over your head? Follow these steps to hold your own with armchair-artistes. You will

need Spare time A plan Easy access to movies (optional) (optional) (optional) (optional)

Focus (optional) (optional) (optional) (optional) Friends to watch with (optional) (optional)

(optional) (optional) and access to an independent movie theater (optional). 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. 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. 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.