What is a film review and how to write it ?
Writing a movie review is a great way of expressing your opinion of a movie. The purpose of most movie reviews is to help the reader in determining whether they want to watch, rent or buy
the movie. The review should give enough details about the movie
that the reader can make an informed decision, without giving anyway
any essentials such as the plot or any surprises. Below are our
guidelines and tips for writing a good movie review.
1. Watch the movie
The first step in writing the review is to watch the movie. Watch the movie in a relaxed environment you are familiar with. You do not want to be distracted by an unfamiliar room. Watching the movie a second time will help you to absorb a lot more detail about the movie. Most movie reviewers take notes as they watch the movie.2. Give your opinion
Most movie reviewers will give their opinion of the movie. This is important as the reviewer can express the elements of the movie they enjoyed or disliked. However, as in all good journalism, the reviewer should also give impartial details, and allow the reader to make their own mind over an issue the reader liked or disliked. Opinions should be explained to allow the reader to determine whether they would agree with your opinion .Many regular movie reviewers will develop a following. If one can find a reviewer who shares a similar taste in films, one can confidently follow the reviewers recommendations.
3. Who is your audience?
You need to consider who your likely readers are. Writing a movie review for children requires a different approach than if writing for a movie club. Ensure you report on the factors that matter to your likely audience.4. Give an outline
Give the outline of the movie, but don't give away essential details such as the end or any surprises. If there is a big surprise you want to entice readers by telling them something special happens, just don't say what.5. Actors
If the movie contains actors, as most do, detail who is starring in the movie and how well you think they acted.6. Structure
Did the movie follow a regular predictable story line, criticize the story in brief but no in deep. Give a positive idea to the reader exploring the structure of the story of the film.7.Cinematography and lighting
Give details about how well the movie was shot and directed. Was the lighting good in the moody scenes?8. Music
Did the movie have its own score like "Sri Siddarth Goutama" or , "Gamini" did it feature songs from popular artists?9. Read, read and read
Read and check your review thoroughly. It can be embarrassing to find errors in your work after it has been published. This is especially important for reviews that will be published on the Internet, as search engines are always looking for the correct spellings of keywords.Read the particulars and try to write a film review.
I). Aba – Dramatic Film of magic realism
The magic of Jakson Anthoney’s new cinematic creation, Aba seems real for the short hours
spent in the theater. It is a dramatic film that is thrilling with a message
disclosed in a technical artistry on a big screen and very powerful audio
visual effect that creates hypnotic effect on the audience.
Some great
films like Ten Commandments, Ben Hur and Asoka produce hypnotic effects, apart
from producing a vicarious thrill. The vicarious experience generated by Aba is
the cumulative and culminate effect of magic realism and post modernic
cinematic influence in cinematography.
The creator
of this great film has imbibed the historical information in our ancient
chronicles like the Mahavanse,Deepavansa,Rajawaliya and Pujaawaliya. But Jakson
has recreated the origin of the Sinhala nation quite convincingly.devilating
from Vijaya to Pandukabaya. The chapter of Mahavanse (chapter 6 ) are shrouded
in mystery.
The life and
times of prince Pandukabaya too are shrouded in mystery. Mahavausa observes
that the union of Panduvasdey [a Sinhala] and baddakacchayana [an Indian] resulted
in 11 children of them the only female was. Unmada Chitra. So Unmada Chitra
appears to be the first Sinhala female.
Although she
was brought up in seclusion she was impregnated by Gamini to happened to be a
son of one brother. Digau of Baddacabayana. (Queen Pandwasudev) .
The
Mahavanse says that according to the fortune tellers Unmada Chithra’s son would
kill all her uncles and rule over Lanka for Seventy years.
Further, the
Mahawanse declares that prince Pdukabahaya [Aba] has been under the strict and careful
proctection since the time of his conception by to Rakassas-namely Chithra and
Kalawela.
It is they
who misguided the infant Aba’s ferocious
uncles by drawing their attention to a huge pig that was created by them went
the uncle were trying to fine out what was in the casket carried by the young
female servant of Unmada Chitra .
