20 Best Movie Review Sites in 2024
A lot of people use their friends or other people they know to get advice on what movie to watch. Others look through the newspapers or watch TV to get some recommendations. But, there is a critical mass of people who consult the Internet and find movie review sites that tell them what to expect from a film. There are lots of sites full of reviews. Some of them are more prominent and feature well-known film critics, while others are genre-specific or just lesser-known.
In this article, we are going to bring you a list of the 20 best movie review sites on the Internet. Some of them are specialized sites, while others are merely reputable sources with established critics. The list is unranked since every site has its strengths and downsides. Enjoy!
Editor’s Note: This list was updated in March 2024 and includes some additions to the list.
1. Internet Movie Database
IMDb is a website where you can find info about movies, shows, and more. It has details like cast, crew, plot summaries, ratings, and reviews. People can register to contribute and edit info. If you’re in the entertainment industry and have an IMDb page, you can add photos by joining IMDbPRO. Users can rate movies on a scale of 1 to 10, and the average rating is displayed for each title.
Rationale: By far the most popular site on our list, the legendary IMDb is the ultimate reference point for most Internet users. It has the largest movie database on the internet and while the ratings are user-generated, it also links official reviews and has a section for external reviewers. IMDb is by far the most commonly used reference point when movie reviews are concerned.
2. Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes and its Tomatometer score are popular resources for entertainment recommendations. They collect reviews from critics to help fans know what’s good and what’s not in movies and TV shows. Along with scores, they provide original content, videos, and live events for fans. Their team reads thousands of reviews weekly from approved critics and publications to generate scores and choose representative quotes. Critics can also submit their reviews directly.
Rationale: Rotten Tomatoes, although not as popular as IMDb, has become a major player in the review industry. Unlike IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes is a review aggregator that bases its scores on certified reviews gathered around the Internet, but it also has a user score section. The main issue with Rotten Tomatoes compared to IMDb is that it has a much smaller database.
3. Metacritic
In 1999, three former attorneys had a simple idea: create a score to summarize entertainment reviews. They launched Metacritic in 2001, aiming to distill critics’ voices into the Metascore, an average of respected critics’ reviews online and in print. Metacritic’s goal is to aid consumers in making informed decisions about entertainment spending. They value multiple opinions, including user feedback, and believe scores make opinions easier to use.
Rationale: Metacritic functions on the same basis as Rotten Tomatoes – it aggregates reviews from different sources and then calculates its scores, but also has user scores as well. Its database is about the same size when movies are concerned, but unlike Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic also has a section dedicated to music and video games.
4. Screendollars
Screendollars is a leading online platform that provides comprehensive data, news, and insights for the film industry. The website features a range of tools and resources, including box office data, movie trailers, and industry analysis. Screendollars is widely regarded as a trusted source in the entertainment industry, with over 200,000 professionals subscribing to its weekly newsletter. Screendollars Pro is designed to provide industry professionals with the data and insights they need to make informed decisions and stay ahead of the rapidly evolving entertainment landscape.
Rationale: Screendollars is a respected platform in the entertainment industry, offering crucial insights for film exhibition and distribution. Its features include industry news, box office data, and expert analysis by insiders. Widely regarded as reliable, it is a trusted resource for movie-related information.
5. RogerEbert.com
RogerEbert.com is a top destination for movie criticism, commentary, and community engagement. Since the passing of co-founder Roger Ebert in 2013, his wife Chaz Ebert has led the site. With a team including web developer Table XI, IT consultant Myrin New, Ebert Company executive Sonia Evans, and Managing Editor Brian Tallerico, they’ve redesigned the site while staying true to Roger’s love for film and connection with readers.
Chaz and her team, including professional editors like Brian Tallerico, Matt Zoller Seitz, Nick Allen, Matt Fagerholm, and Nell Minow, maintain Roger’s high standards for insightful cinematic discourse. They cover the latest releases with diverse writers while also providing extensive reviews of independent and documentary films, TV series, and streaming content.
The updated RogerEbert.com offers user-friendly features, faster loading times, improved search optimization, genre-specific movie collections, aesthetically pleasing graphics, and more. Expect enhanced interviews with filmmakers, additional video and print features, tributes to cinema and life events, and comprehensive coverage of all things cinematic.
Rationale: The legacy of the legendary Roger Ebert, arguably the best film critic to ever write a review anywhere in the world, is continued on the site that bears his name. Ebert himself was the main editor of the site until his death, but his legacy still continues as his former collaborators decided to keep it up and running, adding new content daily. This is a specialized review site written by certified critics and contains only those movies reviewed by the site’s writers and has no user content.
6. IndieWire
Since its launch on July 15, 1996, IndieWire has become a leading hub for independent filmmakers, industry professionals, and movie enthusiasts. Starting as an online forum and newsletter for filmmakers and festivals, IndieWire has evolved into a primary source for film and television news, reviews, interviews, and global festival coverage. Our goal is to provide creators and movie lovers with news, information, and resources while promoting a greater appreciation for independent filmmaking among audiences.
