Introduction

How to read this guide

A good film review happens at the intersection of three things.

Most film reviews only have two of these things. Two can be enough. People have made careers off two (or less). But to really shine, to really be good, you need all three.

So we’re going to cover all three.

Chapter 1: Passion

The first chapter is about discovering the thing that will power your mission to write good film reviews. This is the most important chapter.

Chapter 2: Knowledge

The second chapter is about how to begin building a deep, broad knowledge of cinema. What to watch, how to understand.

Chapter 3: Words

The final chapter is probably what you came here for: an in-depth list of clear, actionable principles for writing good film reviews.

Bonus: Anatomy of a film review — Django Unchained

How do you take notes in a screening? How do those notes transform into a finished review? This chapter breaks down the content and structure of a sample review, from scribbled notes to subbed copy.

This is a short guide to writing good film reviews. If you’d love to write about films as a professional film critic — or even if you already do — I hope it’s useful to you.

Go to > Chapter 1: Passion

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About the author: You can learn a little bit about me and why I’ve written this guide.

Terminology note: I use the terms “film critic”, “film writer”, “film reviewer” and “film journalist” to mean the same thing. I’m assuming a role — full time or freelance — in which you would review films, write about cinema of the past/present/future, and possibly also interview actors and filmmakers.

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