movie review titles

10 Movie Review Examples That Will Help You Write Better Reviews

Studying movie review examples is a great place to start if you’re looking for inspiration for your own movie reviews. 

This article has gathered different kinds of movie review examples that will help you write better and more insightful reviews in whatever style you choose.

There is an overwhelming library of movie reviews to sift through, but having studied many reviews by Pulitzer Prize-winning film critics along with your average movie review articles published online, I’ve been able to find a few movie reviews that provide a great template for crafting a review of your own.

10 Detailed Movie Review Examples

The Classic Movie Review

A classic movie review example has a neat structure that clearly communicates the author’s sentiment toward the film in a clean, straightforward manner.

Roger Ebert’s review of North is the perfect example of that.

1. “North” by Roger Ebert

This review starts with a catchy hook, making readers curious for Ebert to elaborate on his statements.

“I have no idea why Rob Reiner, or anyone else, wanted to make this story into a movie, and close examination of the film itself is no help.”

The opening sentence of this movie review example makes it clear to the audience that Ebert did not enjoy the film in question and if they would like to know why, they are encouraged to continue reading.

The whole first paragraph is chock full of strong adjectives setting the tone for the scathing critique this film is about to get.

Moving on to the next paragraph of this movie review example, Ebert gives a quick synopsis of what this film is about, filling the audience in on the story in case they’re unaware.

“He [Elijah Wood] plays a kid with inattentive parents, who decides to go into court, free himself of them, and go on a worldwide search for nicer parents.”

Following the paragraph summarizing the main plot of the film, the movie review dives straight into the critique explaining why this film garnered the strong adjectives it received in the opening paragraph:

“This idea is deeply flawed. Children do not lightly separate from their parents – and certainly not on the evidence provided here, where the great parental sin is not paying attention to their kid at the dinner table.”

In this movie review example, Ebert dives deep into the oddities of the narrative and what makes it so unbelievable.

He questions the director’s decisions and the plot’s direction as well in these middle paragraphs:

“What is the point of the scenes with the auditioning parents?… They are not funny. They are not touching. There is no truth in them.”

Ebert uses the middle paragraphs to dissect what does not work in the film.

In the final paragraphs of this movie review example, Ebert closes out by reiterating his sentiments towards the film, giving readers a good idea of whether the movie would be something he would recommend others watch.

“I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it.”

“‘North’ is a bad film – one of the worst movies ever made.”

After reading Ebert’s movie review example there is no question of whether he liked the movie or not. I don’t know, he might’ve even mentioned hating it at one point…

And he makes it clear what plot and artistic choices played into his final assessment of the film.

Would you whip out your cash to experience the movie North after reading a review like this?

With this straightforward, informative, evidence-supported review, there is no confusion about the perceived quality of this film.

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF NORTH BY ROGER EBERT

The Real World Parallel Review

A movie review that can parallel the events occurring within the movie with events occurring outside of the movie shows a deeper level of critical thinking.

This is one of the movie review examples that truly exemplifies a deep critical thinker.

2. “The Flash” by Justin Chang

This movie review example starts right away with a brief synopsis of what the movie, The Flash, is about.

“‘The Flash’ is a time-travel story and a cautionary tale, a warning of how dangerous it can be to change the past or mess around with alternate realities.”

Same as with the classic movie review, this reviewer also hints at his overall sentiments towards the film.

“…this initially enjoyable, increasingly sloppy megabucks mess…”

This review, unlike the classic movie review, spends more time following the plot of the story through a biased lens, further walking readers through the details of the story.

“He gets stuck in the past and… winds up unwisely joining forces with a teenage version of himself (also Miller, with floppier hair), who’s had a much happier childhood but doesn’t (yet) have the Flash’s superheroic powers.”

After indirectly criticizing the CGI and praising the main actor’s performance, Chang gets into his main criticism of the review: the popular trend of reintroducing old versions of superheroes into new superhero movies.

“Really, though, is nostalgia that satisfying anymore?”

And it’s really this last sentence of the movie review example that ties this compelling thought together, not only concluding the movie but drawing a parallel to how the movie creators are perpetrators of the same mistake that the movie’s main character made.

“Lost in an endless game of IP-reshuffling musical chairs, Barry realizes, possibly too late, the futility of dwelling on the past — a fatuous lesson from a movie that can’t stop doing the same.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF THE FLASH BY JUSTIN CHANG

3. “Bonnie and Clyde” by Roger Ebert

Another great movie review example, using a movie as a sense of societal self-reflection, is Roger Ebert’s review of Bonnie and Clyde . The final sentences of the review say:

“‘Bonnie and Clyde’ will be seen as the definitive film of the 1960s, showing with sadness, humor, and unforgiving detail what one society had come to… it was made now and it’s about us.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF Bonnie and Clyde BY Roger Ebert

4. “Black Panther” by Soraya Nadia McDonald

Yet another movie review example is this Black Panther review by Soraya Nadia McDonald.

The whole review deep dives into the cultural context of the movie and its timeliness or lack thereof.

“Honestly, the worst thing about Black Panther is that it had to be released in 2018 and not during the term of America’s first black president.”

This movie review example walks through the narrative praising the film’s actors, director, and cinematographer before ending on the note of its cultural relevance.

“Perhaps it’s even capable, just as The Birth of a Nation once was, of helping to steer an entire national conversation.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF Black Panther BY Soraya Nadia McDonald

The Storytelling Movie Review

If you have a story of your own that you can parallel with the movie’s story, then connecting the movie’s narrative with your own is a particularly entertaining way to craft your review.

Instead of comparing the film to society as a whole, the following storytelling movie review examples compare the movie to specific stories they pull from their personal life.

5. “The Help” by Wesley Morris

One of my favorite reviews by Pulitzer prize-winning Wesley Morris is written in this style, drawing readers in with his own personal story:

“Three summers ago, I went to visit a friend in West Texas.”

“What happened in Texas?”, readers wonder as we curiously continue reading.

After 3 engaging paragraphs narrating a strange, racial encounter in Texas, Morris introduces the movie, The Help .

“This pretty much captures the cognitive dissonance of watching “The Help’’: One woman’s mammy is another man’s mother.”

The following paragraph gives a synopsis of the film and introduces the audience to the main characters:

“Meanwhile, the heart of the film itself belongs to Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) and Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer), the two very different maids and best friends at the center of the story.”

The center of this movie review example narrates the happenings of the movie from a biased point of view before presenting some debate points about the movie’s approach to race relations.

“‘The Help’ joins everything from “To Kill a Mockingbird’’ to “The Blind Side’’ as another Hollywood movie that sees racial progress as the province of white do-gooderism.”

Morris then praises the actors’ performances in this very character-based film but is unable to shake the social weight of the casting that this film requires:

“And yet here’s the question you ask as you watch a black actor in 2011 play a white lady’s maid, decades and decades after that was the only job a black woman in Hollywood could get. What went through the minds of Davis, Spencer, and Aunjanue Ellis, who plays Hilly’s maid, as they put on those uniforms and went to work?”

Morris finishes off the review sure to reference the personal story that he introduced in the beginning before leaving the reader with something to ponder.

“These are strong figures, as that restaurant owner might sincerely say, but couldn’t they be strong doing something else?”

Morris’s final statements in this movie review example make it clear his assessment of the film’s quality is good but its messaging is questionable, allowing the audience to make a judgment on whether they’d like to see the film for themselves.

“On one hand, it’s juicy, heartwarming, well-meant entertainment. On the other, it’s an owner’s manual.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF THE HELP BY WESLEY MORRIS

6. “Me Without You” by Stephen Hunter

This movie review example also tells a story although it’s not personal.

Instead of starting by talking about the movie or talking about himself, Hunter begins the review like a novel. With an untethered phrase that needs further explanation.

“Friendship isn’t rocket science. It’s much harder.”

He then lists out all of the complexities of trying to maintain a friendship, painting a picture to support his point.

“Oh, yeah, it’s easy to say just be loyal and true and that makes you a good friend. But suppose the other person does something that really irks you, like chew gum or vote Democratic?”

Hunter doesn’t leave you hanging for too long before segueing into how this thought point relates to the film.

“And that thorniness, that dark underbelly of it, is the gist of the acerbic British import ‘Me Without You…'”

As usual, a sign of good storytelling, he finishes this movie review example with his full-circle concluding statement on friendship.

“But the truth is, of course, that friendship matters to those of us who still claim membership in the human race…”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF ME WITHOUT YOU BY STEPHEN HUNTER (Under the title: ‘Me’: Friendship as Relationship)

The Unconventional Movie Review

A less common but creative and fun way to approach a movie review is to approach it from a different angle or point of view. To write it in a way that’s unexpected.

7. “ET” by Roger Ebert

In another movie review example from Roger Ebert, instead of approaching this review traditionally, Ebert rather writes the review as a letter to his grandchildren.

Rather than addressing the readers, he addresses his grandchildren in his movie review:

“Dear Raven and Emil: Sunday we sat on the big green couch and watched “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” together with your mommy and daddy.”

After noting how his grandchildren reacted to climactic parts of the film, Ebert recounts the events of the movie, ET, continuing to include his grandchildren’s remarks and reactions.

“The camera watches Elliott moving around. And Raven, that’s when you asked me, “Is this E.T.’s vision?” And I said, yes, we were seeing everything now from E.T.’s point of view.”

Ebert uses this opportunity to make a simplified analysis of the director’s use of POV in the movie, praising the film’s direction without losing the context of a grandfather’s letter.

“Some other filmmaker who wasn’t so good might have had subtitles saying, “E.T.? Are you out there? It’s Mommy!” But that would have been dumb.”

Ebert ends this movie review example like anyone would end a letter, with good wishes and a signature.

“Well, that’s it for this letter. We had a great weekend, kids. I was proud of how brave you both were during your first pony rides. And proud of what good movie critics you are, too. Love, Grandpa Roger”

The average person has a 7-8th grade reading level, so a simple letter like this, is not only cute, creative, and endearing but it’s incredibly easy to read and understand the critic’s assessment of the movie.

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF ET BY Roger Ebert

8. “Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse” by IMO Flicks

Another unconventional movie review example is one that I wrote for this blog website.

Instead of writing from my point of view, I decided to write from the point of view of an out-of-touch grandma, someone who may not have the background knowledge to really understand and appreciate the film.

I approached the film this way because I was tired of reviewing Marvel Superhero films but the thought of writing it as an out-of-touch grandma made the review so much more fun and less pressure-filled, even if it’s really not the most straightforward or informational read.

The review does not include a clear synopsis and the critiques of the film waver between genuine observations and areas that the grandma misunderstood.

It was a blast to write.

The grandmother writer uses the remarks of her grandchildren as a voice of reason for the film.

“My granddaughter told me to rate this spider film [ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ] out of 10 points. I initially wanted to give it 4 points out of 10… Apparently, my grandchildren think this rating is ridiculous. One of my grandsons almost threw a chair. He gave the film a 200/10, claiming it’s one of the best films he’s ever seen.”

This sort of review may not be as befitting for a serious homework assignment but if there’s space to think outside the box, I say go for it.

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The Self-Aware Review

Similar to the unconventional movie review, but not quite as unconventional, these movie review examples are self-aware of their influential power. It breaks the fourth wall of movie reviews so to speak.

9. “Manchester By the Sea” by Ty Burr

This movie review example of Manchester By the Sea wants to encourage you to watch the movie but doesn’t want your expectations so high that you don’t experience the same subtle unexpected magic that the movie works on viewers.

Burr explains this in the first paragraph:

“Nothing destroys an audience’s appreciation of a small good movie like advance praise.”

Careful to not ruin the audience’s expectations, Burr goes on to begin every following paragraph with a phrase that denies all of the critiques that follow.

“So I won’t tell you that I’ve seen “Manchester by the Sea” twice now and both times felt haunted for weeks.”

“I won’t bother you with how the movie stands as a soul-satisfying comeback for its maker…”

“I could say, but I won’t, that we’ve all seen too many movies in which a lost soul comes out of his shell and rejoins the human race after he inherits a kid from a dead relative.”

The entire center of the film covers the movie in a way that says, “You didn’t see me. I was never here.” Good and well knowing that people are going to be more curious about this film and expect it to be as fantastic as Burr says.

But don’t worry, Burr accounts for this “undesired” outcome that he had been trying to avoid from the beginning with this closing paragraph.

“If I do tell you all this, forget I ever did. Just remember you heard somewhere that “Manchester by the Sea” is an experience worth having…”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF MANCHESTER BY THE SEA BY TY BURR (Under the title: A Shore Thing)

10. “Mark Kermode” by Mamma Mia

Kermode’s review of Mama Mia takes his self-awareness in a different direction where he personally loves the movie Mama Mia and is not afraid of letting the world know it.

In fact, the movie has brought something to life in him as a movie critic.

“One minute I was a miserable critic; the next, everything had gone pink and fluffy.”

Kermode continues the movie review example, touching on the actor’s performances, the director’s execution of the film, and the soundtrack before returning to how the film affected him as a critic.

“I feel duty-bound to report that I came out of the screening an utter wreck.”

Further aware that as a serious critic, he probably shouldn’t like this film as much as he did, he lets his guard down and leans into the wonder of the film.

“I have certainly mellowed, and perhaps my critical faculties have withered and died. But I simply can’t imagine how Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again could be any better than it is.”

The self-aware review speaks to the readers as a friend rather than as a removed source of movie information.

A lot of the time, this personal voice can be merged with other review styles as well.

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF Mamma Mia by Mark Kermode

Common Questions

How to write a movie review.

To write a movie review you would need to watch the movie and take good notes, then you would craft an attention-hooking introduction, a few center paragraphs explaining your critiques of the film, before concluding on whether you’d recommend the film or not. This article breaks down the 10 steps to writing a movie review effortlessly .

What should a good movie review include?

A good movie review should include a synopsis of the film, a clear stance on whether the film was good or not, including why or why not, and a conclusion that makes it clear whether the critic would recommend others to watch the film or not.

What is the best movie review for students?

The best movie review example for students would be the classic movie review because it’s straightforward and the easiest to follow and grade.

In Conclusion…

There are so many movie review examples to choose from but the majority can fall into one of these 5 groups: the classic movie review, the real-world parallel, the storytelling review, the unconventional review, and the self-aware review.

If you would like to view 50 more outstanding movie review examples , I’ve grouped some here in a shared Word document available for free!

I hope this article was able to provide some movie review examples to help you craft your own. Happy movie reviewing!

What’s your favorite movie review example? Let me know in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe for the latest blog updates (form in sidebar).

Peace, love, and lots of popcorn,

When I'm not over-analyzing movies, I'm eating chocolate, belting my favorite songs, and binge-watching reality dating shows. Feel free to share your opinions with me and follow me through my social links!

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How to Write a Movie Review

Last Updated: March 13, 2024 Fact Checked

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 179 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 5,569,479 times. Learn more...

Whether a movie is a rotten tomato or a brilliant work of art, if people are watching it, it's worth critiquing. A decent movie review should entertain, persuade and inform, providing an original opinion without giving away too much of the plot. A great movie review can be a work of art in its own right. Read on to learn how to analyze a movie like a professional film critic, come up with an interesting thesis, and write a review as entertaining as your source material.

Sample Movie Reviews

Writing an Intro for a Movie Review

• Comparison to Relevant Event or Movie: "Every day, our leaders, politicians, and pundits call for "revenge"– against terrorist groups, against international rivals, against other political parties. But few of them understand the cold, destructive, and ultimately hollow thrill of revenge as well as the characters of Blue Ruin. "
• Review in a nutshell: "Despite a compelling lead performance by Tom Hanks and a great soundtrack, Forrest Gump never gets out of the shadow of its weak plot and questionable premise."
• Context or Background Information: " Boyhood might be the first movie made where knowing how it was produced–slowly, over 12 years, with the same actors–is just as crucial as the movie itself."