Rationale: IndieWire has been an industry pillar for independent moviemakers for more than 20 years now and is the best reference point when the American indie scene is concerned. The reviews are written by professionals and there is no user content, but there are several sections that cover a lot of different aspects of the indie movie scene.
7. The Guardian
The Guardian is a British newspaper established in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, later changing its name in 1959. It’s part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the Scott Trust, formed in 1936 to ensure the paper’s financial and editorial independence. As of February 2020, its daily print circulation was 126,879, with online editions including TheGuardian.com, Guardian Australia, and Guardian US. The paper leans toward the mainstream left politically, often associated with social liberal and left-wing views. Despite occasional typographical errors, jokingly referred to as the “Grauniad,” The Guardian maintains a significant online presence, reaching over 23 million UK adults monthly.
Rationale: The Guardian is a reliable source of information from all fields, as it is a real news portal (and a newspaper), but it’s also noted for its film review section, which we have linked. Guardian’s professional reviewers cover a lot of movies and you won’t find a relevant contemporary title that’s not on the site. There is no user content.
8. The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper established in 1851, known for its numerous Pulitzer Prizes and as a “newspaper of record.” It’s owned by The New York Times Company and has been run by the Sulzberger family since 1896. The paper is perceived to have a liberal bias and is ranked 18th globally in circulation. Over time, it has expanded its sections and layout, including special weekly topics and Sunday supplements. The Times has maintained its broadsheet format and motto, “All the News That’s Fit to Print.”
Rationale: We all know that The New York Times is one of the most respectable newspapers around the world and that it is responsible for some of the greatest examples of journalism in history. Still, the site also has a very strong movie reviews section which is up to date with all the newest movies and can be considered very reliable.
9. Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is a daily newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, known for its merger in 1948 between the Chicago Sun and the Chicago Daily Times. It’s the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group and has the second-largest circulation in Chicago after the Chicago Tribune. The paper has won eight Pulitzer Prizes, including one awarded to film critic Roger Ebert. Ownership has changed hands several times, with claims of being the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city, tracing back to the founding of the Chicago Daily Journal in 1844. The paper was founded by Marshall Field III and has maintained a populist, progressive character, often leaning Democratic but remaining independent.
Rationale: Although another newspaper like the two we mentioned above, the Chicago Sun-Times has a very strong movie-reviewing tradition, as its most famous writer ever was the legendary Roger Ebert. The reviews today are mostly written by Richard Roeper, one of Ebert’s collaborators, which is why we think that this site’s review section has some importance.
10. Screen Rant
Screen Rant started in 2003 and has grown into a major entertainment news source, reaching over 232 million readers in 2018. We offer news, reviews, podcasts, and videos covering TV, film, and video games. Their team consists of passionate individuals with diverse backgrounds in entertainment, aiming to provide engaging content for all entertainment enthusiasts.
Rationale: Screen Rant is one of the industry’s biggest online players and a site dedicated to entertainment. It has a variety of sections and a lot of great writers, which more than makes up for its lack of user content. The reviews from Screen Rant are usually considered to be the most trustworthy around the web.
11. Empire
Empire is a British film magazine launched in 1989 by David Hepworth and Barry McIlheney, aiming to review and rate every UK cinema release. It emphasizes that movies should be both artful and enjoyable. The magazine achieved its initial goal of selling 50,000 copies with its first edition featuring Dennis Quaid and Winona Ryder on the cover from the film “Great Balls of Fire!” Their film reviews are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.
Rationale: Empire is a specialized British film magazine and is, in that aspect, one of the most trustworthy sources from the media industry. It has a lot of different sections covering a lot of fields from the world of media but is also known for its professional critics, who are among the most reliable in the field.
12. IGN
IGN, short for Imagine Games Network, is an American website focused on video games and entertainment. It’s owned by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis under j2 Global. The site, launched in 1996 by Chris Anderson, covers games, films, TV, comics, tech, and more. Originally desktop-based, IGN is now available on various platforms including mobile, consoles, and streaming services like YouTube and Hulu. It was once part of IGN Entertainment, which owned other gaming and entertainment sites like Rotten Tomatoes and GameSpy. IGN was acquired by Ziff Davis in 2013 and operates as a J2 Global subsidiary.
Rationale: We couldn’t, of course, make a list without IGN, one of the largest players in the online industry. IGN covers everything from movies to video games, from news and exclusives to interviews and reviews, and is a respectable go-to if you need reliable information. There is no user content, but there are plenty of trustworthy reviews.
13. The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter (THR) is an American magazine and website that covers the film, television, and entertainment industries. Established in 1930 as a daily trade paper, it transitioned to a weekly magazine format in 2010 along with an updated website. Based in Los Angeles, THR is part of the Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group and is owned by MRC, formerly Valence Media, co-founded by Todd Boehly, an executive of its previous owners, Guggenheim Partners and Eldridge Industries.
