Chapter 1: Writing About the Movies: Film Criticism & Essays

Writing About the Movies: Film Criticism & Essays argues that articulating one's reaction to a film—whether investigating the technological spectacle of modern 3-D blockbusters like Avatar or the ambiguous narrative structures of European art cinema like L'Avventura—actually deepens the viewer's enjoyment and understanding. A central theme is the necessity of identifying the intended audience, as the writer's approach must shift based on the reader's familiarity with the film or specific cultural contexts. The text systematically categorizes film writing into four distinct genres: the screening report, which is a short, descriptive, and objective preparation for class discussion that avoids strong arguments; the movie review, a journalistic form found in newspapers aimed at general audiences to recommend or dismiss a film based on plot summary and background information; the theoretical essay, which tackles broad philosophical concepts regarding the nature of the medium and its relationship to reality; and the critical essay, the primary focus of academic study, which presumes the reader has seen the film and moves beyond plot summary to analyze nuance, style, and technique. Using Terrence Malick's Badlands as a primary case study to illustrate these differences, the chapter contrasts a consumer-focused review with a scholarly critique to demonstrate how depth, tone, and focus differ across genres. Furthermore, it addresses the nuances of personal opinion, advising students on how to balance subjective taste and the use of the first-person perspective with objective evaluation and evidence-based argumentation to produce insightful analysis rather than mere appreciation.