how to write an essay about a movie

Step By Step Guide to Writing an Essay on Film

By Film Threat Staff | December 29, 2021

Writing an essay about a film sounds like a fun assignment to do. As part of the assignment, you get to watch the movie and write an analytical essay about your impressions. However, you will soon find that you’re staring at an empty sheet of paper or computer screen with no idea what to write, how to start writing your essay, or the essential points that need to be covered and analyzed. As an essay writing service proves, watching the movie countless times isn’t all there is to write a film analysis essay. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with an essay service :

1. Watch the Movie

This is the obvious starting point, but surprisingly many students skip this step. It doesn’t matter if you’ve watched the movie twice before. If you’re asked to write an essay about it, you need to watch it again. Watching the film again allows you to pay more attention to specific elements to help you write an in-depth analysis about it.

Watching the movie is crucial because it helps you not specific parts of the movie that can be used as illustrations and examples in your essay. You’re also going to explore and analyze the movie theme within your structured plan. Some of the critical elements that you have to look out for while watching the movie that may be crucial for your essay are:

Key plot moments
Editing style
Stylistic elements
Scenario execution
Musical elements

2. Introduction

Your introduction will contain essential information about the film, such as the title, release date, director’s name, etc. This familiarizes the reader with the movie’s primary background information. In addition, researching the filmmaker may be crucial for your essay because it may help you discover valuable insights for your film analysis.

The introduction should also mention the movie’s central theme and explain why you think it was made that way.

Do not forget to include your thesis statement, which explains your focus on the movie.

3. Write a Summary

According to an essay writing service providing students help with essays , a movie summary comes after the introduction. It includes the film’s basic premise, but it doesn’t have to reveal too many details about the film. It’s a summary, after all. Write the summary like your readers have not heard about the movie before, so you can mention the most basic plots but assume you have minimal time so you won’t be going into great details.

4. Write Your Analysis

This is the central part of the essay in which you analyze the movie critically and state your impressions about the film. Ensure to support your claims with relevant materials from the movie.

There are also several creative elements in a movie that are connected to make the film a whole. You must pay attention to these elements while watching the movie and analyze them in this part of the essay.

In this, you are looking out for the dialogs, character development, completion of scenes, and logical event sequences in the film to analyze.

Ensure you try to understand the logic behind events in the film and the actor’s motives to explain the scenario better.

The responsibility of different parts of the movie, such as plan selection and scenario execution, falls on the director. So, your analysis here focuses on how the director realized the script compared to his other movies. Understanding the director’s style of directing may be crucial to coming up with a conclusion relevant to your analysis and thesis.

The casting of a film is a significant element to consider in your essay. Without a great actor, the scriptwriter and director can’t bring their ideas to life. So, watch the actor’s acting and determine if they portrayed the character effectively and if their acting aligns with the film’s main idea.

Musical element

A movie’s musical element enhances some of the sceneries or actions in the film and sets the mood. It has a massive impact on the movie, so it’s an essential element to analyze in your essay.

Visual elements

This includes special effects, make-up, costumes, etc., which significantly impact the film. These elements must reflect the film’s atmosphere. It is even more crucial for historical movies since it has to be specific about an era.

Ensure to analyze elements relevant to your thesis statement, so you don’t drift from your main point.

5. Conclusion

In concluding your essay, you have to summarize the primary concepts more convincingly to support your analysis. Finally, you may include a CTA for readers to watch or avoid the movie.

These are the crucial steps to take when writing an essay about a film . Knowing this beforehand prevents you from struggling to start writing after watching the movie.

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When Writing a Movie Title in an Essay: Expert Recommendations

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When Writing a Movie Title in an Essay: Expert Recommendations

Choosing the Correct Format for Writing Movie Titles in Your Essay

Understanding the difference between italics and quotation marks for movie titles, guidelines on capitalization for movie titles in your essay, including movie release dates in your essay: do’s and don’ts, do’s and don’ts of including movie release dates in your essay, mentioning movie directors and actors: when and how to include in your essay, providing context for movie titles: how to integrate them seamlessly into your writing, avoiding common mistakes when referencing movie titles in an essay, frequently asked questions, the way forward.

When it comes to writing movie titles in your essay, it’s essential to follow the correct format to maintain consistency and accuracy. Properly formatting movie titles enhances the overall professionalism and readability of your essay. Here are some guidelines to help you choose the correct format:

1. Italicize the titles: When writing the title of a movie, it is customary to italicize it. For example, if you are discussing the film “The Shawshank Redemption,” you should write it as The Shawshank Redemption . This will distinguish the title from the rest of your essay and make it visually appealing to your readers.

2. Capitalizing the first and last words: In movie titles, similar to other titles, it is crucial to capitalize the first and last words. Additionally, capitalize all important words, such as nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. For instance, if you are referring to the movie “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” capitalize it as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring . This formatting style ensures consistency and professionalism throughout your essay.

3. Exclude articles and prepositions: When including movie titles in your essay, exclude articles (such as “the” or “a”) and prepositions (such as “of” or “in”) unless they are the first or last word of the title. This rule helps maintain conciseness and clarity in your writing. For example, if you are mentioning the film “Gone with the Wind,” write it as Gone with the Wind , without including the article “the.”

By following the correct format for writing movie titles in your essay, you will convey a strong sense of professionalism and ensure that your work is easily readable and visually appealing. Remember to italicize the titles, capitalize the important words, and exclude articles and prepositions unless they are the first or last word of the title. Consistency is key when incorporating movie titles, so be sure to apply these guidelines consistently throughout your writing.

Understanding the Difference Between Italics and Quotation Marks for Movie Titles

When it comes to writing about movies, it’s important to understand the differences between italics and quotation marks for movie titles. Using these punctuation marks correctly can enhance your writing and make it more professional. Here’s a guide to help you navigate this often-confusing aspect of movie title formatting.

Italics: Italics are typically used for longer works, such as movies, books, or TV shows. They are used to emphasize the title and set it apart from the rest of the text. When writing a movie title in italics, it’s important to remember the following:

Italicize the entire title, including any subtitles if present. For example, The Godfather: Part II .
Do not use quotation marks in conjunction with italics when writing a movie title.
Ensure consistency throughout your writing – if you italicize one movie title, be sure to italicize all others.

Quotation Marks: Quotation marks are generally used for shorter works, such as individual episodes of TV shows, songs, or short films. When using quotation marks for movie titles, keep the following guidelines in mind:

Place quotation marks around the title, using double quotation marks (” “). For example, “Inception”.
If a movie title contains a quotation, only use double quotation marks around the entire title. For instance, “Casablanca: ‘Here’s looking at you, kid'”.
Avoid using italics and quotation marks together in the same movie title.

By understanding the distinction between italics and quotation marks for movie titles, you’ll be able to provide clear and cohesive writing. Remember to refer back to this guide whenever you’re unsure of the appropriate formatting for movie titles. Happy writing!

Guidelines on Capitalization for Movie Titles in Your Essay

When it comes to writing your essay, following the proper guidelines for capitalization in movie titles is crucial. By adhering to these guidelines, you can ensure that your essay maintains a polished and professional appearance. Here are some essential tips to remember:

1. Capitalize the first and last words of the movie title, as well as any other important words. For example, in the movie title “The Shawshank Redemption,” capitalize “The,” “Shawshank,” and “Redemption.”

2. Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs within the movie title. This includes words like “A,” “An,” “And,” “But,” and “Or.” However, conjunctions and prepositions of fewer than four letters, such as “to,” “for,” “in,” and “with,” should not be capitalized unless they are the first or last word in the title.

3. If the movie title contains a hyphenated word, capitalize both words. For instance, in the movie title “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” capitalize “Harry,” “Potter,” “Deathly,” “Hallows,” and “Part.”

4. Remember to italicize or underline movie titles when writing in an essay. This helps to differentiate the title from the rest of the text and emphasizes its importance.

Including Movie Release Dates in Your Essay: Do's and Don'ts

When it comes to incorporating movie release dates in your essay, following the right practices can enhance the credibility and clarity of your work. To help you navigate this academic landscape, we’ve compiled a list of do’s and don’ts to consider:

Use the correct format: When mentioning release dates, stick to the standard practice of including the day, month (abbreviated), and year. For example, “The film was released on July 15, 2022.”
Provide context: It’s essential to incorporate the release date in relevant instances, such as when discussing the historical or cultural impact of a particular movie. This offers your readers a comprehensive timeline of events.
Verify accuracy: Double-check the accuracy of the release date before including it in your essay. Verify the information through reliable sources, such as reputable film databases or production company websites.

Don’t:

Make assumptions: Avoid speculating or guessing the release date of a movie. Only include dates that you can confirm with reliable sources or the film’s official announcements.
Overemphasize: While it’s crucial to mention the release date, remember that it is just one aspect of analyzing a film. Don’t let it overshadow other key elements, such as the plot, cinematography, or critical reception.
Forget to explain relevance: When mentioning release dates, provide a brief explanation of why they are significant. Help your readers understand why a particular release date matters in the context of your essay’s arguments or analysis.

Mentioning Movie Directors and Actors: When and How to Include in Your Essay

Movie directors and actors play a vital role in shaping the overall impact of a film. When writing an essay that discusses movies, it is important to know when and how to include these individuals in your discussion. Here are some key points to consider when mentioning movie directors and actors in your essay:

1. **Relevance**: Before mentioning a movie director or actor, ask yourself if their contribution is relevant to your essay’s topic or argument. Including their name should add value and support your main points, rather than being a mere distraction.

2. **Introduction**: When introducing a movie director or actor, provide some background information about them. Mention their notable works, achievements, and their overall impact on the industry. This will help your readers understand their significance within the context of your essay.

3. **Specific examples**: To strengthen your argument and analysis, include specific examples from the movie(s) the director or actor worked on. Highlight key scenes or performances that are relevant to your essay’s discussion. This not only adds credibility to your claims but also allows readers to connect with your analysis on a deeper level.

4. **Quotations and citations**: If you are referencing a particular statement or opinion by a movie director or actor, provide a direct quotation and properly cite the source. This demonstrates that you have conducted thorough research and adds authenticity to your essay.

Remember, mentioning movie directors and actors should enhance your essay’s content and provide additional insight into the films being discussed. Take care not to dwell too much on biographical details or personal information that might distract readers from your main arguments. By considering the relevance, providing background information, using specific examples, and incorporating quotations and citations, you can effectively include movie directors and actors in your essay while maintaining a focused and compelling narrative.

Movie titles play a crucial role in capturing the essence of a film and attracting an audience. However, integrating them seamlessly into your writing can be a challenge. To provide context for movie titles in your work, consider the following tips:

1. **Italicize movie titles**: When mentioning a movie title in your writing, be sure to italicize it to distinguish it from the surrounding text. This formatting convention helps readers identify the title and gives it the emphasis it deserves.

2. **Include relevant information**: In addition to simply mentioning the movie title, provide some context to help readers understand its significance. This could involve mentioning the director, main actors, or even a brief synopsis. By offering this additional information, you paint a more complete picture and generate interest in the film.

3. **Describe the genre and theme**: Depending on the context of your writing, it can be helpful to briefly describe the genre and theme of the movie. This allows readers to get a sense of what to expect and how the title fits into the overall narrative. For example, if discussing a romantic comedy, mention that the movie title reflects the lighthearted tone and love-centered plot.

4. **Consider the release date**: Movies are often referred to by their release year to differentiate similar titles or to acknowledge their existence in a series. Including the release date can ensure clarity and provide readers with more background information.

By incorporating these strategies, you can seamlessly integrate movie titles into your writing, offering readers a better understanding of their purpose and encouraging their engagement with the film. Remember, a well-integrated movie title not only enhances the flow of your writing but also adds depth and intrigue to your content.