Rationale: The Hollywood Reporter has been an industry brand for years and its printed editions, as well as its online articles, are among the most reliable sources when it comes to the movie industry. The magazine has since expanded into other areas such as gaming but has retained its review section which is one of the best you’ll find out there.
14. The Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is an American magazine founded in 1967 in San Francisco by Jann Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason. Initially focused on rock music and political reporting, it shifted its focus in the 1990s to appeal to a younger audience interested in TV, film, and popular music. However, it has since returned to its original mix of content including music, entertainment, and politics. Known for its bold cover photos featuring various celebrities, Rolling Stone publishes both in print and online through Rollingstone.com and international editions.
Rationale: Like most magazines on our list, The Rolling Stone has a firm reputation as one of the most reliable media sources out there. It covers a wide array of artistic fields, including music and movies, and has a series of high-quality writers and reviewers who regularly contribute to the site. The magazine’s reviews are among the most reliable ones.
15. Variety
Variety is an American media company owned by Penske Media Corporation. It was established by Sime Silverman in New York City in 1905 as a weekly newspaper covering theater and vaudeville. In 1933, it expanded with Daily Variety in Los Angeles, focusing on the film industry. Variety.com offers a wide range of entertainment news, reviews, box office results, articles, videos, and photos, along with a database of credits, production charts, and historical content dating back to 1905.
Rationale: Variety is another big player on the media scene and a magazine that is not specialized for cinema, but has a strong movie coverage. Variety’s reviews are often cited around the web and its professional reviewers are considered to be among the best you can find, which is why we highly recommend it as a source.
16. Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair is an American magazine first published in 1983 by Condé Nast Publications. It underwent a significant relaunch in the 1980s under the direction of Condé Nast owner Si Newhouse and British journalists Tina Brown and Graydon Carter. Known for its controversial photos and high-quality articles, Vanity Fair gained attention for pieces like “The Man Who Knew Too Much” by Marie Brenner, which inspired the film “The Insider” in 1999. The magazine also revealed the identity of the Watergate scandal informant in 2005. It hosts an annual Academy Awards party and releases a Hollywood issue featuring photos of Oscar nominees. Vanity Fair’s success has been studied in books like Toby Young’s “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.”
Rationale: Vanity Fair is much more than just a movie magazine and although it is probably better known for its fashion and lifestyle editorials, it has a strong cinema section and we thought it deserved a spot on our list. The magazine’s professional critics are often quoted on different sites and we thought it would be fitting to close our list with this site.
17. Film Companion
Film Companion is dedicated to celebrating movies through quality journalism that’s well-researched and unbiased. They offer engaging content including film and web show reviews, interviews, festival news, features, and masterclasses. Unlike other platforms, Film Companion covers a wide range of movie genres, including Hollywood, Bollywood, Malayalam, Telugu, and lesser-known territories. They also review short films, a unique feature not found on many other sites.
Rationale: Film Companion offers a lot of new movie reviews that not many sites on this list even bother to look at. If you are someone willing to explore new cultures, you should go and take a look at their unbiased high-quality movie reviews.
18. Letterboxd
Letterboxd is an online platform founded in 2011 by Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow. It’s often described as “Goodreads for film.” Users can rate, review, and track the movies they’ve watched, create lists, and interact with other film enthusiasts. The name “Letterboxd” refers to the practice of letterboxing, which preserves a movie’s original aspect ratio.
Rationale: Letterboxd is among the youngest players on the review scene and as such its modern interface and social-media approach appeal to plenty of people. The reviews are mostly community-made and are hence not taken into account by some of the more established sources. But honestly, if you would like to get an honest opinion regarding the currently trending movies without fluff, Letterboxd is probably your best bet.
19. Film Freak Central
Film Freak Central is a film review and commentary website that provides in-depth analysis, reviews, and essays on movies. It covers a wide range of films, from mainstream Hollywood releases to independent and foreign cinema. The site also offers interviews with filmmakers and actors, as well as features on various aspects of film culture. Overall, Film Freak Central aims to provide comprehensive coverage and insightful commentary on the world of cinema.
Rationale: The website is currently in the process of migration so don’t just ditch it because it doesn’t look like much at first glance. Film Freak Central has easily among the best critics in the industry who can stand toe-to-toe with more established media brands.
20. Little White Lies
Little White Lies is a bi-monthly film magazine that covers various aspects of cinema, including reviews, interviews, features, and essays. It offers a unique perspective on movies, often focusing on independent and arthouse films, as well as mainstream releases.
Rationale: Little White Lies has probably the most unique rating system out of all review sites on this list. The reviewers rate a movie based on three factors with three separate grades: Anticipation, Enjoyment, and In Retrospect. I honestly have to agree that this is the best system as one grade sometimes does not properly reflect the state of the movie.
Have a site to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!