Thread: flick/film/movie

I've been reading one movie review of "Kill Bill" and came across a phrase [marriage of "movie" and "film"]. I thought that "flick" and "movie" are American synonyms for "film". But now I see that there's a difference between "movie" and "film" and "flick". Could someone explain it please?

It is, without a doubt, the best flick I've seen all year - maybe the best flick I've seen in five years. [...]
It was the perfect marriage of "movie" and "film": extremely entertaining, engrossing and satisfying, and also moving, inspiring and eart-wrenching.

PS: the man who wrote it is American.

You were right to begin with: 'flick' and 'movie' are, essentially, synonymous with 'film'. The point the reviewer was trying to make, though, was this: the word 'film' tends to imply a rather worthier, more интеллектуальный piece of work (summoning adjectives like 'moving, inspiring and heart-wrenching') than does the word 'movie' ('entertaining, engrossing, satisfying...'). Working on this premise, Возвращение - for example - is a film; anything starring Ben Stiller is a movie.

For a release to embody the best qualities of both 'genres' (although the words are, in fact, largely interchangeable) makes for the 'perfect marriage' mentioned in the review. If you see what I mean. It was a point of style rather than of language.

Originally Posted by joysof

anything starring Ben Stiller is a movie.

.. as well as being in direct contravention of the geneva conventions on human rights.

joysof is explaining that the three words have different connotations. Especially the typical American who views anything that calls itself a 'film' rather than a 'movie' as suspiciously intellectual and even .. French.
To an American, you see, 'Jean Luc Godard' is the captain of the starship enterprise.

There's also the word 'cinema' which has a connotation like 'film' but even more so. But only to Americans. To Europeans 'cinema' is just the normal word, like kino.

I see what you mean. Thank you.
But what about 'flick'? It's American synonym for 'movie' or 'film'?

waxwing
That's why they make remakes (movies) of French films.

(In america the following is true)


Flick, is hardly used... older people 40 + might say it... i dont say it, personally, i think it's a stupid word.

As for "Cinema" it can be replaced with "theater" or "Movies" note the Plural endings.

"Lets go to the movies"
"yesterday, we saw terminator 3 at the movies"

If you want to say "film". just use "movie"

"I went to the store and bought a movie"
Even if it's a DVD, it's still a movie
"I bought the borne identity on DVD, it's a really cool movie"

Theater would only be used on its own if you were going to a play... and even then, you can just say "we are going to a play".

cinema - almost never used. (although there are some movies which call themselves "Cinema 34" or "Holywood cinemas" etc...

So in general, the word to remember is "movie(s)", and "play".

Okay, I'll make a note to remember:
Flick: wait till I'm 40
Movie[s], play: use it in America
Film: use for French movies
Cinema: use in Europe

Originally Posted by alexei

Okay, I'll make a note to remember:
Flick: wait till I'm 40
Movie[s], play: use it in America
Film: use for French movies
Cinema: use in Europe

Класс

we say -I'm going to the pictures. I thought that was common all over the UK, but maybe I'm wrong.

I remember calling it 'the pictures' when I was a nipper, but I haven't heard the term at all for years now.

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

Flick, is hardly used... older people 40 + might say it... i dont say it, personally, i think it's a stupid word.

My mum used to go to the Flicks or the Pictures.

I like the idea Dogboy that a word can be stupid

So, what about "the pictures"? How should I write it down to my note?

'The pictures' refers rather to the venue than to the film itself.

I am going to the pictures =
I am going to the cinema,

rather than 'I am going to see a film'.

But, as an expression, it is not as common as it once was.

Originally Posted by майк

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

Flick, is hardly used... older people 40 + might say it... i dont say it, personally, i think it's a stupid word.

My mum used to go to the Flicks or the Pictures.

I like the idea Dogboy that a word can be stupid

My mum calls them picutres. She'll say somethig like "there's a good picture on the TV tonight". I find that amusing.
Movie is quite an American thing. In the UK we most commonly say film, but Movie is become more widely used.

Originally Posted by TATY

My mum calls them picutres. She'll say somethig like "there's a good picture on the TV tonight"

It's like my grandmother used to say in Russian:
"Какую хорошую картину по телевизору кажут".

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

(In america the following is true)


Flick, is hardly used... older people 40 + might say it... i dont say it, personally, i think it's a stupid word.

One exception here, doggylad, is the very common expression "chick flick" for movies only women are likely to enjoy (e.g. Bridgit Jones Diary, Driving Miss Daisy).

The Notebook is a big 'chick flick' now.