been like seeing Titanic for the first time. The writing is great even without a word of audible dialogue.

The enduring theme of the exploration of man was cleverly realized in this short film. The film was heavily pirated in its’ day even though it was financially very successful.

4.5  BEST SCI-FI SHORT FILM

This film by Giacomo Cimini takes place both in a virtual world and the real world, and uses a father and son relationship to illustrate an already tenuous relationship with society and the outside world.

If you’ve ever felt like you were born outside of your intended time era, give this film a watch.

4.6  BEST SCI-FI SHORT FILM

This film directed by David Sandberg can be found on Netflix, and I highly recommend it for several different reasons. It’s funny, has some corny but great special effects, and seems completely uncompromised.

This film was crowdfunded, and received something close to $300,000 from kickstarter during its heyday.

Best Animated Short Films

Best animated short films the top documentary shorts, what’s opera doc, geri's game, imaginary flying machines, world of tomorrow, the man who planted trees, sanjay's super team, 5.1  best animated short film, what’s opera, doc.

This short film by Chuck Jones is his best. I’ve never turned this short film off, or looked away. That is the true sign of any great piece of entertainment, and on top of that this short film makes me laugh, cry (in the right mood), think, and sing.

What a fantastic short film.

5.2  BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Geri’s game.

The concept:  An old man plays chess with himself in the park.  Simple enough. How did Pixar tell this story? By having the man assume the multiple characters in the chess match.

The combination of concept, storytelling and, yes performance, even if it is computer generated imagery, works to make this academy award-winning short film one of the best. 

5.3  BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

This film was produced by Studio Ghibli and features the legendary Hayao Miyazaki as a talking pig who narrates the film all about the human power of flight, and a bunch of different machines used to achieve it. This short film isn't available online so here's a video essay on Miyazaki's Airships instead. Enjoy!

Flight in Miyazaki Films

Great animation, great story, great short film.

5.4  BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

The World of Tomorrow is an Academy Award winning film that takes is anything but conventional. Animation give a lot of latitude, and director Don Hertzfeldt understands that very well.

5.5  BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

This short film directed by Frédéric Back and based off the book by Jean Giono. Christopher Plummer narrates and plays the hero who recalls his experience of being saved by a shepherd who plants trees in a barren valley eventually creating a place similar to the Garden of Eden.

This film is not only about man and nature, but about the healing powers we both can provide. It’s a two way street.

5.6  BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Human behavior.

This is the only music video you will find on this list and it definitely deserves to be on any list of groundbreaking short films. This short film is “ever so satisfying”

When pop-rock superstar Bjork enlisted Michel Gondry to make a video the chances were high that they would make something unique.

5.7  BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Sanjay’s super team.

Every filmmaker should see this Pixar short film for the amazing combination of original concept, strong storytelling, and stunning visuals.

Director Sanjay Patel based the story on his own childhood. Taking the familiar story of a clash of interest between two generations, Patel used the Hindu deities and the superhero storyline to create a magical short movie. It is truly a delight for all ages.

Best Experimental Short Films

Best experimental short films the top documentary shorts, un chien andalou, an occurrence at owl creek bridge, scorpio rising, from the drain, 6.1  best experimental short films.

Spanish director Luis Buñuel and artist Salvador Dalí wrote a script based on the concept of suppressed human emotions. Then they went and filmed it, without any apparent compromise.

To watch any of these experimental films is to understand that you are no longer in the realm of conventional cinema, but that doesn’t mean cinematic language and thematic expression are abnormal, in this film or any other film for that matter.

6.2  BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILMS

A post-apocalyptic, cautionary tale and a masterpiece of writing, this short film is one of the best of all times. Twenty-eight minutes long and entirely in black and white, La Jetee is ahead of its’ time.

The themes are as relevant today as they were sixty years ago. Importantly, it pays homage to the French New Wave movement.

6.3  BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILMS

An occurrence at owl creek bridge .

The short film seventy years later was specially presented on an episode of The Twilight Zone. Adapted for the screen and directed by Roberto Enrico, the story is simple, but the telling is what makes it jarring and original.

It was a winner at the Cannes Film Festival. In addition,  An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge  received both the BAFTA and the Academy Award for the best Live Action Short film.

6.4  BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILMS

This film from Kenneth Anger caused the Nazis to become upset at him for misrepresenting their flag. A censorship advocacy group called the police, had the theatre manager arrested and the print seized before the whole case went to the California supreme court.

Scorpio Rising 

This film set precedent for legal censorship cases across the country, and in some ways dismantled the shard censorship laws that remained from the McCarthy era. Oh, and the film is pretty great too.

6.5  BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILMS

This film from David Cronenberg shows two men in a mental institution bathtub talking about what is in the drain. It led to films like Eastern Promises , History of Violence , and Existenz , so it is totally worth watching.

Also, it is interesting to watch a lot of the interviews Cronenberg gave during the period of creating this film, so if you have time watch those too. 

6.6  BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILMS

The grandmother.

David Lynch has made a few experimental short films, but The Grandmother is his best. The reason it is his best is because it has more cinematic technique to analyze than other short films from David Lynch.

Often his films are shot in such a simple manner that you ponder the art and meaning rather than the cinematic techniques.

• FREE: Script Breakdown Online →
• FREE: How Internal & External Conflict Energize Your Story →
• READ: How to Copyright a Script and Protect Your Screenplay →

Best Documentary Short Films

Best documentary short films the top documentary shorts, night and fog, the mushroom club, god sleeps in rwanda, the death of kevin carter, knife skills, 7.1  best documentary short films, night and fog.

Writer-director Alain Resnais used writing and structure as well as a compilation of archival footage from all over Europe to bring this short film to life.

Using motion pictures and stills, there is no fancy Hollywood razzle-dazzle in this no-nonsense look at the horrors of the Holocaust.

What makes this film truly extraordinary is not the subject matter.

This was not the first film to detail the atrocities of the Second World War.

It is the structure of the film that makes this short film stand the test of time as one of the best short documentary films of all time.

Resnais tells a complete story with a gripping subject matter but structures the story in an essay form.

A beautiful telling of a nightmarish story

The events are told chronologically with the footage from Resnais’ present day, in color, and the archival footage edited seamlessly.

The tracking shots lead to the Nazis marching in step.  The overgrown fields of the 1950’s blend into the ghastly scenes of genocide.

The writing here is unsentimental and unapologetic.  It makes Night and Fog one of the best short films, documentary or otherwise, of all time.

7.2  BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS

This powerful Academy Award-nominated short film from director Steve Okazaki revisits the story of the first use of the atomic bomb by the United States against Japan.

The real story in this 34min film is the effects on the lives of those who experienced it. In response to the lackluster coverage of the fiftieth anniversary of the dropping of the bomb, the filmmaker collected these stories of survivors in the short tragic anthology.

The director presents questions that no one wants to ask. The answers provide a harrowing portrait of “victory” from the point of view of those who lived in the aftermath of the bombing.

The survivors or hibakusha get to tell their story. The structure is less important as are the filmmaking skills.  The stories come together to make one unforgettable film.

7.3  BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS

The best documentary short films all seem to tackle the darkest and most tragic reaches of the human experience. This is no exception.

Director Kimberlee Acquaro received a Pew Fellowship and later an Academy Award nomination for her film.

Once again, the story’s subject matter is the leading player. But the writing in this short film is essential to the telling of such heavy themes as genocide and human depravity.

Narrated by Rosario Dawson, the writing here doesn’t overwhelm the stories of the five women who rebuild their lives and redefine women's roles in Rwanda. This short film is a story of hope.

7.4  BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS

Director Dan Krauss paints a tragic portrait of the life of a journalist in this superb short film. The short film comes in at a sparse 27 minutes but packs a punch of any feature-length film.

The film sheds light on the suicide of journalist Kevin Carter a few months after winning the Pulitzer Prize and the death of a close friend. The familiarity of Kevin Carter’s work makes the viewer an accomplice

The film is thorough in the examination of Carter’s life and the events leading to his death.  The amount of research that goes into the documentary short is staggering and worthy of its’ Oscar nomination.

7.5  BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS

This Oscar-nominated short film of 2017 is one of the few documentary short films that delivers a message of hope and redemption.

This short film is the story of a restaurateur looking to open the best French restaurant in America.  

The catch? The restaurant is staffed with ex-convicts looking to change their lives.  They have a few weeks to learn the kitchen skills.

Ex-convicts serve a dose of humanity with their skills. The structure of the story is where filmmakers can really learn a thing or two.

Starting the film on the opening night as an amuse bouche and then serving up the entrèe as the staff is initiated into a brand new world of traditional French cuisine.

It is funny as a fish out of water stories, frustrating to witness how lives can take a sudden bad turn and a pleasure to watch as men and women are redeemed in a kitchen.

How to Write a Short Film That Gets You Noticed

Now you know about 30 great short films. You could literally watch any of these films and know that you saw something worth a watch. Now it’s time for you to develop your own short film idea.  

Check out How to Write a Short Film That Gets You Noticed . This is a fantastic resource that will keep you on track, and help organize your idea.

Up Next: How to Write a Short Film That Gets You Noticed →

Write and produce your scripts all in one place..

Write and collaborate on your scripts FREE . Create script breakdowns, sides, schedules, storyboards, call sheets and more.

• Pricing & Plans
• Product Updates
• Featured On
• StudioBinder Partners
• Ultimate Guide to Call Sheets
• How to Break Down a Script (with FREE Script Breakdown Sheet)
• The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download
• Managing Your Film Budget Cashflow & PO Log (Free Template)
• A Better Film Crew List Template Booking Sheet
• Best Storyboard Softwares (with free Storyboard Templates)
• Movie Magic Scheduling
• Gorilla Software
• Storyboard That

A visual medium requires visual methods. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques.

We’re in a golden age of TV writing and development. More and more people are flocking to the small screen to find daily entertainment. So how can you break put from the pack and get your idea onto the small screen? We’re here to help.

• Making It: From Pre-Production to Screen
• What is a Femme Fatale — Definition, Characteristics, Examples
• What is Method Acting — 3 Different Types Explained
• How to Make a Mood Board — A Step-by-Step Guide
• What is a Mood Board — Definition, Examples & How They Work
• How to Make a Better Shooting Schedule with a Stripboard
• 7.9K Facebook
• 58 Pinterest
• 198 LinkedIn

Quick Guide on How to Write a Movie Review Essay

What Is a Movie Review

The internet has revolutionized the realm of film criticism. No matter a movie's level of quality, it is always worth analyzing. Despite the growing number of individuals attempting to write about movies, few are successful. Most people do not provide insightful analysis, instead simply state how much they liked or disliked the film.

A movie criticism, usually composed by a professional in film studies, takes a comprehensive look at the film from a historical, social, political, or theoretical standpoint. This is unlike the opinion or suggestion given in a movie review, which is shorter and more concise.

A remarkable aspect of a good film review is that it doesn't just rate the movie but provides explicit views that form the critique's basis. This form of writing, like crafting essays, research papers, and term papers, should be insightful and draw the reader in quickly. It's important to discuss the reputation of the lead actors and directors and to write about what you expected and if they were met. The reviewer must explain a story's development without recalling major plot points and endings. The review must be concise, engaging, and should involve metaphors, specific words, analogies, etc.

Movie Review Purpose

Most film reviews are intended to guide readers in deciding whether to view, rent, or purchase the film. They should provide the necessary information to aid readers in deciding without divulging any fundamental details, such as the storyline or any surprises. This paper is common in schools because the lecturer wants to evaluate the student's ability to think critically and report the event easily for others to understand.

Movie reviews typically present a brief summary of the film's storyline. They provide readers with an overview of the characters, relationships, and scenarios but do not convey the complete narrative. Perusing the review should be different from seeing the movie. Nonetheless, feel free to highlight the essential moments or pivotal points that make the film worthwhile viewing.

Our college essay writing service has put together some advice on composing a movie review essay like a real critic, so let's explore the article further!

How to Write a Movie Review: Movie Review Outline

The structure is key when it comes to the quality of your paper. Don't neglect the power of a good outline, no matter what paper you're writing. Outlines help you stay on track and make sure your paper flows well.

Taking the time to arrange your ideas before starting to write is an effective way to save time further down the line. With a well-structured plan already in place, you won't have to worry about other elements. This will also make the writing process less stressful. Here is a guide on how to organize your movie review outline:

How Do You Start a Movie Review Essay: Introduction

The introductory paragraph is the first obvious step in crafting a movie review essay outline. Here, you want to quickly captivate the reader. Deliver your viewpoint instantly and make it unambiguous. Don't leave the audience wondering whether you enjoyed the film. Tell them right off the bat so you have time to justify your assessment throughout the remainder of the process.

In the introduction movie review should also describe your thesis. Develop the main concept for your essay that you can support using your perceptions of the movie's various aspects. The reader should be able to tell from this statement if you thought the film was fantastic, awful, or simply alright. By including a thesis statement, you may move your analysis beyond the plot synopsis phase into the movie critique category, which is considered a separate creative process.

Crafting Your Essay Movie Review Analysis

According to our research paper service , film analysis is similar to building a case. You're attempting to influence the reader to follow your recommendation to watch or disregard the film. So, you must ensure your essay movie review will be convincing. Giving instances that demonstrate the validity of your personal opinion is the only method to do this. If you find any dialogue in the movie that you think best exemplifies whether the work is strong or not, utilize quotes. This also applies to all of the movie's artistic decisions. But, just because a movie's narrative isn't strong or engaging doesn't indicate the rest of the film is worthless. Carefully highlight how some factors might undermine the movie in your explanation.

The movie's plot is only one component and shouldn't dominate the overall piece. The following are the important aspects to include in your movie review structure:

Cinematography - Cinematography covers much more than simply camera angles. It includes how the picture is lit, how it moves, appears, and what lenses are used. Here you can try the following analysis: 'Warm, gentle colors are used throughout the film, combined with soothing whites and grays, to simultaneously create and gradually tear away the characters' romantic sentiments for one another. There is a painting-like quality to each image.'

Editing - The editing is arguably the absolute star of what creates a good movie review example. It affects both the duration and the flow of a movie. Without effective editing, there would be uncomfortable gaps between pictures and many errors.

Costuming - The clothing the characters wear is called a costume, but there are a number of things to consider while evaluating movie costumes. You should be able to decide if the outfits suit the characters and the movie's atmosphere.

Casting and Acting - Finding the ideal performers to bring characters to life is the goal of casting. This sometimes entails seeing performers portray both familiar personas and figures who are entirely at odds with who they are. Casting, therefore, involves more than just finding talented performers. You can assess the acting in the following way: 'Even though he excels while on the go, his stoic behaviorism causes him to fall short of his co-star during calm scenes where he keeps a blank look on his face.'

Once you have finished analyzing the acting, directing, cinematography, setting, etc., wrap up with concise, stimulating wording to sustain readers' attention. Don't forget to provide a few examples to support your statements about the film.

Concluding Your Essay Movie Review

Finalize your review by coming full circle. Close the review by returning to your introductory fact or thesis. Give your readers a refresher on the movie's most intriguing aspects. It's important to remember that before choosing a movie, viewers check reviews. Finish with a statement indicating whether it is worthwhile for them to view. Be specific about who this movie will be more fascinating to and why in your suggestions. Remember that your ending is your last shot at influencing your audience, so use it wisely.

No matter the kind of movie review you have to complete, our professional specialists are willing to help you. Directly forward your needs to our research paper service and get it done quickly.

Need Help With MOVIE REVIEW WRITING?

No matter what type of movie review you want, our qualified specialists are ready to assist you.

Short Movie Review Form

If you are currently working on a new or old movie review, reading our suggestions should be sufficient to help you earn an A. So what if you'll be writing many reviews in the future? In this situation, we advise you to develop a uniform movie review template, which will enable you to save time and complete your upcoming projects successfully.

So, how to write a movie review template, you may ask? Well, our essay helper prepared a simple yet great movie review template you may use as a foundation for your own writing if you need some help getting started:

Example Papers

Once you know how to review a movie and learn the most valuable tips to handle this assignment, it is time to look at some movie review examples to get you on the right track.

Check out the following pieces to see which of these movie review essay examples you might want to keep at hand when working on your own assignment:

Helpful Tips on Writing Movie Reviews

Here are some extra helpful tips to keep in mind when unsure how to write a movie review essay:

• Add Your Own Personal Feel to Your Movie Critique - You might not have much spare time for your pastime of reviewing. You won't be able to write a movie review, though, if you just wing it without reading what others have said. Make a note of the things that intrigued you, alarmed you, made you uncomfortable, or caused you to pause and consider something, and then use that list as the basis for your research.
• Develop a Distinctive Writing Style - Have an idol—it's good for you. You must be careful not to just paraphrase and duplicate what they say without adding your own original viewpoint. Instead, in order to stand out from the throng, you must discover your own voice. When writing movie reviews, you should also have a distinct writing style.
• Include Extensive Information -Mention the film's photographer, special effects designer, and director. Your review might be significantly impacted by this. Then you may list all the memorable movie moments that also stuck with you.
• Voice Your Views and Back Up Your Criticism - Give your own assessment of the film. Make sure you have evidence to support your criticisms. Use the movie's details that most shocked or humiliated you. Review genuine information rather than merely expressing your opinions without supporting details.

Final Thoughts

Composing a good movie review essay sample is easy if you follow this article's main steps and techniques. Furthermore, we strongly believe that this guide will assist you in achieving remarkable outcomes and ease your writing process. The staff at EssayPro is always available to provide a helping hand if you need a little additional push with movie review examples or even if it's simply coming up with a catchy essay title .

Order an essay and await excellent results! Contact our expert writers and ask them to ' write my essay for me ' – and they will ensure your academic success!

Do You Require a Skilled Professional Writer?

Our writers take extra measures to make sure that your essay is created precisely in accordance with your specifications.

FAQs on Writing an Essay Movie Review

Here are the most frequently asked questions on how to write a movie review. We provided extra details on movie analysis to simplify writing film reviews.

