Film Review Assignment – (Final)
The film review will represent the culmination of all film-related concepts discussed in class. The goal of this review is not merely to discuss what you liked and disliked, but to analyze a film according to its elements (cinematography, editing, sound, performance, etc.), and arrive at a positive/negative valuation through your analysis. In a separate document will find a list of questions to help guide you to the word count. You do not need to answer each and every question, but rather select the ones most relevant to your particular film. Do not forget the basic information: title of film (italicized), director, and year produced.
Students may follow the four steps of critique: description, analysis, interpretation, and judgment, but this is not required for this review. You have more freedom in terms of overall structure, so long as ideas are organized, and the word count is achieved.
Students should avoid excessive plot summary or synopsis. Descriptions should focus on film techniques and aesthetic information such as framing, camera movements, use of color, costume, etc.
Film Review Questions to Consider
Students do not need to answer each and every question. Use these questions as a way to reach the word count.
Cinematography
What is the films overall color palette/aesthetic like?
How does this enhance or detract from its content?
What type of framing does the cinematographer exhibit?
How does the framing affect the scenes and performances?
Is there enough variety of framing?
What type of camera movements does the cinematographer utilize?
Pans, tilts, dolly shots, or something more complicated?
Are there any unusual camera techniques used? For example: soft focus, Dutch angles, or virtuoso camera movements?
Editing
What the editing seamless, or did it call attention to itself?
Was there an overall sense of rhythm that fit the content on the screen?
Is the story told in an exclusively linear form, or non-sequentially?
What types of editing techniques are evident in the film? Think about Eisensteins 5 methods of montage, or standard editing techniques such as superimpositions, dissolves, jump cuts, etc.
Lighting
What type of lighting do some of the key scenes in the film utilize?
How do they affect the mood, tone, or atmosphere of a scene?
Sound Design
Does the choice of music fit the film?
How does the sound design synergize with the content?
What are some examples of diegetic and non-diegetic sound in the film?
Performance Are the performances believable? Why or why not?
Which actor/actress gave the most memorable performance of the film?
Costume Design
What do the costume designs communicate about the characters?
Do the costumes fit the films historical time period or genre?
Genre What genre is the film categorized as?
How and why does it fit this genre, and how does it maybe deviate from it?