When it comes to referencing movie titles in your essay, there are a few common mistakes that you should avoid. These mistakes can not only affect the readability of your essay but also undermine your credibility as a writer. To prevent these errors and ensure your references are accurate, here are some handy tips to keep in mind:

Italicize the movie titles: One common mistake is failing to properly format the movie titles in your essay. To show that you are referring to the title of a movie, it is essential to italicize it. This helps differentiate the title from the rest of the text and adheres to the standard formatting conventions .
Use quotation marks for smaller elements: Within the main body of your essay, you may need to refer to smaller elements of a movie, such as scenes, dialogues, or quotes. To distinguish these smaller elements, use quotation marks around them. This allows readers to understand that you are specifically referencing a smaller part of the movie.
Provide accurate spelling: Always double-check the spelling of the movie title you are referencing. Incorrect spellings can lead to misunderstandings and can reflect poorly on your attention to detail as a writer. Take the time to verify the accuracy of the title to maintain the integrity of your essay.

By following these simple guidelines, you can avoid some of the common mistakes when referencing movie titles in your essay. Remember to italicize the movie titles, use quotation marks for smaller elements, and ensure the accuracy of the spelling. These practices not only enhance the readability of your essay but also demonstrate your professionalism as a writer. So, next time you mention a movie in your essay, do it with precision and style.

Q: Why is it important to correctly format movie titles when writing an essay? A: Properly formatting movie titles is important in any writing, including essays, because it demonstrates your knowledge of grammar rules and shows respect for the original work. It also helps establish your credibility as a writer.

Q: Should movie titles be italicized or placed in quotation marks when mentioned in an essay? A: Movie titles should be italicized when mentioned in an essay. This helps differentiate the title from surrounding text and indicates that it is a work of art or literature. Quotation marks can be an alternative option, but italics are the preferred choice.

Q: Are there any exceptions to the general rule of italicizing or using quotation marks for movie titles? A: Yes, there are a few exceptions. If you are handwriting your essay or using a typewriter that doesn’t have italics, underlining the movie title can be an acceptable alternative. Additionally, if you are writing for a publication that follows different style guidelines, such as newspapers or magazines, they may have their own specific rules for movie title formatting.

Q: How should foreign-language movie titles be treated in an English essay? A: When mentioning foreign-language movie titles in an English essay, it is generally recommended to follow the same formatting rules as for English titles. This means italicizing the title or using quotation marks, depending on your chosen style guide. However, if the foreign-language title includes a well-known word or phrase in English, it is usually not necessary to italicize or use quotation marks around that part.

Q: What if a movie title already contains italics or quotation marks within it? A: If a movie title already contains italics or quotation marks within it, you should follow the style guide you are using consistently. For example, if the original movie title has italics, you might need to use quotation marks around the title when mentioning it in your essay to differentiate it from surrounding text.

Q: Should film series or franchises be handled differently when mentioning their titles in an essay? A: When mentioning film series or franchises in an essay, it’s essential to consider the specific title you are referencing. The general rule is to italicize or use quotation marks around the individual movie title, just as you would with a standalone film. However, if you are discussing the series or franchise as a whole, without mentioning specific movie titles, it may be necessary to capitalize it and avoid any special formatting.

Q: How should abbreviations of movie titles be treated in an essay? A: Abbreviations of movie titles should be treated similarly to the full title. If the movie title is normally italicized or placed in quotation marks, the abbreviation should follow the same formatting. For example, if “The Dark Knight Rises” is italicized, the abbreviation “TDKR” should also be italicized.

Q: Can I use bold or underline instead of italics when formatting movie titles in an essay? A: It is generally recommended to use italics for movie titles, but in certain situations where italics are not available (such as some online forms), bold or underline can be used as substitutes. However, be sure to consult your chosen style guide to ensure its acceptance, as preferences may vary.

Q: Should I ever omit a movie title when writing an essay, or is it always necessary to include it? A: Whether or not to include a movie title in an essay largely depends on the context and purpose of your writing. If discussing specific film analysis or providing examples, including the movie title is vital to support your arguments. However, when writing generally about a movie without directly referencing it, the title might not need to be included. Always consider your audience and the clarity of your writing when deciding whether to include a movie title.

In conclusion, following expert recommendations when writing a movie title in an essay ensures accuracy and professionalism, enhancing the overall quality of your work.

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How to Write a Film Analysis Essay: Examples, Outline, & Tips

A film analysis essay might be the most exciting assignment you have ever had! After all, who doesn’t love watching movies? You have your favorite movies, maybe something you watched years ago, perhaps a classic, or a documentary. Or your professor might assign a film for you to make a critical review. Regardless, you are totally up for watching a movie for a film analysis essay.

However, once you have watched the movie, facing the act of writing might knock the wind out of your sails because you might be wondering how to write a film analysis essay. In summary, writing movie analysis is not as difficult as it might seem, and Custom-writing.org experts will prove this. This guide will help you choose a topic for your movie analysis, make an outline, and write the text.️ Film analysis examples are added as a bonus! Just keep reading our advice on how to get started.

❓ What Is a Film Analysis Essay?

🚦 Film Analysis Types

📽️ Movie Analysis Format

✍️ how to write a film analysis, 🎦 film analysis template, 🎬 film analysis essay topics.

📄 Essay Examples

🔗 References

To put it simply, film analysis implies watching a movie and then considering its characteristics : genre, structure, contextual context, etc. Film analysis is usually considered to be a form of rhetorical analysis . The key to success here is to formulate a clear and logical argument, supporting it with examples.

🚦 Film Analysis Essay Types

Since a film analysis essay resembles literature analysis, it makes sense that there are several ways to do it. Its types are not limited to the ones described here. Moreover, you are free to combine the approaches in your essay as well. Since your writing reflects your own opinion, there is no universal way to do it.

Semiotic analysis . If you’re using this approach, you are expected to interpret the film’s symbolism. You should look for any signs that may have a hidden meaning. Often, they reveal some character’s features. To make the task more manageable, you can try to find the objects or concepts that appear on the screen multiple times. What is the context they appear in? It might lead you to the hidden meaning of the symbols.
Narrative structure analysis . This type is quite similar to a typical literature guide. It includes looking into the film’s themes, plot, and motives. The analysis aims to identify three main elements: setup, confrontation, and resolution. You should find out whether the film follows this structure and what effect it creates. It will make the narrative structure analysis essay if you write about the theme and characters’ motivations as well.
Contextual analysis . Here, you would need to expand your perspective. Instead of focusing on inner elements, the contextual analysis looks at the time and place of the film’s creation. Therefore, you should work on studying the cultural context a lot. It can also be a good idea to mention the main socio-political issues of the time. You can even relate the film’s success to the director or producer and their career.
Mise-en-scene analysis . This type of analysis works with the most distinctive feature of the movies, audiovisual elements. However, don’t forget that your task is not only to identify them but also to explain their importance. There are so many interconnected pieces of this puzzle: the light to create the mood, the props to show off characters’ personalities, messages hidden in the song lyrics.

To write an effective film analysis essay, it is important to follow specific format requirements that include the following:

Standard essay structure. Just as with any essay, your analysis should consist of an introduction with a strong thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The main body usually includes a summary and an analysis of the movie’s elements.
Present tense for events in the film. Use the present tense when describing everything that happens in the movie. This way, you can make smooth transitions between describing action and dialogue. It will also improve the overall narrative flow.
Proper formatting of the film’s title. Don’t enclose the movie’s title in quotation marks; instead, italicize it. In addition, use the title case : that is, capitalize all major words.
Proper use of the characters’ names. When you mention a film character for the first time, name the actor portraying them. After that, it is enough to write only the character’s name.
In-text citations. Use in-text citations when describing certain scenes or shots from the movie. Format them according to your chosen citation style. If you use direct quotes, include the time-stamp range instead of page numbers. Here’s how it looks in the MLA format: (Smith 0:11:24–0:12:35).

Even though film analysis is similar to the literary one, you might still feel confused with where to begin. No need to worry; there are only a few additional steps you need to consider during the writing process.

Need more information? It can be found in the video below.

Starting Your Film Analysis Essay

There are several things you need to do before you start writing your film analysis paper. First and foremost, you have to watch the movie. Even if you have seen it a hundred times, you need to watch it again to make a good film analysis essay.

Note that you might be given an essay topic or have to think of it by yourself. If you are free to choose a topic for your film analysis essay, reading some critical reviews before you watch the film might be a good idea. By doing this in advance, you will already know what to look for when watching the movie.

In the process of watching, keep the following tips in mind:

Consider your impression of the movie
Enumerate memorable details
Try to interpret the movie message in your way
Search for the proof of your ideas (quotes from the film)
Make comments on the plot, settings, and characters
Draw parallels between the movie you are reviewing and some other movies

Making a Film Analysis Essay Outline

Once you have watched and possibly re-watched your assigned or chosen movie from an analytical point of view, you will need to create a movie analysis essay outline . The task is pretty straightforward: the outline can look just as if you were working on a literary analysis or an article analysis.

Introduction : This includes the basics of the movie, including the title, director, and the date of release. You should also present the central theme or ideas in the movie and your thesis statement .
Summary : This is where you take the time to present an overview of the primary concepts in the movie, including the five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why)—don’t forget how!—as well as anything you wish to discuss that relates to the point of view, style, and structure.
Analysis : This is the body of the essay and includes your critical analysis of the movie, why you did or did not like it, and any supporting material from the film to support your views. It would help if you also discussed whether the director and writer of the movie achieved the goal they set out to achieve.
Conclusion: This is where you can state your thesis again and provide a summary of the primary concepts in a new and more convincing manner, making a case for your analysis. You can also include a call-to-action that will invite the reader to watch the movie or avoid it entirely.

You can find a great critical analysis template at Thompson Rivers University website. In case you need more guidance on how to write an analytical paper, check out our article .

Writing & Editing Your Film Analysis Essay

We have already mentioned that there are differences between literary analysis and film analysis. They become especially important when one starts writing their film analysis essay.

First of all, the evidence you include to support the arguments is not the same. Instead of quoting the text, you might need to describe the audiovisual elements.

However, the practice of describing the events is similar in both types. You should always introduce a particular sequence in the present tense. If you want to use a piece of a dialogue between more than two film characters, you can use block quotes. However, since there are different ways to do it, confirm with your supervisor.

For your convenience, you might as well use the format of the script, for which you don’t have to use quotation marks:

ELSA: But she won’t remember I have powers?

KING: It’s for the best.

Finally, to show off your proficiency in the subject, look at the big picture. Instead of just presenting the main elements in your analysis, point out their significance. Describe the effect they make on the overall impression form the film. Moreover, you can dig deeper and suggest the reasons why such elements were used in a particular scene to show your expertise.

Stuck writing a film analysis essay? Worry not! Use our template to structure your movie analysis properly.

