1. WRITING REVIEWS MOST COMMON REVIEWS ARE BOOKS, FILMS, THEATER, TV SHOWS, CONCERTS, RECORDED MUSIC, ART EXHIBITS AND RESTAURANTS

2. FOR JOURNALISTS, REVIEWS ARE… Informed judgments about the content and quality of something presented to the public As a reviewer, you have the responsibility not only to report but also to evaluate. Also, understand the difference between a reviewer and a critic: Reviews and criticism are not the same thing Most reviews appear in mass media – print, broadcast, etc. The reviewer should conduct basic research on the subject BEFORE he or she begins writing about it. If you don’t know the topic, don’t expect to be a reviewer if all you can say is, “Loved it,” or “I hated it!”

3. CRITICS Anyone can be a film critic to their friends and families, but writing as a film critic for a newspaper or magazine involves a good bit more than just saying what the plot is and what you thought of it. The first goal of a film critic to BE OBJECTIVE – don’t be swayed by who is acting or who directed the film. Ignore any rumors or discussions you may have heard about the film. Be prepared to compare the film to one you have previously seen of the save genre. This shows you know your stuff and people who have seen the earlier movies will know what you are writing about.

4. CRITICS The second goal is to ASSUME NOTHING. Universal knowledge is rare about any subject and you should never drop phrases, words or names on the incorrect assumption that “everyone” knows what you’re talking about. For example, you might preface a review of “Psycho” by saying something like … “classic horror film director Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 movie starring Anthony Perkins…” - Adding words like this helps your readers to refresh their memories and to establish new information for newcomers to the film

5. CRITICS Third, tell the story but not all of it - Answer the basic question: What is the movie about? Is it a drama, action/adventure, horror, comedy, musical? - Provide a synopsis but do not give away surprise endings. You will want to identify the actors and actresses who appear, but sometimes the story is what makes the film famous, not the stars or the director. Your job is to analyze their performances in relation to the story. - Don’t fall in love with one of the actors. This will directly affect your ability to be objective.

6. CRITICS You must be prepared to write about directing styles and bodies of work as well as about the films themselves. The director may also be involved in helping write, produce or even get into the act by appearing in their own films. Watch: - How the director interprets the story (close ups, slow motion, computer-generated sequences) - Does the director use color, black and white, both? - Does the director make use of symbolisms, such as having a noble character die with arms outspread like Jesus on the cross? OR the villains wear black hats?

7. CRITICS The screenwriter is the behind-the-camera person who have some followings, and the critic must be aware of this. You’ll know the film you are about to see has an important screenwriter if his or her name appears just before the director instead of just before the producer. Producers get the movie made, secure the money contracts and arrange for publicity events. -You cannot use “I, me, my” in reviews even though a review is considered an opinion piece. -You still need to make sure you have justifications in your piece to back up your pleasure or displeasure of the topic at hand.

8. CRITICS While you are free to express your evaluations honestly, you also have a social responsibility to be fair and informed. Avoid being willfully destructive. Provide insights and evaluations, not character assassinations or cheap shots on those who cannot reply back. Improve your reviewing by READING REVIEWS: Check New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and Atlantic Monthly magazine. Also check local reviews in the Orlando Sentinel and other area magazines.

9. A FEW RULES OF REVIEWS First, attempt to see the movie if it is previewed ahead of the scheduled opening date or at least the day of the opening so that it’s timely. Your job is to give the readers some clues as to the movie’s merit BEFORE they see it. Second, the review should be concise and to the point. Don’t pull punches. If you feel like the movie isn’t worth the money, tell your readers why. Let them know what’s right with the film, also. Third, leave out the flowery details and absolutes like “never” and “always.” Your job is to let your readers know what they are getting for their money.

10. THE CHECKLIST Storyline – is it believable? Screenplay – was the dialogue forced or was it believable? Acting – which actors stand out and which don’t? Tell why in either case Special effects – are they realistic? Do they blow you away or are they mildly effective? Or distractingly unrealistic for the film? Music – was it overpowering/distracting? Did it evoke emotion? Editing – was the movie’s pace slow? Did it seem over- edited?

11. THE CHECKLIST Certain basic elements should be found in any good review. Not all may be applicable, but most should appear. They are: Title of the Review Name of the movie Date the movie was reviewed Name of reviewer and credentials, contact address (email) Movie’s rating G, PG, R, etc., length and type of movie Opening date, admission charge, hours the movie is shown Principal actors/are the characters easy to understand? Brief summary of the plot but no spoilers Compare to other movies Overall rating

12. THE FORMAT 1.Appraisal of the work 2.Intent of the artist 3.Synopsis of the work, performance, exhibit 4.Evidence supporting your appraisal 5.Artist’s intent accomplished or not accomplished. Suggestions to your readers

13. ROGER EBERT was an American film critic and historian, journalist, screenwriter and author. He was a film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert was the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. As of 2010, his reviews were syndicated to more than 200 newspapers in the United States and abroad. Ebert also published more than 20 books and dozens of collected reviews.

14. LEONARD MALTIN is an American film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is known as a "go-to" critic for the major studios, for writing the shortest review in the U.S. and creating the Walt Disney Treasures series.

15. EUGENE SHALIT is an American film and book critic. He filled those roles on NBC's The Today Show from January 15, 1973, after starting part-time in 1970,until his retirement on November 11, 2010. He is known for his frequent use of puns, his oversized moustache, and for wearing colorful bowties. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g5KyQvoTHQ

16. REVIEWING A RESTAURANT Writing a review of a restaurant is somewhat different from writing a review of a film. A restaurant review is a conducted search of a specific restaurant location, an effort on your part to help your readers find the perfect restaurant. Factors to consider: Atmosphere – lighting, bright, shadowy, dark, uplifting, depressing? Music – live, background, easy listening, ethnic, distracting? Too soft or too loud? Mellow or heavy metal? A juke box?