2.2.5: Everyone’s a Critic (and a Writer)

The best films use genre to push boundaries, to subvert expectations, to surprise us.

Cinema plays many roles in our lives. It entertains us. It provokes us. It inspires us. And whether we realize it or not, it shapes how we think about the world.

Watching a movie isn’t passive. It’s a conversation—a back-and-forth between the filmmaker and the audience. Every scene, every shot, every moment asks us a question: “What does this mean to you?”

This chapter is about answering those questions. It’s about understanding film not just as entertainment, but as a craft. We’ll explore genre, narrative tools, and the role of personal taste. Because here’s the truth:

You don’t have to like a movie to learn from it.

Taste vs. Quality

Let’s get something straight: a “good” movie and a “movie you like” aren’t the same thing.

Maybe you’ve watched Citizen Kane. You know it’s a masterpiece. You’ve read the essays. You’ve seen the praise. And yet… it doesn’t do much for you. That’s fine. It’s better than fine.

Or maybe you’ve watched Twilight. It’s cheesy. It’s clunky. Critics tore it apart. And yet… you love it. The characters pull you in. The story sticks with you. You’ve rewatched it more times than you can count.

Guess what? That’s fine too.

Cinema is subjective. What matters isn’t whether everyone agrees something is “good.” What matters is what you take away from it. Sometimes, guilty pleasures are the best teachers. You don’t have to defend them. You just have to ask yourself: why does this work for me?

Here’s another truth: you don’t have to like a movie to learn from it either. A film can leave you cold and still teach you volumes about theme, structure, or craft. It might fail in ways that help you understand how to succeed. That’s the power of criticism—it’s about discovery, not dismissal.

Why Genre Matters

So, where does genre come in?

Think of genre as a roadmap. It tells you what to expect. It tells you what’s possible. Horror, comedy, science fiction, drama—each genre sets rules and opens doors. For filmmakers, genre is a tool. For audiences, it’s a way to find what resonates.

But genre isn’t a cage. It’s a framework. The best films use genre to push boundaries, to subvert expectations, to surprise us.

To better understand how genre informs a movie’s identity, let’s examine how Tokyo is represented across a selection of films and their genres:

Jidaigeki (Period Drama)

• 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike)
• The Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa)
• Kubi (Takeshi Kitano)

These films focus on samurai and the feudal conflicts of historical Japan. Themes of honor, duty, and sacrifice dominate, with the setting often capturing the tension between tradition and upheaval.

Science Fiction

• Akira (Katsuhiro Ôtomo)
• Godzilla Minus One (Takashi Yamazaki)

These films use futuristic or speculative elements to critique modern society. Akira explores dystopia and power, while Godzilla Minus One delves into post-war trauma and resilience.

Slice of Life

• Adrift in Tokyo (Satoshi Miki)
• Aggretsuko (Rareko)

Focused on everyday struggles, these films bring Tokyo to life as a character. Whether it’s quiet strolls or office politics, these narratives ground their stories in authentic, human moments.

Supernatural and Fantasy

• Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki)
• Your Name (Makoto Shinkai)
• Suzume (Makoto Shinkai)

These films blend the fantastical with the real, using Tokyo as both a setting and a bridge between worlds. Themes of connection, memory, and transformation dominate.

Action and Street Culture

• Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift (Justin Lin)
• Initial D (Andrew Lau, Alan Mak)

Tokyo’s streets come alive as playgrounds for adrenaline-fueled action. These films emphasize rebellion, skill, and the pulse of the city.

Horror and Dark Fantasy

• Tokyo Ghoul (Shûhei Morita)
• Godzilla Minus One (Takashi Yamazaki)

These films juxtapose Tokyo’s modernity with its hidden, darker sides. They explore themes of survival, transformation, and humanity under threat.

Social Commentary

• Shoplifters (Hirokazu Koreeda)

This slice-of-life drama critiques societal norms and examines what it means to be a family in Tokyo. It uses the urban backdrop to emphasize both connection and isolation.

Hybrid Genre

• Samurai Champloo (Shinichiro Watanabe)

Combining jidaigeki with modern music and culture, this anime redefines tradition through innovation, blending historical themes with contemporary aesthetics.

Elements of Genre

Four key elements define a genre:

1. Character: Who drives the story? Are they heroes, anti-heroes, Everyman?
2. Story: What conflict or journey is at the heart of the film?
3. Plot: How is the story structured? What’s revealed, and when?
4. Setting: Where and when does the action unfold?

Take 13 Assassins. It’s a jidaigeki (period drama). The characters are samurai. The story is a classic revenge mission. The plot builds toward an epic, bloody showdown. The setting—feudal Japan—grounds it all in history and tradition.

These elements work together to create not just a movie, but an experience.

And while genre can guide us, it’s not the whole story. Consider films like Akira. It’s science fiction, yes, but it’s also a psychological drama, a political thriller, and a dystopian parable. Genre gives it structure, but its impact comes from the way it transcends those boundaries.

How to Watch a Film Critically

Here’s the secret to film criticism: it’s not about tearing movies apart. It’s about looking deeper.

When you watch a movie, ask yourself:

• What’s the central theme? How does the movie explore it?
• What choices did the filmmaker make? How do they shape your experience?
• What works? What doesn’t? Why?

You don’t have to answer these questions right away. Sometimes, the best insights come days after the credits roll.

