what do you look for in a film?

original post
in other words, what you notice about films and what aspects help you declare it to be a good film or a bad film?

for myself, it's about rhythm. it's the rhythm of the shot and how each motion within shot effects the overall mood. this is best understood whenever i think about scenes that use a song predominantly (any moment in wes anderson's films or in donnie darko). everything works together beautifully for that moment. but that's just a vague guiding principle.

as far as specifics, i look at acting (even if i hate the character, does hesh do a good job), the cinematography (does the style communicate the mood), the music and the story (either straightforward narrative or some alternative structure that tells something beyond just a narrative).

any other thoughts?

alaina harmon's response
I\'m big on colour use. If they have a shot that\'s predominantly lit in one colour, but tuck a contrasting item in the corner, it makes my head happy. I\'m very fond of the bright blue, green, orange tints/hues which show up in several movies set in urban China and Japan. And green lighting always has a strong effect, although it doesn\'t belong in most shots and needs to be used correctly.