• Using stars, a score out of 10 or 100, or the simple thumbs-up and thumbs-down is a quick way to give your thoughts. You then write about why you chose that rating.
• Great Movie: ABC is the rare movie that succeeds on almost every level, where each character, scene, costume, and joke firing on all cylinders to make a film worth repeated viewings."
• Bad Movie: "It doesn't matter how much you enjoy kung-fu and karate films: with 47 Ronin, you're better off saving your money, your popcorn, and time."
• Okay Movie: "I loved the wildly uneven Interstellar far more than I should have, but that doesn't mean it is perfect. Ultimately, the utter awe and spectacle of space swept me through the admittedly heavy-handed plotting and dialogue."

• Great: "Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer's chemistry would carry Fruitvale Station even if the script wasn't as good. The mid-movie prison scene in particular, where the camera never leaves their faces, shows how much they can convey with nothing but their eyelids, the flashing tension of neck muscles, and a barely cracking voice."
• Bad: " Jurassic World's biggest flaw, a complete lack of relatable female characters, is only further underscored by a laughably unrealistic shot of our heroine running away from a dinosaur – in heels."
• Okay: "At the end of the day, Snowpiercer can't decide what kind of movie it wants to be. The attention to detail in fight scenes, where every weapon, lightbulb, and slick patch of ground is accounted for, doesn't translate to an ending that seems powerful but ultimately says little of substance."

• Does the film reflect on a current event or contemporary issue? It could be the director's way of engaging in a bigger conversation. Look for ways to relate the content of the film to the "real" world.
• Does the film seem to have a message, or does it attempt to elicit a specific response or emotion from the audience? You could discuss whether or not it achieves its own goals.
• Does the film connect with you on a personal level? You could write a review stemming from your own feelings and weave in some personal stories to make it interesting for your readers.

Composing Your Review

• When you name characters in your plot summary, list the actors' names directly afterward in parenthesis.
• Find a place to mention the director's name and the full movie title.
• If you feel you must discuss information that might "spoil" things for readers, warn them first.

• Cinematography: " Her is a world drenched in color, using bright, soft reds and oranges alongside calming whites and grays that both build, and slowly strip away, the feelings of love between the protagonists. Every frame feels like a painting worth sitting in."
• Tone: "Despite the insane loneliness and high stakes of being stuck alone on Mars, The Martian's witty script keeps humor and excitement alive in every scene. Space may be dangerous and scary, but the joy of scientific discovery is intoxicating."
• Music and Sound: " No Country For Old Men's bold decision to skip music entirely pays off in spades. The eerie silence of the desert, punctuated by the brief spells of violent, up-close-and-personal sound effects of hunter and hunted, keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat."
• Acting: "While he's fantastic whenever he's on the move, using his cool stoicism to counteract the rampaging bus, Keanu Reeves can't quite match his costar in the quiet moments of Speed, which falter under his expressionless gaze."

• Keep your writing clear and easy to understand. Don't use too much technical filmmaking jargon, and make your language crisp and accessible.
• Present both the facts and your opinion. For example, you might state something such as, "The Baroque background music was a jarring contrast to the 20th century setting." This is a lot more informative then simply saying, "The music was a strange choice for the movie."

• Great: "In the end, even the characters of Blue Ruin know how pointless their feud is. But revenge, much like every taut minute of this thriller, is far too addictive to give up until the bitter end.""
• Bad: "Much like the oft-mentioned "box of chocolates", Forest Gump has a couple of good little morsels. But most of the scenes, too sweet by half, should have been in the trash long before this movie was put out."
• Okay: "Without the novel, even revolutionary concept, Boyhood may not be a great movie. It might not even be "good.” But the power the film finds in the beauty of passing time and little, inconsequential moments – moments that could only be captured over 12 years of shooting – make Linklater's latest an essential film for anyone interested in the art of film."

Polishing Your Piece

• Ask yourself whether your review stayed true to your thesis. Did your conclusion tie back in with the initial ideas you proposed?
• Decide whether your review contains enough details about the movie. You may need to go back and add more description here and there to give readers a better sense of what the movie's about.
• Decide whether your review is interesting enough as a stand-alone piece of writing. Did you contribute something original to this discussion? What will readers gain from reading your review that they couldn't from simply watching the movie?

Studying Your Source Material

• The title of the film, and the year it came out.
• The director's name.
• The names of the lead actors.

• Make a note every time something sticks out to you, whether it's good or bad. This could be costuming, makeup, set design, music, etc. Think about how this detail relates to the rest of the movie and what it means in the context of your review.
• Take note of patterns you begin to notice as the movie unfolds.
• Use the pause button frequently so you make sure not to miss anything, and rewind as necessary.

• Direction: Consider the director and how he or she choose to portray/explain the events in the story. If the movie was slow, or didn't include things you thought were necessary, you can attribute this to the director. If you've seen other movies directed by the same person, compare them and determine which you like the most.
• Cinematography: What techniques were used to film the movie? What setting and background elements helped to create a certain tone?
• Writing: Evaluate the script, including dialogue and characterization. Did you feel like the plot was inventive and unpredictable or boring and weak? Did the characters' words seem credible to you?
• Editing: Was the movie choppy or did it flow smoothly from scene to scene? Did they incorporate a montage to help build the story? And was this obstructive to the narrative or did it help it? Did they use long cuts to help accentuate an actor's acting ability or many reaction shots to show a group's reaction to an event or dialogue? If visual effects were used were the plates well-chosen and were the composited effects part of a seamless experience? (Whether the effects looked realistic or not is not the jurisdiction of an editor, however, they do choose the footage to be sent off to the compositors, so this could still affect the film.)
• Costume design: Did the clothing choices fit the style of the movie? Did they contribute to the overall tone, rather than digressing from it?
• Set design: Consider how the setting of the film influenced its other elements. Did it add or subtract from the experience for you? If the movie was filmed in a real place, was this location well-chosen?
• Score or soundtrack: Did it work with the scenes? Was it over/under-used? Was it suspenseful? Amusing? Irritating? A soundtrack can make or break a movie, especially if the songs have a particular message or meaning to them.

Community Q&A

• If you don't like the movie, don't be abusive and mean. If possible, avoid watching the movies that you would surely hate. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Understand that just because the movie isn't to your taste, that doesn't mean you should give it a bad review. A good reviewer helps people find movie's they will like. Since you don't have the same taste in movies as everyone else, you need to be able to tell people if they will enjoy the movie, even if you didn't. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Structure is very important; try categorizing the different parts of the film and commenting on each of those individually. Deciding how good each thing is will help you come to a more accurate conclusion. For example, things like acting, special effects, cinematography, think about how good each of those are. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/terminology_and_starting_prompts.html
• ↑ https://www.spiritofbaraka.com/how-write-a-movie-review
• ↑ https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/9-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
• ↑ https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/writing-help/top-tips-for-writing-a-review
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/summary-using-it-wisely/
• ↑ https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/film-review-1.original.pdf
• ↑ https://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/film_writing_sample_analysis.html
• ↑ https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/onnyx.bei/dual-credit/movie-review-writing-guide
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-a-movie-review/
• ↑ https://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/editing_proofreading.php
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://edusson.com/blog/how-to-write-movie-review

About This Article

To write a movie review, start with a compelling fact or opinion to hook your readers, like "Despite a great performance by Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump never overcomes its weak plot." Then, elaborate on your opinion of the movie right off the bat so readers know where you stand. Once your opinion is clear, provide examples from the movie that prove your point, like specific scenes, dialogue, songs, or camera shots. To learn how to study a film closely before you write a review, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Movie Review

Writing a Film Review

Movies have become a cultural mainstay of our society. Not only are they art and entertainment, but they have also become a way for people to bond and make connections. Finding someone who has a similar taste in movies can create new friendships and start interesting conversations. That's why understanding how to analyze a movie and write movie reviews is such a useful skill. 

Do you need to know how to write a movie review for college? Or how to write a movie critique? Or maybe just how to do a movie review? In this article, you will learn how to write a movie review step by step, as well as get an in-depth guide into each section of a movie review.

What is a Movie Review?

A film review essay is more than just a plot summary followed by a recommendation. A movie review analyzes different elements of a movie and mixes personal opinion with objective analysis. The goal of the movie review is to tell the reader about the details of a movie while giving them enough information to decide for themselves whether it's worth watching or not. Of course, a good movie review also has to be interesting and engaging! 

How to Write a Good Movie Review

More than most other pieces of writing, there are a lot of steps to take before actually getting into writing a movie review. But don't worry though, most of these steps are pretty fun and if you follow them, you will know how to review movies. 

Watch the film! 

It goes without saying that you need to watch a movie before you write a review for it, so, before you do anything else, watch the movie at least once. Don't worry about trying to pick up specific details on your first watch, just enjoy the movie and get a general impression of whether you liked it or not and what you liked or disliked. Ideally, you should watch the movie at least two times. On your second and third viewings, pay attention to movie review criteria like cinematography, acting, dialogue, character development, deeper meanings, etc. Read some film review examples to get a sense of the things they talk about.

Pause the movie on your second and third viewings and take notes on things that stand out to you. Don't be afraid to take as many notes as you want, after all these notes are just for you.  You might not use all the notes you have taken, but they will help you compose the main part of your body paragraphs.

Express your opinions

Once you have watched the movie a few times and taken notes, make a list of the strongest opinions you have about the movie. If you think that the quality of acting was one of the best parts of the movie, use your notes to come up with specific examples. You should have between 3 and 5 key opinions that you will elaborate on when writing a film review along with examples to back up your claims.

Think about your audience

The language you use is going to change based on who you are writing the movie review for. If it is an assignment for school or university, then you may have to use more technical language.  If you're writing an article for a website or personal blog, then think about who the audience is and use language appropriate for them. Keep in mind that your audience also depends on the genre of the movie you are critiquing. A movie review for a serious period drama will have a different audience than a buddy cop comedy and therefore different language. Look at a movie review sample from different genres to get an idea of the type of language to use. 

Research the actors

Having big movie stars associated with a film is often one of the main selling points of a movie.  If an actor is critically acclaimed, it’s especially important to mention the awards they have won as this is often a sign of the overall quality of the movie. It's also possible that you didn't like the movie overall, but one of your favorite actors was in it so you enjoyed the movie and another fan might enjoy it too. 

Do background research

An easy way to make a movie review interesting is to search for interesting details about the making of the movie. It may be worth mentioning if it was shot in a particularly beautiful place or a unique location, or if the special effects were practical rather than CGI. Include interesting casting decisions or other actors that were considered for a particular role. Think about what information could be interesting to someone who might want to watch the movie and include those details. Go over some movie critique examples to get inspiration. 

Research the professionals

People can be fans not just of the actors, but of directors, writers, cinematographers, costume designers, and many other elements of filmmaking. Many directors are auteurs, which means they have a very particular visual style or storytelling method. How much time you spend on this section is dependent on your audience. If you're writing for social media or a blog for general people, then this might not be interesting to most. But if you're writing for film school or for a specific audience interested in filmmaking, then this section will need to be more elaborate. Look at a film review example written for different audiences to understand the differences. 

Draft an outline

Now that you've done all the required research, it's time to come up with a review outline. An outline is always useful when doing any piece of writing because it gives you a  chance to visualize the structure and plan how you want to incorporate information. This is the general film review format.

Introduction

• Brief summary of the film
• Discuss plot, tone, characters
• Discuss creative and technical elements
• Your opinions

Conclusion 

Come up with a catchy title.

Almost more than any other piece of writing, a movie review’s title needs to be engaging. A title like ”film review of (name of the movie) might be to the point, but isn't going to stand out. A good title should grab the reader's attention and make them want to read more. A few ways you can do this is by talking about a specific actor or director, or by using one of the main plot points of the movie. For example, “A Romantic Comedy for the Unromantic”,  or “Chris Pratt Plays Against Type in the Best Possible Way”. Look at the titles of some movie review examples for inspiration!

Write your review

It's finally time to get to the actual writing! The next part of this article talks in-depth about each section of a film review. 

People aren't going to take a review seriously if you have spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. If it's an assignment for school, then you’re going to lose marks because of mistakes like that. Make sure you reread your paper a few times and check for typos and other silly mistakes.  Read the paper out loud once or twice to get an idea of if it has a good flow. Don't be afraid to move sections around if you think it helps you build a stronger case.

Struggling with the Film Review?

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How to Write a Film Review

Do you want a ‘how to write a movie review’ template? Let's go over the specific parts of a film review and what to include in each one.

Your first sentence needs to capture the reader's attention. You can do this by stating an interesting fact about the movie, starting off by expressing your opinion of whether it's good or bad, mentioning some of the important actors, comparing it to other movies in the genre or to real-world events, whatever it is, make sure it's catchy!

Next, give background information about the movie. This includes things like the title, release date, studio, important cast members, director, budget, etc. Make sure to highlight any achievements of the movie, for example, if it was nominated for any awards. The same goes for the director as well as important members of the cast. This shouldn't just be a dry stating of facts, rather this should be a collection of interesting information about the background of the movie. 

Finally, end your introduction paragraph with your thesis. In the case of a film review, your thesis is essentially what you thought about the film. Without giving away too much, express your overall impression of the movie noting particular things that you thought stood out or were weak.

Summary of the story

The trick to writing the summary of the story is giving readers an idea of what to expect without giving away any important plot points or spoilers. The goal of this section isn't to explain the plot of the movie, It's to make sure that people have a basic understanding of the story so that the rest of the review can make sense. Describe the setting of the movie, which includes the main locations and time period. Introduce the main characters (including the name of the actor in parentheses after the name of their character). And go over the general storyline. 

Plot elements

This is when you start explaining what you thought about the movie. Start with an analysis of the plot itself. Did it have a rising action that builds suspense? Was the climax a good payoff? What were your overall impressions of the movie? How did it make you feel? What do you think the purpose of the movie was and did the director succeed in their goal? 

This is also the section where you get to talk about the different characters in the movie. Why did you enjoy certain characters? Were some characters better developed than others? Could some characters have benefited from more development? Was the villain particularly interesting? 

Think about the overall mood of the movie, did it change over time? How did the tones and symbols of the movie emphasize elements of the plot? Remember that any point you make in this section has to be backed up by examples. So if you say that there are several plot holes that make the movie complicated to understand, mention the specific scenes.

Creative elements

There are a lot of technical and creative elements in a movie that can stand out even if the overall plot and story weren’t the best. On the other hand, even a great story can be spoiled by bad dialogue or set design. These are some of the creative elements you should pay attention to especially when rewatching the movie and taking notes.

Dialogue : This can refer to the overall writing of the movie as well. If you can get your hands on a script then read it! When thinking about dialogue ask yourself, did the conversation between characters seem natural and flow easily? Or did it seem choppy and unnatural? 

Cinematography : Cinematography refers to the camera effects and the choices of how to film a certain scene. The lighting, the choice of camera angles, essentially the unique perspective of the story as told through the camera. 

Editing : Editing refers to the transition between different scenes as well as how well the movie flows together. This could include things like clever montages, longshots, different perspectives, etc.  

Costumes : Some movies, especially historical movies, fantasy films, and science fiction films, depend heavily on costume design. Costumes are an integral part of making a character stand out or making the world seem more real.

Set Design : Set design refers to the backgrounds of scenes. Some sets might be more elaborate whereas others can be minimalistic. Each choice has its pros and cons and effective set design creates proper ambiance, setting the tone and mood for a scene or the movie.

Music and Sound : Sometimes the movie has a great soundtrack or just incredible sound effects that help make it stand out.

Stunts : More important for action movies, but in general stunts and action sequences can be a major selling point for a film.

Special Effects : Most movies rely on some amount of special effects, and whether it be CGI, or practical, or a combination of the two, the quality is important.

