Best sites for film lovers

Now that our climate has decided to behave in a manner more reflective of the time of year, we are quite excited about the prospect of bunking down for a few good movie nights. Pack away the summer sandals, get out the cosy slippers and check out these top sites for film lovers - they're the perfect antidote and inspiration for the dark winter evenings ahead and a timely round-up ahead of the 55th London BFI Film Festival (12-27th October).

FILMSTREET
www.filmstreet.co.uk



Filmstreet offers a great way to introduce children to the processes and techniques behind the making of a film and encourage a new generation of film makers. Complete with free videos and interactive activities, the site encourages creativity and learning and provides classroom workshops, tips and notes for teachers. To further inspire young people, there are profiles and interviews with people working in the film industry as well as information on the latest films and reviews.

BRIGHTWIDE
www.brightwide.com



A showcase for independent films with political and social concerns, Brightwide aims to create an online forum for cinephiles and activists with a conscience. Set up by Colin and Livia Firth and working in partnership with Oxfam, Amnesty International and WWF, users pay £2.99 for a film to be streamed and have 30 days in which to watch it. At the end of each film an "Act Now" box pops up giving information on how to get involved with the issues presented in the film.

LOVEFILM
www.lovefilm.com



LOVEFILM is very well known these days and, if you're a true movie buff, then the chances are that you are already signed up. If you're not, then you are in for a treat. By signing up for one of three levels of membership, you can order DVDs online and receive them by first class post along with a pre-paid addressed envelope for the return. You can keep the DVDs for as long as you like, there are no penalties for a late return and the novelty of receiving a new DVD in the post never wears off.

THE INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE
www.imdb.com



The be-all and end-all of movie sites, IMDB features an astonishing amount of information about what's on, what's been on and what's coming up as well as actors' biographies and photographs, movie news, trailers and links to the official movie site. It's not just mainstream movies which are covered either, but indie, art house and international films too.

GUARDIAN/FILM
www.guardian.co.uk/film



One of the best British film websites, The Guardian's Film offers insightful reviews and in-depth features rather than the usual celebrity-obsessed nonsense. In addition to trailers, podcasts, a selection of short films, trailers, quizzes and links to recommended sites, there are video archives, DVD round-ups from film critic Mark Kermode as well as cinema listings near you.

BFI SCREEN ONLINE
www.screenonline.co.uk



The British Film Institute's Screenonline describes itself as ‘the definitive guide to Britain's film and TV history.' It is hard to disagree. Explore the film section by genre, theme or location to find synopses, cast and credit lists or trace the development of British television by decade. The Encyclopaedia of British Film has over 6,000 references with over 1,000 entries on British and Irish directors. An education zone provides a useful resource for teachers.

ROTTEN TOMATOES
www.rottentomatoes.co.uk



If you want to find out whether a movie is really worth going to see, then Rotten Tomatoes is the place to come. A review aggregator, information and news site, films are given percentages according to the number of positive or negative reviews they have had with films considered "fresh" when the positive reviews make up 60% or more and "rotten" if positive reviews fall below that barometer. Reviews from the opinionated online community are worth reading too.

FILM4
www.film4.com



Film4 is the name of Channel 4's production company and movie channel and the website has enough to keep the most enthusiastic film-fan happy. Find out what's on the movie channel or what productions are in the pipeline as well as information about the trade itself. There are plenty of shorts, trailers and exclusive streamed video interviews as well as reviews on the latest releases, filmographies, news, cinema listings and more.

Emily Jenkinson

6th October 2011