What are the 6 Important Things to Include in a Film Review?

How long should a movie review be, what are the 5 c's in film.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

• Power List 2024
• Cannes 2024
• In-Depth Stories
• Web Stories
• Oscars 2024
• FC Wrap 2023
• Film Festivals
• FC Adda 2023
• Companion Zone
• Best Indian Films Forever List
• FC Front Row
• FC Disruptors
• Mental Health & Wellness

8 Short Film Review: A Near-Perfect Short

Director: AՆ_эim VasiՆ_э

Cast: Nicky Naudé, Guillaume Tavi

Every now and then, it's important to look at what's happening around us. As a country with a vast history and versatility of storytelling, India is still only at an embryonic stage of embracing the culture of short filmmaking. There are few hits, plenty of misses, with the current focus more on exploiting its new-age digital nature; "viral" ambitions, elaborate online releases, brand partnerships and million+ page-views assume precedence over the old-school practice of seeking cinematic validation at prestigious Film Festivals. Which is why it's necessary to recognize what other parts of the world are accomplishing in the same field, at different points of time.

Take this short film, 8 , for instance. Made by Serbian filmmaker AՆ_эim VasiՆ_э more than half a decade ago, it is unmistakably European in its sensibilities: no dialogues, exquisitely designed, technically adept, cinematically ambitious, evocatively colored, cuts serving as the only exposition, funny, sad, dark and cleverly titled. It is an example of how this traditionally modest medium can be used in the most silver-screen way possible.

8 opens with the sound of war. It doesn't matter when, where and between whom, because politicizing its roots would do disservice to its genre: this is a desperate comedy – of life, futility and by morbid connection, the fear of death. Two enemy soldiers – one with a cross on his helmet, and the other with a zero (invoking their participation in an unwitting tic-tac-toe game) – find themselves in the throes of a sudden captor-captive equation.

Made by Serbian filmmaker AՆ_эim VasiՆ_э more than half a decade ago, it is unmistakably European in its sensibilities: no dialogues, exquisitely designed, technically adept, cinematically ambitious, evocatively colored, cuts serving as the only exposition, funny, sad, dark and cleverly titled.

One of them is smug and confident, symbolized by his cowboy-ish affinity for cigarettes, while the other is injured and meek. Their personalities play a crucial part in conditioning our minds to expect the winner-loser dynamic to define an ending. The title presumably signifies the number of moves made between them, with the ninth and final move primed to result in a tragic 'stalemate'. You know how the old "war" proverbs go.

The sound, though, is a key character: of fighter jets crashing, of rifles loaded, of bullets shot, of snow falling, of victims groaning, of the shoes scraping on a buried landmine, of the cocky soldier's peculiar duck-call whistle, and even of the silence of an owl observing the "human" scenes unfolding in the dense forest. We don't quite see the immediate results of any of these sounds, with the maker stylizing the edit to let our minds fill in the blanks. If a rifle is aimed at the escaping soldier, it cuts immediately to the next sequence of him limping through the snow at gunpoint with a bloodied leg.

VasiՆ_э is sure of his quasi-flashy vision, crafting an atmosphere that lends life to the idea of a certain time. There must have been a before and an after of the big-picture battle, but he makes it feel like theirs is more than simply a part of a whole movie, and maybe the only visual portion encapsulating the ironic infinity (turn an "8" sideways) of faceless combat. It comes across as one of those snapshots I'm destined to remember when I look back at all the famous wartime movies of our era.

One senses that this is exactly how the maker might have envisioned it – bereft of compromise, ideology and commercial aspirations, clear in its quirky sub-tone of power-play. As a result, 8 looks like more of a goal than a process. And perhaps this purist outlook is what short filmmaking should be all about.

Watch the short film here-

Related Stories

• Writing Style
• How to write …
• Analysis of Speech
• Storytelling
• Career Development

How to Write a Film Review: Preparation, Steps, Examples

• by Anastasiya Yakubovska
• 06.10.2022 10.05.2024
• How to write ...

How to write a film review (true, professional, and comprehensive) and not be limited to the phrase “What a great movie!”? In this article, you will find answers to the next questions:

• How long is a movie review? 
• How many paragraphs does a movie review have? 
• Features of the Film Review 
• Functions of the Movie Review 
• How to Write a Film Review: Preparation for Writing 
• 10 Questions You Need to Answer Before You Start Writing a Movie Review 
• How to Write and Structure a Film Review: Step by Step 

What Is a Film Review?

A film review is a critical judgment or discussion that informs about the release of a new film and contains its analysis, assessment, summary, as well as personal impressions and experiences after watching.

How long is a movie review?

On average, the length of a film review is about 1000 words.

How many paragraphs does a movie review have?

It is recommended that the film review should consist of 5-7 paragraphs.

Read also article “How to Write a Book Review: Step by Step and Examples”.

Features of the Film Review

A film review is a persuasive piece of writing, it has some features as:

• A less formal style of writing. 
• You need to write objectively about the film. 
• But, on the other hand, movie reviews contain personal thoughts and feelings. 
• The film review’s audience is wider and more diverse. 

Movie reviews can be written by two groups of reviewers: professional critics and ordinary consumers. Therefore, the text of the review will differ. In the first case, when the reviewer is a professional critic, he will describe the movie instead of evaluating it. While consumer critics mostly write from a personal perspective. 

What is the main purpose of a film review?

The main purpose of a film review is to inform readers about the film (what can expect from it) and to help them determine if they want to watch the movie. 

Functions of the Movie Review

The film review performs several functions at once: it informs, analyzes, persuades, and entertains. If you can include all of these points in your review, then you will have an excellent result in the end. 

How to Write a Film Review: Preparation for Writing

Writing a review is, of course, a creative process, but you should not forget about the analytical approach to creating a convincing and high-quality text. You must take the work responsibly, which we will do now.

To write a professional film review, you first need to complete the following preparation steps:

• Of course, the first step is to find a film, if it has not been previously chosen by the manager/client/boss. There will be more chances to write a good review if the film was liked by both – film critics and you personally.
• Watch the movie at least 2-3 times. After the first viewing, you will get a general impression of the picture, and try to fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the film. Pay attention to the details the next time you watch it: the sound, the actor’s play, the editing, the plot. 
• If you have difficulty understanding the events covered in the film (for example, historical), be sure to find additional information and research the topic.
• If after two viewings you still do not have a final assessment of the film in the form of a brief thesis, watch the film again. You can look at other works of the director who worked on this film, this will help you determine his characteristic style. Also, as an option, you can look at the game of actors in other films (for comparison).
• When watching a movie, take notes: key scenes, interesting plot twists, inconsistencies, details, and quotes. Then, based on them, you can build a review text, and a good quote can become an excellent epigraph.
• Find information about the filming: location, duration, season, details about the filming process, difficulties the production team faced, casting, etc. Such information will make the review more attractive to readers.
• If the film is nominated for awards and prizes, please include this information in your film review. For a potential viewer, such an assessment of the film will be a weighty argument in the direction of -> compulsory viewing.

10 Questions You Need to Answer Before You Start Writing a Movie Review

• Does the film split into multiple parts? A sequel, prequel, or one of the movie series? 
• What is the film genre (action, comedy, historical, drama, fantasy, Western, political, thriller, gangster, horror, tragicomedy, romance, sports, mystery, science fiction)? Is the movie based on real or fictional events?
• Did the screenplay writer create an exciting plot?
• Is the rhythm of the film slow and quiet, heavy and static, or chaotic and frantic?
• What is the film’s rating according to the MPAA? ( G – General Audiences. All ages admitted. PG – Parental Guidance Suggested. PG-13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned. R – Restricted. Under 17 requires an accompanying parent or adult guardian. NC-17 – Adults Only.) 
• Are there any films with a similar/same theme? Sometimes it is worth mentioning some of them in a review, as a comparison.
• How can you characterize the work of a cinematographer? How accurately are the most expressive compositional, lighting solutions, as well as camera angles, selected and embodied?
• Is the film entertaining or covers a serious themes?
• Was the casting successful? Did all the actors cope with their roles?
• Is the atmosphere of the film tense, mysterious, sinister, relaxed, or romantic?

The answers to all of the above questions will help you understand how to write a film review, and above all, create a draft version of your future review. But, of course, this is not enough for the final result.

How to Write and Structure a Film Review: Step by Step

Writing a film review is a long and complicated process. Therefore, it is better to break it down into stages and move step by step. This will help you not to get lost and not get confused in the details.

• The catchy introduction.

The introductory part of the review should contain important information about the film: title, director, release date, and genre. 

You can mention nominations and awards, as well as indicate the box office (if the numbers are impressive) and the cast. 

In addition to “technical” aspects and a simple presentation of the plot, it is necessary to express your impression of the film in the form of a thesis, for example, to tell:

• about the connection of the film’s central idea with current events and social problems;
• about the similarity of the film’s plot with a personal life situation, personal experience, and feelings;
• about the connection of technical elements (lighting, sound, editing) with the theme of the film.

2. Pass the verdict.

Do not torment the reader and express your opinion about the film in the first paragraphs of the review.

You should not leave all the most interesting “for later”. If you decide to give a final assessment of the film at the end of the review, what are the chances that the reader will read to this end?

3. Write a summary of the plot.

Choose 4-5 main events.

Avoid the film’s ending and spoilers. Keep the intrigue. If you want to spoil and share an unusual story development, warn the reader about this.

4. Bring the feelings.

In addition to presenting the plot of the film, you should add emotions to the text of the review and show what you felt while watching it.

5. Define the main purpose of the movie. 

Perhaps the film’s purpose is hidden in its plot. Or maybe the film does not pretend to solve global problems at all. Perhaps the film is entertaining, and this is its advantage – it is relaxed and simple.

Sometimes the main idea of a serious and deep film can be found in an interview with a film crew, a screenwriter, or a director.

6. Add some details of the filmmaking process. 

It is important to know the measure and not to overdo it with the terminology. Here’s what you can write about:

• Cinematography: visual mood, lighting elements, shot sizes and widths, camera angles, etc. 
• Sound. The main goal is to create the necessary atmosphere in the film. Sound in movies includes music, dialogue, sound effects, ambient noise, background noise, and soundtracks. 
• Editing is the creation of a finished motion picture from many shot scenes. A film editor must creatively work with the layers of images, story, dialogue, music, pacing, as well as the actors’ performances to effectively “re-imagine” and even rewrite the film to craft a cohesive whole.
• Mise-en-scène (from French – placement on the stage) is the mutual arrangement of the actors and their environment on the set, natural or pavilion. Mise-en-scene includes landscapes, visual effects, the psychological state of the characters, etc.

7. The deep meaning.

You may be able to spot specific symbolic items, repetitive moments, or key phrases that give depth to the film.

8. Give examples.

It is not enough to say “ an excellent game of actors ”. Explain what exactly caught your attention (appearance, facial expressions, costumes, or movements of the actor). 

9. A convincing conclusion.

Write about the moments in the film that made the biggest impression on you. Share a recommendation. To whom and why do you advise to watch this movie?

10. Reread the review text several times .

Edit, and correct mistakes that can spoil the impression even from a professionally written film review.

Examples of Film Reviews

To consolidate the received information, let’s move from theory to practice. Below are two examples of film reviews.

Apocalypse Now

Review by Roger Ebert

Francis Ford Coppola’s film “Apocalypse Now” was inspired by Heart of Darkness, a novel by Joseph Conrad about a European named Kurtz who penetrated to the farthest reaches of the Congo and established himself like a god. A boat sets out to find him, and on the journey the narrator gradually loses confidence in orderly civilization; he is oppressed by the great weight of the jungle all around him, a pitiless Darwinian testing ground in which each living thing tries every day not to be eaten.

What is found at the end of the journey is not Kurtz so much as what Kurtz found: that all of our days and ways are a fragile structure perched uneasily atop the hungry jaws of nature that will thoughtlessly devour us. A happy life is a daily reprieve from this knowledge.

A week ago I was in Calcutta, where I saw mile upon square mile of squatter camps in which hundreds of thousands live generation after generation in leaky huts of plastic, cardboard and scrap metal, in poverty so absolute it is impossible to see any hope of escape. I do not mean to equate the misery of those hopeless people with a movie; that would be indecent. But I was deeply shaken by what I saw, and realized how precious and precarious is a happy life. And in such a mood I watched “Apocalypse Now” and came to the scene where Col. Kurtz (Marlon Brando) tells Capt. Willard (Martin Sheen) about “the horror.”

Kurtz is a decorated hero, one of the best soldiers in the Army, who has created a jungle sanctuary upriver inside enemy territory, and rules Montagnard tribesmen as his private army. He tells Willard about a day when his Special Forces men inoculated the children of a village against polio: “This old man came running after us and he was crying, he couldn’t see. We went back there, and they had come and hacked off every inoculated arm. There they were in a pile, a pile of little arms. . . .”

What Kurtz learned is that the Viet Cong were willing to go to greater lengths to win: “Then I realized they were stronger than we. They have the strength, the strength to do that. If I had 10 divisions of those men, then our troubles here would be over very quickly. You have to have men who are moral and at the same time who are able to utilize their primordial instincts to kill without feeling, without passion, without judgment.” This is the “horror” that Kurtz has found, and it threatens to envelop Willard, too.

The whole movie is a journey toward Willard’s understanding of how Kurtz, one of the Army’s best soldiers, penetrated the reality of war to such a depth that he could not look any longer without madness and despair.

The film has one of the most haunting endings in cinema, a poetic evocation of what Kurtz has discovered, and what we hope not to discover for ourselves. The river journey creates enormous anticipation about Kurtz, and Brando fulfills it. When the film was released in 1979, his casting was criticized and his enormous paycheck of $1 million was much discussed, but it’s clear he was the correct choice, not only because of his stature as an icon, but because of his voice, which enters the film from darkness or half-light, repeating the words of T.S. Eliot’s despairing “The Hollow Men.” That voice sets the final tone of the film.

Film review: example

Diana biopic Spencer wobbles between the bold and the bad

By Nicholas Barber

You may feel that you’ve had enough of Princess Diana’s story on the big and small screens, what with Naomi Watts taking the role in Oliver Hirschbiegel’s awful Diana in 2013, and then Emma Corrin playing her in the most recent season of The Crown, with the mantel set to be passed in Elizabeth Debicki in the next run. But, to give it its due, Pablo Larraín’s Spencer marks the only time the People’s Princess has been shown delivering a lecture on Anne Boleyn to an old coat that she has just stolen off a scarecrow, and then having a chat with the ghost of Boleyn herself shortly afterwards. The Chilean director doesn’t go in for conventional biopics, as anyone who has seen Jackie (starring Natalie Portman) or Neruda will know. And here again he has gone for a surreal portrait of his iconic subject. The snag is that his experimental art house spirit keeps bumping up against the naffness and the familiarity of British films set in stately homes, so his psychodrama ends up being both ground-breaking and rib-tickling.

It’s set over three days in 1991, from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, at Sandringham House in Norfolk. The rest of the Royal Family has arrived for their holiday in a fleet of chauffeur-driven cars, but Diana (Kristen Stewart) rocks up on her own in a Porsche convertible, having taken a detour to visit the aforementioned scarecrow: her dilapidated childhood home, from the days when she was Lady Diana Spencer, is a field or two away from Sandringham. Her late arrival concerns the sympathetic head chef (Sean Harris) and bothers the Scottish army veteran (Timothy Spall) who has the job of ensuring that everything goes the way the Queen wants it to. Her Majesty’s insufferable Christmas traditions include weighing all the guests when they arrive and when they leave to ensure that they’ve been sufficiently gluttonous. But Diana is in no mood for festive japes. Her Christmas present from Charles (Jack Farthing) – a necklace with pearls the size of golf balls – is identical to the one he has given his mistress. And the whisper in the servants’ quarters is that the Princess is “cracking up”. The filmmakers apparently agree.

Steering away from the same territory as The Crown, Larraín and Knight don’t fill the film with awkward meals and heated arguments (although there are one of each of those). Prince Charles does some grumbling, but the Queen has hardly any lines and Prince Philip has none: they are closer to menacing waxworks than people. For most of the time, Diana is either talking to her young sons, her trusted personal dresser (Sally Hawkins) or to herself. It’s interesting, this lack of dramatic conflict and discernible plot, but it can leave the film seeming as listless and purposeless as Larraín’s Diana herself. Her favourite occupation is to wander around the estate until she finds something that has an ominous symbolic connection to her, and then make an unconvincing speech about it. Ah, pheasants! So beautiful, yet bred to be killed!

Stewart is such inspired casting that she makes all this eccentric nonsense watchable. She’s been practising Diana’s signature moves for years – dipped head, hunched shoulders – and she certainly knows what it’s like to put up with intrusive tabloid photographers. She also looks suitably fabulous in the many outfits that Diana is required to wear over the long weekend. And unlike Watts’s performance in 2013, hers doesn’t seem distractingly like an impersonation. Mind you, she delivers all her lines in little bursts of hissing whispers, so if you don’t see it with English subtitles, as its first audiences did at the Venice Film Festival, you might not understand more than half of what she says.

The effect is a bit odd, but there are lots of odd things in the film, not least the tone and the pacing, which lurch around like someone who’s had too much after-dinner port. Between Jonny Greenwood’s squalling jazz soundtrack, the hallucinations, and the blush-making sexual confessions, Spencer is a folly that wobbles between the bold and the bad, the disturbingly gothic and the just plain silly. In some scenes, it’s heart-rending in its depiction of Diana’s self-harm and bulimia. In others, it’s almost as risible as the Diana biopic from 2013, and that’s saying something. I didn’t know any more about Diana afterwards than I did beforehand, but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it. This is a film that echoes The Shining at the start and 2001: A Space Odyssey at the end. The Crown Christmas Special it ain’t.

Sources of information: 

• “The Film Analysis Handbook” by Thomas Caldwell. 
• https://payforwriting.com/writing/creating-review/how-to-write-movie-review
• www.mtsu.edu
• www.sciencedirect.com/science
• Image:   freepik.com
• Poster from the film Apocalypse Now

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 7

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

A Masterclass in Writing Gripping Short Film Reviews That Captivate Audiences in 2023

Short films can convey entire worlds within minutes through their creative use of visuals and succinct storytelling. As both an art form and a medium, short films have seen a major surge in popularity on video sites and festivals in recent years.

