I've been doing this column for over a year now and I still wonder what people want to hear.
I struggle to put exactly into words thoughtful criticism of films due to several factors. Do I lay everything out and spoil the plot for the greater good of conveying themes and arousing discussion? Should I keep it simple and just explain what happens, how a film looks and who's in it? Or should I throw all that out and bring out abstraction to meander my way through my thoughts?
For me, film criticism is a tough matter to put into words. It's not about form or function. Sure, you need to inform the readers about what the story is and what recognizable names are involved in the film, but beyond that, what should you discuss? The rest is entirely up in the air. Emotion and feelings fit in nicely, as well as an aesthetic discussion. Those elements together give you a solid review to inform your friends and anyone else wanting to know about a film. Does that make you a critic? If you want to consider yourself an amateur, yes, and with the internet, the rise of amateur reviewers has taken over any monopoly that print media had.
Good film criticism needs something more, call it panache. There needs to be deeper thoughts than just looking at a picture and writing what you see. A critic needs to analyze specifics, whether it is camera angles in a specific scene or subtle tics an actor gives a character to complete him or her. Deeper thought regarding themes will raise the caliber of your reviews to sound professional.
How do you know what to discuss? You cannot go in and talk about the ending to certain movies and what those mean for this society, such as "Fight Club," "Memento" or even "Psycho." I struggle with this, because you cannot completely analyze a film without discussing the whole. Writing for the paper though, I avoid as many spoilers as possible, making any of my criticisms incomplete.
Understanding style and design also will brighten up your analysis. Look for trends that certain directors have. Martin Scorsese likes steadicam tracking shots; Michael Haneke extends long single takes into complete scenes; Tarantino lets dialogue flow as long as he wants. Actors also tend to fall into a rhythm with their roles. The great ones will expand and try something new every time, like Daniel Day Lewis who has an excellent range.
To find all of these little details you need to expand your film base or the amount of films you see. The library is a great place to find classic films you always meant to see, but haven't had the chance to see yet. Don't go and rent the newest releases or that same film you always watch. Go find a foreign film or a film that is at least forty years old. Black and white is not boring and worthless. Even when modern films are black and white, I enjoy them much more than the most bombastic color experiences (a.k.a. "Speed Racer"). Breaks are great times to check out the classics, but don't try to do it all at once. One film a week keeps you fresh and sharp.
What about the newest releases you ask? Why not save your money and avoid the big blockbusters that just look cliché and bad. Theaters are inundated with new pieces of movie trash, that studios throw together to make a quick buck. Keep informed about what is coming out soon, and watch the new trailers (although I warn that these do tend to spoil some great films). An example is the trailer for "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" which came out last week. It is epic, and probably better than the majority of movies in theaters right now.
If you are interested at all in criticism, create accounts on Rotten Tomatoes or even Facebook Movies. There are plenty of blog outlets to release your opinions. The important thing is to try to create conversation. Don't be flat and stale by simply saying a film sucked or was awesome for this and this reason. Give it a try, or at least expand your knowledge slowly to win the next round of "Scene It."
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