Introduction

The title of the film is… [title]
The director is… [director’s name] He/she is known for… [movies, style, etc.]
The movie was released on… [release date]
The themes of the movie are… [state the film’s central ideas]
The film was made because… [state the reasons]
The movie is… because… [your thesis statement].
The main characters are… [characters’ names]
The events take place in… [location]
The movie is set in… [time period]
The movie is about… [state what happens in the film and why]
The movie left a… [bad, unforgettable, lasting, etc.] impression in me.
The script has… [a logical sequence of events, interesting scenes, strong dialogues, character development, etc.]
The actors portray their characters… [convincingly, with intensity, with varying degree of success, in a manner that feels unnatural, etc.]
The soundtrack is [distracting, fitting, memorable, etc.]
Visual elements such as… [costumes, special effects, etc.] make the film [impressive, more authentic, atmospheric, etc.]
The film succeeds/doesn’t succeed in engaging the target audience because it… [tells a compelling story, features strong performances, is relevant, lacks focus, is unauthentic, etc.]
Cultural and societal aspects make the film… [thought-provoking, relevant, insightful, problematic, polarizing, etc.]
The director and writer achieved their goal because… [state the reasons]
Overall, the film is… [state your opinion]
I would/wouldn’t recommend watching the movie because… [state the reasons]
Analysis of the film Inception by Christopher Nolan .
Examine the rhetoric in the film The Red Balloon .
Analyze the visual effects of Zhang Yimou’s movie Hero .
Basic concepts of the film Interstellar by Christopher Nolan.
The characteristic features of Federico Fellini’s movies.
Analysis of the movie The Joker .
The depiction of ethical issues in Damaged Care .
Analyze the plot of the film Moneyball .
Explore the persuasive techniques used in Henry V .
Analyze the movie Killing Kennedy .
Discuss the themes of the film Secret Window .
Describe the role of audio and video effects in conveying the message of the documentary Life in Renaissance .
Compare and analyze the films Midnight Cowboy and McCabe and Mrs. Miller .
Analysis of the movie Rear Window .
The message behind the film Split .
Analyze the techniques used by Tim Burton in his movie Sleepy Hollow .
The topic of children’s abuse and importance of trust in Joseph Sargent’s Sybil .
Examine the themes and motives of the film Return to Paradise by Joseph Ruben.
The issues of gender and traditions in the drama The Whale Rider.
Analysis of the film Not Easily Broken by Duke Bill.
The symbolism in R. Scott’s movie Thelma and Louise .
The meaning of audiovisual effects in Citizen Kane .
Analyze the main characters of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo .
Discuss the historical accuracy of the documentary The Civil War .
Analysis of the movie Through a Glass Darkly .
Explore the core idea of the comedy Get Out .
The problem of artificial intelligence and human nature in Ex Machina .
Three principles of suspense used in the drama The Fugitive .
Examine the ideas Michael Bay promotes in Armageddon .
Analyze the visual techniques used in Tenet by Christopher Nolan.
Analysis of the movie The Green Mile .
Discrimination and exclusion in the film The Higher Learning .
The hidden meaning of the scenes in Blade Runner .
Compare the social messages of the films West Side Story and Romeo + Juliet .
Highlighting the problem of children’s mental health in the documentary Kids in Crisis .
Discuss the ways Paul Haggis establishes the issue of racial biases in his movie Crash .
Analyze the problem of moral choice in the film Gone Baby Gone .
Analysis of the historical film Hacksaw Ridge .
Explore the main themes of the film Mean Girls by Mark Walters .
The importance of communication in the movie Juno .
Describe the techniques the authors use to highlight the problems of society in Queen and Slim .
Examine the significance of visual scenes in My Family/ Mi Familia .
Analysis of the thriller Salt by Phillip Noyce.
Analyze the message of Greg Berlanti’s film Love, Simon .
Interpret the symbols of the film The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Discuss the modern issues depicted in the film The Corporation .
Moral lessons of Edward Zwick’s Blood Diamond .
Analysis of the documentary Solitary Nation .
Describe the audiovisual elements of the film Pride and Prejudice (2005) .
The problem of toxic relationships in Malcolm and Marie .

📄 Film Analysis Examples

Below you’ll find two film analysis essay examples. Note that the full versions are downloadable for free!

Film Analysis Example #1: The Intouchables

Raising acute social problems in modern cinema is a common approach to draw the public’s attention to the specific issues and challenges of people facing crucial obstacles. As a film for review, The Intouchables by Oliver Nakache and Éric Toledano will be analyzed, and one of the themes raised in this movie is the daily struggle of the person with severe disabilities. This movie is a biographical drama with comedy elements. The Intouchables describes the routine life of a French millionaire who is confined to a wheelchair and forced to receive help from his servants. The acquaintance of the disabled person with a young and daring man from Parisian slums changes the lives of both radically. The film shows that for a person with disabilities, recognition as a full member of society is more important than sympathy and compassion, and this message expressed comically raises an essential problem of human loneliness.

Movie Analysis Example #2: Parasite

Parasite is a 2019 South Korean black comedy thriller movie directed by Bong Joon-ho and is the first film with a non-English script to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020. With its overwhelming plot and acting, this motion picture retains a long-lasting effect and some kind of shock. The class serves as a backbone and a primary objective of social commentary within the South Korean comedy/thriller (Kench, 2020). Every single element and detail in the movie, including the student’s stone, the contrasting architecture, family names, and characters’ behavior, contribute to the central topic of the universal problem of classism and wealth disparity. The 2020 Oscar-winning movie Parasite (2019) is a phenomenal cinematic portrayal and a critical message to modern society regarding the severe outcomes of the long-established inequalities within capitalism.

Want more examples? Check out this bonus list of 10 film analysis samples. They will help you gain even more inspiration.

“Miss Representation” Documentary Film Analysis
“The Patriot”: Historical Film Analysis
“The Morning Guy” Film Analysis
2012′ by Roland Emmerich Film Analysis
“The Crucible” (1996) Film Analysis
The Aviator’ by Martin Scorsese Film Analysis
The “Lions for Lambs” Film Analysis
Bill Monroe – Father of Bluegrass Music Film Analysis
Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Harry Potter’ Film Analysis
Red Tails by George Lucas Film Analysis
Film Analysis – UNC Writing Center
Film Writing: Sample Analysis // Purdue Writing Lab
Yale Film Analysis – Yale University
Film Terms And Topics For Film Analysis And Writing
Questions for Film Analysis (Washington University)
Resources on Film Analysis – Cinema Studies (University of Toronto)
Does Film Analysis Take the Magic out of Movies?
Film Analysis Research Papers – Academia.edu
What’s In a Film Analysis Essay? Medium
Analysis of Film – SAGE Research Methods
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Have you ever read a review and asked yourself how the critic arrived at a different interpretation for the film? You are sure that you saw the same movie, but you interpreted it differently. Most moviegoers go to the cinema for pleasure and entertainment. There’s a reason why blockbuster movies attract moviegoers – cinema is a form of escape, a way to momentarily walk away from life’s troubles.

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How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay or Article

When you're writing a paper or article in school or at work, you may be in a situation where you need to write a movie title in your writing. But how should you format them? Should you use italics? Or quotation marks? Or maybe both? Or neither…

The first thing to note is that the rules will be different depending on whether you’re writing an article or an essay. In this guide, we'll explain how to write one in an essay or article so that your writing looks professional and polished. Refer to the relevant section, depending on the piece you are creating.

The main things to know are:

If you are writing a movie title in an article, the format you use is up to you (or the company you work for). Pick a format and stick to it.
If you are writing a movie title in an essay, then you should follow your university's or employer's referencing style guidelines.

Read on for suggestions of different formats for articles, and more in-depth guidance around different university referencing styles.

How to Write a Movie Title in an Article

Let's begin by exploring why you need a specific format, and examining some key principles and rules around writing a movie title in an article.

Why You Need a Specific Format

So picture this. You’re writing an article and want to refer to a particular movie - perhaps to illustrate a point, or maybe you’re critiquing it. But you’re unsure how to format it. You don’t want to be marked down for formatting it incorrectly, so you consider leaving it out to avoid the trouble. Not on our watch!

But hold on a sec! Why should you even worry about this? Why do movie titles need to be formatted correctly anyway? Well, it’s simple really. If you don’t differentiate the title from the rest of the text, your readers might not understand you’re referring to a movie title. Imagine, for instance, that you wrote:

I finally got around to watching three billboards outside ebbing missouri.

Can we agree this sentence doesn’t make any sense? With this punctuation (i.e. none) your reader may well believe that you headed out into the night and found a couple of billboards to look at for some time.

So do you see why it’s important to have some kind of format for writing movie titles?

Key Principles and Rules

Now here’s the tricky bit: with articles, there’s no hard and fast rule on how to format a movie title in your writing. There are many different options and any of them would be acceptable to use in an article you’re going to publish online or physically.

So what to do?

Our first advice is to check in with your editor/head of copywriting / your point of reference at the company you work at. They will most likely have a specific format they like to use and will be able to share that with you.

That’s if you are writing for a company.

If you’re self-publishing, say, for example, on your website or Medium.com, then you’re the boss, friend. The conventions you use are completely up to you.

But here are a few key principles and rules:

Common conventions are to use italics or quotations marks
Choose one format and stick with it - not only throughout the article but in everything you write
Keep an eye out for the correct spelling of the movie. For example, don’t forget the comma in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Title case is a great way to further demarcate the movie title from the rest of the text to make it abundantly clear that it’s a movie title.

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay

Now let's turn our attention towards writing a movie title in an essay.

New scenario. You’re writing an essay for your college or university course. Perhaps you’re using the movie as an example, or maybe you’re critiquing it.

But you don’t want to be marked down for getting it wrong, so you consider avoiding mentioning it altogether. But that would be a shame! Let us help you.

Here are some general rules to get you started:

Follow the rules of your school’s academic writing style (APA, MLA, AP, or Chicago.)
Use title case
Use italics or quotation marks (depending on the writing style)

Academic Referencing Styles

There are different academic referencing/writing styles in the English language, and these vary depending on the education establishment. Different styles have different rules that govern the way that you might write, punctuate and cite within your essay.

The four most common styles are Associated Press (AP), Chicago, American Psychological Association (APA), and Modern Language Association (MLA).

Of course, there are many more than just four in existence, but these are the prevalent ones.

But why are there so many different writing styles, we hear you ask? Quite simply, this is to cater to different fields. For instance, the scientific sector places a lot of importance on using recent research, hence the APA style places the date before anything. Humanities tend to use the MLA style which places the author's name first.

Write a Movie Title in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles

Luckily, the APA, MLA, and Chicago styles all use the same format for movie titles, so it’ll be easy to remember.

These styles all require that you place the movie title in italics. Here are some examples:

Saving Private Ryan
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Do not use any quotation marks! This is not necessary and will be considered incorrect.

You’ll also notice that the title is written in the title case. This means you capitalize certain words in the title. More on that in the next section.

Write a Movie Title in AP style

The AP style is the exception here since it does not use italics to format movie titles. Instead, you’re required to use quotation marks. Let’s use the same examples as above, to make the difference clear:

“Kill Bill”
“Saving Private Ryan”
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”

Again, here, remember to use title case.

Write a Movie Title in Title Case

Using title case means that you capitalize certain words in the title. But depending on the writing style you’re using, there are different rules on which words need capitalizing and which ones don't. Mostly, they disagree on whether or not to capitalize minor words.

Read on to find out the rules for each style, to ensure you’re writing it correctly.

Note that if you’re writing an article, this will again depend on the rules that the company you work for is using, or if you’re writing for your own business, then you can make your own rules. Remember to pick a structure and stick to it. Consistency is key!

Capitalize the major words.
Lowercase the articles the, a, and an.
Capitalize the ‘to’ in an infinitive (e.g., I Want To Eat Cake)
Capitalize the first and last words (overrides other rules)
Capitalize all words of four letters or more (overrides other rules)
Lowercase the second word after a hyphenated prefix

Chicago Style

Lowercase articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions
Lowercase the second part of Latin species names.
Lowercase articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions.
Do NOT capitalize ‘to’ in infinitives (e.g., I Want to Eat Cake).

As you can see, all four styles share some common rules but are different in certain small details.

Incorrect ways to write a movie title

Here are some examples of incorrect ways to write a movie title:

Saving private ryan
Eternal SUNSHINE of a Spotless Mind
“Shawshank Redemption”
One Flew Over the cuckoo’s Nest

Can you figure out what is wrong with each of these examples? We’ll give you a clue! It has to do with incorrect usage of title cases, block capitals and quotation marks.

A note on reference lists

We just wanted to include a little note here to remind you that when citing a movie in your essay, you should include it in your reference list, or bibliography, depending on the academic writing style you are using.

Again, the structure of your reference list will vary depending on whether you’re writing in APA, AP, MLA or Chicago, and you can find guidance on this in an official manual for the style (or online).

Other Points of Interest

There are some other things you might be interested in knowing that are related to the topic of how to write a movie title in an essay or article, so we’re detailing those below.

How to write a quote from a movie

So you’ve successfully referenced a movie using the rules outlined above. Now you’d like to quote a line from the movie. Which conventions should you use for this?

For this, you would use quotation marks. For instance, if you want to quote this famous line from the movie Star Wars , you would write: “May the force be with you.”

Remember that if you’re writing an essay, you might need to also include the reference in your in-text citation. Let us show you a full example of what this would look like:

History was made when General Dodonna said “May the force be with you.” in the iconic movie Star Wars (Lucas, 1977).

