Identify a film that you would like to talk about, one that you think is brilliant/important/memorable. It need not be in English. Write three full pages of analysis:
a. In your introduction, provide a thesis statement (what you think about the movie,) and write a brief plot summary.
b. In the following paragraphs, discuss the movie’s main ideas, that is, what the director is trying to do/say in the movie.
c. Devote at least one full paragraph to a discussion of a single important scene, and discuss what is happening there with camera angles; lighting effects; character positioning; the set. Relate all of this to what the director is trying to say in this particular scene and in the film as a whole. This is called a mise-en-scene analysis.
Some general remarks about this assignment:
A good film critique provides the reader with a basic idea of what the film is about, and the writer’s (your) critical assessment of the success/failure or effectiveness/ineffectiveness of the film supported by the evidence the writer gathers from the film. It is, therefore, more than a plot synopsis/summary. For the writer, the critique is an opportunity to exhibit a critical awareness of the elements of the film as well as to share the delight and pleasure (or frustration and disappointment) the film offers you, the reviewer.
You might take a look at any number of sites where professional critics evaluate movies, as well as each other’s critiques. A site such as Rotten Tomatoes could be an entertaining place to begin; be sure to look at more than one site.
Early in the critique, paragraph one, it is desirable to sketch enough of the plot to give the reader an idea of what happens in the film. But do not try to recount everything: it can’t be done, and the attempt will frustrate you and bore the reader. (The key word here is “sketch”). So, please, no more than half a page of plot summary.
Once you introduce the main characters and devote a few sentences to the plot, thus giving the reader a comfortable seat, get down to the job of convincing the reader that you have something interesting to say about the film. Here, talk about what you think the director is trying to say/do in the movie. You might, if you wish, include some commentary about the acting. A convenient way to give an actor’s name in the essay is to put it in parentheses after the character’s name or role, for example: “The Sargent, Wardaddy ( Brad Pitt), is good at war …” Then, as you go on to discuss the film, use the name of the character or the role, not the name of the actor, except when you are talking about the actors themselves, as in: “Brad Pitt is exactly right for the part.”
As mentioned above, freeze a scene/frame on your monitor. Discuss what you see there in terms of camera angle (close-up, distance shot, above or below angle); lighting (bright/harsh; low-key/subdued; color shades); positioning of the characters; the sound track for the scene; the set.
IMPORTANT: Relate this scene analysis to what you think the director is trying to do/show there, what the film’s main idea(s) might be. And finally, in a concluding paragraph, summarize your feeling about the movie as a whole.
So, consider using some of the following questions as springboards for thought:
1. Are the actors appropriately cast and are the characters they portray believable?
2. What is the theme of the film? Is it obvious or only subtly evident? Do the plot, acting, and other cinematic elements all contribute to the director’s main ideas for the film?
3. Is the setting/locale appropriate and effectively used? Is the cinematography effective? Does the film make certain use of color, texture, lighting, etc. to enhance the theme, mood, setting?
4. Is the sound track effective and appropriate? Is the music appropriate and functional, or is it inappropriate and obtrusive?
5. Are camera angles used effectively? Are they ever used for a particular effect?
6. Are there special effects (and/or special effects makeup) in the film? If so, are they essential to the plot? Are they handled skillfully? Do they serve a necessary function, or does the film sacrifice plot or characterization for the effects themselves?
7. Does the film make use of symbols or symbolism? What purpose do the symbols serve? Are they used effectively? How does the symbolism in the film contribute to or enhance the film’s overall theme?
8. Essential–In your critique, include commentary about mise-en-scene within a particular frame, and make sure your discussion is connected to what you’ve identified as the director’s thematic purposes. Mise-en-scene includes elements such as character proxemics (positioning), camera angles, lighting, the setting, special effects, as well as the cinematic contents listed above. It is very possible to organize a film critique around a mise-en-scene analysis of a single frame when it (the frame) highlights something of critical importance to the film as a whole. Then, it might function as a metaphor or symbol of a central controlling idea in the movie.