Latin American Cinema

Referential content

A synopsis that anyone who has seen the movie would likely agree with; not a review or an analysis

Review

Includes personal impressions and evaluations of a film’s content and techniques; 400-1200 words

Analysis

Attempts to determine how a film uses cinematic techniques and elements of film or narrative form to make the viewer react in a certain way; 1200-12,000 words

Explicit content

Lines of dialogue, obvious character development, and “morals of the story” that are directly expressed

Implicit content

Slightly deeper level of interpretation that can be inferred through observed character development and issues with human relationships

Symptomatic interpretation

Looks at the film as part of the broad context of society, reflecting and illustrating themes prevalent in the culture and perhaps in the creator’s personal life experiences; interpretation recognizes symbolic content

Ideological approach

What is the point of view the creators are attempting to advance?

Formalist approach

Looks at structure and form of film, focusing on internal evidence

Realist approach

Examines how a film represents reality. Are techniques made invisible or visible?

Contextualist approach

Film is always considered in a broader context. Could be cultural, auteurist, psychological, dualist, feminist, generic, genetic