For aspiring filmmakers and students, reviews can provide insights into how to craft compelling stories and technical execution. For festivals and competitions, judges have to write critiques.

Table of Contents

Watch Closely and Take Notes

Start by viewing the short film once or twice to grasp the full experience. Resist the urge to be distracted by your phone or laptop during the screening, since shorts require close attention to detail.

Take notes during each viewing on aspects you notice:

Analyze All the Key Elements

A short film review should examine each of the main aspects individually to assess their effectiveness. Consider the categories below when analyzing:

Story and Plot

Acting and characters, cinematography, light and color, sound and editing, provide background and context.

“Directed by Wes Anderson in 2004 while he was an up-and-coming indie icon, Hotel Chevalier serves as a prologue to his feature The Darjeeling Limited. Running just 13 minutes, it stars Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman as former lovers reconnecting in a Paris hotel room. The short premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was later released through iTunes to build anticipation for Anderson’s full-length film.”

Discuss Your Impressions and Reactions

Be specific in calling out 1-2 of the most powerful moments that left an impact. Discuss why they worked well based on cinematography , acting , and editing choices that brought the scenes to life.

Evaluate Overall Success and Impact

Your review should judge the effectiveness of the short film as a whole. Important questions to answer:

Essentially, you want to assess the level of impact the short film had as an immersive experience. This involves both an objective eye to issues with execution and a subjective feeling of its emotional resonance.

Provide Recommendations for Viewers

You can draw parallels to existing writers , directors , or specific works that could help give viewers a sense of what tone or style this short channels. Highlighting film festival accolades can further validate it as a must-watch.

Conclusion – Short Film Reviews

What short films have you seen lately that you would recommend to our readers? Let us know in the comments below!

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be included in a short film review, what are the 7 steps to writing a movie review, how long should a short film review be, what are the 4 components of a film review, how long is a typical short film.

Short films are usually defined as anything less than 40 minutes long, but most range from 5-30 minutes in length. The average short film duration is about 20 minutes.

How do you structure a film review?

What is the structure or format of a film review.

The typical structure of a film review is:

What are the two types of film reviews?

The two main types of film reviews are:

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

How to Write a Movie Review With Our Template Based Example

Did you know that a lot of people around the world read reviews before watching a movie? Yes, it’s true. A Statista survey was taken out last September in the United States which shows that 12 percent of moviegoers watch reviews before watching a movie while about 2 percent do it rarely.

However, a good movie review is not just about to rate the movie but provides explicit information from different angles. Reviewers must understand how to write a movie review to write an effective one.

Table of Contents

What Is A Movie Review?

A movie review is when someone gives their thoughts on a film, pointing out what’s good and what’s not so good, and how it all comes together. 

They look at things like the story, the acting, how it’s directed, how it looks on camera, the dialogue, the themes, and if it’s entertaining. These reviews can help you decide if a movie is worth watching.

Why Students Have To Write A Movie Review?

Learning how to write a movie review is not just for film reviewers or movie critics. Many Students might have to write film reviews for several reasons, such as:

Academic Assignments

Writing a movie review can be part of student coursework. However, many top teaching universities indulge students in such writing to develop critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills among them. It helps them apply theoretical knowledge learned in classes to practical evaluation.

Extracurricular Activities

Writing reviews might be part of journalism, media studies, or film club activities, allowing students to express their opinions, share insights, and discuss films.

Developing Analytical Skills

Analyzing a movie requires students to dissect various aspects of filmmaking, enhancing their ability to assess and critique artistic works critically. Having such skills could help them write an analytical essay well when needed.

How To Write A Movie Review: Helpful Tips

Whether you are a student, movie critic or movie lover, you have to follow some steps to write a movie review in a clear and persuasive way. Whether you are a beginner or an expert writer, these tips will help you write a compelling review that shines out from others.

Choose A Movie To review

If you are going to review a movie, the first thing you need to do is pick a movie.  It is recommended to choose a movie as per your interest. This could be a crime-based sci-fi, a psychopath movie, or even an adventure movie.

Watch The Film Mindfully

To learn how to write a good movie review, you have to watch the movie with focus. Remember to pay close attention while watching and note down the essential elements like plot development, acting performance, cinematography, and other aspects.

Write Down Special Notes

Note down the key elements, moments, observations, and impressions on a notebook, so you can’t forget them. Later on, these notes will help you to start writing a film review.

Provide Context

Now it’s time to officially know how to start a movie review. Begin with writing an introduction for your film review. However, keep in mind that the introduction of movie analysis is different from other types of writing.

It will include the title of the movie, the director’s name, genre, and release date. After that a concise summary of the movies without revealing major spoilers.

Analyzing The Elements Of The Film

Now it’s time to analyze the key elements from the movie. Evaluate the director’s vision, screenplay, dialogues, and camera work. Furthermore, do your best to analyze the performances of the actors and assess whether the movie is well-edited or not.

To make a deeper connection, talk about the themes, messages conveyed, and overall impression about what works well and what doesn’t. By integrating these elements, you can better understand how to write a movie review.

Express Your Opinion

Well, opinion is the key to a successful movie analysis. A reader will more likely watch the movies when your personal opinion is in the review. Remember to express your thoughts and opinions clearly and persuasively.

By any chance, if you don’t have an idea about opinion writing, get help from opinion writing examples and add your opinion effectively in the movie analysis.

Watch Movie At Least 2 Times

Richard Linklater , a famous American movie director quoted that “It’s hard to see a film one time and really “get it,” and write fully and intelligently about it. That’s a review. That’s not film criticism.”

According to his statement it is clear that to understand how to write a movie review, you need to watch it at atleast 2 times to analyze every angle.

Movie Review Template

You must have noticed that writing a film review is far more different from other kinds of writing like essay writing, paper writing, or research writing. No need to puzzle, as we are here to help you out with a compelling, concise, and easy-to-attempt template for a movie review.

All outlines are clearly mentioned in the above movie review template. You just need to pick a movie and fill the template with relevant information.

Movie Review Examples

Providing examples is the best technique to clear your doubts related to how to write a movie review. In the below section, we have compiled two short and easy examples based on the above-given template to make your concept clearer. Let’s start with the example 1:

Movie Summary Example 1

Title of the Movie: Inception

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy

Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller

Release Date: July 16, 2010

Plot Summary

“Inception” follows Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a skilled thief who steals secrets from within the subconscious during the dream state. He is offered a chance to have his criminal history erased in exchange for planting an idea into a target’s subconscious. This “inception” mission takes Cobb and his team through a series of complex dream worlds.

Analysis Of The Main Key Point

Direction: The direction of Christopher Nolan in this movie is just mind-blowing and masterful. The way he combines complex storytelling with groundbreaking visual effects is just exceptional. His ability to add multiple layers of dreams into a coherent narrative is respectable.

Script: There is a strong sense of character development and a gripping plot in the screenplay, which is intelligent and thought-provoking. Furthermore, the dialogues were very sharp and effective and contributed to the depth of the story.

Acting: Every cast of the movie delivers a strong performance. Leonardo DiCaprio brings emotional depth to Cobb’s troubled character. Besides this, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy also stand out with their charismatic roles.

Cinematography: The cinematography by Wally Pfister is visually stunning, especially the dream sequences that defy the laws of physics. As a result of the smooth integration of visual effects, the film takes on a surreal quality.

Music and Sound: The sounds by Hans Zimmer enhance the suspense and complement the film’s tone perfectly.

Editing: The editing is tight and well-paced by professional editors to keep the viewer engaged through the film’s complex structure. The transitions between different dream levels are smooth and effective.

Themes and Messages

“Inception” studies the themes of reality, dreams, and the subconscious. It questions the nature of reality and the power of the mind, which leaves the audience entertaining.

Overall Impression

“Inception” is a brilliant and innovative film that combines a convincing narrative with mind-blowing visuals and strong performances. It challenges the audience intellectually and, at the same time, provides an exciting cinematic experience. Highly recommended for fans of sci-fi and psychological thrillers.

8.8 out of 10 or (⭐⭐⭐⭐✰)

Example of Movie Review Summary 2

Title of the Movie: Lady Bird

Director: Greta Gerwig

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet, Lucas Hedges

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Release Date: November 3, 2017

Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is a senior in high school in Sacramento, California. The film shows her rough relationship with her mother (Laurie Metcalf), her desire to attend college on the East Coast, and her journey of self-discovery.

Direction: Greta Gerwig’s direction is sensitive and fine which catches the spirit of youth with authenticity and warmth. Her personal touch is noticeable throughout the film.

Script: The screenplay is very sharp and heartfelt throughout the film. Furthermore, the dialogue feels natural and genuine. The characters are well-rounded and relatable, making their experiences interlink with the audience.

Acting: Saoirse Ronan’s acting in the movie is as great as Lady Bird. She shows feelings of being both sensitive and brave. Laurie Metcalf plays the role of her mom who is both complicated and loving. Timothée Chalamet and Lucas Hedges play smaller roles but act well.

Cinematography: Sam Levy’s cinematography beautifully captures the suburban scenery of Sacramento. He uses close-up shots that focus on the characters, which helps to tell the story effectively.

Music and Sound: The soundtrack includes songs that match the right time-period. Also, an original score by Jon Brion matches the film’s nostalgic and emotional feel.

Editing: The editing by Nick Houy is completely smooth and in narrative flow. Undoubtedly, he effectively balanced the film’s comedic and dramatic elements.

“Lady Bird” movie clearly shows the themes of identity, family, and the transition from youth to adulthood. It highlights the complexities of mother-daughter relationships and the search for self-acceptance.

No doubt, “Lady Bird ” is a touching and beautiful movie for the upcoming ages. Greta Gerwig’s authentic storytelling tactics perfectly combined with outstanding performances. And for that reason, this movie left a heartfelt and relatable experience for the audience. Overall, It’s a must-watch for anyone who appreciates genuine and emotionally rich narratives.

7.4 out of 10 (⭐⭐⭐✰✰)

Common Mistakes To Avoid In Movie Review Writing

Writing an effective movie review demands a complete attention to detail and an exact approach. Here are common mistakes to avoid:

• A common mistake that most review writers make while reviewing is that they exploit the main spoiler in plot summary.
• Another mistake is writing a review without a clear organization or structure.
• Only focusing on personal preferences and neglecting a fair assessment.
• Ignoring elements like direction, cinematography, sound, and editing.
• The most major common is not considering who the review is for.
• A shift between formal and informal tones or inconsistent writing styles can make the reviewing experience bad.
• Make grammatical errors and typos to distract the reader from your review. To tackle this mistake, you can utilize free grammar and punctuation checker tools to make your review go smoothly.

When you avoid these mistakes, you will likely have an idea about how to write a good movie review in a more insightful, engaging, and professional way.

The Author’s Top Recommended Movies To Review

Now that you have learned every aspect of how to start a movie review, it’s time to write your first one. Below are some top movies that the author has recently watched and wants students, critics and movie lovers to write reviews about them. You can choose one according to your interests.

• Joker (2019): A psychopath, thriller and crime based movie
• under paris (2024): Horror, action mystery
• Unfrosted (2024): Comedy/ Drama
• After everything (2023): A romance/ thriller movie
• The Nest 2020: A thriller/ drama movie
• The Guilty (2021): Triller and chrome
• Uncharted (2022): Action + Adventure Movie
• Return to sender (2015): A psychological thriller and action movie
• Spaceman (2024): Sci-fi + adventurous
• The Green Mile (1999): Crime/Fantasy Movie

Before going to wind up, we recommend you to watch these movies and write a compelling movie review on your own. In case anything remains unresolved, feel free to contact our creative writing helper and let them help you in writing a movie review.

Final Thoughts

Overall to understand how to write a movie review all you need is a template for a movie review, some helpful tips and some movie review examples. 

Surprisingly, we cover all of these factors to help you write an effective review. Just follow the tips, and you’ll be able to turn your ideas and observations into reviews that people can’t put down.

Order Original Papers & Essays

Your First Custom Paper Sample is on Us!

Timely Deliveries

No Plagiarism & AI

100% Refund

Try Our Free Paper Writing Service

Related blogs.

Connections with Writers and support

Privacy and Confidentiality Guarantee

Average Quality Score

• Forgot your password?

The Movie Blog The Home Of The Correct Opinion

The magic faraway tree movie: rebecca ferguson joins classic, zee5 global’s telugu entertainment takes the world by storm, the running man remake: glen powell and edgar wright team up, jatt and juliet 3: diljit dosanjh and neeru bajwa return, chris hemsworth takes on drums with ed sheeran: a limitless journey, despicable me 4 – home entertainment giveaway, twisters home entertainment giveaway, alien: romulus free fandango giveaway, borderlands free movie ticket giveaway, alien: romulus – chicago – advance screening, the future of african cinema: director kaizer mokgobu, kritika kamra interview: gyaarah gyaarah’s groundbreaking story, interview: raghav juyal on ‘gyaraah gyaraah’, sunny singh talks “luv ki arrange marriage” and future roles, inside the minds behind of one must wash eyes, the rings of power season 2 episode 3 review: new twists, old shadows, the rings of power season 2 episode 2: sauron’s shadow looms large, the rings of power season 2 episode 1: sauron’s origins unveiled, terminator zero review: a familiar and intriguing spin, harold and the purple crayon review: seriously lacking imagination, new trailer and poster released for halle berry’s never let go, sonic 3 trailer unleashes shadow the hedgehog, the lord of the rings: the war of the rohirrim trailer debuts today, unraveling the intensity: murshid on zee5 global, kaantaye kaantaye: a bengal thriller that’ll keep you guessing.

8-Step Guide On How To Write a Movie Review

An ability to write an impeccable movie review is considered to be a great feature, which develops one’s critical skills and helps to capture minor things, which are thoroughly hidden at a first glance. Moreover, knowing how to write a film review advances writing skills so that you can not only write it but also a variety of different essays. However, at the very beginning, one does not know where to start so it may well take plenty of time to get your review done. In such a case, take a look at a movie review example and be sure how to arrange your thoughts and time in order to write a flawless report. Down below the guide on how to write a film critique has been designed to fulfill your requirements related to writing a movie review.

Watch It Twice

Whether it is a documentary or a movie, you should watch it twice simultaneously taking notes of the events, characters, and locations, which might be significant. Do not count on your memory, because sometimes it tends to forget a piece of important information. What is more, our memory is prone to eliminate information we overlook, so that it just deletes those folders. 

After watching, conduct a research

Watching a film is nothing unless you do research. Meaning by that, seek for details such as the filmmaker, film director, their motivation to record a movie. Moreover, locations, characters, dialogues play a crucial role. As a result, your examination slowly collects information, which sheds light on the overall aim of making a specific film.

Fully Understand the Film

Before you start working on your review you must ensure that you got the main point of it. Assess the film from A to Z; if it happens that you found something perplexing re-watch that part and notice what caused confusion, try to find a concealed meaning on the web. 

Declare your takes and support your criticism

Do not be shy to tell what you liked and disliked about the movie. Provide examples, attach some specific events from a film, for example, an awkward plot, stunning cinematography, impressive way of recording, a breathtaking job of a cameraman, in other words, what to your mind was hard to swallow, and so on. 

Do not be a spoiler!

Provide your readers with some basic ideas of the plot, but make sure not to go to far and not to spoil the entire movie. Bear in mind that a great review means to get people interested in watching the film. In order to learn how not to be a spoiler, yet to hook your readers to go to the cinema, check how professionals write them .

Write an Outline

source: unsplash.com

Create bullet points that you will stick to and develop in order to make your review short to the point and united. Include solid examples, for instance, if the character is poorly depicted or the overall quality of the movie is irrelevant, include it in your review and mention the timeline of such an issue. If you want to be persuasive and the reader to agree with your opinion and analysis, it is vital to back up your notion with proof. It is extremely important to avoid making it seem like you are complimenting or harshly disapproving the film without any reason.

A Proper Structure

In order to succeed in writing a movie review, one should organize the paper. Meaning by that, your review has to have essential paragraphs, which are to be further explained.

Starting with the introduction, you provide a reader with the title of your work, a release date of the film, and short background information. Then, you do a short summarizing of the story , which should take no more than half of your introduction. By using transition words, create an analysis of storyline essential features, which means rising action, climax, etc. Then the creative component goes, which draws your attention; it can be dialogues, characters, tone, use of colors, symbolic elements, and so on. Apart from that, you should express your opinion supported by facts and pictures from the story. The last aspect to include is indisputably a conclusion, where you simply paraphrase your proof and evaluate the filmmaker’s success or failure of the movie. 

Do not commit a mistake

Still, there are some things to avoid in order to be clear and understandable while writing a movie review. Pay substantial attention to them because they may well decrease your overall grade. 

Focusing on false things. While writing a review, try to avoid writing about things such as the history of that precise cinematography genre whatsoever. 

No need to write in first person all the time for the reason that it is already considered to be a personal movie review. Substitute it with ‘one’, that will definitely work out.

Negligence in verifying facts about the release date, casting, director, and film background. There may well be some hidden aspects, which are airbrushed to the regular viewer, so, it is always good to know about something, which can hook the viewer.

Being excessively objective, especially without mentioning any reason why you think like that. If you want to express your point of view, be ready to support it with the examples from the film. Last but not least, avoid writing generalities, for instance, ‘awesome acting,’ ‘cool effects,’ ‘it was dissatisfying’, etc. Honestly, it does not have any meaning in it and it sounds neutral. You can find some awe-inspiring examples in terms of vocabulary and overall language and structure.

The Bottom Line

Knowing how to write an exquisite movie review demands solid writing skills and full awareness of the proper structure. As follows, the aspects mentioned above give a clear understanding of what to include in the report to get it done fast, meaningful, and flawless, including all the necessary information to do a thorough analysis of it. Moreover, by making bullet points and writing down the key elements one is to acknowledge that writing a report has never been so easy. Just watch the film or documentary carefully, write down your observations, and the other part will go smoothly, good luck with that!

