the best movie essay

Essays About Films: Top 5 Examples and 10 Prompts

Get ready to binge-watch some of the best films of all time and write essays about films with our essay examples and prompts. 

Films are an exciting part of the entertainment industry. From romance to science fiction, there is a film genre for everyone. Films are a welcome escape from reality, providing a few hours of immersive entertainment that anyone can enjoy. Not only are films masterful works of art, but they are also great sources of employment for many. As a work of intellectual property, films can promote job creation and drive economic growth while advancing a country’s cultural esteem. With such a vast library of films available to us, many topics of discussion are available for your next essay.

5 Intriguing Film Essays

1. scream therapy: the mental health benefits of horror movies by michael varrati, 2. reel truth: is film school worth it by jon gann, 3. why parasite’s success is forcing a reckoning in japan’s film industry by eric margolis, 4. streaming services want to fill the family movie void by nicole sperling, 5. church, critics say new movie on marcos family distorts philippine history by camille elemia, 10 engaging writing prompts on essays about films, 1. the best film that influenced me, 2. the evolution of animated films, 3. women in modern films, 4. creating short films, 5. diversity in films, 6. film critique of my favorite film, 7. how covid-19 changed the film industry, 8. promoting independent films , 9. importance of marketing strategies in films’ success, 10. how to combat film piracy.

“Galvanized by the genre’s ability to promote empathy and face down the ineffable monsters of our daily lives, Barkan’s exploration of how others use horror to heal and grow speaks to the wider impact of our engagement with these movies that are so often dismissed as having little moral value.”

Initially criticized for enabling sadistic tendencies, horror films are now proven to provide a relieving experience and psychological ease to their audience. Numerous theories about the mental health benefits of watching horror films have emerged. But beyond these profound reasons, horror films could be a great source of thrilling fun. You might also be interested in these essays about The Great Gatsby .

 “These programs are great at selling the dream of filmmaking, but rarely the realities of the business, so students graduate with few real-world skills, connections, or storytelling ability. Unable to get a job out of school, newly minted “filmmakers” go back into the system for a higher graduate degree… The cycle is self-perpetuating, and rarely benefits anyone, except the institution’s bottom line.”

One has to weigh several personal and external factors in determining whether a full degree would be worth the leap and their pockets. Directors spill the beans on their thoughts and experiences with film school to help the lost find their way. 

“Japanese cinema was trending on Japanese Twitter right after the Oscars, with cinephiles and film directors alike airing grievances about a film industry that is deeply flawed despite ample talent and a global appetite for Japanese goods.”

The Japanese lamented their lackluster film industry and waning cultural influence worldwide as the first Korean film took home the Oscars. Reminiscing its golden years of film in the mid-20th century, Japan is stricken with nostalgia. But for the industry to see a renaissance, Japan has to end exploitative labor conditions for creators and censorship.

“The decline today is due to a combination of factors: a hangover from the pandemic, efforts by studios like Disney and Paramount to bolster their own streaming services with fresh content and the risks of greenlighting family films that aren’t based on well-known intellectual property.”

The latest trend in the race to rule film streaming compensates for the lack of family movies in theaters. Giant video-on-demand platforms have started rolling their production and investments into the genre plans for animation and even expensive live-action.

“The film… has amplified existing online narratives that portray the elder Marcos’ presidency as the “golden era” of the Philippines rather than as the darkest chapter of the Southeast Asian country’s recent history, as critics allege.”

A film in the Philippines draws crowds and criticisms for revising facts in one of the country’s most painful periods. But, overall, the movie paints a positive image of the dictator’s family, whose two-decade reign was marked by murders and an economic crisis that was among the worst to hit the country.

Beyond being a source of entertainment, films have the power to shape how we lead our lives and view the world. In this essay, talk about the film that etched an indelible mark on you. First, provide a summary and specify what drew you to the story or its storytelling. Next, narrate the scenes that moved you the most. Finally, explain how you relate to this film and if you would have wanted a similar or different ending to your story and personal life. 

Animated films used to be a treat mainly for children. But now, their allure cuts across generations. For your essay, look into the history of animated films. Find out which countries are the biggest influencers in animated films and how they have fostered these intellectual properties to thrive in global markets. Research how the global direction of animation is heading, both in theatrical releases and streaming, and what animation fans can expect in the next few months.

Have the roles of women progressed in modern films? Or do they remain to be damsels in distress saved by a prince? Watch recent popular films, explain how they depict women, and answer these questions in your essay. Take note of apparent stereotypes and the depth of their character. Compare how they differ from the most popular films in the 90s. You can also compare original films and remakes and focus on the changes in women characters.  

Short films are great starting points for budding directors. They could require much less financing than those in theater releases and still deliver satisfactory quality content. For this essay, brief the readers through the stages of short film production — writing the script, choosing the cast, production, marketing, and so on. To go the extra mile in your essay, interview award-winning short filmmakers to gain tips on how they best optimize their limited budget and still bag an award.  

