How to Become a Movie Buff

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Tired of all those smarty-pants movie conversations going right over your head? Follow these steps to hold your own with armchair-artistes.

Step 1:
Make a list of titles to find and watch. Start with classics you've never seen and contemporary features getting a lot of buzz. Ask for recommendations.

Tip
Go to screenings at independent movie theaters showing hard-to-find films to broaden your knowledge.

Step 2:
Watch movies with friends; then talk about them together. The more you practice analyzing and talking about movies, the better you'll get at it.

Step 3:
Read reviews and articles by respected film critics. Compare their evaluations to yours; then bring up those comparisons in conversation to sound like an expert.

Step 4:
Be honest. If you haven't seen the movie being discussed, don't fake it. If you didn't like a movie, speak up and explain. You're more likely to impress people with a carefully thought-out critique than by pretending you know what you're talking about if you don't.

Step 5:
Focus your efforts. Now that you've seen a little of what the film world has to offer, pick one director or style of movie, and watch as many of those movies as you can.

Tip
If you're not enjoying one particular director or genre, don't force it. Try something totally different.

Step 6:
The only surefire way to educate yourself on the subject of film is to watch as many movies as you can. So roll up your sleeves, pop some popcorn, and get watching!

Did You Know?
Did you know? The 1924 film Greed originally ran over nine hours, but the studio cut the film to 140 minutes over the objections of its director.