Task 2 - The Great Gatsby film review analysis

Code/Convention	Notes & Evidence from real media products (the reviews)	Why is it there / like this?
Layout	Basic paragraphs accompanied by relevant images from the film.  There is also always a star rating at the top of the page	This article is online so a normal paragraph structure is necessary. The star rating gives the reader an idea of overall opinion of the film without reading the review.
Different Headings	The review is titled the name of the film ‘ The Great Gatsby’, underneath the title is a subtitle ’All that Bazz’ which links in with the theme of the film. Subheadings simply include a plot,  the review and a verdict.	The title simply informs the reader of what film the review is about. The subtitle can sometimes be humorous pun which are possibly used in an attempt to gain the readers attention. The subheading inform us of what section of the review we are reading. The verdict is a short summary of the writers overall opinion.
How the review is introduced	The review is introduced with an overview of the plot	This is used so that the reader can gather a general idea of what the film is about, but its only vague
Use of puns	‘All that Bazz’	This is the subheading of the review. It’s a play on words from ‘All that Jazz’ but because the director is called Bazz Luhrmann it is instead ‘all the Bazz’
Balance of fact & opinion	The opening of the review is about the book the film is based on which Is of course fact and in the second paragraph the reviewer explains the plot in more detail telling us about where it is set and introducing us to the characters involved. The opinion of the reviewer is evident from then on wards, they make statements such as ‘Luhrmann doesn’t so much harken to the needs of the book as shower them in tinsel’ and the verdict at the end of the review: ’Despite DiCaprio’s prize performance, purists will fume, but even as lit-crashing razzle-dazzle entertainment Luhrmann’s adaptation is a candelabrum too far.’	The factual side of the review gives the reader a clearer understanding of the film. In this particular review the origins of the film are explained, possibly to encourage the audience to read the book as well. A more in depth plot is necessary without giving too much away so that the reader has a clearer understanding of what the film is about so that the opinions make more sense. In this review the writer really exaggerates on how great Dicaprios performance was however he thinks that Baz Luhrmanns directing was perhaps too much and ruined the book.
Use of humour	1.       ‘spiked with a triple shot of CG, 3D and Jay Z’ 2.       Luhrmann doesn’t so much harken to the needs of the book as shower them in tinsel 3.       If you’re looking for something more restrained and believable this summer, Pacific Rim might be a better bet.	1. The rhyme of three elements in the film may be humorous, CG and 3D are all film terms but they are accompanied by Jay Z who is rapper and doesn’t link with CG and 3D but he does rap in the soundtrack. He stands out as the odd element.  2. The writer makes a humorous remark when he explains how he thinks Baz Lurhmann had gone a bit overboard with the millionaire in the 1920s theme, comparing it to tinsel which is sometimes considered an ‘over-the-top’ decoration.
Discussion of film’s content
Discussion of film’s technologies or styling
Discussion of film’s characters
How the review is summed up	’Despite DiCaprio’s prize performance, purists will fume, but even as lit-crashing razzle-dazzle entertainment Luhrmann’s adaptation is a candelabrum too far.’	Its clear that the writer is a big fan of Leonardo Dicaprio however, not so much a big fan of Luhrmanns directing style.

By Emily Driscoll