Movie criticism

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/movie-criticism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the theoretical frameworks employed?Semiotics, psychoanalysis, feminist theory, auteur theory, post-colonial studies, and formalist analysis
2. What is the influential critics?Pauline Kael, Roger Ebert, André Bazin, Laura Mulvey
3. What do movie critics do?They look at a movie’s story, characters, themes, and the way it’s made—like the camera work, editing, sound, and music—to help people understand it better.
4. Why is movie criticism important?It shows how films can talk about ideas and culture, and it helps people think about movies as serious art.

Auteur Theory: The idea that a film director is the primary author, imprinting their personal vision and style.
Semiotics: The study of signs and symbols and their interpretation, applied to cinematic elements.
Male Gaze: A feminist film theory concept describing how women are often depicted from a masculine, heterosexual perspective.