ENGLISH BOOK, MUSIC, FILM REVIEW GUIDELINES
Purposes: Evaluate how effectively a book, music, or film explores one of its major themes
Entertain your readers
Audiences: Your professor
Adult readers of newspapers and magazines or online review sites, such as https://rogerebert.suntimes.com or www.imdb.com or Amazon.com, etc.
Relevance: You will use evaluation skills in future college classes and in many professional situations (e.g., critiquing a policy, practice, or performance).
Assignment: Write an essay in which you review a book, film, musical artist, song, CD, or performance. Situate the item for readers, offering background information (release dates, authors, titles, publishes, and page length for books; directors, actors, running times for films; labels and producers for music, etc.) and drawing connections with related items. Consider connections with thematic concerns or other elements of culture Develop a discussion that makes judgments about the item's value and significance. Provide details that bring the item to life for readers and that support your evaluation. Document your sources and gather feedback as you work.
Essay Elements: Your essay will consist of two to three typed, double-spaced pages. Include these parts:
• Short introduction paragraph:
- Begin with an effective "hook"
- Mention the film's title
- Include a clear thesis statement that fits the assignment (how effectively the film develops one of its major themes)
• Story overview paragraph:
- Provide the basics of the plot in 10 or fewer lines
• Well-developed support paragraphs:
- Explain how various elements contribute to or detract from the movie's development of a major theme
- Use at least one direct quote from the film (be sure to integrate and punctuate it correctly)
• Short conclusion paragraph:
- Provide closure for your evaluation
- Tell the reader who should and who should not see the film (briefly describe the ideal viewer).