Film and movie mean the same thing: a story told in moving pictures. Film sounds British, movie American, but both are understood everywhere. In American English, film is also used when talking about cinema as an art: film festival, film school.
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watch a film/movie; go to the cinema (BrE) / go to the movies (AmE); film + something (= record on camera); film festival, film director
- We stayed in and watched an old French film with subtitles.
- In Chicago, my host family went to the movies every Friday night.
- My sister filmed the whole concert on her phone.
What changed
First versionLet's go to the movie on Saturday and see what's on.
RevisionLet's go to the movies on Saturday and see what's on.
In American English, going to the cinema is go to the movies, in the plural, even if you've already chosen the film. The movie means a specific film that has already been mentioned. It's easy to think of it as one trip, one movie, and drop the -s. A British speaker would say go to the cinema here.
Film is also a verb meaning to record on camera: They filmed the wedding on a phone. Movie can't do that. Film also means the material in old cameras: an old camera with black-and-white film.
Your turn
Let's go to the ___ tonight. I don't mind what we see.
Show the answer
movies — The film hasn't been chosen: I don't mind what we see. So this is about going to the cinema in general: go to the movies. The movie would point to a specific film you'd already agreed on.
Describe a film you watched recently. Say where you watched it, at home or at the cinema, and who you'd recommend it to.
Last weekend I watched a Korean film at the cinema, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes slow, quiet stories.
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