Review of the Reviews
The Awakening
Story about a women from London who is sent to a said “haunted” boarding school to rid of ghosts, but it turns out she is really being haunted by the memory of those she has lost. She is sent through an imagined time warp to her childhood through the building and the spirits of the other children.
Moira Macdonald writes a review for the Seattle Times giving her opinions about the film.
The majority of the review is a plot description with brief opinions scattered throughout and he final paragraph is where she shows the majority of her opinions about the film.
She generally compliments the movie and has very few critisisizms but those of which she does, she states vey politely.
It is generally a positive review with some pointers and improvements she would alter if she had the chance.
She focused mainly on the main character and her acting skills and how she portrays the plot line, I would've liked to hear her talk about the use of the camera and the music throughout the review because the music was very unique to me when I watched it.
The review was generally quite brief and didn't mention the director or supporting cast at all. I purposely chose this review because I think it could've been improved a lot and more criticisms or emotion could be added throughout the whole thing
The second review I am analyzing is by Claudia Puig who wrote for USA today. A more common newspaper.
The review begins with a plot description and hen moves onto the film analysis. It begins with abayas is of the plot and then techniques the director uses and hen she moves onto the actors performances.
She touches on almost all parts of the film. She uses a variety of adjectives to describe her point and uses examples form the movie to portray why she thought the mood and the setting of the film were there and why.
It is again generally positive but she is analyzing why the director chose to do such things instead of giving her personal opinion on them.
She compares this movie to the directors other movies and explains similarities and differences between his works.
“The awakening offers low key pleasure of an old fashioned thriller and a lovely central performance” Seattle Times
I chose this quote because it compliments the main actors performances. I personally believe he cast was chosen very accurately and this compliment does them justice. It is also rare that thrillers are set in the early 1900s and to mention the time frame was important to me.
“Undoubtably a well made and unsettling movie was made that explores fakery and charlatans that prey on the people's grief of after World War One.” USA Today
I chose this quote because it mentions that be movie is set afte World War One. I think this is very important because a lot of the issues and emotions shown in the movie could have been greatly impacted by the depressing era that had just ended.
I would definitely include a brief plot summary in my review although I would leave it t the beginning and leave all my opinions to the end. I would not combine the two so what I am analyzing is clear and precise. I would make sure to mention the time period of the movie and why certain things are thye way they are because of when it is set.
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