Once you have analyzed multiple different elements of the story from its plot, characterization, and other technical and creative elements, you can state your opinions and provide evidence for them. Make sure you refer to specific scenes or specific situations when looking for substantiating evidence. Remember that the goal of a movie review is not to just state whether you liked or disliked a movie, it is to analyze it in an objective way, and give information so that somebody else can decide whether they want to watch the movie or not.

In the conclusion you express your main opinion of the movie along with the most important pieces of evidence. You can talk about the purpose of the movie and whether the director was successful in showing that purpose. End with a recommendation of whether the movie should be watched or not, along with suggestions of movies that are similar to it.

Did you like our Film Review Guide?

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Mistakes to avoid

You now know how to write a review on a movie but let's take a look at some mistakes that you should be careful to avoid.

Not focusing on the film

It's easy to start writing about things like the historical events the movie you loved is based on or the importance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe overall rather than focus on the movie itself.  While those elements can be interesting to include as background information, the point of a film review is to go over a particular movie so that is what you should spend the most time on.

Not providing evidence 

A common mistake people make when they write movie reviews is to state their opinions without any objective analysis. An easy way to overcome this mistake is to make sure that you provide evidence for any claims that you make.

Spoilers are an easy way to make sure that people will be upset with your movie review. It is common to accidentally give away too much, especially when writing the plot summary. Find the line between giving enough information so that people understand the general story and revealing important plot twists and turning points. Read some sample movie reviews for examples of how to avoid spoilers.

Using personal pronouns

Statements like “I did not like the special effects” or “I did not like the pacing of the movie” are clearly expressions of opinion. It is better to make statements like “the special effects in certain action scenes were cartoonish and took away from the realism of the film”. 

A movie review essay can be incredibly fun to write, especially if you have a strong opinion about the movie. But keep in mind that a movie review isn't just about your opinion, it has to include an objective analysis with claims backed up by evidence from specific scenes. It's difficult to have a movie review definition, but a great movie review is a blend between personal opinion and objective analysis. It informs the reader about the strengths and weaknesses of the movie while letting them make the decision whether they want to watch it or not. 

If you found your way to this article because you were looking for help on how to write a movie review for college, then you're in the perfect place. If you need any help, don't hesitate to reach out to the experts at Studyfy. At Studyfy, we offer a wide range of custom writing services, coursework writing services, and essay writer service . Our team of experienced writers is well-equipped to handle any writing task you may have, no matter the complexity or urgency. Just say, " write a paper for me ," and we will ensure that you receive a high-quality custom essay that meets all your requirements. Trust us to provide you with the best coursework writing services and custom essay writing that will help you achieve your academic goals.

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How to Write a Movie Review and Where to Get Help

The first thing you do after watching a movie is to go online and write a comment about it. Comments about movies are usually posted on social media profiles or public pages, review sites, blogs, among other platforms. You can make the process easier with tools available online.

Writing a movie review is a common assignment that students have to do in high school and college. Even though it may seem simple, movie reviews require time and proper organization. It’s not just about writing what happens on the screen, the review goes deeper than that.

Movie Review Purpose

The main purpose of a movie review is to inform the reader about the film and its ideas. Seems simple, right? Reporting all events that happen and stating one’s opinion about them is a common mistake that many students make. While movie review allows writers to express their opinions about some film or documentary, there is also the need for the unbiased and objective approach. An ideal review combines both.

The review determines whether someone will want to see the movie. Even if the professor (or teacher) assigned a specific title and film to review, one should act like this is the perfect opportunity to introduce the cinematography work to their lecturer. Always assume they haven’t seen it before. As a result, it becomes easier to analyze events that happened on the screen.

Film review should be detailed enough to provide assistance in making an honest decision i.e. whether the reader wants to see it or if they’d like it. Why is this type of paper a common school assignment? Lecturers want to get more insight into a student’s critical thinking skills and the ability to report event (one or more of them) in a manner that others understand easily.

In addition, they want to assess the way you analyze plot and characters. After all, movie reviews also involve the analysis of events that happened in a documentary or “regular” film. Reviews test writing and vocabulary skills, adapting to different genres and events they portray, and your capacity to sum up some major work and report it in a cohesive, logical, and interesting manner.

While reviews entail more responsibility than initially thought, students find them fun and with this guide, you will too.

How to Write a Good Movie Review

You have to write a movie review for school and now what? Where to start, how to make it look more “academic”? Today, we have the opportunity to use numerous tools to make every part of our lives easier, and movie review writing isn’t the exception. Throughout this tutorial, you’ll learn how to compose a report about some film and what tools to use to simplify the process.

Step-by-Step Guide to How to Write a Movie Review

Beginnings are always the hardest. This is the point where you set the pace and determine how to approach this assignment in the most efficient manner. Here are some useful tips to kick-start the movie review writing process:

• Watch the movie or documentary twice and take notes of both major and minor events and characters. It’s a mistake to rely on the power of your memory only, there’s always something we overlook or forget
• Carry out a thorough research . Watching the movie isn’t enough, research is equally important. Look for details such as the name of filmmaker and his/her motivation to make that film or documentary work, locations, plot, characterization, historic events that served as an inspiration for the movie (if applicable). Basically, your research should serve to collect information that provides more depth to the review
• Analyze the movie after you watching it . Don’t start working on the review if you aren’t sure you understand the film. Evaluate the movie from beginning to an end. Re-watch it, if necessary, if you find some parts confusing. Only when you understand events that happened on the screen will you find it easier to create the review
• Draft an outline that you will follow to write the review in a concise and cohesive fashion
• Include examples for claims you make about the movie. If the plot has holes, then mention an example of a situation or scene when that was evident. Also, if the character(s) is poorly developed or bad casting affected the movie quality, name examples too. Provide examples when commenting dialogues, locations, plot, everything. If you want the reader to agree with you, it’s essential to back up your claims with evidence. You don’t want to make it seem like you’re praising or criticizing the movie without any reason whatsoever
• Consider and comment a movie’s originality and quality of scenes . Explain how the movie stands out or whether it just uses the same approach that worked for previous works in the industry

How to Organize Your Movie Review

Quality of your paper depends on the level of organization you implement. Never underestimate the importance of well-structured outline, regardless of the type of paper you have to write. Outlines help you focus on the subject and contribute to a logical flow.

In addition, getting things organized before you start writing is a great way to save time later on. Instead of trying to figure out what to include, you’ll have a well-structured plan to follow. It’s needless to mention you won’t be too stressed out. Here’s how to organize your movie review:

• Introduction (with title, release date, background information)
• Summary of the story
• Analysis of the plot elements (rising action, climax)
• Creative elements (dialogues, characters, use of colors, camera techniques, mood, tone, symbols, costumes or anything that contributes or takes away from the overall plot)
• Opinion (supported with examples and facts from the story)
• Conclusion (announcing whether the filmmaker was successful in his/her purpose, re-state your evidence, explain how the motion picture was helpful for providing a deeper understand of course topic)

Movie Review Elements

• The title of the film/documentary – just because your headline features the name of the movie or documentary it doesn’t mean should skip mentioning it in the text. Always name the feature you’ve watched in the introductory paragraph. This may seem like a stupid thing to point out, but it’s one of the most common mistakes that students make
• Summary – the whole point of the review is to summarize the documentary or movie for people who haven’t watched it yet. To make this as effective as possible, always assume that your professor hasn’t seen it either (as mentioned above). Why is this important? You won’t leave out some important details thinking he/she watched it already so they won’t bother. As a reviewer, your job is to explain what happened in the film and express whether the filmmaker failed or succeeded. Again, saying you liked or disliked it isn’t a viable comment. Your opinion has to be supported by specific reasons and examples from the feature itself
• Filmmaker – do a little research on the person who directed the piece. Is that person a controversial figure? Is he/she known for a political stance? Does the filmmaker have a significant background? Devote a paragraph or two to the person behind the movie and their other works in order to establish the significance of the film you are reviewing for the director’s career
• Significance to your class – How does the content of the documentary or film fit into your course topic? Is it important for historical accuracy? If you are watching the motion picture for history class, make note of over-dramatization. If the motion picture is based on the book you’ve analyzed in English class, you can mention similarities, differences, or some elements that film contains, but book doesn’t and so on
• Creative elements – filmmakers work hard to include creative elements into their motion pictures. How are these elements important to the plot and movie in general? For example, costumes can either enhance the movie or betray its intent. Colors can be vivid and lift the atmosphere or mood in the movie or they can be dull and make it seem depressing. Good sound effects enrich the viewing experience while bad ones only destroy everything. Moreover, camera movements and angles also add elements to the story. Take notes of symbols in the story, if any.
• Actors – let’s not forget the casting! Were the actors realistic? Did they portray the role of a specific character successfully? Did they have good acting skills? Do you believe that some particular actor was the right fit for the role?

Checklist / Outline for a Good Movie Review

• Introduction (title, topic, release date, background information)
• Accuracy of depiction
• Use of sources in the documentary
• Creative elements that enhance or tarnish the overall story (quality of script, visual design, performance, lighting, hair, and makeup, costume, set design, symbolism)
• Your opinion

Mistakes to Avoid

• Not focusing on the film – while connecting the plot to some specific historical event is a good idea (when applicable), strive to avoid writing about unnecessary details or introducing irrelevant information such as the history of cinematography or that particular genre, snacks, among other things
• Inserting yourself – you’re the one who’s writing the review. The paper reflects your understanding and opinion of the motion picture you’ve seen and there is no need to write in first person all the time: I noticed this, I saw that I liked this, I disliked that
• Failing to check facts about movie background and release date, director, casting etc.
• Giving out your opinion without mentioning any reason why you think that way
• Talking about irrelevancies
• Writing a review without a structure
• Writing generalities such as great acting, cool effects, a good movie, it was bad etc.
• Writing a review without substance or analysis of the feature

Finished papers

Customer reviews

Movie Review Examples

• The Hunger Games and the idea of dystopia
• Mean Girls review: does it exploit stereotypes about high schools or it helps to undermine them?
• The Martian review and its connection to Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe
• The Last Jedi review: all the reasons it’s far from the original saga
• Manchester by the sea and ideas of forgiveness and grief
• Forrest Gump review
• I am Sam review
• Runaway Bride review and its role in modern understanding of marriage

Movie Review Help

Like other types of writing, movie reviews require patience and time. Being a student isn’t the easiest task in the world and you don’t have enough time to dedicate to one assignment only while neglecting others. There’s no need to despair; you can use the internet to get much-needed assistance with this assignment. Here’s how:

By Markers Expectations / Rubrics

Clear Organization – as stated above, the clear organization is vital for a well-structured movie review. You can use the Edusson website as a guide through this process via numerous posts about writing, self-help resources, and Essay Examples that serves as an excellent platform to sharpen writing skills and compose your paper.

RobotDon Essay Checker  platform proves to be handy when you complete the writing process and want to make sure it’s unique, without fluff and wateriness, repetitive words and expressions.

Let’s not fort that you can hire an essay writer  who will write a perfect review for you.

Use of Sources – just because it’s movie review, it doesn’t mean you should avoid using sources to support your claims. Sources are particularly important for reviews of documentaries or when you’re trying to connect the review with some problem in society. Research requires more time than any other part of the process and you can easily hire a professional i.e. a helper who will do that for you

Opinion – a movie review is about the equilibrium of unbiased report and personal opinion. While it’s okay to say what you think about the movie, you also have to approach certain aspects in an objective manner to help the reader get a better understanding of the motion picture. Finding the balance between subjective and objective writing can be frustrating, which is why professional service comes handy. All you have to do is to provide title, information, your opinion and a pro writer takes it from there

Essay Writing Service – there is no need to be stressed out because you have a ton of work to do when professional writer service can write movie review easily. Services like Edusson are used by students who can’t keep up with constant demands in school or college, but they don’t want to jeopardize their grades. With over 1000 writers, Edusson is a perfect assignment writing service . You have the full control of the project through set deadlines, choosing the writer for this task etc.

Essay Editing Service – sometimes students don’t need help with the writing process, but they need someone to edit it. Don’t ask your friends and family members to do it for you, hire professionals. Improve your paper. Raise your grades! Editors and proofreaders from Edusson correct grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation mistakes, check the style, formatting, organization and other aspects of your work to boost its quality. You can also use RobotDon to edit an essay on your own.

Movie Review FAQ

Do I have to write a movie review in a certain formatting style? Everything depends on the instructions your teacher gives you. It often happens that a movie review can be free of academic formatting. But don’t exclude the possibility that you will have to complete this paper in MLA or get task writing a paper in APA .

Can I copy an existing movie review? Well, of course, it is important to look at examples of other movie reviews to get to know the structure and ways of ideas expressing better. But if you copy a film review directly from the other source, your curator will detect plagiarism in it.

My major is not moviemaking. Why am I assigned to write a film report? Students are assigned movie report writing, first of all, to broaden their mind and evaluate the way they can analyze material and express their opinion. Don’t feel confused if on the Psychology class your professor asks you to review a movie. It is a common practice for students who are completing their degree in various fields of study.

Will you just give me someone else’s review?

No, not at all! Edusson stands out as the writing service with full transparency. All essays and other papers are written from scratch by professional writers with strong work ethic and desire to help their clients get better grades. The movie review you receive is 100% original, which you can check with RobotDon’s plagiarism checker.

Will you send my review to someone else?

The answer is – no. Not only are the clients in control of the process, but author’s rights are transferred to them the moment the review is done. Once the writing process is over, the review is yours and can never be sent to someone else.

What if I need more edits?

If you need edits or want some specific info to be added, our writers will be happy to make necessary revisions.

I need more help with movie review service, how can I contact you?

Our customer service is always available through 24/7 live chat feature.

Do you like movies? Who doesn’t? Movie and documentary reviews give you a unique opportunity to improve your writing skills by combining school assignment with someone you really like. Although it’s not that difficult to compose a review of a motion picture or some educational/informative feature, feel free to use all the available resources to get the most out of your assignment. Use the advantage of the internet to work on your review for major benefits such as:

Improve Your Paper

Practice makes everything better and the internet allows you to make it happen. For instance, Edusson acts as a perfect tutorial + professional writing service platform as it allows you to improve writing skills while getting assistance from professional writers and editors when necessary . The do-it-yourselfers benefit greatly from RobotDon, a cute little helper that analyzes the review and identifies mistakes you need to correct. The result of using these resources is a well-written movie review that meets or exceeds your lecturer’s expectations.

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Using multiple resources and platforms to your advantage can only be a good thing for your GPA. When you’re a student, everything you do counts and contributes to GPA. It all comes down to learning how to make student life easier for you and one way to do that is to incorporate online tools into your assignments. Your professor will appreciate the effort and thanks to the improved writing skills, good grades are unavoidable.

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How to Write a Movie Review: 10 Essential Tips

As long as there have been films, there have been film critics. Starting with the early days of cinema, where reviews appeared in newspapers and magazines as brief, descriptive pieces, as filmmaking evolved as an art form, so did the role of the critic. James Agee, André Bazin, and Pauline Kael shaped the discourse around cinema, and today, famous film critics like the iconic Roger Ebert , The New York Times’s A.O. Scott , and The New York Times’s Manohla Dargis continue to leave an indelible mark on the world of cinema.

With the rise of the internet, film criticism now encompasses a wide range of voices and perspectives from around the globe. Sites like Letterboxd make it possible for anyone to write short-form reviews on film. Even stars like The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri have accounts and share opinions on the latest box-office hits.

How to Write a Movie Review

Today, contemporary YouTube and TikTok critics such as Red Letter Media , deepfocuslens , and DoMo Draper don’t just write film reviews, they shoot videos and skits. Through their creative formats, they offer refreshing and unique perspectives while building communities of diehard film and television enthusiasts. Whether you choose to write reviews for your own blog, other websites, or social media channels, by learning how to write a movie review, any aspiring filmmaker can start to watch films intentionally. 

