17 Book Review Examples to Help You Write the Perfect Review

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17 book review examples to help you write the perfect review.

17 Book Review Examples to Help You Write the Perfect Review

It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?

As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites , in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever — which means that there are a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!

In this post, we compiled 17 prototypical book review examples in multiple genres to help you figure out how to write the perfect review . If you want to jump straight to the examples, you can skip the next section. Otherwise, let’s first check out what makes up a good review.

Are you interested in becoming a book reviewer? We recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can earn money for writing reviews — and are guaranteed people will read your reviews! To register as a book reviewer, sign up here.

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What must a book review contain?

Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark. (However, this may vary depending on the platform on which you’re writing, as we’ll see later.)

In addition, all reviews share some universal elements, as shown in our book review templates . These include:

  • A review will offer a concise plot summary of the book. 
  • A book review will offer an evaluation of the work. 
  • A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience. 

If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it’s the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course. A book review on Goodreads, for instance, will be much more informal and personal than a book review on Kirkus Reviews, as it is catering to a different audience. However, at the end of the day, the goal of all book reviews is to give the audience the tools to determine whether or not they’d like to read the book themselves.

Keeping that in mind, let’s proceed to some book review examples to put all of this in action.

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Book review examples for fiction books

Since story is king in the world of fiction, it probably won’t come as any surprise to learn that a book review for a novel will concentrate on how well the story was told .

That said, book reviews in all genres follow the same basic formula that we discussed earlier. In these examples, you’ll be able to see how book reviewers on different platforms expertly intertwine the plot summary and their personal opinions of the book to produce a clear, informative, and concise review.

Note: Some of the book review examples run very long. If a book review is truncated in this post, we’ve indicated by including a […] at the end, but you can always read the entire review if you click on the link provided.

Examples of literary fiction book reviews

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man :

An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.
His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.
This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.

Lyndsey reviews George Orwell’s 1984 on Goodreads:

YOU. ARE. THE. DEAD. Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Or in Newspeak "Double Plus Good." Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried.
This book is like the dystopian Lord of the Rings, with its richly developed culture and economics, not to mention a fully developed language called Newspeak, or rather more of the anti-language, whose purpose is to limit speech and understanding instead of to enhance and expand it. The world-building is so fully fleshed out and spine-tinglingly terrifying that it's almost as if George travelled to such a place, escaped from it, and then just wrote it all down.
I read Fahrenheit 451 over ten years ago in my early teens. At the time, I remember really wanting to read 1984, although I never managed to get my hands on it. I'm almost glad I didn't. Though I would not have admitted it at the time, it would have gone over my head. Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate it fully. […]

The New York Times reviews Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry :

Three-quarters of the way through Lisa Halliday’s debut novel, “Asymmetry,” a British foreign correspondent named Alistair is spending Christmas on a compound outside of Baghdad. His fellow revelers include cameramen, defense contractors, United Nations employees and aid workers. Someone’s mother has FedExed a HoneyBaked ham from Maine; people are smoking by the swimming pool. It is 2003, just days after Saddam Hussein’s capture, and though the mood is optimistic, Alistair is worrying aloud about the ethics of his chosen profession, wondering if reporting on violence doesn’t indirectly abet violence and questioning why he’d rather be in a combat zone than reading a picture book to his son. But every time he returns to London, he begins to “spin out.” He can’t go home. “You observe what people do with their freedom — what they don’t do — and it’s impossible not to judge them for it,” he says.
The line, embedded unceremoniously in the middle of a page-long paragraph, doubles, like so many others in “Asymmetry,” as literary criticism. Halliday’s novel is so strange and startlingly smart that its mere existence seems like commentary on the state of fiction. One finishes “Asymmetry” for the first or second (or like this reader, third) time and is left wondering what other writers are not doing with their freedom — and, like Alistair, judging them for it.
Despite its title, “Asymmetry” comprises two seemingly unrelated sections of equal length, appended by a slim and quietly shocking coda. Halliday’s prose is clean and lean, almost reportorial in the style of W. G. Sebald, and like the murmurings of a shy person at a cocktail party, often comic only in single clauses. It’s a first novel that reads like the work of an author who has published many books over many years. […]

Emily W. Thompson reviews Michael Doane's The Crossing on Reedsy Discovery :

In Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.
An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl.
Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.
The Narrator initially sticks to the highways, trying to make it to the West Coast as quickly as possible. But a hitchhiker named Duke convinces him to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride. “There’s not a place that’s like any other,” [39] Dukes contends, and The Narrator realizes he’s right. Suddenly, the trip is about the journey, not just the destination. The Narrator ditches his truck and traverses the deserts and mountains on his bike. He destroys his phone, cutting off ties with his past and living only in the moment.
As he crosses the country, The Narrator connects with several unique personalities whose experiences and views deeply impact his own. Duke, the complicated cowboy and drifter, who opens The Narrator’s eyes to a larger world. Zooey, the waitress in Colorado who opens his heart and reminds him that love can be found in this big world. And Rosie, The Narrator’s sweet landlady in Portland, who helps piece him back together both physically and emotionally.
This supporting cast of characters is excellent. Duke, in particular, is wonderfully nuanced and complicated. He’s a throwback to another time, a man without a cell phone who reads Sartre and sleeps under the stars. Yet he’s also a grifter with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude that harms those around him. It’s fascinating to watch The Narrator wrestle with Duke’s behavior, trying to determine which to model and which to discard.
Doane creates a relatable protagonist in The Narrator, whose personal growth doesn’t erase his faults. His willingness to hit the road with few resources is admirable, and he’s prescient enough to recognize the jealousy of those who cannot or will not take the leap. His encounters with new foods, places, and people broaden his horizons. Yet his immaturity and selfishness persist. He tells Rosie she’s been a good mother to him but chooses to ignore the continuing concern from his own parents as he effectively disappears from his old life.
Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

The Book Smugglers review Anissa Gray’s The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls :

I am still dipping my toes into the literally fiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray are definitely my cup of tea.
Althea and Proctor Cochran had been pillars of their economically disadvantaged community for years – with their local restaurant/small market and their charity drives. Until they are found guilty of fraud for stealing and keeping most of the money they raised and sent to jail. Now disgraced, their entire family is suffering the consequences, specially their twin teenage daughters Baby Vi and Kim.  To complicate matters even more: Kim was actually the one to call the police on her parents after yet another fight with her mother. […]

Examples of children’s and YA fiction book reviews

The Book Hookup reviews Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give :

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to tackle the voice of a movement like Black Lives Matter, but I do know that Thomas did it with a finesse only a talented author like herself possibly could. With an unapologetically realistic delivery packed with emotion, The Hate U Give is a crucially important portrayal of the difficulties minorities face in our country every single day. I have no doubt that this book will be met with resistance by some (possibly many) and slapped with a “controversial” label, but if you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk in a POC’s shoes, then I feel like this is an unflinchingly honest place to start.
In Angie Thomas’s debut novel, Starr Carter bursts on to the YA scene with both heart-wrecking and heartwarming sincerity. This author is definitely one to watch.
♥ Review: The hype around this book has been unquestionable and, admittedly, that made me both eager to get my hands on it and terrified to read it. I mean, what if I was to be the one person that didn’t love it as much as others? (That seems silly now because of how truly mesmerizing THUG was in the most heartbreakingly realistic way.) However, with the relevancy of its summary in regards to the unjust predicaments POC currently face in the US, I knew this one was a must-read, so I was ready to set my fears aside and dive in. That said, I had an altogether more personal, ulterior motive for wanting to read this book. […]

The New York Times reviews Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood :

Alice Crewe (a last name she’s chosen for herself) is a fairy tale legacy: the granddaughter of Althea Proserpine, author of a collection of dark-as-night fairy tales called “Tales From the Hinterland.” The book has a cult following, and though Alice has never met her grandmother, she’s learned a little about her through internet research. She hasn’t read the stories, because her mother, Ella Proserpine, forbids it.
Alice and Ella have moved from place to place in an attempt to avoid the “bad luck” that seems to follow them. Weird things have happened. As a child, Alice was kidnapped by a man who took her on a road trip to find her grandmother; he was stopped by the police before they did so. When at 17 she sees that man again, unchanged despite the years, Alice panics. Then Ella goes missing, and Alice turns to Ellery Finch, a schoolmate who’s an Althea Proserpine superfan, for help in tracking down her mother. Not only has Finch read every fairy tale in the collection, but handily, he remembers them, sharing them with Alice as they journey to the mysterious Hazel Wood, the estate of her now-dead grandmother, where they hope to find Ella.
“The Hazel Wood” starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best way possible. (The fairy stories Finch relays, which Albert includes as their own chapters, are as creepy and evocative as you’d hope.) Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene, where magic contains truth and the world as it appears is false, where just about anything can happen, particularly in the pages of a very good book. It’s a captivating debut. […]

James reviews Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight, Moon on Goodreads:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August 2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!
This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate (hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too. This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.
The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her illustrators.

Publishers Weekly reviews Elizabeth Lilly’s Geraldine :

This funny, thoroughly accomplished debut opens with two words: “I’m moving.” They’re spoken by the title character while she swoons across her family’s ottoman, and because Geraldine is a giraffe, her full-on melancholy mode is quite a spectacle. But while Geraldine may be a drama queen (even her mother says so), it won’t take readers long to warm up to her. The move takes Geraldine from Giraffe City, where everyone is like her, to a new school, where everyone else is human. Suddenly, the former extrovert becomes “That Giraffe Girl,” and all she wants to do is hide, which is pretty much impossible. “Even my voice tries to hide,” she says, in the book’s most poignant moment. “It’s gotten quiet and whispery.” Then she meets Cassie, who, though human, is also an outlier (“I’m that girl who wears glasses and likes MATH and always organizes her food”), and things begin to look up.
Lilly’s watercolor-and-ink drawings are as vividly comic and emotionally astute as her writing; just when readers think there are no more ways for Geraldine to contort her long neck, this highly promising talent comes up with something new.

Examples of genre fiction book reviews

Karlyn P reviews Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch , a paranormal romance novel , on Goodreads:

4 stars. Great world-building, weak romance, but still worth the read.
I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the more important parts of this book.
The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lackluster stuff.
I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the secondary characters. However, If you read Nora Roberts strictly for the romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it as much as I did.
I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.

Emily May reviews R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars , an epic fantasy novel , on Goodreads:

“But I warn you, little warrior. The price of power is pain.”
Holy hell, what did I just read??
➽ A fantasy military school
➽ A rich world based on modern Chinese history
➽ Shamans and gods
➽ Detailed characterization leading to unforgettable characters
➽ Adorable, opium-smoking mentors
That's a basic list, but this book is all of that and SO MUCH MORE. I know 100% that The Poppy War will be one of my best reads of 2018.
Isn't it just so great when you find one of those books that completely drags you in, makes you fall in love with the characters, and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting moment of it? This is one of those books for me. And I must issue a serious content warning: this book explores some very dark themes. Proceed with caution (or not at all) if you are particularly sensitive to scenes of war, drug use and addiction, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism, self-harm, torture, and rape (off-page but extremely horrific).
Because, despite the fairly innocuous first 200 pages, the title speaks the truth: this is a book about war. All of its horrors and atrocities. It is not sugar-coated, and it is often graphic. The "poppy" aspect refers to opium, which is a big part of this book. It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking.

Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry’s Freefall , a crime novel:

In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it’s a more subtle process, and that’s OK too. So where does Freefall fit into the sliding scale?
In truth, it’s not clear. This is a novel with a thrilling concept at its core. A woman survives plane crash, then runs for her life. However, it is the subtleties at play that will draw you in like a spider beckoning to an unwitting fly.
Like the heroine in Sharon Bolton’s Dead Woman Walking, Allison is lucky to be alive. She was the only passenger in a private plane, belonging to her fiancé, Ben, who was piloting the expensive aircraft, when it came down in woodlands in the Colorado Rockies. Ally is also the only survivor, but rather than sitting back and waiting for rescue, she is soon pulling together items that may help her survive a little longer – first aid kit, energy bars, warm clothes, trainers – before fleeing the scene. If you’re hearing the faint sound of alarm bells ringing, get used to it. There’s much, much more to learn about Ally before this tale is over.

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , a science-fiction novel :

Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world; screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles.
The real world, in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old, orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City, while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.
Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is straightforward but loaded with exposition. It takes a while to reach a scene that crackles with excitement: the meeting between Parzival (now world famous as the lead contender) and Sorrento, the head of IOI. The latter tries to recruit Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home. Too bad this is the dramatic high point. Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood.
Too much puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.

Book review examples for non-fiction books

Nonfiction books are generally written to inform readers about a certain topic. As such, the focus of a nonfiction book review will be on the clarity and effectiveness of this communication . In carrying this out, a book review may analyze the author’s source materials and assess the thesis in order to determine whether or not the book meets expectations.

Again, we’ve included abbreviated versions of long reviews here, so feel free to click on the link to read the entire piece!

The Washington Post reviews David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon :

The arc of David Grann’s career reminds one of a software whiz-kid or a latest-thing talk-show host — certainly not an investigative reporter, even if he is one of the best in the business. The newly released movie of his first book, “The Lost City of Z,” is generating all kinds of Oscar talk, and now comes the release of his second book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the film rights to which have already been sold for $5 million in what one industry journal called the “biggest and wildest book rights auction in memory.”
Grann deserves the attention. He’s canny about the stories he chases, he’s willing to go anywhere to chase them, and he’s a maestro in his ability to parcel out information at just the right clip: a hint here, a shading of meaning there, a smartly paced buildup of multiple possibilities followed by an inevitable reversal of readerly expectations or, in some cases, by a thrilling and dislocating pull of the entire narrative rug.
All of these strengths are on display in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Around the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered underneath Osage lands in the Oklahoma Territory, lands that were soon to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Through foresight and legal maneuvering, the Osage found a way to permanently attach that oil to themselves and shield it from the prying hands of white interlopers; this mechanism was known as “headrights,” which forbade the outright sale of oil rights and granted each full member of the tribe — and, supposedly, no one else — a share in the proceeds from any lease arrangement. For a while, the fail-safes did their job, and the Osage got rich — diamond-ring and chauffeured-car and imported-French-fashion rich — following which quite a large group of white men started to work like devils to separate the Osage from their money. And soon enough, and predictably enough, this work involved murder. Here in Jazz Age America’s most isolated of locales, dozens or even hundreds of Osage in possession of great fortunes — and of the potential for even greater fortunes in the future — were dispatched by poison, by gunshot and by dynamite. […]

Stacked Books reviews Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers :

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. Friends and co-workers tell me that his subjects are interesting and his writing style is easy to follow without talking down to the reader. I wasn’t disappointed with Outliers. In it, Gladwell tackles the subject of success – how people obtain it and what contributes to extraordinary success as opposed to everyday success.
The thesis – that our success depends much more on circumstances out of our control than any effort we put forth – isn’t exactly revolutionary. Most of us know it to be true. However, I don’t think I’m lying when I say that most of us also believe that we if we just try that much harder and develop our talent that much further, it will be enough to become wildly successful, despite bad or just mediocre beginnings. Not so, says Gladwell.
Most of the evidence Gladwell gives us is anecdotal, which is my favorite kind to read. I can’t really speak to how scientifically valid it is, but it sure makes for engrossing listening. For example, did you know that successful hockey players are almost all born in January, February, or March? Kids born during these months are older than the others kids when they start playing in the youth leagues, which means they’re already better at the game (because they’re bigger). Thus, they get more play time, which means their skill increases at a faster rate, and it compounds as time goes by. Within a few years, they’re much, much better than the kids born just a few months later in the year. Basically, these kids’ birthdates are a huge factor in their success as adults – and it’s nothing they can do anything about. If anyone could make hockey interesting to a Texan who only grudgingly admits the sport even exists, it’s Gladwell. […]

