Before looking for reviews, it can be helpful to obtain background information on the film.
Use the IMDB (for recent films) or Film Indexes Online to verify the date the film was released.
Use the IMDB or TV GUIDE Online to verify when a television series aired.
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Finding Film Reviews
When was the film released?
Finding Film Reviews in Databases:
New York Times
Holdings:
1851 to three years before current date.
Publisher: [Ann Arbor, Mich.] : ProQuest Information and Learning,
From 1851 to three years before the current date. Use Lexis-Nexis for the most current three years.
- SEARCH TIP: Select "More Search Options" and then limit by "document type" to "review", or limit by "display ad" to find movie advertising. Limit by release date. Enter the title of film in quotes.
International index to the performing arts
Publisher: [Alexandria, Va.] : Chadwyck-Healey, Inc.,
Scholarly and popular performing arts journals, 1864-present.
- SEARCH TIP: Limit by "document type" for film or television reviews, favorable, mixed, and unfavorable
ProQuest Research Library
Provider: ProQuest
Scholarly and popular journals, 1971-present.
- SEARCH TIP: Limit by "document type" to movie, television or video review. Enter the title of the film in quotes.
Readers' guide retrospective
General-interest periodicals published in the United States, 1890 - 1982.
- SEARCH TIP:Add "Motion Picture Reviews" or "Television Program Reviews" to SUBJECT
LexisNexis academic
Provider: LN
U.S. and international newspapers. Includes Variety from 1993-present. Covers 1980's-present.
- SEARCH TIP: Click the News tab and under "Select Sources", choose "Book, Movie, Play, and Video Reviews."
Film Review Websites:
Internet Movie Database
A must for film buffs. Easy to search, mostly reliable, and fairly comprehensive. Reviews can be found along the left hand side column once you've entered a movie title.
Movie Review Query Engine
Provides links to reviews for over 70,000 films. Registration required for access to some reviews. Updated regularly.
Metacritic
Provides reviews for both recent and earlier films, videos, music, books and games.
Finding Older Film Reviews - 1800's through 1920's - Print Sources:
The film index
Publisher: New York : The Museum of modern art film library and the H.W. Wilson company, 1941-
Covers the early years of film up to 1936.
Index to critical film reviews in British and American film periodicals
Publisher: New York : B. Franklin [1974-75]
An index to short and feature film reviews in the moving picture world
Publisher: Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1995.
International dictionary of films and filmmakers.
Publisher: Detroit : St. James Press, 1997-
Vol.1 contains film review citations
Readers' guide to periodical literature.
Publisher: White Plains, N.Y. : H. W. Wilson Co., 1916-1920.
1900-1993.
Search under "Moving Picture Plays" (through February 1977) or "Motion Picture Reviews " (after February 1977).
Search under "Moving Picture Plays" (through February 1977) or "Motion Picture Reviews " (after February 1977).
The Film index, a bibliography
Publisher: White Plains, N.Y. : Kraus International Publications, 1988- ,[1941]-
Covers the early years of film up to 1936.