ANALYTICAL MOVIE REVIEW | VIDEO PRESENTATION (OF YOUR REVIEW)
What is an analytical review of a movie?
An analytical film review goes one step further than a usual review. It briefly describes the film, evaluates it, and also analyzes the film by focusing on an interesting, significant or important area of the film, such as its theme, to explore in depth.
Steps for writing the review:
First, find a film that you want to review. This could be one that you simply loved, or one that you found problematic. Or both!
Second, watch the film a few times if you can, but do so at least once more if you have seen it before.
Third, write your review.Think about whether or not you will write a fantastic review, or a favorable review, or a poor review, or a scathing review. This will set the TONE of your review.
Next, who is your audience for this film? For example, if you are reviewing a Sci Fi film to a forum of Sci Fi lovers, keep in mind that they are well versed in your genre.
You should not rehash the entire plot, but instead give the most critical information about the film to the reader. Then, introduce the formal elements (narrative techniques, mise-en-scène (focus in on one or two parts: setting, the human figure, lighting, composition which includes framing), the cinematography and use of camera angles, shot selection, etc, hat you will be discussing. Your thesis should connect the elements you will discuss to their importance to the film as a whole, and then . . .
You will have an introduction, body, conclusion. Remember your reader needs to know the basics about the film – title, date, director, etc.
Finally, remember that this is a film review! Give your evaluative opinion of the film based on the points you chose to analyze for your analysis, Do you recommend it? Or not? And why?
Guidelines: Paper (75 Points)
Around 750 words
You will need a works cited or references page with at least the film properly cited. You may include other sources, but this is not a requirement.
MLA or APA formatting.
Presentation (25 pts)
Finally, you will give 5 minute presentation of your film review in Week 8. Choose the highlights from your review and rhetorically convince your audience that they should or should not see this film and the reason’s why. This is a much shorter version of the longer review so it is up to you to make your own rhetorical choices as to what to include or not.