How do you properly critique film?

[Blue Chipper]

What criterion is used to determine the quality of a film?

I love movies, and watch them obsessively, but I am by no means an expert movie buff. The way I judge a movie's quality is by how much it entertained me. Of course, there's an objective way of judging how good the film is using a set criteria. That's my question: what is the criteria? What criteria does movie critics use?

I know the obvious, such as the acting and scenery, but what else is there?

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

As consumers rather than producers, it's best that we stick to critiquing film by the ways we usually do; that is, by paying attention to the acting, writing, and production design. I think acquiring a knowledge of cinematography is hard, but doable, and this can go on your list of things to critique a film by if you do the proper research. However, critiquing films by such criteria as their sound and editing is best left to film scholars and filmmakers themselves, in my opinion (of course, you can always read what they have to say to educate yourself).