Quill and Quire reviews Rick Prashaw’s Soar, Adam, Soar :

Ten years ago, I read a book called Almost Perfect. The young-adult novel by Brian Katcher won some awards and was held up as a powerful, nuanced portrayal of a young trans person. But the reality did not live up to the book’s billing. Instead, it turned out to be a one-dimensional and highly fetishized portrait of a trans person’s life, one that was nevertheless repeatedly dubbed “realistic” and “affecting” by non-transgender readers possessing only a vague, mass-market understanding of trans experiences.
In the intervening decade, trans narratives have emerged further into the literary spotlight, but those authored by trans people ourselves – and by trans men in particular – have seemed to fall under the shadow of cisgender sensationalized imaginings. Two current Canadian releases – Soar, Adam, Soar and This One Looks Like a Boy – provide a pointed object lesson into why trans-authored work about transgender experiences remains critical.
To be fair, Soar, Adam, Soar isn’t just a story about a trans man. It’s also a story about epilepsy, the medical establishment, and coming of age as seen through a grieving father’s eyes. Adam, Prashaw’s trans son, died unexpectedly at age 22. Woven through the elder Prashaw’s narrative are excerpts from Adam’s social media posts, giving us glimpses into the young man’s interior life as he traverses his late teens and early 20s. […]

Book Geeks reviews Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love :

WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5
SUBJECT: 4/5
CANDIDNESS: 4.5/5
RELEVANCE: 3.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5
“Eat Pray Love” is so popular that it is almost impossible to not read it. Having felt ashamed many times on my not having read this book, I quietly ordered the book (before I saw the movie) from amazon.in and sat down to read it. I don’t remember what I expected it to be – maybe more like a chick lit thing but it turned out quite different. The book is a real story and is a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things – Italy (Pleasure), India (Spirituality), Bali (Balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name – EAT (in Italy), PRAY (in India) and LOVE (in Bali, Indonesia). These are also the three Is – ITALY, INDIA, INDONESIA.
Though she had everything a middle-aged American woman can aspire for – MONEY, CAREER, FRIENDS, HUSBAND; Elizabeth was not happy in her life, she wasn’t happy in her marriage. Having suffered a terrible divorce and terrible breakup soon after, Elizabeth was shattered. She didn’t know where to go and what to do – all she knew was that she wanted to run away. So she set out on a weird adventure – she will go to three countries in a year and see if she can find out what she was looking for in life. This book is about that life changing journey that she takes for one whole year. […]

Emily May reviews Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:

Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I've just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.
This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.
I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.
And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.
She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working class family in Chicago.
I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.

Hopefully, this post has given you a better idea of how to write a book review. You might be wondering how to put all of this knowledge into action now! Many book reviewers start out by setting up a book blog. If you don’t have time to research the intricacies of HTML, check out Reedsy Discovery — where you can read indie books for free and review them without going through the hassle of creating a blog. To register as a book reviewer , go here .

And if you’d like to see even more book review examples, simply go to this directory of book review blogs and click on any one of them to see a wealth of good book reviews. Beyond that, it's up to you to pick up a book and pen — and start reviewing!

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How to write a book or film review

a review of a book or a film

Writing a book/film review

Do you know how to write a book or a film review? Follow these steps.

Pre writing

Remember and take notes of the plot of the story. What impression did it produce on you?

Introduction:

Give the title and author of the book, mention the type of the book. If you’re reviewing a film mention the type of film, the director and the actors.

Summarize the plot in a few sentences.

Mention the setting: the place and time of the plot.

Say something about the main characters.

Say something about the content.

Conclusion:  

Comment on the book or film.

Let others know whether or not you liked the book/film.

Give your opinion about the acting of the actors, sound  track, special effects.

Is the author’s style good or bad, is the book / film interesting or boring etc.

Do you want to recommend the book/film?

Post writing

Edit your writing.

Useful Expressions

Title, author / director, actors.

The film is directed by The film is produced by.. It is starred by… The book is written by …

The action takes place in … (setting) The action of the film is set in … The story takes place in…

Characters and Plot

The main characters are … The story is about …. The novel tells the story of … In the course of the novel the action develops dramatically. The novel / film begins with… The novel has an unexpected ending. The end of … is …

I am impressed by I think …. The book is terribly / beautifully written The film is terrible / exciting. What surprised me is … What I liked is… What I didn’t like is… I liked/didn’t like the film / novel because …

a review of a book or a film

Kinds of films / movies
  • Action movies  have a lot of exciting effects like car chases and gun fight. They usually involve ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’, so war and crime are common subjects. Action movies usually need very little effort to watch, since the plot is normally simple.
  • Adventure movies usually involve a hero who sets out on a quest to save the world or loved ones.
  • Animated  movies
  • Comedies  are funny movies about people being silly or doing unusual things that make the audience laugh.
  • Documentaries  are movies that are about real people and real events. They are nearly always serious and may involve strongly emotional subjects, for example cruelty.
  • Dramas  are serious, and often about people falling in love or needing to make a big decision in their life. They tell stories about relationships between people.
  • Tragedies  are always dramas, and are about people in trouble. For example, a husband and wife who are divorcing must each try to prove to a court of law that they are the best person to take care of their child. Emotion (feelings) are a big part of the movie and the audience (people watching the movie) may get upset and even cry.
  • Family  movies are made to be good for the entire family. They are mainly made for children but often entertaining for adults as well. Disney is famous for their family movies.
  • Horror movies  use fear to excite the audience. Music, lighting and sets (man-made places in movie studios where the movie is made) are all designed to add to the feeling.
  • Romantic Comedies  (Rom-Coms) are usually love stories about 2 people from different worlds, who must overcome obstacles to be together. Rom-Coms are always light-hearted, but may include some emotion.
  • Science fiction  (sci-fi) movies are set in the future or in outer space. Some use their future or alien settings to ask questions about the meaning of life or how we should think about life. Science fiction movies often use special effects to create images of alien worlds, outer space, alien creatures, and spaceships.
  • Thrillers are usually about a mystery, strange event, or crime that needs to be solved. The audience is kept guessing until the final minutes, when there are usually ‘twists’ in the plot (surprises).
  • Western  movies tell stories about cowboys in the western United States in the 1800s. They are usually really action movies, but with historical costume. They may or may not involve Indians (Native Americans).
  • Fantasy  movies include magical and impossible things that any real human being cannot do.
Review Sample

Star-Wars

One of my favourite films is one of the Star Wars series. I’ve got the video. It’s an exciting science fiction film and it’s called The Phantom Menace . It’s the first part of a trilogy about a boy called Anakin Skywalker.

In this film Anakin is nine years old and he lives with his mother on planet Tatsin. Strange-looking creatures rule this planet and Anakin and all the other human beings are slaves. Anakin’s dream is to become one of the Jedi knights, the brave guardians of the galaxy, and free his people. One day two Jedi knights land on Tatsin and Anakin thinks his dream might finally come true.

I enjoy watching this film because it’s never boring. The story is full of surprises and suspense. And the action never stops. There are spaceship races, battles with robots and really exciting fight scenes with the Jedi knights. I like those the best. Also, the space scenes and the different creatures on the planets are amazing and they look so real.

You must go and see this film or get the video. You may not like science fiction but this film is special. The story is exciting and the scenery and acting is brilliant. And it’s not just a film for children. All the family should see it. I can’t wait to see the next two films in the trilogy.

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a review of a book or a film

For years I found myself visiting a particular author’s website over and over again. 

Why? Because I liked his movie reviews. We had similar tastes in movies, and if he didn’t like a movie, I figured I wouldn’t either. 

Authors often ask me, “What should I talk about in my email newsletter?” or “What should I blog about?” I recommend writing book reviews and movie reviews. Reviews provide helpful information for your readers. As readers agree with your tastes, they’ll feel connected to you, and you’ll build credibility with your target reader.

While reviews make great content for all writers, they are  magic  for unpublished novelists. 

When you write reviews on books and movies in your genre, you develop your taste, voice, and audience. Writing reviews keeps you reading and forces you to read with intent. 

Readers don’t want to read your blog post on how to write romance novels, but they do want to find out what you thought about the popular romance novel everyone is talking about. Your reviews help readers find new books to read. Over time, your readers will view you as a reliable source of book recommendations, which is  really  helpful when it comes time to recommend your own book. 

But there is a catch to writing book reviews, and two Novel Marketing listeners called in wondering about it. 

How do you write a  good, helpful  book review?

Two Kinds of Reviews

Before you write a review, you need to decide what kind of review you want to write.

There are two kinds of reviews.

Standard Reviews (Discovery)

A standard review helps readers answer the question, “Is this the kind of book I would enjoy reading?” Readers typically seek a standard review  before  they read a book they’ve already heard about.

But readers also  discover  new books through standard reviews. They may not have known about the book until they read your review, and after reading and learning about the book, they’ll decide whether to read it.

Spoiler Reviews (Understanding)

I asked listeners on  AuthorMedia.social  whether they read book reviews after they’ve finished the book, and most of them did! Sometimes people read reviews to understand the book better after they’ve completed it. 

Spoiler reviews give readers a sense of community and a place to discuss a book. Readers are curious to see whether anyone else noticed that the author got the horses all wrong. 

Some readers like spoiler reviews because they can read the full review and skip the book altogether. 

For instance, some people say, “I want to be able to talk about  Thinking Fast and Slow  (Affiliate Link) without actually having to finish that book.”

Or, “I don’t want to read  Jordan Peterson’s  12 Rules for Life  (Affiliate Link), but I want to be able to argue with people who like Jordan Peterson. So what do I need to know about it?”

Why Most Reviews are Boring

If the person writing the review is unskilled or doesn’t have a strategy, their book reviews can be painfully dull. 

Reviews are usually boring because the reviewer lacks:

  • Passion 

Specificity

Originality .

How do you write interesting reviews? You develop those characteristics. 

Your duty is to your reader, not the author of the book. Don’t water down your opinion just because you are afraid you will hurt the author’s feelings. A courageously negative review may actually sell more copies of a book than a boring milk-toast review. 

Why? Because no one reads boring reviews! And if few people read the review, then fewer people will discover the book. And if readers don’t know about it, they can’t buy it. 

The more you care about the book (or what the book could have been if you didn’t like it), the more your readers will enjoy reading your review. Enthusiasm is infectious. Apathy is noxious. Your enthusiasm for the genre will make your reviews more fun and convincing. 

Good reviews address the specifics of what you liked and didn’t like. You can be specific without spoiling it. 

For instance, I loved the characters of  Avatar the Last Airbender . I loved how each of them changed, and I loved how they interacted with each other. By the third season, each character had undergone a transformation, but you will have to watch the show to find out why. 

Most reviewers begin by reading other reviews about the same book so their thoughts will be similar. Don’t do that. You can read the other reviews, but you must say something new. Tell us what  you  thought, not what you think society wants you to think. There is enormous pressure to conform. The only way to stand out is to resist the pressure.

Pick an Angle

One way to quickly make your reviews more popular is to pick an angle for your reviews. Your angle not only makes the reviews more interesting to readers, but it also makes them easier to write. Instead of reviewing the whole book, review just one aspect of the book.

You can choose any angle, but here are a few to get you thinking.

Persona Review

One common way to review books is through a persona. View the book through the lens of one aspect of your identity. For example, you might title your persona review “A Homeschool Mom’s Review of  The Shack ” or perhaps, “A Texan’s Review of The Dark Tower Series.” 

The popular YouTube Channel called  Girlfriend Reviews  provides an excellent example of how persona reviews work. She talks about video games, but she doesn’t review the game itself. 

She talks about what it’s like to live with someone who  plays  the video game. For instance, she’ll discuss how annoying the game is to listen to from the next room. Persona reviews can be extremely entertaining and useful, as the channel’s 1.26 million subscribers would testify.

Content Review 

Content reviews answer questions about whether a book is rated R rated or PG. The reviewer reveals what types of objectionable content the book includes. 

Different readers find different kinds of content objectionable. Some readers are offended by bad language and sexual content, but they are fine reading graphic violence. Other readers object to violence of any kind but accept the profanity. 

When you write a review, you’re forced to know and address the issues your audience cares about. 

Content reviews are in high demand, but very few reviewers are writing them.

Worldview Review 

Readers want to know whether a book will line up with their worldview. They want to know if a book secretly advocates for communism, feminism, capitalism, environmentalism, conservatism, liberalism, etc. Every  ism  has an audience who wants to know whether the book will match their worldview.   

When you review a book through the lens of a particular worldview, you help readers decide whether the book is one they want to read.

Comedy Review

Some people use book reviews as a chance to crack jokes and make readers laugh. Mathew Pierce writes comedy reviews, and he titled one recent review, “ I Did Not Read Girl, Wash Your Face , but I Am Outraged By It .” While that blog post could technically be considered a review, it’s more of a platform for the author to write social commentary and make jokes. 

Technical Review

If you have an area of technical expertise, you can review the book’s attention to pertinent details. For example, if you know a lot about guns, you can detail how the author got the guns right (or not). If you are a historian or a scientist, you can validate or argue certain aspects of the setting, events, or plausibility of the science used in the story.  

Theology Review

Just because a book is published by a Christian publisher doesn’t mean it has good theology. Additionally, each reader has a different understanding of what constitutes “good theology.” Christian readers often read reviews to determine the theological underpinnings of a book before they read or buy it. 

What to Include in Your Review

Open with a line that sparks curiosity ..

Your reader is asking, “Why should I care about this review?” and you must begin by answering that question.

Mark Twain brilliantly sparks curiosity in his  review of James Fenimore Cooper  by titling his essay “Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses.” Twain opens with quotes from literature professors claiming that “Cooper is the greatest artist in the domain of romantic fiction in America. “

Get your popcorn, ladies and gentlemen! We are in for a fight. What will Mark Twain say to these luminaries? 

There are many ways to pique curiosity. You don’t have to be controversial, but you do have to make people curious  somehow . 

If you are writing a comedy review, open with one of your best jokes. 

If you are writing a technical review, make people curious. “Is  The Expanse  really hard science fiction, or is it secretly a space opera? Let’s dig into the science and find out.”    

Answer these Questions:

  • What did you love?
  • What did you hate?
  • Who would like this book?
  • Who would hate this book?
  • How does this book compare with similar books?

The more specific you can be with your answers, the more helpful your review will be.

Close with a summary .

If you shortened your book review into a Rotten Tomatoes blurb, how would it read? Closing your book review with a summary is an excellent way to practice making punchy and truthful statements with only a few words. And if you can say it in less than 280 characters, it’s also tweetable. 

5 Tips on Writing Better Reviews

Tip #1: pick a goal and an audience..

Who are you writing your review for? The answer to that question will shape your review.

  • Is this a spoiler review for readers who have already read the book? 
  • Is this a critical review for people who have no intention of reading the book? 
  • Is this a review for potential readers who haven’t decided if they will read the book?
  • Is this a review for moms wondering whether this would be a good book to buy for their children? 

Having a consistent goal will help you develop your reviewer voice and provide consistency.

Tip # 2: Make an argument, then provide evidence. 

“ Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses” by Mark Twain  is a good example of how to argue and prove a point. Fenimore Cooper was the author of  The Last of the Mohicans  and several other popular books during the first half of the 19th century.

In that review, Mark Twain laid out 19 rules for writing romantic fiction, and then he showed how Cooper’s writing in  The Deerslayer  violated 18 of those rules. One of those rules is still commonly quoted today: “Use the right word, not its second cousin.”

