Empire magazine - does the job perfectly (Empire)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Empire
Date:	30/09/08 (378 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent film reviews, quirky extra articles, attractive layout

Disadvantages: Only for film fans, costs a lot

If you have read any of my other reviews, you'll notice that most of them are film-related. I do like films! Nearly a year ago, I won a competition and the prize was a year's subscription to Empire magazine. I usually buy it anyway, so I was very happy to have won this. Over the past year, I have patiently waited each month for the latest copy to plop through the letterbox onto my floor, and then eagerly sit down with a cup of copy and plan what films I'm going to watch next.

Empire magazine has been in circulation since 1989, and is considered the best film magazine out there. It centres on new releases and those 'under the radar' films that may pass you buy, and its team write reviews, interview stars, and provide quirky articles . Each edition features the script from a famous movie scene as well.

What I like about Empire is the relaxed way everything is written. A lot of it is tongue in cheek, and there is a lot of inside humour flowing onto the page. References to films are everywhere in the reviews, with inevitable comparisons being made to films of similar genre, or other performances from an actor in another film. There are a large number of parts of this magazine that only an avid film watcher would get or like, but they do take care to make sure that each film review is clear in its rating whether you're into films or not - it pretty much caters for everyone.

The magazine is divided into sections. The cover normally stands out among the other mags on the shelves, and it always draws my attention if I am out shopping, although I don't buy it because I have that subscription. Inside, there are quite a few advertisement pages, moreso than you would expect from other magazines, but these are nearly all film-related, so they kind of tell you what's up and coming or what is worth buying, etc. They have a letters to the editor section, and they discuss what's been happening in the world of film since the last article was published, before continuing with the next month's cinema reviews, DVD reviews, and quirky articles as I mentioned earlier such as interviews and trivia.

If you haven't read Empire before, it's worth a go, definitely. If you aren't into your films, it's probably not worth a second glance, but then it is designed for a specific market. Similarly, if you are an aspiring writer, Empire are always on the lookout for new talent and guest reviewers, and they do hold competitions where you can submit your piece from time to time.

Overall, I rate this highly. If you aren't as lucky as I was to win a subscription, Empire will cost you £3.90 in the shops! This is rather expensive, but is about the norm for other similar magazines in its genre. Give it a go if you're into your films, it's very good.

Summary: Great magazine if you want to fork out £3.90