@domodraperr Replying to @xsindeviltriggerx I’ll get right on that, Sir!🫡 #comments #movies #film #satire #fyp #mulan #disney ♬ I’ll Make a Man Out of You (feat. Black Gryph0n) – Cover – Samuel Kim

TikTok film critic “DoMo Draper” provides commentary on new and old films, often calling out racism, social injustice, misogyny, and prejudice.

While there’s no perfect approach to writing a review, there are best practices that every aspiring reviewer should consider.

Here are ten tips on writing a compelling piece.

1. Watch the film at least once.

For new reviewers, it’s impossible to capture everything after one viewing. Watching the film first, then watching to take notes, is an easy way to improve the quality of your final review. This will also make it easy to recall in-the-moment thoughts and reactions.

Take a review by Christian Blauvelt of Charlie Chaplin’s silent film The Circus , for example. Since the film does not have sound, properly critiquing the film requires close attention. Viewers have to pay attention to the various nuances in Chaplin’s performance, follow the story, and take in the cinematography. Regarding The Circus , Blauvelt writes, “The film lacks a conventional plot, but is rather a pearl necklace of strung-together episodes. ” The statement isn’t a criticism, but a keen observation likely gleaned from more than one viewing. 

So while every film reviewer has their own approach, many choose to watch a film more than once to deliver the best possible review. Image The Criterion Collection.

2. Express your opinions and support your criticism.

Professional reviewers do not shy away from sharing whether they thought a movie was good, bad, or indifferent. In a review for the film Mother!, reviewer Candice Frederick describes the film as “uncomfortable,” and “controversial,” helping viewers understand the tone of the movie. While Frederick seemed to enjoy the film, her honesty about how it would make audiences feel was vital in writing the review.

Be sure to back up these thoughts with specifics–a disappointing performance, beautiful cinematography, difficult material that leaves you thinking, and so on. Professional reviewers should express why and how they came to their criticism.

3. Consider your audience.

Are you writing for a fan site or a news outlet? Who will read your pieces, and what are their interests? Knowing who your readers are and where the review will be published can help you decide what elements of the movie to highlight. For example, take these two very different reviews for the film ‘Synecdoche, New York’.  

The first review was written by Alonso Duralde for The Today Show , and clocks in at around 500 words. The film focuses on the bullet points: characters, plot, and a concise review. The second review is over 3,000 words and published on the Critical Critics blog . This review goes into massive depth (and yes, includes spoilers) about the film, providing an incredible amount of analysis. The first review is tailored for the casual filmgoer, while the second is for cinephiles. Each review serves a different purpose.

It’s also a good idea to adjust your writing style to fit the target audience. For example, Alonso Duralde is a talented film reviewer and likely wrote the review to fit the tone of The Today Show site. Image via Director’s Library.

4. Talk about the acting.

When reviewing a film, it’s important to take space to discuss the performances. Does the film feature a seasoned actor in a new kind of role or a brilliant performance from a rising star? How was the acting? In a review by Brett Milam for the award-winning film Whiplash , he goes into rich detail about performances by both breakthrough actor Miles Teller and seasoned professional JK Simmons.

Regarding Teller, Milam writes, “This is a performance. This is art,” and about Simmons, “I found him fascinating to just look at.” Those are just small examples of the analysis he provides regarding their acting. As the film mostly focuses on the relationship between their two characters, Miles as the protagonist and JK as the antagonist, the review of the performances lends well to the plot of the film: student and teacher going head to head in an intense and determined showdown. 

Feedback about how well the actors handled the script, the dynamics in an ensemble, and so much more can help describe how the actors did in any given film.

5. Call out directors, cinematographers, and special effects.

Reviews that include highlights or missteps of directors, cinematographers, and costume designers can help provide support to your critiques. By providing specific examples of what worked, what surprised you, and what fell short of expectations, reviewers can write a well-thought-out review that goes beyond whether or not you liked it.

In a review for A Wrinkle in Time , Monique Jones artfully crafts a piece that diplomatically cites the missteps of the film. From analyzing the quality of the CGI to the camera techniques to inconsistencies in the rules of the fantasy universe, Jones fairly offers a critique that guides the filmmakers and crew on future endeavors. To write this type of review, it helps to have some knowledge of the filmmaking process so you can properly assess the screenwriting, cinematography, special effects, acting, and more. Image via Disney.

6. No spoilers!

The point of writing a movie review is to get people interested in seeing a movie. That’s why it’s absolutely best practice to not reveal spoilers in a film review. Film reviewer Robert Daniels approaches this creatively. In his review of Annihilation , he provides commentary on what would be considered spoilers. However, he places that part of the review at the bottom of the article under a bold header/image that warns the reader he’s about to spoil the film. For reviewers who want to dissect the entire film, this is a good way to both tease the film for anyone who hasn’t seen it and cater to people who want to know what the ending is.

Remember: the goal of any film review is to discuss the plot without revealing any twists or the ending of the film. 

7. Study the professionals.

As with all writing endeavors, the more you read, the better. However, with the modern landscape of film reviewing, which can go beyond writing and extend to content creation for social media platforms, there are a ton of reviewers to take notes from. First, determine what kind of reviewer you want to be, and what kind of medium you plan to deliver your reviews on. If you plan to post to Medium, for example, studying the reviewers already established on the site can be a great starting point.

Then, read film reviews for some of your favorite films. Determine which style of review you like and don’t like. Question why, and use your critical eye to consider why one reviewer has a hundred thousand followers and another only has two. If you’re looking to be featured on a website or a magazine, read the publications where you’d like your writing to appear as a template for your reviews, and don’t forget to read the submission guidelines. A few examples of film review professionals include Rotten Tomatoes , Roger Ebert , and Film Comment. 

8. Reread, rewrite, and edit.

While writing film critique is based on opinion, and follows the style of the reviewer, it’s still important to edit work. Writers should check for spelling, grammar, and readability. No matter how good a writer’s opinions are, they will not be taken seriously if the director’s name isn’t spelled correctly. Tools such as Grammarly and Hemingway Editor can be great for correcting and finding areas that need improvement. 

9. Find your voice.

The best reviewers have a distinct personality that comes across in their writing. Los Angeles Times film reviewer Carlos Aguilar wrote an impassioned piece about the film Beatriz at Dinner , going into a lot of detail about his experiences working in the film industry and his Mexican heritage. By sharing anecdotes about casual racism he’s experienced and connecting it to the film’s protagonist, and what she goes through, the review feels personal and relatable.

“If at a film festival – to which I’ve gotten access to because I’m a published writer – in a progressive city like Los Angeles, I must keep my guard up when people question my right to be there, then how are the voiceless supposed to feel safe, respected, or hopeful?” Aguilar writes. 

For new reviewers, developing this type of unique voice does not happen overnight, so take every opportunity to write as an opportunity to develop your style. Image via BBC.

10. Know your taste.

As a film reviewer, it can be helpful to identify your taste in film. By knowing specific preferences, strengths, and biases, reviewers can offer nuanced critiques that resonate with audiences and provide valuable guidance on which films they might enjoy. Additionally, it helps to maintain credibility and integrity as a reviewer by ensuring that assessments are authentic and reflective of personal cinematic sensibilities.

Try to explore various genres, directors, and themes to understand what resonates emotionally, intellectually, and aesthetically. Pay attention to the types of stories that engage you, which can help define your preferences.

Learn More About Filmmaking at NYFA

Film students with writing experience actually make great reviewers, as many of them are required to study a range of topics relating to film that can include cinematography, screenwriting, producing, and much more. Ready to build even more skills in filmmaking? Request more information about New York Film Academy’s filmmaking programs and workshops today!

Quick Guide on How to Write a Movie Review Essay

What Is a Movie Review

The internet has revolutionized the realm of film criticism. No matter a movie's level of quality, it is always worth analyzing. Despite the growing number of individuals attempting to write about movies, few are successful. Most people do not provide insightful analysis, instead simply state how much they liked or disliked the film.

A movie criticism, usually composed by a professional in film studies, takes a comprehensive look at the film from a historical, social, political, or theoretical standpoint. This is unlike the opinion or suggestion given in a movie review, which is shorter and more concise.

A remarkable aspect of a good film review is that it doesn't just rate the movie but provides explicit views that form the critique's basis. This form of writing, like crafting essays, research papers, and term papers, should be insightful and draw the reader in quickly. It's important to discuss the reputation of the lead actors and directors and to write about what you expected and if they were met. The reviewer must explain a story's development without recalling major plot points and endings. The review must be concise, engaging, and should involve metaphors, specific words, analogies, etc.

Movie Review Purpose

Most film reviews are intended to guide readers in deciding whether to view, rent, or purchase the film. They should provide the necessary information to aid readers in deciding without divulging any fundamental details, such as the storyline or any surprises. This paper is common in schools because the lecturer wants to evaluate the student's ability to think critically and report the event easily for others to understand.

Movie reviews typically present a brief summary of the film's storyline. They provide readers with an overview of the characters, relationships, and scenarios but do not convey the complete narrative. Perusing the review should be different from seeing the movie. Nonetheless, feel free to highlight the essential moments or pivotal points that make the film worthwhile viewing.

Our college essay writing service has put together some advice on composing a movie review essay like a real critic, so let's explore the article further!

How to Write a Movie Review: Movie Review Outline

The structure is key when it comes to the quality of your paper. Don't neglect the power of a good outline, no matter what paper you're writing. Outlines help you stay on track and make sure your paper flows well.

Taking the time to arrange your ideas before starting to write is an effective way to save time further down the line. With a well-structured plan already in place, you won't have to worry about other elements. This will also make the writing process less stressful. Here is a guide on how to organize your movie review outline:

How Do You Start a Movie Review Essay: Introduction

The introductory paragraph is the first obvious step in crafting a movie review essay outline. Here, you want to quickly captivate the reader. Deliver your viewpoint instantly and make it unambiguous. Don't leave the audience wondering whether you enjoyed the film. Tell them right off the bat so you have time to justify your assessment throughout the remainder of the process.

In the introduction movie review should also describe your thesis. Develop the main concept for your essay that you can support using your perceptions of the movie's various aspects. The reader should be able to tell from this statement if you thought the film was fantastic, awful, or simply alright. By including a thesis statement, you may move your analysis beyond the plot synopsis phase into the movie critique category, which is considered a separate creative process.

Crafting Your Essay Movie Review Analysis

According to our research paper service , film analysis is similar to building a case. You're attempting to influence the reader to follow your recommendation to watch or disregard the film. So, you must ensure your essay movie review will be convincing. Giving instances that demonstrate the validity of your personal opinion is the only method to do this. If you find any dialogue in the movie that you think best exemplifies whether the work is strong or not, utilize quotes. This also applies to all of the movie's artistic decisions. But, just because a movie's narrative isn't strong or engaging doesn't indicate the rest of the film is worthless. Carefully highlight how some factors might undermine the movie in your explanation.

The movie's plot is only one component and shouldn't dominate the overall piece. The following are the important aspects to include in your movie review structure:

Cinematography - Cinematography covers much more than simply camera angles. It includes how the picture is lit, how it moves, appears, and what lenses are used. Here you can try the following analysis: 'Warm, gentle colors are used throughout the film, combined with soothing whites and grays, to simultaneously create and gradually tear away the characters' romantic sentiments for one another. There is a painting-like quality to each image.'

Editing - The editing is arguably the absolute star of what creates a good movie review example. It affects both the duration and the flow of a movie. Without effective editing, there would be uncomfortable gaps between pictures and many errors.

Costuming - The clothing the characters wear is called a costume, but there are a number of things to consider while evaluating movie costumes. You should be able to decide if the outfits suit the characters and the movie's atmosphere.

Casting and Acting - Finding the ideal performers to bring characters to life is the goal of casting. This sometimes entails seeing performers portray both familiar personas and figures who are entirely at odds with who they are. Casting, therefore, involves more than just finding talented performers. You can assess the acting in the following way: 'Even though he excels while on the go, his stoic behaviorism causes him to fall short of his co-star during calm scenes where he keeps a blank look on his face.'

Once you have finished analyzing the acting, directing, cinematography, setting, etc., wrap up with concise, stimulating wording to sustain readers' attention. Don't forget to provide a few examples to support your statements about the film.

Concluding Your Essay Movie Review

Finalize your review by coming full circle. Close the review by returning to your introductory fact or thesis. Give your readers a refresher on the movie's most intriguing aspects. It's important to remember that before choosing a movie, viewers check reviews. Finish with a statement indicating whether it is worthwhile for them to view. Be specific about who this movie will be more fascinating to and why in your suggestions. Remember that your ending is your last shot at influencing your audience, so use it wisely.

No matter the kind of movie review you have to complete, our professional specialists are willing to help you. Directly forward your needs to our research paper service and get it done quickly.

Need Help With MOVIE REVIEW WRITING?

No matter what type of movie review you want, our qualified specialists are ready to assist you.

Short Movie Review Form

If you are currently working on a new or old movie review, reading our suggestions should be sufficient to help you earn an A. So what if you'll be writing many reviews in the future? In this situation, we advise you to develop a uniform movie review template, which will enable you to save time and complete your upcoming projects successfully.

So, how to write a movie review template, you may ask? Well, our essay helper prepared a simple yet great movie review template you may use as a foundation for your own writing if you need some help getting started:

Example Papers

Once you know how to review a movie and learn the most valuable tips to handle this assignment, it is time to look at some movie review examples to get you on the right track.

Check out the following pieces to see which of these movie review essay examples you might want to keep at hand when working on your own assignment:

Helpful Tips on Writing Movie Reviews

Here are some extra helpful tips to keep in mind when unsure how to write a movie review essay:

• Add Your Own Personal Feel to Your Movie Critique - You might not have much spare time for your pastime of reviewing. You won't be able to write a movie review, though, if you just wing it without reading what others have said. Make a note of the things that intrigued you, alarmed you, made you uncomfortable, or caused you to pause and consider something, and then use that list as the basis for your research.
• Develop a Distinctive Writing Style - Have an idol—it's good for you. You must be careful not to just paraphrase and duplicate what they say without adding your own original viewpoint. Instead, in order to stand out from the throng, you must discover your own voice. When writing movie reviews, you should also have a distinct writing style.
• Include Extensive Information -Mention the film's photographer, special effects designer, and director. Your review might be significantly impacted by this. Then you may list all the memorable movie moments that also stuck with you.
• Voice Your Views and Back Up Your Criticism - Give your own assessment of the film. Make sure you have evidence to support your criticisms. Use the movie's details that most shocked or humiliated you. Review genuine information rather than merely expressing your opinions without supporting details.

Final Thoughts

Composing a good movie review essay sample is easy if you follow this article's main steps and techniques. Furthermore, we strongly believe that this guide will assist you in achieving remarkable outcomes and ease your writing process. The staff at EssayPro is always available to provide a helping hand if you need a little additional push with movie review examples or even if it's simply coming up with a catchy essay title .

Order an essay and await excellent results! Contact our expert writers and ask them to ' write my essay for me ' – and they will ensure your academic success!

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FAQs on Writing an Essay Movie Review

Here are the most frequently asked questions on how to write a movie review. We provided extra details on movie analysis to simplify writing film reviews.

What are the 6 Important Things to Include in a Film Review?