Example \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Every movie has a structure. Dan Harmon's Story Circle is a useful framework for understanding that structure. It breaks a protagonist’s journey into eight stages:

Understanding the Eight Stages of the Story Circle

1. 1. You – Establishing the Ordinary World

   Introduce the protagonist in their everyday life, showing their comfort zone and the world they inhabit. This sets the stage for the journey ahead.

   Film Example: Kubi
   In Kubi, directed by Takeshi Kitano, we meet Lord Oda Nobunaga at the height of his power. The court is steeped in ritual, betrayal, and ambition, where even moments of order mask a simmering chaos beneath the surface. This opening establishes Nobunaga’s control—and the fragility of that control—as his "ordinary world."

   Screenwriting Tip:
   Use rich, detailed visuals to ground the protagonist in their world. Minimal dialogue and purposeful staging can establish tone and hint at underlying tensions.

   2. Need – Highlighting the Desire or Problem

   Introduce a hint of dissatisfaction or a need that propels the protagonist to act. This desire becomes the engine of the story.

   Film Example: Initial D
   Takumi Fujiwara seems indifferent to his quiet life, working in his father’s tofu shop and making early-morning deliveries. But his extraordinary skill at downhill racing hints at unfulfilled potential. When his talent is discovered, it awakens a need for self-expression and competition, pulling him into the racing world.

   Screenwriting Tip:
   Show the protagonist’s dissatisfaction through subtle actions or moments that hint at something missing. This need should evolve into the story’s driving motivation.

   3. Go – Crossing into the Unfamiliar

   The protagonist leaves their comfort zone, stepping into a new and challenging environment.

   Film Example: Godzilla Minus One
   In Godzilla Minus One, Koichi Shikishima, a former kamikaze pilot, faces a new, horrifying reality as Godzilla emerges to devastate post-war Japan. Forced to confront both external chaos and his own survivor’s guilt, Koichi must navigate a world defined by destruction and resilience.

   Screenwriting Tip:
   This beat often aligns with the “inciting incident.” Make the transition from the ordinary world visually and emotionally striking to underscore the protagonist’s leap into the unknown.

   4. Search – Facing Challenges and Adapting

   The protagonist encounters obstacles and begins to learn the rules of their new world.

   Film Example: Initial D
   Takumi faces rivals and pressure from seasoned racers as he enters the underground world of street racing. Each race forces him to refine his skills and adapt to the rules of competition, sharpening his abilities and confidence.

   Screenwriting Tip:
   Highlight moments of trial and growth. Use visual and narrative cues to show the protagonist’s struggle to adapt, building tension and engagement.

   5. Find – A Moment of Success with Complications

   The protagonist achieves a partial victory, but this success introduces new problems or raises the stakes.

   Film Example: Kubi
   Nobunaga’s military triumphs solidify his authority, but his ruthless ambition sows dissent among his closest allies. What appears to be a moment of dominance reveals cracks in his leadership, escalating the risk of betrayal.

   Screenwriting Tip:
   Show how small victories complicate the protagonist’s situation, heightening stakes and keeping the narrative momentum strong.

   6. Take – Paying the Price

   The protagonist faces their lowest point, confronting significant loss or a painful revelation about themselves or their world.

   Film Example: Godzilla Minus One
   Koichi experiences profound loss as Godzilla’s relentless destruction lays waste to his homeland. This devastation mirrors his own internal conflict, forcing him to confront his feelings of worthlessness and his need to find purpose amidst despair.

   Screenwriting Tip:
   The “dark night of the soul” should be emotionally resonant. Create a moment that forces the protagonist to confront their fears, flaws, or limits, making their eventual growth more meaningful.

   7. Return – Coming Back Transformed

   The protagonist returns to a familiar place, but with new insights, skills, or perspectives that change their relationship to it.

   Film Example: Initial D
   Takumi returns to Mount Akina, where his racing journey began. Now a confident and skilled driver, he faces the same roads with a renewed sense of purpose and mastery, symbolizing his personal growth.

   Screenwriting Tip:
   Show the contrast between the protagonist’s original state and their transformed self. Use this moment to underline how far they’ve come.

   8. Change – A New Beginning

   The protagonist has transformed and brings that change to their world. This resolution ties the story together and provides closure.

   Film Example: Kubi
   Nobunaga’s downfall reshapes the power structure of feudal Japan. His ambition leaves a legacy of chaos, forcing those who remain to rebuild and learn from his hubris. The final moments reflect on the consequences of his unrelenting quest for control.

   Screenwriting Tip:
   Echo the story’s central theme in this final stage. The resolution should provide both narrative closure and an emotional payoff, leaving the audience with a lasting impression.

Inspiration from Criticism

Critiquing a film doesn’t mean deciding if it’s good or bad. It means finding what resonates. Even the most flawed movies have something to teach us—about storytelling, about craft, about ourselves.

Love a film that’s panned? Great. Study it. Why does it work for you? What can you learn from it?

Hate a so-called masterpiece? That’s fine, too.

What doesn’t click?

What would you do differently?

Criticism isn’t about tearing down. It’s about building up.

Every critique is an opportunity to discover something new about the film or about yourself.

Conclusion: Everyone’s a Critic and Writer

At the end of the day, watching movies isn’t about judgment. It’s about discovery. Every film, from the critically acclaimed to the guilty pleasure, offers a chance to learn. Genre gives us the tools to understand. Criticism gives us the lens to see deeper. Storytelling gives us the courage to create.

So watch. Think. Learn. And above all:

Start writing.