Learn how to watch for important details and fully experience the magic of movies you already love—and find new favorites, too

Watching a film is perhaps one of the most straightforward tasks there is. You don’t need to do much. Even so, it’s one of the most exhilarating pastimes available. But what if you could heighten the experience even more?

Film creators put an excessive amount of detail in their movies. Unfortunately, the average viewer misses the majority of them. That’s not a bad thing, but by learning to pick up on the details, you could enjoy films so much more.

Before I joined university, I had a relatively normal perception of films. I went to the cinema now and then, taking a particular liking to action movies, but never caring past the basic plot. As my degree went on, my passion for film grew. I became obsessed with the industry, memorizing all sorts of obscure facts.

Surprisingly, I found that my new-found passion rubbed off on my best friends. Even though we don’t live together anymore, we still regularly discuss the latest films, encouraging one another to watch something we like. They too began picking up the smaller details. Here’s a funny conversation we had after watching Joker:

They go on to say how thankful they are to be able to see and appreciate more when they watch a film. Over the past three years, some of the most exciting conversations I have had are when my friends and I dive into a film’s subtleties and nuance. There’s an endless catalog to choose from, and there will always be another surprising behind the scenes fact you can learn.

A shared love for films has helped bring us closer together, as we race to share our opinions after a new release. One of my most enjoyable cinema experiences came from watching Hobbs and Shaw with them. Since we can appreciate the best parts of a film, it makes the more ridiculous ones highly entertaining.

The benefits don’t end there either. Since I’ve learned to get more enjoyment from films, my creativity has spiked. I’ve watched football documentaries and real estate reality shows, centering articles around a quote that stood out. When you can look deeper into a shot’s meaning, you will find the ability to pull creative ideas from the most unlikely of places.

A film doesn’t have time to spell everything out for you, so whatever you see on the screen has a purpose. Whether it’s an old painting on the wall or a worn knife on the table, the director has put it there for a reason. For example, it could set the scene or flesh out the character further. Understanding this has enabled me to become a more efficient storyteller, as I now acknowledge how each word can impact the story. As films epitomize the “show me don’t tell me” rhetoric, I’ve learned to cut the waffle and get to the point.

In this article, I will outline my experience learning the film industry’s ins and outs and how I adapted this to get more enjoyment from films, even the worst ones.

1. Let Go of Your Favourite Genres

In my class, there was a guy who seemed to know everything about every film ever made. His knowledge was staggering. Yet, he was the biggest snob I’ve met. He turned his nose up at anything in the mainstream. I expected that I, too, would become somewhat of a snob, turning my nose up at Marvel films, for instance. But the more immersed I became, the more I began picking up small details and appreciating them.

If you want to enjoy watching films more, you need to watch a lot of stuff. When you relax, it’s tempting to watch a movie you have seen ten times before. That’s because it’s safe. You know what happens, so you don’t have to concentrate much.

A new film may disappoint you. However, the more you hold on to your favorites, the less likely you are to watch other genres and expose yourself to new experiences. Most importantly, you diminish your ability to acquire a deeper understanding of film in general. For example, I don’t usually watch black and white movies, but I cried for the first time in years watching Roma. It shook me to the core, and I learned not to judge a film on that basis. A director makes a movie to be watched, not judged from a trailer or poster.

I wholeheartedly understand how tempting it is to put your favorite film on for the 50th time. If it’s not your day, whack on The Holiday and get cozy. However, moving out of your comfort zone doesn’t need to be too jarring. All it takes are some simple steps:

1.2 Use reviews carefully

The number of film reviews, coupled with the media attention award ceremonies get, can lead to what I call a “review bias.” Critics praise some films, yet you may find them boring. I first started being more cautious with reviews after watching the 2018 Oscar Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water. For me, it wasn’t deserving of all the praise. Just because a critic says a film is good, that doesn’t mean you should punish yourself for not sharing that view.

