Film Viewer Opinion Paper

Film Viewer Opinion Paper
Jonathan P. Moran
HUM/150 Version 7
4/1/2013
Dick Cammarota Ph.D.

When choosing a film to watch, I will generally decide which film to see based on various factors. There are sometimes when I feel that I would like to watch a film that will make me think, and yet there are other times when a simple and lighthearted film are the way to go. When I choose a film, sometimes the mood I am in that day will help me to decide which film I would like to see. I will usually do a pretty good amount of research on a particular film to get a good idea of what the film is about and whether or not it is something that I would enjoy. In this paper, I will provide some details on how I choose a film, and what makes films enjoyable or unenjoyable based on my personal opinions.
There are a few things that I will do when trying to decide on whether or not I want to see a particular film. I usually start with watching multiple trailers for the film so that I have an idea of how the movie was put together and how visually appealing it is to me. I will also read the synopsis of the movie to ensure that the story will be something that interests me. I will also read through some of the critics’ reviews of the film, but I put more weight to the reviews that are submitted by peers that have seen the film. I understand that critics have a job to do and that is why I do not dismiss their reviews entirely; however, I have found that a lot of the time they are critiquing a part of the film that is not that important to me, such as how much money was spent making the film versus how much it is raking in from the box office.
In order for a film to be enjoyable for me, it must have a good plot. I also value character building, although in some movies it is not as important as others. For instance, in a comedy film, I just need a quick back story on the main characters, but there does not need to be a half hour of the movie dedicated to building the characters. On the other hand, in a movie like “Ali” (2001), this movie is a biographical film, so character building is more important. I also look for good on-screen chemistry between the actors that help to make the story more believable.
I enjoy films of all different genres, but there are still films that I find to be unenjoyable. I get annoyed with films that move along too slowly. I understand the need to develop the story, but sometimes it just seems like overkill. I also get irritated when I have to read the entire movie. I actually enjoy some foreign language in a film, because I feel it adds to the authenticity of the story being told, but I feel like I miss a lot of the actual movie, such as in “The Last Samurai” (2003) because I am staring at the bottom of the screen trying to read the entire movie.
In conclusion, there are many things that I consider when choosing which films I would like to watch, such as movie trailers, critic and peer reviews, and the actual plot of the story being told. Films are created to entertain us, and in some instances to stimulate our imaginations, so there are many things to consider when choosing a film and whether or not that film will be enjoyable.