writing about film

Movie Reviews vs Film Criticism

Review		Criticism
		Critical Essay	Theoretical Essay
author	written by journalist or staff of newspapers, magazines and trade journals from an entertainment, cultural, or artistic perspective.	written by a scholar or other expert in the field of film studies	written by a scholar, or other expert in the field of film studies
audience	aims at the broadest possible audience, the general public with no special knowledge of film	for those who are "at least familiar with the film under discussion, although that reader may not have thought extensively about it."	for advanced students or readers who "posses a great deal of knowledge about specific films, film history, and other writings about film."
content	summaries of the plot or discussion of the film in another context (the director's other work, films of the same genre, etc.) that might help the reader understand it. functions to introduce unknown films and to recommend or not recommend them.	a far more specific focus than that of a review in order to reveal subtleties or complexities that may have escaped viewers, for example, a short sequence at the beginning of the film, or on a camera angle that becomes associated with a specific character.	"Its aim is to explain some of the larger and more complex structures of the cinema and how we understand them." An essay, for instance, on the relation of film and reality, on the political or ideological foundations of the movie industry, or on how film narrative is unlike literary narrative.

A Short Guide to Writing About Filmby Timothy J. Corrigan. (Ref. PN1995 .C66 2010) Both an introduction to film study and a practical writing guide, this brief text introduces the reader to film terms and the major film theories, serving a great purpose for individuals who want to think and write critically about film.