English Essay

Prompt – Write a review of a specific film, book, TV series, podcast, play, or video game that you think contributes something significant to the genre and to the culture at large. Show how the subjectthe primary sourceof your review illustrates something compelling or exceptional about a particular idea or theme common to the genre. For example, the CW series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (20152019) is a romantic comedy that eschews and even satirizes traditional romantic comedy tropes such as the grand gesture, doing something out of love for someone. Use specific evidence from your primary source to support a central idea, or thesis. In an essay of about 600 to 750 words, provide an overall judgment about your subject and support it with evidence from the primary source and from secondary sources if applicable. In addition, explore how your specific source has contributed something significant to its genre. In other words, why is this subject interesting, different, or worthy of analysis? Be sure to demonstrate awareness of your sources cultural and historical context as well. For example, if your review is about a romantic comedy, provide relevant information about the history, conventions, or expectations of that genre. Think about and explain the ways your topic adheres to or breaks from audience expectations. What to Include in Your Review Essay The Introductory Paragraph will set up the topic as context for the introduction of your chosen work. It will introduce the film, book, TV series, podcast, play, or video game and the claim or main idea. The introduction will conclude with a thesis that sets up clear expectations for the direction of your essay and give your reader a sense of the points you want to develop and discuss. Your thesis will express your judgment about whether or not the work effectively conveys a timely issue or concern through salient criteria. The following body paragraphs specifically focus on writing a film or book review, but they may be used to structure your review of a video game, podcast, play or TV series. Plot Summary – While you want to provide some plot summary, keep this brief and avoid specific details that would spoil the viewing for others. Description – While the plot summary will give the reader a general sense of what the film is about, also include a more detailed description of your particular cinematic experience watching the film. This may include your personal impression of what the film looks, feels, and sounds like. In other words, what stands out in your mind when you think about this particular film? Analysis – In order to explain your impression of the film (or another work), consider how well the film utilizes formal techniques and thematic content. How do the films formal techniques (such as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scne, lighting, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, genre, or narrative) affect the way the film looks, feels, and sounds to you? How does the thematic content (such as history, race, gender, sexuality, class, or the environment) affect your experience and interpretation? Also, do the formal techniques work to forward the thematic content? The Conclusion should leave the reader with a clear understanding of your stance towards your selected film, book, TV series, podcast, play, or video game. Consider also pointing your reader toward ideas beyond your own response on the work for example, to its application, implication, or importance, or how this work represents (or fails to represent) the qualities of works in this category. Submission Requirements This essay should follow MLA style. Your essay should be typed, numbered, double spaced, have one-inch margins, a title, and all relevant personal information on the top of the page. The minimum word count of 600 to 750 words does not include the heading, the title, and the works cited entries. You may exceed the word count but not by much! Please provide a word count at the end of your essay. As part of your essay, you will use at least one (1) still shot or excerpt from the work. The image should be accompanied by a brief description or annotation to explain it. —————————– The Works Cited Section will give the citation information for your book, play, podcast, video game, movie or TV series. Also, you will include 1 to 2 published reviews in order to situate your evaluation in the larger conversation about said work.