Film Criticism

Film Review and Analysis Guidelines

2011-08-31T02:55:00.000-07:00

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Film Review Guidelines

Paragraph 1: Offer your overall impression of the film while mentioning the movie's title, director, and key actors.

Paragraph 2: Summarize the plot of the film

Paragraph 3: How did the actors portray key character roles? Did they fulfill your expectations given your knowledge of the original novel or play (if one exists)?

Paragraph 4: Were any particular film techniques used in key scenes? How did the film techniques anmd music enhance the setting and themes of the film? You may need two paragraphs to explain this information.

Paragraph 5: Address how well the film represents the novel or play. Offer evidence for your opinion. Remember to mention use of symbols and literary devices. Do they "transfer" from the novel/play into the movie well?

Paragraph 6: Ending paragraph--your last opportunity to guide the reader. Offer a clincher that tells the reader to attend the film or not.

Guidelines by M. Garbis and C. Adams, Baltimore, 2001.

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Film Analysis Terms

Shot: continuous, unedited piece of film of any length

Scene: a series of shots that together form a complete episode or unit of the narrative

Storyboard: Drawn up when designing a production. Plans AV text and shows how each shot relates to sound track. (Think comic strip with directions - like a rough draft or outline for a film.)

Montage: The editing together of a large number of shots with no intention of creating a continuous reality. A montage is often used to compress time, and montage shots are linked through a unified sound - either a voiceover or a piece of music.

Parallel action: narrative strategy that crosscuts between two or more separate actions to create the illusion that they are occurring simultaneously

Shots

Long Shot: Overall view from a distance of whole scene often used as anestablishing shot - to set scene. Person - will show whole body.
Medium or Mid Shot: Middle distance shot - can give background information while still focusing on subject. Person - usually shows waist to head.
Close Up: Focuses on detail / expression / reaction. Person - shows either head or head and shoulders.
Tracking shot: single continuous shot made with a camera moving along the ground
Reverse shot: shot taken at a 180 degree angle from the preceding shot (reverse-shot editing is commonly used during dialogue, angle is often 120 to 160 degrees)
Subjective Shot (P.O.V. Shot): Framed from a particular character's point of view. Audience sees what character sees.

Camera Movement

Pan: Camera moves from side to side from a stationary position
Tilt: Movement up or down from a stationary position
Tracking: The camera moves to follow a moving object or person

Camera Angles

Low Angle Camera: shoots up at subject. Used to increase size, power, status of subject
High Angle Camera: shoots down at subject. Used to increase vulnerability, powerlessness, decrease size

Editing (the way shots are put together)

Cut: The ending of a shot. If the cut seems inconsistent with the next shot, it is called a jump cut.
Fade in or out: The image appears or disappears gradually. Often used as a division between scenes.
Dissolve: One image fades in while another fades out so that for a few seconds, the two are superimposed.

Sound

Soundtrack: Consists of dialogue, sound effects and music. Should reveal something about the scene that visual images don't.
Score: musical soundtrack

Sound effects: all sounds that are neither dialogue nor music
Voice-over: spoken words laid over the other tracks in sound mix to comment upon the narrative or to narrate

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Film Analysis Essay Guidelines

Guide to Critical Assessment of Film

The following questions should help you in your critical evaluation of your film choice(s) for your assigned essay. Please keep in mind that sophisticated film, like literature, requires more than one viewing to begin to appreciate its purpose beyond merely the plot. You will need to view your film(s) with this in mind. You should use some of these questions to complete a journal on your film.

BACKGROUND

Who is the writer of the film? Has the screenplay been adapted from another work?

Who is the director?

When was the film made?

STRUCTURE / FORM

What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?

How are the opening credits presented? Do they relate to meaning?

Why does the film start in the way that it does?

Are there any motifs (scenes, images) of dialogue which are repeated? What purpose do they serve?

What three or four sequences are most important in the film? Why?

Is sound used in any vivid ways either to enhance the film? (i.e. Enhance drama, heighten tension, disorient the viewer, etc.)

How does the film use color or light/dark to suggest tone and mood in different scenes?

