More on the Film Review Assignment

Here is a helpful model of a review of an entire movie:

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072556269/87183/bog56269_app.pdf

The film review is the first sample paper in this PDF.

As it happens, the Sikov book's sample paper is not really what would be appropriate for this assignment, as it is not a full film review.  The purpose of our assignment is to present a description and analysis of a film that we have not studied in class.  You are expected to demonstrate your ability to analyze the film in terms of what has been presented in Sikov with regard to technical elements of film, as well as story/narrative/content.  The idea is to give your reader a good idea of the form and content of the film, as well as its socio-historical context, and how it fits in with other films by the same director, or in the same genre.  You would thus make note of both similarities and differences.

Your review will be  posted to your individual blog.  You will be expected to provide screenshots to illustrate various points you make about the film.  You should also take a short scene/sequence from the film which you find to be in some way emblematic of the film, and/or illustrative of elements of technique, style, etc.

This is an academic review and not a journalistic one, so you are not to give an evaluative rating of the film.  However, you should feel free to acknowledge elements of the film that are done effectively.