How to Write a Movie Review

Moviegoers are attracted to movie reviews like butter on popcorn! With movie admission tickets hovering around $10 apiece, film buffs depend on advance information and critiques, so they can spend their cinematic dollars wisely.

Which releases are worth a trip to the movie theater, and which are better saved for economical DVD rentals or pay-per-views later? Which should be skipped altogether?

Enter the helpful movie critic! Like the movie theater ushers of old, armed with their trusty flashlights, the movie critic guides film lovers to the best viewing vantages.

Want to become a movie reviewer?

Today, prospective film critics have countless opportunities to publish and present their views. Advertising direct mailings, blogs, cable TV channels, community newspapers, internet publishing communities (like AC), magazines, newsletters, online film sites and theater or video websites are excellent places to start publishing or broadcasting movie reviews.

How do you begin a movie review?

Any movie review must begin with the movie's full and correct title. This may or may not be listed in the review title. Either way, it should be clearly stated in the opening sentence of the first paragraph.

For example, if the film is named The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie, then a movie reviewer's first reference to the film should state exactly that, not Pirate Veggie Tales. Of course, the writer may establish a shorthand reference, abbreviation or tagword for follow-up citations and introduce that upon first reference.

This is how it is done:

Vegetables have never been so adventurous as they appear
in The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales
Movie (Pirates).

After this first mention, the reviewer may simply say Pirates to name the movie. (Along the same lines, a movie reviewer may say TMNT for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as long as he has introduced the acronym with the full title at the top of the review.

What information must be included in a movie review?

A well written movie review will contain all of the essential information about a film. The film producer and director must be named, and many reviewers will cite other well-known movies they have done.

Key actors and actresses must also be listed, along with a few popular movies or television shows in which they have appeared. This will help jog readers' memories, so they will recognize these performing artists.

The most helpful movie reviews include not only the Motion Picture Association of America rating (G, PG, PG-13, R) of a film and its running time, but also the genre. Is it an action-adventure, a comedy, a documentary, a drama, a history or a romance? Was it animated or live-action? Color or black and white? What is the intended audience for the film? Is the movie aimed at children, teens, men, women, seniors or whom?

Discuss the sound quality, music and other technical aspects of the film, if these stood out to you in some way. Did a popular artist compose or perform songs in the movie?

How should a movie reviewer critique a film?

Writing movie reviews is fun. In such pieces, the writer is actually expected to be opinionated and direct.

Evaluate the acting and characterizations. Did the characters seem real? Did you care about them? Was the casting appropriate? Was any acting award-worthy?

Rate the plot or story of the film. Was the screenplay based on a book or real-life events? Was it a biography of a real person? Include a brief plot summary, but be careful not to spoil the ending! State whether you deemed the story line credible. Was it hard to follow or predictable?

Compare the movie to other films, if this seems relevant. Did this flick remind you of any others you have seen? Was it an actual remake of an older movie?

Ideally, a movie review will offer a simple overall rating for a film. As the movie reviewer, you might choose to assign stars, cameras, popcorn buckets or some other creativegraphic. Create a scale (usually 0-4), and give top billings to the films you like the best!

What about local theater information?

If a movie review is intended for local publication, it may include local theater information as well. When will the movie be released in that community or area? In which theaters will it be seen? Include show times or theater websites and telephone numbers. Special showings, ticket information and promotional coupons may be mentioned here too.

What about DVD rental information?

Often, movies may be reviewed for DVD release and promotion too. This offers a super opportunity for movie reviewers to revisit and repost their film opening reviews, usually several months later. Such reviews should include DVD release dates and availability information. DVD formats and pricing are also helpful.

Lights, camera, reaction!

If you love to write, why not tuck a steno pad into your pocket or purse for your next movie night? Who knows? Perhaps you will earn back some of those movie concession dollars by writing a movie review!

And, if you are fortunate enough to enjoy an evening out, with dinner and a movie, you can try to write and publish a restaurantreview as well!