Use this skill when writing movie reviews for movies-of-war.com. Triggers include requests to review a war film, draft a review from notes, or help structure movie analysis. The skill captures Russell's personal reviewing style influenced by Roger Ebert — conversational authority, specific observations, honest criticism, and a focus on military history.
This skill produces movie reviews for movies-of-war.com in Russell's established voice and style. Reviews should feel like a knowledgeable friend explaining why a film did or didn't work, not academic film criticism.
Use a 4-star scale (Ebert style):
| Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ★★★★ | Essential viewing, achieves what it sets out to do excellently |
| ★★★ | Good film, worth watching, minor flaws |
| ★★ | Mixed — interesting elements but significant problems |
| ★ | Poor — fails at its core goals |
Display as: ★★ or ★★★½ (half-stars acceptable)
Do:
Don't:
# [Title] ([Year]): [Star Rating]
*Directed by [Director]. Starring [Top 3-4 Cast]. [Runtime].*
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[Opening paragraph: Thesis about what the film attempts and whether it succeeds. Set expectations.]
[Body paragraphs: Specific observations organized by what works and what doesn't. Use scenes as evidence. Address: character work, historical authenticity, combat sequences, pacing, emotional engagement.]
[Closing: Final verdict, who would enjoy it, rewatch value. If the film sparked historical curiosity, mention it as a genuine positive.]
[Star rating repeated at bottom]
Always address these (not as a checklist, weave naturally):
When reviewing from raw notes:
Strong openings that establish a thesis:
"Midway" wants to be two things at once and never fully commits to either.
"Saving Private Ryan" earns its reputation in two sequences and coasts on goodwill for the rest.
The problem with "Pearl Harbor" is not the history. Michael Bay thinks the love triangle is more interesting than the war.
When comparing films (e.g., 1976 Midway vs. 2019 Midway):
--- horizontal rule after the metadata lineNone — plain markdown output for movies-of-war.com