Has the film industry promoted diversity and inclusivity in its cast selection? Explore recent diverse films and analyze whether they have captured the true meaning of diversity. One example is when people from underrepresented backgrounds take on the leading roles, not just the story’s sidekicks. You can also build on this research by the Center for Scholars and Storytellers to show the revenue challenges non-diverse films face at the box office.

Watch your favorite film and write a critique by expressing opinions on various aspects of the film. For example, you can have comments on the plot, execution, effects, cinematography, actors, and dialogue. Take time to relay your observations and analysis, as these will be the foundations that will determine the strength or weakness of your comments. 

As it has impacted many of us, COVID-19 accelerated how we watch films. Explore the exodus to streaming during the pandemic and how theater operators cope with this shift. In addition, you can look into how the competition among content producers has shifted and intensified. 

Independent films can be a hidden treasure, but it could be difficult to sell them, given how niche their concepts can be. So, find out the best strategies that have worked wonders for now successful independent filmmakers. Specifically, learn how they marketed their content online and in film festivals. Then, find out what forms of support the government is extending to high-caliber independent filmmakers and what could be done to help them thrive.

The biggest mistake made by filmmakers and producers is not marketing their films when marketing is the best way to reach a bigger audience and gain profits to make more films. This essay should provide readers with the best practices filmmakers can adopt when marketing a film. For example, directors, producers, and actors should aggressively attend events for promotion. Developing viral movie campaigns also provide a big boost to exposure. 

As more films are released digitally, filmmakers must better protect their intellectual property. First, write about the needed measures before the film release, such as adopting a digital rights management strategy. Next, lay down what production companies need to do to deter piracy activities immediately. Some good responses include working closely with enforcement authorities.

Don’t forget to proofread your essay with Grammarly , the best grammar checker. 

For more related topic ideas, you can also check our guide for writing essays about cinema .

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

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What Makes a Movie the Greatest of All Time?

By Eric Grode ,  Weiyi Cai ,  Rumsey Taylor and Josh Williams Dec. 2, 2022

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The much-respected Sight and Sound poll of the best films ever shows that what is valued onscreen has changed over time, sometimes radically.

By Eric Grode . Produced by Weiyi Cai , Rumsey Taylor and Josh Williams . Dec. 2, 2022

What are the greatest films of all time? Everyone from IMDb to the American Film Institute to your favorite podcast has tried to answer this. But for many cineastes, a poll conducted once a decade by the British film magazine Sight and Sound has served as the gold standard since 1952.

Roger Ebert once described the survey as “by far the most respected of the countless polls of great movies — the only one most serious movie people take seriously.”

And for a very long time, the same “serious movies” got taken seriously decade after decade. The new list , however, marks several radical shifts from the accepted wisdom — and maybe, just maybe, from the idea of a “canon” altogether.

1. “Bicycle Thieves”

1. Vittorio De Sica ("De" is capped per iMDB and Wiki)

At the start, when Sight and Sound asked 85 critics to submit their all-time Top 10 lists, just 63 responded. Top honors went to Vittorio De Sica’s neorealist drama “ Bicycle Thieves ,” which had been released a mere four years earlier.

Following it was a curious blend of the popular (two Charlie Chaplin films, “ City Lights ” and “Gold Rush,” tied for No. 2) …

the lavish (“ Intolerance ”) …

and the austere ( “The Passion of Joan of Arc” ).

The list even made room for “ Le Million ,” a French musical comedy about a missing lottery ticket.

In 1962 , Sight and Sound returned with a bigger set of respondents — and a drastically different set of winners.

“ Bicycle Thieves ” still made the cut, as did Sergei Eisenstein’s “ Battleship Potemkin .”

But no more lottery tickets or Little Tramps. And the top spot went to a newcomer that would get pretty comfortable as No. 1 …

“ Citizen Kane ,” Orson Welles’s paper-thinly veiled William Randolph Hearst biopic.

It would sit atop Sight and Sound’s rankings for the next half century. And during that time, a fairly sturdy canon of Great Films settled into place …

with such titans as Jean Renoir (“The Rules of the Game”)…

Yasujir o Ozu (“Tokyo Story”)…

and Federico Fellini (“8½”) taking up seemingly permanent residence on the survey.

If you took a Film 101 class in college in the late 20th century, there’s a decent chance your syllabus looked a lot like the 1972 Top 10 list .

The preponderance of certain directors added to the sometimes clubbish vibe: In 1972, Welles and Ingmar Bergman alone were responsible for more than a third of what the respondents considered the greatest films of all time.

