/Film: http://www.slashfilm.com/

    Many websites try to push what's "cool."  What's cool can be someone's idea of something obscure or something that has been shared a million times already.  Sometimes, they can take a tone of "Listen: this is what you should look at."  This is especially the case for a lot of sites about film.  Sometimes, they can be snooty and cater basically to themselves.   /Film (Slash-Film) is not one of those sites, even though they have a section of their website devoted to "Cool Stuff."
    /Film is a blog that features the latest news on movies, ranging from the obscure to the "biggest movie event of the year" type films.  It began with stories about celebrities and typical movie news, but as the site's fan-base grew it focused more on genre films and almost anything related to film.  Originally /Film had about twenty writers which it whittled down to seven, and it has benefitted from these decisions.  Today, Senior Editor Peter Sciretta has had his reviews quoted in various television spots for films, and the weekly /Film podcast has drawn guest reviewers such as Kevin Smith and Brick director Rian Johnson. 
    The layout is nothing spectacular.  There is the generic news feed, but it can be split into Casting, Comic Books, Sci-Fi, and Horror among others.  Then there are reviews, trailers, and soon there will be a calender filled with upcoming releases.  What probably draws many cinephiles to /Film is the "Cool Stuff," where writers post t-shirts, memorabilia, pictures, the things that a casual reader might brush over.  This is where the site draws in its readers.  Rather than be full of themselves and present something as a
    What the site lacks in presentation, it makes up in its writing.  Like most blogs, it has a very laid-back feel to it.  What's special about /Film is how care free it is.  Where most people try to cater to one specific type of moviegoer, /Film truly follows its slogan: "Blogging the reel world."  Want to know what's going on with the NC-17 rated Michael Fassbinder movie, or do you just want an update on The Dark Knight Rises?  Chances are you'll find it on here.  In addition to the simplicity of the website, it is also interesting to check out because of the passion the writers have for the subject.  Many of them are aspiring filmmakers who will pass on work of other young artists. 
    It's easy to forget that 20 years ago, news didn't travel at the speed it does now, let alone film news.  Back then, you might hear about a movie, but you wouldn't be able to see it until maybe years down the road.  The guys at /Film know this, and it shows.  The writers seem like they were the kids who grew up reading movie magazines, always anticipating something new and exciting.  With this website, the writers create an easily accessible arena where film fans of all ages can keep up to date.