Paper #1 Prompt: Movie Review
Length: 4-5 typed paragraphs: 2-3 body paragraphs and introductory and
concluding paragraphs. for this paper, you are writing a formal, engaging review of your
favorite movie that will encourage your classmates and me to watch it.
While this is a formal college paper, I want you to have fun with this! This
should be a subject matter (your favorite movie) that you’re interested in and
you’re writing for your peers and me to get us interested in this subject
matter. Be creative! Be engaging! Use your unique voice (or style)!
In writing this paper, you will be working on annotating a text, constructing PIE
paragraphs (I’ll give you a lesson on this next week), using persuasive language to
convince your audience, writing introduction paragraphs, closely analyzing a
visual text, and using specific examples from a text to support your ideas.
As we will learn, film reviews should inform the audience about the film and
persuade the audience to see (or not see) the film.
• A majority of the informative portion should be in the introductory
paragraph, which must include a brief summary of the film (the title of the
film, who the important people are, what happens in the film, when it
happens, where it happens) and background on the film (when it was
released, who directed it, the film’s genre, who stars in it, etc.).
• The rest of the paper must be persuasive: you will have a thesis—in this case
one that recommends the film— and your specific reasons as to why, which
you will then explore, with close analysis of the film, in your body
paragraphs.
o Each body paragraph will have a specific point that you will use to
evaluate the quality of the film. Choose whatever 2-3 aspects you
think the film does best for your paper (these aspects could be plot,
character development, cinematography, etc.). For my own sample
review about Halloween, I decided to talk about two different
compelling characters in the film.
o You will have two-three specific points because you will have two-
three body paragraphs.
o The tone you use to discuss the film will help greatly in making clear
and persuasive your stance. Pepper your entire paper with adjectives
and adverbs: heartbreaking, ridiculous, endearing, exciting, thrilling,
terrifying, glorious, funny, helpfully, entertaining, etc.
o Make certain that every topic and concluding sentence in your body
paragraphs makes an argument about the quality of the film (i.e.
“Laurie is the necessary heart of the film and her initial relatability
and empowering transition from vulnerable young woman to scrappy
fighter are what keeps the audience engaged throughout”) rather than
a simple summary that serves no purpose (i.e. “Laurie Strode
transforms in the film”)—see the difference?
Be sure to MLA formatting for your paper. MLA formatting requirements are
provided on your syllabus.
Please read and use my sample essay to help you see what a good movie review
will look like!
Let me know if you need any help along the way. Don’t forget I have office hours
every Monday and Tuesday!
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