My handy hints for film buffs (How To Write A Good Movie Review)

Member Name: jesperado

Product:	How To Write A Good Movie Review
Date:	18/02/09 (64 review reads)
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Here are my top tips for writing a good movie review. I am by no means an expert on this but hopefully you can learn from some of my mistakes!

1) Don't just outline the plot - If readers wanted to know what happened in a film they would have watched it already! It is good to give some detail of what happens in the film but this generally doesn't need to take up more than a short paragraph. If you just rehash the imdb review, you won't get good ratings and people won't want to read your reviews in future.

2) It's good to include details - You might want to include details such as the actors in the film, the director, whether it is part of a series. These are the sorts of things that a lot of people look for when they are deciding which film to watch. For example, I like David Fincher's films so I went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

3) Don't give too much away! - I did this once and I'm glad someone pulled me up on it straight away. I was writing about a film I had studied for an MA dissertation and got totally carried away and gave away the ending! This may have spoilt the film had anyone read the review before I had edited it. So, be aware of how much detail you give and avoid spilling the beans on any plot twists.

4) We want to know why YOU love/like/hate it - What was it about this film that made you want to write about it? It could be a tiny insignificant detail that really caught your eye but if you write about it with passion, readers will want to see this film too. It could be the snappy dialogue, chemistry between characters, cinematography or incredible soundtrack, let us know what makes this film stand out from the rest.

5) What might put people off - I try to think of what aspect of the film might put others off so I can prepare them for it. For example, I can happily watch four hour long movies without getting bored but I know that this isn't the case for everyone so I try to warn people if they are in for the long haul. Also, I try to warn people about anything I feel is gratuitous such as extended scenes of graphic violence. If something in a film really upset you, I think it is only fair to warn people that this may affect them too.

Summary: I hope these hints were helpful