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• MOVIE REVIEW: 4 LITTLE GIRLS Description: Chicago; History; MOVIE REVIEW: 4 LITTLE GIRLS History Movie Review... 3 pages/≈825 words | 1 Source | Chicago | History | Movie Review |
• “Little Women” Movie Analysis Description: MLA; Literature & Language; “Little Women” by Greta Gerwig in 2020 examines gender roles during the nineteenth century by focusing on the life experiences of four sisters from childhood to adulthood. Gerwig explores how Amy, Meg, Beth, and Jo have different beliefs and perceptions of marriage. The film depicts a patriarchal society ... 2 pages/≈550 words | 1 Source | MLA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• David Fincher’s Movie: Zodiac Description: APA; Law; David Fincher’s movie Zodiac emerges as a quiet and dialogue-driven movie, based on the Zodiac murders that were largely unresolved in San Francisco in the 1960s. It fits well within the criminal justice genre, although the film appears to deviate from the normal trajectory of serial killers. Whereas... 1 page/≈550 words | No Sources | APA | Law | Movie Review |
• Critical Review: Er Sur/The South (1988). Dir. Victor Erice Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; Er Sur is a drama film directed by Victor Erice. The screenplay is done by Victor Erice, while the short story is done by Adelaida Garcia Morales. Omeo Antonutti, Sonsoles Aranguren and Iciar Bollain are some of the major stars in the drama film. Estrella’s life is in the north is portrayed throughout the... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 3 Sources | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• The Miserable Life of Cambodians Description: APA; History; Why do the deaths of two million people in Cambodia qualify as a genocide? Do the definitions of genocide and crimes against humanity suit the situation? Several factors tied to the death of two million people in Cambodia have made the incident qualify as a genocide. The word "genocide," coined in 1944 ... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | APA | History | Movie Review |
• Theme of Poverty in "Joy Luck Club" Description: APA; Literature & Language; Poverty is also part of the thematic elements in the film. June explains using her mother's quote, "she was going to Chung Hi to meet the man who was supposed to be her husband" (Wang, 1993 00:12:00-00:13:53). On her journey, she had two twins, which she later abandoned because of her condition. It... 3 pages/≈825 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Film Reflection on "I am a Girl" Description: APA; Literature & Language; This documentary is about six girls from Papua New Guinea, the United States, Australia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Cameroon who experience different issues of domestic abuse, family planning, gender inequality, and mental health issues. Some girls are threatened if they attend school, and others are forced... 1 page/≈275 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Reflection on the Film "Yellow Earth" by Chen Kaige Description: MLA; Literature & Language; Yellow Earth is a 1984 Chinese drama film directed by Chen Kaige based on a socialist soldier, Gu Qing, sent to the countryside to gather peasant folk songs for the Communalist Revolution. In the village, the soldier settles in a peasant family composed of a taciturn father, a son, and a daughter. The... 2 pages/≈550 words | 3 Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Critical Analysis of the Film "But I'm a Cheerleader" Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; Written by Brian Wayne Peterson and directed by Jamie Babbit, the film But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) stands out among those addressing sexuality and sexual identity issues. It features the character Megan Bloomfield as a lesbian high school cheerleader in a society that is overly skeptical about same-sex... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• In Search for Leadership: How Leaders are Created Description: APA; Social Sciences; The ABC series, Designated Survivor, is a great example of a film with an unexpected character emerging as a leader. Tom Kirkman, the protagonist, is just a Ph.D. holder in Architectural and urban development. Kirkman is named the designated survivor after the president and government are attacked... 2 pages/≈550 words | 4 Sources | APA | Social Sciences | Movie Review |
• Pragmatics in the Movie "A Beautiful Mind" Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; Pragmatics is used extensively in linguistics to put language in a specific context. According to Rismayanti et al. (140), pragmatics gives the speaker the necessary skills to communicate messages efficiently to the listener. As a result, pragmatism is highly utilized in the film industry to add realism to... 2 pages/≈550 words | 2 Sources | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Sociological Film Analysis: Media, Culture, Socialization, and Gender Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; The films “Miss Representation” and “The Mask You Live In” are directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom and delve into the various ways that the media, gender, and culture influence the typical lives of individuals. In these films, Newsom highlights the difficulties that young individuals encounter when growing... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 6 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Using the Theory on Social Learning in Analyzing Riley in "Inside Out" Description: APA; Communications & Media; The theory on social learning proposed by Bandura Albert emphasizes the vital role of modeling, observation, and imitation of others' attitudes, mannerism, and emotional reactions. This theory recognizes both the cognitive and environmental factors that influence human behavior and interactive learning.... 4 pages/≈1100 words | No Sources | APA | Communications & Media | Movie Review |
• Interpersonal Communication in the Movie "Prometheus" Description: APA; Communications & Media; Prometheus is a magnificent science-fiction film that exhibits different interpersonal communication concepts. Elizabeth Shawn is portrayed as the most competent communicator since she can modify her behaviors accordingly after assessing a situation. She is also empathetic and open-minded and considers... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 1 Source | APA | Communications & Media | Movie Review |
• Interpersonal Communication in the Film 'Prometheus' Description: APA; Communications & Media; Prometheus is a magnificent science-fiction film that exhibits different interpersonal communication concepts. Elizabeth Shawn is portrayed as the most competent communicator since she can modify her behaviors accordingly after assessing a situation. She is also empathetic and open-minded and considers different... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 1 Source | APA | Communications & Media | Movie Review |
• Criticizing the Plot of the 2019 Movie "Parasite" Description: MLA; Literature & Language; The movie "Parasite 2019" was produced in 2019 and directed by Bong Joon-ho. This Korean black comedy thriller is about a poor family member hired as a highly-skilled individual for a job that needed to be done locally and plotting a wealthy family by actually invading the family. The title can be a bit misleading... 9 pages/≈2475 words | 13 Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Film Study: 12 Angry Men Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; 12 Angry Men is a film originally made in 1957 and remade in 1997. This essay looks at the remakes because it is better than the first. Twelve jurors are tasked with deciding whether an accused person is guilty or innocent. The process of decision-making in a group is not easy because of the differing ... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 3 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• America is Racist and Homophobic: Del Toro's Allegoric View in The Shape of Water Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; The Shape of Water (2017), directed by Guillermo Del Toro, is a gripping cross-border allegory film that depicts the social difficulties of 1960s America. The plot revolves around the lives of five characters: Elisa (Sally Hawkins), Strickland (Michael Shannon), the Amphibian Man (Doug Jones), Zelda (Octavia... 2 pages/≈550 words | 5 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Leadership Analysis on The Godfather Film Description: Chicago; Visual & Performing Arts; Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather is arguably one of the best crime/drama films ever made. The film follows the Corleone family, led by the intimidating yet admirable Don Corleone, as they try to balance their personal lives and family business as a New York mafia family. Apart from being a highly thrilling... 2 pages/≈550 words | 4 Sources | Chicago | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Journalism in the Community: Spotlight Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; Spotlight is an American drama film written by Josh Singer and directed by Tom McCarthy. It was released on 3rd September 2015, in Venice. The film is borrowed from The Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team, one of the oldest newspapers in investigative journalism in the United States that investigate public... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 3 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Pride: Experiences of Minorities with their Rights Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; Pride is a funny film that depicts the daily experiences of minority groups in the hands of the police, fighting for their rights. At face value, one can easily mistake the film to represent the challenges that certain marginalized groups face. However, the film features several themes, with each... 2 pages/≈550 words | 1 Source | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Just Another Girl: Discrimination and Oppositional Gaze Description: APA; History; The term Oppositional gaze has been used to signify how staring at someone in the past was considered rude, frustrating, and violent (Hook pg 115). Based on this concept, the film “just another girl” portrays the inequalities that black Americans face, especially women under the whites. In this film, the... 5 pages/≈1375 words | 4 Sources | APA | History | Movie Review |
• Movie: The Best Years of Our Lives Description: Chicago; Law; Based on the struggles of war veterans trying to return to normalcy, the movie The Best Years of Our Lives paints the harsh reality of life after the war. The film explores the criticality of financial and economic power and the variations it has on life and life experiences. The movie follows the lives of ... 3 pages/≈825 words | 5 Sources | Chicago | Law | Movie Review |
• Mental Health Issue in the Film Joker Description: Harvard; Health, Medicine, Nursing; Fictional depictions of mental illness both are common and powerful. Since the early 20th century, whether explicitly or implicitly, mental illness has been incorporated into the movie's plotlines, subplots, and character types (Livingston 2004). The cinematic industry has a long history of portraying mental... 6 pages/≈1650 words | 7 Sources | Harvard | Health, Medicine, Nursing | Movie Review |
• Mail Fraud, Bribery, and Extortion Crimes in the Movie "The Firm" Description: MLA; Law; The Firm is a 1993 legal thriller movie based on the novel ‘The Firm’ by John Grisham. Sydney Pollack directed it starred movie star Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, an ambitious young lawyer about to graduate from law school. The movie depicts an array of instances where the law is continuously broken and bent... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 1 Source | MLA | Law | Movie Review |
• Elements of the Play "Death of Salesman" by Arthur Miller Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; The play presents the main character Willy Loman- a salesperson who has been living a life of self-denial. When he faces the hard truth, it is hard for him to swallow but rather opt to take his life. When the overseas sales commission cannot support the family bills, Willy decides to take a job near his home... 3 pages/≈825 words | 1 Source | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Comparing Love is Never Silent and A Bridge to Silence Description: APA; Literature & Language; The movie "A bridge to Silence '' is filled with misfortune, sorrow, and at the same time recovery for Peggy, who is the principal character. As the movie begins, Maggy is tragic as her husband gets killed in a road accident where he gets hit by a drunk driver. Lucky enough, Maggy and her daughter survive the... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Black 47: Historical Accuracy Assessment Description: APA; Literature & Language; The film Black 47, in general, has been associated with many positive appraisals from both film and history critics, with some citing its portrayal of a challenging subject in the 1840s famine in Ireland, along with its widespread utilization of gritty film styles and use of the Irish language for empathy... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 6 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• The Avengers and the Concept of Interpersonal Communication Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; The movie The Avengers is a movie based on the tragic events that occur in Newyork city after Loki gains access to the unlimited power of the Tesseract, which is disguised as a blue cube. In the bid to curb his ambitious acts, the director of Shield, Nick Fury, seeks to initiate a superhero program directed... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 3 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• The Beliefs of Human Nature in the Film 'Persepolis' Description: APA; Literature & Language; Towards the end of the film Persepolis, Marjane tells viewers that “Freedom always comes at a price.” Marjane arrives in Europe for the second time in early 1990s. At this time, Marjane who was introduced to viewers as a feisty girl is a young woman. She had recently gone through a divorce and was struggling... 3 pages/≈825 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Visual Analysis Description: APA; Literature & Language; Visual analysis is simply describing an image in the way you perceive it. Therefore, the features are supposed to symbolize the character’s feelings and the message intended to be shared. The color displayed on the image is a dark grey that symbolizes the mood of the character. Mostly it is associated with ... 1 page/≈275 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• The Piano: Analysis Of Cinema Language Based On The Roles Of Women Description: APA; Literature & Language; Gender roles in movies focused on men have been so pervasive in the mainstream that now it has become less controversial contrary to the topic of female specificity that has been highly elusive and very contentious. One of these films that addressees’ genders roles on women's specificity is "The Piano" ... 1 page/≈275 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock 1954 Description: Harvard; Visual & Performing Arts; People were always interested in interpreting written stories for the big screen. Books of all genres: comedies, detective stories, romance novels, and thrillers often appear before the public as movies. The film Rear Window, produced by Alfred Hitchcock in 1954, is not an exception. The original short ... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 2 Sources | Harvard | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Love TV Drama:Paige Townsen Description: APA; Social Sciences; Paige Townsen is the main heroine Protagonist in the Famous in Love TV Drama series. During the early life of Paige Townsen, she was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Townsen in California and later on Paige Townsen joined California Metro University in freshman year where she met with Cassandra Perkins and Jake Salt.... 6 pages/≈1650 words | 6 Sources | APA | Social Sciences | Movie Review |
• Different Movies and their Analysis Description: APA; Literature & Language; The film is based on Sid's real-life story and his girlfriend Nancy, who were both heroin addicts. It all started in the year 1978. Sid is seen being arrested by the police officers in the Chelsea Hotel, a shocking encounter for him and his followers due to Nancy's death, his lover. Upon arrival at the ... 7 pages/≈1925 words | 3 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• The Shape of Water Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; Directed by renowned movie maker Guillermo Del Toro, The Shape of Water is a romantic, bittersweet tale of a blooming love between social misfits. It is the tale of an orphaned mute – but one who can hear – and her love for a part-man-part-amphibian creature. It also follows Zelda’s story, who is a social... 2 pages/≈550 words | 3 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• An Analysis of the Movie: The Minority Report Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; The Minority Report is a movie released in 2002 and directed by one of the most famous directors in Hollywood, Steven Spielberg. The film features Hollywood star Tom Cruise who plays the part of John Anderton, a pre-crime police captain, in the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington DC.... 1 page/≈275 words | 1 Source | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Legally Blonde (2001) Movie Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; Today is the 20th anniversary of Reese Witherspoon's popular comedy, Legally Blonde, which inspired a big-screen sequel and a Theatrical musical. Legally Blonde is an American comedy movie directed by Luketic Robert in his length of directorial ... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 4 Sources | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Global Poverty at a Glance Description: MLA; Life Sciences; I have argued that present methods to global poverty—which are based on utility, human rights, or compassion-are insufficient because they are unable to address some issues that are important to people. Trying to persuade folks to give up even a small amount of money is a desirable goal, and I sympathize wi... 2 pages/≈550 words | No Sources | MLA | Life Sciences | Movie Review |
• Which Way Home Film: Immigrant Children's Face Huge Challenges and Experienced Depression Description: APA; Social Sciences; The film talks about undocumented kids who travel by train through Mexico merely to arrive in the United States. They believe that this country has solutions for better survival. Considering their tender age, that is 9-17 years, it is hard to believe the challenges that have brought them to decide on going to the United States.... 2 pages/≈550 words | 1 Source | APA | Social Sciences | Movie Review |
• Power and Politics of Flight of Phoenix Analysis Description: APA; Literature & Language; As the after-crash survivors of the Flight of the Phoenix try to save themselves in the middle of a desert, several disagreements arise mainly because many people are trying to establish dominance and exercise power in deciding on what is to be done and when it is supposed to be done. ... 1 page/≈275 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Crime + Punishment Documentary Review Description: APA; Law; The Sundance Film Festival gave “Crime + Punishment... 3 pages/≈825 words | 4 Sources | APA | Law | Movie Review |
• Split: A Relation to Freudian and Jungian Theory Description: APA; Health, Medicine, Nursing; Philosophy when it comes to human behavior is complex and broad wherein it is unfathomable for most of us. The extent of the human mind has been measured based on what the experts experienced firsthand, however, most of the beliefs in understanding the deepest part of psychology are based on theories where errors and pitfalls may be encountered.... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 4 Sources | APA | Health, Medicine, Nursing | Movie Review |
• A Response on Tuesdays with Morrie Description: APA; Literature & Language; Morrie Schwartz, a sociology professor, had Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Morrie was a smart man who had gone through a lot in his life. Morrie, the son of Russian immigrants, had a rough childhood, which included the death of his mother and his brother's sickness with the Poliovirus. Nevertheless,... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• John Money's Experiment on David and Gender Description: MLA; Literature & Language; The BBC documentary, ... 4 pages/≈1100 words | No Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Evaluating "What's Morally Wrong with Homosexuality" Description: MLA; Social Sciences; In "What's Morally Wrong with Homosexuality," the speaker, John Corvino, seeks to explore and dismantle various arguments that term homosexuality an immoral practice. He tries to provide solid arguments to people who declare homosexual behaviors morally wrong. Corvino argues that a social stigma.... 1 page/≈275 words | 2 Sources | MLA | Social Sciences | Movie Review |
• “Weapons of Influence” Review Description: MLA; Psychology; Produced and directed by Oregon Public Broadcasting, “Weapons of Influence” is a documentary that offers an insight into different ways the human mind can be influenced and controlled. The information technology revolution has exposed people to a torrent of advertisements displayed on social media platforms.... 1 page/≈275 words | 1 Source | MLA | Psychology | Movie Review |
• Evaluating "Pariah, Short Film" Description: APA; Literature & Language; The film “Pariah” is about a teenager identified as Alike who stays with her parents, Audrey and Arthur, and her younger sister Sharonda in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood. Alike is a lesbian, and she is portrayed as one who has embraced her identity and is looking for a lover (Archer,2011)... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• The Advantages of Providing Excellent Customer Service Description: MLA; Social Sciences; Exceptional customer service has been dubbed as one way businesses can create and sustain a competitive advantage over their rivals in the modern business world. An entity that is delivering excellent customer experience is surely guaranteeing its success (Adams). As John Boccuzzi Jr. stated in his TED talk... 1 page/≈275 words | 3 Sources | MLA | Social Sciences | Movie Review |
• Doritos Goat Commercial in the Super Bowl Game Description: APA; Communications & Media; The video starts with a man walking in a neighborhood when he sees a sign reading “Goat 4 sale”. He buys the goat and leaves with the goat to his house. He learns that the goat he intends to buy shares his love for snack and concludes that he will be a great friend because of the common interest. After he... 1 page/≈275 words | 1 Source | APA | Communications & Media | Movie Review |
• Race Film Review from A Sociological Perspective Description: APA; Social Sciences; Pick a movie that features sports. View the movie at least twice and identify key themes. Critically and sociologically analyze the portrayal of sport in the film. Connect these ideas to concepts from the readings and class discussion... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | APA | Social Sciences | Movie Review |
• Analysis of Dirt the Movie Description: APA; Literature & Language; Yard waste and food scraps together can make up about 30% of what human beings throw away. Compost is an organic material that can be added to the soil to aid in the growth of plants. Composting is an aerobic process that helps in keeping organic material out of landfills where they occupy space.... 3 pages/≈825 words | No Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Multilevel Marketing and the Ethical Problems Associated with It Description: APA; Business & Marketing; Direct access to a large population of the world via the internet has caught the attention of many opportunistic business people and companies. This access has led to the rise of many marketing strategies by companies to sell their products and services, with the most erupted approach being multilevel ... 1 page/≈275 words | 2 Sources | APA | Business & Marketing | Movie Review |
• Historical Inaccuracies in the Movie “The Patriot” Description: MLA; History; Hollywood producers have always liked docudramas, which have been a staple of their filmmaking career. While there is nothing wrong with this, Hollywood has courted criticism for spicing up historical films with inaccuracies to make the movies more entertaining. ... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 5 Sources | MLA | History | Movie Review |
• Studio Bone's "Bungou Stray Dogs" Description: APA; Communications & Media; Bungou Stray Dogs is an animé produced by studio Bones and written by screenwriter, Kafka Asagiri. The characters are namesakes of famous literary authors, their abilities from their corresponding famous works. The story revolves around Nakajima Atsushi and the other members of the Armed Detective Agency... 3 pages/≈825 words | No Sources | APA | Communications & Media | Movie Review |
• Analyzing a Movie Called Hidden Figures to Determine Instances of Time Wastage Description: Other; Creative Writing; Time management is critical in a success of everything. Crowd of so many tasks at the last stages of a project or failure to perform some tasks are some of the results of poor time management.... 1 page/≈275 words | 1 Source | Other | Creative Writing | Movie Review |
• Perspectives and Communication in an Organization Description: APA; Communications & Media; Ethics and responsibilities in mass communication include honesty, integrity, respecting and advocating for free speech, respecting everyone despite cultural differences, and obeying every law. Primary objective of code of ethics in mass communication to enhance interpretation and recognize value in field.... 6 pages/≈1650 words | 4 Sources | APA | Communications & Media | Movie Review |
• Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Cultural Diversity in Sports Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; Culturally responsive pedagogy is teaching that recognizes the importance of infusing the student's cultural references and strengths in all of their learning. Teachers have to make sure their students are getting critical knowledge with the material culture into it. Student development in school is through... 3 pages/≈825 words | 4 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Evaluating the Film "Friday Night Lights" Description: APA; Literature & Language; Friday Night Lights is a true story film about a high school football team in Odessa, Texas during the 1988 season. Permian Panthers is the name of the high school. The movie documents the teams season as they attempt to make a run at the Texas state championship. The movie also show much pressure player... 2 pages/≈550 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• The Fifth Estate Documentary on Ashley Smith’s Case Description: MLA; Psychology; Ashley Smith was a white, Canadian teen girl who had a normal childhood in Moncton, New Brunswick. She started committing minor offenses and getting into trouble with various authorities (“Ashley Smith: Out of Control (2010) - the Fifth Estate” 00:04:45-00:04:51). Smith’s parents reported that they saw... 2 pages/≈550 words | 1 Source | MLA | Psychology | Movie Review |
• 12 Angry Men Movie: Movie Review Description: APA; Law; The film “12 Angry Men” depicts various sociological concepts mirroring the state of the society at the time it was produced. The movie features a dozen jurors who are tasked to come up with a verdict concerning a young man accused of murder. The jurors vote in the first round with an overwhelming majority ... 3 pages/≈825 words | 1 Source | APA | Law | Movie Review |
• Film Analysis of Gran Torino Visual & Performing Arts Movie Review Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; Gran Torino is a 2008 film directed by Clint Eastwood with Nick Schenk credited as the screenwriter. In his younger days, Schenk had a number of jobs including that of a factory worker, which is when he first encountered the Hmong and learned about their connection with the U.S.-supported... 6 pages/≈1650 words | 4 Sources | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Representation of the Alien in the novel Dracula Movie Review Description: APA; Literature & Language; Written by Bram Stoker, Dracula is an 1897 classic gothic horror novel that was established under the conventions of vampirism. The novel introduces the character of Count Dracula to the readers based on nobility and the autocracy of the past centuries. Dracula, as the primary character... 6 pages/≈1650 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Stereotypes in Princess and frog Literature & Language Movie Review Description: MLA; Literature & Language; The Princess and the Frog is the first animated movie from Disney which features a black princess. The film reinforces gender and racial stereotypes which foster racism and sexism agendas. Racial stereotypes are not new to American society, and the representation in the movie... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Gasland Literature & Language Movie Review Research Description: MLA; Literature & Language; The United States of America (USA) played a significant role in the spread of gas wells and drilling firms. In particular, during George Bush’s second term, the vice-president, Dick Cheney, came up with a legislation that exempted gas companies from the Clean Air... 1 page/≈275 words | No Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• HARRIET BEECHER STOWE & MARK TWAIN Literature & Language Movie Review Description: MLA; Literature & Language; Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Stowe and Uncle Tom's cabin by Twain address slavery, among other issues affecting black Americans in the nineteenth-century. However, the predominantly white American retort to each varied rationally. While Stowe's piece significantly impacted social perspectives... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 2 Sources | MLA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• The Underground Railroad History Movie Review Paper Description: APA; History; The clip is titled “Heritage Minutes: Underground Railroad.” It runs for one minute, one second, and captures the joy and uncertainty the escaping slaves from the United States experienced when they finally arrived in Canada. It demonstrates Canada as a welcoming country (Historica Canada, 2016)... 1 page/≈275 words | 2 Sources | APA | History | Movie Review |
• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Visual Arts Movie Review Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; From the film, the heroic acts hidden relationship between Joe and Polly visually capture my attention to determine held my attention intellectually while the embrace of the modernity in form of technology to develop the robotic machine captured my visual attention.... 2 pages/≈550 words | No Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Film Blog Literature & Language Movie Review Essay Description: APA; Literature & Language; Watching the film “Blind Site” reminded me when I would watch my favorite football team. When things go well, I would be up cheering; when they don’t, I will curse. The movie reminds me of one thing that I find ingrained as a rule in basketball – it is how you play the game that counts.... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 2 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT IN THE SHAMPOO FILM. Education Movie Review Description: Harvard; Education; In Shampoo film production, the cinematographer employs techniques that set the film making elements into work; there is a convention in most parts of the film, which gives the viewer the basic geographical orientation while putting the themes in their preferred context. ... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 3 Sources | Harvard | Education | Movie Review |
• The Visual Elements the Raging Bull and Rocky Media Movie Review Description: MLA; Communications & Media; Deconstructing a scene is one of the best ways to understand a movie and movie making. When analyzing a film in a single view, an individual may miss the essential details within the film. Through mise en scene a film is broken down into pieces to find out how these pieces... 7 pages/≈1925 words | 3 Sources | MLA | Communications & Media | Movie Review |
• Movie Review. The Matrix. Visual & Performing Arts Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; For instance, he works as an employee for a software company during the day, then as a criminal hacker during the night operating under a pseudonym known as “Neo” to make himself more money.... 2 pages/≈550 words | 4 Sources | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• The Movie “Sling Blade” Visual & Performing Arts Movie Review Description: APA; Visual & Performing Arts; Sling Blade is a film that tells the story of a man by the name Karl Childers who had a developmental, mental disability. He has been released from the mental hospital where he has spent the whole of his life in custody since the age of 12 years. He was put in detention for killing her mother... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | APA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Leadership analysis of the GodFather Film. Movie Review Description: APA; Literature & Language; The Godfather is an American film that focusses on the Corleone family from the leadership of Vito Corleone to his son Michael Corleone. Its producer, Albert S. Ruddy, based the story on Mario Puzo's novel, The Godfather. It brings out immense leadership traits that are essential.... 2 pages/≈550 words | 5 Sources | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Life of Pi: A Movie Analysis Literature & Language Movie Review Description: APA; Literature & Language; People tend to be astonished by death-defying experiences. This them dumbfounded by the movie, Life of Pi. This film utilizes a circular narrative method where the story goes on, then goes back to where it began, and its conclusion ties the remaining pieces of the story together... 4 pages/≈1100 words | 1 Source | APA | Literature & Language | Movie Review |
• Edward Yang: A One And A Two (“Yi Yi”) Visual Arts Movie Review Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; Yi Yi is a movie centered on the lives of a Taiwanese family who reside in Taipei. The movie depicts an affluent and successful family of Jian living in the city of Highrise. The three generations of the family are haunted by missed opportunities lost. Amidst this, the movie manages to capture the struggles... 2 pages/≈550 words | 2 Sources | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
• Romantic Comedies Business & Marketing Movie Review Description: MLA; Business & Marketing; I hope you are doing fine. Unto the subject matter, I’m not a fan of watching movies, but comedies thrill me the most. More specifically, romantic comedies having a mixture of dark and light underpinnings add rather than retract from the fun. Love and romance are serious issues in human relationships... 2 pages/≈550 words | 1 Source | MLA | Business & Marketing | Movie Review |
• Sicko Analysis and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Movie Review Description: APA; Business & Marketing; Sicko a documentary by Michael Moore explores numerous issues facing the United States health care system. The film was released in 2007 before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) commonly identified as Obamacare was enacted. Moore reports that nearly fifty million Americans lacks medical... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | APA | Business & Marketing | Movie Review |
• The Movie “Sling Blade” Visual & Performing Arts Movie Review Description: MLA; Visual & Performing Arts; Sling Blade is a film that tells the story of a man by the name Karl Childers who had a developmental, mental disability. He has been released from the mental hospital where he has spent the whole of his life in custody since the age of 12 years. He was put in detention for killing her mother and lover ... 3 pages/≈825 words | 2 Sources | MLA | Visual & Performing Arts | Movie Review |
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Are these the 25 BEST Movie Titles? What Makes a Great Movie Title?

