It's an interesting time to be a movie fan: the rise of online media means it's easier than ever to read about film, but it also means it's tougher than ever to separate the wheat from the chaff. Having a blog makes you a blogger, but having skill makes you a good one. The bloggers, critics, and podcasters on this list are a cut above the rest because they know what they're doing and are able to bring years (in some cases, decades) of experience and learning to the blogging world. Each one is guaranteed to entertain you but also to make you think, whether you've got a degree in the field or just want something fun to watch. Read and learn:

Solo Acts

These bloggers function as one-man and one-woman bands, and they range from news to criticism.

1. Some Came Running: Glenn Kenny was the film critic for Premiere from 1996 until its demise in 2007, and since then he's moved into freelance work and blogging. His streamlined blog offers typically erudite and energetic posts about film and film culture, as well as a few posts about his life as a critic.
2. Sunset Gun: Kim Morgan's blog is a gripping, passionate look at one critic's ongoing love affair with movies of all types. She's also one of the hosts of Roger Ebert's new version of At the Movies.
3. Motion Captures: Drew McWeeny, who formerly wrote for Ain't It Cool News as "Moriarty," now works for HitFix as a critic and reporter. He's been in the movie blogging business pretty much since it started.
4. Girish: Girish Shambu is, hands down, one of the smartest film bloggers working today. His probing and academic posts show a deep love of film history and a desire to explore movies from around the world.
5. The Hot Blog: David Poland has a tendency to punctuate his sentences with ellipses ... instead of periods ... which makes them confusing ... in large doses. But he's got a smart eye for the business and provides some of the best box office analysis out there.
6. The Film Experience: Nathanial Rogers' blog is always well-argued and engaging, mixing smart analysis of movies and trends with lighter takes and interviews.
7. Edward Copeland on Film: Copeland blogs copiously (heh) about whatever he's watching, whether it's new releases or movies from 20 years ago. He's active in a thriving community of movie bloggers, participating in themed blogging events and allowing guest posts.
8. Dave Kehr: Kehr regularly pens DVD reviews for The New York Times. His blog offers links to the NYT pieces as well as his thoughts on other film reissues and the lives of past Hollywood players.
9. ComingSoon: ComingSoon packs a ton of info onto its homepage, but the navigation never feels cluttered. As a result, it's one of the most user-friendly movie blogs running today. CS offers regular features and interviews in addition to news and previews.

Ensemble Casts

These blogs rely on larger staffs to cover the world of Hollywood.

10. Cinematical: One of the stronger movie blogs out there -- it's owned by AOL and linked to Moviefone -- Cinematical offers up-to-the-minute news as well as reviews of new releases and festival titles. They also offer regular polls and contests for readers.
11. GreenCine Daily: This blog is the news and reviews offshoot of GreenCine, which is like Netflix for specialty and foreign titles. A great way to keep track of festival news, too.
12. The Playlist: The Playlist gets its name from its founding love of movie music and soundtracks, but they've expanded in recent years to run the gamut of reviews, casting news, and DVD write-ups. Always smart, always opinionated.
13. Pajiba: This blog mixes irreverent takes on news and celebrities with thoughtful reviews of new and old titles. Their tagline is "Scathing Reviews. Bitchy People," but they dig deeper than just snark.
14. In Contention: Kris Tapley heads a team of bloggers who manage to find Oscar-related news all year long. A must-read come awards season.
15. Cinema Blend: Cinema Blend offers the same news as everyone else, but they do so with a healthy dose of reality and frankness that puts them ahead of sites that tend to just regurgitate press releases.
16. Film School Rejects: The FSR team doesn't beat around the bush: if a movie's good, or bad, they'll tell you. A fantastic mix of humor and reportage. (Recent headline: "Fourth Bourne Film Will Not Feature Jason Bourne, Matt Damon, Or A Reason To Be.")
17. Mubi: Formerly known as The Auteurs, Mubi is partnered with The Criterion Collection. It's an engaging mix of social networking and movie streaming, with blog posts that are as smart and far-reaching as you'd expect.
18. Kristin Thompson and David Bordwell: Authors Thompson and Bordwell craft amazingly insightful posts on world cinema, film history, and modern movies with skill and flair. They also cover festivals and special releases. Not one to be missed.
19. FilmDrunk: FilmDrunk probably isn't for everyone -- their tagline brags that they're "the movie blog that plays rough, just the way your mother likes it" -- but the blog always has an opinion backed up with humor and strong attitude.
20. /Film: Peter Sciretta founded /Film in 2007, and the site has since grown to be one of the most respected in the game. They regularly offer interviews with major actors and directors as well as reviews and news with a slight fanboy bent.
21. Chicago Reader: The film blog of Chicago's alt-weekly paper always offers smart reviews of unconventional fare, as well as screening info and special events for locals.

Podcasts

Movie geeks love to talk. These podcasts will keep you informed and entertained, and they're also guaranteed to make you want to sound off on your own.

22. Filmspotting: Filmspotting has been around since 2005, and its podcast remains a high-water mark for everyone else in the industry. Smart, fun, and always worth a listen.
23. The Golden Briefcase: Drawing its name from the MacGuffin of Pulp Fiction, this podcast offers weekly episodes dedicated to the latest Hollywood releases, with special segments also devoted to classics and interviews.
24. The Treatment: Film critic Elvis Mitchell hosts this podcast based out of Los Angeles' KCRW. Some of the smartest conversations about movies you could hope to hear.
25. Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's Film Reviews: These British critics broadcast live every Friday afternoon, but you can also download archived episodes online.
26. /Filmcast: In addition to their news and reviews, /Film also has a regular podcast in which the regular hosts riff on movies and often mix it up with special guests. These have included Trent Reznor, Kevin Smith, and Rian Johnson.
27. Doug Loves Movies: Comedian Doug Benson talks with friends and fellow comics and actors about movies in this engaging and hilarious podcast.
28. Movie B.S. with Bayer and Snider: Fresh, funny talk about new movies that incorporates viewer feedback and current trends. Hosted by Jeff Bayer and Eric D. Snider.
29. Film Junk: As you can probably tell from the title, these guys don't take themselves too seriously. But they do know their movies, and they're not afraid to make their case on everything from modern classics to forgettable dreck.
30. The Movie Club Podcast: This podcast isn't updated as regularly as some might like, but when it is, it's always worth a listen. A rotating stable of bloggers chip in to dissect films that are often forgotten or under-appreciated, examining them from a critical perspective in hopes of finding new dimensions. (They covered Wizards, for Pete's sake.) Good stuff.