A magazine film review generally acts as an third party endorsement for a film. Magazine reviews are a clever way of advertising films through their use of synergy as well as cross promoting products that may interest certain audiences. They recommend viewing to readers and introduce new types genres, exposing readers to material they may or may not have viewed before. The main distinction to be made between a film review and an advert is that film reviews are not always favourable. Currently, the main film magazines in the UK are:
Prevue (In house)
Empire
Total Film
Sight And Sound
Screen International (trade magazine)
Uncut (Consumer - film and music)
Little White Lies (consumer - independent )
Vertigo (consumer - independent cinema )
Movie Scope (film industry)
Depending on the institution which has produced the film magazine, it may be biased in favour of all films, while others may analyse in an academic and critical way. In the majority of film reviews, there is a synopsis on the film as well as opinion and analysis. The level of analysis and opinion varies depending on the institution producing it. They often make assumptions about its readers. The audiences for these various film magazines can vary to a large extent.
Empire and Total Film are the most popular film magazines in the UK. They differ, however, to Sight and Sound which is a British Film Institute publication which approaches reviews in a more serious and academic manner. It is much more formal and is much more in depth, with noticeably smaller writing, and more columns. Its aim isn't to try to sell cinema tickets, but simply to review all films released during the month. This is unlike Prevue which aims to promote film sales rather than give any substantial viewpoint. It will be viewed only by people who are visiting a Vue cinema. It's less academic than Sight and Sound, as signified by the lack of byline and the small amount of writing used.
Though Total Film and Empire are independent, they are more similar to Prevue in style, as they are broken up into boxes, have less writing, but their sole purpose isn't to attract viewers. Instead, they are recommending for a very precise audience that reads their publication. Their choice of film and the style which they adopt shows they are for a mainstream audience which will have knowledge on Hollywood films and actors, rather than on the French nouvelle vague which writers at Sight and Sound will assume their readers have knowledge of.
By Jason Grandison
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