Purpose. What is my opinion of the film? Do I think others should rush out and see it? Or do I feel like I’ve just wasted two hours of my life? What are some of the key things in the film that helped me form my opinion?

Audience. The people most likely to want to see the film I’m reviewing: What are the things this audience values? How can I appeal to those values?

Rhetorical appeals. How will I establish my credibility? What specifics will I include in my review to gain readers’ trust in my opinion? To what extent will I appeal to their emotions? Should I try to shock my readers? Make them laugh?

Modes & media. Do I want my audience to read my review in print format (on paper) or online? If online, how will I take advantage of a digital environment? Will I embed links, for example? Stream video? What visuals will I include? What visuals will be most persuasive?

Elements of the genre. What might be a catchy title for my review? What is the film’s genre? What do I need to know about that particular genre to include in the review? Who is the film’s director? Do I want to incorporate other films by this director into the review? Who are the main actors? What’s important to share about their previous films? How do I feel about the actors’ performances in the film? How will I support my views?

Style. What bits of dialogue convey why the film is worth viewing or not? What examples from the film are the most convincing for my purpose? What tone do I want to use? How will I use diction to show my point of view?

Design. Do I want my reader to know my rating before reading the review or after? Did I include my byline? Do I have all the information needed for the production credits? How much of the production credits do I want to include with the review?

Sources. What do I know about the film’s director? The key performers? Do I know enough or do I need to do research to get more information? What do I know about the film’s genre?