April 4: Four Word Review Day

On this fourth day of the fourth month, it's appropriate to focus on the number four and to honor what is probably the best wordplay site on the web. It's called Four Word Film Reviews. The creators of www.fwfr.com challenge the public to write a review of a film in four words or less. Most of the reviews are not so much reviews as they are new titles, but the fun comes in the wonderful wordplay that results. Puns, alliteration, adaptation of other film titles are all a part of the creative writing game of making every word count.

For example, here are seven examples of reviews for the film Jaws.

Gulp fiction
Shaw shark retention
Jurassic shark
shooting barrel in fish
Gil against island
Diet: fish and ships
Amity's vile horror

Reading four word movie reviews is fun in itself, but there is also something to be learned here. Shakespeare said that 'Brevity is the soul of wit.' In other words, making every word count and wasting no words is the essense of good writing. As you read four word reviews and begin to write your own, you'll learn that wordplay can be hard work, but the rewards are satisfing for both you, the writer, and your readers. Also read newspaper headlines and notice how headline writers work with the same kind of wordplay to attract the reader's attention. A good title is vital, so when you write an essay, take some time to write a short, but sweet, title of four words or less.

Below are ten four word reviews. See if you can identify the titles before you look at the answers listed below:

1. World's survival chance: slim
2. Lion, witch, wide road
3. Twist ending sleighs me
4. Song of sam
5. Ford. Explorer.
6. If the shoe fits . . .
7. Humans make bad batteries
8. Small medium, large twist
9. Original space 'n Vader.
10. Fish finds friends, anemones


1. Dr. Strangelove
2. The Wizard of Oz
3. Citizen Cane
4. Casablanca
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark
6. Cinderella
7. The Matrix
8. The Sixth Sense
9. Star Wars
10. Finding Nemo


Today's Challenge: Four Word Reviews Galore

Create your own four word film reviews. But don't stop with movies. Write a four word review of your favorite book. Read newspaper headlines and notice how headline writers work with the same kind of wordplay to attract the reader's attention. A good title is vital, so when you write an essay, take some time to write a short, but sweet title of four words or less.

Quote of the Day: Doubt grows with knowledge. --Johann W. Goethe