Researching Films: Home

Searching for film information -

It can be helpful to enter the title of the film with quotes when searching, e.g. "The Sixth Sense" instead of The Sixth Sense.

It can also be helpful to enter the title of the film with the last name of the director, eg "Bonnie and Clyde" and Penn.

Knowing about the main actors and the other films the director is associated with can help you if you are having trouble finding information on your film.

• Know the date the film came out!
• Know the director!
• Know what you are looking for a review or a criticism!

Reviews

• Provide opinions on the creativity, entertainment, social and cultural value of a film
• Designed to let a viewer know if the film is worth their time
• Usually short, although in some cases they may be longer
• Are generally found in popular magazines, newspapers and on websites
• Generally do not reflect on things like the film's place in a director's body of work or on specific aspects of the film such as lighting, music, and casting choices

Criticism/Critical Analysis

• Are more scholarly in nature
• Are typically longer than a review
• Discuss films in a broad context, such as the political, social, historical, or cultural significance of the film
• May compare films from the same director or within a particular genre
• May discuss the film in relation to the director's, actor's or script writer's body of work rather than as a single film
• May focus on specific aspects of the creation of the film including things such as lighting, music and casting choices