Film Criticism

MCM 351

Monday 5:30-8:30 pm

Spring 2022

Professor: Dr Proshot Kalami

Final Research Paper

This paper is about 5 to 10 pages long and double spaced.
The paper MUST follow the MLA Style in using references, quotations, pagination, and general formula. You will be marked off for any errors in this regard.
This research MUST be based on the films that were discussed in lectures and/or below in the list. You can focus on more than 1 film. The films will be your Primary Source.
For Secondary Sources you can use essays provided during the course including theTextbook, sources provided for the Midterm Research Paper (on Blackboard),and other academic resources. You are welcome to further the domain of your research should you chose too. However, any source used MUST be an academic article from professional Film Studies books or peer-reviewed film and cinema periodicals.
Please keep in mind, the style of research essay does not match with emotional reflection, that is to say “liking” a scene or a style needs to be explained and supported by reasoning and research in the field. After you are done with the essay, please proofread for errors before submission.

The following MUST be included in your Final Research. In other words, you will be marked against the following criteria:

Sense of history
Cinematic Terms in describing scenes, shots, and film techniques
Differentiating between the idealistic purposes of auteur cinema and the economic logic of commercial cinema
European/Colonial influence and reading against the narrative
Social realism versus melodrama – Structuralism versus Psychoanalytical
Feminist theory and Women filmmakers – historically and theoretically

Lists of films IN ADDITION to any film that was screened in class in its entirety or in clips:

Available on Kanopy:

Three Colours: Blue 1993 – White 1993 – Red 1994

Secrets & Lies 1996

Moonlight 2016

Shelter 2018

Available on Paid Streaming Services:

Selma 2014

Straight Outta Campton 2015

Hidden Figures 2016

Best of Luck!