Are there any striking uses of perspective (seeing through a character's eyes, camera angle, etc.) How does this relate to the meaning of the scene?

How and when are scenes cut? Are there any patterns in the way the cuts function?

What specific scene constitutes the film's climax? How does this scene resolve the central issue of the film?

Does the film leave any disunities (loose ends) at the end? If so, what does it suggest?

Why does the film conclude on this particular image?

THEME

How does this film relate to the issues and questions evoked by your topic?

Does the film present a clear point-of-view on your topic? How?

Are there any aspects of theme which are left ambiguous at the end? Why?

How does this film relate to the other literary texts you have read on your topic (or in class this year or on your own)?

Many of the questions above are taken or adapted from Timothy Corrigan's A Short Guide to Writing About Film and David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson's Film Art: An Introduction (5th ed.) and Kurt Weiler of New Trier High School in Illinois.

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Q&A:

Question:

How does the film use color or light/dark to suggest tone and mood in different scenes?

Answer:

Most often< brighter colours indicate a happier mood, whereas the darker colours lead people to be more somber.

Question:

in a film are u looking for salience and vectors ?

Answer:

WHO IS THE WRITER OF THE FILM

Question:

how do cinematic techniques enhance the film you are studying

Answer:

visual

Question:

What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?

Answer:

How does this film relate to the issues and questions evoked by your topic?

Question:

14.
When character serves as the focus or theme for a film, it is important that the plot

Answer:

represents a "journey" or "transition" for the main players in the film.

Question:

What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?

Answer:

The Social Network

Answer:

dirty dancing

Answer:

The Last Song

Question:

what is the main idea for AI movie?

Answer:

identify one cinematic technique

Question:

What does the recurring image of stairs mean?

Answer:

To produce horror in a horror film.

Answer:

character has not reached detination

Question:

explain the 4 methods of examing film?

Answer:

literary
cinematic
Dramatic
Thematic

Question:

What is the structure for writing a film analysis?

Answer:

1.summarize the film
2. describe the footage given you
3. field size/camera movements&positions & angles
4. conclusion: opinion, refer to a realistic topic and so on

Question:

How can you dicribe the acting of the charecters?

Answer:

By how confident they act.

Answer:

fasinating
impresive
motivating
disappointing
aproved
sucessful

Answer:

by their actions

Question:

What are the main differences between a film review, a film report and a film analysis?

Answer:

The way the film is explained.

Answer:

the formal writing

Question:

Can the same techniques be applied when Analyzing a 2 minute segment of a film?

Question:

What are the different techniques are used in mking a movie e.g production design, music, cinematography?

Answer:

BIAS IN FILM

Answer:

cinema-scope

Answer:

literary design

Answer:

mise en scene
cinematography
editing
sound

Question:

what are the elements to consider in analyzing film?

Question:

I need to write an analysis of a certain scene in a film, rather than the whole film. How do I set it out?

Answer:

Why not set aside a page with various titles for example have a page with 'cinematography' 'sound' 'mise-en-scene', then brainstorm any and all of your thoughts and observations in a flow chart manner~

Question:

what is mise en scene ?

Question:

what if the movie does not have a play/novel to represent it when writing an analysis for a film?

Answer:

Personally, I wouldn't mention novel/play and just write it without

Answer:

i would just say: "it was an original idea from .....

Question:

What is the relationship between mise-en-scene and the story and theme of a film?

Answer:

creates drama

How to view a film critically and attentively

2009-09-25T02:41:00.000-07:00

How to view a film critically and attentively

the art of reading, analyzing, watching, critically viewing, and deconstructing a film (to take apart the film's components and interpret how it was all intentionally assembled together)

Know The Basics:

* film's title (and alternate titles or production titles, if any)

* year of release

* main stars/performers

* director

* rating (if available)

* running time

* genre classification

* brief summary

* tagline(s) catchy, enticing short phrases used by marketers and film

studios to advertise and sell a movie

Identify Studio:

Know the studio responsible for the film. Was it made by a major studio, a minor studio, or an independent?

Why was the film made?