He concludes with this:

“Now I feel sure, deep down in my heart, that Cooper wrote about the poorest English that exists in our language, and that the English of “Deerslayer” is the very worst that even Cooper ever wrote.”

Twain got away with that scathing summary because he first gave evidence to back it up. If you write fiction, I encourage you to take a few minutes to read his essay. 

Tip # 3: Write both negative and positive reviews.

Positive reviews build your audience, demonstrate what you like, and develop relationships with other authors. If a positive review is the playground of fun reading, a negative review is the fence around the playground.  

​​Negative reviews build your credibility, demonstrate your reading tastes, and develop your courage. 

Writing both negative and positive makes reviews familiar with your tastes. They’ll be able to predict their own enjoyment of a book based on your negative or positive review.

Tip # 4: Establish a creative scoring system.

If you plan to write a lot of reviews, you might consider establishing your own scoring system. For example, Rotten Tomatoes is the “home of the  Tomatometer , the most trusted measurement of quality for Movies & TV.”

When it’s done well, a scoring system provides context for your reviews and makes them more fun to read. The more creative you are, the better. Avoid a five-star system, especially if you plan to give every book four or five stars. This is not a helpful scoring system. 

Howard Taylor  has three categories in his scoring system:

  • Cleared the Threshold of Awesome
  • Not Awesome, Not Disappointing
  • Fell Below the Threshold of Disappointment

He also ranks each movie against the others. Each year you can see what his fifth favorite film was for that year. This scoring system gives his reviews plenty of context. 

You could also score various elements of the book. For example, “The plot and characters get a thumbs up, but the setting gets a thumbs down.” 

Tip # 5: Study Craft

If you find it difficult to write reviews for the books you are reading, it may indicate you haven’t read enough books on the craft of writing.

Here are some craft books you should consider:

  • Plot & Structure , James Scott Bell  (Affiliate Link)
  • Getting into Character , by Brandilyn Collins  (Affiliate Link)
  • The Story Equation , by Susan May Warren  (Affiliate Link)

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When it comes to blogging, Thomas Umstattd Jr. knows what he is talking about. His two blogs have several million page views, and he has also coached authors all over the world who collectively get millions of visitors each year.

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movie and book review

Movie and Book Reviews: How to Write a Great Critique

a review of a book or a film

If you've been requested to write an essay movie review along with a book review introduction, there are some required components to keep in mind. You may either save time by purchasing a custom book review example or a movie review essay sample from us, or alternatively, our cheap paper writing service can walk you through producing an analysis deserving of the highest grades.

When writing a movie or book review template, it is important to reflect on your personal opinion of the piece and evaluate it to certain criteria.

To review a book, it needs to comment on what points made it great and enjoyable to read and then compare it to similar books in its genre or prequels. Also, say why you would recommend it to someone and back this up with facts for every statement.

A movie review should analyze the fundamental ideas in your unique style and highlight key aspects, such as surprising narrative twists and relatable characters. Additionally, you must state why you think others should see the movie, supported by evidence and quotations. It should discuss how it stacks up against similar or precursor films and other movies in the same genre before judging whether a sequel is warranted. You won't have to keep asking yourself, 'how to write a movie review?' if you consider these things.

How to Write a Book or Movie Review Essay

When wondering how to write a book review or a movie review outline, begin by reading or watching the work as frequently as you can and make a list of all your initial thoughts. You may even compile judgments from classmates and friends to get comments from several sources.

If the chosen workpiece is well-researched, you can write a book review more intriguingly. Thorough research will help make the review writing process easier as you gain in-depth knowledge of the chosen piece to write about.

Here are some questions our write my essay service professionals put together to help you understand how to write a book review example along with the movie evaluation faster and in more detail:

  • Where is the film or book set? - Knowing this will give the reader a clear picture and visual imagery of the piece and save time having to describe it later.
  • Is it a sequel, and what are the origins? - Such knowledge will benefit the reader if they do not already know the series or the history and will gain a better understanding of the piece.
  • Does the book or movie fall into any genre? - Establishing this will help you compare it to other books or movies later.
  • Is it a famous author or director? - This will give out more background information that you can use to compare in the review.
  • Interesting or significant facts about the movie or book? - Presenting these associations well will increase the reader's interest and give you extra points to write about.
  • Is the plot riveting? Any major twists? - Describing the most gripping elements without spoiling the piece for the reader will give you the most interest and marks.
  • Are the characters well-developed or believable? - If you can write about main characters or actors, this will give you more content to compare and create further interest with the reader.
  • Who is the target audience, and does it appeal to others? - This will help you analyze it faster and understand who will appreciate the piece more.

After considering these questions and reflecting upon them, you won't have a hard time wondering how to start a book review or how to write a movie review template anymore!

start movie or book essay

Know the Background

If the chosen book or movie is well researched, this will enable you to write a critique that will be interesting but also detailed in the right places. Thorough research will help make the review process easier as you will gain in-depth knowledge behind the chosen piece to write about.

Here are some questions our write my essay service professionals put together to help you write the critique faster and more detailed:

  • Where is the film or book set? - Knowing this will give the reader a clear picture and visual imagery into the piece and save you time having to describe it later.
  • Is it a sequel and what are the origins? - Such knowledge will benefit the reader if they do not already know the series or the history and will gain a better understanding of the piece.
  • Does the book or movie fall into any genre? - Establishing this will help you compare it to other books or movies later on.
  • Is it a famous author or director? - This will give out more background information which you can use to make comparisons in the review.
  • Interesting or significant facts about the movie or book? - Presenting these associations well will build more interest in the reader and also give you extra points to write about.
  • Is the plot riveting, any major twists? - Describing the most gripping elements without spoiling the piece for the reader will give you most interest and marks.
  • Are the characters well developed or believable? - If you can write about main characters or actors, this will give you more content to compare and create further interest with the reader.
  • Who is the target audience and does it have appeal to others? - This will help you analyze it faster and also gain more understanding to who will appreciate the piece.

What our Book/Movie Review Service Offers

Here at EssayService, we have many blogs and guides for free to help you achieve your best so the writing experience can go as smooth as possible. We have more to offer than the other essay writing services and take pride in providing the best possible solution to our clients.

  • Security and anonymity
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a review of a book or a film

Key Elements of the Assignment

Some important sections to include in the movie and book review format are:

Introduction - It is important to make the book/film review beginning as catchy as possible, as you want your audience to be informed yet hooked. Make sure you mention the title and author in the first paragraph, too, as it can frustrate readers not knowing who they are reading about.

Main Body - This is where you should include the most descriptive details of the review, like important points from the plot and thoughts and opinions on acting, cinematography, music, special effects, costumes, literary devices, main characters, and the author's style.

Conclusion - At this point, you can give your recommendations on the piece and back this up with reasons why. Also, consider whether it changed your perception of a given topic and if something can be learned from it.

Movie Review Vs. Book Review

If you were ever wondering how to review a book and movie simultaneously, know that this is possible. It usually happens when the motion picture is based on the book. Also, you can be asked to review two different stories entirely, which have a more subtle connection, like director/author, moral, or purpose. Alternatively, you can get help writing a book review and a movie evaluation at our ' pay for essay ' services.

Let's look at the differences and similarities between a book and a movie review:

Similarities:

  • Both need to mention important points about the plot or storyline.
  • Highlight the main characters and what makes them memorable.
  • Compare the original storyline to the latter.
  • Any conventional styles from the director/author.
  • Do they share the same purpose of informing the audience in some way?

Differences:

  • Look at the literary devices used and what does the writing style say?
  • Organization and structure play a vital part.
  • Does the tone of the text or author have anything to add to the review?
  • Are there any illustrations in the book or additional art that can be commented upon?
  • There is less to see physically, so it is important to look for subtle imagery within the text and review this.
  • Analyze the actors and what they bring to the motion picture.
  • The on-screen cinematography, the set, and the lighting must be criticized.
  • Does the date of release have any significance to the movie, and were there delays?
  • Does the use of costumes fit the genre and period the movie is set in?
  • Try to look for artistic visual references that a director might have put in and that not many people have spotted before.

So a book or movie review structure must contain your opinions and thoughts about the chosen piece. To become a professional critic, you need to know how to write a book recommendation while evaluating many different kinds of works and having them published in various media, like professional essay writers . If professional critics have reviewed your chosen work, remember what kind of feedback they gave you.

movie/book review

Personal Opinions vs Popular Critic Opinions

Famous critics usually write shorter reviews and use less technical language for the general public to understand. With that in mind, one must draw inspiration from the things they do well and the experiences that can help with your assignment and become a credible critic.

Here are some more questions to help with mastering how to write a good book review or a movie evaluation:

  • Does the length have an impact on the piece?
  • What suggestions can be added to improve it?
  • Is the music catchy and adds more depth, or is it a wasted addition?
  • What was the professional critic's verdict compared to yours?
  • Why is the book or movie version better or worse?

Movie Review Sample

Italian Culture Through a Film Analysis: Comparison and Contrast Between Senso and Vincere

Italian cinematography goes an extra mile beyond offering entertainment to viewers and is espoused in demonstrating varied aspects of Italian history and culture through the scenes as they are played in movies in a creative manner that embodies aspects of neorealism, rich architectural value of Italy and the extended ideal of having to build stories on the enchanting ideals of music through operas. Majority of the Italian movies produced often do have their plot twists warring away from expressing the cultural ideals of Italy through the combinatory reflection of art and politics in extensive measure. Essentially the movies are tied around expounding on the revolutionary image of Italy through music during the Risorgimento era. Director’s Luchino Visconti and Marco Bellocchio are no exception to this ideal of Italian cinematography considering that the movies Senso and Vincere respectively embody varied aspects of film production with a touch and emphasis of Italian culture. The underlying chapters are dedicated towards inferring on a comparative and contrasting analysis of these two films to demonstrate an existing relationship in Italian cinematography with art and Italian politics that defines the culture of Italy through a transitive period of several decades but still resonates to the foundational tenets of the nation.

To get an understanding of Italian cinematography production in the mid Twentieth Century it is important that one gets the definition of neorealism as a style of film production. With neorealism, the plot of movies are usually tied around Italian stories of the poor and the struggling working class that in many situations involves non-professional actors with the set plays being done on location. Senso adopts this ideal of film production whereby the film is tied around explaining the Risorgimento fight that was focused on Italy’s unification as a nation thereby giving the movie a revolutionary touch. Similarly, a century later, Mussolini replicates a similar storyline in the production of Vincere which has a revolutionary touch to it. The movie title in itself embodies aspects of revolution as it is Italian for conquer and is focused on expounding on dictatorship in Italy under the Socialist party governance by inferring on the biopic of a leader’s marriage that is reflective of the overburdening trysts in the nation. Vincere is a classical release on the life of a hated leader which is brought to the big screen through adoption of a satirical glamorized aspect of horrific events of a leader that is hated by a majority of his people.

The first encounter with the rich Italian culture is first introduced to us in Senso is presented through the first act that opens with an opera performance in La Fenice prior to the country receiving its freedom from the oppressive hold of the Austrian Empire. The opera in play is Il trovatore by Verdi whose chorus have a revolutionary touch that is focused on resisting the Austrians. Conversantly, the difference between the rich and poor is portrayed at this point by an array of anti-Austrian leaflets flying in the air to the distinct sitting positions in the opera while at the same time focused on women oppression by undermining and warning of their dressing code. It progressively transitions into expounding on the love life of Livia who is the Serpieri Countless. On the other hand, Vincere also embodies aspects of the opera and opens directly into inferring on the active life of Benito Mussolini in a horrific manner that is keen on explaining the secret life of the leader and relationship to Ida Dalser with an operatic touch. A great extend of Vincere’s production is build on using the operatic sound notes that include a clamoring swelling and swooping of the music throughout the movie. Reflectively, this style is categorical with the 1930’s Italian movie reels that are focused on propaganda from this era being juxtaposed in a masterful way with ideal scenes of victims holed in mental hospitals that is compared to the billowing and subsiding voices of the opera in the movie.

Both movies go an extra mile of portraying the role and position of women in society in two different times with a comparative inference on their role in society not having changed much irrespective of the ideal that it is several decades later. Senso depicts the 19th Century perception of women in society as being baby carriers and chattels who were not allowed their democratic rights that gave rise to nationalism women who were keen on mapping a path for future women. In this case, Livia the countess is in many scenes of the movie left out when it comes to times of activities that are tied to both social and political proponents. Her life generally is planned for her as she arranged an aristocratic marriage to a man who is way older and in many instances is portrayed in a melodramatic way that depicts her as an infidel out to only satisfy her sexual desires by falling in love with Franz. Furthermore, Visconti depicts women in a demeaning manner by portraying them as prostitutes who men use as vessels of asserting their masculinity and ego as was the case of Franz who turned to prostitutes as a means of his own self-assertion. In Vincere’s case, the female sex is expressed through the character of Dalser who is subjugated by Mussolini before he ascends to power in that she sells all that in her possession so as to finance a Socialist newspaper that backs her lovers’ leadership ideals. The woman’s image is portrayed as being desperate for attention of males considering the need by Dalser to be reassured that she is loved. However, the movie has a unique way of connecting sex with the battle that emasculates to history making; the tense sexual images between the two lover transitions into an image of progressively marching soldiers thus creating a link between the troubled relationship and the situation at the battleground.

The ideal of a classical score by Crivelli being utilized in Vincere coupled with aspects of authenticated period touch and the excellent acting, the movie closely borders to melodrama but the main character in the movie gives it an absolutely different feel. Bellochio cuts short the feeling of melodrama in the movie with the intensity he brings to the movie. Senso on the other hand is played as an agonized love story that is built on the backdrop of a wide pool of history whereby neorealism has been utilized in the most ideal of ways. In its production the styled grandeur of Italy is not left out in the selection and settling for sets for different scenes; realism is utilized in the film production and incorporated with aspects of melodrama to come up with an excellent piece that encompasses love and war in a mutually enriching proponents to come up with a great film. In the production of Senso, Italian architecture is not left out, setting incorporate ideals of lined streets with balconies with people crammed all over the houses and an opera house in the town. The beauty of the Italian countryside is not left out in the depiction of architecture which goes to the extent of incorporating actual palazzos that brings out a rather soap opera feel to the whole movie when aspects of passion are expressed in the movie.

In both movies, a romantic aspect is brought out in the most twisted of ways that can be imagined and also intertwined with conflicting position in the leadership of Italy as illustrated through the historical plot twist in the movies. The women in the films play an integral role and paint effectively the romantic role in twisted ways which if incorporated with the color use in the movie production give the movies a balanced feel between romance and war. The photography of soldiers together with the sound production is exemplary go to a greater extent of giving the movies a victorious and historical feel aspect. However, Vincere fails to connect with a modern day audience which did not grow up during the era of Mussolini for it comes out as pretty difficult in making a connection between his private life inferences to his rather dictatorial public persona.

References:

  • Celli, Carlo and Marga Cottino-Jones. A New Guide to Italian Cinema. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
  • Milicent, Marcus. 'Visconti's Senso The Risorgimento According to Gramsci.' Millabon, William. Italian Film in the Light of Neorealism. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1986. 12-45.
  • Thompson, Kristin, and David Bordwell. Film History: An Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

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  • How To Write A Review: Cambridge B2 First

How to Write a Review - Cambridge B2 First | Oxford House Barcelona

  • Posted on 24/07/2019
  • Categories: Blog
  • Tags: B2 First , Cambridge Exams , FCE , First Certificate , Resources to learn English , Writing

Students who are taking their B2 First Certificate exam (FCE) will be asked to do two pieces of writing within an 80 minute time limit. Part 1 is always an essay . Part 2 is where you can get a bit more creative. You might, for example, be asked to write a letter, a report or a review, all of which have their own style and set guidelines.

