Film Review vs. Film Criticism
Film Review: A movie review is an article that is published in a newspaper, magazine, or scholarly work that describes and evaluates a movie. Reviews are typically written by journalists giving their opinion of the movie. Some reviews include score (4 out of 5 stars) or recommendations (thumbs up). Since reviews are printed in many different kinds of publications, you may need to search several sources.
Film Criticism: A movie criticism is written by a scholar or expert in film studies to discuss the movie within a historical, social, political, or theoretical context. It differs from the opinion or recommendation that a movie review provides in terms of length, content and focus. Criticisms can be found in cinema studies journals as well as discipline-specific sources, depending on the plot or themes of the movie.
("Research Guides: Resources by Format: Movie Reviews and Criticisms." Research Guides at Virginia Tech, VT University Library, 1026, guides.lib.vt.edu/find/byformat/movie-reviews.)
Best Web Resources for this Class!
Ebooks about Films
From Box Office to Ballot Box: the American Political Film by Publication Date: 2007
Bigger Than Blockbusters: Movies that Defined America by Publication Date: 2009
Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito by Publication Date: 2015
Making the White Man's Indian: Native Americans and Hollywood Movies by Publication Date: 2005
Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema by Publication Date: 2015
Screens Fade to Black by Publication Date: 2006
Hong Kong Film, Hollywood and New Global Cinema by Publication Date: 2009
Latino Images in Film by Publication Date: 2002
How to Search for Film Criticism
Start with simple terms such as “film criticism” or "film analysis"
You can also search “film criticism” and the name of the film or the director
For example: "film criticism" and Alfred Hitchcock
You may have to try different combinations before you get relevant results!
Find Articles about Films
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new windowSearch "film criticism." This database indexes the Journals "Film Criticism" and the "Journal of Film and Video." It also allows limiting by document type to "entertainment reviews." Most sources are indexed from 1980-present, but some journals are covered to the 1800s.
- Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new windowIncludes the psychology of communication. Articles from scholarly and trade journals.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowAcademic journals, books, and primary sources as well as current issues of journals in the humanities and social sciences.
- Gale Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
"Provides researchers with unbounding literary resources to support their literary responses, literary analysis, and thesis statements through a diversity of scholars and critics that ensure all views and interpretations are represented." -Gale
- Pop Culture Universe This link opens in a new windowAmerican history and popular culture, including fads and entertainment.
- Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window"Provides cover-to-cover full text for hundreds of national (U.S.), international and regional newspapers. In addition, it offers television and radio news transcripts from major networks." -EBSCO
Search for Films and Print Books Using the PCC Library Catalog
Type the title of the film in the search box.
Search the Library Catalog
Tips for searching the catalog:
- Use simple words or phrases
- Check that your words are spelled correctly
- Focus your initial search results by campus, date or other ways by clicking "Modify Search"
Film Studies and Cinematography books are normally in the call numbers PN and TR.
- TR 845 - 899 Cinematography
- PN1995.9 Feminism and motion pictures.
- PN1995 Film Criticism
- PN1993 Motion pictures
- PN1997 Motion picture producers and directors
- PN1998 Biography and Motion pictures
- PN1997 Motion picture actors and actresses
PCC Streaming Video Databases
Magazines and Newspapers
- New York TimesTip - Search: Film Review