Actually she
was carrying the infant Aba for safety to Doramadala. About the valour of
prince Aba,Mahawase has created a pretty smart white mare with red limbs .
She was the
demoness Chetiya.Prince Aba chases after her and brings her under his control.
In Jakson’s
Aba the mysticism of Mahawansa is retained but with a difference in content and
context.
In Aba the
father of prince Pandukabaya has been identified as the Yaksa clan general
Chittaraja. The film shows he being brutally. assassinated Subsequently his
apparition appears on several momentous occasions.The unusual martial
competence of the growing prince of the growing prince at Doramadala.Aba seeing
her mother as a mirror image in the pond water and the mystical texture of
Pandula hermitage are scene sequences that are magical and extraordinary in
outlook.The entire films highlights the concept of a cultural product instead of
distinguishing between high and low cultures.
Further
there is a cultural mix-that of the royal heads, aristocrats, the Pundit and
his followers and the Raksassa clan followers.
There are opportunities for mixing of
different cultures as exemplified by the cultural pageant to celebrate the 10th
anniversary of king Abahaya’s ascent to the throne.
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II). ‘Bindu’
Join the reel
Award
winning filmmaking duo Somaratne Dissanayake and Renuka Balasuriya’s latest
cinematic venture, ‘Bindu’ is next on line to be screened at the EAP circuit.
The story centres on the issue of the elephant-human conflict, a problem which had
been in the news for more than three decades. Shot on location at Sigiriya, the
story focuses on a touching tale of a relationship between ‘Bindu’, a young
calf elephant, and two children. Keeping with their tradition of introducing
young talent to the screen, Somaratne and Renuka have brought two child actors
to cinema.Sachin Chathuranga, the younger brother of Dasun Madusanka who played
the lead roles in ‘Samanala Thatu’ and ‘Sooriya Arana’, portrays the role of
Muthu while Ruvindika Ishadini takes on the character of Malee.
“These children were chosen after a series
of interviews. We received around 3000 applications and 50 children who were
chosen during the interviews took part in a workshop. We made our choice after
observing their talents after the training sessions,” Dissanayake told Sunday
Observer ‘Magazine’. “Human-elephant conflicts had constantly been in the news.
It is not a problem for those in the city but it had become a menace for
villagers living near the elephant infested jungles. They live in fear for
their crop as well as their lives,” he stressed. It had taken two years for the
director to track down the suitable elephant for Bindu’s role. Finally the
search had come to a close in Tissamaharama. An elephant trainer had to be
summoned from India to train the baby tusker.
‘Bindu’ is probably my most challenging
project for I had to work with elephants ina majority of the scenes. It is
tough shooting from different angles when you are directing animals,” he said
adding that tough he had use some animals in a couple of clips in ‘Sooriya
Arana’ nothing had prepared him for the amount of hard work that had to be put
up with while shooting ‘Bindu’. Queried if he markets children’s movies as a
means of earning profit, the award winning director said,” I do not focus on
how much money I would earn when I think of embarking on a project. However my
films have been crowd-pullers and have earned their share of profit. If someone
claims that I use children in key roles to make profit, their accusations are
made purely out of jealousy. I concentrate on sending a meaningful message to
society” he stressed. However he revealed that his next project is not children
oriented. Jayalath Manorathne, Kumara Thirimadura, Jayani Senanayake, Athula
Liyanage and a few others comprise the rest of the cast. Award winning actor of
the stage play ‘Charandas’, Jayantha Muthuthantri, debuts through ‘Bindu’. The
script is by Dissanayake and the cameraman is Suminda Weerasuriya. Rohan
Weerasinghe did music scores for a song sung by a group of children led by
Madugeeth Dissanayake. The art director is Sunil Wijerathne while the make up
is done by Ebert Wijesinghe. The assistant director is Duminda Madawala. Renuka
Balasuriya is the production manager and producer. ‘Bindu’ will enter the
theatres after’Julia’.
