Film Criticism: the beginner's guide

Assignment in Cinema 102

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Cinema engages us not only to appreciate its pure form of art, but engages us to be critical thinkers as well. To be a good film buff, is to know the basics of film criticism. Here's one of the few theories involved in doing so:

Feminist theory:

Feminism tackles about the right of the women to stand up for themselves. It gives importance to the equality of both men and women's status in our society. It gives women an opportunity to be heard in the society and make a contribution that would benefit us all. In some ways, it also includes matters such as the education rights of women, their ability to be involved in politics and their chance to be equal with the abilities of men.

Gender Studies:

Gender studies seeks to understand different gender issues in our society including studies about LGBT society, feminism, women and men issues and sexuality. It somehow tries to offer solution to many gender problems in our society today.

Performance Theory:

Performance theory is the study between a performer and a spectator and how their relationship contributes to the development of any performing arts that would mirror our society today. This theory believes that any performance around us is the reflection of who we are as a whole community.

Spectatorship Theory:

Spectatorship theory looks not how the audience are captured through the technicalities of the film, but centers on how the audience are captivated in the film experience and how it involves and affects them as they watch the show.

Ethnic theory:

Ethnic theory is one of the social factors that studies on how race including culture, religion, and language sums up the whole ethnicity of man. This theory supports the principle that no race is above other race and each ethnic/culture of man has its own uniqueness that should be given importance. 

Auteur Theory:

Auteur theory involves the director as the primary in charge of the film and the one who gives it a distinctive style. It centers on how the director shows creativity in the production and thereby gives him the sole responsibility to act like the "author" of the film.