Why Movie And Film Reviews Are More Important Than You Think!

Look, you might be asking, why does an opinion matter so much? What is the big deal with a movie review?  Are you not worry about hurting the filmmaker’s feelings? Maybe you should just stay quiet to avoid any drama. But no, I will not stay quiet.  Because I believe reviews are quite important in our field of work.  Any inspiring filmmaker will deal with reviews – likes, dislikes, praises, and the ever-dreaded half star letterboxd reviews. (The horror indeed) But we need to support other filmmakers by leaving them honest reviews of their films and movies.

With the power of IMdB and Letterboxd, the power of reviews are in your hands.

Film reviews, like all things in life, require balance. They can swing wildly in two directions. A hardcore critical thrashing, or an overly positive gushing love letter. I here at Magical Hammer strive to crate reviews that are fair and balanced, pointing out the good and the bad. By giving a perspective so the artists can get insights of worked well and what didn’t. Even though most reviews are subjective, they can lead to valuable information for the filmmaker when done right.

Film reviews can provide filmmakers with an idea of who is watching their movies. You can’t make a film that is for everyone, (well, I guess you could try like Hollywood attempts) but filmmakers ideally make their film with an audience in mind. With enough reviews, a filmmaker can get a pretty good idea of who is, and who isn’t, turning in to watch. Reviews also provide what worked and what didn’t work for the viewer. Great action? Bad sound or dialogue? A review about a film let’s filmmakers know what worked for that movie and allows them to use that as confidence-building momentum as they continue working on their craft. On the other hand, a negative review can identify areas where a filmmaker might want to focus for future works, which should also be helpful when a review is done with good intentions.

Yes, she has three hands for maximum review writing passion.

If your review is just something like “No”, “This sucks” or “Horrible movie”, then you are not bringing any value to the table. It’s okay to dislike a production. But keep in mind, movies are a labor of love for a filmmaker that they have invested a lot of time into. That being said, most filmmakers should have hopefully grown thick skin; it’s a necessity in the industry. If you don’t like a film, don’t be afraid to tell them, just do it in a way that is polite and kind. Explain what didn’t work for you, and if possible, mention something you liked or found intriguing or had potential.

On the flip side of the coin, avoid blind praise or overhyping. If you start to use words like “masterclass” or “Best movie in the world”, then you may start to come across as fake or a shrill unless you can back up those claims.  Some indie movies that have a lot of 10/10 reviews can do more harm then good.  Remember to keep your review grounded and based in reality. (Unless this is really the first film you have ever seen and it’s just that mindblowing)

If to many people are giving 10/10’s, something does feel a bit off.

Movie reviews can also be considered as a thank you to the team of filmmakers. Making a movie requires a labor of love. For filmmakers, it can be nice to read a review that shows how their work made a impact on a viewer. Filmmakers are often insecure about themselves and the stories they weave together, (don’t ask me how I know) so having someone say how much they enjoyed the story, the writing, the characters, or the message they were trying to convey can go a long way in boosting their morale.

You also don’t need to write a novel to leave a review. Just a few short sentences can suffice (But if you want to write a novel review, don’t let me stop you). But to the filmmakers whose work you’re reviewing, and for other potential watchers, it can make a world of difference. So why not just do it? It matters more than you think.

*So, there’s going to be someone out there who might be concerned about using “AI slop” for this article. And I’m going to push back on that really hard right away. This is literally the perfect use case. I don’t earn money from this blog and have no art budget for this sort of thing. (Any available budget goes to our film productions) In this case, I’m able to be transparent and tell a story with images, It’s a bit tongue in cheek given the subject of the talk. And it was fun to do.