Coming up with a title for your screenplay is no picnic. You need a title that sums up your story, stands out and rolls off the tongue. Or at least that’s what the best movie titles do.

The best movie titles are instinctive. They’re memorable because they perfectly encapsulate the movie and sound cool or distinctive. The audience doesn’t have to think about remembering the title, it just lodges in their memory.

Moreover, the best movie titles are ones that you want to say. They just sound cool when you say them. It sounds shallow but this can create a strong impression of the movie at hand, a shortcut to standing out amongst the crowd. There’s almost a viral effect to this. The best movie titles catch on and spread.

It’s particularly important to nail a distinctive and memorable movie title when writing a screenplay at the development level. You’re sending your screenplay out to screenplay readers , producers, agents , screenwriting competitions. And you want your screenplay’s title to stand out and engage the reader.

In this sense, the best movie titles draw the reader in before a word of description or dialogue. They sound good, they encapsulate the story and at their best, even cast the story in a new light.

Sometimes a movie title will be upfront and simple, sometimes it will only make sense at the end of the movie. Sometimes it might even take some figuring out. However, all these outcomes are evidence of a strong movie title.

The 25 Best Movie Titles

Want to know how to create a great movie title? Check out our article on how to craft movie titles . However, in this article, we’re going to take a look at the 25 best movie titles (in no particular order).

What do they say about what makes a great title? And how can thinking about this help you to reach your own great movie title?

Let’s jump in…

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A memorable and unique title, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind takes its name from Alexander Pope’s 1717 poem Eloisa to Abelard . The poem itself is a reflection on a love from many years prior, sharing a storyline with the film.

This might seem an alien reference if weren’t for the fact that the poem is quoted within the film by one of the characters.

“How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot. The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. Each prayer accepted, and each wish resigned”

The reference to the poem sums up the movie’s central theme of love and memory. It encapsulates the idea of wiping painful memories seen as a route to a ‘spotless mind’. This speaks to the concept behind the movie, a service that wipes painful memories of loved ones from the brain.

So the title brilliantly captures the main concept and theme of the movie. But it also does so in a way that feels distinctive. It feels unlikely that another movie will come along with this title.

The movie could have easily been called ‘memory wipe’, for example. But in reaching for something altogether more poetic and mysterious, the title stands out and reflects the movie’s unique concept.

2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest , the clever title encapsulates the core storyline of the movie in a catchy way.

The film follows McMurphy, a prisoner who fakes insanity to escape from a prison labour camp, and once in the specialist mental health ward plans to become a free man.

The use of the description of ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ plays with the historical British use of the word Cuckoo to describe someone who is behaving in a ‘crazy’ fashion.

The title hints that one person will ‘fly over’ over this cuckoo’s nest. However, this person is not necessarily whom the audience might initially expect, creating an interesting twist.

This is a great example of a film title that creatively yet clearly hints at the story. It’s a memorable and unique title in its language but it also foreshadows the story.

3. There Will Be Blood

In the epic drama, There Will Be Blood , we follow the story of ruthless oil tycoon Daniel Plainview.

The title has biblical roots, which can be found in Exodus chapter 7 ‘The Plague of Blood’, where God, through Moses, is putting pressure on Pharaoh to release the Israelites:

“And they will turn to blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt..” Exodus 7:19

The biblical connection runs deep, as Daniel bears similarities to Pharaoh. Both want to be all controlling and are willing to manipulate, use and sacrifice anyone around them who gets in their way, no matter the consequence.

This title gives a clear indication of the sort of character we are dealing with, the genre of film we can expect and its dramatic content. You better believe that you will eventually see some blood in the film.

Moreover, the title addresses one of the movie’s key themes, the idea that in such a relentless pursuit of oil in a capitalist fashion, there will, inevitably, be blood.

4. Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now is another title which even if you have not seen the movie, you will most likely recognise.

The movie originally had a different title, The Psychedelic Soldier . However, screenwriter John Milius was inspired to change the title to Apocalypse Now , as a way of making fun of hippies who in the 70s were wearing pins with the words ‘Nirvana Now’.

The words ‘apocalypse now’ are never spoken throughout the film and the title remains elusive in this regard. However, in the film’s final act the words are seen scrawled in graffiti in the background.

It’s a chilling moment of recognition when it comes, with a feeling given that the camp Willard has finally found, amidst the wider horror of the Vietnam War in general, really is the ‘apocalypse now’.

5. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a movie that effectively uses the title to encapsulate the overall storyline and tone of the film.

The title is taken from the practice of shooting horses who are severely injured to put them out of their misery. It, therefore, raises a painful question of people being put out of their misery if they are unbearably suffering too.

