This document provides guidance on traditional and alternative styles for movie reviews. It discusses key elements of a traditional review such as an introductory lead paragraph, condensed plot synopsis, background information on the film/creators, and abbreviated arguments evaluating what works and does not work in the film. It also presents examples of alternative review styles like two-sentence reviews, genre reviews, and 100-word reviews. The document emphasizes establishing a unique voice and focusing evaluations on what the film aims to accomplish and whether it succeeds at that.

1. No, You can’t say
“Thumbs Up”
Movie reviews:
The Traditional
Or
The Alternative

2. The Film Review lead
The lead must include a preview into what your overall
opinion of the movie is, but not give it away entirely (you
want them to keep reading after all.)
Establish your voice!

3. Disturbia - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
No sense kicking this thriller for plot holes
and lapses in logic when the action,
suspense and flirty sex come at such a
lively clip. Shia LaBeouf, a gifted young
actor still in search of that breakthrough
role, is a winning combo of smart and
smartass as Kale, a suburban teen under
house arrest for having clocked his
Spanish teacher. The dude was way too
condescending about the trauma Kale
suffered a year ago when his dad died.

4. Catwoman - Rob Elder,
Metromix
Catwoman arrives in the theaters as the
Showgirls of superhero movies. This is not a
compliment. A vacuous lingerie show posing as
feminism, it's the biggest movie hairball this side
of Garfield.

5. Essential elements of a traditional film
review
Condensed Plot Synopsis
Background Information
Abbreviated Arguments about the film
Evaluation

6. Condensed Plot Synopsis
Early in the review, you must include a condensed plot
synopsis.
It is a BRIEF description of the film’s plot that should
emphasize the most important moments of the film
Be careful not to reveal the ending.
At least give spoiler warnings.

7. No Country For Old Men,
Roger Ebert
It’s not often you see films that are perfect.... No
Country for Old Men, inspired by the Cormac
McCarthy novel, follows a million dollars around
Texas. That’s the MacGuffin. What it does more
importantly is give us a character (Josh Brolin)
who finds the money, a character (Javier
Bardem) who is a homicidal madman who kills
with compressed oxygen, a sheriff (Tommy Lee
Jones) who tries to protect the first from the
second, a private fixer (Woody Harrelson) who is
hired to find the money, and the various wives
(especially Kelly Macdonald), women, employers,
victims, motel clerks, corpses and deputies in
their lives.

8. Background Information
Gathering background information will be required for
your film review.
You will need to do some research to find out general
information about film and its creators/actors.
My favorite source for information:
http://www.imdb.com/
Did you know you can see a man in a baseball hat in
Braveheart?

9. Background Information
May include:
the genre of the film
the director of the film
Other films he/she has directed
The main actors in the film
Other major films at least one of the main actors
starred in just before the release of the film you are
watching.
The screenwriter
The producer
If it’s a new film, you may want to include some
discussion of any possible hype that surrounded the
film (for example, a Fifty Shades of Gray review you
might include how the movie is discussed every 4
seconds)

10. Abbreviated arguments
The most important part of the review is the
ABBREVIATED ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE
FILM.
This is the section in which the reviewer analyzes
and critiques the film.

11. No Country For Old Men,
Roger Ebert
Many of the scenes in No Country for Old Men
are so flawlessly constructed that you want them
to simply continue, and yet they create an
emotional suction drawing you to the next scene.
Another movie that made me feel that way was
Fargo. To make one such film is a miracle. Here
is another.

12. Focus of arguments
Focus: Evaluation of what does and does not
work in the movie and why.
Most reviewers will throw in their opinions about
the actors, directing of the film, writing, etc
Ex:
“Objectively you’d have to go with creepy, but that description hardly fits Mr.
LaBeouf, one of the most engaging young actors in movies today.” NY Times,
AO Scott
“Chigurh enters a rundown gas station in the middle of wilderness and begins
to play a word game with the old man (Gene Jones) behind the cash register,
who becomes very nervous. It is clear they are talking about whether Chigurh
will kill him. Chigurh has by no means made up his mind. Without explaining
why, he asks the man to call the flip of a coin. Listen to what they say, how they
say it, how they imply the stakes. Listen to their timing. You want to applaud
the writing, which comes from the Coen brothers, out of McCarthy.” Chicago
Sun-Times, Roger Ebert

13. Evaluation
You should assess:
The motivation for what happens in the film
Was there gratuitous violence, nudity? Is the dialogue
realistic and necessary to advancing the plot of the film?
Can the viewer believe that these things would actually
happen within the context the director/writer has created?
The film’s entertainment value
Is it believable? True to real life? Funny? Smart? Stupid?
The film’s social relevance, aesthetic, and social
value
The characters:
Can you identify with the characters? Do you care about
them? Include this assessment in your evaluation.
Should the reader see the film? Remember who

14. Evaluation
Roger Ebert has been asked many times how he judges
movies. He has given slasher movies 3+ stars and
panned Oscar winners. His response is illuminating:
“I judge a movie by what it is trying to do and whether it
is successful doing it.”
“The movies are so rarely great art, that if we cannot
appreciate great trash, we have no reason to go.” –
Pauline Kael

15. Style and Voice
A great reviewer finds their voice and creates a style
(Roger Ebert)
“To say that George Lucas cannot write a love scene is an
understatement; greeting cards have expressed more
passion.”
“No matter what they're charging to get in, it's worth more
to get out."
“No good film is too long, and no bad film is short
enough."
"We live in a box of space and time. Movies are windows
in its walls."
A great resource to read lots of reviews in one
place…
ROTTEN TOMATOES

16. Alternative Movie Reviews
Man-on-the-street review
Two-Sentence review
Genre review
Retro review
Seasonal review
Haiku review
100 word review

17. The Dark Knight
in 100-words (or less)
Batman isn’t a comic book anymore.
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is a
haunted film that leaps beyond its origins and
becomes an engrossing tragedy. It creates
characters we come to care about. That’s
because of the performances, because of the
direction, because of the writing, and
because of the superlative technical quality
of the entire production…The Dark Knight is
not a simplistic tale of good and evil. Batman
is good, yes. The Joker is evil, yes. But
Batman poses a more complex puzzle than
usual. This film redefines the possibilities of
a “comic book” movie. - Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times

18. Alternative Reviews – Movies
Movie trailers
Yahoo, Rotten Tomatoes
Movie posters

19. Alternative Reviews
Videos
Youtube and other sources
How would you review this?
Idiot with a Tripod
Songs
iTunes
Lyrics, artists
School

20. Alternative Reviews
Study Aids
Spark Notes
Blogs
Student written
Restaurants
Chains
Local
School cafeteria