How to write the name of an episode of a TV show

If you wanted to cite a TV series, you would follow the same rules as those for citing a movie - as outlined above. But what if you also wanted to include the name of the episode you’re referring to?

Similarly to inserting a direct quote from a movie, in this case, we recommend using quotation marks. For example:

Friends , “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.”

If writing an essay, please refer to your academic writing style’s guide to learn about conventions around formatting and using title case.

Where does the word ‘movie’ come from?

Dating back as far as the early 1900s, the word ‘movie’ stems from the term ‘moving picture’.

Before they could be projected onto a screen for wider viewing, the first movies could only be seen by one person at a time, using an Electrotachyscope, Kinetoscope, or Mutoscope.

And there we have it! We hope that this article has helped you better understand the conventions around writing a movie title in your essay or article, so you can feel confident about handing in your essay or turning in your article to your line manager.

To summarize, when you’re writing an article, the rules are pretty much up to you if writing for your own business, or your manager if writing for another company. Check-in with them to find out which conventions are already in place.

If writing an essay, then you should always use the structure set out in the academic writing style’s manual. Find out first of all which style you are expected to use.

Now that that's done, it's time to get writing!

Learn More:

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Film Analysis: Example, Format, and Outline + Topics & Prompts

Films are never just films. Instead, they are influential works of art that can evoke a wide range of emotions, spark meaningful conversations, and provide insightful commentary on society and culture. As a student, you may be tasked with writing a film analysis essay, which requires you to delve deeper into the characters and themes. But where do you start?

In this article, our expert team has explored strategies for writing a successful film analysis essay. From prompts for this assignment to an excellent movie analysis example, we’ll provide you with everything you need to craft an insightful film analysis paper.

📽️ Film Analysis Definition

📚 Types of Film Analysis

✍️ How to Write Film Analysis
🎞️ Movie Analysis Prompts
🎬 Top 15 Topics

📝 Film Analysis Example

🍿 More Examples

🔗 References

📽️ what is a film analysis essay.

A film analysis essay is a type of academic writing that critically examines a film, its themes, characters, and techniques used by the filmmaker. This essay aims to analyze the film’s meaning, message, and artistic elements and explain its cultural, social, and historical significance. It typically requires a writer to pay closer attention to aspects such as cinematography, editing, sound, and narrative structure.

Film Analysis vs Film Review

It’s common to confuse a film analysis with a film review, though these are two different types of writing. A film analysis paper focuses on the film’s narrative, sound, editing, and other elements. This essay aims to explore the film’s themes, symbolism , and underlying messages and to provide an in-depth interpretation of the film.

On the other hand, a film review is a brief evaluation of a film that provides the writer’s overall opinion of the movie. It includes the story’s short summary, a description of the acting, direction, and technical aspects, and a recommendation on whether or not the movie is worth watching.

This image shows the difference between film analysis and film review.

Wondering what you should focus on when writing a movie analysis essay? Here are four main types of film analysis. Check them out!

📋 Film Analysis Format

The movie analysis format follows a typical essay structure, including a title, introduction, thesis statement, body, conclusion, and references.

The most common citation styles used for a film analysis are MLA and Chicago . However, we recommend you consult with your professor for specific guidelines. Remember to cite all dialogue and scene descriptions from the movie to support the analysis. The reference list should include the analyzed film and any external sources mentioned in the essay.

When referring to a specific movie in your paper, you should italicize the film’s name and use the title case. Don’t enclose the title of the movie in quotation marks.

📑 Film Analysis Essay Outline

A compelling film analysis outline is crucial as it helps make the writing process more focused and the content more insightful for the readers. Below, you’ll find the description of the main parts of the movie analysis essay.

Film Analysis Introduction

Many students experience writer’s block because they don’t know how to write an introduction for a film analysis. The truth is that the opening paragraph for a film analysis paper is similar to any other academic essay:

Start with a hook to grab the reader’s attention . For example, it can be a fascinating fact or a thought-provoking question related to the film.
Provide background information about the movie . Introduce the film, including its title, director, and release date. Follow this with a brief summary of the film’s plot and main themes.
End the introduction with an analytical thesis statement . Present the central argument or interpretation that will be explored in the analysis.

Film Analysis Thesis

If you wonder how to write a thesis for a film analysis, we’ve got you! A thesis statement should clearly present your main idea related to the film and provide a roadmap for the rest of the essay. Your thesis should be specific, concise, and focused. In addition, it should be debatable so that others can present a contrasting point of view. Also, make sure it is supported with evidence from the film.

Let’s come up with a film analysis thesis example:

Through a feminist lens, Titanic is a story about Rose’s rebellion against traditional gender roles, showcasing her attempts to assert her autonomy and refusal to conform to societal expectations prevalent in the early 20th century.

Movie Analysis Main Body

Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the film that supports your main idea. These aspects include themes, characters, narrative devices , or cinematic techniques. You should also provide evidence from the film to support your analysis, such as quotes, scene descriptions, or specific visual or auditory elements.

Here are two things to avoid in body paragraphs:

Film review . Your analysis should focus on specific movie aspects rather than your opinion of the film.
Excessive plot summary . While it’s important to provide some context for the analysis, a lengthy plot summary can detract you from your main argument and analysis of the film.

Film Analysis Conclusion

In the conclusion of a movie analysis, restate the thesis statement to remind the reader of the main argument. Additionally, summarize the main points from the body to reinforce the key aspects of the film that were discussed. The conclusion should also provide a final thought or reflection on the film, tying together the analysis and presenting your perspective on its overall meaning.

✍️ How to Write a Film Analysis Essay

Writing a film analysis essay can be challenging since it requires a deep understanding of the film, its themes, and its characters. However, with the right approach, you can create a compelling analysis that offers insight into the film’s meaning and impact. To help you, we’ve prepared a small guide.

1. Understand the Prompt

When approaching a film analysis essay, it is crucial to understand the prompt provided by your professor. For example, suppose your professor asks you to analyze the film from the perspective of Marxist criticism or psychoanalytic film theory . In that case, it is essential to familiarize yourself with these approaches. This may involve studying these theories and identifying how they can be applied to the film.

If your professor did not provide specific guidelines, you will need to choose a film yourself and decide on the aspect you will explore. Whether it is the film’s themes, characters, cinematography, or social context, having a clear focus will help guide your analysis.

2. Watch the Film & Take Notes

Keep your assignment prompt in mind when watching the film for your analysis. For example, if you are analyzing the film from a feminist perspective, you should pay attention to the portrayal of female characters, power dynamics , and gender roles within the film.

As you watch the movie, take notes on key moments, dialogues, and scenes relevant to your analysis. Additionally, keeping track of the timecodes of important scenes can be beneficial, as it allows you to quickly revisit specific moments in the film for further analysis.

3. Develop a Thesis and an Outline

Next, develop a thesis statement for your movie analysis. Identify the central argument or perspective you want to convey about the film. For example, you can focus on the film’s themes, characters, plot, cinematography, or other outstanding aspects. Your thesis statement should clearly present your stance and provide a preview of the points you will discuss in your analysis.

Having created a thesis, you can move on to the outline for an analysis. Write down all the arguments that can support your thesis, logically organize them, and then look for the supporting evidence in the movie.

4. Write Your Movie Analysis

When writing a film analysis paper, try to offer fresh and original ideas on the film that go beyond surface-level observations. If you need some inspiration, have a look at these thought-provoking questions:

How does the movie evoke emotional responses from the audience through sound, editing, character development , and camera work?
Is the movie’s setting portrayed in a realistic or stylized manner? What atmosphere or mood does the setting convey to the audience?
How does the lighting in the movie highlight certain aspects? How does the lighting impact the audience’s perception of the movie’s characters, spaces, or overall mood?
What role does the music play in the movie? How does it create specific emotional effects for the audience?
What underlying values or messages does the movie convey? How are these values communicated to the audience?

5. Revise and Proofread

To revise and proofread a film analysis essay, review the content for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure the paper flows logically and each paragraph contributes to the overall analysis. Remember to double-check that you haven’t missed any in-text citations and have enough evidence and examples from the movie to support your arguments.

Consider seeking feedback from a peer or instructor to get an outside perspective on the essay. Another reader can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.

🎞️ Movie Analysis: Sample Prompts

Now that we’ve covered the essential aspects of a film analysis template, it’s time to choose a topic. Here are some prompts to help you select a film for your analysis.

The Godfather film analysis essay . An epic crime film, The Godfather , allows you to analyze the themes of power and corruption, the portrayal of family dynamics, and the influence of Italian neorealism on the film’s aesthetic. You can also examine the movie’s historical context and impact on future crime dramas.
Psycho film analysis essay . Consider exploring the themes of identity and duality, the use of suspense and tension in storytelling, or the portrayal of mental illness. You can also explore the impact of this movie on the horror genre.
Forrest Gump film analysis essay . If you decide to analyze the Forrest Gump movie, you can focus on the portrayal of historical events. You might also examine the use of nostalgia in storytelling, the character development of the protagonist, and the film’s impact on popular culture and American identity.
The Great Gatsby film analysis essay . The Great Gatsby is a historical drama film that allows you to analyze the themes of the American Dream, wealth, and class. You can also explore the portrayal of the 1920s Jazz Age and the symbolism of the green light.
Persepolis film analysis essay . In a Persepolis film analysis essay, you can uncover the themes of identity and self-discovery. You might also consider analyzing the portrayal of the Iranian Revolution and its aftermath, the use of animation as a storytelling device, and the film’s influence on the graphic novel genre.

🎬 Top 15 Film Analysis Essay Topics

The use of color symbolism in Vertigo and its impact on the narrative.
The moral ambiguity and human nature in No Country for Old Men .
The portrayal of ethnicity in Gran Torino and its commentary on cultural stereotypes.
The cinematography and visual effects in The Hunger Games and their contribution to the dystopian atmosphere.
The use of silence and sound design in A Quiet Place to immerse the audience.
The disillusionment and existential crisis in The Graduate and its reflection of the societal norms of the 1960s.
The themes of sacrifice and patriotism in Casablanca and their relevance to the historical context of World War II.
The psychological horror in The Shining and its impact on the audience’s experience of fear and tension.
The exploration of existentialism in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind .
Multiple perspectives and unreliable narrators in Rashomon .
The music and soundtrack in Titanic and its contribution to the film’s emotional resonance.
The portrayal of good versus evil in the Harry Potter film series and its impact on understanding morality.
The incorporation of vibrant colors in The Grand Budapest Hotel as a visual motif.
The use of editing techniques to tell a nonlinear narrative in Pulp Fiction .
The function of music and score in enhancing the emotional impact in Schindler’s List .

Check out the Get Out film analysis essay we’ve prepared for college and high school students. We hope this movie analysis essay example will inspire you and help you understand the structure of this assignment better.

Film Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Get Out, released in 2017 and directed by Jordan Peele, is a culturally significant horror film that explores themes of racism, identity, and social commentary. The film follows Chris, a young African-American man, visiting his white girlfriend’s family for the weekend. This essay will analyze how, through its masterful storytelling, clever use of symbolism, and thought-provoking narrative, Get Out reveals the insidious nature of racism in modern America.

Film Analysis Body Paragraphs Example

Throughout the movie, Chris’s character is subject to various types of microaggression and subtle forms of discrimination. These instances highlight the insidious nature of racism, showing how it can exist even in seemingly progressive environments. For example, during Chris’s visit to his white girlfriend’s family, the parents continuously make racially insensitive comments, expressing their admiration for black physical attributes and suggesting a fascination bordering on fetishization. This sheds light on some individuals’ objectification and exotification of black bodies.

Get Out also critiques the performative allyship of white liberals who claim to be accepting and supportive of the black community. It is evident in the character of Rose’s father, who proclaims: “I would have voted for Obama for a third term if I could” (Peele, 2017). However, the film exposes how this apparent acceptance can mask hidden prejudices and manipulation.

Film Analysis Conclusion Example

In conclusion, the film Get Out provides a searing critique of racial discrimination and white supremacy through its compelling narrative, brilliant performances, and skillful direction. By exploring the themes of the insidious nature of racism, fetishization, and performative allyship, Get Out not only entertains but also challenges viewers to reflect on their own biases.