• Ultimately, unable to escape her depression, Gloria asks Robert to kill her.
• Afterwards, when he’s asked about his motive for killing her by the police, Robert replies “they shoot horses don’t they?”.
• This sums up Gloria’s depression, with Robert suggesting it was best to put her out of her misery.

The title is highly emotive, pointing the audience to the bigger picture that the themes grapple with. It’s unusual to have a question as a movie title, but the contemplative nature of the movie means it couldn’t suit better.

6. Raging Bull

Raging Bull is based upon the true story of Jake LaMotta. The story follows the middleweight boxer as he achieves his first boxing title. His professional growth is stunted when his personal life, full of paranoia, jealousy and rage, takes over.

The title comes from Jake LaMotta’s boxing name, ‘Raging Bull’. These words are visually evocative, creating a clear image in the audience’s mind of the strength and anger of the boxer in the ring and in his personal life.

‘Raging Bull’ is not just the protagonist ‘s stage name but a perfect summation of his approach to and journey through life. It’s a title that on the surface doesn’t seem particularly extraordinary. But once one has seen the movie itself, it’s hard to shake it from the mind, such is the power of the title in capturing the movie’s mood and power.

7. Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures follows a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S space programme.

The movie title contains a double meaning.

• It refers both to the women who were hidden and forgotten by history in the NASA story.
• Whilst it also uses the word ‘figures’ in relation to the innovative mathematical research the women were producing for NASA.

The title encapsulates the overall story, the wordplay instantly demonstrating the nature of this true story, both in terms of its historical resonance and its subject matter.

8. Good Will Hunting

The title of Good Will Hunting , once again plays on the use of double meanings, similarly to Hidden Figures.

• The title suggests that on one level Will Hunting, our protagonist, is himself good, giving the audience a clear hint about his personality. This also relates to how people perceive him throughout the movie, seeing him as someone worth ‘saving’.
• It also indicates that Will is hunting for and with goodwill, reminding the audience that there are good and bad ways to hunt for meaning in life.
• Will is seeking to find the good path, at least most of the time. Whilst others all seek the good path for him.

It’s a movie title that rolls off the tongue and in its double meaning and linguistic wordplay prompts curiosity.

9. Shaun of The Dead

A different way of playing with the meanings of words is presented in the title, Shaun of The Dead .

• The film title is inspired by the 1978 Dawn of The Dead , the classic zombie film.
• The adaptation from the original title to Shaun of The Dead , immediately gives the audience insight into the genre of the film, providing a comedic twist linking it to the comedy element of the zombie genre throughout.

The title is memorable and lighthearted, giving a clear protagonist to the story whilst also revealing the comedy inherent in the movie’s execution.

However, the title also gives a strong clue as to the style of the movie, one where other movies are constantly referenced. The movie’s visual language is in itself a pastiche and homage, just like its title.

10. The Silence of the Lambs

Where to start with this movie title? The Silence of the Lambs is a striking, chilling and relatively opaque movie title. It’s a unique and memorable title in the imagery it creates. Whilst it also hints at some core themes.

Firstly, the reference to lambs conjures up biblical imagery, imagery surrounding slaughter (in the reference to lambs to the slaughter) and imagery to do with innocence and purity.

Is Clarice Starling the pure and innocent lamb? Will she be a lamb to Hannibal Lecter’s slaughter? These are all questions that the title provokes.

• Moreover, lambs are directly referenced when Clarice Starling recalls a traumatic childhood memory of witnessing lambs screaming as they’re about to be slaughtered.
• She remembers trying to save one of the lambs.
• Hannibal Lecter puts Clarice under the spotlight about seeking to stop the slaughter of the lambs, imploring her to think that it was not worth it as the lamb she saved was killed anyway.
• Furthermore, Lecter makes a reference to Catherine, a woman whose murder Clarice is trying to prevent.
• In making a reference to the lambs, perhaps Lecter is suggesting that just because Clarice might save one woman it won’t save her from the trauma of the bigger picture.

“You think if Catherine lives, you won’t wake up in the dark ever again to that awful screaming of the lambs.”

The way in which the title is referenced explicitly but not directly, avoiding the actual mention of ‘silence’ encourages the audience to think about the metaphor illustrated. It’s a neat trick, the circumventing of the title proving more powerful and effective than its explicit mention and explanation.

11. The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is another evocative and efficient title. The film follows Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who cheats his way to the top at the expense of all those around him.

• The title visually evokes a character who is hungry and ruthless in their pursuit to get to the top of the financial ladder.
• The comparison with the ferocity of a wolf is powerful because wolves are territorial, vicious and show no mercy when provoked.

This provides the audience with a clear idea of the protagonist ’s character and the lengths he will go to for money and primacy on Wall Street. The title’s use of alliteration catches the attention but also captures the mood and themes of the movie.

12. Bird Box

Not all movie titles are immediately clear in how they connect to the movie itself, and one such example of this is Bird Box .

• The movie is a post-apocalyptic horror-thriller, where a mysterious force is decimating the population, and the only certainty is if you see it, you die.
• Survivors must avoid coming face-to-face with an entity that takes the form of their worst fears.

There are many ways to interpret the title, one being in the final scene of the film, when all the survivors are enclosed in a building just like birds within a bird box. A bird box would usually be where birds are kept under human care. But ironically here, in the protagonist ‘s final designation, is where humans start to live under the care of birds.

The imagery created by the title, teamed with the intrigue around its definitive meaning, helps it to stick in the audience’s mind, leaving them questioning long after the film has finished. Furthermore, its alliteration and punchiness help it roll off the tongue. It’s hard not to see its idiosyncratic, catchy name as part of its viral appeal.

13. The Lobster

The Lobster is a dark comedy set in the near future, where adults are shipped off to a government-mandated singles’ retreat and given 45 days to find a mate. If they are unsuccessful, the singleton is turned into an animal and released into the woods.

The title of the film is significant on multiple levels, from literal to figurative. The clearest cut explanation is that the lobster is the protagonist ‘s animal of choice if he is unable to find a partner.

• On a more symbolic level, it holds general thematic significances.
• The lobster is an aquatic, cold-blooded, hard-shelled creature. The characters similarly have become hardened by the atmosphere and the prospect of being turned into animals.
• They have developed a protective shell and have become detached and defensive, like a lobster.
• In desperate times lobsters will turn to cannibalism, picking on the weakest for the survival of the strong. This is a key element in the film where humans, who are forced to mate systematically, shed the element of caring that previously separated man from beast.

It’s both an incredibly simple title, in that it references the key premise (of humans turning into animals and the lobster being the protagonist ‘s choice) but also a complex one in its deeper subtext .

14. Moonlight

Moonlight might seem like a relatively simple title. But it has profound significance in the way it’s referenced throughout the movie.

Firstly, literal moonlight drapes significant scenes, such as Chiron’s sexual experience with Kevin on the beach.

But it’s also referenced in a key speech Juan gives to young Chiron.

Juan: I was runnin’ and hollerin’, and cuttin’ a fool, boy. This old lady, she stopped me. She said… “Runnin’ around, catching up all that light. In moonlight, black boys look blue. You blue, that’s what I’m gon’ call you. ‘Blue’.” Chiron: So your name ‘Blue’? Juan:   [Chuckles]   Nah….At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gonna be. Can’t let nobody make that decision for you.”

The moonlight frames how this woman sees Juan. But Juan tells Chiron that he can’t let other people define who he is.

This is a key theme and narrative drive for the movie, Chiron coming to terms with who he is and shrugging off society’s labels.

15. A Clockwork Orange

The movie title, A Clockwork Orange , is shared with the classic novel which inspired it.

The story follows Alex, a psychopath imprisoned for murder and rape. To reduce his sentence Alex volunteers for an experimental treatment conducted by the government. The source text explains the premise behind the title as referring to a person who:

“Has the appearance of an organism lovely with colour and juice but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil or the Almighty State.”

This evokes the disturbing concept of a person who appears naturally wholesome and good, but whose behaviour and morality is mechanistically controlled.

The title is memorable because it conjures up a striking visual image. Most when first seeing it will ask “What is a clockwork orange?”. In a sense, the answer doesn’t matter. But there is a subtext and impression that the title creates that helps convey the movie’s tone and themes.

16. A Streetcar Named Desire

Another movie that shares its name with the source text is A Streetcar Named Desire .

• The story follows Blanche DuBois, who travels by streetcar (bus) to her sister’s house in New Orleans.
• The title refers to an actual streetcar line in New Orleans, the one that Blanche takes to her sister’s house.
• This particular streetcar ultimately bears a huge amount of significance, being that Blanche’s visit is the catalyst for the story. A seemingly innocent family visit turns out to eventually be much more.

However, it also serves as a metaphor for the power of desire as the driving force behind all of the characters’ actions. Desire is a key running theme and the mention of this in the title helps put it front and centre.

In general, the technique of using emotions in titles is an effective method of encapsulating key sentiments that drive the characters and their arcs. 

17. Kill Bill

Kill Bill ‘s short punch title perfectly sums up the movie both in terms of its plot and its style.

The movie follows a pregnant assassin called The Bride who for four years had been in a coma, induced by a brutal attack by her ex-boss, Bill. When she awakes, she sets out to seek revenge on him and his associates.

The plot is relatively simple, driven by a single aim and goal. And the title reflects this. Moreover, the title reflects the movie’s style in that its stylish rhyme and punchiness mirrors the stylistic execution of the movie.

This is very much a case of a movie title doing what it says on the tin. The title is Kill Bill and that’s exactly what the main drive of the story is in terms of the protagonist ‘s goal.

18. BlacKkKlansman

The striking movie title of BlacKkKlansman neatly refers to all elements of the story it tells.

The movie is about an African-American detective who embarks on a mission to infiltrate his town’s chapter of the Ku Klux Klan.

• So the title refers to the protagonist as the ‘black klansman’.
• This would be a striking title enough, prompting curiosity in its meaning.
• However, the extra k in the middle of these two words provides a direct reference to the KKK, who sit at the heart of the story.

It’s an example of a title that has fun with the possibilities for titles that the story creates. Whilst in doing so, it only adds to its own ability to convey the essential story strands, which uniquely overlap.

19. Spirited Away

Spirited Away follows 10-year-old Chihiro and her parents, who stumble upon a seemingly abandoned amusement park. Things go wrong when her parents are turned into huge pigs, and Chihiro must enter the resort full of supernatural beings and work there to attempt to rescue herself and her parents. 

The title has a clever double meaning with the words ‘spirited away’ referring to something that has been removed without anybody noticing. This is exactly what occurred with Chihiro after she is separated from her parents. Additionally, the place where Chihiro is ‘spirited away’ to is the land of spirits.

The title has a magical sound to it that perfectly captures the feeling of the film. It’s not only an accurate reflection of the movie’s content but it ends up serving as an encapsulation of how it makes the audience feel when watching it.

This movie title shows how a title can become great when it seems to somehow capture the movie’s spirit and the feeling that it evokes.

20. Sorry To Bother You

A double meaning can also be seen in Sorry To Bother You. The film follows telemarketer Cassius Green, who discovers an alluring method for success.

This title has a sharp double meaning.

• It brings to mind a cliche that telemarketers use with customers.
• But it’s also a sarcastic disclaimer for the whole movie, as the narrative is supposed to be a slap in the face to anyone who feels complacent about issues plaguing the USA.
• The movie critiques capitalism in a sharp and confronting way. And the title is almost a challenge to the audience, a repudiation of any chance they might be shocked or confronted by the movie’s message.

The power of the title is created through the writer’s ability to present a political message in an amusing way. It’s a reference to the subject matter at hand (telemarketing) but also speaks directly to the audience. In this, it’s quite a rarity as a movie title and is all the more memorable as a result.

21. Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire is a rags-to-riches story about a teenager from the slums of Mumbai who becomes a contestant on the show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’. 

This is another movie title that incorporates the overall storyline of the film and gives insight into the main protagonist of the story.

• The term ‘slumdog’ is used as slang to refer to a slum dweller, giving us a clear understanding of who the protagonist is and where they come from.
• The TV show which he enters, ‘Kanu Banega Crorepati?’ is an Indian version of the game show ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’.

The title even contains a message about the innovative structure of the film. There isn’t really much mystery as to whether or not the protagonist wins the contest. That’s not where the tension and narrative progression lies. It’s more about the reveal of how the protagonist knows the answers.

So the reveal of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ isn’t a spoiler. If the narrative was more about the tension of whether or not he will win, it might not be so prudent to give away this in the title. However, because of the movie’s non-linear structure, the reveal is right there in the title and helps to draw the audience in.

22. The Sound of Metal

The Sound of Metal contains multiple meanings as a movie title, as well as viscerally evoking the main storyline.

• The title refers, first and foremost, to the heavy metal style of music that the protagonist plays.
• Furthermore, it references the style of the sound that the protagonist hears when he first loses his hearing.
• Whilst it also refers to some of the sounds that the protagonist can hear, referencing a scene specifically where he and a child tap on a metal slide, hearing the thud of the taps.

The narrative progression is hidden in the title.

• First, we meet the protagonist playing in his band.
• Then we witness him struggling with losing his hearing.
• And then finally we see him coming to terms with his deafness and learning how to appreciate the sounds he can (such as the tapping of the slide).

In its multiple meanings, The Sound of Metal is a brilliant title. But it also shows how much a title can do. In a sense, the whole movie can be found in just these three words. This is the essence of the best movie titles , a whole world and story contained within one phrase.

23 . The Day After Tomorrow

The Day After Tomorrow starts when a worldwide storm begins to plunge Earth into a new Ice Age. The protagonist , Jack Hall, begins a dangerous trek to New York to try and save his son from the disaster. 

The title shares its name with a song from Blitz! , a 1962 musical written by Lionel Bart, set in the Second World War. The song looks forward optimistically to a post-war world.

The Day After Tomorrow movie is somewhat the reverse of the optimism of Bart’s song. In the movie, on the day after tomorrow, most of mankind will be gone. The title is impactful, being more interesting than the technical term for the day after tomorrow which is ‘Overmorrow’.

Furthermore, its link to the Lionel Bart song highlights the challenge facing the characters, subtly hinting at the imagery of war, hope and perseverance. What will happen on the day after tomorrow? We can only hope that the characters will make it through to find out.

24. Back To The Future

Back To The Future is a movie title that has stood the test of time .

At first, the title may seem a little strange – a movie about a time machine set mainly in the past that uses the word ‘future’ in the title.

However, the title of the film gains its name because after travelling back in time, Marty is desperately trying to get back home, which is in the future.

The title is also a reference to the expression, which refers to when someone has to stop overthinking the past and instead needs to focus on working to improve the future.

It’s one of those titles that catches the eye and is fun to say, an irony contained within it. Furthermore, the use of the phrase within the movie gives it an almost catchphrase like quality.

25. The Revenant

The Revenant follows Hugh Glass, who after being severely injured in a bear attack, is abandoned by his hunting team. Hugh uses his skills to survive and take revenge on his companion who betrayed him. 

The title cleverly uses the word ‘Revenant’, which is derived from the French word ‘revenir’, meaning ‘to return’.

This captures the overarching storyline. It’s most prominently demonstrated when Hugh, the protagonist , crawls out of his grave, intent on seeking revenge against the man who left him for dead. This is effectively highlighted when Hugh says:

“I ain’t afraid to die anymore. I done it already.”

Furthermore, this is reinforced by speculation that the term ‘revenant’ is another way of saying ‘zombie’.

The title is short and interesting, making the audience want to work out what it means. It’s also an impressive use of exploring the etymology and meaning of words, and how they can unexpectedly show the movie’s key hook.

The Revenant could have easily been called something simpler and more immediately understandable. But in thinking outside the box and exploring other options, a unique, poetic and meaningful title is created.

This kind of creative thinking is how the best movie titles are created.

This article was written by Alice Wass and edited by IS Staff.

