FILM REVIEW

is a popular way for critics to assess a film’s overall quality and determine
whether or not they think the film is worth recommending. Film reviews differ
from scholarly film articles in that they encompass personal and idiosyncratic
reactions to and evaluations of a film, as well as objective analyses of the film’s
formal techniques and thematic content.
HOW TO WRITE A FILM
REVIEW
REQUIRES MULTIPLE VIEWINGS OF THE FILM,
2 TO 3 TIMES
FIRST VIEWING = CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE
SECOND VIEWING= FOCUS ON THE INTERESTING
ELEMENTS WHICH CAN BE SEPARATED INTO TWO
CATEGORIES:

FORMAL TECHNIQUES = Cinematography, Editing, Mise-

en-scene, Lighting, Musical Score, Genre, Narratology
HOW TO WRITE A FILM
REVIEW
THEMATIC CONTENT = Resonates with issues such as
History, Race, Gender, Sexuality, Class, or the
Environment

Take careful notes on the formal thematic elements.

Attempt to create central idea for your review that brings
together the two elements

If the second viewing does not work, watch the film a third
time.
PARTS OF A FILM REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Basic information of the film = Title, Year, Director,
Screenwriter, Major Actors
State your evaluation of the film and the central concept
of the review.
PLOT SUMMARY
Keep this brief and AVOID specific details that would spoil
the viewing for others.

DESCRIPTION
Include a more detailed description of your particular
cinematic experience watching the film. What stands out in
your mind when you think about this film.
PARTS OF A FILM REVIEW
ANALYSIS
Consider how well the film utilizes formal techniques and
thematic content. How the film’s formal techniques affect
the way the film looks and feels for you. How the thematic
concept affect your experience and interpretation.

CONCLUSION/EVALUATION
Remind the reader your general thoughts and impressions
of the films. You can state whether or not you recommend
the film to the reader and if the film is worth watching.
 WHAT TO AVOID
Do not just focus on the plot
SPOILERS is a NO NO!
Write in a first person’s POV
Stating opinion without support and
relevance
EXAMPLES
FIVE FEET APART
Five Feet Apart Story: Two young patients with cystic fibrosis fall in love with each other
despite being forced to stay apart due to their illness.

Five Feet Apart Review: Both Stella Grant (Haley Lu Richardson) and Will Newman (Cole
Sprouse) suffer from the genetic disorder and life-threatening incurable illness cystic
fibrosis (CF), which affects their lungs. Stella tries to battle her illness using social media to
educate people on how it affects patients. She’s also extremely mindful about her medical
regimen, by keeping track and organizing her pills using an app that she made. On the
other hand, Will throws caution to the wind as he believes they are living on borrowed
time, and prefers to make the most of their short lives. CF patients need to be kept 6 feet
apart as they suffer the risk of contracting infections. This becomes a big hindrance when
Stella and Will fall in love with each other.
If the very notion of this plot makes you go weak in your knees, then this film is definitely
for you. Falling firmly within the ‘tragic romance’ genre, ‘Five Feet Apart’ follows the typical
clichés one would expect from this by-the-numbers setup. Chances are that tears will also
be shed along the way. But it has a few surprises as well. For one, Haley Lu Richardson
displays an impressive range and depth in her performance. This allows us to become
engrossed with Stella Grant’s coping mechanisms while celebrating her small victories.
Stella’s arc anchors the narrative down, especially when the screenplay feels stretched out.
As soon as Stella meets Will, you know they’re going to fall for each other, but the plot
takes its time to get there. Cole Sprouse as Will is also charming and effective. But it
doesn’t help that he’s tasked with clunky dialogue particularly in a pivotal scene during the
climax that makes him comes across quite cheesy.
The film seems to be a genuine attempt to illustrate how CF patients deal with
relationships along with their multiple restrictions. Stella’s friendship with Poe (Moises
Arias) is often far more intriguing as it is devoid of romantic chemistry. Nurse Barb
(Kimberly Hebert Gregory) and her concern for these patients also demonstrate some of
the challenges faced by caretakers, and the effect it has on them. Despite a run-time
that director Justin Baldoni could have easily trimmed down to a crisper version, ‘Five
Feet Apart’ manages to be engaging due to its performances, and is more than likely to
pull on heartstrings in some unexpected places.

https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/five-feet-apart-2019/
SPIDERMAN FAR
FROM HOME
Much like “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” was a perfectly enjoyable if inferior follow-
up to the genre-defining, zany ‘80s comedy “Vacation,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home”
changes the scenery but can’t quite match the inspired heights of its predecessor.
Granted, “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is a tough act to follow. Director Jon Watts’ 2017 film
was a giddy blast of New York City summertime air, a refreshing reboot with a hugely appealing
star turn from Tom Holland in the title role. “Far From Home” also arrives about six months
after the game-changing, Oscar-winning animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,”
perhaps the most inventive movie we’ve seen yet inspired by a Marvel comic—or any comic, for
that matter. Much like “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” was a perfectly enjoyable if
inferior follow-up to the genre-defining, zany ‘80s comedy “Vacation,” “Spider-Man: Far From
Home” changes the scenery but can’t quite match the inspired heights of its predecessor.