In 1982 Alfred Hitchcock finally made his first appearance. Horror and suspense were (and still are) largely outsiders in Great Film discussions, but here we see “ Vertigo ” enter at No. 7 …

and creep north until, by 2012, it had supplanted “Citizen Kane” in the top spot, generating headlines around the world like Slate’s “Three Theories for How ‘Vertigo’ Dethroned ‘Kane.’”

Still, every film but one in the 2012 Top 10 had appeared on at least one previous list.

But when this year’s Sight and Sound list was unveiled on Dec. 1, the list featured surprises galore.

Nearly half of the elite Top 10 were newcomers , including No. 1 — a title that very few people saw coming …

Chantal Akerman’s “ Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles .”

It’s a pioneering work of slow cinema — in one unbroken shot, the title character makes a meatloaf for more than three minutes — and represents the first appearance of any female director in any Sight and Sound Top 10.

And she’s not alone. Claire Denis’s “ Beau Travail ” is joining her.

As it happened, those films made their first appearances in 2012, when Sight and Sound’s rankings went well beyond the Top 10.

That transparency was also evident this year, allowing the idiosyncrasies of individual lists to poke through. The two Top 100 lists make room for quirkier titles like “ Blade Runner ” …

and for influential short films like “ La Jetée .”

But the 2022 reshuffle also meant five films from the previous Top 10 list needed to go, among them the only title to have charted every single decade since 1952. Sorry, Renoir, that’s just “ The Rules of the Game .”

Early in the poll’s history, respondents were often willing to honor recently released titles. (You could only go back so far into film history in 1952!)

But not since 1992, when “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) made the Top 10, had any film less than 25 years old been charted.

That changed in a big way this year, with no fewer than three films from the last quarter-century in the Top 10: “ In the Mood for Love ” (2000), “ Beau Travail ” (1999) and “ Mulholland Drive ” (2001).

Those 63 Sight and Sound voters in 1952 have given way to more than 1,600 in 2022, and the more extensive vote tabulations allow for a deeper look into trends in the Top 100.

Akerman and Denis , the first women to ever appear on the list, made it into the Top 100 in 2012 …

and were joined this year by seven other women : Céline Sciamma, Julie Dash, Maya Deren, Agnès Varda, Vera Chytilova, Barbara Loden and Jane Campion. ( Akerman and Varda were recognized twice.)

Not a single Black American filmmaker made the Top 100 in 2012. This year there are five, led by Spike Lee and “ Do the Right Thing ” at No. 24.

And is directing the 60th-greatest film of all time not sufficient to land Julie Dash , the only Black woman on the list, funding for her subsequent projects?

The French new wave is well represented and Japanese films continue to make a strong showing.

But in addition to being more inclusive, this decade's list is more global, with new entries from New Zealand (“ The Piano ”), Czechoslovakia (“ Daisies ”), South Korea (“ Parasite ”) and Thailand (“ Tropical Malady ”).

The Thai film “ Tropical Malady ,” Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s enigmatic romantic drama, also reflects an increased recognition of L.G.B.T.Q.-themed films.

Two of those Japanese titles, both from Studio Ghibli, remain the only animated films to make the list. Maybe next decade, Disney and Pixar.

And horror is surprisingly well represented in 2022. (Don’t forget that dumpster scene in “ Mulholland Drive ”!)

For all the arguments over the greatest year in film history — 1939, 1999, etc. — it looks like strong cases could be made for 1960 and 1966 , based on this year’s list.

And if it’s any consolation to Hitchcock after losing the top spot, he is one of the two most honored filmmakers on the list, with “Rear Window” and “North by Northwest” joining “Vertigo” and “ Psycho ” in the Top 100.

He’s tied with Jean-Luc Godard , the “ Breathless ” director, who died in September. Godard once called Hitchcock the “greatest creator of forms of the 20th century.”

By contrast, Godard’s old nemesis Bergman saw three of his four Top 100 titles vanish this year. Only “ Persona ” remains.

Also gone from the Top 100 altogether: Welles’s famously mangled “ The Magnificent Ambersons ,” which was nestled in Top 10 lists as recently as 1982.

And whether it’s Frank Capra or Steven Spielberg, Werner Herzog or Ernst Lubitsch, Quentin Tarantino or Howard Hawks, we can probably all agree that somebody is missing.

(On a personal note, a world where “Dr. Strangelove” is neither a Top 100 film nor even one of Stanley Kubrick’s three best works is not one I care to inhabit.)

There’s always 2032. What will the next list bring? Well, 18 of the directors on this year’s list are still alive , which is encouraging. If this list is any indication, a handful of future entries haven’t been made yet.

And look down at No. 41, near “Rear Window” and “Rashomon.” “ Bicycle Thieves ” is sitting there patiently, perhaps waiting for its time back in the spotlight of serious movie people everywhere.

An earlier version of this article misstated the number of films on the 2012 Top 10 that had previously appeared on a list. Nine titles had ranked in earlier decades, not all 10.

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