• Acting - /10 0/10
• Cinematography/Visual Effects - /10 0/10
• Plot/Screenplay - /10 0/10
• Setting/Theme - /10 0/10
• Watchability - /10 0/10
• Rewatchability - /10 0/10

User Review

About elliot hopper.

• Related Articles
• More By Elliot Hopper
• More In Musings

Anime NYC 2024: Floor Walking, Chill Vibes, and Terminator Zero

Exploring Character Archetypes of Poker Players in Movies

5 Insider Tips to Launch Your Career in the Film Industry

Top 10 Indie Movies to Watch for Free

The Thrill of the Hunt: Unveiling Cinema’s Must Watch Hunting Movies

The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Film Production

Cinema Magic at Home: Are You Ready to Amp Up Your Movie Nights?

Rating of the Best Online Poker Rooms: How to Use Popularity Lists?

Death Eaters Return to Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World

Which Game Shows Would Make for Good Movie Adaptations?

In the film Casino Royale, Bond participates in ...

Related Posts

• Betsquare.com
• CasinoSenpai.com
• FilmSchoolRejects
• First Showing
• MTV Movies Blog
• OnlineCasinosSpelen
• Weekly Wilson

Breakout English

How to write a film review

Writing a review is an option in many different English language exams, and films are such an obvious choice for reviews, so knowing how to write a film review is pretty important. It’s a great topic for the classroom too. Everyone watches films and there is a lot of opportunity to teach vocabulary, either film-related vocabulary or film review adjectives. I like to start off a class about films with some chat, or my personal favourite, the Movie Music Quiz , which also now has an excellent Movie Picture Quiz version too.

The structure of a film review

Like any writing task, it’s essential to know the structure of a film review before you start writing. A basic film review template shows you how to write a film review using a simple structure. Film reviews for First (FCE) and Advanced (CAE) Cambridge exams, as well as Trinity ISE exams, should all use a 4 paragraph structure. Another thing to remember is that your review should always have a title, and that title should include the name of the film.

• Introduction – Essential details and mini-summary
• Summary – A description of the film and some important details
• Analysis – An evaluation of different elements
• Conclusion – Your opinion and a recommendation

Introduction

In the introduction of a film review, it is crucial to mention the film title and the names of the director and the main actors. A brief summary of the film’s plot and background information can also be included, but it should not give away too much detail. The introduction should engage the reader and entice them to continue reading the review. Additionally, it is important to mention the genre and target audience of the film, which will give the reader an idea of what to expect.

In the summary section, the film review should give a comprehensive but concise description of the film, focusing on the plot, characters, and any significant events. The summary should be written in a way that does not give away the ending or spoil the film for the reader. It is important to maintain objectivity and not include personal opinions in this section. This section should provide enough detail for the reader to have a clear understanding of the film without giving too much away.

The analysis section is where the reviewer can showcase their critical skills and provide an in-depth evaluation of the film. The review should examine various elements of the film such as the script, direction, cinematography, acting, and special effects. You could also make a comparison to similar films in the same genre. The analysis should be written in an objective style with the opinion only showing through the language used.

In the conclusion, the reviewer should give their personal opinion of the film, summarising their thoughts on its strengths and weaknesses. They should also consider the target audience and whether they believe the film will appeal to them. Finally, the reviewer should provide a clear recommendation. The conclusion should be concise, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of the reviewer’s overall opinion of the film.

Using adjectives in reviews

Reviews are a great way to show off your language with impressive adjectives. If you read a film review in a newspaper or magazine, you’ll notice that the reviewer rarely, if ever, gives an explicit direct opinion. However, their opinion of the film is always crystal clear. This is through the use of adjectives.

Many adjectives have a clear connotation. They are either perceived as positive or negative. Compare these two examples. Which one is a positive description and which is negative?

• It’s a first-rate experience with an imaginative plot and a star-studded cast.
• The second-rate writing combined with weak performances is typical of this director’s work.

When using adjectives in a film review, it is important to choose words that accurately convey the reviewer’s opinion. Adjectives with strong connotations, either positive or negative, can be very effective in expressing the reviewer’s thoughts about the film. However, it is also important to use a variety of adjectives to avoid repetition and keep the review interesting. The use of adjectives can also help to paint a picture of the film, allowing the reader to get a sense of its atmosphere and tone.

The materials

Many exams, such as the Cambridge First (FCE) and Advanced (CAE) exams, as well as Trinity ISE exams, require students to write a film review as part of their writing task. These materials will provide students with a solid understanding of the structure of a film review and help them to develop their writing skills. This will give them the confidence they need to write a review that meets the requirements of the exam and impresses the examiner.

The materials will help you learn how to write an introduction, summary, analysis, and conclusion of a film review. You will also see a range of useful adjectives that you can use to express your opinions in their reviews. Finally, you will get an opportunity to practise writing film reviews, which will help you to develop your skills. Then you can check your answers with the samples provided in the answer key. Whether you’re preparing for an exam or just looking to improve your writing skills, these materials will provide you with everything you need to write a great film review.

1 thought on “How to write a film review”

Interesting and useful material to be used in class. thanks!

Comments are closed.

BibGuru Blog

Be more productive in school

• Citation Styles

How to write a movie review [Updated 2024]

Writing a movie review is a great way to practice critical analysis skills. In this post, we explore what a movie review is, how to start a film review, and steps for writing and revising it.

What is a movie review?

A movie review is a concise evaluation of a film’s content and formal elements (cinematography, sound, lighting, etc.). Also known as a film review, a movie review considers not just what a film means, but how it means. Essentially, when you write a film review, you are conducting a critical analysis or close reading of a movie.

How to write a movie review

To write a successful review about a movie, you need to evaluate a film’s content, as well as its form. In this section, we break down these two components.

A film’s content includes its plot (what it’s about), characters, and setting. You’ll need to determine the main plot points of the film and how the film’s story works overall.

Are there parts that don’t make sense? Are certain characters more important than others? What is the relationship between the movie’s plot and its setting? A discussion of a film’s content provides good context for an analysis of its form.

Form refers to all of the aesthetic and/or formal elements that make a story into a movie. You can break down form into several categories:

• Cinematography : This element comprises all aspects of the movie that derive from the way a camera moves and works. You’ll need to pay attention to elements like camera angles, distances between the camera and the subject, and types of shots (i.e. close-up, aerial, etc.).
• Lighting : Films use lighting in various ways to communicate certain effects. For instance, noir films tend to utilize chiaroscuro lighting (deep contrasts between light and dark) to express a sense of secrecy or foreboding.
• Sound : The way a film uses sound can vary considerably. Most movies have a soundtrack, sometimes with music composed specifically for the film. Some films play around with ambient sounds or use silence at key points to signify important moments. What is the relation of sound to the image in specific scenes or sequences? Do sounds link images? Does it ever become more important than the image?
• Editing : The movies we watch online or in theaters have been heavily edited in order to achieve a particular flow. When you are preparing to write a movie review, pay close attention to elements like the length of shots, transitions between scenes, or any other items that were finalized after filming.
• Costumes, Props, and Sets : Are the costumes and props believable in relation to the film’s content and setting? Are costumes particularly elaborate or understated?

The important thing to remember when you are analyzing the formal elements of a movie is that every image, sound, movement, and object has meaning and has been planned. Your review needs to take into consideration how these elements work together with the film’s storyline to create a whole experience.

Once you’ve considered both the content and form of the movie that you’re reviewing, you can begin to evaluate the film as a whole. Is it a successful movie? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

Step-by-step review writing tips

1. watch the movie.

The first time that you watch the movie, look for overarching themes or patterns, and establish what the film is primarily about. Take note of the main characters, as well as the setting.

2. Watch the movie again and take notes

Next, watch the movie again and take notes as you are doing so, keeping in mind the formal aspects discussed above. Write down anything that seems significant.

3. Evaluate the film’s form and content

Using the categories described above, and any handouts or guides provided by your instructor, evaluate the film’s formal elements along with its content. Are there elements of the movie that strike you as unfamiliar or perplexing? Are there elements that are repeated to emphasize a point or perception?

4. Write your review

A good movie review will contain:

• an introductory paragraph that tells the reader what movie you’re reviewing
• a paragraph that summarizes the movie
• several body paragraphs that explore significant formal elements and how they relate to the content
• a concluding paragraph that discusses your overall reaction to the film and whether or not you would recommend it to others

5. Create citations

You’ll need cite the film and any secondary sources that you consulted while writing. Use BibGuru’s citation generator to instantly create accurate citations for movies, as well as articles, books, and websites.

You may also want to consult a guide on how to cite a film in MLA or another major citation style .

6. Revise and proofread

Once you’ve written your review, you should set aside some time to revise and proofread it before you turn it in.

Movie review checklist

You can use this checklist to ensure that you’ve considered all of the formal elements, as well as the content, of the film that you’re reviewing:

🔲 Cinematography (camera moves and types of shots)

🔲 Lighting (natural vs. artificial light, contrasts between light and dark)

🔲 Sound (soundtrack, sound vs. silence, loud vs. soft sounds)

🔲 Editing (length of shots, transitions between scenes)

🔲 Costumes, props, and sets (believable vs. staged)

🔲 Content (plot, characters, setting)

Frequently Asked Questions about how to write a review about a movie

A movie review should contain a brief summary of the film, several paragraphs of analysis that focus on form and content, and a concluding paragraph that sums up your reaction.

Before you write anything, you need to watch the film at least once. Take notes as you’re watching and pay attention to formal elements and patterns. Then, write your review. The final step is to revise your work before you turn it in.

The tone for a movie review should be critical, yet objective. The goal of most reviews is to persuade a reader to either see a film or not.

The best film reviews balance plot summary with critical analysis of significant formal elements. A reader should be able to decide if she wants to see the film after reading the review.

Make your life easier with our productivity and writing resources.

For students and teachers.

• 1-800-611-FILM

How to Write a Movie Review: 10 Essential Tips

As long as there have been films, there have been film critics. Starting with the early days of cinema, where reviews appeared in newspapers and magazines as brief, descriptive pieces, as filmmaking evolved as an art form, so did the role of the critic. James Agee, André Bazin, and Pauline Kael shaped the discourse around cinema, and today, famous film critics like the iconic Roger Ebert , The New York Times’s A.O. Scott , and The New York Times’s Manohla Dargis continue to leave an indelible mark on the world of cinema.

With the rise of the internet, film criticism now encompasses a wide range of voices and perspectives from around the globe. Sites like Letterboxd make it possible for anyone to write short-form reviews on film. Even stars like The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri have accounts and share opinions on the latest box-office hits.

How to Write a Movie Review

Today, contemporary YouTube and TikTok critics such as Red Letter Media , deepfocuslens , and DoMo Draper don’t just write film reviews, they shoot videos and skits. Through their creative formats, they offer refreshing and unique perspectives while building communities of diehard film and television enthusiasts. Whether you choose to write reviews for your own blog, other websites, or social media channels, by learning how to write a movie review, any aspiring filmmaker can start to watch films intentionally. 

@domodraperr Replying to @xsindeviltriggerx I’ll get right on that, Sir!🫡 #comments #movies #film #satire #fyp #mulan #disney ♬ I’ll Make a Man Out of You (feat. Black Gryph0n) – Cover – Samuel Kim

TikTok film critic “DoMo Draper” provides commentary on new and old films, often calling out racism, social injustice, misogyny, and prejudice.

While there’s no perfect approach to writing a review, there are best practices that every aspiring reviewer should consider.

Here are ten tips on writing a compelling piece.

1. Watch the film at least once.

For new reviewers, it’s impossible to capture everything after one viewing. Watching the film first, then watching to take notes, is an easy way to improve the quality of your final review. This will also make it easy to recall in-the-moment thoughts and reactions.

Take a review by Christian Blauvelt of Charlie Chaplin’s silent film The Circus , for example. Since the film does not have sound, properly critiquing the film requires close attention. Viewers have to pay attention to the various nuances in Chaplin’s performance, follow the story, and take in the cinematography. Regarding The Circus , Blauvelt writes, “The film lacks a conventional plot, but is rather a pearl necklace of strung-together episodes. ” The statement isn’t a criticism, but a keen observation likely gleaned from more than one viewing. 

So while every film reviewer has their own approach, many choose to watch a film more than once to deliver the best possible review. Image The Criterion Collection.

2. Express your opinions and support your criticism.

Professional reviewers do not shy away from sharing whether they thought a movie was good, bad, or indifferent. In a review for the film Mother!, reviewer Candice Frederick describes the film as “uncomfortable,” and “controversial,” helping viewers understand the tone of the movie. While Frederick seemed to enjoy the film, her honesty about how it would make audiences feel was vital in writing the review.

Be sure to back up these thoughts with specifics–a disappointing performance, beautiful cinematography, difficult material that leaves you thinking, and so on. Professional reviewers should express why and how they came to their criticism.

3. Consider your audience.

Are you writing for a fan site or a news outlet? Who will read your pieces, and what are their interests? Knowing who your readers are and where the review will be published can help you decide what elements of the movie to highlight. For example, take these two very different reviews for the film ‘Synecdoche, New York’.  

The first review was written by Alonso Duralde for The Today Show , and clocks in at around 500 words. The film focuses on the bullet points: characters, plot, and a concise review. The second review is over 3,000 words and published on the Critical Critics blog . This review goes into massive depth (and yes, includes spoilers) about the film, providing an incredible amount of analysis. The first review is tailored for the casual filmgoer, while the second is for cinephiles. Each review serves a different purpose.

It’s also a good idea to adjust your writing style to fit the target audience. For example, Alonso Duralde is a talented film reviewer and likely wrote the review to fit the tone of The Today Show site. Image via Director’s Library.

4. Talk about the acting.

When reviewing a film, it’s important to take space to discuss the performances. Does the film feature a seasoned actor in a new kind of role or a brilliant performance from a rising star? How was the acting? In a review by Brett Milam for the award-winning film Whiplash , he goes into rich detail about performances by both breakthrough actor Miles Teller and seasoned professional JK Simmons.

Regarding Teller, Milam writes, “This is a performance. This is art,” and about Simmons, “I found him fascinating to just look at.” Those are just small examples of the analysis he provides regarding their acting. As the film mostly focuses on the relationship between their two characters, Miles as the protagonist and JK as the antagonist, the review of the performances lends well to the plot of the film: student and teacher going head to head in an intense and determined showdown. 

Feedback about how well the actors handled the script, the dynamics in an ensemble, and so much more can help describe how the actors did in any given film.

5. Call out directors, cinematographers, and special effects.

Reviews that include highlights or missteps of directors, cinematographers, and costume designers can help provide support to your critiques. By providing specific examples of what worked, what surprised you, and what fell short of expectations, reviewers can write a well-thought-out review that goes beyond whether or not you liked it.

In a review for A Wrinkle in Time , Monique Jones artfully crafts a piece that diplomatically cites the missteps of the film. From analyzing the quality of the CGI to the camera techniques to inconsistencies in the rules of the fantasy universe, Jones fairly offers a critique that guides the filmmakers and crew on future endeavors. To write this type of review, it helps to have some knowledge of the filmmaking process so you can properly assess the screenwriting, cinematography, special effects, acting, and more. Image via Disney.

6. No spoilers!

The point of writing a movie review is to get people interested in seeing a movie. That’s why it’s absolutely best practice to not reveal spoilers in a film review. Film reviewer Robert Daniels approaches this creatively. In his review of Annihilation , he provides commentary on what would be considered spoilers. However, he places that part of the review at the bottom of the article under a bold header/image that warns the reader he’s about to spoil the film. For reviewers who want to dissect the entire film, this is a good way to both tease the film for anyone who hasn’t seen it and cater to people who want to know what the ending is.

Remember: the goal of any film review is to discuss the plot without revealing any twists or the ending of the film. 

7. Study the professionals.

As with all writing endeavors, the more you read, the better. However, with the modern landscape of film reviewing, which can go beyond writing and extend to content creation for social media platforms, there are a ton of reviewers to take notes from. First, determine what kind of reviewer you want to be, and what kind of medium you plan to deliver your reviews on. If you plan to post to Medium, for example, studying the reviewers already established on the site can be a great starting point.

Then, read film reviews for some of your favorite films. Determine which style of review you like and don’t like. Question why, and use your critical eye to consider why one reviewer has a hundred thousand followers and another only has two. If you’re looking to be featured on a website or a magazine, read the publications where you’d like your writing to appear as a template for your reviews, and don’t forget to read the submission guidelines. A few examples of film review professionals include Rotten Tomatoes , Roger Ebert , and Film Comment. 

8. Reread, rewrite, and edit.

While writing film critique is based on opinion, and follows the style of the reviewer, it’s still important to edit work. Writers should check for spelling, grammar, and readability. No matter how good a writer’s opinions are, they will not be taken seriously if the director’s name isn’t spelled correctly. Tools such as Grammarly and Hemingway Editor can be great for correcting and finding areas that need improvement. 

9. Find your voice.

The best reviewers have a distinct personality that comes across in their writing. Los Angeles Times film reviewer Carlos Aguilar wrote an impassioned piece about the film Beatriz at Dinner , going into a lot of detail about his experiences working in the film industry and his Mexican heritage. By sharing anecdotes about casual racism he’s experienced and connecting it to the film’s protagonist, and what she goes through, the review feels personal and relatable.

“If at a film festival – to which I’ve gotten access to because I’m a published writer – in a progressive city like Los Angeles, I must keep my guard up when people question my right to be there, then how are the voiceless supposed to feel safe, respected, or hopeful?” Aguilar writes. 

For new reviewers, developing this type of unique voice does not happen overnight, so take every opportunity to write as an opportunity to develop your style. Image via BBC.

10. Know your taste.

As a film reviewer, it can be helpful to identify your taste in film. By knowing specific preferences, strengths, and biases, reviewers can offer nuanced critiques that resonate with audiences and provide valuable guidance on which films they might enjoy. Additionally, it helps to maintain credibility and integrity as a reviewer by ensuring that assessments are authentic and reflective of personal cinematic sensibilities.