When writing a review it can be difficult to know where to start. But don’t be afraid! We are here to help you every step of the way.

Remember a review could be for a book, a film, a magazine, a restaurant or even a product .

Three steps to writing a great review

Let’s start with something simple. Imagine. You turn over the page to your writing part 2 and you see this question:

How to write a review - Cambridge B2 First | Oxford House Barcelona

Question taken from Cambridge Assessment English website . (Feb 2018)

Step One: Make a plan

The first thing to do is to make a plan, just like we did in our B2 First essay guidelines .

Think of a book you read in which the main character behaved in a surprising way. This could be surprising in a good way, where the character does something amazing and helps somebody. Or maybe there’s a twist at the end and the character does something really shocking. Either way take some time to really think about your choice.

E.g. I’m going to choose The Great Gatsby, because I had to read the book 3 times when I was at school and I’ve seen the film so I feel like I know it really well .

The structure

Next, think of the structure. Consider all the parts of the question and use that to help organise your review. Make notes about the following:

  • An interesting title
  • A catchy introduction
  • A summary of the plot
  • A surprising moment
  • Your recommendation

Remember you’re going to want to separate these with clear paragraphs that are going to help the examiner read to the end without getting a headache.

You also need to consider the tone and how the review should sound to the reader. Remember this is for a magazine. Think about all the magazines you like to read. You want to sound chatty and grab the reader’s attention, but not bore them to sleep. Think semi-formal but friendly!

Useful Vocabulary

Now brainstorm some useful vocabulary for your chosen book, including lots of adjectives. Avoid using boring adjectives like good or bad . It’s much more exciting to say ‘amazing’ and ‘disappointing’ or ‘ terrific ’ and ‘terrible’ .

Here’s some more useful vocabulary to get you started:

superficial / deceptive / fascinating / unbelievable / rich / lonely / kind / reserved/ to be set in / to be written by / prosperity / characters / jazz age / protagonist / atmosphere / author / chapter / ending / fictional towns / prohibition / novel / on the outskirts / sad story.

Your next step is to think of some linking phrases. These are going to help tie together your thoughts and bring your review to life!

  • Overall if you like…
  • I was pleasantly surprised by…
  • In fact…
  • What I disliked the most was…
  • The book contains…
  • As well as…
  • This well-written book…
  • Unbelievably…

Step Two: Write it

Once you have a solid plan, writing your review should be easy!

First start with an interesting title. E.g. The Unexpected Anti-Hero. It relates to both the book that’s being reviewed and the question. It’s also short and snappy .

Next write an engaging introduction. Maybe start with a rhetorical question, for example:

Are you a fan of the Jazz Age? Then this is the book for you!

Or a general statement about the book that will hook the reader:

The Great Gatsby is a classic, with many twists and turns.

You could also give some background information. Here we use the past simple:

The Great Gatsby was written by F.S.Fitzgerald and is set in prosperous Long Island in 1922.

The second paragraph should summarise the plot (note – we usually describe a story in present tense ):

Gatsby is a mysterious character, he has big extravagant parties, and we never know if we can trust him.

The third paragraph is where we introduce the surprising moment and reveal what the main character did and why it was surprising:

  • The most shocking part is when…
  • I couldn’t believe it when…
  • It was so surprising when…

In the fourth paragraph, give a recommendation! Here the examiner wants to hear your overall opinion. It can be something simple:

  • I strongly recommend..

Or something more inventive:

  • I wouldn’t read the novel again because…
  • Everyone should read this immediately!

But don’t forget to say why!

Step Three: Check it

Now you have your winning book review it’s time to check for all those little (and big) mistakes.

Make sure you check:

  • You’ve answered all parts of the question.
  • It is easy to read.
  • Your spelling is correct.
  • You’ve used the 3rd person(s).
  • You have used punctuation.
  • There’s a variety of nouns and adjectives.
  • Pick a book you know quite well! Whether it’s Harry Potter or The Hunger Games , make sure you have lots to say about it!
  • Don’t be afraid to give both negative and positive opinions!
  • Experiment with using first person and try addressing the reader with ‘you’.
  • Read lots of real authentic reviews online, anything from holidays to music concerts, exhibitions to video games!
  • Remember to put some of your own personality into your review. Have some fun with it and good luck!

Follow the links for some excellent phrases and vocabulary for other types of reviews.

Restaurant Reviews

Film Reviews

TV / Theatre Reviews

Exhibition & Concert Reviews

Here are some more sample questions for you to practice on your own:

How to write a review - Example I - Cambridge B2 First | Oxford House Barcelona

Choose one and post your reviews in the comments section.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Twist (n): : a sudden change in a story that you do not expect..

Chatty (adj): having a friendly style.

Avoid doing something (v): to intentionally not do something.

Terrific (adj): excellent.

Snappy (adj): concise.

Hook (v): to catch.

adj = adjective

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  • By: oxfordadmin
  • Posted on 17/07/2019

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How to Write a Movie Review

Last Updated: January 18, 2024 Fact Checked

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 178 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 5,515,225 times. Learn more...

Whether a movie is a rotten tomato or a brilliant work of art, if people are watching it, it's worth critiquing. A decent movie review should entertain, persuade and inform, providing an original opinion without giving away too much of the plot. A great movie review can be a work of art in its own right. Read on to learn how to analyze a movie like a professional film critic, come up with an interesting thesis, and write a review as entertaining as your source material.

Sample Movie Reviews

a review of a book or a film

Writing an Intro for a Movie Review

Step 1 Start with a compelling fact, quote, or opinion on the movie.

  • Comparison to Relevant Event or Movie: "Every day, our leaders, politicians, and pundits call for "revenge"– against terrorist groups, against international rivals, against other political parties. But few of them understand the cold, destructive, and ultimately hollow thrill of revenge as well as the characters of Blue Ruin. "
  • Review in a nutshell: "Despite a compelling lead performance by Tom Hanks and a great soundtrack, Forrest Gump never gets out of the shadow of its weak plot and questionable premise."
  • Context or Background Information: " Boyhood might be the first movie made where knowing how it was produced–slowly, over 12 years, with the same actors–is just as crucial as the movie itself."

Step 2 Give a clear, well-established opinion early on.

  • Using stars, a score out of 10 or 100, or the simple thumbs-up and thumbs-down is a quick way to give your thoughts. You then write about why you chose that rating.
  • Great Movie: ABC is the rare movie that succeeds on almost every level, where each character, scene, costume, and joke firing on all cylinders to make a film worth repeated viewings."
  • Bad Movie: "It doesn't matter how much you enjoy kung-fu and karate films: with 47 Ronin, you're better off saving your money, your popcorn, and time."
  • Okay Movie: "I loved the wildly uneven Interstellar far more than I should have, but that doesn't mean it is perfect. Ultimately, the utter awe and spectacle of space swept me through the admittedly heavy-handed plotting and dialogue."

Step 3 Support your opinions with evidence from specific scenes.

  • Great: "Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer's chemistry would carry Fruitvale Station even if the script wasn't as good. The mid-movie prison scene in particular, where the camera never leaves their faces, shows how much they can convey with nothing but their eyelids, the flashing tension of neck muscles, and a barely cracking voice."
  • Bad: " Jurassic World's biggest flaw, a complete lack of relatable female characters, is only further underscored by a laughably unrealistic shot of our heroine running away from a dinosaur – in heels."
  • Okay: "At the end of the day, Snowpiercer can't decide what kind of movie it wants to be. The attention to detail in fight scenes, where every weapon, lightbulb, and slick patch of ground is accounted for, doesn't translate to an ending that seems powerful but ultimately says little of substance."

Step 4 Create an original...

  • Does the film reflect on a current event or contemporary issue? It could be the director's way of engaging in a bigger conversation. Look for ways to relate the content of the film to the "real" world.
  • Does the film seem to have a message, or does it attempt to elicit a specific response or emotion from the audience? You could discuss whether or not it achieves its own goals.
  • Does the film connect with you on a personal level? You could write a review stemming from your own feelings and weave in some personal stories to make it interesting for your readers.

Composing Your Review

Step 1 Follow your thesis paragraph with a short plot summary.

  • When you name characters in your plot summary, list the actors' names directly afterward in parenthesis.
  • Find a place to mention the director's name and the full movie title.
  • If you feel you must discuss information that might "spoil" things for readers, warn them first.

Step 2 Start to talk about the film’s technical and artistic choices.

  • Cinematography: " Her is a world drenched in color, using bright, soft reds and oranges alongside calming whites and grays that both build, and slowly strip away, the feelings of love between the protagonists. Every frame feels like a painting worth sitting in."
  • Tone: "Despite the insane loneliness and high stakes of being stuck alone on Mars, The Martian's witty script keeps humor and excitement alive in every scene. Space may be dangerous and scary, but the joy of scientific discovery is intoxicating."
  • Music and Sound: " No Country For Old Men's bold decision to skip music entirely pays off in spades. The eerie silence of the desert, punctuated by the brief spells of violent, up-close-and-personal sound effects of hunter and hunted, keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat."
  • Acting: "While he's fantastic whenever he's on the move, using his cool stoicism to counteract the rampaging bus, Keanu Reeves can't quite match his costar in the quiet moments of Speed, which falter under his expressionless gaze."

Step 3 Move into your...

  • Keep your writing clear and easy to understand. Don't use too much technical filmmaking jargon, and make your language crisp and accessible.
  • Present both the facts and your opinion. For example, you might state something such as, "The Baroque background music was a jarring contrast to the 20th century setting." This is a lot more informative then simply saying, "The music was a strange choice for the movie."

Step 4 Use plenty of examples to back up your points.

  • Great: "In the end, even the characters of Blue Ruin know how pointless their feud is. But revenge, much like every taut minute of this thriller, is far too addictive to give up until the bitter end.""
  • Bad: "Much like the oft-mentioned "box of chocolates", Forest Gump has a couple of good little morsels. But most of the scenes, too sweet by half, should have been in the trash long before this movie was put out."
  • Okay: "Without the novel, even revolutionary concept, Boyhood may not be a great movie. It might not even be "good.” But the power the film finds in the beauty of passing time and little, inconsequential moments – moments that could only be captured over 12 years of shooting – make Linklater's latest an essential film for anyone interested in the art of film."

Polishing Your Piece

Step 1 Edit your review.

  • Ask yourself whether your review stayed true to your thesis. Did your conclusion tie back in with the initial ideas you proposed?
  • Decide whether your review contains enough details about the movie. You may need to go back and add more description here and there to give readers a better sense of what the movie's about.
  • Decide whether your review is interesting enough as a stand-alone piece of writing. Did you contribute something original to this discussion? What will readers gain from reading your review that they couldn't from simply watching the movie?

Step 2 Proofread your review.

Studying Your Source Material

Step 1 Gather basic facts about the movie.

  • The title of the film, and the year it came out.
  • The director's name.
  • The names of the lead actors.

Step 2 Take notes on the movie as you watch it.

  • Make a note every time something sticks out to you, whether it's good or bad. This could be costuming, makeup, set design, music, etc. Think about how this detail relates to the rest of the movie and what it means in the context of your review.
  • Take note of patterns you begin to notice as the movie unfolds.
  • Use the pause button frequently so you make sure not to miss anything, and rewind as necessary.

Step 3 Analyze the mechanics of the movie.

  • Direction: Consider the director and how he or she choose to portray/explain the events in the story. If the movie was slow, or didn't include things you thought were necessary, you can attribute this to the director. If you've seen other movies directed by the same person, compare them and determine which you like the most.
  • Cinematography: What techniques were used to film the movie? What setting and background elements helped to create a certain tone?
  • Writing: Evaluate the script, including dialogue and characterization. Did you feel like the plot was inventive and unpredictable or boring and weak? Did the characters' words seem credible to you?
  • Editing: Was the movie choppy or did it flow smoothly from scene to scene? Did they incorporate a montage to help build the story? And was this obstructive to the narrative or did it help it? Did they use long cuts to help accentuate an actor's acting ability or many reaction shots to show a group's reaction to an event or dialogue? If visual effects were used were the plates well-chosen and were the composited effects part of a seamless experience? (Whether the effects looked realistic or not is not the jurisdiction of an editor, however, they do choose the footage to be sent off to the compositors, so this could still affect the film.)
  • Costume design: Did the clothing choices fit the style of the movie? Did they contribute to the overall tone, rather than digressing from it?
  • Set design: Consider how the setting of the film influenced its other elements. Did it add or subtract from the experience for you? If the movie was filmed in a real place, was this location well-chosen?
  • Score or soundtrack: Did it work with the scenes? Was it over/under-used? Was it suspenseful? Amusing? Irritating? A soundtrack can make or break a movie, especially if the songs have a particular message or meaning to them.

Step 4 Watch it one more time.

Community Q&A

wikiHow Staff Editor

  • If you don't like the movie, don't be abusive and mean. If possible, avoid watching the movies that you would surely hate. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
  • Understand that just because the movie isn't to your taste, that doesn't mean you should give it a bad review. A good reviewer helps people find movie's they will like. Since you don't have the same taste in movies as everyone else, you need to be able to tell people if they will enjoy the movie, even if you didn't. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
  • Structure is very important; try categorizing the different parts of the film and commenting on each of those individually. Deciding how good each thing is will help you come to a more accurate conclusion. For example, things like acting, special effects, cinematography, think about how good each of those are. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/terminology_and_starting_prompts.html
  • ↑ https://www.spiritofbaraka.com/how-write-a-movie-review
  • ↑ https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/9-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
  • ↑ https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/writing-help/top-tips-for-writing-a-review
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/summary-using-it-wisely/
  • ↑ https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/film-review-1.original.pdf
  • ↑ https://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/film_writing_sample_analysis.html
  • ↑ https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/onnyx.bei/dual-credit/movie-review-writing-guide
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
  • ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-a-movie-review/
  • ↑ https://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/editing_proofreading.php
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
  • ↑ https://edusson.com/blog/how-to-write-movie-review

About This Article

To write a movie review, start with a compelling fact or opinion to hook your readers, like "Despite a great performance by Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump never overcomes its weak plot." Then, elaborate on your opinion of the movie right off the bat so readers know where you stand. Once your opinion is clear, provide examples from the movie that prove your point, like specific scenes, dialogue, songs, or camera shots. To learn how to study a film closely before you write a review, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Movie Review: 9 Essential Tips

Whether you are an actor, a filmmaker, or a film geek through and through, writing film reviews can help hone your ability to think critically. With experience writing reviews, cinephiles can watch movies with a more thoughtful and intentional perspective. This skill enables viewers to have a response that goes deeper than “That movie was awesome!” And for you future film reviewers out there, it’s never too soon to start.

How to Write a Movie Review

While there’s no perfect approach to writing a movie review, there are definitely best practices that every aspiring reviewer can consider. Here are nine tips on writing a compelling piece.

1. Watch the film at least once.

When writing a film review, once is necessary, but twice is preferable. It’s impossible to capture every detail and thought only after one viewing. Throughout watching the film, taking detailed notes is also a good idea. This will help the writing process and make it easy to refer to your in-the-moment thoughts and reactions.

2. Express your opinions and support your criticism.

Professional reviewers do not shy away from telling their readers whether they thought a movie was good, bad, or indifferent. In fact, readers rely on those reviewers whose tastes reflect their own. Be sure to back up these thoughts with specifics–a disappointing performance, a ridiculous plot, beautiful cinematography, difficult material that leaves you thinking, and so on. Professional reviewers can express why and how they came to their criticism.

3. Consider your audience.

Are you writing for a fan site or a news outlet? Who will read your pieces, and what are their interests? Knowing who your readers are can help you decide what elements of the movie to highlight. You can also adjust your writing style to fit the target audience and the tone they’re used to reading.