🍿 More Film Analysis Examples

Social Psychology Theories in The Experiment
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader: George Lukas’s Star Wars Review
Girl, Interrupted : Mental Illness Analysis
Mental Disorders in the Finding Nemo Film
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Film: Interpretive Psychological Analysis
Analysis of Spielberg’s Film Lincoln
Crash Movie: Racism as a Theme
Dances with Wolves Essay – Movie Analysis
Superbad by G. Mottola
Ordinary People Analysis and Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
A Review of the Movie An Inconvenient Truth by Guggenheim
Misé-En-Scene and Camera Shots in The King’s Speech
Chinese and American Women in Joy Luck Club Novel and Film
The Film Silver Linings Playbook by Russell
The Role of Music in the Films The Hours and The Third Man
The Social Network : Film Analysis
Marriage Story Film Directed by Noah Baumbach

❓ Film Analysis Essay: FAQ

Why is film analysis important.

Film analysis allows viewers to go beyond the surface level and delve into the deeper layers of a film’s narrative, themes, and technical aspects. It enables a critical examination that enhances appreciation and understanding of the film’s message, cultural significance, and artistic value. At the same time, writing a movie analysis essay can boost your critical thinking and ability to spot little details.

How to write a movie analysis?

Watch the film multiple times to grasp its key elements.
Take notes on the story, characters, and themes.
Pay attention to the film’s cinematography, editing, sound, message, symbolism, and social context.
Formulate a strong thesis statement that presents your main argument.
Support your claims with evidence from the film.

How to write a critical analysis of a movie?

A critical analysis of a movie involves evaluating its elements, such as plot, themes, characters, and cinematography, and providing an informed opinion on its strengths and weaknesses. To write it, watch the movie attentively, take notes, develop a clear thesis statement, support arguments with evidence, and balance the positive and negative.

How to write a psychological analysis of a movie?

A psychological analysis of a movie examines characters’ motivations, behaviors, and emotional experiences. To write it, analyze the characters’ psychological development, their relationships, and the impact of psychological themes conveyed in the film. Support your analysis with psychological theories and evidence from the movie.

Film Analysis | UNC Writing Center
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Resources – How to Write a Film Analysis | Northwestern
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Film Writing: Sample Analysis | Purdue Online Writing Lab
Film Analysis Web Site 2.0 | Yale University
Questions for Film Analysis | University of Washington
Film & Media Studies Resources: Types of Film Analysis | Bowling Green State University
Film & Media Studies Resources: Researching a Film | Bowling Green State University
Motion Picture Analysis Worksheet | University of Houston
Reviews vs Film Criticism | The University of Vermont Libraries
Television and Film Analysis Questions | University of Michigan
How to Write About Film: The Movie Review, the Theoretical Essay, and the Critical Essay | University of Colorado

Descriptive Essay Topics: Examples, Outline, & More

371 fun argumentative essay topics for 2024.

How to Write a Film Analysis Essay – Step by Step

So, your assignment is to watch a movie and analyze it in an essay. Great!

I’m Tutor Phil, and in this tutorial I’ll show you how to write a film analysis.

In short, to write a film analysis means to:

Identify the elements of the film
Identify the relationships among those elements
Form an argument about your findings
Support your argument using evidence

If this task seems daunting, don’t worry – it is actually fun once you know exactly what to do.

So, let’s dive right in. Here are…

7 Steps to Writing a Film Analysis Essay

Step 1. Watch the movie while taking notes

If you already saw the film you need to analyze, you’ll probably need to watch it again, this time taking some notes.

Why is note taking important? Well, to analyze really means to break something into parts and to discuss relationships among them.

And to identify parts (or elements) of a movie, you need to watch it while paying attention to details and writing down your observations.

Taking notes will allow you to do several things:

Identify some of the elements of the film so you have something to discuss
Uncover details you would otherwise miss
Make connections between ideas
Get some raw content you can readily use in your essay

How to take notes

Here’s a tip on how to do it most efficiently. Play the movie on one device while taking notes on another.

For example, play the movie on your TV or iPad, and take notes on your laptop. This way, you can pause the movie and make a note without switching apps on your laptop.

What to look for

When watching the movie, you are looking for elements that it is made up of. You can simply start a bulleted list with a timeline and some of the things you observe.

Importantly, you usually don’t want to simply describe every event of the film. You need some kind of a theme or motif to focus on because otherwise you’ll simply write a synopsis if the movie.

But you want some useful notes. Here’s how to choose what to focus on.

First, your assignment should determine your focus. For example, if your instructor wants you to write about a particular character, then pay special attention to that character.

If your assignment includes more details, that’s even better. Maybe you have to pick a character and write about her love life or her relationship with her mother.

Great – that will help you narrow down your focus.

Second, you can choose your own theme to focus on. If your assignment is very general, don’t worry – just pick your own character, theme, or something in the movie you want to write about.

In this case, if you’ve already seen the film, just think back and choose something to focus your analysis on.

Third, you can simply analyze the entire film. In this case, your task is to identify the overall message of the film and how its elements help deliver this message.

Each of these ways to approach writing a film analysis essay works great. And the steps you learn here will help you whatever approach you choose.

Example of note-taking

Let me give you an example. Recently, I had to write about one particular character in a movie. I also had to discuss the mental health of the character. So, I paid special attention to anything that had to do with mental health.

I chose the movie The Hours based on Michael Cunningham’s book of the same title. And by the way, let’s use this film from now on as an example to illustrate our seven steps to writing a film analysis.

This movie follows three women at different periods of the twentieth century. One of them is Virginia Woolf, based on the real-life writer of the same name.

Since my task was to write about her, I took notes primarily related to her. But I also noted relevant elements in other parts of the film.

Note that I time-stamped the events that happen on the screen. This would help me orient myself in the story when I later read my notes.

This can also help you use quotations from the film because in some citation styles you are required to provide exact time stamps for the dialogue lines.

Here is a sample of the notes that I took while watching the movie:

00:00 – 3:30 Very compulsive behavior. Frantically dressing up.

“I feel that I’m going mad again.”

08:35 – ~11:00 “How was your sleep?” “Uneventful. No headache. I believe I may have the first sentence.”

“Always giving parties to cover the silence.” – Ed Harris. ~22:00

27:44 – 31:50 “Her fate becomes clear to her.”

Makes demands on her cook. Being kind of rude.

43:20 Doesn’t comply with doctors. Depressed all the time. Lies down by the dead bird, as if wanting to join it.

01:05:45 Talking to herself, mumbling, in the presence of others – sister, nephews, niece.

-What were you thinking about?

-I was going to kill my heroine but I changed my mind.

01:08:05 “I’m afraid I might have to kill someone else instead.”

Your notes don’t have to consist of perfect sentences. You can jot down sentence fragments, phrases, or even just words.

But complete sentences, or at least sentence fragments, will help you understand what you were thinking when taking the note. A sentence will tell you more than a word or a phrase.

Write down some important dialogue verbatim. You can later use these quotations in your essay.

Elements to look for

Let’s explore what kinds of elements you can look for while watching the movie. Cinema is an amazing medium that combines a multitude of things to talk about.

A film can contain everything a novel can. And in addition, it has visuals and sound. So, it’s very rich. Let’s divide the elements into two categories – literary and cinematic.

Literary elements

Story (the beginning, middle, and end)
Plot (how events are arranged in time and space)
Setting (where and when the action takes place)
Characterization (characters and their unique qualities)
Themes (recurring elements that link things together by topic)
Message (the point, the argument, if you will, of the movie)
Dialogue (what characters say)
Symbols (concrete visual or auditory bits that stand for abstract ideas)
Contrast (highlighting differences)

Cinematic elements

Sound (music, noises, or the use of silence)
Lighting (how light is used to convey or emphasize ideas)
Camera angles (positioning of the camera when shooting a scene)
Editing (putting different shots together in a sequence)
Mise-en-scene (everything you see on the screen)
Casting (the choice of actors)
Acting (the art of playing a character)

If you’re a film or literature student, many of these elements will sound familiar to you. But even if you’re not, you don’t have to know much about all or even most of these to write a great film analysis.

All you need is a few good elements that will serve as ideas to organize and develop your paper. And you are probably already familiar with some of them, such as story and characters, for example.

As you watch the movie and take notes, keep these elements somewhere in your document so you could check in with the list at any time.

Step 2. Make some connections among the elements

If you really want to do well on this paper, you might want to watch the movie one more time after you’ve taken your initial notes. This time, you’ll be making connections using these elements.

You can do this step from memory and your initial set of notes, but if you do it while watching the film one more time, your paper will be a lot stronger. And the writing part will be easier.

As you watch the film, especially for the second and maybe even a third time, you’ll notice patterns.

You’ll begin to see how different elements are connected by themes and other unifying elements.

Here are examples of how different and seemingly distant elements can be connected in a movie:

Thematic connection

Two or more characters have the same pattern of behavior. They may not know each other or may even live on different continents or in different time periods. But they both feel stuck in their marriages, for example.

Connection through dialogue

Two or more characters who, again, seem completely unrelated say the same things. Or, one character says something, and another picks it up or answers it in the next scene or shot.

Connection through mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is all the visual elements on the screen. A recurring visual can link different elements, such as characters, together.

For example, a character can have a red rose in her hand. Another character, in a different time and space, can also have a red rose in her hand. This is a director’s way of saying: “Pay attention and look for connections between these characters.”

Musical connection

The same music can play in different scenes. Or, the same tune can be played in a major, happy key in one scene but in a minor, sad key in another. Or, a short motive can be repeated at pertinent moments in the film.

Movie writers and directors make all kinds of other connections in their films. If you watch the movie more than once while being consciously aware of the possibilities, you’ll notice things.

You can choose any types of connections you want. If your instructor wants you to be specific and use cinematography and dialogue, for example, then use these two categories.

But if you identify some nice connections in other categories, put them in your notes, too. You’ll use them as supporting ideas in your essay.

Example of making connections

Let me give you an example of how I used elements of film to make some connections for that film analysis I worked on.

Note that I’m using only four categories of these elements because to discuss more of them would only make the essay get out of hand. It’s better to focus on a few. Make sure it’s no fewer than two, and preferably three or four.

The first one or two can be the main ones, and the rest can be used as supporting ideas (more on this later).

To make better sense of the example below, keep in mind that the movie The Hours follows three women in different times and places.

I used letters V, L, and C as acronyms of their first names, because it’s faster and easier that way.

Here is a sample of connections (as brief notes)

Homosexuality and bisexuality.
Around 42:00 – L kisses her neighbor Kitty. Later, V kisses her sister Vanessa. Both women are not only stuck in their situations – they are also stuck in the closet.
C is also stuck, according to her own words.
V tries to write a novel. L tries to bake a cake. C tries to throw a party. Each one is frustrated.
But there is a progression from V-L-C. V never succeeds. L fails at first attempt but succeeds with the second one. C makes everything ready, but the party never happens through no fault of her own.
Also, trying to run away. V fails. L succeeds. So does Louis in modern times.
C says at one point, “From then on I’ve been stuck.” It seems she’s stuck in bisexuality.
When L drops off her son, it’s with Mrs. Latch (note the name). A latch is a fastening or binding device.
Louis Waters says, “The day I left him, I got on a train and made my way across Europe. I felt free for the first time in years.”
V succeeds on the third attempt. L contemplates it but changes her mind. C never attempts. But Richard succeeds.
13:54 – (1951) L’s son asks to help with the cake. L: “Of course you can, sweet pea. I’m not gonna do anything without you.” Cuts to 2001 New York: C: “No, of course!”
It’s as if the director is being sarcastic: “Yeah, sure. Of course I’m not gonna do anything without you.”
L eventually abandons her family, including her son. So, this juxtaposition seems sarcastic and acts as foreshadowing.