Try to explore various genres, directors, and themes to understand what resonates emotionally, intellectually, and aesthetically. Pay attention to the types of stories that engage you, which can help define your preferences.

Learn More About Filmmaking at NYFA

Film students with writing experience actually make great reviewers, as many of them are required to study a range of topics relating to film that can include cinematography, screenwriting, producing, and much more. Ready to build even more skills in filmmaking? Request more information about New York Film Academy’s filmmaking programs and workshops today!

Connect on Whatsapp : +1 206 673 2541 , Get Homework Help 24x7, 100% Confidential. Connect Now

How to Write a Movie Review Essay: Guide and illustrations

Are you experiencing some difficulties writing a film critique? More importantly, do you know what it takes to write a film or movie review essay that will convince your professor to give you the grade that you deserve? Many students are required in high school or college courses that require them to analyze film as an art form.

A student should know how they feel about the film by writing an engaging opening paragraph with strong opinions on the topic at hand as well as making connections between their life experiences and what was shown in the film. This blog post will provide some helpful tips on how to write a good review on Movies.

Movie Review Definition

What is movie review? A movie or film review essay is a form of literary criticism in which a writer analyzes the film’s production elements, genre and style, thematic content, and social or political implications. A well-written movie review essay may be used as an example of a persuasive text to convince readers that they should see the movie for themselves.

Steps of Writing a Movie Review

• Outline your thoughts on paper before starting typing them up onto the keyboard (this gives you time to think about what points you want to make)
• Start with an introduction paragraph where you state who this film targets and why would someone want to watch it.
• Think about what you want your readers to take away from the review and how they can apply that knowledge when watching this film for themselves (you may not know until you have watched it completely).
• Draw comparisons between films, actors or actresses, directors etc. so that your essay has substance and doesn’t seem like a one dimensional opinion piece;
• End with an ending paragraph where you summarize all of the points in your review by saying whether or not people should see it. Give some parting words too if there are interesting facts which came up during filming but didn’t make into the final cut of the movie.

At this point, the thing to keep in mind when writing a film review is that you need to have an opinion. There will be people who disagree with your rating and some may even find it offensive, but they are entitled to their own opinion as well! If after watching this movie you were bored or didn’t like it at all, say so confidently! Be convincing by explaining why you liked/didn’t like something about the movie and get others thinking about what worked for them too.

Examples of Film/Movie Reviews and Sample Outline

Title of Film Review Essay example: “A Quiet Place”

Introduction sentence that gives the reader a short synopsis which will entice them to want to read further into your review. In this case, it is giving the summary and what you thought about the film in regards to how it was executed.

“ A Quiet Place follows an unnamed family’s struggle for survival as they live life in silence while avoiding detection by mysterious creatures.”

Body sentences include thoughts on specific elements such as cinematography and acting performances with one main idea being explored at a time. The body paragraphs are broken up by subheadings (subheading titles) so that each point can be discussed individually without getting too wordy.

Conclusion sentence to summarize your thoughts on the film and whether or not you would recommend watching it.

“ A Quiet Place is a well-executed, suspenseful thriller that takes place in silence. It beautifully captures fear of everyday objects we usually take for granted.”

“ I would highly recommend seeing this movie as there are only two others like it out right now: “Get Out” and “Bird Box”. A Quiet Place uses sound brilliantly by being completely silent yet still having an intense soundtrack .”

Film Title “ There Will Be Blood “.

– Begin with an introduction sentence, which should be a summary of what can be expected from this review.

-“ This write-up will explore There Will Be Blood in detail: its themes and meaning as well as where it falls on the spectrum between artful cinema and exploitation .”

– The paragraph that follows should introduce each point presented in your outline by writing at least one sentence about the idea or theme before moving onto another topic.

-“ The first third of There Will Be Blood introduces Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis) talking to his son HWT Jr.; he tears up when speaking about how much he misses him because they’re apart so often. ”

“ The second third of the movie consists mainly of Plainview’s attempt to find oil and build a drilling company from scratch. ”

“ The final part, which covers only fifteen minutes as opposed to an hour and a half or so in total, is where he achieves this goal – but at what cost? ”

You may want to end your review with some concluding thoughts. Here you should summarize the paper by looking back on what was presented and/or adding any extra information that will help others who read it understand its message better.

-“ In short: ‘There Will Be Blood’ manages to be both entertaining for those seeking pure entertainment while also carrying a subtle brilliance beneath its surface if one cares enough about it.It might not be the most sophisticated of films, but it is full of human emotion and that might be its greatest strength. In the end, there may not be any more to this than a film about oil drilling. The movie’s finale leaves room for interpretation. It was good enough in my opinion. ”

You can also check other movie review essay sample for documentary on Beslan.

Get Help to Write Movie Review Essays

In this blog post, we’ve provided a review of what goes into writing an engaging movie review essay. We hope that our tips and examples can help you accomplish your goal- whether it be to write a high school or college level paper on film reviews or just for fun! If you need more help with any aspect of the essay process, let us know by contacting Essay-writing.com today. Our expert writers are waiting for your “ help me with my homework request ” – to take on your next assignment with enthusiasm and professionalism so that we can work together to create something amazing -all while meeting all deadlines set forth in advance. So go ahead, explore some new movies now and then get started on your first draft!

WhatsApp us

How to write a movie review: tips and successful examples

Emily is a creative content maker and 2021 Innovative Educator Award winner. She effortlessly simplifies complex topics

What is a movie review? A movie review is an impression or review written by a person after watching a movie. Most often, you can choose the film yourself, which is a big plus. It’s much more pleasant to write about something you really like. But sometimes it's helpful to write about movies you think are bad and develop your criticism skills. In any case, the goal is to help others understand whether a film is worth watching and what they can expect from it.

A well-written review influences people's decision to watch a movie, so knowing how to write a film critique is a must. It should be objective but also express personal impressions. The more details and arguments a review contains, the more valuable it is for readers. 

Here is one of the structure options; students choose it more often than others to know how to write a film review: 

• Introduction : Description of the short storyline and general impressions.
• Analysis of the acting : Evaluation of the actors' performance.
• Script and direction : Review of the plot, dialogues and overall direction of the movie.
• Technical aspects : Visual effects, music, cinematography, etc.
• Conclusion : An overall evaluation of the movie and a recommendation for the audience.

With this movie review outline, readers have a complete picture and make an appropriate decision. Now, let's delve into the jungle of art and learn to evaluate it with our movie review writing guide, so that you’re not looking for someone to write my essay for me .

How to fully understand and master movie review essays

Let's go through the movie review format in more detail. Educational institutions are demanding this, so let's get started. Plus, you'll know how to start a movie review. 

Introduction 

Answering “how to write a movie review,” mention the title and the director's name first. How to write a movie title in an essay? Look up the official name and transfer it to your document. Write without quotes. Then, briefly describe the plot; it should be clear and concise, without spoilers. You can also express your first impressions without a detailed analysis in movie review writing. 

Your best friend in this situation (besides the movie review format) is accurate and up-to-date information. Look for it on the official websites dedicated to the movie, if any. There, you’ll find the release date, cast list, plot, and other vital details. We recommend resources such as IMDb (Internet Movie Database) or Rotten Tomatoes . You won’t get a movie review template there, but other reviews inspire. For additional data, press releases, news, and social media can help. 

This is the main idea or plot of the movie. It should include key points and main characters; start with the movie review essay outline. At this stage, an objective summary of what works well in the film and what can be improved is made. 

Evaluate the actors' professionalism, their ability to convey emotions, and the credibility of the characters. Consider the quality of the script, dialog, plot development, and the director's influence on the movie's overall mood. Also, movie review writing covers visual effects, sound design, and editing - in short, all aspects of technical work. 

To know how to write a movie review, you need a certain amount of expertise and understanding. Here are some methods to develop this sense and increase your analytical competence:

• Study film history . Understanding the development of the film industry will add depth to your assessments. Study different periods, genres, and schools of thought.
• Familiarize yourself with technical aspects . To know how to write a movie review well, you should fully understand framing, editing, lighting, and sound. How else can you assess their quality? And while you're at it, use a movie review writing service. 
• Reading film criticism and analytical articles . When we see how others write, we learn something valuable from it. Try to figure out what aspects of a movie professionals emphasize and how they justify their assessments. Also, pay attention to the movie review structure. 
• Participate in discussions and analysis with others . Discussing movies with other movie fans and professionals develops your understanding of the film industry and broadens your perspective. Open discussions reveal new aspects and interpretations that you may not have noticed on your own.

And, of course, watch films from an analyst's perspective, not just a viewer's. Try analyzing different aspects while watching, noting strengths and weaknesses, understanding character motivations, and uncovering the depth of the plot. Make a movie review outline to do it effectively. 

It's time to summarize the results of our movie review. Briefly reiterate the primary impressions of the movie and identify its strengths/weaknesses. Express your opinion about the film and recommend (or not) it for viewing. 

So, what does the movie review structure do? The review becomes clear and logical for readers, without any meaningless jumps from one topic to another. 

Movie critique vs. review

But the film review essay structure isn’t everything we need. The movie review must be complete and, surprisingly, objective. Of course, I want to express my opinion and describe the movie in all its colors. But not this time. Take the position of an independent viewer and truthfully evaluate all aspects, from the script to the performance, despite your emotions. It’s also important not to cross the line of review by turning to criticism. The table below will help you understand the difference between the two, highlighting film critique elements. 

Writing and editing: step-by-step instructions

So, you're sitting in front of your laptop and staring at the cursor. To pay someone to write my paper may be the option, but it's time to get started by following this film critique writing process now.

Choose a movie and research

Determine the subject of your movie review and strat a reseach . You may be interested in something, or a new movie may be on the horizon. Watch the film, focusing on the plot, acting, direction, and other vital aspects. Try to figure out how they work together and how they affect the overall experience. It's often helpful to rewatch or do additional research to better understand the context and details.

Write a movie review essay introduction

How to start a movie review? By taking notes while watching the movie. Try to interest the reader from the first lines, for example, with an exciting fact or issue. Another good technique is to use a vivid quote. 

Move on to the summary and analysis

Then, move on to a detailed description of the plot and all the abovementioned aspects. However, do not overdo it; the review should not be extended. At the end of the evaluation, express your impressions and summarize the main points. Here are some techniques and film analysis essay tips:

• Say what you think . It's time for a short summary. The movie review examples below are just that. 
• Pay attention to the strengths . Summarize the aspects of the movie that impressed you or that you thought were particularly good. For example: "The acting was particularly impressive and added depth to the characters and the story."
• Discuss possible shortcomings . If there are any, don't be afraid to mention them. However, do so objectively and businesslikely. For example, "Despite this, some scenes could have been more developed, especially in the movie's second half."
• Leave the reader with something to think about . The closing line should plant a seed for reflection or questions. This is especially effective if it leaves a sense of ambiguity. 

The ending is your last opportunity to impress the reader, so make the most of it with these movie review analysis techniques.

Editing and revision

Before publishing or submitting your paper, check it for spelling mistakes and logical flaws. Editing ensures clarity and conciseness. By the way, editors recommend letting the movie review essay lie down and checking it the next day or in a few hours. 

You are already on your way to creating an exciting and informative movie review! Remember to be objective and reasoned; don't be afraid to express your thoughts and emotions. That’s how to write a movie review. 

Good movie review examples and samples

We give short film review essay examples, but they convey the idea and meaning:

• "Jurassic Park" "Jurassic Park" is an exciting adventure movie that not only impresses with its visuals but also leaves the viewer thinking. Director Steven Spielberg has successfully created a fantastic world where dinosaurs confront people again. The cast did a great job, especially Chris Pratt, who played the bear role. The movie's plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. "Jurassic Park" is a complete emotional and action-packed package that is definitely worth watching.
• "The Green Book" The Green Book is a compelling story of an unusual friendship between a black pianist and his Italian chauffeur, set in the racist America of the 1960s. Director Peter Farrelly successfully mixes comedy with drama, creating a thought-provoking movie. The excellent performances of actors Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali add depth and emotional power to the story. The Green Book is about the fight against racism and shows the true power of friendship and tolerance.
• "The Joker" The Joker is a movie that captures you from the first few minutes and doesn't let go until the end. Director Todd Phillips has created a dark and impressive world where the evolution of one of the most famous comic book antiheroes occurs. Joaquin Phoenix impresses with his acting skills as Arthur Fleck, who later becomes the Joker. His performance will bring you many emotions - from sympathy to disgust, from laughter to tears. Phoenix reproduces the character's psychological internal conflicts with such fidelity that you will begin to sympathize with him, even though he is on a dark path. The Joker's cinematography doesn’t leave you indifferent. Each frame preaches a deep meaning and reflects the hopelessness and chaos that envelop the protagonist and his city. The musical score adds extra tension and drama to each scene. Although The Joker may seem like a dark and unpleasant movie, it also makes you think about important issues of social justice, morality, and mental health. This movie is filmmaking at its purest and deserves to be seen and discussed.
• "Dune" Dune is based on Frank Herbert's epic science fiction novel. It transports the viewer to the planet Arrakis, a world of deserts, majestic dunes, and fiery storms, where power and resources turn into passion and struggle. Director Denis Villeneuve skillfully brings the majestic world of Dune to life on screen, recreating it in all its beauty and terrifying allure. He successfully conveys its atmosphere and mystique, complementing it with impressive visual effects and breathtaking music. It definitely adds depth and emotional tension to every scene. The cast deserves special attention. Timothy Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, and others impress with their skills and loyalty to the characters. The film's plot is revealed through the prism of political intrigue, religious beliefs, and personal dramas, leaving the viewer in suspense until the last scene. Every action, decision, and character has its own weight and significance in the overall story, making the movie an exciting and immersive experience.
• "Mother" The film Mother by Darren Aronofsky delves into the dark and mysterious psychology of man through the prism of philosophical and religious motives. It is an impressive masterpiece that leaves the viewer impressed from the first to the last scene. In the film Mother, the main character, played by the unsurpassed Jennifer Lawrence, draws the viewer into her world, where reality is intertwined with nightmares, and inner demons come to the surface. Lawrence successfully conveys the internal conflict and vulnerability of the heroine, making her a character with whom it is easy to sympathize and feel common emotions. Aronofsky's directorial style is evident in every detail of the film, from the tense shot to the dynamic editing. He creates an atmosphere of mystery and suspense that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats. The powerful ending leaves many questions and reflections. The film is worth watching not only for entertainment, but also for a deep dive into the themes of faith, family and human nature. It is an impressive cinematic experience that will leave a mark on your mind long after you leave the theater.

Also, don't hesitate to ask your supervisor for a movie review template. Online sources will also come in handy. For example, magazines such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Empire. They often publish detailed and objective movie reviews written by experienced film critics. You will immediately feel a deep understanding of cinema and the ability to analyze it from different perspectives.

We return to IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Not all users write super detailed reviews, but film critics do not spare words. These resources provide comprehensive access to various opinions and ratings about movies, allowing you to get a variety of perspectives and views. Make it your film review examples. 

In addition, we should not forget about online blogs, video blogs, and forums. These are your go-to if you're looking for reviews in simple, easy-to-understand language. Movie reviews and other forms of film analysis, such as opinion pieces, video essays, and documentaries, can inspire you. They will broaden your understanding of the film industry and inspire new thoughts and approaches to writing a movie analysis essay.

How to start writing a movie review?

If you’re wondering how to write a movie review, start with a brief introduction where you state your overall impression of the movie and its theme or plot. Then, analyze the acting, plot, direction, visuals, etc.

What if I don't like the movie?

Try to be objective and justify your thoughts and impressions. Like in our movie review examples, you can consider the script's shortcomings, acting, or directing. However, don't forget to point out the positive aspects, if any, and explain why you were not convinced.

Do I need to include spoilers in my review?

This is usually not necessary, especially if the movie review is published shortly after the release. However, if you want to discuss plot twists or scenes, warn about them in the introduction and indicate that your review contains spoilers.

What aspects should be analyzed?

We have discussed this in the film review essay samples above. Usually, you can't ignore the script, direction, visual effects, and music. Pick a few key aspects that most impacted your overall impression of the movie.

How do I mark a movie's rating in a review?

You can use different rating systems, such as a star rating, a numerical scale, or just a verbal description of your impression. For example, you can use a range from "excellent" to "poor" or simply indicate why you liked or disliked the movie.

Bottom line

Writing a movie critique essay is a fun and exciting process that can be a source of satisfaction and inspiration. Regardless of your experience, keep a few key points in mind: be objective, analyze different aspects of the movie, and maintain balance. Remember that your movie review essay is your opinion, which may differ from others. Learn to openly accept other points of view and improve your critical thinking skills. Most importantly, enjoy the process, and hope your reviews will become a valuable addition to the cinematic culture. Or just an A grade for knowing how to write a film review.

Related articles

How to Critique a Movie: Tips + Film Critique Example

How to write a film critique essay? To answer this question, you should clearly understand what a movie critique is. It can be easily confused with a movie review. Both paper types can become your school or college assignments. However, they are different. A movie review reveals a personal impression of the viewer. A movie critique, in its turn, aims to discuss the means of film production and give advice on what could be changed to make the film better.

Sounds challenging?

No worries, we are here to help!

This article by Custom-Writing.org experts contains useful tips on how to critique a movie and a great film critique example. Read on to learn more!

• 🎬 How to Begin
• ⚙️ Key Elements of Any Film
• 💡 Useful Phrases

🎬 How to Critique a Movie: the Basics

Writing a movie critique means offering your insight and opinion on what was good and not that good with the movie and what made it intriguing to watch. There’s always something you like about the film and something you don’t. You may consider that the plot was good, but the special effects were horrible. Think of all the possible film production stages and try to look at them critically.