4. Talk about the acting.

Many casual filmgoers will be inspired to see a movie if a favorite actor is in it, so you should probably spend a little space talking about the performances. Does the film feature a seasoned actor in a new kind of role or a brilliant performance from a rising star? How was the acting? Feedback about how well the actors handled the script, the dynamics in an ensemble, and so much more can help describe how the actors did in any given film.

5. Call out directors, cinematographers, and special effects.

This is where your film geek can really shine. Tell your readers about the highlights or missteps of directors, cinematographers, costume designers, and CGI. What worked, what surprised you, and what fell short of expectations are all great questions to address in the body of your review. It helps to have some knowledge of filmmaking , as well. That’s why film students with writing experience can actually make great reviewers. At NYFA, for instance, many film students study a range of topics relating to film that can include screenwriting, producing, and much more.

6. No spoilers!

Give your readers some idea of the plot, but be careful not to include any spoilers. Remember, the point of a good review is to get people interested in going to the movie. Don’t get over-excited and ruin it for them!

7. Study the professionals.

As with all writing endeavors, the more you read, the better. And when you read film reviews that you like (or don’t like), think about why. Use your critical eye to consider why one reviewer has a hundred thousand followers and another only has two. Be sure to read the publications where you’d like your writing to appear as a template for your reviews, and don’t forget to read the submission guidelines. A few examples of film review professionals include Rotten Tomatoes , Roger Ebert , and Film Comment . 

8. Reread, rewrite, and edit.

Edit your work. Your opinions will not be taken seriously if you misspell the director’s name or can’t put together a grammatically correct sentence. Take the time to check your spelling and edit your piece for organizational flow.

9. Find your voice.

The best reviewers have a distinct personality that comes across in their writing. This does not happen overnight, so take every opportunity to write as an opportunity to develop your own style and voice that will grab the reader’s attention and keep them coming back for more.

Learn More About Filmmaking at NYFA

Writing film reviews is a great way to pursue your passion for film. Ready to build even more skills in filmmaking? Request more information about New York Film Academy’s filmmaking programs and workshops today!

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How to write a movie review [Updated 2023]

How to write a review about a movie

Writing a movie review is a great way to practice critical analysis skills. In this post, we explore what a movie review is, how to start a film review, and steps for writing and revising it.

What is a movie review?

A movie review is a concise evaluation of a film’s content and formal elements (cinematography, sound, lighting, etc.). Also known as a film review, a movie review considers not just what a film means, but how it means. Essentially, when you write a film review, you are conducting a critical analysis or close reading of a movie.

How to write a movie review

To write a successful review about a movie, you need to evaluate a film’s content, as well as its form. In this section, we break down these two components.

A film’s content includes its plot (what it’s about), characters, and setting. You’ll need to determine the main plot points of the film and how the film’s story works overall.

Are there parts that don’t make sense? Are certain characters more important than others? What is the relationship between the movie’s plot and its setting? A discussion of a film’s content provides good context for an analysis of its form.

Form refers to all of the aesthetic and/or formal elements that make a story into a movie. You can break down form into several categories:

  • Cinematography : This element comprises all aspects of the movie that derive from the way a camera moves and works. You’ll need to pay attention to elements like camera angles, distances between the camera and the subject, and types of shots (i.e. close-up, aerial, etc.).
  • Lighting : Films use lighting in various ways to communicate certain effects. For instance, noir films tend to utilize chiaroscuro lighting (deep contrasts between light and dark) to express a sense of secrecy or foreboding.
  • Sound : The way a film uses sound can vary considerably. Most movies have a soundtrack, sometimes with music composed specifically for the film. Some films play around with ambient sounds or use silence at key points to signify important moments. What is the relation of sound to the image in specific scenes or sequences? Do sounds link images? Does it ever become more important than the image?
  • Editing : The movies we watch online or in theaters have been heavily edited in order to achieve a particular flow. When you are preparing to write a movie review, pay close attention to elements like the length of shots, transitions between scenes, or any other items that were finalized after filming.
  • Costumes, Props, and Sets : Are the costumes and props believable in relation to the film’s content and setting? Are costumes particularly elaborate or understated?

The important thing to remember when you are analyzing the formal elements of a movie is that every image, sound, movement, and object has meaning and has been planned. Your review needs to take into consideration how these elements work together with the film’s storyline to create a whole experience.

Once you’ve considered both the content and form of the movie that you’re reviewing, you can begin to evaluate the film as a whole. Is it a successful movie? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

Step-by-step review writing tips

1. watch the movie.

The first time that you watch the movie, look for overarching themes or patterns, and establish what the film is primarily about. Take note of the main characters, as well as the setting.

2. Watch the movie again and take notes

Next, watch the movie again and take notes as you are doing so, keeping in mind the formal aspects discussed above. Write down anything that seems significant.

3. Evaluate the film’s form and content

Using the categories described above, and any handouts or guides provided by your instructor, evaluate the film’s formal elements along with its content. Are there elements of the movie that strike you as unfamiliar or perplexing? Are there elements that are repeated to emphasize a point or perception?

4. Write your review

A good movie review will contain:

  • an introductory paragraph that tells the reader what movie you’re reviewing
  • a paragraph that summarizes the movie
  • several body paragraphs that explore significant formal elements and how they relate to the content
  • a concluding paragraph that discusses your overall reaction to the film and whether or not you would recommend it to others

5. Create citations

You’ll need cite the film and any secondary sources that you consulted while writing. Use BibGuru’s citation generator to instantly create accurate citations for movies, as well as articles, books, and websites.

You may also want to consult a guide on how to cite a film in MLA or another major citation style .

6. Revise and proofread

Once you’ve written your review, you should set aside some time to revise and proofread it before you turn it in.

Movie review checklist

You can use this checklist to ensure that you’ve considered all of the formal elements, as well as the content, of the film that you’re reviewing:

🔲 Cinematography (camera moves and types of shots)

🔲 Lighting (natural vs. artificial light, contrasts between light and dark)

🔲 Sound (soundtrack, sound vs. silence, loud vs. soft sounds)

🔲 Editing (length of shots, transitions between scenes)

🔲 Costumes, props, and sets (believable vs. staged)

🔲 Content (plot, characters, setting)

Frequently Asked Questions about how to write a review about a movie

A movie review should contain a brief summary of the film, several paragraphs of analysis that focus on form and content, and a concluding paragraph that sums up your reaction.

Before you write anything, you need to watch the film at least once. Take notes as you’re watching and pay attention to formal elements and patterns. Then, write your review. The final step is to revise your work before you turn it in.

The tone for a movie review should be critical, yet objective. The goal of most reviews is to persuade a reader to either see a film or not.

The best film reviews balance plot summary with critical analysis of significant formal elements. A reader should be able to decide if she wants to see the film after reading the review.

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15 Example Review Topics (PDF) (Writing) | C1 Advanced (CAE)

A review is one of the possible text types in the second part of the writing . It is written traditionally for an English-language magazine, newspaper, or website. The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced (e.g. a film, a holiday. a product, a website, etc.) and to give the reader a clear impression of what the item discussed is like. Description and explanation are key functions for this task and a review will normally include a recommendation to the reader.

How to write a C1 Advanced (CAE) review?

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review: Writing Topics

C1 advanced (cae) review topic/question 1.

You see the following announcement on a website, Great Lives:

Write your review . Word Requirement: 220 – 260 words

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 2

A travel website has asked you to write a review of a holiday resort you have been to, explaining what kinds of people the resort is likely to appeal to, and which aspects of the resort you would most recommend to other visitors.

You should also suggest at least one way in which you feel the resort could be improved.

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 3

You see the following announcement on a website

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 4

engxam logo english exams

Get Your (CAE) Review Checked!

C1 advanced (cae) review topic/question 5.

You have just returned from a trip during which you rented an apartment for a week.

You were very pleased with the accommodation and you have decided to write a review of it for a travel website. In your review, describe your experience of renting the apartment, say what the apartment was like, and explain why you enjoyed your stay there.

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 6

You have seen this announcement on your favorite music website.

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 7

You are the art review writer for a magazine. Your editor has asked you to review a film.

Choose a film that you have seen. Describe the plot and the characters involved. Say who the film is suitable for and why. Mention any special effects or aspects of the film that stood out in some way. Would you recommend the film? Why, why not?

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 8

You are interested in becoming a food critic and have been given an assignment by your school newspaper to review a newly-opened Chinese restaurant.

The editor of the publication instructs you to consider the following when developing your review:

  • What did you eat and how was the quality of the food?
  • What was the decor like and did it enhance or lessen the overall dining experience?
  • How attentive and helpful were the staff in serving you·)
  • Would you recommend this place to people you know? Why or why not?

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 9

You have recently visited a museum or gallery, either in your country or abroad. Write a review for a tourist information magazine describing the building, where it is located and if it has any facilities such as a shop or cafe.

Describe the contents of the museum or gallery and mention any exhibits that you were particularly impressed by. Say whether it is worth visiting and mention who might be interested in it and why.

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 10

You see the following announcement on a website:

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 11

You are looking through your favorite technology magazine and see the following ad:

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 12

Your teacher wants you and your classmates to improve your critical-thinking skills. She asks you to write a review of your favourite novel.

Discuss the plot of the book, the writer’s style in telling the story, the development of the characters, and what you find interesting as well as lacking. Mention if and how you would change the story in any way.

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 13

You see the following announcement on a TV series reviews website: 

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 14

A new online publication is looking for new writers to review car models. The e-magazine asks that you write about the current car that you drive or ones that you have driven in the past. Discuss in your review how the car runs, features, safety record and petrol mileage, among other attributes.

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review Topic/Question 15

Your teacher wants you and your classmates to improve your critical-thinking skills. She asks you to write a review of your favorite novel. Discuss the plot of the book, the writer’s style in telling the story, the development of the characters, and what you find interesting as well as lacking. Mention if and how you would change the story in any way.

C1 Advanced (CAE) Review: Writing Topics (PDF)

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Lesson 7: Task: Write a film review

a review of a book or a film

This is the lesson where you put everything together. We want you to write a review of a film.

Writing a Film Review

This is the lesson where you put everything together. We want you to write a review of a film. You will see two examples of film reviews which you can use to help you write your own review. When you’ve finished your review, post it in the comments section and read other participants reviews and tell them what you think. In lesson one we looked at film vocabulary, in lesson three we gave you some advice about using film to improve your English and gave two short reviews of films about football, in lesson four we focussed on the passive which is a common form to use when writing about films, and in lesson six we showed you some websites where you can read lots of film reviews. While you are writing your review, you can go back to these lessons for some help.

What should I include in my film review?

It's up to you! Here is a list of some common things that you see in film reviews. Have a look at the Bend It Like Beckham film review and match the five colours to the things in this list. Is there anything extra included in the review? Is there anything missing?

  • The film's title.
  • An eye-catching heading.
  • The genre (type of film). 
  • The audience. Who is the film for?
  • The director, main actors, when it was made, has it won any awards?
  • The plot. A brief summary that doesn't mention the ending!
  • Your opinion.
  • Your evaluation.

Film Review 1

Bend it like beckham – brilliant and funny.

How can I describe Bend It Like Beckham? If I had to choose a genre, I would say it’s a romantic comedy-drama sports film!

The film was made in 2002 and directed by Gurinder Chandha who is well-known for films which explore the lives of Indians living in the UK. 

The film is set in London and stars Jess (Parminder Naghra) , who is an 18-year-old girl with Indian parents. One of the main storylines is the tension between Jess, who loves football, and her parents, who don’t allow her to play. Jess’s friend and teammate, Jules, who is played by Keira Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean) encourages Jess to play despite her parent's wishes. 

The film deals with serious social problems such as sexism and racism, but the film is very funny at the same time! The acting is very good and of course, there is a happy ending! Oh, and David Beckham is in the movie, but you must wait until the end for that! I would give Bend It Like Beckham four and a half stars out of five and definitely recommend you watch it!

Now, look at the second film review. Is it a good review ? What does it include? Is there anything missing?

Film Review 2

Fever pitch – funny, dramatic and a perfect finish.

I love football and I love films, so Fever Pitch was the perfect movie for me. It tells the story of a school teacher who is mad about his football club – Arsenal! The film was made in 1997 and is based on a best-selling book of the same name. The film has also been remade for American audiences based on baseball.

The main role is played by Colin Firth (Paul) one of the UK’s most famous actors. Paul falls in love with a new teacher (Sally) at his school during the 1989/90 football season, one of the most important seasons in Arsenal’s history. The plot follows the ups and downs of Paul’s romance with Sally and the fortunes of Paul’s football team. But who does he love more? Sally or Arsenal? You’ll have to watch the film to find out!

There are strong performances by Colin Firth and Ruth Gemmell (Sally) in this romantic comedy-drama. If you are a football fan you will love this film, but it definitely has a wider appeal, too! I will give it five-stars and not just because I’m an Arsenal fan!

Write a film review

Write a film review in the comments section below.

Write about a film you enjoyed or a film that you didn't like. It could be a recent film or a film that you watched a long time ago.

The film doesn't have to be about football.

Reply to other learners and tell them if you have seen the film. Did you like it? Do you agree with their opinions?

When you have finished, mark the page  complete  on the side of this page and go to the end of week quiz!

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a review of a book or a film

I would say that An Angel at my table is one of my top ten most favourite films. It’s a drama film which directed by Janet Campion and shot in 1990. The film is based on Janet Frame’s three autobiographies. Kerry Fox plays the role of Janet Frame, a famous New Zealander writer and poet. The film is about the life of Janet Frame who was a very clever child until, as a teenager, she was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and sent to a mental institution……… The story takes place in Australia, New Zealand and the UK in the different parts of Janet’s life. It ’s a flawless masterpiece. The storyline is so beautiful and inspiring and Kerry Fox’s acting is just incredible. I was mesmerized by that shy, intelligent and lonely girl and could totally relate to her. Besides, his movie makes New -Zealand look like the most gorgeous place on earth Another thing I loved about Another thing I loved about the movie was the excellent music score.

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EG

The other side of the door-thriller

the other side of the door is a horror movie that was made in 2016-the stars is Sarah Wayne and Jeremy Sisto and it is directed by Johannes Roberts the movie is set in India and it tells the story of maria whose her son died in an accident and she blame herself because she is the one who caused this accident and therefore she is doing a spell ritual to bring her son back to life Or feel his presence which causes harm to her and her family

I love this film because the plot was interesting as it means don't try to life in past and accept the situation you are in trying to adapt.

That isn't a just horror movie but actually it is a movie Know the consequences of what you do so if you are fan of wisdom movie ,I recommend this movie to you, I give it four star of five Don't miss it .

a review of a book or a film

El Ruby House

El Ruby House is a comedy-drama Movie that was made in 2023. the stars are Kareem abdelaziz and Nour, and directed by Peter Mimi.

The movie is set in Boston and it tells the story of private family event gets leaked on social media, Ibrahim Al Ruby decides to live in a village with his wife and children, far from people and the pressure of modern life. After his younger brother, Ihab, convinces Ibrahim to go back to the city for some important paperwork, the family embarks on a trip full of surprises that is bound to change the lives of the "Rubies".

The film deals with serious social problems, but the film is very funny at the same time! The acting is very good and of course, there is a happy ending!, I love this movie because the plot was interesting. I am also a big fan of Kareem abdelaziz

I would give It four and a half stars out of five and definitely recommend you watch it!