Mise-en-scene (visual elements)

Each of two women, V and L, is alone in a bed; one is in bed with a partner.
L is particularly emphasized as alone with an empty half bed – happens again later in the film.
The light is pouring in from outside, but the room is dark. She is isolated by the window frame. Isolated from everything in the home, including her son.
Later, around 17:30, her son will be alone in a very dark apartment: “I needed to let in some light.” Maybe light is associated with freedom.
V depressed, even disturbed
L wondering what the day will bring
C excited about the upcoming day.
There seems to be a progression from worse to better in V-L-C.

When you actively look for connections, you’ll make many of them. In this step, you’re not thinking deeply about them. You’re just noticing things and jotting them down.

The main thinking is done in the next step.

Step 3. Formulate your main argument

Now that you have your elements and you’ve perceived some relationships among them, it’s time to formulate your thesis.

A thesis is the main point of your essay. This step is the most important because this is where you take a stand.

This is also a creative step. You’re essentially making a decision about what to say about this movie or an aspect of the movie.

Here’s a short video I created, explaining what a thesis is:

Read back through your notes

Read through the initial notes you took and the connections that you’ve made.

What stands out to you as the most important, the most general and overarching idea that is probably the main one?

Make your thesis about this idea. And the rest of the elements or ideas will act as supporting points (we’ll add them in the next step).

Choose the subject

Let’s choose what to write about – our subject – in our sample film analysis. We have four categories of elements in which we’ve made notes and connections:

Mise-en-scene

Just by looking at this list and reading through the connections made, it is easy to notice:

One or more of the themes are dominant, and the rest is supportive. Therefore, our main point should probably be about a theme .

Again, if your instructor has given you a specific subject to focus on, then that’s what your thesis will be about.

In this example, let’s assume that we must simply write a film analysis, and we’re free to choose what to write about.

So, we’ll pick one of the themes, take a stand on it, and formulate our thesis based on it. Let’s look at the themes we’ve picked out again:

Repressed sexuality
Frustration
Being stuck
Seeking freedom

Which of these is the dominant one? Which one is all-encompassing? Which one includes some of the others?

These are some of the questions we might ask to pick the main subject for our essay. Let’s arrange these themes in the order of more general to more specific:

Why is being stuck the most general and all-encompassing theme? That’s because it seems that the rest of the themes are either the signs or the effects of it.

Repressed sexuality and frustration in trying to accomplish things and failing are signs, examples, or manifestations of being stuck.

It is only possible to seek freedom if you feel stuck. And suicide, at least in this film, is a result of being stuck and seeing no way out.

This tells us that being stuck as a theme is the best candidate for our thesis. In other words, this essay will be about the theme of being stuck in the film The Hours .

Formulate the thesis

At this point, we have everything we need to formulate our thesis, our main point that we’ll be supporting in the essay. Let’s do it:

“In the film The Hours, the feeling of being stuck in terms of their sexualities and life situations plagues the main characters. And the earlier in the century the action takes place, the more disastrous the consequences of them feeling stuck.”

What’s going on in this thesis?

First, we have two sentences because this film analysis is kind of complex. It is possible to write out the main point in only one sentence, but then it would be too long and complicated.

Second, note that we have all the main elements either explicitly or implicitly present in this statement. In other words, this thesis summarizes our entire essay perfectly.

It contains the themes of:

Being stuck (which is our main subject)
Sexuality (one supporting idea)
Seeking freedom (from an unwanted life situation)
Sucide (a disastrous consequence)

In other words, it’s all there in the thesis. And we’ll unpack these concepts more in the next two steps.

Step 4. Write the introductory paragraph

The introductory paragraph consists of three parts:

An introductory sentence
The thesis (main point)
The supporting points

Here is a diagram of how it is organized:

We already have one of these parts, which is the thesis (part 2). Now, all we need is the introductory sentence and the supporting points.

Let’s put together our supporting points – the crucial part of a thesis statement. A full thesis statement always includes the main point and the supporting ideas. And then we’ll write out the complete introductory paragraph.

Keep in mind that each of our supporting points will correspond to a section of our essay. And I always recommend using the Power of Three to organize a paper.

Three is a great number to divide one idea into many. Note that writing an essay on any topic is very much a matter of dividing big topics into subtopics.

What three supporting points or sections can we have in this essay? Well, luckly, it just so happens that the film The Hours centers around three main characters set in different time periods and places.

This makes a perfect division into three parts. Now, your movie may not have such a clear division, and in that case you’ll need to come up with three supporting ideas creatively.

For example, you could discuss the feeling or predicament if being stuck in terms of these concepts:

And your essay would have three main sections. Each section would be devoted to being stuck in a particular sense.

In our essay, the three women are:

Virginia Woolf (1923)
Laura Brown (1951)
Clarissa Vaughan (2001)

From our thesis, we know two things:

They all share the feeling of being stuck, in similar ways
There is a progression from past to present in how it affects them

So, now, let’s write out the complete thesis statement. Note that we’re also including the introductory sentence, whose function is to pull the reader into the subject matter of the essay.

Our film analysis thesis statement example

“Through the power of narrative and visual elements, cinema allows the viewer a glimpse into worlds she otherwise could not know, revealing difficulties people have faced throughout history. In the film The Hours, the feeling of being stuck in terms of their sexualities and life situations plagues the main characters. And the earlier in the century the action takes place, the more disastrous the consequences of them feeling stuck. Virginia Woolf, set in 1923, is in the worst situation because while she suffers from repressed homosexuality and hates living in the country, it is next to impossible for her to find a viable way out. Laura Brown, set in 1951, is also a closet lesbian and lives a small-town family life she despises. But she eventually finds a way to liberate herself. Finally, Clarissa Vaughn, set in 2001, is stuck in her bisexuality. But her life situation, while challenging, is otherwise better than those of the other two characters.”

Step 5. Outline the essay

The thesis statement that we just put together also acts as our big-picture outline. Let’s see how our essay will be organized, in terms of the main sections:

Notice that this big-picture outline is dictated completely by our thesis statement. This is why a great, detailed thesis statement is so important.

Fulfilling the word count requirement

Your film analysis essay assignment may have a specific word or page count requirement. Let me give you an example of this film analysis outline with a breakdown of words per section and subsection.

Let’s say you need to write a 2,000-word paper. Well, right now our introductory paragraph contains about 150 words. Here is how we could distribute words to meet that word count requirement.

Outline with word count distribution

Introductory paragraph (150 words)
Sexuality ( 300 words )
Life situation ( 300 words )
Conclusion (100 words)

If you add up all the sections and subsections, you’ll get 2,050, which is about our desired word count.

If you need to write 5,000 words, then distribute your words accordingly. You’ll have about 250 words per introduction and conclusion, which will leave you with 4,500 words for the body of the essay.

That will be 1,500 words per main section. Divide each main section into three subsections using the Power of Three, and you have 500 words per subsection.

It’s very helpful to know how to distribute your words because that allows you to map out how much you’re writing in each section and paragraph.

Step 6. Write the body of the essay

The body of a film analysis essay consists of sections, and each section consists of one or more paragraphs.

So, your main building block in the body of the essay is the body paragraph. Here is how a body paragraph is structured:

The first sentence is the so-called lead sentence. It must summarize the contents of the paragraph succinctly and perfectly.

An explanation is where you have a chance to provide any reasoning or describe a process.

And examples are the most specific parts of any paragraph or essay. They are the most fun to write and to read.

Let’s write a body paragraph to illustrate exactly how such a building block works in a movie analysis.

Our example is about Virginia Woolf. It belongs in Section 1, subsection 1 – about being stuck with repressed homosexuality.

Note that this subsection can have more than one paragraph. This will be one of the paragraphs in this section.

Film analysis body paragraph example

“Virginia feels stuck in her personal life as if in a prison because of her repressed sexuality. She appears to be a closet homosexual, which is a difficult predicament to endure in the early 20th century England. Homosexuality was looked down upon, and a woman had to be married to a man, regardless of her innate sexual preferences. She lives with her husband who takes care of her and clearly loves her. However, when her sister Vanessa comes to visit, at the end of the visit, Virginia gives her a long, passionate kiss on the lips that is apparently reciprocated. The kiss is so intense that it indicates a repressed desire. Vanessa accepts it, but it is not clear whether she does so out of mutual attraction or compassion for her sister’s suffering.”

This paragraph follows the structure illustrated in the diagram.

It opens with a lead sentence which summarizes and introduces the entire contents of the paragraph perfectly. It is also the most general statement of the essay.

Next comes the explanation. We explain why we think that Virginia has a problem. The time period she lives in makes it difficult to be a sexual minority.

Finally, we provide an example – the most specific kind of evidence in an essay. It is an example of a kiss, with a description and implications.

To complete the body of the essay, we would need to build it out by writing one paragraph after another, following the outline and maintaining this body paragraph structure.

Note that you can also use outside sources to support your points. But first write out what you can without resorting to research. And only then go and find sources that would confirm your thinking and ideas.

Step 7. Write the conclusion

This is the final step and the easiest one. I usually advocate for concluding with a simple restatement.

All you need to do is write out the thesis statement using different words so it doesn’t come across as a mere copy.

Your conclusion can be shorter than the introductory paragraph. After all, you’ve already said it all. And now, just restate in fewer and different words. You can also add a more general statement at the very end, as a finishing touch.

And let’s do it.

“The Hours is a fascinating study of how repressed sexuality and confining life situations have affected people’s lives throughout the twentieth century. The three characters live in different times, and the earlier the period the more difficult the situation and the harder it is to endure. Virginia commits suicide because she can’t find a way out of her situation. Laura almost commits suicide but then chooses to abandon her situation, which is physically a little easier in the 1950’s. And Clarissa lives with her girlfriend. Her situation is better although she is still stuck as a bisexual. Life in 2001 is significantly better, though not devoid of challenges.”

And there you have it. Now you know exactly how to write a film analysis paper.

I hope this was helpful!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

Film Writing: Sample Analysis

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Introductory Note

The analysis below discusses the opening moments of the science fiction movie Ex Machina in order to make an argument about the film's underlying purpose. The text of the analysis is formatted normally. Editor's commentary, which will occasionally interrupt the piece to discuss the author's rhetorical strategies, is written in brackets in an italic font with a bold "Ed.:" identifier. See the examples below:

The text of the analysis looks like this.

[ Ed.: The editor's commentary looks like this. ]

Frustrated Communication in Ex Machina ’s Opening Sequence

Alex Garland’s 2015 science fiction film Ex Machina follows a young programmer’s attempts to determine whether or not an android possesses a consciousness complicated enough to pass as human. The film is celebrated for its thought-provoking depiction of the anxiety over whether a nonhuman entity could mimic or exceed human abilities, but analyzing the early sections of the film, before artificial intelligence is even introduced, reveals a compelling examination of humans’ inability to articulate their thoughts and feelings. In its opening sequence, Ex Machina establishes that it’s not only about the difficulty of creating a machine that can effectively talk to humans, but about human beings who struggle to find ways to communicate with each other in an increasingly digital world.

[ Ed.: The piece's opening introduces the film with a plot summary that doesn't give away too much and a brief summary of the critical conversation that has centered around the film. Then, however, it deviates from this conversation by suggesting that Ex Machina has things to say about humanity before non-human characters even appear. Off to a great start. ]

The film’s first establishing shots set the action in a busy modern office. A woman sits at a computer, absorbed in her screen. The camera looks at her through a glass wall, one of many in the shot. The reflections of passersby reflected in the glass and the workspace’s dim blue light make it difficult to determine how many rooms are depicted. The camera cuts to a few different young men typing on their phones, their bodies partially concealed both by people walking between them and the camera and by the stylized modern furniture that surrounds them. The fourth shot peeks over a computer monitor at a blonde man working with headphones in. A slight zoom toward his face suggests that this is an important character, and the cut to a point-of-view shot looking at his computer screen confirms this. We later learn that this is Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a young programmer whose perspective the film follows.

