Reviews Appendix G: Finding Sample Film Reviews

Professional models

In part because of the vast marketing power of the film industry, finding professional reviews of current (and previous) films is as easy as opening a browser window.  Any of these sites will provide ready access to thousands of reviews.

Internet Movie Data Base

http://www.imdb.com 

Fandango

http://www.fandango.com 

Rotten Tomatoes

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ 

Metacritic

http://www.metacritic.com/film/ 

Flixter

http://www.flixster.com 

If you are looking for stand-out film criticism, consider a look at the work of the Boston Globe’s Mark Feeney, who in 2008 won a Pulitzer Prize in Criticism. Here are links to a few of the reviews that helped him earn that award. 

A clockwork Kubrick

http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/7716

Art, celebrity meet in 'Leibovitz'

http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/7711

Or you might browse the archives of A.O. Scott of The New York Times, a 2010 Pulitzer finalist whose subjects may be more accessible than Feeney’s to many students.  Here are a few of his summer 2010 reviews

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010): Global Warming Among the Undead

http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/06/30/movies/30twilight.html

Lunar Toons and Cookie Capers

http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/movies/09despicable.html

And a link to A.O. Scott’s NY Times collection:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/a-o-scott/reviews

Not enough?  Consider visiting The New York Times list of the top 1,000 movies (and their reviews) at http://www.nytimes.com/ref/movies/1000best.html

Student models

Here are links to a few reviews produced by students at Palo Alto High School using the methods demonstrated in this unit:

Pixar's Up soars above and beyond

http://voice.paly.net/node/21416

New Moon more crescent than full

http://voice.paly.net/node/22022