A movie is a piece of moving visual art that tells a story. Typically, movies make people laugh (comedies), cry (drama or tragedy), or scared (horror). Movies can also combine genres like comedy-horror or drama-action. Whether a movie is good or bad depends on how well it accomplishes its purpose. For example, a movie that makes you think and feel about its subject matter is better than a movie that only stimulates one of those emotions.
During the filming of a movie, actors say their lines while the director, or a cameraman, films them with a camera that uses light to record an image on a photosensitive surface, such as a negative. Then, the producer edits the images and sounds into a final product called a movie. The word “movie” is most commonly used in America to describe motion pictures, but “film” is often preferred for older movies and other types of cinematic productions.
To write a movie review, first watch the film in its entirety and take notes. Evaluate the film by jotting down your overall thoughts and feelings about it, and consider how well the filmmakers conveyed the themes and plotline. Some movie reviews assign a rating of thumbs-up/thumbs-down or a percentage score to summarize the evaluation. More in-depth reviews analyze character performances, screenwriting, cinematography, soundtrack, CGI, costume design, and thematic arcs of the film.