The rest of the sequence cuts between shots from Caleb’s P.O.V. and reaction shots of his face, as he receives and processes the news that he has won first prize in a staff competition. Shocked, Caleb dives for his cellphone and texts several people the news. Several people immediately respond with congratulatory messages, and after a moment the woman from the opening shot runs in to give him a hug. At this point, the other people in the room look up, smile, and start clapping, while Caleb smiles disbelievingly—perhaps even anxiously—and the camera subtly zooms in a bit closer. Throughout the entire sequence, there is no sound other than ambient electronic music that gets slightly louder and more textured as the sequence progresses. A jump cut to an aerial view of a glacial landscape ends the sequence and indicates that Caleb is very quickly transported into a very unfamiliar setting, implying that he will have difficulty adjusting to this sudden change in circumstances.

[ Ed.: These paragraphs are mostly descriptive. They give readers the information they will need to understand the argument the piece is about to offer. While passages like this can risk becoming boring if they dwell on unimportant details, the author wisely limits herself to two paragraphs and maintains a driving pace through her prose style choices (like an almost exclusive reliance on active verbs). ]

Without any audible dialogue or traditional expository setup of the main characters, this opening sequence sets viewers up to make sense of Ex Machina ’s visual style and its exploration of the ways that technology can both enhance and limit human communication. The choice to make the dialogue inaudible suggests that in-person conversations have no significance. Human-to-human conversations are most productive in this sequence when they are mediated by technology. Caleb’s first response when he hears his good news is to text his friends rather than tell the people sitting around him, and he makes no move to take his headphones out when the in-person celebration finally breaks out. Everyone in the building is on their phones, looking at screens, or has headphones in, and the camera is looking at screens through Caleb’s viewpoint for at least half of the sequence.

Rather than simply muting the specific conversations that Caleb has with his coworkers, the ambient soundtrack replaces all the noise that a crowded building in the middle of a workday would ordinarily have. This silence sets the uneasy tone that characterizes the rest of the film, which is as much a horror-thriller as a piece of science fiction. Viewers get the sense that all the sounds that humans make as they walk around and talk to each other are being intentionally filtered out by some presence, replaced with a quiet electronic beat that marks the pacing of the sequence, slowly building to a faster tempo. Perhaps the sound of people is irrelevant: only the visual data matters here. Silence is frequently used in the rest of the film as a source of tension, with viewers acutely aware that it could be broken at any moment. Part of the horror of the research bunker, which will soon become the film’s primary setting, is its silence, particularly during sequences of Caleb sneaking into restricted areas and being startled by a sudden noise.

The visual style of this opening sequence reinforces the eeriness of the muted humans and electronic soundtrack. Prominent use of shallow focus to depict a workspace that is constructed out of glass doors and walls makes it difficult to discern how large the space really is. The viewer is thus spatially disoriented in each new setting. This layering of glass and mirrors, doubling some images and obscuring others, is used later in the film when Caleb meets the artificial being Ava (Alicia Vikander), who is not allowed to leave her glass-walled living quarters in the research bunker. The similarity of these spaces visually reinforces the film’s late revelation that Caleb has been manipulated by Nathan Bates (Oscar Isaac), the troubled genius who creates Ava.

[ Ed.: In these paragraphs, the author cites the information about the scene she's provided to make her argument. Because she's already teased the argument in the introduction and provided an account of her evidence, it doesn't strike us as unreasonable or far-fetched here. Instead, it appears that we've naturally arrived at the same incisive, fascinating points that she has. ]

A few other shots in the opening sequence more explicitly hint that Caleb is already under Nathan’s control before he ever arrives at the bunker. Shortly after the P.O.V shot of Caleb reading the email notification that he won the prize, we cut to a few other P.O.V. shots, this time from the perspective of cameras in Caleb’s phone and desktop computer. These cameras are not just looking at Caleb, but appear to be scanning him, as the screen flashes in different color lenses and small points appear around Caleb’s mouth, eyes, and nostrils, tracking the smallest expressions that cross his face. These small details indicate that Caleb is more a part of this digital space than he realizes, and also foreshadow the later revelation that Nathan is actively using data collected by computers and webcams to manipulate Caleb and others. The shots from the cameras’ perspectives also make use of a subtle fisheye lens, suggesting both the wide scope of Nathan’s surveillance capacities and the slightly distorted worldview that motivates this unethical activity.

[ Ed.: This paragraph uses additional details to reinforce the piece's main argument. While this move may not be as essential as the one in the preceding paragraphs, it does help create the impression that the author is noticing deliberate patterns in the film's cinematography, rather than picking out isolated coincidences to make her points. ]

Taken together, the details of Ex Machina ’s stylized opening sequence lay the groundwork for the film’s long exploration of the relationship between human communication and technology. The sequence, and the film, ultimately suggests that we need to develop and use new technologies thoughtfully, or else the thing that makes us most human—our ability to connect through language—might be destroyed by our innovations. All of the aural and visual cues in the opening sequence establish a world in which humans are utterly reliant on technology and yet totally unaware of the nefarious uses to which a brilliant but unethical person could put it.

Author's Note: Thanks to my literature students whose in-class contributions sharpened my thinking on this scene .

[ Ed.: The piece concludes by tying the main themes of the opening sequence to those of the entire film. In doing this, the conclusion makes an argument for the essay's own relevance: we need to pay attention to the essay's points so that we can achieve a rich understanding of the movie. The piece's final sentence makes a chilling final impression by alluding to the danger that might loom if we do not understand the movie. This is the only the place in the piece where the author explicitly references how badly we might be hurt by ignorance, and it's all the more powerful for this solitary quality. A pithy, charming note follows, acknowledging that the author's work was informed by others' input (as most good writing is). Beautifully done. ]

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How To Make a Movie Analysis Essay

Movie analysis essay, how to start, how to write an outline, example of an outline for a movie analysis, how to write an introduction, how to write a thesis statement.

Example of an introduction for a movie analysis

How to write body paragraphs

Tips for writing body paragraphs, example of body paragraphs for a movie analysis essay, how to conclude.

Example of a conclusion for a movie analysis

How to write A Movie Analysis Essay, https://customessayorder.com/

Writing a movie analysis requires critical thinking and analysis skills when supporting an articulated argument. Movie review highlights features of the film stating the work of other writers. The analysis may also examine the various aspects of the movie element, the production history, the context, how the movie is received and consumed by different audiences and issues related to its distribution.

Before writing a good analysis, it is advisable to watch and reflect on the movie themes. Take note of important elements like symbolism, the mood, the themes, photography, the plot and anything that makes the movie worth mentioning. An excellent movie analysis should start by clarifying the thesis, the author needs to state the claim, followed by the interpretation and its effect on the audience. It is also important to point out any interesting ideas about the movie that makes it worth investigating.

A good introduction should be short, and the opening paragraph should mention the background, including who directed the movie, the key actors when the movie was produced, whether the movie is based on a book and the intention of the movie. The introduction should contain contextual information that may be of value to the target audience. The first paragraph provides a summary of the movie giving the reader some basic explanation more so the plot that would be relevant to the discussion of the themes.

To write an outline, gather up the information you have, and transpose it into the framework of the essay you are going to use. You can use the outline as it suits you – to play with the subjects in the paragraphs or to remember important information.

Introduction

Background information about the movie
The movie director and main characters
Thesis statement and the reason for analysis

Plot Synopsis

Brief plot summary of the movie
Present competent knowledge about the movie.
Highlight the main theme of the movie
The significance of the themes

Visual element

Describe the visual appearance, impressive camera work, the angles, the shot the set designs like costumes, location, and lighting
Review of opinion about the movie
Rate the movie and present your recommendations.

Writing an introduction is easy if you have all your information – some people write the introduction last for this reason. To compose an introduction, get your arguments together, write a thesis statement, and then put them all onto one paragraph which not only introduces the subject but also encourages readers to keep reading.

Write your thesis statement.
Make sure that all of your arguments are referenced.
Hook your readers in to encourage them to keep reading.
Don’t make any original arguments.
Write coherently.

Developing a thesis statement is to either support of the film or not recommending the film. A good argument should the one that the author can defend with a valid explanation, good examples and logic sentences. A good thesis should be brief, you can simply write about a specific segment of the movie instead of writing about every aspect of the movie.

Example of an introduction for a movie analysis essay

‘The Blindside’ by John Hancock

There comes a moment when we have to stand for what we believe in. In the movie “The Blindside” by John Hancock, Michael, the main character, is interviewed by the sports investigator. The investigator alleged that Michael was assisted by Tuohys who helped him play for the college team they support. Michael is forced to review his relationship with the Tuohy’s family not to ruin his future career in sports. Going against the Tuohys is the turning point for him. Michael shows how far he can go without their support. However, the turning point is crucial because the preconception of others could threaten his future career. Using different production skills Hancock draws the audience into tension to highlight the significant themes of being assertive.

Writing body paragraphs requires the author to specifically focus on the elements mentioned in the introduction and the thesis. A good essay body should interpret, analyze and evaluate the movie. The essay body should be organized and logically discuss the specific elements like non-technical and technical aspects of the production. These can be the acting, the directing, the sceneries, costumes, and even lighting.

Don’t get distracted from the main point you are making.
One argument per paragraph.
Make sure each paragraph is introduced with a topic sentence and ended with a concluding sentence.
Make sure that the paragraphs flow smoothly together to form a coherent argument.
Refer to the thesis statement in each paragraph.

Writing a Movie Analysis, customessayorder.com

Paragraph one

‘The Blindside’ is a slightly biographical movie about Michael Oher, a man who beat the odds to reach the position he is in now, in the football team. The movie follows him throughout his life, culminating in his pick by the Ravens team. This movie uses flashbacks and memories quite effectively.

Paragraph two

The themes of this movie include hard work, family, and growing up, shown through Michael, at various ages, attempting to navigate the world. The main theme is family, as shown by the ending. These themes are all significant because it shows how difficult it can be for people to grow up under conflicting expectations.

Paragraph three

This movie makes use of different lighting and color for the flashbacks, to differentiate them from the main plotline. These changes not only make it easier for the audience to know when the main storyline is in effect, but it also provides a visual shorthand as to how the main character is feeling at the time.

A movie analysis conclusion should no recapitulate the thesis, but try to show why the movie was of interest to the author, but based on what is described in the body paragraph. Concluding a movie analysis includes reviewing your opinion about the movie to try to persuade the reader to either watch the film or not.

Example of conclusion for a movie analysis

The Blindside is a good movie for themes of coming of age themes, and themes of family. It also showcases some good work on characters and visual, making it a movie which stands out among other movies with similar themes.

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1.Which structure does the movie analysis essay have ? Movie analysis essay has a basic narrative structure that comprises an introduction, body, and conclusion.

2.How to write an analysis essay on a movie? Your movie analysis essay should be more than your opinion on the film. It should allow the reader to see the movie from an entirely different angle. The essay should answer these basic questions: · What is the goal of the film? Do you think it was achieved? · Did the film manage to speak to its target audience? · What were the main conflicts? · Does the film raise any important issues?

3.How to start off a movie analysis essay? A good intro must be informative yet precise. You may mention the cast, producer, and what the story is about in one sentence. Using a powerful dialogue as an opening sentence of your essay is also a good idea. Don’t forget to include a thesis statement. This statement either recommends the movie or tells the reader that it’s not worth watching.

4.Which service can I use to write a critique analysis essay for a movie? Customessayorder.com is one of the best services available online for students. If you can’t seem to write an essay on your own, our professional writers can help you get the job done.

Guide on How to Title an Essay with Tips and Examples for Various Essay Types

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Film Analysis

What this handout is about.

This handout introduces film analysis and and offers strategies and resources for approaching film analysis assignments.

Writing the film analysis essay

Writing a film analysis requires you to consider the composition of the film—the individual parts and choices made that come together to create the finished piece. Film analysis goes beyond the analysis of the film as literature to include camera angles, lighting, set design, sound elements, costume choices, editing, etc. in making an argument. The first step to analyzing the film is to watch it with a plan.