Granted, “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is a tough act to follow. Director Jon Watts’ 2017 film
was a giddy blast of New York City summertime air, a refreshing reboot with a hugely appealing
star turn from Tom Holland in the title role. “Far From Home” also arrives about six months
after the game-changing, Oscar-winning animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,”
perhaps the most inventive movie we’ve seen yet inspired by a Marvel comic—or any comic, for
that matter.
Watts is back as director, but this time he’s in the tricky position of helming a film that not only
occupies a momentous spot within the ever-developing Marvel Cinematic Universe but also
furthers Peter Parker’s individual story. And for a while, “Far From Home” is a lot of fun,
especially since it picks up right where “Avengers: Endgame” left off. Working from a script by
returning writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, Watts and his team playfully explore what’s
happening five years after Thanos’ fateful finger snap and how the world is reshaping in ways
that are both major and mundane.

In that regard, “Far From Home” works best as a high school comedy—which also happened to
be the strength of "Spider-Man: Homecoming"—with teens figuring out in adorably awkward
fashion who they are and how to express what they feel within this brave new world. Peter has
had a taste of the big time, with all the rush and responsibility that entails, but he just wants to
be a normal teenager. He’d rather join his classmates on a summer European adventure—
especially the darkly alluring MJ, played once again with humorous, deadpan charm by Zendaya—
than save the world from total destruction. Again. And who could blame him? It’s a lot—for him,
and for us.
But duty calls. Because it’s an MCU blockbuster arriving in theaters on July 4 weekend, “Far
From Home” also must function as a massive action extravaganza, and here’s where the film is
at its weakest. The giant set pieces, and what the villain hopes to achieve through them, are like
an empty yet distracting swirl of chaos and noise. Admittedly, that’s the point, and we’ll get to
more of that (sans spoilers, naturally) in a bit. But it all feels like overload, like so many
swarming, soaring computer-generated blips. “Far From Home” loses its way just as it’s
reaching its supposedly thrilling crescendo, its greatest sin being that the scenes with the
highest stakes are ultimately kind of dull.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio is at the center of these showdowns, with a mixture of abilities that
combine Iron Man’s flying and laser-zapping with Thor’s sartorial tendencies. But who he really
is and what he really wants aren’t much of a surprise, although he initially presents himself as
an ally and even a hopeful force for the future. Gyllenhaal seems to be having a blast playing
dress-up in this setting, and he brings great brio to the scene in which he lays out his
(surprisingly understandable) reasoning for his elaborate plan. The actual execution of it all,
however, ends up being rather numbing. The real bombshells come during the closing credit
sequences—so, as always, be sure to stay in your seat until the very end.
The laughs bubble up so consistently in the first half that it’s enough to make you wish “Far
From Home” was a straight-up romantic comedy. Peter’s goofy notions of how stops in Venice
and Paris should go down with MJ are the stuff of moony teenage-boy fantasies. A sweet,
parallel romance finds Peter’s wisecracking, scene-stealing best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon),
connecting unexpectedly with the prim, Type-A Betty (Angourie Rice). And a third flirtation—
between Tony Stark’s right-hand man, Happy (Jon Favreau), and Peter’s Aunt May (Marisa
Tomei)—has some potential but doesn’t go far just yet, although it’s enough to make Peter’s
Spidey sense tingle.
Holland isn’t afforded the depth of character we’ve seen from him previously—most notably
during his heartbreaking exit in “Avengers: Infinity War.” But once again, he’s completely
charming in the role, bringing a boyish enthusiasm that’s irresistible and wholly different from
the ways Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield played him in previous incarnations. His Peter
even gets to show glimmers of being a flaky kid as he dodges calls from an increasingly,
amusingly frustrated Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).
Perhaps his true superpower is the fact that he seems more like a relatable, fully fleshed-out
human being than any other character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Surely, we’ll have a
multitude of chances to find out for sure.