Understanding film reviews.

In this blog I have decided to view certain film reviews of a similar film to ours, relating it back to one of Shane Meadow's classics, 'This is England'. I want to gain an insight on reviews from both the audience and also the more commercial media including newspapers and film magazines.

Firstly, I visited IMDB to view user reviews. I have decided to analyse both the positives and negatives and hopefully this will have an effect on how we film our film to try and improve on the negatives and follow the positives.





POSITIVE REVIEW OF THE FILM FROM AMATEUR REVIEWER.

This post shows the real positives of the film from a viewer. Certain key points that are of extreme relevance include where ‘Rathko’ admires the ‘authenticity of the film’. This highlights the need to understand the audience and current issues of the time. Relating our film to petty criminals, stealing without knowing the consequences is popular within Britain. People can relate and it makes their viewing more cinematic and appealing.

Another key point to mention is where the film is described to be ‘at times it’s as though you’re watching a documentary’. In the context it relates to how the film, looks simply, great. In this case, the reviewer respects the effort placed into this, which our group already understood was a massive factor that we needed to act upon. In our films case, this would be making sure that our film does not look like it has been filmed within school, it needs to look realistic, and therefore good



NEGATIVE REVIEW OF THE FILM FROM AMATEUR REVIEWER.

This screen shot shows quite the opposite review and of certain factors we may want to avoid. It was very difficult to find a review of such a great film that was negative and even with the one found, the writer of the review lacks knowledge of how to understand the benefits of a great film. But this was the best review to analyse because some points he makes have some relevance, and hopefully we can avoid such negative points that have been established.

Firstly, the first paragraph criticises that ‘It’s just another’ relating the film to other films that have already existed, so we need to make our film exclusive and different from any other film to prevent reviewers coming out with such negative comments. It will create more interest for the viewers if they see a film which has no relevance to any other film created and is unique.

Secondly would be that ‘oslane’ picks out on a point which I can slightly agree with. He picks up on the unrealistic plot line of two members becoming close, even though they would hate one another if it really was as realistic as ‘Rathko’ describes it to be. We need to make a flawless plot which will not alter a member of the audiences opinion by an unrealistic storyline and an experience which is not likely to happen.
The next review has a more objective opinion due to being from an official reviewer, being 'Dan Jolin', an Empire Magazine Editor. He is more likely to feature both sides of the argument due to his position and his job. The consumer, especially over a magazine that is solely based on movies, want to read reviews that tell both the positives and negatives to a film so they can make a judgement on whether to watch it or not. Dan Jolin's interpretation and review of the film was very interesting:


OBJECTIVE REVIEW OF THE FILM FROM PROFESSIONAL REVIEWER.

 
Dan Jolin’s expertise manage to find a respectable negative point in ‘This Is England’ and one that luckily we indirectly avoid due to this being the one film that will be examined. Yet, we still have to make it different from the many others that will be examined which was picked up on from the amateur negative reviewer. Our film has to be unique to capture the audiences attention and to create something different and interesting.

The positive point that Jolin mentions would be something that has also been picked up from one of the amateur reviewers, yet this time it being the positive reviewer. He mentions the ‘sheer quality of performances’, relating to the high level of acting. This is obviously a must for any film for it to be professional and to be treated seriously. We are school kids, yet acting has to be at a high level for it to become such a great as Meadow’s films. It is going to be hard work, but it will be worth it for the end result.