A main image is crucial to the page whether it is a still image 
from the film or a photo taken from the shooting of the film, like the one used for I am Legend.
from the film or a photo taken from the shooting of the film, like the one used for I am Legend.Smaller images are usually used to highlight more of the films content.
Obviously a summary of what the film is about, however not giving to much away, just quality spots, not specifics. Also factual information with distinguishing facts such as awards, records, or new talent.
Debate good and bad points of the film from unexpected events to a typical outcome.
A tag line summing up the film in a catchy sentence.
Films information details such as, Director, running time and stars, etc.
Can have ratings and a comparison to other films, and maybe reviews from other sources.
Should include your own opinion, plus quotes from people involved within the film.
'Sight and Sound' and 'Empire'
These are two film review magazines who are going to help me with writing my own and deciding on the best layout.
From researching into Sight and Sound I found that they like to make a through analysis within each review and do not have a set place for a synopsis but is entwined within the text. The layout of the website is very minimalistic with little advertisements around the outside. They are usually long detailed reports with pictures placed in between the text which makes it look more interesting and helps the audience to relate. The actual magazine is set out much like a newspaper with the columns and although contains a lot of information is not the most appealing.
Empire is very different. They seem to cram a lot into one page and try and make it look exciting with a mixture of different articles, adverts, and images together. There web page in particular gives you a lot of additional information in a box to the side about the reviewed film such as direct, actors, etc, plus the latest film reviews and which are the most popular. Also the use of the right hand side to promote other pages from there site. The review itself always has a 'Plot' section which tells you about the film and what happens before they give there opinion on it. I personally like this as you have a slight chance of making up your own mind before taking in there points. The review seems very much, unlike Sight and Sound, to be based around the opinion of the writer/s and not to focus on the small details. Plus they also give a star rating, and a 'Verdict' section on their feelings towards the film.
From looking at them both I decided to take a more 'Empire' approach to my film review page. I like the busyness of that they fit extra information onto the page whilst making the details very clear about the film itself. I also feel that a separate section for the synopsis is needed to allow people to become interested in your film before being influenced by the writers opinion. However I do not wish to give my review a star rating as it should not be down to one person to decide, but in fact a survey of people who have clear minds to vote on what they want. I like the use of a single image as it makes the reader concentrate on the text, but having an image gallery allows a more personal sense of what you will view if you see the film.
Writing a Review.
I used the conventions I picked up from other articles to write my own film review on a hit movie. This will help me to write my own later when our short film has been produced...
Toy Story Three
People say that sequels are never as good as the original. Pixar has proved this theory can be wrong. It’s inventive idea creates another fantastic storyline following ‘Andy’s toys’ which has the same enchantment and inspiration as the other two films, proving that Pixar has the imagination to continue there former work from the late 1990’s into the second decade of the 21st century where the magic still lives on. Although a children’s movie it manages to attracted a mixture of the audience, combining children with teens and grown ups who can watch and appreciate the film from its old roots to new. Proving the magnificence Pixar family entertainment generates, and that it can still exist in today’s society.
Although the film focuses on the character ‘Andy’ (John Morris ) outgrowing his toys and moving on to collage, the audience on the other hand are made to move back to there younger years and engage with the toys once again, bringing the likes of ‘Woody’ the cowboy (Tom Hanks ) and space ranger ‘Buzz Lightyear’ (Tim Allen) with the whole gang back to life, but also the introduction of new characters such as the ironic ‘Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear’ (Ned Beatty), a sweet strawberry smelling, cuddly bear with an anger and authoritative streak making him a feared dictator of ‘Sunnyside Day-care Centre’ because of an event in this past that lead him to feel abandoned, which is a toys worst nightmare. The toys- excluding Woody who is meant to be on his way with Andy, are scared of being put into the attic or worse the bin, they find themselves by mistake there with Woody who’s plan was to get them all back to the house. Unfortunately ‘Lotso’ makes out to be the heart warming leader with "No owners means no heartbreak," but by the time the toys find out otherwise, its to late and they are locked in a place of "ruin and despair" which they cannot escape.
Many twists and turns, ups and downs lead to dangerous adventures and new friends, luckily ending on a true Disney high. Yet before this occurs you see the other side to toy culture where evil takes over with the Monkey watch guard and ‘Big Baby (Woody Smith)- who is also messed up by the consequence of the previous owner with ‘Lotso’, and has therefore turned bitter. We also see the rekindling of love between ‘Ken and Barbie’ (Michael Keaton and Jodi Benson) with a love at first sight interpretation and allowing Barbie to be the dominant character whilst Ken’s camp side with his ‘Dream House’ and clothes room, makes him to be seen as the “girls toy”, but at the same time is respected. The girls in this audience in particular return to there childhood and connect with the couple. I believe the highlight has to be when Buzz is first transformed back into ‘Demo mode’ and becomes and military warrior once again but then into ‘Elbuzzo’ the Spanish, Flamingo, Latin version who has a love for Jessie the cowgirl (Joan Cusack) where he becomes more romantic with dance and affection, bringing new and unexpected love to the film which the audience enjoys and laughs along with.