Learn About Production:

Know the film's dates of production; study the production credits to learn more about the film's production; research any interesting facts about the 'making of' the film.

Discover Film's Context:

What was the social, political, and/or historical context for the film?

Was there any controversy surrounding the film's release?

Learn About Initial Reception:

What was the film's original reception?

How is the film perceived today?

Understand Film's Influence:

Learn if the film had an influential impact on future films.

Did it pay homage to (or reference) a previous film in some way?

Classify Film's Genre:

Decide on the film's principal type, its genre and sub-genre categories (such as action, adventure, musical, comedy, etc.). If it's a hybrid (a combination of two or more genres), what are they?

How does the film fit (or not fit) into its conventional, recognizable classifications?

Write One-Liner Summary:

If you were to write a short 'one-liner' summary to describe the film (often called a synopsis or film treatment), what would it be?

Classify Type of Film:

Read about whether the film is a sequel, prequel, re-make, a spoof, an homage film, etc.

Are there other versions of the film's story or tale?

Study Narrative Origins and Script:

Learn about the script-screenwriter (and other works) - if a screenplay is available, compare it to the actual film.

Read about the narrative origins of the film (literary or otherwise):

* Is it adapted from some other work, or based on an original idea? If

adapted, how well does it follow the original?

* If original, how fresh and innovative is it?

Does the film's screenplay effectively communicate the story through action and dialogue?

Learn Whether It's Fact or Fiction?:

* If the film is based upon an historical event or person, how true to life is

the film?

* Is the film fact or fiction?

* Does it mythologize an historical event or period?

Examine Plot, Structure or Story:

How is the film structured?

Determine the film's pivotal scene(s) and sequencing.

How is the story's plot told?

* through normal exposition

* by flashback

* with a narrator (by voice-over)

* chronologically or linearly

* character-driven

* objectively or subjectively

* otherwise

Additional Questions to Decipher:

* What is the vantage point from which the film is presented?

* Does parallelism (the film cuts back and forth between two scenes that are

happening simultaneously or at different times) exist between two or more

scenes?

* Are the transitions between scenes effective?

* Is there a climax and resolution (and denouement)?

* Does the film's narrative provide continuity from scene to scene?

* Is there closure by film's end?

Ascertain Special (Visual) Effects:

Learn about the special (visual) effects within the film and determine how skillfully they are handled.

Consider whether the advanced, computer-generated technical aspects of the film are essential to the film's plot, or whether their unrestrained use overwhelms the dramatic, story-telling elements and sacrifices substance - namely, the plot and/or characters.

Look Up Awards and Honors:

Find out about the film's major awards (i.e., the Academy Awards), nominations, or other honors bestowed upon it.

Recognize Theme(s):

Look for the film's central theme, motif, idea or dominant message, as well as the film's sub-text (the message 'beneath the surface'), and then answer these questions:

* Identify prominent symbols and metaphors within the film and determine

their purpose and overall effect.

* What popular ideologies are reproduced and reinforced in the film?

* Does the film have an original theme or a traditional one?

* Is the film's theme adequately or successfully supported by the story,

acting, and other film elements?

Observe Style and Tone:

Decide the overall style and tone of the film (noirish, sophisticated, suspenseful, slapstick, etc.).

Distinguish Characters and Acting Performances:

List the following:

* the film's main characters (are their names significant?)

* also consider a few of the minor characters and how they are used

* a brief description for each one

* their major motivations or ethical values/assumptions

* their character development

Then, ask yourself these additional things:

* Is there a hero or anti-hero?

* Are the characters believable and three-dimensional?

* Is the acting memorable, exceptional, or inferior?

* Ask yourself about 'star quality' - why were specific performers (or stars)

chosen (or cast) to play each role - were they appropriately cast (i.e., the

right age or size, or with the proper accent)? Were any of the performers

cast against type? Were there any debut performances?

* Were their performances appropriate for the roles?

* Was the acting professional or non-professional?

* Does one performer steal the spotlight from others?

Disclose Stereotyping:

Were the popular stereotypes (attitudinal or imagined) about different kinds of people (fathers, gays, Native Americans, the elderly, women, the mentally-ill, blacks, rural folks, etc.) challenged or reinforced?