Watching the film

First it’s important to watch the film carefully with a critical eye. Consider why you’ve been assigned to watch a film and write an analysis. How does this activity fit into the course? Why have you been assigned this particular film? What are you looking for in connection to the course content? Let’s practice with this clip from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). Here are some tips on how to watch the clip critically, just as you would an entire film:

Give the clip your undivided attention at least once. Pay close attention to details and make observations that might start leading to bigger questions.
Watch the clip a second time. For this viewing, you will want to focus specifically on those elements of film analysis that your class has focused on, so review your course notes. For example, from whose perspective is this clip shot? What choices help convey that perspective? What is the overall tone, theme, or effect of this clip?
Take notes while you watch for the second time. Notes will help you keep track of what you noticed and when, if you include timestamps in your notes. Timestamps are vital for citing scenes from a film!

For more information on watching a film, check out the Learning Center’s handout on watching film analytically . For more resources on researching film, including glossaries of film terms, see UNC Library’s research guide on film & cinema .

Brainstorming ideas

Once you’ve watched the film twice, it’s time to brainstorm some ideas based on your notes. Brainstorming is a major step that helps develop and explore ideas. As you brainstorm, you may want to cluster your ideas around central topics or themes that emerge as you review your notes. Did you ask several questions about color? Were you curious about repeated images? Perhaps these are directions you can pursue.

If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you can use the connections that you develop while brainstorming to draft a thesis statement . Consider the assignment and prompt when formulating a thesis, as well as what kind of evidence you will present to support your claims. Your evidence could be dialogue, sound edits, cinematography decisions, etc. Much of how you make these decisions will depend on the type of film analysis you are conducting, an important decision covered in the next section.

After brainstorming, you can draft an outline of your film analysis using the same strategies that you would for other writing assignments. Here are a few more tips to keep in mind as you prepare for this stage of the assignment:

Make sure you understand the prompt and what you are being asked to do. Remember that this is ultimately an assignment, so your thesis should answer what the prompt asks. Check with your professor if you are unsure.
In most cases, the director’s name is used to talk about the film as a whole, for instance, “Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo .” However, some writers may want to include the names of other persons who helped to create the film, including the actors, the cinematographer, and the sound editor, among others.
When describing a sequence in a film, use the literary present. An example could be, “In Vertigo , Hitchcock employs techniques of observation to dramatize the act of detection.”
Finding a screenplay/script of the movie may be helpful and save you time when compiling citations. But keep in mind that there may be differences between the screenplay and the actual product (and these differences might be a topic of discussion!).
Go beyond describing basic film elements by articulating the significance of these elements in support of your particular position. For example, you may have an interpretation of the striking color green in Vertigo , but you would only mention this if it was relevant to your argument. For more help on using evidence effectively, see the section on “using evidence” in our evidence handout .

Also be sure to avoid confusing the terms shot, scene, and sequence. Remember, a shot ends every time the camera cuts; a scene can be composed of several related shots; and a sequence is a set of related scenes.

Different types of film analysis

As you consider your notes, outline, and general thesis about a film, the majority of your assignment will depend on what type of film analysis you are conducting. This section explores some of the different types of film analyses you may have been assigned to write.

Semiotic analysis

Semiotic analysis is the interpretation of signs and symbols, typically involving metaphors and analogies to both inanimate objects and characters within a film. Because symbols have several meanings, writers often need to determine what a particular symbol means in the film and in a broader cultural or historical context.

For instance, a writer could explore the symbolism of the flowers in Vertigo by connecting the images of them falling apart to the vulnerability of the heroine.

Here are a few other questions to consider for this type of analysis:

What objects or images are repeated throughout the film?
How does the director associate a character with small signs, such as certain colors, clothing, food, or language use?
How does a symbol or object relate to other symbols and objects, that is, what is the relationship between the film’s signs?

Many films are rich with symbolism, and it can be easy to get lost in the details. Remember to bring a semiotic analysis back around to answering the question “So what?” in your thesis.

Narrative analysis

Narrative analysis is an examination of the story elements, including narrative structure, character, and plot. This type of analysis considers the entirety of the film and the story it seeks to tell.

For example, you could take the same object from the previous example—the flowers—which meant one thing in a semiotic analysis, and ask instead about their narrative role. That is, you might analyze how Hitchcock introduces the flowers at the beginning of the film in order to return to them later to draw out the completion of the heroine’s character arc.

To create this type of analysis, you could consider questions like:

How does the film correspond to the Three-Act Structure: Act One: Setup; Act Two: Confrontation; and Act Three: Resolution?
What is the plot of the film? How does this plot differ from the narrative, that is, how the story is told? For example, are events presented out of order and to what effect?
Does the plot revolve around one character? Does the plot revolve around multiple characters? How do these characters develop across the film?

When writing a narrative analysis, take care not to spend too time on summarizing at the expense of your argument. See our handout on summarizing for more tips on making summary serve analysis.

Cultural/historical analysis

One of the most common types of analysis is the examination of a film’s relationship to its broader cultural, historical, or theoretical contexts. Whether films intentionally comment on their context or not, they are always a product of the culture or period in which they were created. By placing the film in a particular context, this type of analysis asks how the film models, challenges, or subverts different types of relations, whether historical, social, or even theoretical.

For example, the clip from Vertigo depicts a man observing a woman without her knowing it. You could examine how this aspect of the film addresses a midcentury social concern about observation, such as the sexual policing of women, or a political one, such as Cold War-era McCarthyism.

A few of the many questions you could ask in this vein include:

How does the film comment on, reinforce, or even critique social and political issues at the time it was released, including questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality?
How might a biographical understanding of the film’s creators and their historical moment affect the way you view the film?
How might a specific film theory, such as Queer Theory, Structuralist Theory, or Marxist Film Theory, provide a language or set of terms for articulating the attributes of the film?

Take advantage of class resources to explore possible approaches to cultural/historical film analyses, and find out whether you will be expected to do additional research into the film’s context.

Mise-en-scène analysis

A mise-en-scène analysis attends to how the filmmakers have arranged compositional elements in a film and specifically within a scene or even a single shot. This type of analysis organizes the individual elements of a scene to explore how they come together to produce meaning. You may focus on anything that adds meaning to the formal effect produced by a given scene, including: blocking, lighting, design, color, costume, as well as how these attributes work in conjunction with decisions related to sound, cinematography, and editing. For example, in the clip from Vertigo , a mise-en-scène analysis might ask how numerous elements, from lighting to camera angles, work together to present the viewer with the perspective of Jimmy Stewart’s character.

To conduct this type of analysis, you could ask:

What effects are created in a scene, and what is their purpose?
How does this scene represent the theme of the movie?
How does a scene work to express a broader point to the film’s plot?

This detailed approach to analyzing the formal elements of film can help you come up with concrete evidence for more general film analysis assignments.

Reviewing your draft

Once you have a draft, it’s helpful to get feedback on what you’ve written to see if your analysis holds together and you’ve conveyed your point. You may not necessarily need to find someone who has seen the film! Ask a writing coach, roommate, or family member to read over your draft and share key takeaways from what you have written so far.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Aumont, Jacques, and Michel Marie. 1988. L’analyse Des Films . Paris: Nathan.

Media & Design Center. n.d. “Film and Cinema Research.” UNC University Libraries. Last updated February 10, 2021. https://guides.lib.unc.edu/filmresearch .

Oxford Royale Academy. n.d. “7 Ways to Watch Film.” Oxford Royale Academy. Accessed April 2021. https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/7-ways-watch-films-critically/ .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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COMMENTS

Step By Step Guide to Writing an Essay on Film
Learn the steps to write an essay on film, from watching the movie to analyzing its elements. Find out what to include in your introduction, summary, analysis, and conclusion.
When Writing a Movie Title in an Essay: Expert Recommendations
When it comes to writing movie titles in your essay, it's essential to follow the correct format to maintain consistency and accuracy. Properly formatting movie titles enhances the overall professionalism and readability of your essay. Here are some guidelines to help you choose the correct format: 1. Italicize the titles: When writing the ...
How to Write a Film Analysis Essay: Examples, Outline, & Tips
📽️ Movie Analysis Format. To write an effective film analysis essay, it is important to follow specific format requirements that include the following: Standard essay structure. Just as with any essay, your analysis should consist of an introduction with a strong thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay or Article
If you are writing a movie title in an article, the format you use is up to you (or the company you work for). Pick a format and stick to it. If you are writing a movie title in an essay, then you should follow your university's or employer's referencing style guidelines.
Film Analysis: Example, Format, and Outline + Topics & Prompts
️ How to Write a Film Analysis Essay. Writing a film analysis essay can be challenging since it requires a deep understanding of the film, its themes, and its characters. However, with the right approach, you can create a compelling analysis that offers insight into the film's meaning and impact. To help you, we've prepared a small guide. 1.
How to Write a Film Analysis Essay
7 Steps to Writing a Film Analysis Essay. Step 1. Watch the movie while taking notes. If you already saw the film you need to analyze, you'll probably need to watch it again, this time taking some notes. Why is note taking important? Well, to analyze really means to break something into parts and to discuss relationships among them.
Film Writing: Sample Analysis
In doing this, the conclusion makes an argument for the essay's own relevance: we need to pay attention to the essay's points so that we can achieve a rich understanding of the movie. The piece's final sentence makes a chilling final impression by alluding to the danger that might loom if we do not understand the movie.
How To Analyse FILM In An Essay
This video will teach you how to write about a film in an essay. For complete essay guides on a wide range of texts, check out https://www.ignitehsc.com.au/s...
How to Write a Movie Analysis Essay (Sample with Outline)
A good argument should the one that the author can defend with a valid explanation, good examples and logic sentences. A good thesis should be brief, you can simply write about a specific segment of the movie instead of writing about every aspect of the movie. Example of an introduction for a movie analysis essay 'The Blindside' by John Hancock
Film Analysis
Writing the film analysis essay Writing a film analysis requires you to consider the composition of the film—the individual parts and choices made that come together to create the finished piece. Film analysis goes beyond the analysis of the film as literature to include camera angles, lighting, set design, sound elements, costume choices ...

Step By Step Guide to Writing an Essay on Film

1. Watch the Movie

2. Introduction

3. Write a Summary

4. Write Your Analysis

5. Conclusion

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How to Write a Film Analysis Essay: Examples, Outline, & Tips

❓ What Is a Film Analysis Essay?

📽️ Movie Analysis Format

🔗 References

🚦 Film Analysis Essay Types

Starting Your Film Analysis Essay

Making a Film Analysis Essay Outline

Writing & Editing Your Film Analysis Essay

📄 Film Analysis Examples

Film Analysis Example #1: The Intouchables

Movie Analysis Example #2: Parasite

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay or Article

How to Write a Movie Title in an Article

Why You Need a Specific Format

Key Principles and Rules

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay

Academic Referencing Styles

Write a Movie Title in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles

Write a Movie Title in AP style

Write a Movie Title in Title Case

Chicago Style

Incorrect ways to write a movie title

A note on reference lists

Other Points of Interest

How to write a quote from a movie

How to write the name of an episode of a TV show

Where does the word ‘movie’ come from?

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Film Analysis: Example, Format, and Outline + Topics & Prompts

📚 Types of Film Analysis

📝 Film Analysis Example

🔗 References

Film Analysis vs Film Review

📋 Film Analysis Format

📑 Film Analysis Essay Outline

Film Analysis Introduction

Film Analysis Thesis

Movie Analysis Main Body

Film Analysis Conclusion

✍️ How to Write a Film Analysis Essay

1. Understand the Prompt

2. Watch the Film & Take Notes

3. Develop a Thesis and an Outline

4. Write Your Movie Analysis

5. Revise and Proofread

🎞️ Movie Analysis: Sample Prompts

🎬 Top 15 Film Analysis Essay Topics

Film Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Film Analysis Body Paragraphs Example

Film Analysis Conclusion Example

🍿 More Film Analysis Examples

❓ Film Analysis Essay: FAQ

How to write a movie analysis?

How to write a critical analysis of a movie?

How to write a psychological analysis of a movie?

Descriptive Essay Topics: Examples, Outline, & More

How to Write a Film Analysis Essay – Step by Step

Step 1. Watch the movie while taking notes

How to take notes

What to look for

Example of note-taking