Assel Aswad dramatic - comedian Aseel Aswad is a drama - comdey film. The film was made in 2010 . it tells the story of an Egyptian person (masry) he was live in America along his life .then came back home(Egypt).he surprised about deferent between the life in America VS Egypt. he discovered that deference when he dose some files in government interests school transportation . The main role is played by Ahmed Hilmy(masry) one of Egyptian famous actors share with Anaam Salosa ' Edward 'Lotfy Labib ' Emy Samir ghanim. The film directed by KHaled maray. I would give Asel Aswad four stars out of five and definitely recommend you watch it!

a review of a book or a film

Hatchi: a dog's tale It's a drama film The film was made in 2009 and directed by ( lasse hallstrom ) and the stars are (Richard Gere ) ,( Jason Alexander) and ( Joan Allen) The story is based on Barker who works as a professor and he goes to the university by the train And one day he found a little dog at the train station, he took it home with him and called it ( hatchi ) Then ( hatchi) grown up and it's attachment to the professor ( Barker ) increased, the dog used to drive the professor every day to the train station and wait until his return The dog was very popular with the people at the train station And on day the professor didn't come back to take ( hatchi) home with him So what's happened to the professor and hatchi ?!! Watch the film to know the end This is one of my favorites movies Definitely recommend you to watch it ❤️

Pride and prejudice It's a romance and drama film. It's directed by (Joe Wright) in 2005 the story is based on (Jane Austin's) novel. The film is set in United States . the stars Mr.Darcy (Matthew Macfady) and his best friend Bingley( Simon Woods) Jane (Rosamund Pike), Elizabeth (Keira Knightley),Mary (Talulah Riley),Kitty (Carey Mulligan)and Lydia Bennet (Jena Malone) . The story tells about Mr and Mrs Bennetts five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr . Darcy and his best friend Mr . Bingley have moved into their neighborhood. While Mr . Bingley takes an immediate liking to the eldest Bennet daughter Elizabeth ,Jane and Darcy has difficulty adapting to local society and repeatedly. You must wait until the end to know what will happen! I like Pride and prejudice and I would like to give Pride and prejudice eight and half stars out of ten and definitely recommend you to watch it ♡

Work it It’s dance comedy film that was made in 2020 . The stars Sabrina carpenter and Liza koshy and Jordan fisher , and it directed by Laura Terruso . The film talk about quinn Ackerman she is a nerd and she want to Join in college duke because was dreaming her like her father because father Quinn joined this college but she can’t because they won’t accept her , she has to do something different, so she will apply to a dance competition and be her team . But my favorite character is jake Taylor in this film . Watching a jake Taylor dance is very funny and fantastic. I recommend this film to watch it who wants to laugh and exciting watch this film , so go to see it with your friends. I give jake Taylor 5 stars because he deserve this 5 stars . Don’t miss it.

I agree with you ♡

a review of a book or a film

John Wick 3. It is an action film directed by Chad Stahelski and the cast includes Keonu Reeves and Scott ADKINS SET IN 2023. The plot is about Johnwick taking his fight against the high table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld. The performance of the cast was thrilling and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats from the beginning to the end. I would give it a four rating and strongly recommend others to watch it.

Ahmed00007's picture

John Wick 4. It is an action film directed by Chad Stahelski and the cast includes Keonu Reeves and Scott ADKINS SET IN 2023. The plot is about Johnwick taking his fight against the high table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld. The performance of the cast was thrilling and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats from the beginning to the end. I would give it a four rating and strongly recommend others to watch it.

IN

I would like to give a film review about 'Titanic.' It was written, directed and also produced by James Cameron. It is a genre of romance and drama. The film was made in 1997. It's about two characters falling in love during a voyage. The plot was remarkable and brilliant. It was first-rate and I would give it five stars and also strongly recommend those who missed this film to watch it.

DZ

I love the Long Shadow movie, an animated series, a comic series about the story of an orphan girl named Judy Abbott, who got a scholarship to Lincoln High School, by someone she doesn't know named John Smith, Judy called him the Long Shadow Owner, because she had never seen anything but his shadow . Her story contains sad clips, but she overcomes all misfortunes. Her story ends with a happy marriage with the owner of the long shadow.

Django Unchained-Action,romantic and comedy.

Django is a action movie and a one of the best movies have directed and it was made in 2012.The stars are Jamie Foxx (Django),Christoph Waltz (Dr.Schultz) and the infinite Leonardo Dicaprio(Candie) and it is directed by Tarantino.The story tells about Django the slave whose wife was kidnapped by Englishmen then Django try to find his wife with Dr.schultz.So can he find his wife ?

I was interested in this movie because the plot is wonderful and graphics is outstanding and i am a big fan of Dicaprio but my favorite characters in this movie is Dr.s schultz .

I think this movie is not for children because there is blood and screenshots +18. I recommend this movie to adults .I give the movie four stars Don`t miss it.

Enchanted - Real world and the animated world collide I am fond of princesses and fantasy world , so enchanted is my favourite film i would say it's animation adventure comedy family romance film it was made in 2007 at New York City it's related PG for some scary images and mild innuendo. It was produced by Alan menken and stephen schwartz and performed by Amy Adams and james marsden its story line is about the beautiful princess Giselle is banished by evil queen narissa from her magical land shocked by this strange new environment,but when Giselle begins to fall in love with a divorce lawyer, Can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world?. I think it's a great choice for a movie night. I would give it five stars.

Jumanji is an amazing adventure movie and its comedy at the same time that was made in2017. The stars are (dwayne Johnson)and (Karen Gillian) and it’s directed by (Jake Kasdan) while a group of teenagers were in detention at school one of them found a video game which took them inside it and they stuck at that video game until they complete the missions I am in love with this movie because it’s make me laugh and excited to watch the end This movie for children and adults so I recommend it for a family night. I give jumanji five stars

Mohamedyasser's picture

Marvel Age of Ultron Its my favourite film cause i like the gerne and from all marvel films its my favourite. i like the characters and i like the plot and everything that happends in the film

avenger is an amazing action superhero film that is made in 2012 in United Kingdom it is directed by Joss Whedon its cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner as the Avengers, alongside Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, and Samuel L. Jackson. i am abig fan of this film and i recommened the all to see this film

a review of a book or a film

Africano Africano is an amazing adventure, comedy movie I have ever seen. It was made in 2001.Ahmed El Sakka and Mona Zaki played the leading role, Hassan Hosny was in it. The movie was directed by Amr Arafa. It was set in South Africa and it tells the story of Badr who workes as a vet. His wish is tragically granted when his uncle who lives in Africa dies and Badr travels to get his inheritance as he meets his cousin Gamila. I love this movie because, the plot was interesting. I am also a big fan of Ahmed El Sakka. Hoever my favourite character in this movie is Gamila . Also the music is fantastic. I highly reccommend this movie, So go see it with your friends. I give it three stars, Do not miss it.

a review of a book or a film

Spider man is my favourite movie

My fav is marvel movies

yes that is a good movies company

World war Z is my favorite movie , It has been my favorite movie since I watched it , it's my favorite movie cause i love zombie movies and every one liked it ; The film was made in 2013 and the director is Marc Forstar He is a German film producer and screenwriter , The film won an Empire award. U.K .The film is set on U.S.A and the star is Brad pett (Gerry Lane), Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself. it is the best film i had watched it ever I would give it five stars and I recommend everyone to watch it!.

Spiderman no way home It's my favourite superhero and the actor who role the Peter parker is Tom Holland and the other actors played the role very well also i like the genre of this movie it's action. Finally, I think that this movie can watch it teenagers and adults but I don't think youngers can't watch it.

yes its a good one too

DE

Marvels: Endgame is my favorite movie, It has been my favorite movie since 2019, and it has been my favorite because everyone loved Avengers: Endgame, but it’s not just any other superhero flick. It’s actually the best film in the MCU. It’s emotionally resonant. Endgame has a sense of beauty behind all of the action and violence. At the center of the film, it really is a love story. Thor goes back to see his mother before she is murdered by the Dark Elves, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) reconciles with his father, and Steve Rodgers reunites with his wife back in his original time.

a review of a book or a film

The equalizer the equalizer is a realistic action film, where Denzel Washington, plays Robert mccall , the film talks about how robert faked his death in order to live a quiet life, but when he sees a young woman being abused by a Russian gang, he comes out of his retirement to fight crime and reinforce justice, the movie is set in Salisbury, Hamilton, Chelsea, Haverhill, and Boston, Massachusetts and is directed by Antoine fuqua it was released in 2014 has an interesting story, the acting is fantastic, and the special effects are impeccable, to me this movie is perfect, 10/10, i recommend it to everyone, but be warned since it has a lot of violence

end game if you like action movies this movie will be perfect for you the film is talking about the marvel universe Thanos has come to the earth and he wants to take all of the infinity stones and destroy the world then the avengers came to kill him and they make many wars two on earth and one in the space the film was made in 2019 and directed by Anthony Russo The film stars are Robert Downey Jr(iron man) and Chris Evans(Captain America) I would give this film five stars because the film is very Interisting

haze khaled's picture

interstellar 2014 this is an amazing sci-fi movies that was made 2014.Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway & Jessica Chastain. And its director is Christopher Nolan. the movie revolves around the Earth when it becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans. I love this movie because the poly is amazing. I'm also a big fan of Christopher Nolan's works. I recommend this movie to everyone I'm sur that you gonna love it, don't miss it

i had to watch it twice to understand the idea

WS

Twilight Saga

I loved this saga, I saw it many times and today in summer I saw it again and I can't get enough of it. I love the story, the characters and the villains, everything was well done. When I finished the saga for the first time, I did a lot of research on the characters, their lives, relationships etc. I saw a news that they will make a new movie based on Edwar Cullen's point of view, I hope they make it soon.

CZ

Mamma Mia! - Who is my father?

If you like musicals and the popular Swedish group ABBA, this is a perfect film for you. Dona is a single woman managing a small family hotel on a little Greek island. Her daughter, Sophie, is getting married and she decides to invite her father to the wedding. The tricky thing is that she doesn‘t know who her father is. The film was made in 2008 and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. It stars Meryl Streep (Donna), Amanda Seyfried (Sophie), Pierce Brosnan (Sam), Colin Firth (Harry) and Stellan Skarsgard (Bill). There is fabulous music, excellent acting and singing and a lot of funny scenes. The plot is funny on one side but there is a serious overtone. I would give Mamma Mia! five stars because I think the film has positive vibes and it is more important than anything else.

SE

Films title: Mission Impossible Fallout is an action movie and is for a person that like action and tension. The Director is Christoper Mcquarrie, the main actors is Tom Cruise,Henry Cavill , Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and more. The film was made in 2018 and it has won Prizes. My little review is that it is nice, entertaining and it´s so nice to watch. The film is about after a mission After a mission to recover a deadly weapon goes wrong, IMF agent Ethan Hunt and his team are forced to work alongside CIA agent Augustus Walker as they must race against time to continue their assignment. When Lane escapes from prison, Hunt must do whatever it takes to capture him once more.

Heinzkolenko's picture

Hello, I'm at school and have to write answers, I think it's good

So I like what you wrote

I am going to talk about Frozen. I don´t like the most of films but i thinked that i wanted to take one that i hated the most, why i hate it is becuse they sing those bad songs all the time and its just annoying.

lolisosa's picture

The Twilight Saga, a franchise you've probably all heard of. But it is actually that good? Here's what I think:

The movies are based on the book series with the same name, written by Stephenie Meyer. I would describe them as your high school-dream books: you've got the romance, the rivalry, the drama, and an amazing story! What more could you ask for. In the first movie from 2008, we see Bella (Kristen Stweart), Edward (Robert Pattinson), and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) live out their triangle-drama just the way we imagined from the books we already know and love!

If you, like me, love watching a cheesy, teenage drama and would like to fall in love with your new favorite vampire family over and over again - I suggest you watch and/or read the amazing Twilight saga, written by the one and only Stephenie Meyer, brought to life by Melissa Rosenberg.

UA

The Bourne identity is really good action spy movie. The main actor Matt Damon is just perfect for his role. This movie is about a good-looking young man suffering from amnesia, trying to find out his identity. On the beginning we can see a fisherman on a boat spots a body floating … When they got him on board, the body turns out to be alive. The friendly fisherman rescued him, gave him some money to go to Switzerland, because he has a capsule embedded under his skin, contains the code to a Swiss bank account. He was welcome in that country, he took a lot of money despite lacking a name or any form of personal identification. Also, he finds several passports, one saying his name is Bourne. The problem was that he really wanted to know why he was in the sea, and his real name, because he noticed about himself that he is not like everyone else. He speaks several languages, has highly trained power observation and memory, know all the spy tricks and was perfect driver. In a fact he was a special agent, he was hired by special service to kill important political people. When he finds out who he really is, he decided to leave his job, because he was a good person, he did not want to kill anyone anymore. And of course, there was a girl, why helped him a lot and he was in love with her. In the end of that movie, he has found his girl Maria and decided to live with her a simple normal life… far away from his past life. I like that movie a lot it has everything. I would definitely recommend that movie.

fe_2789's picture

The book of life It is an animated film directed by Jorge Gutiérrez with a duration of 95 minutes, released in the United States in 2014. It is a legend-like story of two young men, Manolo and Joaquín, who live in a traditional Mexican town and compete for the love of María. Behind that bet are also two spirits, La Muerte and Xibalba, who will take part for each young person, tipping the balance for one of them to know who will conquer the sweet Maria? From that moment on, a very dizzying adventure begins that takes the viewer into the world of the living and the dead with fantastic colors and definition. It amazes so much level of detail and authenticity. The movie offers unique universes. The Book of Life is an entertaining animated film, suitable for children from the age of seven (more or less), it is a fairly elaborate film, with easy and simple content to digest. For me, the film also has authenticity, it is that although there is a stamp of the producer, it does not go beyond the creativity of the author.

US

I'm not a big fan of superhero films, but the movie Black Panther really caught my attention. It was directed by Ryan Coogler and it came out on February 16, 2018. The film is about a young man name T'Challa, play by the late Chadwick Boseman, who returns home to the African country of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. But when he's tested by a sudden enemy, Erik Killmonger play by non other than the talented Michael B Jordan, he must resolved this conflict because the fate of Wakanda and the world is at risk. With that said, he must gather an army, the Dora Milaje(adore ones) and the lead Okye (Danai Gurria), his wife to be Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and his brilliant little sister Shuri(Letitia Wright) that must fight with him till the end to defeat their enemy and keep their country safe. Overall the movie was amazing. I like that it appreciated the cultures of blacks in the United States and African cultures. Also the actors and actresses put their heart, soul, mind and body into each of their roles. Last but not least, the customs changes and effects was flawless.

hsn's picture

Film title "Eddie the Eagle" Directed by Dexter Fletcher.This movie based on real life of British first ski-jumper Eddie Edwards. Film gives us an idea about the power of encouragement, dedication and passion. All the person should have a target and must try to pass barriers.Then "the light will appear at the end of the tunnel" In my opinion this movie must be watched by all the students who at the beggining of their life journey. Don't give up and try and try again. This is motto of this film.

GB

I learnt about the genre of film. props that characters use to make the movie realistic.

a review of a book or a film

Five feet apart Romance This film is a 2019,directed be Justin Baldony.The stars are Cole Sprouse,Geyly Lu Richardson,Emily Baldony. The movie tells about girl Stella,who was sick on cystic fibrosis.She met a guy Will.He was also ill.But they weren’t allowed to approach each other’s,because they could infecting deadly viruses. But they didn’t heed all the bons... This film is very interesting and exciting. I highly recommend watching this movie to everyone.This story won’t leave anyone indifferent.

