Yes, of course, you can always "Google" a film term. But specialized dictionaries like the ones listed here are written with film studies scholars in mind. Use these sources to dig deeper into the context of film terminology.
Use these collections to gather background information like actor/actress biographies, film overviews, film terms and definitions, film reviews, film credits, and more.
Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema by 
British Film Institute Film Classics by Gale Ebooks is a great place to check for overview articles. Use the link below and try a search using simple keywords.
Check the library's Reference collection to explore the following History of American Cinema series, a decade by decade look at film in history.
The Emergence of Cinema: The American Screen to 1907 by 
The Transformation of Cinema, 1907-1915 by 
An Evening's Entertainment: The Age of the Silent Feature Picture, 1915-1928 by 
The Talkies: American Cinema's Transition to Sound, 1926-1931 by 
Grand Design: Hollywood as a Modern Business Enterprise, 1930-1939 by 
Boom and Bust: The American Cinema in the 1940s by 
The Fifties: Transforming the Screen, 1950-1959 by 
The Sixties, 1960-1969 by 
Lost Illusions: American Cinema in the Shadow of Watergate and Vietnam, 1970-1979 by 
A New Pot of Gold: Hollywood under the Electronic Rainbow, 1980-1989 by 
The Wiley-Blackwell History of American Film by