Welcome to my resources page! Here are the top four (honestly, the only four) pages that I personally visit often and that help me as an avid writer (and watcher) of movies.
The concept of Script Slug is pretty simple. It’s a database where you can find most scripts you would think to search for. I’ve heard many successful and renowned screenwriters say that you need to read screenplays to write screenplays, good ones at least. I use it if a new idea reminds me of a movie I saw before; sometimes I go back and read the script for that movie and it gives me clarity on how to write my new one.
It’s a simple but very beneficial service for screenwriters at any level, and it’s free! Whether you’re looking to read a movie that’s nominated for this year’s Academy Awards, or you want to read your favorite movie that came out back in the sixties, I can assure you it’s on here. I find that when I’m in a screenwriting funk, the best thing to do is read.
If you’ve managed to find me, I’d venture to say that maybe you already have a Letterboxd account. Suffice to say, it’s a pain in the butt telling the friends you’re making install it how to spell the name.
But I use it any time that I watch a movie, and you should too. On one hand, it helps me keep a log of every movie I’ve watched, when exactly I watched it, and most importantly, what I thought of it when I watched it. Sometimes I’ll rewatch a movie and feel drastically different. In addition to that, you can follow friends to stay posted on what they watch, as well as add comments (sorry if I’m preaching to the choir). You can also look up on Letterboxd a movie that has just come out and see what anyone else who’s seen it thought; you’re not only shown people you follow. I don’t have most social media nowadays, but letterboxd is one that’s very user friendly and doesn’t actively try to keep you there for hours on end.
I don’t know too much about the origins of this site other than it’s founder – Jordan Ruimy – having written for The Playlist, but I can say that aside from text messages, a majority of the time I’m on my phone it’s going through this site. There is always a good scoop, bits of info are often shown on here days before a major publication picks it up, and he’s often cited in the pieces that are honest enough to give him credit. If there’s a rumor, he’ll classify it as such, it’s a very honest blog.
Ruimy does publish reviews semi frequently, but for the most part I go on there to see cool lists, get notified of upcoming trailer releases, hear about first reactions / screenings on hotly anticipated movies, or just some timely news in general. It’s just a blog worth reading.
The A.V. Club isn’t super dissimilar to WoR, but it’s definitely more mainstream and has its page split into sections like Film, TV, Music, and Games. It also has some good lists which can be anything from timely articles on genre movies streaming on a platform to more specific pieces like TV’s 10 Greatest Time-Jump Sequences.
World of Reel is more my grind as far as general news go because it’s really aligned with my taste more, but when a movie comes out, I go straight to the Film section of the website to see the review. I love the authors, and though some argue you can’t rate art, I find the movies being rated by letter grade doesn’t mess with watching the movie as starkly as stars might.
Almost Linear 