Below you can find some useful adjectives for describing works and performances

adjectives	meaning	example
overrated	not as good as people say	It’s an overrated film.
hackneyed	done so often it is boring	The plot was so hackneyed!
impenetrable	complex & impossible to understand	His films are impenetrable.
disjoint	unconnected & not in a clear order	The plot was disjoint & difficult to follow.
risqué	slightly immoral & likely to shock some people	The film was a bit risqué, & some religious leaders criticised it.
gripping	exciting & keeping your attention the whole time	It was a gripping film from start to finish.
harrowing	extremely upsetting	It was a harrowing documentary about war & refugee camps.
moving	making you feel strong emotion, especially pity or sadness	It’s a moving story about a child whose mother dies.
memorable	you remember it long after	That was a memorable performance.
understated	done or expressed in a simple but attractive style	The film is really understated.

a) Give an adjective from above which is opposite in meaning to the following words:

forgettable original / novel underrated

exaggerated coherent / smooth-flowing

b) Now use other adjectives instead of the underlined words in these sentences. Make any other changes that are necessary to produce a correct sentence.

1) The musical shocked some people because they thought it was immoral & was attacked by several politicians & religious figures.

2) I can’t remember the last time I saw such a film that keeps you in suspense & totally absorbed all the time.

3) It was a film that aroused very deep emotions in me.

4) It’s a film that is difficult to watch without getting very upset.

5) Some of his films are absolutely impossible to understand because they are so dense & obscure.

c) Film reviews often use compound adjectives to describe films. Make compound adjectives by matching words in A with words in B and use them to complete the film reviews below.

Example: action-packed

A B

action moving

slow packed

spine warming

breath fetched

hard taking

heart chilling

far hitting

Beautiful People is a romantic melodrama. It lasts three hours, and has a ________________ plot, which gets a bit boring. However, the _________________ performance by Tim Franks in the central role will move you to tears. It also has a ________________ message about how we should deal with AIDS.

The Monster Movie is both a comedy and a horror film. It has a _______________ storyline, which you just won’t believe, but it also has some ________________ stunts, which look really dangerous. It has a _______________ ending which is so scary you will cover your eyes.

6) Which of the following words in italics would you use speaking about success / failure?

a. His latest film was panned by critics, which is strange, since all his previous works have been universally lauded.

b. His latest big-budget film bombed.

c. This young actor won the award for‘Best up-and-coming actor’ of 2005.

d. She got a standing ovation for her portrayal of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at Cannes.

e. The film grossed over $200 million, making her the first woman to direct a smash hit in Hollywood.

7) Think of a film that you have seen recently, and answer the question s.

1 What was the name of the film?

2 What sort of film was it?

3 Who directed it? Who starred in it?

4 What was it based on?

5 Where was it set?

6 What was it about?

7 How would you describe the film, the performance of the actors, the stunts and special effects?

8 Would you recommend it? Why?

Interview your partner about their film. Tell the class about your partner’s film.

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