How to Analyze Movie Reviews

So many movies are opening now that you have to move fast to catch one before it's gone. To speed you on your way, analyze the many movie reviews available.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A little time

1. Internet reviews. Rotten Tomatoes contains excerpts and access to full reviews of films from reviewers all across the country, grading a film according to its highest favorable percentage rating.
   The Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB) lists cast, crew, story synopsis.

2. Daily Print reviews. The New York Times is on line, with reviews by Manohla Dargis and A. O. Scott. The trades (Variety & The Hollywood Reporter) are also helpful, though they lean on the business side.

3. Periodicals. The New Yorker reviews two or three films a week. They're selective and you may find foreign or independent features rather than box office crowd-pleasers.
   Rolling Stone is known for its acerbic but astute film reviews.

4. Clips and assessments of current films may be seen on Ebert & Roper's half-hour show on Sundays. For classic movies, enjoy Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies, and his guest hosts, such as actress Carrie Fisher or writer/director Paul Mazursky.

Tips & Warnings

• Go with your gut. Although steady reading and viewing will soon tell you which critic you most often identify with, all reviews are subjective and your best guides are content, cast, writer and director.
• Don't be afraid to take a chance on something new to you. Even if you're disappointed, you'll have been someplace you never went before and that's always an exciting expanding process.