How to Write a Movie Review

As the collection of films I've reviewed builds, I am hearing more and more comments from my friends and folks like.

"There is no way I could do that." or "Nice! I have no idea how I would review a movie like that." 

And so forth and so on. I'm going to take a minute and talk about how you can review the movies you watch. In the past, we've gone over the why. We are told to take every thought captive for Christ. This especially includes the movies we watch and media we partake in. If we are not doing that, the time we spend in that media, is in my opinion, wasted.

So here are three... guides to assist you in reviewing movies. The goal in posting these is first you begin to think about what you are watching if you have not done so already. Second, to equip you in some basic skills to effectively engage your mind when you watch a movie.
Let's begin.

1. Don't Check Out- Check In.
   For many, films, music, video games, etc are an escape. It is crucial to go into a movie with the intent of engaging it on a critical level. Not necessarily on the grounds whether the movie is enjoyable or not, but on the ground of "What is the message or theme of this movie?" ask yourself this throughout the movie and it will keep you alert to key quotes and actions.
   In the course of the movie, I sometimes take mental notes in my mind. A certain quote, a specific character, etc. If there is something that really stands out to you, write it down or make a note in your mind. I have been guilty of taking a small notebook into a movie and writing down key phrases. Don't be afraid to do that. But please, don't type it on your phone, that's just distracting. ;)

2. Don't Dismiss- Digest.
  After a movie is over, what most people do is go "That was a great movie!" and go on their merry way after a few minutes though of what they really liked, and whether or not they will recommend it to their friends based upon that like. The second step to writing good reviews is to truly digest what you have seen, then reflect upon it. I have the benefit of talking with my bro and some close friends about the movie in depth after viewing it. You have to instantly think about what you've just watched if you want to accurately portray what the movie's themes were.
   I have actually found if I wait a few days before actually digesting a movie, my mind will drop things which I subconsciously don't like, and I won't remember them until I look up another review or am told otherwise. Fresh thoughts are always more reliable than ones a few days old. Don't wait.

3. Write.
   This is probably the easiest part of the reviewing process, though the most time consuming. If you don't write down your thoughts, they eventually will fade. While it isn't as important to write the review right away, I think it is important to write to yourself a summary of what the movie was about and what those themes were. I'll be honest, for every review, I always write the Closing Thoughts first. Why? Because they are the most important. Content is easy to look up on sites like Plugged In. However, your personal thoughts on the movie cannot be replicated nor found anywhere else. It is important to get those down.
   Once you have your thoughts and opinion on the film, you can go in and fill in the content you remember, things you liked, the story, etc if you like. The thing to keep in mind though, when you write a review, it really is for you as much as anyone else who reads it. Be honest in what you type, because when you get older and think of movies you want to show your kids, your review will help in preventing an acidental showing of a movie which wasn't as clean as you remembered.

So, I hope that helps you all in providing a starting point to review movies for your own benefit, and the benefit of others. This is by no means the best or only way to do this, just thoughts from my experience.

If you have any tips or recommendations be sure to post them in the comments below. :)

Good Photography... it comes not from a expensive camera.

It seems like the current fad right now in the digital photography world is what DSLR you have, with what lens, when you got it, the best deals for it, and more.

And if you don't have a DSLR... Well, you are not a real photographer. ;)

   It is my opinion there are some more basic things one should know and use before even considering dropping a grand or so on a quality camera... Because a DSLR or an expensive camera does not a photographer make.

   This post is meant to help you take better pictures, regardless of the camera you have. If you employ these techniques I have been taught by others, I can assure you that your pictures will not only look better, but you will have a more enjoyable time taking pictures.

Because that is what photography is all about. :)

I have used, and probably will always use, a Nikon Coolpix point-and-shoot camera. This is the one I have right now:

I like Nikon because they deliver the best quality for the price in my  experience. I have tried panasonic, sony, and Cannon Brands in the $150-$200 range, and Nikon is what I always wound up going back to because of the superior Focusing abilities, and inclusion of features such extra wide lenses, ability to choose between auto and manual, and more.
   I say all that only because if you are looking for a camera and don't know where to start... I recommend start with Nikon. :)

So, now that you have a camera in your hand, here are three things I have been taught over the years that will make anyone a better photographer with relative ease.

#1: Know your camera.
      Your camera is a complicated piece of electronics, micro-gears, and computers. The fact digital cameras are so small, yet so powerful truly is amazing. Many people buy a cheap digital camera, set it on "Auto" and start clicking away.
   While this will probably work outside without to much trouble, and inside with flash overexposing everything in site... If you really want good pictures, you need to know how your camera works. Basics such as exposure, ISO, Lighting balance, and more are all included in any camera. Learn how to change these and what they mean! The computer is not always going to get it right.
   The better you know your camera and how it behaves in various conditions will enable you to be better prepared going into those conditions. This comes with experience, knowledge of basic terms, and knowing what you want you camera to do... then making the computer do it.

#2: Use the Rule of threes.
   If you take any good photography class, you are going to hear about the rule of 3s. This is a super simple, yet powerful technique you can apply to any picture you are taking. Here is how it works...
Picture a Tic-Tac-Toe board on your camera screen. Wherever the lines intersect, those are the best places to put the subject in your picture. Unless you are shooting a super close macro shot, The subject should pretty much Never go in the dead center of your picture. It really is amazing how much better pictures look when taken with the rule of threes in mind.

#3 Editing.
Now, you have a solid picture on your camera. It isn't blurry, is taken with good composition, but looks rather bland as far as color goes. This is where a lot of people divide over digital photography. After image editing is a very powerful thing to use to make a good picture look great. There are many free programs out there to edit with. Some are simple like Picasa, others, quite powerful and complex, like GIMP. You don't have to have the latest $600 version of photoshop... (Though I must admit, it is quite nice) Those free programs often do everything one needs to do basic edits in order to enhance an image.
Here is a picture before:

As you can see, it has a decent amount of color, but it was cloudy and raining outside, so you can't quite see the actual color of the car.
Cropping the image, Applying a little more saturation, and increasing the contrast a little... (easy things to do in any editing program)

You now have a more accurate representation of what the car actually looked like.
It took 5 minutes, and you have a much better looking picture.

Not all images are easy to edit, but most are.

So there ya go, Three things I have learned over the years on how to take better pictures with a "Cheapy" camera. If you have any tips, or things you have learned, be sure to comment! They are most appreciated.

Back to editing the 12 Apostles... ;)

Austin