Writing a Movie Review

Writing a Movie Review Writing a movie review is a great way of expressing your opinion of a movie. The purpose of most movie reviews is to help readers in determining whether they want to watch, rent, or buy the movie. The review should give enough details about the movie that the reader could make an informed decision, without giving anyway any essentials such as the plot or any surprises. Similar to the purpose of writing book reviews, movie reviews analyze the effectiveness of the plot, theme, acting, direction, special effects, musical effects, cinematography, and all other elements that created the movie. There are qualities and guidelines that a critique of a movie should possess. Avoid the use of generalized opinions such as oh, it was a great movie or the acting was horrible, but rather give specific reasons and the whys. Here is a good guide to follow. While we dont limit you to a certain style of writing, the number of words you must have in your review, and what you must (or must not) write about, we do provide the following guideline to help you get started in writing a review. Paragraph 1 You will need to include the following: name of the film, prominent stars of the film, basic setting (time and place), and type of film (comedy, adventure, drama, etc.) Paragraph 2 You will need to write a plot summary for the movie. Do not reveal the ending. Discuss at least five events and be sure to cover the entire scope of the movie, except the very end. Paragraph 3 Discuss one aspect of filmmaking. You may choose from acting, direction, editing, and costume design, set design, photography, background music, or anything else you may think of. Be sure that you are specific and cite examples from the movie. Paragraph 4 Discuss another aspect of filmmaking. You may choose from acting, direction, editing, and costume design, set design, photography, background music, or anything else you may think of, but obviously choose something different from what you discussed in the previous paragraph. Be sure that you are specific and cite examples from the movie. Paragraph 5 Give your overall reaction to the film as well as your opinion on the quality of the film. Also, include your recommendations for potential viewers. Remember, the guideline above is just what it is. It is just a guideline, so throw in your own spin and develop your own format if you want to. Steps to Writing a Movie Review: 1. Watch the movie The first step in writing the review is to watch the movie. Watch the movie in a relaxed environment you are familiar with. You do not want to be distracted by an unfamiliar room. Most movie reviewers take notes as they watch the movie. 2. Evaluate the movie Most movie reviewers will give their opinion of the movie. This is important as the reviewer can express the elements of the movie they enjoyed or disliked. However, as in all good journalism, the reviewer should also give impartial details and allow the reader to make their decision over an issue the reader liked or disliked. Opinions should be explained to allow the reader to determine whether they would agree with your opinion. 3. Who is your audience? You need to consider who your audience will be. Writing a movie review for children requires a different approach than if writing for a movie club. Ensure you report on the factors that matter to your likely audience. 4. Give an outline Give the outline of the movie, but do not give away essential details such as the end or any surprises. If there is a big surprise, you want to entice readers by telling them something special happens; just do not say what. 5. Actors If the movie contains actors, as most do, detail who is starring in the movie and how well you think they acted. 6. Structure Did the movie follow a regular predictable story line, or did it get you thinking, like a Quentin Tarantino movie? 7. Cinematography and lighting Give details about how well the movie was shot and directed. Was the lighting good in the moody scenes? 8. Music Did the movie have its own score like The Lord of the Rings or ET, or did it feature songs from popular artists? Did the music align with the time period? 9. Read, read, and read Read and check your review thoroughly. It can be embarrassing to find errors in your work after it has been published. This is especially important for reviews that will be published on the Internet, as search engines are always looking for the correct spellings of key words.