Were there any caricatures?

Reveal Directing:

Learn about the director's entire repertoire of films, stylistic characteristics, and favorite techniques.

Is the director a veteran or a novice?

How has the director shaped, auteured, interpreted or controlled every aspect of the film's making, and the telling of its story? See this site's Greatest Directors section.

Perceive Cinematography and Visual Cues:

Identify the film's cinematographer, stylistic and visual characteristics, use of lighting and color (or black and white) to create a mood, use of a static or moving camera, amount of close-ups, and favorite techniques. Compare screen time to 'story time.'

Be attentive to various visual clues, such as the following:

* establishing shots (the initial shot in a scene)

* camera lighting (diffuse, high-key, low-key, muted, highlighting, spot-

lighting, use of light and dark areas)

* focusing (zooms, rack-focus, blurry, deep-focus)

* camera distance and framing (full shots, medium shots, close-ups)

* compositions (positioning of elements, symmetrical vs. asymmetrical, use

of shadows, doors, low ceilings, windows, mirrors, etc.)

* camera angles (tilted, wide angle, telephoto, POV shots, low/high angled,

etc.)

* camera movements and shots (dolly shots, crane shots, pans, tracking,

hand-helds, freeze-frames, reaction shots, the number and order of shots,

the use of shot/reverse shots in conversations or interviews, etc.)

* colors used (or color filtering)

* film speed (reversed, or fast/slow-motion)

Overall, is the cinematography effective?

Listen to Score and/or Soundtrack:

Identify the film's composer, and any previous similar works. Note any memorable songs (and their lyrics) and/or dances.

Listen carefully to how the music/score functions within the film to underscore the action, to move the story along, or to provide an emotional tone or mood.

* Is the film's soundtrack appropriate, subtle and effective, or inappropriate,

overwhelming and domineering? Note if silence is used, at times, in place

of sound

Find Out About Mis-en-Scene ("What is put into a scene")

Understand the 'mis-en-scene' of the film. (Mis-en-scene can include the setting, costumes, make-up, lighting, and camera positioning and movement.)

How were the scenes 'orchestrated' or set up for the camera?

Identify Locations or Settings:

Identify the settings for each scene. Are they each appropriate and effective?

Note the different kinds of settings:

* geographical (place)

* temporal (time period)

* locations (on-site)

* studio sets

* important props

Notice Film Conventions or Clichés:

Notice the typical conventions used in the film, for instance, (1) cars that crash will almost always burst into flames, or (2) all telephone numbers in America begin with the digits 555.

Detect Editing:

Is the film seamlessly and smoothly edited?

Note the film's transitional edits, such as the following:

* jump cuts

* wipes

* fade-ins

* fade-outs

* fade-to-black, dissolves

* lap dissolves

* mixes

* use of montage or rapid cutting between shots

* juxtapositions (cross-cutting, cutaways, match cuts)

* aural editing (how music, noise, or transitional dialogue create the illusion

of continuity between cuts)

* the pace and rhythm of editing (the typical length and speed of sequences

or shots)

Listen to Audio Clues:

Listen for the film's audio clues, including one of more of the following:

* sound effects

* music

* dialogue or voice

* silence

Study and distinguish the use of the following:

* sound bridges

* on-screen vs. off-screen sounds (to provide an impression of 3-D space)

* post-synchronized sound vs. direct sound

* diegetic sound (i.e., dialogue and sound effects)

* non-diegetic sound (i.e., the musical score, narrative voice-overs)

Note when sound transitions do not match shot transitions.

Observe Costuming:

Identify the use of period costumes, body physiques, hair-stylings, etc.

Identify Dialogue:

Identify the most important line(s) of dialogue, and identify any lengthy monologues or speeches.

Note how the dialogue is delivered (fast, mumbled, overlapping, loud/soft, etc.).

Are there any recurring lines of dialogue and how do they function?

Excerpts from An Extensive Review, Synopsis, and Discussion of Film Viewing by Tim Dirks, 1996