How to Critique a Movie: General Guidelines

• Choose a movie
• Specify the issues you are going to discuss and analyze in your paper
• Watch the movie several times: first to get a general idea of the film; second – to pay attention to the points that come into your sphere of interest
• Take notes while watching
• During your second watch, note the details you weren’t able to notice the first time
• Be specific
• Be objective

Criticizing does not mean expressing negative emotions. Too much pessimism will kill the reader’s desire to get closely acquainted with your writing. Even though the movie could be a real failure, try to present a sophisticated evaluation.

⚙️ Movie Critique: Key Elements of Any Film

Any film features several elements that you need to mention when you write your movie critique paper. Below in this section, you’ll find these elements’ descriptions and useful tips on analyzing them in your paper.

How to Critique a Film’s Plot

The plot is the flow of events and actions that consequently develop in a story. To discuss the film’s plot in your movie critique, you need to do the following:

• Decide whether the plot is predictable.
• Define whether some actions were unpredictable.
• If they were, express your views considering an unexpected turn of events that shocked you.
• See if the story corresponds to the characters’ motivations.

How to Critique a Film’s Structure

The movie’s structure is how the parts relate to each other or how the plot is built. Remember that the structure encompasses the following parts:

• Exposition (introducing the key characters and their circumstances)
• Rising action (mounting tension that leads to the story’s climax)
• Falling action
• Denouement (a resolution that brings the story to an end)

How to Critique the Movie’s Characters

Characterization is the description of the characters’ personalities, beliefs, motivations, etc. To discuss the film’s characterization in your movie critique, you need to do the following:

• Concentrate on specific movie characters.
• Set your priorities: some movie characters do not need any serious analysis.
• See if the characters’ dress, talk, act, or look corresponds with the impression they should create.
• Remember that the better the characters are developed, the more character-driven the story is.
• Consider that the right motivation of the characters makes the audience believe the story.

How to Criticize the Movie’s Dialogues

A dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters. To analyze the dialogues in your movie critique, do the following:

• Remember that good dialogues should not be protracted as they are to sound natural.
• See if there is a logical development of the conversation.
• Watch the body language of the actors and decide whether their gestures correspond to their words or not.

How to Criticize the Movie’s Scenes

A scene is a self-contained episode within a larger work. To discuss the scenes in your movie critique, you should do the following:

• Determine whether the scenes were well-played by the actors and well-shot by the operator.
• Mind that they are to develop smoothly as a part of a larger dramatic unit.
• Remember that scenes should build a chain that makes up the story.
• Examine if they contain some conflict and how the characters typically react to it.
• Try to follow through each scene to make sure that it properly transitioned into the next one.

🧱 Movie Critique Outline

The general structure of a movie critique resembles the structure of an essay .

• Start with an introduction . There you are to provide necessary information about the film, make a summary of the plot, state your thesis, and give readers a clue on what your critique will be about.
• Divide the main body into several paragraphs . Explain your thesis there and examine each point separately. Do not forget to provide examples.
• End writing your movie critique with a conclusion . It should summarize everything and give answers to the questions raised in the paper.

Go over your paper to eliminate factual and spelling/grammar/punctuation mistakes. A good structure is a basis and a necessary condition of a successful paper.

💡 Top Phrases to Use while Writing a Film Critique

Now that you know all the essential elements of a movie critique structure, it’s high time to consider how to present your information in the most digestible and impressive way. A list of common phrases and set expressions in your movie critique writing will make your content more engaging, diverse, and easy to read.

Give your opinion on the topic and analyze the movie rather than just summarizing the content. Make use of persuasive words that would be helpful and appropriate to your readers.

Movie Genre

• Crime and Gangster
• Epics/Historical

Producer, Director

• Produced by…
• Directed by…
• The movie is expertly directed by…
• This movie is based on a book…

Actors, Characters

• Warm-hearted, appealing, fascinating
• The characters were very convincing because…
• Exceptional performance
• Fervently performed
• The performance of… in… is excellent

Film’s Plot

• Well-directed, amusing, exciting, boring, clichéd, confusing, entertaining, exciting, melodramatic, thrilling, unbelievable, surprising, full of tension
• The plot reaches a climax when…
• Develop a story
• Non-linear/fragmented narrative
• Full of unexpected plot twists
• One of the most unbelievable/entertaining moments in the film occurs when…

Assessment, Evaluation

• A must-see/worth seeing/not to be missed/a smash hit/an impressive debut
• An emotional movie/it brought tears to my eyes
• A truly great/skillful piece of filmmaking
• I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who likes…
• On a scale from zero to five, I’d give this film a four because…
• I strongly/highly recommend watching this film because…
• If you like…, you shouldn’t miss this movie.
• I certainly wouldn’t recommend the film, and here’s why…
• Unfortunately, this movie is a complete waste of time because…
• I was impressed/surprised by…

👀 Film Critique Examples

Below you’ll find a downloadable movie critique example. Other samples can be found here:

• Selma: Historical Drama Film by Ava DuVernay
• Christian Symbolism and Imagery in “The Matrix” Film
• “The Morning Guy” Film Analysis
• “Night of the Living Dead” a Film by George Romero
• “Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope” by George Lucas

Movie Critique Example: Hitchcock’s North by Northwest

North by Northwest , directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is considered one of the most prominent films in cinematography. This spy thriller combines darkness and light typical for Hitchcock movies: witty humor, love story, suspense, and mortal danger harmoniously merge in this thriller (Longacre 75). Starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, North by Northwest contains memorable acting performances, accentuating the director’s dexterity in creating suspense. North by Northwest is representative of Hitchcock’s entertaining talent, as it allows readers to escape into a world of international espionage thriving during the Cold War Era.

Movie Critique Essay Topics

• Review of the film The Corporation .
• Philosophical questions in Through a Glass Darkly by Ingmar Bergman.
• Discuss the symbolism in the film Hacksaw Ridge .
• Analyze the impersonation of Elizabeth Bennet by Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice (2005) .
• Evaluate the meaning of the setting in the movie Mean Girls by Mark Walters .
• Explore the similarities and differences of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies.
• Describe the characters of Duke Bill’s Not Easily Broken .
• Analyze the rhetoric of the film Salt by Phillip Noyce .
• The importance of the teacher’s role in the movie Freedom Writers.
• Analyze the characters of the film The Green Mile .
• Social mobility and racial biases in Paul Haggis’s film Crash .
• Compare the semantic message of the movies West Side Story (1961) and Romeo + Juliet (1996).
• The role of sound and costume choice in the film Inception by Christopher Nolan .
• Examine the depiction of disproportionate female objectification in the documentary Miss Representation .
• Discuss the techniques Fellini uses to depict the paradoxes and contradictions of the real world in his film La Dolce Vita .
• The problem of selfhood and identity in the movie The Boy in The Striped Pajamas by Mark Herman.
• The core theme of Werner Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant .
• Analyze the film Erin Brockovich.
• The serious messages in the comedies Educating Rita and Small-Time Crooks .
• Describe the characters of The Wizard of Oz (1939).
• Discuss the similarities and differences of the events in the film The Crucible and the real history of Salem.
• Analyze the depiction of ethical dilemmas and emotional conflicts in the movie Juno .
• The peculiarities of Martin Scorsese’s film The Aviator .
• Allegory in Robert Redford’s film Lions for Lambs .
• Critique of the film Secret Window .
• The sociological significance of the Lone Survivor by Peter Berg .
• Describe the filmmaking techniques used in the documentary film The Interrupters .
• Analyze the significance of the opening scene of the Citizen Kane .
• Examine the main woman character of David Fincher’s film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo .
• Discuss the setting of Sleepy Hollow by Tim Burton .
• The main concepts of Christopher Nolan’s film Interstellar .
• Analytical critique of the movie Signs .
• Discuss the theme of the film Love, Simon by Greg Berlanti .
• Explore the major theme and objectives of Blood Diamond by Edward Zwick.
• The problem of choice in Gone Baby Gone by Ben Affleck .
• Describe the filmmaking techniques used to portray a historical period in The Patriot .
• Analyze the rhetorical strategies in Laurence Olivier’s film Henry V .
• Discuss the philosophy of the film Les Intouchables .
• The leading theme of Catch Me If You Can by Steven Spielberg .
• Analyze the movie Rear Window .
• Analyze the message of the film Home by Yann Arthus-Bertrand.
• The role of visuals in the movie My Family/ Mi Familia .
• Examine the rhetorical techniques used in Jordan Peele’s horror film Us .
• Split : movie critique.
• The importance of geography and landscapes in The Sound of Music by Robert Wise .

Now you can confidently claim that you know how to write a movie critique and even have a whole list of helpful vocabulary you can include. We hope that these tips were helpful and that your next critical paper about a movie will be a success. Be sure to check out our blog for more useful articles!

✏️ Movie Critique FAQ

A film critique is an extended opinion about a movie. It is typically made in the form of a paper, article, or essay. Such papers are usually highly rated when written by respected professionals in the field.

If you are writing any paper, it is always a good idea to begin with an outline. If you are writing an essay for college, make sure that you have a clear structure. A typical structure includes an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

When criticizing any visual artwork, follow these 4 steps:

• Description,
• Interpretation,

Identify a few aspects you want to focus on. It could be actors, music and sound, visual effects, plot peculiarities, etc.). Then, describe each point according to the four steps.

If you are focusing on an actor’s performance in a particular film, make sure that your judgments are based not on the appearance or personal prejudice. Try to make a relatively objective assessment.

🔗 References

• Merriam-Webster “Critique” Definition
• Structuring a Premise for Stronger Stories
• Merriam-Webster “Original” Definition
• Merriam-Webster “Motif” Definition
• Duke Writing Studio’s Film Review Guide
• Tips for Writing a Film Review
• How to Analyze a Movie: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Tips for Writing a Review
• Summary: Using it Wisely
• Share to Facebook
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Are you getting ready to write your Language Proficiency Index Exam essay? Well, your mission is rather difficult, and you will have to work hard. One of the main secrets of successful LPI essays is perfect writing skills. So, if you practice writing, you have a chance to get the...

Dengue fever is a quite dangerous febrile disease that can even cause death. Nowadays, this disease can be found in the tropics and Africa. Brazil, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, and India are also vulnerable to this disease.

For high school or college students, essays are unavoidable – worst of all, the essay types and essay writing topics assigned change throughout your academic career. As soon as you’ve mastered one of the many types of academic papers, you’re on to the next one. This article by Custom Writing...

Even though a personal essay seems like something you might need to write only for your college application, people who graduated a while ago are asked to write it. Therefore, if you are a student, you might even want to save this article for later!

If you wish a skill that would be helpful not just for middle school or high school, but also for college and university, it would be the skill of a five-paragraph essay. Despite its simple format, many students struggle with such assignments.

Reading books is pleasurable and entertaining; writing about those books isn’t. Reading books is pleasurable, easy, and entertaining; writing about those books isn’t. However, learning how to write a book report is something that is commonly required in university. Fortunately, it isn’t as difficult as you might think. You’ll only...

A descriptive essay is an academic paper that challenges a school or college student to describe something. It can be a person, a place, an object, a situation—anything an individual can depict in writing. The task is to show your abilities to communicate an experience in an essay format using...

An analysis / analytical essay is a standard assignment in college or university. You might be asked to conduct an in-depth analysis of a research paper, a report, a movie, a company, a book, or an event. In this article, you’ll find out how to write an analysis paper introduction,...

A film analysis essay might be the most exciting assignment you have ever had! After all, who doesn’t love watching movies? You have your favorite movies, maybe something you watched years ago, perhaps a classic, or a documentary. Or your professor might assign a film for you to make a...

What is a creative essay, if not the way to express yourself? Crafting such a paper is a task that allows you to communicate your opinion and tell a story. However, even using your imagination to a great extent doesn’t free you from following academic writing rules. Don’t even get...

A compare and contrast essay — what is it? In this type of paper, you compare two different things or ideas, highlighting what is similar between the two, and you also contrast them, highlighting what is different. The two things might be events, people, books, points of view, lifestyles, or...

What is an expository essay? This type of writing aims to inform the reader about the subject clearly, concisely, and objectively. The keyword here is “inform”. You are not trying to persuade your reader to think a certain way or let your own opinions and emotions cloud your work. Just stick to the...

Really thought I should take out time to post this thanking you guys for this, been really really helpful.

This is great!! Many thanks.

The website іѕ really good, I love it!

Thank you, now I have an idea on how to start my college film critique essay on a silent film.

Thank you for this! Because now I have an idea of how to create a movie critic.

Thank you for this! It’s very useful! Keep up the good work!

This is a greatt piece. It is well analysed and really helpful. Thank you.

This was really helpful. Thanks for making the work much easier with your explanations on this write up.

Thank you very much for this marvelous tips that surely will be a great help for me in making my own Movie Critique as an assignment. God Bless everyone.

101 Story Prompts to Kickstart Your Short Film

Do you want to write a short film but need help finding compelling concepts? Sometimes reading simple story prompts is the easiest way to get those creative juices flowing.

We get our ideas from many sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn’t fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

Keys to Writing Short Film Scripts?

Before we jump into our 101 Short Film Prompts, let's quickly go over a couple of important factors of writing short film scripts.

Concept is Everything

The rite of passage for any filmmaker is making a compelling short film. That is where filmmakers cut their teeth and truly come of age. It's also an epic journey through the highest of peaks and deepest of valleys as novice filmmakers quickly learn that it's not as easy as just having a few people, a boom mic, and a camera — you need a great concept.

Showcasing a talking heads short film isn't going to get you noticed by audiences or industry insiders. You need to capture their attention with compelling and engaging narratives that have a beginning, middle, and end within the short film running time of 40 minutes or less (you generally want to stick with 5-20 minutes most of the time) .

Economize Your Storytelling

Short films should also focus on smaller story windows.

• Instead of having your short film tell the dramatic story of your alcoholic character trying to go sober over the course of a year, why not focus on the last day of the last step in their 12-Step program?
• Instead of having your short script tell the epic story of a historical World War II battle, why not focus on one soldier as they deal with the overarching conflict?
• Instead of having your short story tell the horrifying story of a serial killer stalking and killing multiple victims, why not center the story on a single victim in their house watching the news reports of the killings and then hearing a floorboard creak from above?

Watch Short Films

It's as simple as that — watch short films. Here are 10 shorts you can watch online right now to get you started.

(And read a short film script if you can get your hands on one.)

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These true story writing prompts were conceived on the fly or were based on finding interesting true stories that are out there. While some may have proven to be told already, there are always alternative storylines not covered in what has already been written and produced.

1. Someone watching a news report about a local serial killer hears a floorboard creak.  

2. A young brother and sister survive after the apocalypse.  

3. Someone reading a scary book hears a knock at the door.

4. An alcoholic struggles to decide between taking a drink or not.

5. Students in an elementary school dealing with surviving lunchtime. 

6. Students in an elementary school dealing with surviving recess.

7. Teenagers surviving the school politics of lunchtime. 

8. An addicted gambler sits at a table. 

9. A day in the life of the first astronaut on Mars.

10. A day in the life of the first colony on Mars. 

11. A man and a woman keep seeing each other during a night out with their respective friends. 

12. The experience of a character invited to a graduation party of someone they don't know.

13. The first human clone awakens.

14. The lifespan of a dog.

15. The lifespan of a cat. 

16. Dracula is in his coffin not being able to sleep and having to kill time until dusk. 

17. An African-American child's walk to school in a dangerous urban neighborhood.

18. A character wakes up with a gun in their hand and blood all over them . 

19. A day in the life of an astronaut living on the moon. 

20. The first day of school for a new student as they struggle to make a friend. 

'Mean Girls' (2004)

21. The imaginary battle of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. 

22. The life of a handgun when it hits the streets.

23. The story of a pilot that sees a UFO in the skies.

24. A robot comes to life in an inventor's shop.

25. A person struggles to survive after being thrown from their car in an accident.

26. A remake of the original silent film The Great Train Robbery.

27. A day in the life of a puppy. 

28. A German soldier trying to flee Nazi Germany. 

29. A woman in a house is attacked by aliens. 

30. A person is granted the wish to fly. 

31. A person is granted the wish to be invisible. 

32. A person makes a wish to be young again. 

33. A man on his deathbed is taken on a road trip. 

34. A woman spends a night with her newborn child, only to have to give it to adoptive parents.  

35. A day in the life of a professional thief. 

36. A day in the life of a homicide detective. 

37. A day in the life of a teacher. 

38. The new kid in the neighborhood struggles to make friends.  

39. A slave struggles to escape its evil white pursuers.

40. A rock climber's solo ascent. 

'Free Solo' (2018)

41. The day in the life of a professional gamer. 

42. The world shown through the eyes of a drone.  

43. A late-night call at a suicide prevention center. 

44. The duel of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. 

45. The duel of two samurai. 

46. A day in the life of a maid that works for a rich family. 

47. A mother working three jobs in a single day and then coming home to kiss their child goodnight.

48. A day in the life of a truck driver. 

49. An astronaut lands on a desert planet. 

50. A day in the life of an angel on Earth. 

51. Teacher by day, stripper by night. 

52. A vampire decides to commit suicide by sunlight after one last night on the town. 

53. A day in the life of a Vegas stripper. 

54. It's revealed that a sad person has been preparing for a loved one's funeral. 

55. It's revealed that a child's friend is actually imaginary. 

56. A babysitter must save a child when a forest fire bombards the neighborhood. 

57. Surfers are lost at sea after riptides pull them out.  

58. A park ranger discovers a dead body.  

59. A travel agent struggles to hold onto a job that has no contemporary meaning. 

60. A house that is haunted.

'The Conjuring' (2013)

61. An astronaut returns home but no one remembers who he is. 

62. A day in the life of the last man on Earth. 

63. A day in the life of the last woman on Earth. 

64. A day in the life of the last dog on Earth. 

65. When the WiFi goes down, neighborhood kids discover how to keep themselves entertained. 

66. Four female kindergarten teachers and their hilarious lives after the bell rings. 

67. An assassin sent back in time struggles with killing Baby Hitler. 

68. An Uber ride gone wrong. 

69. An Uber driver picks up a hitman.

70. The Angel of Death, in human form, visits its victims. 

71.  Two people are stuck in an elevator together. 

72. Two people are stuck in the rubble of a fallen building and struggle to survive — it's a 9/11 tragic story. 

73. An actor goes through a day of auditions and life in Los Angeles.

74. A character finds a magical item in an antique store. 

75. A man contemplates suicide and finds an unexpected reason to live. 

76. A man tries to become a superhero. 

77. A day in the life of a fighter pilot told within the cockpit .

78. A man and woman fall in love over the course of thirty years of chance encounters. 

79. A man wins the lottery and does good deeds with the money until it's all gone. 

80. A serial killer stalking a victim. 

'Psycho' (1960)

81. A human clone escapes a research facility to find their double. 

82. A man discovers their doppelganger. 

83. A woman discovers their doppelganger. 

84. A child discovers their doppelganger. 

85. A carjacker accidentally steals a car full of rascal children.  

86. A man returns to his hometown only to discover that no one remembers him. 

87. A knight duals with another. 

88. A woman wakes up to discover that everyone else on Earth has vanished.  

89. A young Sherlock Holmes in middle school solves a mystery. 

90. A child wanders off on their big wheel only to be found later that night by a truck driver. 

91. A woman awakens on an island and realizes she is the only survivor of a plane crash.  

92. Someone wakes up with the ability to hear everyone's thoughts. 

93. Someone wakes up with the ability to touch anyone and see when they are going to die.  

94. A cowboy encounters a UFO. 

95. A sailor encounters a UFO.  

96. A reunion between old high school friends goes sour when past issues emerge. 

97. A man in an interrogation room confesses. 

98. A man stuck in a thankless corporate job one day walks out and goes on a road trip.  

99. One day, a woman finally decides to leave her abusive husband. 

100. A coming-of-age tale about a middle school boy confronting bullies. 

101. A first-time bank robber is forced to take hostages as he instantly regrets his choices.    

'Dog Day Afternoon

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a compelling short film. Have some prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter !

Want More Ideas? Take a Look at Our Other Story Prompts !

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries  Blackout , starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed , and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

Get Our Screenwriting Newsletter!

Get weekly writing inspiration delivered to your inbox - including industry news, popular articles, and more!

Facebook Comments

Free download.

Screenwriting Resources:

$ 15.00 Original price was: $15.00. $ 12.00 Current price is: $12.00. Add to cart

Popular Posts

Recent Posts

Next Related Post

Get Our Newsletter!

Developing your own script.

We'll send you a list of our free eCourses when you subscribe to our newsletter. No strings attached.

You Might Also Like

• Hidden Name
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Connect With Us

Writing competitions, success stories.

© 2024 ScreenCraft | An Industry Arts Company

Screenwriting Newsletter

Join our community of over 100,000 screenwriters and get weekly inspiration delivered to your inbox:

✓ Popular blog posts and industry news ✓ New ScreenCraft online events ✓ Screenplay competition announcements!

" * " indicates required fields

THE MONKEY BREAD TREE FILM AWARDS

Independent film awards.

• Awards and Nominations
• TMBT Film Awards Categories
• Frequent Q&As
• Extended Reviews

Short Film Reviews

LATE SUMMER 2016

Ghost Nets (2016,  Mark Bousfield )

Written by Ben Rider (Festival Director)

With the opening moments of ‘Ghost Nets’ focusing on the small tensions between siblings, the film establishes its early on set of ‘blood thicker than water’ paradox. This paradox being that the film’s conclusion recoils to a survival mode – one which is similar to the notions expressed within this first scene: how does the idea of ‘self’ survive scrutiny? How does civil society behave? How does one behave in the company of ‘the other’? What is an ‘ethical’ murder? In the positioning of the film’s leads, that being between Neal and Jack, the tension amounts to the ideals of what makes one a man, or perhaps – ‘masculine’. Similarly, the trio camping out on the shore, and the gun wielding stranger, compute a particular ethical outlook at the concept of living conditions, how does one keep themselves safe, and at what point does one ‘act’ in order to save them and their loved ones.

At its core, the film appears as a science fiction venture. Perhaps its the digital titles, sweeping camera angles, and the sound design, but to me the film became just that – an allegory of what is alternate to our world. And in doing so, in my mind, ‘Ghost Nets’ drifted out of the apolitical sphere of emotional drama, and moved into a more amplified commentary of what makes us human. And here in lies the best moment of the film, which highlights this verbose thesis of mine – the closing scene. From moving in towards the car on a wonderfully smooth shot, we turn away from the arguing couple towards our enigmatic Joe Sowerbutts, who moves out of the light, and towards the darkened woods.

There, in the darker shades, we observe his dismantling of the sordid items which have caused so many rifts in the last few days of his life, as well as his own humanity. With an overlaying track, a song which highlights the new ‘drifter’ status of Neal, we watch a new vagabound human emerge, one lost in the shadows, one obsessed with the past, or perhaps one with an uncertain future they will forge for themselves. What is certain at this point isn’t so much a plot notion, but rather a few very clear cinematic agenda: this short film is a well written, and a well executed project, one which allows for thematic issues to rise to the surface, and a project entirely unique to its perspective and message; which is incredibly rare for the normal ‘one tone’ short films. Mark Bousfield should be headed to feature filmmaking by now, as he’s somewhat outgrown the short medium in the best of ways.

The Weekend (2016, Dennis Cahlo )

With a formalist edit ‘The Weekend’ appears as yet another rehash of The French New Wave motif of bite sized narrative points streamlined into a style and cinematic plugging of ‘essential moments’ in life. And yet, despite its outset design, the film retains some of the best re-vamped FNW (acronym for French New Wave) tones one can imagine. Gone are the pastiche throwback references which Jean Luc Godard’s ‘Breathless’ suffers too heavily with, gone are the Truffautesque focus on meaningless and sexist female starlets, and how destructive they can be… here, in The Weekend, be it an effort on part of Dennis Cahlo to rework the FNW film model, or not, is a new FNW film.

One quite suitable for the contemporary viewer: its slick, its aptly made, and its moving. To me, this little short, be it by design or intent, is a complete new vision of all the good things about the FNW films; minus the French language (because, lets be honest, that is part of what made those films so cool).

Cahlo breathes fresh air into the domestic quarrels and unexpected encounters of strangers, his actors deliver defined performances, the editing is jumpy and plump with texture, creating oodles of meaning in seconds, and above all, there’s a certain naturalism to its stagy nature – almost as if Cahlo has managed to reduce Une Femme est une Femme into a bare charming short. Considering its budget, it is a fantastic little gem.

EARLY SUMMER 2016 Reviews

Extra Time (2016, Caris Rianne )

The strange thing about short films is once you’ve seen a random sample of about 100 of them from the same regions in the world (specifically western ones), all within a month or two, you become somewhat desensitised. They blur together covering several familiar themes: loss, fleeting romance, chases, escapes, survival, growing up and so on.

The special thing about Extra Time is just this – we have seen this film already. And yet, we haven’t, because it isn’t the dynamic which makes the theme new, or how the story is told to us in terms of plot… but rather how it is told to us in tone. This is what makes this particular take on the divorce ‘growing up’ story new.

Extra Time has been directed incredibly well by Caris Rianne through the sheer multilayered character relations which she employs. We have access to the family, the sibling, the father, the friends, and all within a few moments, we learn how they interact with one another, who does what and why. And this notion of detail is explored in other elements of the film – we have a very careful set of camera angles, edits are sparing and selective, and music comfortably enhances the film’s motifs.

The only criticism due isn’t a technical one, or even a negative one really, but – at times the film did feel rather ‘short’. The director, the cast, the team overall had achieved a great engaging effort here, one that they had perhaps outgrown by the end of the production. Perhaps a feature, or a more challenging short, will be their next step; as it is the one they are definitely ready for, having succeeded in making a fantastically engaging and warming short film already.

Dark Clouds Far Away (2016, Ian Lapworth )

Ian Lapworth’s ‘Dark Clouds Far Away’ is a documentary focusing on one family’s experience of dementia, specifically that of Lapworth’s mother, Beryl.

The film’s portrayal of the disease is quite carefully presented, balanced off of the memories discussed and presented to the viewer.

Stylistically the film is quite bare, reminiscent of avant-garde cinema – presenting its information as a series of episodic slide shows accompanied with a voice over and the occasional clip.

The difficulty of course of judging a film of this nature, as well as making it, go hand in hand. It is near to impossible to not remain unbiased to the content, rendering all viewer’s sympathetic; and this is in part the wonderful portrayal of Lapworth’s relationship with his mother – it is a raw film experience, personal and intimate.

Imitation is Suicide (2016, Julian Davis )

With its youthful ‘outsider’ take on the online era, ‘Imitation is Suicide’ approaches its story with a simplistic silent film.

This form though isn’t an imitation.  Though many short film directors often start with silent efforts in order to avoid large scale productions, here it is quite the opposite – extras pass on by with phones in hand, and the need for inter-personal dialogue just isn’t necessary as we have entered the information age of text typing and image swiping. Taking a step further, the film’s urge to maintain a simplified communication of its story, without much convoluted character development or contrived situations, allows it to become rather similar to those much loved film efforts of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. This is not to say that it is a classic, however – it isn’t an imitation of the current mode of filmmaking.

With its idyllic photography, and careful cuts, the film coaxed its viewers towards the single note function of the short’s narrative – finding another person like you.

Thankfully this early effort from its young director, Julian Davis, isn’t as preachy as the ‘anti-internet age’ efforts of Jason Reitman’s ‘Men, Women and Children’; and is a wonderful beginning towards what could develop into a well rounded filmmaker. The next step would be of course to use sound, to hear our characters speak, and to understand a bit more of what they think beyond their urge to read.

SPRING 2016 Reviews

Carthage (2016, Peter Vaughan )

So he’s stuck in purgatory? Unable to escape the carefully framed corners of the dark studio carefully lit with overheads, side lamps and dangling bulbs? I think we’ve seen this film before. Or have we?

I know over the course of my time working in film I have read many scripts with a similar plot, I’ve seen many films much like this one in terms of narrative, and have considered many of these kind of films rather pastiche. Though of course, they are all supposed to be parodies. But yes, they are pastiches of a particular type of aesthetic: the ideal of hell, the vision of an inescapable space… however, here’s the punch line, Peter Vaughan’s direction of this particular version of this vision is quite special. Though it does feel very compact due to its particular budget, it is also something quite brilliantly envisioned. There’s a breath to the visuals, the cutting between them in particular is quite slick and effective, and they all come together to form a coherent slippery vision of the ‘underworld’.

– heck, it even includes a sheep!

It isn’t the blooming white space in ‘Under The Skin’, or even the dingy passages the so-called alien of that film lures men into, but this is a fair effort into that kind of vision; and a respectable start from which Vaughan is bound to build on with his later efforts.

Amoo Nowruz (2016, Farkhondeh Torabi)

Farkhondeh Torabi’s ‘Amoo Nowruz’ is a delightful mixed media animation inspired by one of the ancient Persian tales about a woman waiting for her love’s return.

One of the most prominent elements of this short is its rather post-modern appeal – it is an old tale using some of the most distinctive silent film traits originating from the turn of the century, all the while performing the film in a digital matrix which is very much of our ‘current’ mode of image processes.

Here, the lead character, a lively daydreaming woman who is both large and thin, depending on where she stands, counts down the days, and prepares everything she can think of for the arrival of her man; only to then fall fast asleep upon on the promised date, and miss his appearance.

The tale though is both mystical, and much like many early animation exploits by Disney, a careful balance of realist and situational ethics. Though of course, the latter observation could be of my own projection, but personally I believe one could argue for this perspective, this female directed effort feels to me like a wonderful modern-feminist take on an tale: leave the woman to do all the house work chores, and she will only greet you with her snores.

The best bit of the film is its final reward to the viewer, much like the lead character, we feel rather exploited by the entire affair, all of this waiting and preparing, and they don’t even see each other? Not to fret though, a rather wonderful reward arrives at the final turn, and the film becomes a wonderful dreamy effort.

ALBA – Yesterday Belongs To The Dead (2016, Nicolás Olivera)

‘Alba’ by Nicolás Olivera is somewhat of an acted out documentary. Using what I assume to be untrained actors predominantly (in particular for the children), the film relies heavily on the political play of ‘what is real?’, ‘what is ethical?’, and most importantly in my opinion – ‘what is ethical cinema when it is unreal?’

At first, I was under the impression that the film was supposed to be a fictional take on the material it wanted to present, a kind of docu-drama style, but its photography lead me astray to think it was a political comedy, or even some sort of dark satire. That its well framed and stylish looks were a parody, instead of say a pastiche.

And then, with a second viewing, I came up with a better reading, which I felt better suited to the film: this is more of a docu-ethics-drama film. It appears to us slightly more polished than a documentary, there are no ‘to camera’ speeches or shaky camera work, however the ‘voice’ of the material is that of a documentary posing some sort of ethical dilemma which as viewers we are challenged into exploring through the perspective of a witness.

Furthermore, the ethics game imposed on the audience is that of asking us to believe something which is real in circumstance to be also real at playtime with children. Without the much needed filmic realism, this message becomes somewhat lost. Without the rougher look which is needed to make such a story appear ‘real’ to the viewer, or perhaps an even more polished effort, the lack of a reason behind its filmic stylisation becomes quite apparent; the film becomes purely academic in my eyes. It feels like an exercise in learning about these people living in these circumstances, rather than say sympathising with them, or wanting to explore the story they have to tell.

On the plane of academia the film sours, it becomes a coherent Brecht like piece, reminiscent of the playwright’s German depression era effort ‘Whither Germany?’ from 1932. It is moving nonetheless, aesthetically taught, and a lesson we should listen to. However, by no means does ‘Alba’ reach the emotional class of other filmic efforts depicting ‘realistic’ events, such as ‘Elephant’ by Gus Van Sant; the type of realist cinema which shocks and moves its audiences deeply.

PAGES 321 PART-1 (2016, Dir. Anugat Raj)

Like with Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Pi’, or even  David Cronenberg’s reworking of William S. Burroughs’ ‘Naked Lunch’; ‘PAGES 321 PART-1’ drifts in and out of being a work of part quasi-intellectual rambling, part character study and part art house romp.

The main issue here though is unlike the larger pieces produced by those previously mentioned heavyweight filmmakers is – this is merely a short film. Without the longer length to explore the style, or the pace with which to allow the audience to become attuned with its particular vocabulary and tone, we are somewhat lost as to what we should be taking away from the film as it hurdles towards its conclusion with quite a dreamy pace.

Not all though is at fault though, the performance delivered by Saurav Khurana is quite noteworthy – he’s restrained and physically bound to his character’s psychological state. Keshav Gupta and Aakash Rajput’s photography is slick, and very bold for a throwback effort towards the more avant garde black and white look, reminiscent of the early Hollywood ‘film noirs’ which flooded into France past the Vichy era. And lastly, Anugat Raj’s script and direction are well attuned to the material.

For me the highlight of the film was the exterior shot, the only one we are allowed – a brief moment where our character stands out on a balcony, and is surrounded by the image of his neighbours. The distance which unfolded here, revealing a layered background and foreground, provided an escape from the all too familiar white walls, an escape from the stuffed turtle that had died, and a much needed moment to clarify which ‘world’ it was we were viewing this film in.

The Dead Bird (2014, Damien Overton )

With its children’s book type voice over, angst youngsters and warm Australian vistas, The Dead Bird by Damien Overton is a spiderweb of multi-layered plots which carefully unfold using a beautiful cinematic language – the type of cinematic language which is usually avoided when making short films due to it being too complex or too intimidating to short film audiences. Overton’s efforts here are particularly of note, as he does not shy away from making something entirely unique and well rounded in just a few minutes.

The performances in the film are of special note: Alexander Gavioli’s clear voice, often barked at Ryan Lights’ Nick, keep a steady bolt on the tension building beats. There’s a particular harsh physicality to his movements, he seems almost caged within the frame, forever forcing the camera to follow him, and capture his speed. It’s a refreshing delivery, a far more realistic one than the traditional wooden movements often found in film.

Similarly, Lights’ face carries all of the frustrations and inner psyches of a fairly robust variety of emotions his character lives through. He slips in and out of different tones, and helps balance the film’s harsher notes with a particular softness to his delivery.

The photography, editing and pace of the film is also of special interest – the film finds a certain comfort within its timing, all the while configuring a delicate filmic ‘world’. Considering Overton’s previous dramatic efforts, a fresh faced filmmaker who has previously been stuck within the limiting space of theatre, it’s easy to spot that he has surely found some structural freedom within the images of cinema. He jumps from space to space, flips in and out of various time structures, and enjoys the full benefits of a Deleuzian time structure spun out of his rich short script.

The film conveyed multiple strands of thoughts – pain, love, loss… and furthermore, it compiled these themes into separate narrative strands which interweaved through particular character relationship dynamics: the father and his sons, the runaway and his lover, the dead birds and the youngsters. Its a complex piece, provocative, and especially memorable.

WINTER 2016 Reviews

A Place To Lay Your Head  (2014, Dir. Simon Adegbenro)

Steve Look’s Hitchcockesque thriller, ‘A Place to Lay Your Head’, is a great example of minimalist film-making. Set within one house, run by a killer, we explore the rooms scene by scene, unveiling the space. Its pace, subjectivity, and overall editing choices aid in its building of tension which reach a climax of a love versus ethics clash.

Reminiscent of ‘Frenzy’ (1972, Alfred Hitchcock), the film neither places the audience within a sympathetic or empathetic position with its lead; but – instead, we are levelled at a point of view with the witness, it is here, in the cinematic space of observer that we are shown the events as if we were in the room, inspecting the blow by blow occurrence.

What makes this film unique is its engagement with the current political tides of localised issues within the constantly expanding city scope: crime, over population, small living spaces. Furthermore, as the final murder is ensued, we reach a new progressive vibe towards love within the city – are we to be victims in the plight of unethical metropolises?