Mrs Beast Essay

One construction of feminism in the poem is female dominance over men. The Beast is shown as the weaker of the male culture due to his unappealing image â€Å"ugly as sin†. The Beast sees the narrators seeming interest in him as a miracle and is portrayed as desperate to keep her attention even it means living with her neglect. Here we see that the there is a reversal of gender stereotype as the Beast takes on the supportive female role and the narrator takes on the stereotypically-dominant male role. The Beast is also described as submissive to the narrator, â€Å"fell to his knee’s at the door† which is stereotypically a female trait and shows the power Mrs Beast has over him. Traditionally men are known for being the most powerful in relationships as they are looked up to by women as the more protective, confident and in-control gender because are often known to be the sex that induces a relationship (asking to court/ asking for marriage). Another male trait shown by ‘Mrs Beast’ is the control she has over the Beast such as during sex, â€Å"The lady says Do this. Harder. The lady says Do that. Faster. The lady says That’s not where I meant. † The imperatives used show that Mrs Beast is the most dominant in their relationship which goes against gender stereotypes as men are traditional seen as the most powerful in a relationship. In the poem Mrs Beast shows that she controls when the couple have sex â€Å"The pig in my bed Was invited† which suggests that man has become a sexual object to Mrs Beast rather than a lover, as she shows no emotional attachment to him other than to use him to please her, which supports the feminist view of female dominance. Men are also known to be the most confident in sex and it’s usually the submissive woman that is known to conform to pleasuring the man rather than vice versa. Second construction of feminism in the poem is where the women take on masculine characteristics and traits. Peukert wrote that Carol Ann Duffy shows a â€Å"reverse of the traditional hierarchical gender constructions, where the female is now presented as a superior and dominating figure† in her poem. Many critics argue whether this reversal is seen as positive or negative as in some areas of her poem, the narrator seems to be losing her female traits and manifesting into the feminist viewpoint of a man. In the poem, Mrs Beast shows male characteristics such as where she uses contemporary taboo language when referring to ‘Princes’ as â€Å"bastards†. This is often a male trait because women are stereotypically known to be more well-spoken and polite than men. Another example of a male trait Mrs Beast portrays is when she boasts of her possessions and independence, â€Å"My own gold †¦ My own black horse†. This is often seen as a stereotypical male trait as men are considered my independent than women who often depend on men to provide for them and their family. Also, to boast about one’s possessions and power, shows competitiveness which is a common male characteristic also. Competiveness is also shown in the poker game between the â€Å"Serious ladies†, a game that is considered ‘a man’s game’. Traditionally, women playing poker/gambling was seen as improper because of its known bad influence to cause obsession which would be unacceptable as women were seen as pure/untouchable against all evil/illegal things such as drinking or smoking. Duffy’s use of the semantic field of the poker game, â€Å"bluff†, â€Å"Aces† and â€Å"shuffle and deal† the women are now in roles of control which is a typical masculine trait. (The game could also show that the relationships are like a game. ) Gender role reversal is also shown in the way the Beast is described. When the Beast meets the narrator at the beginning, he is said to show â€Å"tears in his bloodshot eyes, That he knew he was blessed†. Showing emotion is not usually associated with men as the female gender are often stereotypically portrayed as the more emotionally gender and for men to show emotion is seen as a humiliating weakness. An earlier example of this would be in Stokers novel, Dracula, when Holmwood breaks down in front of Mina, which many Victorian male readers would find shameful and weak. This could support Antony Rowland’s view that â€Å"men and masculinity are attacked constantly by more abrasive female narrators† throughout Duffys poems in ‘The Worlds Wife’. In the poem, Duffy exposes men for the ‘†bastards† that they are and mocks them in comparison to the ‘Beast’, â€Å"The sex is better†, â€Å"his erection ,Size of a mules – best†. Here Duffy teases the men (‘Princes’) by comparing physical manhood which is stereotypically known as a ‘mans pride of pleasure’. Another construction of feminism is the discriminating or degrading of the male gender. The Beast in the poem is often compared to a â€Å"mongrel† and â€Å"a dog† all animals which are known for evolving from â€Å"wolfs† to household pets. This suggests that the Beast is mere property to Mrs Beast and perhaps at both times a comfort and a burden to have to keep, which links to the feminist theme that men are sexual objects and nothing more. Dogs are known to have short-life span and are often replaced by another which again could be considered a stereotypically a masculine view, that women can be replaced after they’ve outdid their usage, as there are ‘plenty more fish in the sea’. Other animals the Beast is compared to is a â€Å"mule†, â€Å"donkey† and â€Å"horse† which are all animals that humans use for transport. We could suggest that this could be a sexual reference as Mrs Beast ‘rides’ the Beast and is control during sex, as a rider is in control of a horse. There is also a phrase in the poem where animals mentioned seem to drop down in evolution, â€Å"An ape, a wolf †¦ dragon, dinosaur. † Humans are believed to have evolved from apes, so to describe the Beast as a ape and then a dinosaur could suggest that Carol Ann Duffy is implying that men are perhaps less evolved than women and that in the presence of a woman (Mrs Beast) men lose their humanity/ intelligence. Another construction of feminism in the poem is the theme of homosexuality. At the end of the poker, the â€Å"drop-dead gorgeous Bride of the Bearded Lesbian didn’t Bluff† and ends up winning the game. Some critics believe that Duffy is intentionally putting out her support for homosexuality by letting the ‘Lesbian’ be the winner of the poker game. This could also be a biased consideration of the stereotypical viewpoint that most feminist are homosexual for example Duffy herself has been rumoured to have had a relationship with (Not sure how to develop ) Duffy lists, throughout the poem, various women both from history, â€Å"Marilyn Monroe†, â€Å"Bluebeard’s wives, Henry VIII’s†, â€Å"Diana, Princess of Wales† and from fairytales, â€Å"Little Mermaid†, â€Å"Rapunzel†, â€Å"Ashputtel†. Here Mrs Beast and her acquaintances pay tribute to these women, of whom Duffy suggests, were mistreated by their â€Å"Prince† such as â€Å"Diana†. Her marriage to Prince Charles was frowned on by the Royal family and eventually came to an end when he husband was rumoured to have had an affair behind her back. From this reference, Duffy is implying that even the most presumed perfect man on the outside (Prince Charles both a member of the Royal family and a Catholic) can still be a â€Å"bastard† inside. The reference to â€Å"Bluebeard’s wives† also shows the false image, shown by men who seem perfect. In the fairytale Bluebeard marries again, after a numerous times before, to a beautiful woman who in the ends find out that Bluebeards has killed his previous wife’s and hung them up in a room, she informs others and has him killed. Duffy refers to this fairytale because it negatively implies that men are destroyers of women and only seek to harm/manipulate them like Bluebeard who kills his wife’s and strings them up like trophies/ prizes of his conquests. A additional reference to another â€Å"tragic girl† is â€Å"the tears of Mary† where Duffy personifies the beads of the rosary as the Virgin Mary’s tears. Here Duffy makes a controversial example of the suffering of Mary, whose vital suffering is considered insignificant in comparison to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. Although this is could be a exceptional argument supporting feminist we must consider the context because the discrimination is purely down to the culture during the time period the Bible was wrote; women were seen as the ‘weaker sex’.

