LibGuides: Film Reviews and Criticism : Introduction

Film Reviews vs. Film Criticism: A Comparison

	Film Reviews	Film Critcism
Authorship	usually written by journalists or other non-academics	written by academics
Audience	the general movie-going public	scholars/academics
Content/Purpose	describes the plot, characters, cast, director, etc. in order to help the reader assess whether they want to see the film.	may analyze the plot, characters, cinematic techniques; compare films by the same director or similar films within a genre; apply a particular critical theory to the film; and/or assess social, historical, or cultural significance of the film in order to advance the scholarly conversation about the film.
Publication Timeframe	published in the weeks/months around film's release	published in the years/decades after the film was released
Where published	Online review sites, newspapers, and popular magazines: Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Variety	Film studies journals Film Quarterly Adaptation

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