Toy Story three completes the trilogy and is a truly amazing way to follow two other highly recommended films which were such a hit in there day, and still today- nearly a decade after. Producer John Lasseter does a fantastic job in keeping the three films at the same level and recreates another connection as he has remained through all three. American screen writer Michael Arndt links back to old values of the film keeping them contemporary but at the same time in keeping with the other two, with quotes such as ‘There’s a Snake in my boot’. The film beautifully creates the sense of the toys being a reckoning on our younger selves, and a significance of what the silent but life like objects mean to each one of us. The film consists of many cliff hangers which leave you in dispense and shock whist at the same time humour emerges with witty lines and the thrilling sense of adventure, then rescue. It i
s so powerful that people all around the cinema are crying and jumping with the prospect of the toys lives at risk and even ending, making them forget they are watching fictional, annotated toys, but acting as though they are childhood friends, which in a way could be a representation the production team wanted to create.
At the end of the film Andy passes his toys onto Bonnie (Emily Hahn) a young toddler who we see through out takes true care of her toys and has a wild imagination much like Andy with the stories she creates for them. This ending, with the film seeming to be the last of its kind, made me feel as though I was meant to let go of the past and allow the younger generation to enjoy animation and toys the same way we all did. Until I realised this could never happen and my eyes begun to water with the prospect of another Disney… happy ever after.
People say that sequels are never as good as the original. Pixar has proved this theory can be wrong. It’s inventive idea creates another fantastic storyline following ‘Andy’s toys’ which has the same enchantment and inspiration as the other two films, proving that Pixar has the imagination to continue there former work from the late 1990’s into the second decade of the 21st century where the magic still lives on. Although a children’s movie it manages to attracted a mixture of the audience, combining children with teens and grown ups who can watch and appreciate the film from its old roots to new. Proving the magnificence Pixar family entertainment generates, and that it can still exist in today’s society.
Although the film focuses on the character ‘Andy’ (John Morris ) outgrowing his toys and moving on to collage, the audience on the other hand are made to move back to there younger years and engage with the toys once again, bringing the likes of ‘Woody’ the cowboy (Tom Hanks ) and space ranger ‘Buzz Lightyear’ (Tim Allen) with the whole gang back to life, but also the introduction of new characters such as the ironic ‘Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear’ (Ned Beatty), a sweet strawberry smelling, cuddly bear with an anger and authoritative streak making him a feared dictator of ‘Sunnyside Day-care Centre’ because of an event in this past that lead him to feel abandoned, which is a toys worst nightmare. The toys- excluding Woody who is meant to be on his way with Andy, are scared of being put into the attic or worse the bin, they find themselves by mistake there with Woody who’s plan was to get them all back to the house. Unfortunately ‘Lotso’ makes out to be the heart warming leader with "No owners means no heartbreak," but by the time the toys find out otherwise, its to late and they are locked in a place of "ruin and despair" which they cannot escape.
Many twists and turns, ups and downs lead to dangerous adventures and new friends, luckily ending on a true Disney high. Yet before this occurs you see the other side to toy culture where evil takes over with the Monkey watch guard and ‘Big Baby (Woody Smith)- who is also messed up by the consequence of the previous owner with ‘Lotso’, and has therefore turned bitter. We also see the rekindling of love between ‘Ken and Barbie’ (Michael Keaton and Jodi Benson) with a love at first sight interpretation and allowing Barbie to be the dominant character whilst Ken’s camp side with his ‘Dream House’ and clothes room, makes him to be seen as the “girls toy”, but at the same time is respected. The girls in this audience in particular return to there childhood and connect with the couple. I believe the highlight has to be when Buzz is first transformed back into ‘Demo mode’ and becomes and military warrior once again but then into ‘Elbuzzo’ the Spanish, Flamingo, Latin version who has a love for Jessie the cowgirl (Joan Cusack) where he becomes more romantic with dance and affection, bringing new and unexpected love to the film which the audience enjoys and laughs along with.
Toy Story three completes the trilogy and is a truly amazing way to follow two other highly recommended films which were such a hit in there day, and still today- nearly a decade after. Producer John Lasseter does a fantastic job in keeping the three films at the same level and recreates another connection as he has remained through all three. American screen writer Michael Arndt links back to old values of the film keeping them contemporary but at the same time in keeping with the other two, with quotes such as ‘There’s a Snake in my boot’. The film beautifully creates the sense of the toys being a reckoning on our younger selves, and a significance of what the silent but life like objects mean to each one of us. The film consists of many cliff hangers which leave you in dispense and shock whist at the same time humour emerges with witty lines and the thrilling sense of adventure, then rescue. It i
s so powerful that people all around the cinema are crying and jumping with the prospect of the toys lives at risk and even ending, making them forget they are watching fictional, annotated toys, but acting as though they are childhood friends, which in a way could be a representation the production team wanted to create.At the end of the film Andy passes his toys onto Bonnie (Emily Hahn) a young toddler who we see through out takes true care of her toys and has a wild imagination much like Andy with the stories she creates for them. This ending, with the film seeming to be the last of its kind, made me feel as though I was meant to let go of the past and allow the younger generation to enjoy animation and toys the same way we all did. Until I realised this could never happen and my eyes begun to water with the prospect of another Disney… happy ever after.
However this is a review for a feature film, short film reviews have to be slightly different because of there content, although contain many of the same elements.
To begin the reviews are usually shorter because the films are shorter in general. Also short films are not shown on mainstream cinema so need to give more detail about the films content whilst using as many features as possible which will link audiences to the film. For example, director used, previous films, or stars as this already attracts certain people. You must also tell which Film Festival the film is being shown at, or where ever people can see it. One particular way other sites have set out reviews for shot film is with one picture, and an information box underneath to show vital information. Getting main stream media firms involved will also help, such as the BBC as it is god publicity for your film.
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