Plant Asset Essay

Disposal of Plant Assets 1. Discard Plant Assets 2. Sell Plant Assets 3. Exchange Plant Assets – Exchange with similar assets – Exchange with dissimilar assets Discard Assets A machine costing $9000 with accumulated depreciation of $9000 is discarded on June 5, 2001 Machine 9000 Accumulated depreciation 9000 Accumulated depreciation needs reverse entry General Journal Date Account Title and Explanation PR Debit Credit Discard Assets A machine costing $8000 with accumulated depreciation of $6000 on Dec 31, 2000. It is discarded on July 1, 2001 Machine 8000 Accumulated depreciation 000 General Journal Date Account Title and Explanation PR Debit Credit Selling Plant Asset 3 Types of Selling – Sell at book value – Sell above book value – Sell below book value Sell Plant Asset at Book Value Example A machine costing $16000 with accumulated depreciation of $12000 on Dec 31, 2002. It is sold on March 1, 2003 for cash = $3000 Machine Accumulated depreciatio n 16000 12000 General Journal Date Account Title and Explanation PR Debit Credit Sell Plant Asset Above Book Value Example A machine costing $16000 with accumulated depreciation of $12000 on Dec 31, 2002. It is sold on March 1, 2003 for cash = $7000 Machine Accumulated depreciation 16000 12000 General Journal Date Account Title and Explanation PR Debit Credit Sell Plant Asset below Book Value Example A machine costing $16000 with accumulated depreciation of $12000 on Dec 31, 2002. It is sold on March 1, 2003 for cash = $2500 Machine Accumulated depreciation 16000 12000 General Journal Date Account Title and Explanation PR Debit Credit Exchanging Plant Assets Assets Exchange Dissimilar Similar Loss Recognized Recognized Gain Recognized Not Recognized Exchange Similar Asset – Gain Example An old equipment costing $36,000 with accumulated depreciation of $20,000 on Dec 31, 2002. It is exchanged on Jan 1, 2003 for new equipment that has fair value =$42,000 by paying more cash = $33000 Machine Accumulated depreciation 36,000 20,000 General Journal Date Account Title and Explanation PR Debit Credit Exchange Dissimilar Asset – Gain Example An old equipment costing $36,000 with accumulated depreciation of $20,000 on Dec 31, 2002. It is exchanged on Jan 1, 2003 for new equipment that has fair value =$52,000 by paying more cash = $33000 Machine Accumulated depreciation 6,000 20,000 General Journal Date Account Title and Explanation PR Debit Credit Summary ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Cost of plant assets Lump sum purchase Capital expenditure and Revenue expenditure Depreciation method Partial year Depreciation Revise estimate of salvage value and useful life Disposal of plant assets Practice On July 14, 99 company A paid $600,000 cash to acquire a factory that has land, land improvement building and machinery. Appraised value: ? land = $160,000 ? land improvement = $80,000 ? Building = $320,000 ? Machinery = $240,000 Journalize?