Sometimes, the poorly reviewed films turn out to be the best. Critics hailed The Room as one of the worst movies ever made (it holds a 3.7/10 rating on IMDB), yet my friends and I have watched it at least ten times. Yes, it is terribly made, but it’s inadvertently hilarious (seriously, watch it and The Disaster Artist — a film starring James Franco based on the making of The Room). Of course, reviews can be helpful sometimes. I am usually quite skeptical of musicals, but the reviews for La La Land pushed me to watch it, and it’s one of my favorite movies. I even wrote a review of it.

1.3 Create a list of films and tick them off when you’ve watched them

To get a more honest scope of cinema, you need to look back further than the past decade. During my time at university, I watched silent films, film noir, South Korean, and German cinema. It gave me a good understanding of the industry’s history and development, but who has the time? You don’t need to do that.

Instead, I created a list of films that have caught my eye. They range from classics like The Godfather and modern hits such as Moonlight. Here’s part of it:

I first started this list in 2017, right at the start of this whole experience. Since then, I’ve gradually extended the list, and it’s become quite an extensive catalog. At times, it can be difficult to pluck a film you’ve meant to watch out of thin air. With a list like this, you have a tangible database to broaden your horizons.

When creating it, I repeatedly asked myself the question everyone asks everyone: “have you seen ___ before?” If the answer is no, it goes on the list. It doesn't need to be a “good” film, just one that makes you curious.

2. Consume Film-Related Content

According to Statista, the average social media usage is roughly 144 minutes a day. Most of it is just endless scrolling, with the occasional scandal or funny tweet catching your eye. Even though I spent three years learning the film industry’s ins and outs, I can find the most compelling information on Twitter and Instagram. Usually, the accounts I follow post exciting facts about the production or a breakdown of a scene. Here are my favorites:

Following these accounts was a breath of fresh air on an otherwise dull social media feed and is one of the things I encourage you to do first. And if you see a behind the scenes post that stops you scrolling, add that movie to your list straight away.

While those accounts are outstanding, they can’t match the might of YouTube channels. I have subscribed to numerous ones, all of which give me a far greater insight into the technical and thematic elements of the films I’ve seen. Here are some of my favorites that you should check out:

• Mr. Sunday Movies: A hilarious Australian bloke who mainly covers comic book movies and TV shows.
• Corridor Crew: A group of VFX artists analyzing the best and worst of a film’s special effects. They also look at stunts with professional stuntmen.
• Cinema Sins: A partially satirical channel that points out the mistakes movies make (plot holes beware).
• Wisecrack: A channel that explains a movie or TV show’s themes in superb detail, giving you proper insight into a film.

All of these offer a variety of ways you can get more from films. You will appreciate the visual effects, stunt work, point out mistakes, fun facts, and a movie’s underlying themes. All of which makes it a thoroughly more enjoyable watch.

The more you become absorbed in the film industry, the further you will push your boat out. For example, I’ve never watched a Bollywood film, but watching Corridor Crew’s praise of the practical and VFX work gave me a new-found admiration for the industry. The physics are not realistic, but the film crew did their best to make it look good with practical effects. See what I mean and check out the video here:

3. Develop a Cinema Etiquette

Do you ever go to the cinema and find an annoying group of people checking their phones or talking? All you can do is glare at the back of their heads or give an anonymous “shhh!” Films should be watched without distraction. Once you have got that out of the way, you can start viewing a movie with a more expansive mind.

When watching Joker last year, I made a promise to myself. In every shot, I would scan the entire screen. That way, I can see the detail a set decorator has put in to make it feel like a real place. Moreover, I can admire the director’s hidden tricks and note the color palette’s effect on a scene.

Once you start to do this, you’ll realize that everything is shown for a reason, especially in high-quality films.If the camera quickly darts to a character picking up a knife, you can be sure they will use it at some point. Where a book describes what’s going on with words, a film uses visuals.

For instance, when I first started university, we analyzed a scene from Jaws. Our lecturer pointed out the color yellow. The lifeguard and mother are both wearing it, highlighting the two areas of worry: the water and a child. Here’s the scene:

Steven Spielberg put it there to keep track of them—the yellow acts as a beacon. Fast forward to today, and I’ve been watching a German show called Dark on Netflix. One of the main characters wears a distinctive yellow jacket and is vital to the story. The director wants me to remember him.

