What Goes into a Good Film

Americans love to watch films and most likely would prefer to watch a good one. With the business of movie making brining in such large amounts of money, Hollywood is eager to spit out whatever film they think will rake them in the most for them. As more and more movies begin to diminish in originality and quality, more movie goers are waiting for the next good film to be released instead of the newest mindless blockbuster. But what is a good movie? Sure it has to be entertaining, but what needs more attention is what makes America’s favorite movies entertaining. There are a lot of opinions into what constitutes a good motion picture, and a large amount of movies that fall into this category. Movies like “The Godfather”, “Titanic”, and “Avatar”, are known to be considered among the greatest; But why? Sure these films are vastly different with storylines unrelated, but with a close examination, the similarities become more obvious. Great drama, an interesting yet credible story, and a unified plot that is both simple and complex are some of the ingredients needed to ensure everything that is needed is there to make a good film. Movies that engage the audience and take them to another world for the duration of the film, are the ones that are most likely to be thought of as “good” and this paper will discuss all that goes into a film to make that possible. One of the main things that contribute to whether or not a film will be considered good is if the movie is unified. Creating a unified movie means that the film is well rounded while having everything exactly where it needs to go. This is most evident in the theme of the movie. For instance, in a comedy such as “Little Miss Sunshine”, the theme of focusing on a humorous mood is constant. A movie that is all over the place with its theme is most likely going to be looked upon as unorganized and sloppy. It’s important to remember that to create a good unified movie it is regardless of what the theme is, as long as the events in the movie help contribute to the theme. A strong characterization film should focus on developing the character throughout the movie, and almost every scene should have at least some relevance to the development of that character. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a good example of a well executed film in which the character’s progression is the main focus. Movies that are focused on plot, such as “Avatar”, will constantly be having that underling feel of action and adventure throughout the film. This is not saying that the movie will never stray from the theme; instead it allows film to explore with different material while still keeping in mind the direction of the film. “Juno” is a film that has a sort of dual moods that are generated when all aspects of the film come together. Another way that a film can be seen as unified would be the time in which the movie takes place. Movies usually show unity by showing a cause and effect of whatever dilemma is going on in a certain sequence to show time. This helps the audience get a general understanding of what is going on, while making the film seem whole. Keeping in consideration the subject matter helps the audience understand the theme more clearly and helps create a unified plot. Another aspect to consider when discussing what makes a film good, would be if the story is credible. This means that the film is able to bring the audience into the world of the movie, while believing that the events in the movie actually happened. Making a film that is credible is important because if the audience does not believe in what is being shown, it is likely that they will not generate any strong emotions to the characters or plot. Not being engaged in the film would make a film such as “Crash” impossible to sympathize with the characters and would make the film boring and not the great film it is. That is why making a film that is realistic and believable is important, and