The Theory of Everything Drama/melodrama/biography, 2014 This film directed by James Marsh. The stars are Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones. This movie is based on a book. This is the story of the life of the famous physicist Stephen Hoging. Stephen goes to university, where he meets Jane. She became his wife in the future. Then, he learns of his incurable illness. His friends and wife support him. Man tries to fight. They are born children and all are happy in the family. But his health is deteriorating. Stephen makes great discoveries in physics. He becomes known worldwide. This film is very moving and romantic. The most touches is the love of Steven and Jane. I recomend this film everyone because it's very interesting and good. It has strong points.

yacine's picture

my favourite film is THE DARK KNIGHT i think is action and drama and crime, itis the most brilliant movie made by nolan, it was awsom movie, full of shoking seens.

Skills: Writing a film review

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How to write a film review

Writing a review is an option in many different English language exams, and films are such an obvious choice for reviews, so knowing how to write a film review is pretty important. It’s a great topic for the classroom too. Everyone watches films and there is a lot of opportunity to teach vocabulary, either film-related vocabulary or film review adjectives. I like to start off a class about films with some chat, or my personal favourite, the Movie Music Quiz , which also now has an excellent Movie Picture Quiz version too.

awesome review

The structure of a film review

Like any writing task, it’s essential to know the structure of a film review before you start writing. A basic film review template shows you how to write a film review using a simple structure. Film reviews for First (FCE) and Advanced (CAE) Cambridge exams, as well as Trinity ISE exams, should all use a 4 paragraph structure. Another thing to remember is that your review should always have a title, and that title should include the name of the film.

  • Introduction – Essential details and mini-summary
  • Summary – A description of the film and some important details
  • Analysis – An evaluation of different elements
  • Conclusion – Your opinion and a recommendation

Introduction

In the introduction of a film review, it is crucial to mention the film title and the names of the director and the main actors. A brief summary of the film’s plot and background information can also be included, but it should not give away too much detail. The introduction should engage the reader and entice them to continue reading the review. Additionally, it is important to mention the genre and target audience of the film, which will give the reader an idea of what to expect.

In the summary section, the film review should give a comprehensive but concise description of the film, focusing on the plot, characters, and any significant events. The summary should be written in a way that does not give away the ending or spoil the film for the reader. It is important to maintain objectivity and not include personal opinions in this section. This section should provide enough detail for the reader to have a clear understanding of the film without giving too much away.

The analysis section is where the reviewer can showcase their critical skills and provide an in-depth evaluation of the film. The review should examine various elements of the film such as the script, direction, cinematography, acting, and special effects. You could also make a comparison to similar films in the same genre. The analysis should be written in an objective style with the opinion only showing through the language used.

In the conclusion, the reviewer should give their personal opinion of the film, summarising their thoughts on its strengths and weaknesses. They should also consider the target audience and whether they believe the film will appeal to them. Finally, the reviewer should provide a clear recommendation. The conclusion should be concise, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of the reviewer’s overall opinion of the film.

Using adjectives in reviews

Reviews are a great way to show off your language with impressive adjectives. If you read a film review in a newspaper or magazine, you’ll notice that the reviewer rarely, if ever, gives an explicit direct opinion. However, their opinion of the film is always crystal clear. This is through the use of adjectives.

Many adjectives have a clear connotation. They are either perceived as positive or negative. Compare these two examples. Which one is a positive description and which is negative?

  • It’s a first-rate experience with an imaginative plot and a star-studded cast.
  • The second-rate writing combined with weak performances is typical of this director’s work.

When using adjectives in a film review, it is important to choose words that accurately convey the reviewer’s opinion. Adjectives with strong connotations, either positive or negative, can be very effective in expressing the reviewer’s thoughts about the film. However, it is also important to use a variety of adjectives to avoid repetition and keep the review interesting. The use of adjectives can also help to paint a picture of the film, allowing the reader to get a sense of its atmosphere and tone.

The materials

Many exams, such as the Cambridge First (FCE) and Advanced (CAE) exams, as well as Trinity ISE exams, require students to write a film review as part of their writing task. These materials will provide students with a solid understanding of the structure of a film review and help them to develop their writing skills. This will give them the confidence they need to write a review that meets the requirements of the exam and impresses the examiner.

The materials will help you learn how to write an introduction, summary, analysis, and conclusion of a film review. You will also see a range of useful adjectives that you can use to express your opinions in their reviews. Finally, you will get an opportunity to practise writing film reviews, which will help you to develop your skills. Then you can check your answers with the samples provided in the answer key. Whether you’re preparing for an exam or just looking to improve your writing skills, these materials will provide you with everything you need to write a great film review.

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1 thought on “How to write a film review”

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Interesting and useful material to be used in class. thanks!

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A black and white photograph of the actors Richard Burton, left, and Elizabeth Taylor, at right, staring at each other with a very bright light occupying the middle distance behind them. The image is cropped and repeated to resemble a strip of film.

Filming ‘Virginia Woolf,’ the Battles Weren’t Just Onscreen

With Burton and Taylor as stars and a writer and director feuding, adapting the scabrous play wasn’t easy. “Cocktails With George and Martha” pours out the details.

Richard Burton, left, and Elizabeth Taylor in the screen adaptation of Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Credit... CBS

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COCKTAILS WITH GEORGE AND MARTHA: Movies, Marriage and the Making of ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ by Philip Gefter

What a document dump!

The most delicious parts of “Cocktails With George and Martha,” Philip Gefter’s unapologetically obsessive new book about “ Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ?” — the dark ’n’ stormy, oft-revived 1962 Broadway hit by Edward Albee that became a moneymaking movie and an eternal marriage meme — are diary excerpts from the screenwriter Ernest Lehman . (Gefter calls the diary “unpublished,” but at least some of it surfaced in the turn-of-the-millennium magazine Talk, now hard to find.)

That Lehman is no longer a household name, if he ever was, is one of showbiz history’s many injustices. Before the thankless task of condensing Albee’s three-hour play for the big screen (on top of producing), he wrote the scripts for “ North by Northwest ” (1959), arguably Hitchcock’s greatest, and with some help, “ Sweet Smell of Success ” (1957). The latter was based on his experience copywriting for a press agent, which inspired a novelette in Cosmopolitan called “Tell Me About It Tomorrow!” (Will someone please bring back the novelette ?)

From beyond the grave, in a production journal titled “Fun and Games With George and Martha” housed at the Harry Ransom Center , Lehman dishes on working with Mike Nichols , the then-darling of New York intellectuals hired to direct his first Hollywood film, starring his famous, furiously canoodling friends Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton .

But first “Cocktails With George and Martha” fans out like a deck of cards the back story of the play, which initially featured Uta Hagen as Martha, the delulu grown daughter of a New England college president, and Arthur Hill as George, her husband, an associate history professor whose career has stalled. (Yes, they are named for the first first couple of America.) A younger married pair named Nick and Honey come over for the world’s longest and most hellacious nightcap.

Steeped in alcohol and analysis themselves, sophisticated audiences thrilled to the play’s voyeurism and vulgar language, even as the Pulitzer Prize committee got prudish, suspending the drama prize the year “Woolf” was eligible.

Gefter describes how another playwright, probably jealous of the box-office returns, accused Albee rather homophobically of “neuroticism” and “nihilism” in The New York Times. “If the theater must bring us only what we can immediately apprehend or comfortably relate to,” Albee responded in one of cultural journalism’s best mic drops, “let us stop going to the theater entirely. Let us play patty-cake with one another or sit in our rooms and contemplate our paunchy middles.”

Casting Liz and Dick, then the world’s biggest celebrity couple, in the movie — after Jack Warner had promised Albee that Bette Davis and James Mason would do it — also came with risk (and paunchy middles; the glamorous Taylor was instructed to gain 20 pounds).

While Burton’s delicious diaries barely mention the production, much of its agita is familiar from Mark Harris’s recent and thorough biography of Nichols . But Gefter pulls in for a tighter focus. He’s not quite the “phrasemaker” that Martha calls George — locutions like “garnering his own notoriety” and “actual lived behavior” mush up an otherwise tight book, as does a scattered epilogue on other marriage movies. But he does, as George puts it, get to the marrow: of male ego, rushing into new projects with hubris and jostling for posterity.

“Hacks only imitate,” Nichols declared, binge-watching Truffaut and Fellini flicks in anxious preparation for the shoot. “We artists steal."

A black and white photograph shows the back of the head of a film director looking through the camera viewfinder at a middle-aged couple next to a window. They look away from each other though holding a hand together.

The novice director and the veteran writer bantered in the back of a limo to the airport about being jealous of each other’s publicity. Nichols had been to Jacqueline Kennedy’s apartment for lunch (and would use her promised endorsement to prevent himself getting fired); Lehman, who contributed to “The Sound of Music,” which was thriving at the box office, had quietly arranged for a profile of himself in Cosmo.

Dramatic alterations, like opening on a pair of fornicating dogs and making George and Martha’s imaginary son real, were roundly rejected by Nichols, who also clashed with the seasoned cinematographer and composer assigned by the studio. He was determined to keep the movie in arty black-and-white rather than commercial, modern color, and wanted to hire André Previn or Leonard Bernstein to do the score. (“Mike likes them young and hip,” Lehman sighed.)

Meanwhile, Burton tried to get the assistant director fired on his wife’s behalf — “it’s rather like talking about changing one’s housekeeper, isn’t it?” — and worried that the project, like Nick when he tries to have sex with Martha, would be “a flop.”

He was mollified by a pond stocked with trout on location and a birthday present of Francis Bacon essays. Still, Lehman recorded, the cast and crew were a “discontented bunch” and, understating the case: “‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ is not exactly a happy picture.”

Gefter, a former Times picture editor, has written formal biographies of the photographer Richard Avedon (Nichols’s close friend) and the curator Sam Wagstaff . This is something different: a shot glass filled with one work that, alongside contemporaneous books like Richard Yates’s novel “Revolutionary Road” and Betty Friedan’s polemic “The Feminine Mystique,” showed how the “cartoon versions of marriage” long served up by American popular culture — Doris Day movies, the Cleavers, etc. — always came with a secret side of bitters.

His interest in “Woolf” dates back to when he was 15 and, apparently the only teenager in America who read Playboy for the articles, encountered an interview with Nichols in his father’s copy.

Gefter peeks at the unpublished memoir of Gerard Malanga, a poet and Andy Warhol associate, to elaborate how George and Martha were at least in part inspired by Willard Maas and Marie Menken, teachers at Wagner College about whom Warhol made a 1965 film called “Bitch,” which was recently screened at MoMA.

He distills a lot of secondary material, including interviews published and unpublished conducted by the critic Mel Gussow (also a longtime Timesman), Albee’s friend and biographer. The playwright saw the phrase “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” scrawled in dry soap on the mirror of a Greenwich Village bar around 1954, when he was an aspiring novelist running with a crowd of talented bohemians.

“Woolf,” which Gefter calls “an existential provocation that serves up a range of fundamental truths about marital attachment,” got its creator on the cover of Newsweek by 1963. Such a hall of mirrors is American culture that Martha’s famous “what a dump” line quoted an unfamous one in a minor Bette Davis noir, “Beyond the Forest.” Davis, among the actresses lobbying to play Martha in the movie, then reclaimed it as a catchphrase for the rest of her years .

Albee was a purist about his characters, repeatedly refusing the chance to revive “Woolf” onstage with gay male couples. Terrence McNally, an early boyfriend, thought he wrote like a composer. If so, though, there was a hint of jazz there. According to one actress who played Martha, Albee “always said that Act IV of the play was when the audience leaves the theater, and the couples argue all the way home.”

Hey, it beats lying in bed with our laptops.

COCKTAILS WITH GEORGE AND MARTHA : Movies, Marriage and the Making of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” | Philip Gefter | Bloomsbury | 368 pp. | $32

Alexandra Jacobs is a Times book critic and occasional features writer. She joined The Times in 2010. More about Alexandra Jacobs

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Even in countries where homophobia is pervasive and same-sex relationships are illegal, queer African writers are pushing boundaries , finding an audience and winning awards.

In Lucy Sante’s new memoir, “I Heard Her Call My Name,” the author reflects on her life and embarking on a gender transition  in her late 60s.

For people of all ages in Pasadena, Calif., Vroman’s Bookstore, founded in 1894, has been a mainstay in a world of rapid change. Now, its longtime owner says he’s ready to turn over the reins .

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Book Reviews

Kelly link's debut novel 'the book of love' is magical, confusing, heartfelt, strange.

Gabino Iglesias

Cover of The Book of Love

For years, fans of Kelly Link, one of the finest purveyors of contemporary short fiction, have wondered what the author would be able to do with a full novel — and have eagerly waited for her to deliver one.

That wait ends now with the release of The Book of Love , Link's debut novel. And the author has embraced the freedom granted by a longer format, delivering a 600-page behemoth of a novel that shatters reality while pulling readers into the lives of several characters and obliterating any perceived dividing line between speculative fiction and literary fiction.

As an avid reader and book reviewer, I'm looking forward to seeing how other reviewers tackle a synopsis of this novel. The narrative starts late one night when Laura, Daniel, and Mo find themselves in a classroom with their music teacher and a strange entity. The youngsters are dead, but they're not. They disappeared a year ago from their hometown of Lovesend, Massachusetts. They were presumed dead, and they are, but now that they're back, their teacher, who possesses magical powers, alters reality. Instead of dead, they're all coming back from a long trip to study in Ireland. Their teacher knows what happened...maybe.

With their story in their heads and their new reality in place. the teenagers are sent back to their previous lives, where they must cope with everything that happened during their absence while simultaneously trying to figure out what will happen next. Also, there was a cryptic message for them on the blackboard of the room where they appeared: "2 RETURN/2 REMAIN." What does it mean? How does that math affect the outcome of their return? Their life as the undead is already complicated enough, but their bizarre revivification has brought something other than the teenagers from the other side; supernatural entities that have their own agendas. As Laura, Daniel, and Mo navigate their new situation and adapt to their new realities, they must also crack the mystery of their return, and more than their own resurrection hangs in the balance.

That's a lengthy synopsis, but it barely scratches the surface of The Book of Love , which also delves into the complications of love and friendship, family drama, grief, resilience, and the unlimited power of adaptability while delivering a tale of supernatural menace that also explores what it truly means to be alive. After years of award-winning short stories in some great venues and a few outstanding short story collections like Get in Trouble , which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and White Cat, Black Dog , this novel is proof that Link can be as strange, entertaining, and witty in novel form as she is when writing short stories.

The Book of Love is a narrative about love — and death and resurrection and kissing people and growing up and sibling rivalry and horror. This is a story about stories that even touches on writing. Mo's grandmother, Maryanne, who passed away while Mo was away, was a prolific writer who wrote 73 books in 42 years. Writing allowed her to build a good life and to take care of Mo after his mother passed away. She was also a Black woman. Little details like that open the door to new things, so while Link is telling us about Mo, she also gives us Maryanne's biography while also discussing publishing and the intricacies of a Black woman writing a very popular series about a white woman. Stories within stories, narratives that delve into memories, and expansive passages what go deep into the psychological and emotional inner worlds of the characters are common. In fact, this book will be too much for some readers. This is an entertaining novel, but it's also a barrage of ideas and minutiae, a veritable onslaught of language and narratives that deviate from the core of the story.

This is a long book that's simultaneously dazzling and dizzying. Some lines cut with their clarity and sincerity while some plot elements are puzzling. Link is a wizard writing spells that obey a dream logic only she fully understands. At once a book for adults that's full of elements that make it feel like a fantasy YA novel, a story about survival and danger that starts with a group of dead kids and only gets weirder from there, and a narrative that shows a mighty writer with a unique voice at the height of her powers, The Book of Love is, simply put, a magical, confusing, heartfelt, strange, wonderfully written novel that delivers everything fans of Link's short fiction expected while also packing a few surprises.