Perhaps the truth lies in the overriding vibe that the film is more of a parody than a pastiche, less political, and more satirical of our social structures, rules and moralistic ideas of what makes a victim a victim, and a murderer a murderer.

Last In First Out (2015, Dir. Henry Stephens)

It’s easy to watch films today whilst twiddling on your phone. The characters talk, announce as what and who they are. Where we are meant to look, what the meaning of a scene is, and how it all comes together is all part of the ‘talkies’ era that set in at the end of silent cinema. And it is an era we are stuck in still today, even perhaps at the most heightened state that it has ever been with the increase of phone conversations and news-broadcasters announcing all sorts of information in action and thriller films.

However, what we have here is a silent film. A contemporary silent. One which utilizes the skills and language of our current story telling arcs, as well as the ones originating from the bygone era of silent cinema. Whilst watching this film you can’t look at your phone, nor can you ignore the content on screen and just ‘listen’. You have to keep your eyes on the screen, just like our forefathers of film audiences used to.

What writer/director Henry Stephens has achieved is to authentically rewind the clocks for ‘Last In First Out’, and return to the 4:3 ratio, the black and white chiaroscuro, and altering image frame rates of the flicks. Furthermore, the language of the film, its steady shots, and careful editing of shot/reverse shot help tell the story through images. Perhaps though, the most important element of this short though isn’t its nostalgic form, but its pure heart. Like a Chaplin picture, the struggle of class, money and power rise to the top, and reveal the essence of what early films were all about. We have a story, some clear cut characters and a struggle for survival; just like the early cinema which Stephens attempted to capture, his film becomes more of a social commentary than just a meaningless reworking of past techniques. And that is what pure film is all about – the perspective one can take on whilst watching a film, the experience we are able to share, and the human story it can tell when we concentrate.

Temporary Discomfort (2014, Dir. Simon Adegbenro)

Enigmatic codes fill the opening scenes of ‘Temporary Discomfort’. We immediately open the short film with Derek as he checks in at a hotel. Our locale for the short is temporary – Derek does not live here, but there is purpose behind his visit.

Moments later Derek visits his old neighbour and asks ‘how are you?’, and receives no response. He then asks and is granted entrance into a room of someone he once knew, only to lie down.

We aren’t told what the significance of these moments are, but the reality is of their cinematic worth – we are here to decode the film, follow the trail of ideas and pursue the truth. It is this kind of cinematic storytelling which keeps a viewer’s interest: moments which are strung together as pictures rather than a picture book full of dialogue telling us what we should know and understand. The best element of this short is Adegbenro’s self restraint here, the plotting and use of narrative development feed the audience’s craving for information and atmosphere.

With nuanced steady camera angles, which restrict the audience’s point of view, the carefully crafted shots help align us with the perspective we’re suppose to take: an importance of time, space and circumstance become clear. Their length is also of particular interest, they often force us to observe Angus McGruther and Judith Shoemaker stuck and unable to escape; somewhat reminiscent of the motel ending of Vincent Gallo’s ‘The Brown Bunny’.

As the final turn is revealed, ‘Temporary Discomfort’ underplays itself. If the last plot point was at all predictable, it was also inevitable in the way simplicity is elevated and stylised intimately in this well produced short film.

Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Movies — Movie Review

Essays on Movie Review

Once in a while, you’ll be asked to do a movie review essay. This task is a great training tool for enhancing critical thinking skills. Essays on movie review aim at presenting a film from the most important scenes, special effects, to exciting moments and may be accompanied by criticism. From an advertising perspective, such a paper is aimed at convincing readers to watch the movie in question. Your writing should let a reader draw a conclusion, i.e, whether the film is worth their time or if they should try something else. Most importantly, your opinion must be independent and accurate. But how can you create a perfect introduction if you don’t have the experience in this type of writing? Relax. A good online writer can do it for you. If you have an idea but need some guidance, simply ask for a professional outline or use evaluation essay examples for students for more insights.

Hook Examples for Movie Review Essays

"a cinematic masterpiece" hook.

"Prepare to be captivated by the sheer brilliance of this cinematic masterpiece. Explore how every frame, performance, and detail contributes to a visual and emotional spectacle."

"Beyond the Screen: Themes and Messages" Hook

"This film transcends entertainment, offering profound themes and powerful messages. Dive into the underlying ideas and social commentary that make it a thought-provoking experience."

"The Journey of Character Development" Hook

"Follow the compelling journey of characters who evolve throughout the film. Analyze their growth, conflicts, and relationships, making this movie a character-driven narrative."

"Visual Delights: Cinematography and Special Effects" Hook

"Be prepared to be visually stunned by the breathtaking cinematography and cutting-edge special effects. Explore how these elements enhance the storytelling and immerse the audience."

"Unforgettable Performances" Hook

"The cast delivers unforgettable performances that breathe life into the characters. Discuss standout acting moments, character dynamics, and the emotional impact of their roles."

"The Soundtrack: Music That Moves" Hook

"The film's soundtrack is more than just music; it's an integral part of the storytelling. Explore how the score enhances emotions, sets the tone, and complements the visuals."

"Cinematic Analysis: Directing and Editing" Hook

"Delve into the meticulous craftsmanship of the director and editor. Analyze their choices in pacing, sequencing, and storytelling techniques that make this film a cinematic triumph."

Descriptive Paper: The Titanic

Symbolism in the film emthe village/em, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Emotional Complexity in Pixar's Inside Out: a Cinematic Masterpiec

Titanic movie review: acting and emotions, a critical look at aladdin the movie, the wizard of oz movie review, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Shrek 2: an Animated Movie Review

Sociological analysis of zootopia, a movie review of back to the future, a science fiction film by robert zemeckis, review of the movie clueless, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

The Description of The Movie "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone"

"avengers: endgame": movie review, disney's beauty and the beast movie analysis, maleficent movie review: a fresh take on the sleeping beauty, analysis of the film "bad boys ii" by michael bay, greatest series of all time: "stranger things", the "inception" movie: review, a critical review of the movie finding nemo, a review of the film 'coraline', a report on the film avengers: infinity war, "tom and jerry" - one of the most famous cartoons, the personality of spongebob squarepants, film review: traffic by steven soderbergh, movie review: forrest gump, the blind side movie review and analysis, shutter island analysis: the role of symbolism, a study of the impact of caillou and spongebob on children, review of the series, gossip girl, film review: 12 monkeys, breakfast at tiffany’s: a revolutionary romantic comedy, relevant topics.

• Documentary
• The Hunger Games
• 12 Angry Men
• Hidden Figures
• Ready Player One
• Indian Horse
• Movie Summary
• Miss Representation
• Film Analysis
• Do The Right Thing

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Bibliography

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

How to Write a Great Movie Review Like a Professional Critic

Moviemaking is an amazing and colorful world filled with magic, joy, and fantasy. The films have become an important part of our culture. We watch them, we discuss them, and we love them. And one more thing: we write movie reviews. Unfortunately, creating a high-quality review may seem a difficult task, especially for beginners.

We examine all aspects of writing great papers in our guideline on how to write a movie review: structure, preparatory work, purposes, stages, etc. The writing process can be exciting and easy if you have detailed and helpful instructions. Don’t miss your chance to learn more about the mysterious world of film criticism!

What Is a Movie Review?

A movie review is a well-balanced synthesis of personal opinion about the film and critical analysis of its technical and thematic content. As a rule, the word limit of a movie review is about 1000 words. Although the text should not be very long, the preparatory work may take a few days. That is why you should not wait until the last minute to start working on your movie review.

The film review is classified as a creative review. It means that any film is considered as artwork, and you need to pursue both analytical and creative approaches while writing your review.

Their combination will allow you to create an exhaustive and persuasive paper. In order to produce a high-quality review for the chosen film, you should, in the first place, figure out how to write a good movie review. Our article includes all necessary information to help you learn more about writing film reviews.

The Main Purposes of Your Movie Review

The fundamental functions of a professional movie review can be expressed in four words: to inform, analyze, convince, and entertain. Let’s take a closer look at each of these aspects.

Your top-priority task is to inform your readers about the content and the quality of the film. Without basic knowledge, it is impossible to decide whether you’d like to watch the movie or not. If you write only about technical elements without a word about the genre of the film or its cast, your review will not be informative enough. For example, imagine your reader has a soft spot for the movies featuring Ryan Reynolds and doesn’t actually care about formal techniques. You may discourage him or her (more likely her) from watching the movie that she’d probably like if you omit mentioning Ryan Reynolds in your review and concentrate exclusively on the editing or plot.

If you are sure that the movie is great and worth watching, you have to be persuasive enough in order to convince your readers that your evaluation is correct. On the other hand, if you want to keep your readers out of wasting their time on bad movies, you also have to use your power of persuasion. The destiny of their leisure time is in your hands!

Sometimes, an inexperienced audience needs some instructions for the right way of watching a certain movie. A detailed analysis will help them to notice the most important film elements and not to look over the best scenes. Moreover, particular movies have a confusing plot with unexpected twists that need additional explanations.

Finally, your movie review should be exciting and catchy. Nobody would prefer reading a boring list of advantages and disadvantages without interesting facts and funny stories about the actors and shooting the film.

Now that you are already aware of the main purposes of the movie review, we can proceed to the next subpoint about the preparatory work.

How to Prepare for Writing a Movie Review

Before we explain bit by bit how to write a film review, it is necessary to tell more about the prewriting activities.

As mentioned above, the length of a movie review doesn’t usually exceed the limit of 1000 words. Unfortunately, even a short film review requires thorough preparation that may last a couple of days.

First of all, you should choose the movie if your instructor doesn’t assign it. Sometimes, the instructions only specify the genre or the thematic content of the film. In that case, try to find a renowned film that has been well received both by critics and the audience. As a result, chances are high that you’ll enjoy the movie and write a good review.

Next step is to watch the film. Be ready for two or even three viewings, because it is almost impossible to notice all details on the first attempt. During the first viewing, you should immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the movie in order to get an overall impression. At that moment, don’t worry about details and content; just go with the stream of the story. The second viewing requires much more attention than inspiration. Look closer at the specific aspects of editing, cinematography, acting, sound, etc. If the film touches on some events or issues that you don’t know much about, provide research. You have to gather enough information, otherwise your opinion can’t be considered as cogent and credible.

If you don’t succeed at formulating a central claim for your review after two viewings, you should probably watch the movie for the third time or, at least, a few key scenes. Your task is to find a suitable way to connect the thematic and the technical content of the film in order to evaluate their combination.

You may also watch the movies created by the same director for a better understanding of his or her individual style. Since acting is the base of every film, you can also check out how actors portray other characters and decide if this particular role corresponds with their regular specialization.

Take notes about the breathtaking scenes, key moments, and impressive details. Your memos will serve you as a starting point for your review. You should also note verbatim some phrases of the main characters. They may serve as a great epigraph for your movie review.

You can’t know everything about the film just from watching it. Investigate the background and, with a bit of patience and luck, you’ll find a great number of interesting facts that can decorate your review and make it more attractive for readers. You should mention some details about the process of shooting, the difficulties faced by the production team, and other curiosities.

If the movie claimed prestigious awards, it would sound like an immaculate argument for cinephiles to watch it immediately. You shouldn’t neglect the informative details, but don’t get carried away! Remember that the review has to also include your personal opinion along with general information about the movie. Before writing your own movie review, you can read some professional reviews written by professional critics. You can find them on the websites of well-known newspapers or magazines like The Washington Post, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, etc.

10 Questions to Ask Before Writing a Movie Review

• Is this film part of a franchise? How does it suit the series?
• Is the plot based on a novel, fantasy, or real-life events?
• Did the writer manage to create a clear and captivating plot?
• Is the rhythm of the movie dynamic or smooth? Are there too many needless details?
• What is the target audience of the film? Is it G-rated, R-rated, or unrated?
• Do movies on the same theme/topic that are worth mentioning in your review exist?
• What sorts of shots does the cameraman use in the film? How do these techniques affect the overall impression?
• Does the movie have an exclusively entertaining character or touch on serious issues?
• Was the casting successful? Did all actors manage to portray their characters?
• What is the general atmosphere of the movie? Is it tense/joyful/obscure?

If you answer all these questions, you’ll get an approximate draft for your movie review. Of course, that is not enough. Now, we will continue our helpful guideline on how to write a movie review step by step.

How to Write a Great Movie Review Step by Step

Writing a film review is a complex and long process. The reasonable question here would be, “How do you write a movie review and avoid getting puzzled by all the details?” The easiest way to complete your paper is to break the writing process down into a few stages. This method allows for managing your time more accurately.

1. Begin with a catchy introduction.

Your introductory paragraph should include essential information about the movie: title, genre, director’s name, and release date. You can also mention, if appropriate, the awards (the most prestigious ones), the budget and the box office (if they are impressive), and the cast members. In addition to the general information, it is necessary to include your thesis into the introduction. A compelling thesis is a starting point for the critical part of your review that goes beyond the elementary plot summary and description of the technical elements. The thesis may display different aspects such as:

the connection between the film’s central idea and the current issues or events; the similarity between the plot and your personal experience; the interrelation between the thematic content of the film and its formal elements.

2. Don’t put your evaluation into cold storage.

If your readers don’t have much time to read the entire review, you can, at least, provide them with your evaluation at the beginning of the text. Don’t reserve your personal opinion for the concluding paragraph. You are not a crime writer: lay your cards on the table in the first or the second paragraph.

3. Compose a brief plot summary.

Describe four or five major events but don’t reveal the ending. Besides, avoid the “spoilers” by all means because your readers will hate you for destroying the suspense. If you still want to mention a significant turn, please, warn the readers about it.

4. Describe an overall impression.

The main purpose of the plot summary is to tell what the film is about. The description should inform the readers not about what you’ve seen but what you’ve felt. Mention the emotions and thoughts awakened by the concrete scenes, the most touching score, and the moments that pulled your heartstrings. Share your cinematic experience in order to make your review less formal and more personal.

5. Determine the purpose of the movie.

Answer the question, “Why was this film created?” Sometimes, you may find the response in the interviews with the members of the shooting team. In other cases, the purpose can be obvious thanks to the plot. If the movie has an entertaining characteristic, don’t try to dig deeper to find some implied sense. Certain films are good because of their simplicity.

6. Add some details about filmmaking.

The analysis of the formal techniques is an indispensable part of any exhaustive movie review. Concentrate your attention on one or two elements that you consider to be the most significant for this particular film. Be careful with the specific terminology because your movie review shouldn’t look like a crossword. Here are some aspects that you can describe:

• Cinematography

This term includes everything that happens with cameras during the shooting. You can describe three main aspects of cinematography if you see them as important for comprehension of the film: camera movement, camera angles, and camera distances.

Although the sound affects the atmosphere of the movie as well as the visual elements, it is often underestimated. However, talented film score composers are highly praised in the movie-making world. Every sound in the film can be classified as diegetic and non-diegetic. Diegetic sound is like thunder, birdsong, barking, or conversations in the restaurant are the part of the narration. Non-diegetic sound is like off-screen commentaries or film scores that come from outside the universe of the film.

In a nutshell, the goal of editing is to create a smooth connection between all pieces of the film. The editor creates the “world of the story” in order to give the viewer a sense of space. The filmmakers use various methods to compose the integral reality of the movie: graphic similarities, eyeline match, establishing shots, etc.

• Mise-en-scène

This aspect is the most global because it includes literally everything that you see on the screen. Every landscape, actor’s smile, and visual effect is a part of the mise-en-scène.

7. Look for the deep meaning.

A good movie is never superficial. There are always key phrases, symbolic things, and repeating elements that are significant for the deeper understanding of the film and, consequently, for your overarching review. Be attentive in order to unlock all secrets of filmmaking!

8. Provide the examples.

No review can sound trustworthy without examples. Phrases like “the acting is great” or “the sound is bad” don’t inspire trust. Be more specific! For example, when you talk about the portrayal of a particular character, mention what exactly makes the actor relevant for this role: appearance, manner of speaking, facial expressions, etc.

9. Write a strong conclusion.

Remind your readers about the film elements that impressed you the most. Add some personal recommendations and specify for whom this film will be more interesting and why. Remember that your conclusion is the last chance to convince your readers, so do your best!

10. Edit and proofread your movie review.

Read your paper two or three times. Correct all the mistakes: word choice, grammar, style, spelling, typos, etc. Errors can spoil even the most professional review!

How to Write a Movie Review: Example Analyzed

In our opinion, the best way to explain how to write a movie review paper is to provide you with a particular movie review examples . Below, you’ll find not only an excellent example of a review, but the comments written by one of our professionals who describes different elements of the movie review template and their functions.

Click the images to see their full size.

We hope that our guideline has given you a detailed and extensive response to the question, “how to write a great movie review?” We are always glad to provide you with helpful information about writing academic papers of any kind. Read our guidelines and improve your writing skills every day with our paper writing service !

Also, you can find a classification essay about movies on payforwriting.

Give your grades a boost

Original papers by high quality experts

Free preview and unlimited revisions

Flexible prices

• Retirement Farewell Speech Example
• Farewell Speech Example
• Business Owner Farewell Speech Sample
• Receiving a Twenty Year Service Award
• Princeton Graduation Speech
• Never Giving up on a Dream
• Medical Student Graduation Speech

Semi-formal

• Tribute Presentation Sample
• Greenpeace Organization
• Treatments of Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Marketing Manager Speech Sample
• Demographic Policy and Abortion in China
• Causes of Teenage Drug Addiction
• Positive Effects of Classical Music
• Developing of Professional Skills of the Employees
• College Psychologist Speech
• How to Plan an International Trip Essay
• Demonstrating a Marketing Plan for New Product Line
• Destructive Effects of GMO on Children
• Child Adoption Speech
• Become a Volunteer
• Why Videos Go Viral
• Party Planning for Children’s Birthday Parties
• Modern Relationship Problems Presentation Sample
• The Advantages of Jogging
• Let’s Become Vegetarians
• Killing Routines

Fiction review

Non-fiction review, creative review, business letters, academic letters, personal letters, essay writing, business writing, creative writing, research papers, writing tips.