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3 thoughts on “Are these the 25 BEST Movie Titles? What Makes a Great Movie Title?”

I enjoyed the list, but I noticed that your parenthetical desciption of a streetcar when writing about “A Streetcar Names Desire” is “(bus)”. A streetcar is most definitely not a bus. If you have to clarify the word, “trolley” would be more appropriate….Just don’t use it in New Orleans. 😀

1) Really enjoyed your article, Thank you.

2) “The Silence of the Lambs” is of course delivering (brilliantly) Thomas Harris’s novel. That’s where the credit lies, not with the makers of the movie. You are absolutely right that for original stories/screenplays we must give the title due thought.

Sure, but how many messed up book-to-movie adaptations have you seen? This could have been one of them. The filmmakers deserve great credit…

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30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming

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Check back for latest updates to the charts, and also take a look at the most popular TV shows out right now !)

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Entertainment | Movie review: ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’…

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Entertainment, entertainment | movie review: ‘godzilla x kong: the new empire’ an earnest, wacky, hectic ride.

Before the titan-sized title of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” even flashes across the screen, director Adam Wingard has already delivered two impressively goopy moments courtesy of our lead characters: Kong rips a hyena-thing in half, green entrails spilling everywhere, while Godzilla squishes a bug in Rome, releasing great vats of yellow goo over the ancient city. It’s an indication of the colorfully excessive ethos that Wingard brings to this loaded monster jam, which is overflowing with titans, creatures and kaiju. Considering that much of the action takes place in the underworld known as Hollow Earth, you might even call this picture “stuffed crust.”

Wingard, who directed the neon-synth fever dream that was “Godzilla vs. Kong” in 2021, comes from the world of horror films, and he brings that same approach to his blockbusters, with a penchant for gleeful experimentation and over-the-top style. He drives this vehicle like he stole it, and with co-writers Simon Barrett and Terry Rossio, seems to throw every idea he’s ever had for a monster movie at the script. It’s a lot. It’s fun, but it’s a lot.

On the plus side, Wingard has arguably three of the best working actors in the game in this picture. Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry reprise their roles from “Godzilla vs. Kong,” and Wingard brings along the star of his 2014 thriller “The Guest,” Dan Stevens, who possesses a kind of radioactive charisma that’s almost too much to take in. With these three, you truly cannot go wrong, and Henry and Stevens, playing a blogger/podcaster and a wacky wild animal veterinarian, respectively, prove to be the most valuable players of the movie, after the title characters, of course.

To quickly get us caught up to speed, after the events of the last film, Kong now lives in the verdant paradise of Hollow Earth, which is nice but lonely, while Godzilla remains on the surface, very cutely napping in the Colosseum in between bouts of titan fighting. These two need to be kept apart, lest they rip each other to shreds, reducing major cities to rubble. However, when a distress signal emerges from Hollow Earth, Dr. Andrews (Hall), her Iwi daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), her on-call vet Trapper (Stevens), and the fanboy blogger Bernie (Henry), along with a stern Scottish pilot Mikael (Alex Ferns), set out to find the origin of the call, and realize that maybe Godzilla and Kong need to find a way to come together to fight off other nefarious creatures.

When you multiply Godzilla by Kong, what do you get? When Wingard’s doing the math, it’s an earnest, wacky, hectic ride that often feels like being thrashed about in an IMAX seat. There’s a decidedly 1980s-inspired vibe to the tone and style, from the hot pinks and greens and synth-y score by Antonio Di Iorio and Tom Holkenborg, to the narrative that follows a journey into a fantastical underworld. There’s also a heavy emphasis on crystals as both plot device and aesthetic that offers this film a retro feel.

But about halfway through, one does get the nagging sensation that this has jumped the kaiju shark, as Wingard slams the gas and doesn’t let up. There are too many monsters, and as more and more are introduced, character falls away. It makes you long for the restrained elegance of “Godzilla Minus One,” but this is a different beast entirely.

There’s a bit of a harried energy to “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which is fun until it becomes instantly tiresome and deafening. Perhaps multiplication was too much — here’s hoping subtraction is next in the kaiju mathematical equation.

‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’

2.5 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG-13 (for creature violence and action)

Running time: 1:55

How to watch: In theaters Friday

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15 of the best movie trilogies you need to see in your lifetime

• Trilogies have been part of storytelling for decades; they have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• While most make hundreds of millions of dollars, not all cinematic trilogies are created equal.
• The best film trilogies include "Lord of the Rings" and "The Naked Gun."

In 2024, sequels, prequels , remakes, reboots, and legacy sequels are ubiquitous. Trilogies, however, are a little more special.

Some of these trilogies were perhaps turned into three movies because of the potential for billions at the box office — the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy, for example, made $2.4 billion worldwide — but many of these stories simply couldn't be told in just one film.

Imagine "Lord of the Rings" ending after "Fellowship" or "Star Wars" with no "Empire Strikes Back" or "Return of the Jedi." It'd be a tragedy for any cinema buff.

Here are some of the best trilogies in Hollywood history, and where to stream them.

The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, released from 2001 to 2003, told a sprawling tale of good versus evil set in a fictional world called Middle Earth.

Based upon J. R. R. Tolkien's series of books, there hadn't (and still hasn't) been anything quite like director Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. All three were filmed back-to-back in New Zealand, letting the actors and the creative team fully immerse themselves in the fantasy world.

And what a world Middle Earth is. It contains beautiful landscapes, compelling heroes  and  villains in Frodo, Gandalf, Saruman, and Gollum, and an inspiring story of the little guy triumphing over the strongest evil force in the world.

Any trilogy with extended cuts that are 4 hours long and that people genuinely love  watching deserves its place on this list. Plus, all three were nominated for best picture at the Oscars, with the third and final installment, "The Return of the King," winning the top prize in 2004.

The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is available to stream on Max.

"Back to the Future" starred Michael J. Fox as the time-traveling teen Marty McFly in the 1985 original and its two sequels in 1989 and 1990.

The "Back to the Future" trilogy, which is celebrated every October 21 as the day Marty travels in time, was a full-blown phenomenon in the '80s and '90s.

The films made an A-list movie star out of Fox, introduced Christopher Lloyd, who plays Marty's best friend and disgraced nuclear physicist Doc Brown, to a new generation, and made everyone long for flying skateboards and sneakers that tied themselves.

While we're still not at the level of technology we saw in "Back to the Future 2," the appeal of the story of Marty trying to simultaneously improve his parents' lives, save Doc from an untimely death, and ultimately return home from the Wild West, remains timeless.

So much so that a musical adaptation of the first film is currently on Broadway.

The "Back to the Future" trilogy is available to stream on Peacock.

"The Naked Gun" was such a huge success upon its 1988 release that two more sequels following the lovably dimwitted cop Sgt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) were commissioned in 1991 and 1994.

After the mega-success of "Airplane!" in 1980, Nielsen once again spoofed a well-known profession with "The Naked Gun": a detective. Without "Naked Gun" and its sequels we might not have gotten "Reno 911," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," or even the "Austin Powers" movies.

Sgt. Drebin is so enduring that 34 years later, none other than Liam Neeson was tapped to star in a "Naked Gun" reboot, which was reported in October 2022 by Deadline.

The "Naked Gun" trilogy is available to stream on Max.

Clint Eastwood starred in the "Man with No Name" trilogy, consisting of 1964's "A Fistful of Dollars," 1965's "For a Few Dollars More," and 1966's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."

Fun fact: This trilogy was actually crafted  after  the movies were released.

These Spaghetti Westerns were first released in Italy. Once United Artists picked up the distribution rights, the studio decided to package them together as one trilogy starring Eastwood as the titular man with no name (even though his characters do  have different names in each).

However, these three movies changed Hollywood forever, as they introduced Eastwood to the movie-going masses, a move that affected the next 60 years (and counting) of cinema.

Director Sergio Leone's aesthetic has influenced countless movies and TV shows, including hits like "The Mandalorian." And, of course, Ennio Morricone's theme for "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"  is still one of the most recognizable pieces of music of all time.

The "Man with No Name" trilogy is streaming on Max.

There's an argument to be made that Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, released from 2005 to 2012, is the best superhero trilogy of all time.

When Christian Bale took over as the Caped Crusader in 2005, it wasn't a given that the film would be a huge success, never mind that its sequel would become the first superhero to have an actor win an Academy Award (Heath Ledger, posthumously, for his performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight").

Arguably, " The Dark Knight " (and the two films it's sandwiched between) changed the comic-book/superhero genre forever, paving the way for what it's become today — the most important genre at the box office — as well as the grittier and darker aesthetic many films adopted after.

Even if  everyone isn't 100% satisfied with the trilogy's conclusion , "The Dark Knight Rises" was a huge box-office success and, 12 years later, is now one of the more impressive franchise-ending films.

"The Dark Knight" trilogy is available to stream on Max. "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" are also on Hulu.

Its other competition would be director Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy, released from 2002 to 2007.

If "Batman Begins" and its two sequels were more a realistic, grittier adaptation of a comic book, 2002's "Spider-Man" and its two sequels were ripped directly from the pages of Stan Lee's and Steve Ditko's comics in the '60s. Tobey Maguire looked eerily like a classic drawing of Peter Parker.

Even if " Spider-Man 3 " didn't live up to the hype of the first two, "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 2" are some of the best comic-book movies of all time.

The "Spider-Man" trilogy is available to stream on Disney+.

"Guardians of the Galaxy," which wrapped up in 2023, is up there too.

The lone MCU trilogy to make its way on this list is the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy. Expectations were low when the first "Guardians" film was released in 2014. Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Drax, and Groot were by no means beloved characters, and director James Gunn had never helmed a production of this magnitude before.

Thankfully, it was a breath of fresh air. The soundtrack was amazing, the characters were lovable and hilarious, and the look was so different from the rest of the primarily grounded Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"Vol. 2" followed in 2017, adding the wonderful Mantis and officially welcoming Nebula to the team.

Gunn made it clear that " Vol. 3 ," which was released in 2023, would be his final outing with this iteration of the Guardians, and they all had fittingly bittersweet endings .

The "Guardians" trilogy is available to stream on Disney+.

But arguably the most significant trilogy in pop-culture history remains George Lucas' original "Star Wars" trilogy: 1977's "A New Hope," 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back," and 1983's "Return of the Jedi."

Decades after its release, we're still  getting new "Star Wars" content , between the multitude of Disney+ shows, multiple cartoons, and two more sequel trilogies (neither of which lived up to the hype of the original space opera).

But even though we're still living in a sprawling, extended "Star Wars" universe, the first trilogy tells a relatively simple story that anyone can relate to: A small-town boy pines to explore the world, only to find out that life is much more complicated (and wonderful) when you leave your bubble.

Just add in some of fiction's most charming characters (Han Solo, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi) and an iconically terrifying villain (Darth Vader), and you have three of the most influential, beloved movies ever.

The "Star Wars" trilogy is available to stream on Disney+.

George A. Romero kicked off a zombie craze that we're still living in when he released the original "Night of the Living Dead" trilogy from 1968 to 1985.

There were horror movies before this trilogy, but nothing had come along quite like "Night of the Living Dead" upon its release in 1968.

The first film, which focuses on a small group of strangers riding out a zombie apocalypse in an abandoned cabin, is not just considered the first modern zombie movie — you're welcome, "Walking Dead" fans — but also one of the best horror films and one of the most influential movies of all time.

The next two follow-ups, also directed by Romero, an indie film legend, continued the series.

While there  are  more also directed by Romero, they came 20+ years after the third film in 1985, and aren't held in quite the same esteem.

"Night of the Living Dead" and "Day of the Dead" are available to stream across various platforms, while "Dawn of the Dead" is available to rent on Prime Video.

"The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," and "The Godfather Part III" were each nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards in 1973, 1975, and 1991, respectively.

Not many trilogies can boast a three-for-three best picture nomination statistic (perhaps the only other trilogy might be the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy). But only "The Godfather" trilogy can claim two best picture wins, for its first two films.

The Italian-American mafia story has one of the greatest casts ever assembled — Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Andy García, to name a few — and kick-started a mob/organized craze in pop culture that we're still living in today, from "Scarface" to "Goodfellas" to "The Sopranos" to "Mob Wives."

The "Godfather" trilogy is available to stream on Paramount+. Note that the version of the third film is the newly recut version by Coppola re-titled "The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone."

The original "Indiana Jones" trilogy, 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1984's "Temple of Doom," and 1989's "The Last Crusade," remain exciting adventure films decades later.

After the success of "Star Wars," Harrison Ford again teamed up with its creator George Lucas and none other than Steven Spielberg to bring one of the most iconic heroes to the big screen: Indiana Jones, an archaeology professor who also has the combat skills of a super-soldier.

The first three "Indy" movies are '80s classics — the less we speak of 2008's " Kingdom of the Crystal Skull " the better, and 2023's "Dial of Destiny" is good, but not entirely necessary.

The "Indiana Jones" trilogy and its two sequels are available to stream on Disney+.

The sole animated trilogy on this list, the "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy, proved that Disney didn't have a monopoly on beautifully told stories from 2010 to 2019.

"How to Train Your Dragon," released by DreamWorks Animation, focused on the story of Hiccup, an awkward teenager who discovers that dragons, long-feared by his entire community as raging beasts, aren't what they seem.

As Hiccup (spoiler) loses his leg at the climax of the film, he is seen using a prosthetic in the next two films, making him a landmark in disability and amputee representation, as reported by the Washington Post.

Additionally, the score for this trilogy is so awe-inspiring that it became a meme on TikTok.

"How to Train Your Dragon" is streaming on Prime Video, "How to Dragon Your Dragon 2" is streaming on Netflix and Peacock, and "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" is streaming on FXNOW.

The "Before" trilogy (1995's "Before Sunrise," 2004's "Before Sunset," and 2013's "Before Midnight") checks in on the same couple every nine years.

The story of Jesse and Céline began in 1995 when the two strangers met on a train to Budapest, and decided to roam around the city of Vienna to kill time. They bonded over their shared love of music and their similar outlook on life.

Much of the film's dialogue was co-written by the stars, making actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's conversations all the more relatable and watchable.

In an interesting turn of events, the actors reunited nine years later for "Before Sunset" and nine years after that for "Before Midnight" to check in on the couple to see how love realistically evolves over two decades.

The "Before" trilogy is available to rent or purchase on Amazon.

Sam Raimi has another trilogy on this list: the "Evil Dead" trilogy, consisting of "The Evil Dead" in 1981, "Evil Dead II" in 1987, and "Army of Darkness" in 1992.

The "Evil Dead" movies, or the "Ash Gets Punished Over Thousands of Years" trilogy, are cited as some of the most influential horror/comedy films of all time by outlets like Screen Rant. They were shepherded by director Raimi and star Bruce Campbell.

Another zombie trilogy, "Evil Dead" and its two sequels (well, one sequel and one remake/reboot) flawlessly balanced the black comedy and the horror staples of the genre, paving the way for "Shaun of the Dead," "Ready or Not," "Scream," or even "Get Out."

"The Evil Dead" is streaming on AMC+, while "Evil Dead II" and "Army of Darkness" are available to rent or purchase on Amazon.

"The Vengeance Trilogy" isn't a trilogy with connecting characters, but rather is connected via themes of revenge and retribution.

South Korean director Park Chan-wook didn't initially consider 2002's "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," 2003's "Oldboy," and 2005's "Lady Vengeance" a trilogy, but it's clear that each film deals with similar themes. All are films focusing on a character who is hell-bent on getting revenge on those who have wronged them — although, in the case of "Oldboy," it's unclear who's actually getting revenge.

Be warned: These movies are not for the faint of heart. But they are thought-provoking, disturbing, and well-acted.

"Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" and "Lady Vengeance" are available to stream on Tubi, and "Oldboy" is on Netflix.

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