Gabino Iglesias is an author, book reviewer and professor living in Austin, Texas. Find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @Gabino_Iglesias .

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‘Treasure’ Review: Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry Revisit Painful Family History in a Well-Meaning but Maudlin Father-Daughter Tale

Julia von Heinz's surprisingly staid follow-up to 'And Tomorrow the Entire World' grapples earnestly with the intergenerational legacy of the Holocaust, but never quite rings true.

By Guy Lodge

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Treasure

Premiering in an out-of-competition Berlinale slot, this story of a depressive American journalist and her rascally Polish father on a fractious trip to his former homeland may find a receptive arthouse audience when Bleecker Street releases it Stateside this summer, on the strength of its familiar stars and ever-resonant subject matter. But “Treasure” has to be considered unlucky to have arrived right on the heels of Jesse Eisenberg’s Searchlight-acquired Sundance hit “A Real Pain,” which tells an inevitably comparable story — Polish-American relatives bickering and bonding on a Holocaust tour of Poland — with markedly more wit and edge. Taking place in 1991, von Heinz’s film may be set 30 years prior to Eisenberg’s, but it’s the storytelling that feels fusty.

Her father Edek (Fry) approaches his homecoming with rather less idealism, disguising his wariness with bluff nonchalance. The trip was Ruth’s idea, an attempt to find a renewed sense of personal identity in the wake of a recent divorce and the death of her mother. Edek, with whom she has a relationship largely rooted in mutual exasperation, wasn’t an essential part of the plan, but he has volunteered his services as a guide anyway. Upon arrival, however, he shows little interest in the historical sights and family-specific locations on her itinerary, instead steering her toward such bland, baggage-free attractions as the Chopin Museum, and rejecting her carefully booked train tickets for a comfy Mercedes chauffeured by genial factotum Stefan (Zbigniew Zamachowski).

Cue much squabbling, interspersed with what are clearly long-running digs from both sides: He mocks her diet and general uptight demeanor, while she’s mortified by his bawdy sexual candor and chaotic aversion to planning. There are shades here of the intimately troubled, oil-and-water father-daughter relationship that powered Maren Ade’s extraordinary “Toni Erdmann” — of which Dunham, as it happens, was once slated to write a since-aborted remake — but “Treasure’s” script, written by von Heinz with husband and regular collaborator John Quester, doesn’t examine it all that deeply. There’s a generality to the conflicts between Ruth and Edek that isn’t much colored by personal detail or peculiarity, while the film skips over the nuances of Ruth’s failed marriage, or her relationship with her now-absent mother.

It doesn’t take a psychoanalyst to see that Edek is protecting himself from discomfiting confrontations with his own past, but Ruth is oddly slow on the uptake, until his anguish is eventually unbottled when they visit Auschwitz — and the benignly narrated touristification of his own agonizing trauma becomes too much to bear. As they board a golf cart to tour the camp, Edek is informed that only survivors have this privilege, while other visitors must walk: “That’s something, at least,” he says drily, and the film could use more of this acidly loaded understatement.

Entirely excised from Brett’s novel, meanwhile, is its most daring device: the ghostly presence of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (recently portrayed to such chilling effect in “The Zone of Interest”), with whom Ruth has a series of challenging, uncanny conversations. One can see why this might have seemed a flourish best left to the page, though its surreal, unnerving collision of past and present, of base evil and everyday dysfunction, of a factual and spiritual understanding of history, gave the book a distinctive power. Those tensions are finally what elude “Treasure” — a film with heart but no real teeth, the commendable sensitivity of which turns too easily toward the sentimental.

Reviewed at Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale Special Gala), Feb. 16, 2024. Running time: 112 MIN.

  • Production: (Germany-France) A Bleecker Street release of a FilmNation Entertainment presentation of a Seven Elephants production in co-production with Kings & Queens Filmproduktion, Haïku Films. (World sales: FilmNation Entertainment, New York City.) Producers: Fabian Gasmia, Julia von Heinz, Lena Dunham. Executive producers: Michael P. Cohen, Philipp Stendebach, Glen Basner, Ben Browning, Laura Davis, Andrew Karpen, Kent Sanderson. Co-producers: John Quester, Thomas Jaeger, Antoine Delahousse, Katja Lebedjewa.
  • Crew: Director: Julia von Heinz. Screenplay: von Heinz, John Quester, based on the novel "Too Many Men" by Lily Brett.
  • With: Lena Dunham, Stephen Fry, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Iwona Bielska, Maria Mamona, Wenanty Nosul, Klara Bielawka, Magdalena Celówna, Tomasz Włosok, Sandra Drzymalska. (English, Polish dialogue)

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‘jurassic world’: gareth edwards tapped to direct new movie for universal and amblin, breaking news.

‘Dune: Part Two’ First Reactions: Rave Reviews Topped By Critic Who Claims, “It’s The Definitive Sci-Fi Epic Of A Generation”

By Bruce Haring

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DUNE: PART 2 clockwise, from top left: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Javier Bardem, Lea Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Austin Butler, Stellan Skarsgard, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin

Dune: Part Two is off to a great start with critics, who are foaming at the mouth in their attempt to describe how awesome it is.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve , the film continues the saga of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he joins forces with the Fremen to battle the Harkonnen empire. Chalamet is joined by Zendaya , Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling and Javier Bardem in his quest, with Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux added to the cast.

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Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Anya Taylor-Joy , Florence Pugh & Austin Butler attends the World Premiere of

‘Dune: Part Two’ World Premiere Red Carpet Photos: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Anya Taylor-Joy, Florence Pugh & Austin Butler In London

a review of a book or a film

Anya Taylor-Joy To Appear In ‘Dune: Part Two’ In Surprise Casting

But Dune: Part Two has already drawn reviews that stamp it as an early contender for film event of the year.

Some of the early reactions :

“Dune Part Two is not only Denis’s magnum opus; it’s the definitive sci-fi epic of a generation,” FilmSpeak host  Griffin Schiller wrote . “A tragic tale of blind fanaticism & corruption. A spectacular, soulful, awe-inspiring masterclass of aesthetics & mood beautifully echoing Paul’s turbulent journey. Left me speechless!”

RELATED:  New ‘Dune: Part Two’ Trailer Sees Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides Pursue “Narrow” Path Toward Defeat Of Enemies

“Dune Part 2” is damn impressive,” wrote The Playlist’s Gregory Ellwood. “Villeneuve crafts some truly VISIONARY moments. Austin Butler gives a truly transformative performance (and not talking makeup either). Very moving ending. A wee bit long? Yes. Did I forget I saw it the next day? Yes. Still, gonna be massive.”

“Denis Villeneuve sticks the landing with Dune Part Two, a fascinating, terrifying character study told on a gloriously grand sci-fi scale,” entertainment reporter  Germain Lussier said . “Timothée Chalamet & Zendaya are INCREDIBLE in it, the set pieces are jaw-dropping, & the supporting cast elevates all the rest. It’s great.”

RELATED:  ‘Dune: Part Two’ Movie Posters and Images: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Josh Brolin & More

“Incredible filmmaking,” wrote Collider’s Steven Weintraub. “Brilliant score. Entire cast was excellent. My only complaint was I wish it was longer. Not joking around. The movie is 2hr and 40 min(?) and I would have been happy to watch another hour.”

“Having watched Dune Part Two, I can say I have ridden a sandworm,” CinemaBlend’s  Eric Eisenberg wrote . “It’s a magical experience, and the faithful adaptation fans have been waiting for (albeit w/ some smart changes). A fascinating examination of zealotry & postcolonial politics wrapped in a breathtaking blockbuster.”

Uproxx’s Mike Ryan wrote that he was mixed on the first movie, but he added that “Part Two” is “phenomenal” and “up there with the greatest sci-fi movies I’ve ever seen.”

“Blown away by Dune Part Two,” Total Film’s  Jordan Farley wrote . “Found it even more immersive, tactile and emotional than Part One. The clarity, heft and scale of the action is staggering. For me, the whole occupies a rarified place alongside The Lord of the Rings as the definitive version of a seminal text.”

“Arguably Denis Villeneuve’s magnum opus, Dune: Part Two is a masterpiece,” GamesRadar+’s own  Emily Murray said . “Throwing you right into the action, it is totally immersive, gripping, and ultimately devastating. Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya have never been better. Just truly remarkable filmmaking – I’m in awe.”

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  1. 17 Book Review Examples to Help You Write the Perfect Review

    Start quiz What must a book review contain? Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark.

  2. Want to Write a Review? Here's Advice From New York Times Critics

    Persuade the reader. Maya Phillips, a critic at large who reviews theater, poetry and other works of art and culture, stresses that a review is simply a piece of persuasive writing. She urges...

  3. Writing Lessons

    A Film or Book Review is a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of a film or book that goes beyond a mere summary. It involves critically assessing various aspects of the work, including its strengths, weaknesses, themes, characters, plot, cinematography (in the case of a film), writing style (in the case of a book), and overall impact.

  4. PDF How to Write a Book Review, Film Review, or Other Critique

    intent. If your author's purpose—as indicated in the preface—is to educate the reader about bipolar depression, and the author spends most of the book talking about unipolar depression, then the author has not met her goal.

  5. How to write a book or film review

    Pre writing Remember and take notes of the plot of the story. What impression did it produce on you? Writing Introduction: Give the title and author of the book, mention the type of the book. If you're reviewing a film mention the type of film, the director and the actors. Body: Summarize the plot in a few sentences.

  6. PDF Book or Movie Review Template

    Book or Movie Review Template A book review, like a movie review, consists of a summary and analysis. Your review should start with an introduction, then a summary of the book/movie, then your analysis and finally your conclusion. Introduction Summary The Analysis Conclusion You TIP….You also should try todefine the books genre and make ...

  7. How to Write Book Reviews Readers Will Want to Read

    Tip # 4: Establish a creative scoring system. If you plan to write a lot of reviews, you might consider establishing your own scoring system. For example, Rotten Tomatoes is the "home of the Tomatometer, the most trusted measurement of quality for Movies & TV.".

  8. Movie Review Book: How to Write a Great Critique

    To review a book, it needs to comment on what points made it great and enjoyable to read and then compare it to similar books in its genre or prequels. Also, say why you would recommend it to someone and back this up with facts for every statement.

  9. Book review

    A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described (summary review) or analyzed based on content, style, and merit. [1] A book review may be a primary source, opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review. [2]

  10. Exam Tips: How to Write a Film or Book Review for an ...

    Generally, a review can be divided into four paragraphs. The first paragraph, of course, is the introduction. In it, you give the reader some general information. For a book, this would include the title, the author, and the type - that is, novel, story collection, biography, memoir. For a film, you would give the title, the director or ...

  11. How To Write A Review: Cambridge B2 First

    Remember a review could be for a book, a film, a magazine, a restaurant or even a product. Three steps to writing a great review Let's start with something simple. Imagine. You turn over the page to your writing part 2 and you see this question: Question taken from Cambridge Assessment English website. (Feb 2018) Step One: Make a plan

  12. How to Write a Movie Review (with Sample Reviews)

    Find a place to mention the director's name and the full movie title. If you feel you must discuss information that might "spoil" things for readers, warn them first. 2. Start to talk about the film's technical and artistic choices. Plot is just one piece of a movie, and shouldn't dictate your entire review.

  13. PDF Film Review

    Introduction In the opening of your review, provide some basic information about the film. You may include film's name, year, director, screenwriter, and major actors. Your introduction, which may be longer than one paragraph, should also begin to evaluate the film, and it should allude to the central concept of the review.

  14. How to write a review?

    Send us a review of a book or film that focuses on somebody who has made an important contribution to society. Did you learn anything new about the person's life from the book or film? Did the book or film help you understand why this person made their important contribution?

  15. How to write a review?

    Step 2: Title The review should start with the title, and there are few simple ways to write it: imagine you're reviewing a book you can write: [Title] by [Author]; if you were reviewing a restaurant you could write: [name of the restaurant] - a review; Title (book): Dark Souls by Stephen King (by) Title (restaurant): Taco Bell in London - a review (a review)

  16. How to Write a Movie Review: 9 Essential Tips

    1. Watch the film at least once. When writing a film review, once is necessary, but twice is preferable. It's impossible to capture every detail and thought only after one viewing. Throughout watching the film, taking detailed notes is also a good idea.

  17. How to write a movie review [Updated 2023]

    Step-by-step review writing tips. 1. Watch the movie. The first time that you watch the movie, look for overarching themes or patterns, and establish what the film is primarily about. Take note of the main characters, as well as the setting. 2. Watch the movie again and take notes.

  18. How to Write a Movie Review: 5 Tips for Writing Movie Reviews

    Written by MasterClass Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 4 min read Whether it's for pleasure or a job assignment, writing a good movie review can be a useful exercise that allows you to explore your personal connection to a film.

  19. Film review

    Check your understanding: grouping Worksheets and downloads Film review - exercises 640.07 KB Film review - answers 140.04 KB Film review - text 379.35 KB Film review - writing practice 299.18 KB Discussion What's your favourite film? Why do you like it? Language level A2 English level (pre-intermediate) Topics films writing exams

  20. 15 Example Review Topics (PDF) (Writing)

    A review is one of the possible text types in the second part of the writing. It is written traditionally for an English-language magazine, newspaper, or website. The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced (e.g. a film, a holiday. a product, a website, etc.) and to give the ...

  21. Lesson 7: Task: Write a film review

    Writing a Film Review This is the lesson where you put everything together. We want you to write a review of a film. You will see two examples of film reviews which you can use to help you write your own review. When you've finished your review, post it in the comments section and read other participants reviews and tell them what you think.

  22. 'Poor Things,' the Weird Movie, Was a Weird Novel First

    The book purports to be the 1909 memoir of McCandless (the similarly named character played by Ramy Youssef in the film), salvaged from a rubbish heap and edited by Gray.

  23. How to write a film review

    Another thing to remember is that your review should always have a title, and that title should include the name of the film. Introduction - Essential details and mini-summary. Summary - A description of the film and some important details. Analysis - An evaluation of different elements. Conclusion - Your opinion and a recommendation.

  24. How to Write a Movie Review + Interesting Examples

    A movie review is a detailed analysis of a film or a documentary. It involves analysis, research, and reporting the writer's views in a structured way. The writer assumes a position of educating readers whether they have watched the film or not. In fact, many people read movie reviews to decide whether they want to see a film or not.

  25. Book Review: "Cocktails With George and Martha" by Philip Gefter

    The film, with its handful of Oscar nominations, has refocused attention on the novel, a satire of the literary world and its racial biases. Kaveh Akbar had a raging addiction and little reason to ...

  26. 'The Taste of Things' review: Juliette Binoche stars in a sumptuous

    I first saw The Taste of Things at 8:30 in the morning at a Cannes Film Festival press screening last year. Like a lot of other journalists, I walked in jet-lagged, bleary-eyed — and hopeful ...

  27. Kelly Link's debut novel 'The Book of Love' review : NPR

    The Book of Love is a narrative about love — and death and resurrection and kissing people and growing up and sibling rivalry and horror. This is a story about stories that even touches on ...

  28. 'Treasure' Review: A Well-Meaning But Maudlin Father-Daughter Drama

    'Treasure' Review: Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry Revisit Painful Family History in a Well-Meaning but Maudlin Father-Daughter Tale Reviewed at Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale Special Gala), Feb ...

  29. 'Dune 2' First Reactions: Rave Reviews Topped By Critic Who ...

    The movie is 2hr and 40 min(?) and I would have been happy to watch another hour." "Having watched Dune Part Two, I can say I have ridden a sandworm," CinemaBlend's Eric Eisenberg wrote .