Understanding Film Criticism: Techniques, Approaches, and Perspectives

Audience reception is not a technique used in film criticism, but rather a perspective that takes into account the reactions and interpretations of the audience.

Formal analysis in film criticism focuses on the film's visual and auditory elements, such as cinematography, editing, and sound design.

Andrew Sarris is most closely associated with auteur theory, which argues that the director is the primary creative force behind a film.

Genre analysis in film criticism focuses on the film's conventions and tropes, such as the characters, settings, and plot elements that are typical of a particular genre.

Structuralism is not a common perspective used in film criticism, but rather a method of analysis that focuses on the underlying structures and patterns in a film.

Marxist film criticism focuses on the film's political and economic implications, such as the way it reflects or challenges class struggle and social inequality.

Sigmund Freud is most closely associated with psychoanalytic film criticism, which uses psychoanalytic theory to interpret the film's characters, themes, and symbols.

Feminist film criticism focuses on the film's representation of gender and sexuality, such as the way it portrays women and men, and the power dynamics between them.

Michel Foucault is most closely associated with post-structuralist film criticism, which uses post-structuralist theory to interpret the film's discourse, power relations, and subjectivity.

Queer film criticism focuses on the film's representation of LGBTQ+ people and issues, such as the way it portrays LGBTQ+ characters and the challenges they face.

Edward Said is most closely associated with postcolonial film criticism, which uses postcolonial theory to interpret the film's representation of colonialism, imperialism, and national identity.

Ecocritical film criticism focuses on the film's representation of the environment and ecological issues, such as the way it portrays the natural world and the impact of human activity on the environment.

Rosemarie Garland-Thomson is most closely associated with disability film criticism, which uses disability studies to interpret the film's representation of disability and the experiences of people with disabilities.

Indigenous film criticism focuses on the film's representation of Indigenous peoples and issues, such as the way it portrays Indigenous culture, history, and struggles.

Kathleen Rowe Karlyn is most closely associated with fat studies film criticism, which uses fat studies to interpret the film's representation of fatness and the experiences of fat people.