Nissan Altima Electric Mode Hybrid Car Question

Hello Christine and Scott, I was very relieved to find your pages under About.com and find out I could email you. A few weeks ago we purchased a 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid and recently we noticed something that has us worried: the gasoline engine kicks on a few seconds after starting the car and while the car is still in PARK. It stays on EV MODE for only the first few seconds. This is not what we expected! We thought (from research) that the high voltage battery would have total control at startup, low speeds, and when not moving (at a stop sign /red light). In other words, NO GASOLINE being used at these times. EV MODE the whole time! We also observed: 1. After we shift to D, DRIVE, it happens again every time the vehicle comes to a full stop while at a stop sign or red light and were not moving for more than a few seconds. 2. The engine stays on for at least a minute and then shuts off, EV MODE resumes and all is quiet until I start moving and accelerating. 3. This behavior seems to happen when the engine is cold, in other words, when it hasnt been used for hours (e.g. first drive in the morning) and keeps happening for about 1/2 hour or so during that first drive. After 1/2 hour or so, this stops happening. In other words, the EV MODE sign comes on and STAYS ON the whole time the car is stopped (idle) at a stop sign/red traffic light or while the car is in PARK but still on. This is what we thought would ALWAYS happen! 4. There is one exception to what I just said in item 3 above. Today for the first time, while at a red light, and after the car went into EV MODE, the engine kicked on even though I had just driven the car for at least one hour at high speeds on highway. Is something wrong with my car? I noticed on your website that you own your own 2008 Nissan Hybrid. Please tell me whats happening with yours. At first my husband thought that this was due to the cold weather (under 40 degrees). But today, the temperature was at 48 degrees and it still didnt stay in EV MODE at startup. Please help. I am afraid this might be a defective car. Dora PS. Yesterday I drove the car to the dealer and the salesperson that sold us the car told us that he has seen it happen before and that it is normal. He even had me drive another hybrid (2007) that had not been sold yet and sure enough, seconds after the car started, the EV MODE signal disappeared and the engine started EVEN THOUGH I was still in park mode. I dont know whether to believe him or not. I also dont find any info on manual to either identify this behavior as normal or not normal. Hey Dora, Thanks for writing - good questions. We understand your concerns. No worries – it sounds as if your 2008 Altima Hybrid is working perfectly normally. Your husband is right - it does have a lot to do with the cold temperatures, and there actually are several conditions that will make the engine on your car run, regardless of your input. They are: State of battery charge Temperature of the engine and hybrid components Ambient air temperature When you start the car, it will usually start the engine after just a few seconds, even if its been only a few hours since youve last driven it. The computer does this automatically to warm the engine, hybrid battery and associated hybrid components. Under mild weather conditions, the engine should shut off after just a few minutes, but when it’s colder out, it could take substantially longer—it also depends upon the amount of charge left in the hybrid battery. If it’s on the low side, the engine may continue running to charge the battery up to full capacity. Also, and this is especially true in the winter (and if you are using the heater and/or the defroster a lot), the engine will run longer. The engine has to run to warm the cabin—and the higher you have the heat set (and the longer it’s on), the more the engine will run. If you have electrically heated seats, using those can help minimize the need to heat the cabin air as much, thus minimizing t he engine running time also. Even if you are stopped for a minute or more at a traffic light and the car is in EV mode, if any of these conditions come up (low battery, car needing heat), the engine will start. Again, all of this is normal. You’ll notice as we get into spring and early summer (and you won’t be needing the heat/defroster as much), everything will come up to operating temperature quicker and the Altima Hybrid will stay in EV mode much longer. In the summertime when it gets really hot and you’re using the AC a lot, you could notice that it runs the engine more. The AC compressor runs off electricity, so you may find the engine kicks on more often to keep the battery charged. Just bear in mind that this is a hybrid electric car and is reliant upon the gasoline engine to keep the entire system up and running. Even though you can drive in electric mode, it’s still more of an assistant than a main power source. Your Altima uses Toyota’s Synergy Drive System—in our opinion, it is the best one available. As you get used to this car, we bet you’ll not only be able to maximize the EV mode driving (and fuel economy), but come to love it as well. For your reference, here’s an article we wrote about hybrids and cold temps, and some info about obtaining the best mileage from your hybrid via hypermiling. (Yep, Scott hypermiled in the Altima Hybrid—look what it can do. Thanks for visiting our site and writing—please feel free to let us know if you have any more questions. Best regards, Christine Scott