genres. |
television.
drama comedy/sitcom comedy/stand-up |
cinema.
drama/romance psychological thriller independent |
how do I evaluate film?Scroll down for a quick overview of the film elements I try to factor into all of my reviews—for both tv and cinema. |
CONCEPT
As with any story expressed in any media, I try to assess how captivating and original the concept is. This is obviously strictly opinion-based as I respect highly the concepts that compel me most, and this probably won't be the same interpretation as everyone else. PLOT / STRUCTURE
As with my book reviews, I try to assess the basic structure and pacing of film productions. There's never one structure or pace that makes a film enjoyable, but I consider whether or not those elements enhanced the story itself. A story's plot and structure should never be tossed in or secondarily considered; I want it to be a true piece of the puzzle. CASTING / ACTING
Casting and acting go hand in hand. I try to consider how well-cast certain characters are based on appearance, personality, mannerisms. Hence, this goes right along with how well the acting came across on-screen. If I'm not completely convinced that person is the character they're playing, my opinion of the film will likely go downhill as the series or movie goes on. CINEMATOGRAPHY
In its most basic form, the question cinematography asks is, "Was it filmed well?" And this is important to consider because I'm not afraid to evaluate 'B' movies or independently made work. However, I usually try to go beyond that and ask myself if the picture itself—the coloring, the framing, etc.—is enhancing the story being told. The best ones do. SCORE
As a music lover, the score or soundtrack is vital to my personal experience with a film. I tend to look down on scores padded with mainstream popular songs. Rather, carefully chosen scores that immerse me even more into the story and film will earn high evaluations from me. ADAPTATION
While this isn't always an applicable category for movies and tv series, I try to take the original content into consideration. Film adaptations of books, plays, and other media are popping up continuously, and it's important to evaluate how the filmmakers translated the story, characters, etc. onto the screen. |