how to choose a movie

Option Overload: How to Choose a Movie

how to choose a movie

With the tremendous popularity of online streaming, people have started to encounter an entirely new type of problem: option overload. With so many streaming titles available, how do you know what to watch on your weekly movie night?

Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to narrow your options and keep everyone in the house happy.

Take a Consensus

How many people will be joining you for movie night? Will it just be you, you and a friend, or a big group? Whether it’s just you or a group of people, ask the following questions to guide your decision:

  • What type of genre are you in the mood for? Do you want to laugh, cry or watch things explode?
  • Is there any movie or genre that you are specifically opposed to?
  • Do you want a movie that will make you think? In that case, how about a documentary?
  • Do you have any specific values you’d like to see echoed in a movie? Will said values prevent you from wanting to see any movies?

Now you have some raw information to help guide the movie selection process, you know which genres to investigate and which ones to avoid.

how to choose a movieDo Some Research

Thanks to the popularity of film and film critique, you can research any movie that was ever made and read its reviews. Navigate to a popular movie review site and run a search for the proposed movie. You’ll likely see an overall rating, user reviews and professional critics’ reviews. Read through several reviews and see why it got its rating. If it got a negative review, why was it docked? Will the reviewer’s reasons mean anything to you?

Alternatively, you can use movie review sites to scout potential movies for your viewing experience. Most movie review sites will list the most popular or top-rated movies of the year and of all time. Browse these lists and see if anything stands out. If something does, it’s worth reading the reviews to ensure it’s a quality movie. Make a list of five to ten movies you’ve found that seem intriguing. You can immediately choose one or two movies for tonight, and then save the rest for another night.

Thoroughly read through the official plot summary on the movie’s website. This summary is written specifically to entice you and gain your interest. If you’re not impressed after reading the plot summary, move along to the next option. There are thousands of movies to choose from, so there’s no need to force yourself and your party to sit through a movie with an uninteresting plot summary.

Get a Sneak Preview

Head over to your favorite video site and look for the trailer of a movie you’re considering. Previews will impart the general plot and attitude of the movie. Decide if it looks like something you and your fellow movie viewers would appreciate seeing.

While you can think and try to plan your movie viewing experience all day long, you can simply try a movie out and base your decision from there. Online movie streaming services have so many options that you can watch the first few minutes and make a quick decision. If the movie is slow to start or immediately unattractive, you can easily turn it off and select another flick.

Enjoy a Well-Chosen Movie

Choosing a movie to watch does not need to be a difficult venture. Consider the mood and genre preferences of everyone who’ll be watching the movie to establish a starting point. Next, read several review sites, as well as the official summary, and watch the trailer.

At this point, you’ll be confident in your movie selection; it’s time to enjoy your expertly chosen flick. Pop some popcorn, get some blankets, and settle in for an ideal viewing experience.


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3 responses to “Option Overload: How to Choose a Movie”

  1. […] Option Overload: How to Choose a MovieReel Life With Jane… to choose a movie. With the tremendous popularity of online streaming, people have started to encounter an entirely new type of problem: option overload. … Alternatively, you can use movie review sites to scout potential movies for your viewing … […]

  2. […] Option Overload: How to Choose a Movie With the tremendous popularity of online streaming, people have started to encounter an entirely new type of problem: option overload. With so many streaming titles available, how do you know what to watch on your weekly movie night? Read on for a … Read more on Reel Life With Jane […]

  3. Courtney Avatar
    Courtney

    You know, it seems like such a simple task. But I seriously sat there last weekend and was like “do I watch “Lorenzo’s Oil” or do I watch that new Batman movie?” and I ended up watching that new Batman movie purely because I hear Anne Hathaway’s great in it. And she was, but I’m normally not a fan. Long story short! It can be really hard to pick a movie sometimes.

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