Describing Films

Describing Films
Good funny bad boring scary exciting interesting astounding clever silly long hilarious spellbinding OFFENSIVE actionpacked romantic futuristic classic superb diabolical cheesy annoying cool
recommended enjoyable predictable original ridiculous mind-boggling
crazy
Films you like are...
Films you don't
like are...
Can you think of any other words to include?
The Parts of a Film
Story / Plot
The story or plot is what happens in the film
Words to describe: unpredictable / predictable, original, full of twists,
realistic / unrealistic, complicated, simplistic…
Characters
Characters are the people who the film is about
Words to describe: funny, nice, mean, happy, miserable, cute…
Actors
Actors are the real-life people who play the characters
Words to describe: talented, convincing / unconvincing, versatile…
Director
The director is the person who makes all the big decisions about how a
film is made
Words to describe: talented, famous, skilful…
Scenery
Scenery is what is the background of a film - this could be the furniture in a room or
the surrounding landscape
Words to describe: beautiful, ugly, spectacular, cinematic, city, country,
recognisable, foreign, fantastical, colourful…
Dialogue
The way the characters talk and the things they say.
Words to describe: witty, amusing, fast-paced, slow-paced, smart,
boring, offensive, confusing, obvious…
Style
The style is the overall feel of a film, the result of a combination of all the other parts
Words to describe: comedy, horror, romantic, scary, magical, actionpacked,
adventure, old-fashioned, futuristic…
What Makes A Good Film Review?
1. INFORM
• Summarise - Give a brief explanation of the plot (but don’t give away the ending or any surprise plot twists, that’s called a “spoiler”) e.g.“New kid at school
Will (Gaelan Connell) is roped into managing a band by the chirpy lead singer”
• The Talent - Tell the reader who the director, writer and actors are (have a look
on www.imdb.com, if you’re not sure) and give some relevant background information e.g. “Disney Channel alumnus Alyson Michalka”… “HSM grad Vanessa
Hudgens” “Todd Graff’s slicker follow-up to Camp”
• Contextualise -
2. ENTERTAIN
• Describe - Use your language to recreate for the reader the experience of
funny! Readers love to laugh. e.g.
“Earnest performances – but you can’t dance to those, can you?”
• Reference wave of High School Musical imitators.”
• Exaggerate atively by using ‘hyperbole’ or over-the-top, exaggerated language e.g. “Avatar
has the best special effects since cinema was invented”
3. EVALUATE
• Evaluate - Tell the reader which bits were good and which bits were bad. Also,
or sentence e.g.
ly resent the poor ratio of musical numbers to clunky, contrived emotional scenes.
(Nothing like an elderly character’s death to spur resolution…)”
• Explain - Don’t forget to use your language tools to explain why it was good or
why it was bad (see ‘Describe’) “clunky, contrived…”
• Rate -
Glossary of Useful Words
director (noun) evaluate (verb) - to judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount or value of
something
genre (noun) other artworks
hyperbole (noun) - intentional exaggeration to create an effect
plot (noun) –
ed, sometimes by unexpected means
-
simile (noun) heart attack’
spoiler (noun, slang) - Any element of any summary or description of any piece
of that reveals any plot element which will give away the ending (avoid these!)
Bandslam (PG)
Some kids at high school getting musical...seem familiar?
TOTAL FILM RATING**
BY: Ellen E Jones Jul 28th 2009
Release Date: Aug 14th 2009
Starring: Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Lisa Kudrow, David Bowie, Alyson Michalka
Director: Todd Graff
imitators.
New kid at school Will (Gaelan Connell) is roped into managing a band by its chirpy
lead singer (Disney Channel alumnus Alyson Michalka). But will leading the group to a
record contract interfere with Will’s romancing of edgy – well, brunette, anyway – outsider – Sam (HSM grad Vanessa Hudgens)?
Todd Graff’s slicker follow up to Camp sports a respectable set of reference points –
Will listens to The Velvet Underground and David Bowie; Sam loves Evil Dead 2. In
past their own adolescence.
resent the poor ratio of musical numbers to clunky, contrived emotional scenes. (Nothing like an elderly character’s death to spur resolution…)
Earnest performances – but you can’t dance to those, can you?