This article is about writing a film review, not about finding a job as a critic.
To be a film critic, you will need to understand the art in films and see more than normal viewers see. To do this, you will have to watch those films that are works of art and practice commenting on them, then move on to blockbusters and look at them with a different eye.
Steps
Step 1. Each movie has its hero who will be the main protagonist and an enemy
The enemy can be a second character, an object or a situation. Analyze the hero and the enemy and how the story unfolds around both. They are similar? Different? Do they both want the same thing? Why do they hate each other? What stories do they have behind them?
Step 2. Find the color scheme
Most movies have a pattern for defining actions, character growth, or places. Learn the meaning of color and remember that in most cases, color is a metaphor for something else.
Step 3. Try to derive what message the director wanted to convey with that particular color
Write what you think about that choice.
Step 4. Pay attention to the music
Music and sounds are used to define the protagonist's feelings and personal growth. They also "set the tone" and suggest how you relate to the next scene.
Step 5. Observe the camera movements in each scene and the lights
What is the resulting message? Is the protagonist in love? Or maybe someone is following him?
Step 6. Find out what kind of story it is
Are the times regular (past, present, past), circular (present, past, present), backward (future, present, past) or different? Does this choice make the film better or worse? Does it make it too fast or too slow?
Step 7. Describe the different emotions the film made you feel
Step 8. Talk about the message it should communicate
Step 9. Describe costumes, colors and if they were suitable for the characters
Step 10. Were the actors right for their parts?
Was their performance convincing? Has anyone in particular stood out for merits or demerits? In other words, did you drink it?
Step 11. With all of this in mind, write your review
Detail it and write if the movie was avant-garde or the usual soup. Was it original or trite? Was it missing something or was it excessive?
Step 12. Rate it
Advice
- Watch a lot of movies and most of them good ones. Watch the classics, the independent ones, the foreign language ones, the comedies, the dramas, the shorts, the cartoons and everything else you can get your hands on.
- If you liked a particular movie, find those from the same director.
- Depending on how critical you want to become, consider studying film, English, or journalism.
- You might also be thinking about enrolling in a film or screenwriting class.
- Join an online or local movie club, college, etc. If you can't find one, create it yourself! All you need is a DVD player and a TV, plus someone to invite. The more people participate, the better it will be. Discuss movie reviews and use them in your reviews.
- Some movies to see: Fifth Power, Casablanca, Once we were warriors, A Clockwork Orange, Pulp Fiction, Clerks, The Fantastic World of Amelie, Sin City, The 400 Blows, Psycho, Taxi Driver, All my mother, Eve vs Eve, King Kong, Singing in the Rain, It's a Wonderful Life, Goodfellas, The Godfather, Schindler's List, The Faun's Labyrinth and Finding Nemo.
- Read the reviews of other critics and try to understand how they got into the business.
- Read the background of the films.
Warnings
- The more you understand the art of cinema, the less you will appreciate Hollywood movies.
- Once you start understanding all the ins and outs of a movie, you will find that there isn't much fun in new ones.
- You don't know everything, so be as objective as possible and research the movie before declaring it's a flop just because you don't like it.
- If you don't like classics, indies or foreign films, you should think about doing something else because a film critic is an art critic and has to look and analyze everything, as impartially as possible.
- Being a critic doesn't mean crushing every movie you see.
