Critical Film Analysis: Assignment

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For this assignment you will write three movies reviews, one each week, as we study Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), and Brokeback Mountain (2005).

A movie review is a special form of writing that requires its own style, and that follows its own rules — the cardinal one being, don't give away the ending. A movie review is written in the first person voice, and gives an opinion on the film. We will study in class the structure of a movie review, however, the best way to get a feel for how to write a movie review is to read several of them. Look online for reviews by Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper, and read their reviews of several movies you have seen (so that you will know which aspects of the movie they discuss, and also what they choose not to mention).

Your critical perspective from which to write your review is that of a professional movie reviewer of each film's era. In other words, when you write your review of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner you will write in the voice of an American adult, living in California in 1967, and seeing the movie on opening day.

Each review will be published on your blog as its own blog post. Each review should be between 600-1,000 words. Each review must have a title (not just the name of the film — write an interesting title), and must contain at least one link to a relevant current or historical information website of your choosing — that is, not one of the reference sites given in class.

To hand in your assignment, email the direct link to the review (i.e. your blog post) to your instructor.