EMPIRE Magazine Reviews

For our media package, one of our assignments was to create a film magazine review. As part of our research we included questions in our survey based on this media which asked the magazines they read, as well as do film reviews affect your first assumption of the film, with just below 50% of participants answering yes. We know it’s important that our review is successful and well constructed, so we purchased the top magazine from the results-‘Empire’ to analyse their reviews and look to see how they are constructed and what they discuss.

Empire Issue 257, November 2010. Page 48, 49, 50- The social network. Page 54-Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

The Social Network

The double page spread review is centred on the conventional big image taking half the spread showing what appears as two main characters, accompanied by a smaller picture attached to the side, overlaid by the image captions describing two characters discussing the price of a pint of beer, reflecting on the economical times, and on the main image, the character interacting with his creation- Facebook. The big image is typically centred in the layout to draw readers attentions straight to it, making them want to continue reading, and appreciate the review of the film and whatever its intentions of its representation are.

Over the top of the image in the left corner reads, ‘In Cinemas’, promoting the film and making readers aware of its early stages of distribution. Below the film’s title is scripted followed by its subheading- ‘The curious court case of Facebook’s founders’. Possibly one of this reviews most important features, it links the film, and review with something everybody can relate and interact with, Facebook. Launched in 2004 the social network site has over 500 million active users, which is one in 14 people in the world, underlying the significance allowing readers to know exactly what this film is about can draw in a very wide demographic group. Overlaying the main image there is also an interesting fact file which identifies the film is an adaption from a book, and states that Bill Gates makes a cameo, after ironically quitting facebook for having 10 000 friend requests.

The review starts off with its production notes, informing readers of the release date, again promoting the film to establish more success, it’s certificate, the director and cast which educates readers, allowing them to know what the film may be like because of a specific cast or crew member who may have an alter or memorable style which can be identified in their work. Stating the running time, it continues to give a brief plot summary. These production notes are brief, however can convince a person into or out of seeing a film, from certain features that are written.

Running horizontally next to the ‘In Cinemas’ caption credits the editor, stating his name, followed by the key for the star ratings. The review ends with the verdict presumably by the writer whose name is credited just above. The verdict sums the film up in 5 short lines, praising

its narrative, awarding it with 4 stars, which is classed as excellent according to the star rating key. The star rating is an important feature of the review and affects reader’s assumption of the film, something we found to be important when it came to our primary research. Highlighted in the themed colour, the second and third page’s are intercepted by 2 pull quotes, “Eisnberg is simply superb as the conflicted genius with unpredictable motivations’ and “Aside from a kinetic rowing sequence at Henley, fincher aims for clarity and control” the lines, quoted from the text give the readers a quick insight on the film, the rich quotation representing the theme of the movie.

The review opens talking about director, David Fincher and his previous work, discussing how he has experimented in a variety of genres, with some of his films being ‘disastrous’. It goes onto state how ‘The Social Network’ is an unusual choice for him to work with, describing it as ‘talky, dorky with very little action’. Damon wise the writer states it as having a quiet power but beneath the surface there is more than what immediately meets the eye. The beginning of the review introduced the film through the eyes of the director, talking about the feel of the film. Going onto discuss the narrative of the film the review has its own opinions of the representation of the characters in the film, and Jesse Eisenberg who plays the main protagonist receives numerous praise for his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg. The review goes onto to comment the films intentions and what it’s trying to say, stating that you leave the cinema feeling The Social Network is intended as a portrait of the times, and its understatement is deliberate. Damon Wise uses his space to praise the films message and debate on the power that young people wield in the computer age.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

The single page review’s layout is presented with, again a conventionally big image of the film, featuring two main characters, Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf. Bottom right of the picture is the caption-“So how do you like my invisible vase”, relating to an incident of the film, or its characters. Top left reads-In Cinemas’, again promoting the film and making readers aware of its early stages of distribution. Across the image is the title in bold white writing, possibly a representation of purity and freedom, a theme of the lifestyle of bankers and brokers of New York City- WALL STREET: Money Never Sleeps underlying with its slogan, “Greed is not as it used to be” The slogan promotes the film, portraying the narrative of the film, and what it’s all about, referring to past and present, it draws people in to something they can relate to.

Like all of its reviews Empire’s magazine starts with its production notes, informing the readers of its release date- October 6th, its certificate and the director, Oliver Stone and its cast. It continues to state its running time and a brief plot explanation. These production notes allow them to know what the film may be like because of a specific cast or crew member who may have a specific alter or memorable style which can be identified in their work. These production notes are brief, however can convince a person into or out of seeing a film, from certain features that are written.

The pull quote spreading across the middle of the text in the turquoise theme colour-“Gekko is rumpled and contrite, not the shark we wanted to see” The Review starts off discussing the film to which this proceeds, describing main character Gordon Gekko as a signature character of his decade, stating that although one of the best villains it’s a shame he has to lose. The introduction paragraph highly praises the character and previous film. The review goes son to discuss how Gekko is not the man everyone wants to see when they bought their cinema tickets. Whilst praising Michael Douglas it contrasts by saying colleague LaBeouf is only working half throttle for the majority of the film. Newman finalises to give credit to 95 year old Eli Wallach as Jules Steinhardt, a veteran money man who goes back to the original Wall Street crash.

Kim Newman the author of this review ended with a verdict of 3 stars, stating- “This subject demands a Godfather part II, but stone and collaborators have turned in a Godfather part III. There is a lot of good material, but LaBeouf nearly sinks it and we could use much more of the old gecko brimstone”. A very critical response to have over the film, which could result in a negative effect for its box office performance. Referring to our survey results, this negative review would affect reader’s first assumption of the film and possibly result in them not wanting to see it.