4. Watch the Film Twice Using Two Different Viewing Lenses

A quick warning: the more you become absorbed into the film industry, the more difficult it can be to switch your analytical brain off. Even today, I sometimes find it difficult not to criticize a film to death as I watch it, making the experience less enjoyable. To counter this, watch the movie twice, using two different lenses. When I first watch a film, I do the following:

• I familiarize myself with the plot, reading a brief synopsis (almost always from IMDb).
• I find out when it is set. Although most films will either show it in writing or overt set decoration, I find it reassuring to have this information going in. This way, you can spend less time confused and more time enjoying the movie.

Essentially, know what you’re watching and pay attention.

Upon second viewing, I turn on a more analytical lens. This time, I let my eyes wander, thinking about the camera angles, the cinematography, and directing. It’s easier to admire the creative’s work when you’re not as emotionally invested. You will appreciate the film in different ways, other than how it makes you feel.

For instance, when I watched 1917 for the second time, I looked out for all the hidden cuts to see how they made it look like one scene. Moreover, I used the behind-the-scenes knowledge gained from the YouTube and Instagram accounts I follow to admire the film’s technical achievements.

However, watching a film for a second time not long after can have its downfalls. I remember my second viewing of Joker wasn’t as enjoyable as the first. I loved it both times, but a second watch is never as emotionally impactful as the first, which is perfectly natural. Although, if you leave it a few months before watching again (when it comes out on-demand, for example), you can recapture some emotion.

5. Have an Immediate Post-Film Action Plan

German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus carried out several tests on himself and created the “forgetting curve.” He found that after two days, the retention of new information falls to 40%. Within a week, it fell to 90%. A film might emotionally impact you as you’re watching, but if you don’t act afterward, it will quickly fade from your memory.

Sure, you can watch it again. But for more immediacy, talk about it with some friends. After watching 1917, I immediately took to the group chat to discuss the film’s superb score. My friend and I quickly found the album on Spotify, and I still listen to one of the tracks every day (it’s called “The Night Window,” and it will give you goosebumps). Discuss what you did and didn’t like, quiz each other about your favorite scenes. By doing this, you’re acting on the new information you’ve absorbed. You’re making the experience unforgettable.

Once I get home, I usually dive into the reviews and see what critics thought. It’s interesting to see what a professional has to say and if you agree or not. Moreover, it can give you a new perspective, offering you a fresh way of viewing the film. After all of that, there’s not much more you can do until it’s released on DVD (which is when clips from the movie start appearing on YouTube).

Results

I began taking more of an interest in the film industry in 2017. As my degree went on (I graduated in 2019), it became a habit to understand everything about a film. 2019’s Joker was the first movie I completely examined and appreciated. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as not only did I love the film, I felt I understood the main character more when I admired things such as the color palette and cinematography.

I firmly believe this is a life-long skill. New movies will always be made, and old ones can be revisited. The more you learn, the more aspects of a film you can appreciate (even the ones you have seen 30 times). Even if it’s something subtle such as impressive camera work, it all feeds into your overall enjoyment.

As the years have passed, I have continued to absorb more. I only subscribed to Corridor Crew in October 2020, so my learning shows no signs of stopping.

Conclusion

These are the steps that worked for me, take what you like, and screw the rest. Watching films is subjective, so you inevitably won’t like a lot of what you watch. Don’t put yourself under pressure, as movies are made to be enjoyed, not obsessively scrutinized.

Once you feel like you’re more immersed in the film world, remember to keep an open mind. You may have your favorites, but that doesn’t invalidate anyone else’s preferences.

Even in the worst films, there is stuff to be admired. The worst movies I have seen have turned out to be the funniest, however inadvertently. You may hate the Avengers films, for example, but the CGI work is remarkable. Then you’ve got romantic comedies, which are simple but manage to relate with the viewer easily.

Work on the way you approach, watch and re-watch films, and they will stick in your mind long after you leave the movie theatre. It’s a learning curve I hope you enjoy as much as I did.