📕 Part 1: Going to the cinema

Did you often go to the cinema when you were a child?

I suppose I must have, but I don't know how regular it was. We weren't exactly made of money. So, I don't think it would have been that often. But I do remember going to see the big releases, like The Lion King and things like that.

Have the kinds of films you like changed over the years?

Yeah, definitely. Like most kids, I used to love animated movies like the ones Disney would put out, but these days I like more serious ones for grown-ups with more mature and complex plot lines or stories. I think that's part of growing up, though. You just learn to appreciate other things more.

How often do you go to the cinema now?

Oh god, very rarely, I'd say. Certainly not more than once every few months. It's pretty expensive to go out now, so it would have to be a pretty special occasion, and there just haven't been that many recently. I actually think the last time I went to see a movie must have been in March of this year.

Do you prefer to go to the cinema with a lot of friends or on your own?

Oh, always with friends. It's never even crossed my mind to go by myself. That seems a bit morbid and sad, to be honest. Just watching a movie in a place like a theater is supposed to be a social experience, isn't it? Unless you're a critic or something like that, but I'm not.

So dear listener, go into the cinema or go into the movies. Because a film or a movie. The same thing. Watch a movie, watch a film, films, movies. But we go to the cinema. Go to the movies. And then Rory, do you watch a film or see a film?

Well, you could go to see a film, but you also watch it because it's moving as well.

Ooh, it's moving. The film is moving.

That's why it's called a movie.

Oh.

A moving picture.

Oh. Wow.

There you go. A little bit of what's it, etymology?

When I was a child, I went to the cinema. Or I went to the movies. I don't remember how regular it was. So the examiner asks you how often? Well, I don't remember how regular it was. Or it was often. I often went to the cinema. I regularly went to the cinema. Yes, dear listener, regularly, it's regularly. regularly. I regularly try saying that. regularly.

Could just say not very often. Not terribly often.

Not very often. Or every week, every month, for example. I liked how Rory said that he didn't have a lot of money. We weren't made of money. I wasn't made of money. So, I didn't have much money. So I couldn't go to the cinema every week. I wasn't made of money.

Yeah.

It's like, we know that we are made of water, bones, blood, skin, possibly brain. But Rory says, I wasn't made of money, so I could go to the cinema every month.

And if you want to make it even more advanced and natural, we weren't exactly made of money.

And then you can say I remember going to the cinema once a month. I remember doing something. It's about the past. So for example, I remember buying my first phone. I remember going to where, to London. Yay. I remember meeting Rory in Scotland.

But if you don't remember, then you could logically deduce, you could say, I suppose I must have, or I might have.

About the past.

Yes. Logical deduction in the past.

And then I remember going to see the big releases. Release. Like The Lion King, for example, ages ago, it was super popular and it was a big release. So we use this word about films, release, or this film was released last week. Like the Adysseus. Release.

Or you could just talk about when a movie comes out.

Yeah, it was released. So I went to see films when they were released, or it was a big release. My preferences have changed over the years, present perfect. And the films I like have changed. Definitely, absolutely, they changed. So when I was a child, I did enjoy animated movies, cartoons, like Disney, how do you pronounce it? Disney? Disney?

Disney.

Disney, yeah. Animated movies from Disney. Like the Lion King, for example. But now I prefer more mature films, more serious ones for grown-ups. Grown-up films, films for grown-ups. Rory, could you give us some examples, right? Grown-up films.

The Adysseus is a pretty grown up film, maybe based on what I've heard.

films with violence and...

Drama that maybe young people will not understand.

Murder, yeah.

Although there's murder in kids films as well.

Right. So this structure is that I used to love, but now I prefer more mature films, more serious films with complex plot lines. So a plot line is the story of the film and this is super specific about films, a plot line, the story of a book of a film. I prefer films with more complex plot lines or with more original plot lines. Not like simple, stupid plot lines. The examiner keeps asking you, how often do you go to the cinema now? How often? So we have often, regularly. If not often, rarely. Rarely or hardly ever. I hardly ever go to the cinema, maybe once a year. Or I rarely go to the cinema. Rarely, rarely, but not very often. Oh, maybe pretty often. I usually go to the cinema once a month. And then Rory explains why he rarely goes to the movies. It's pretty expensive to go out. Pretty expensive. It's rather expensive. It's pretty expensive.

Ooh, I said it twice, actually. I just realized. I said it's pretty expensive. It would have to be a pretty special occasion.

Yeah. A pretty special occasion, maybe a birthday or, I don't know, the 1st of April. A special occasion.

Why is that the 1st of April? Oh, okay. Because April Fool's Day.

No, it's just... yeah. And then you can say when was the last time you went to see a movie? So, I think the last time I went to see a movie must have been in March. Or, I think the last time I went to see a movie was in March.

Or if you just have the realization, I actually think to emphasize.

Some people prefer going to the cinema on their own.

Because they're insane. Don't go to the cinema by yourself.

Yeah, I know people who enjoy going to the cinema on their own, by themselves, alone.

Really?

Yeah, I do this sometimes.

Strange people.

I am strange. Dear listener, if you are like me, strange, odd.

If you're a weirdo like Maria.

Unusual. Yeah. So, oh, you can say always with friends, but sometimes I prefer being on my own, why not? But if you've never thought about this, you can say it has never crossed my mind to go by myself. So, I've never thought of this. I've never done it. So, it has never crossed my mind. Cross my mind. So, have this idea. It's an idea.

Oh no, it's not an idea. It's a phrase.

Actually B2. If something crosses your mind, you think of it. So it crossed my mind yesterday that I should start. Or giving up my career didn't cross my mind. I didn't think about it. So going to the cinema alone didn't cross my mind. It seems a bit morbid. So going to the cinema alone, according to Rory, seems a bit morbid. Morbid. It's negative, unpleasant, not interesting, morbid.

Weird.

Weird. Yeah, morbid actually is connected with death.

Well, I guess if you're by yourself. You're dead inside. You're dead to other people.

And then Rory says, a place like a movie theater. So, a place where you watch films is called a movie theater. And going to a movie theater is a social experience. So, you're supposed to be with other people. I disagree. I think you can go alone and it's, that's fine.

I think you're off your head.

Because you watch a movie at home alone, right? Why not at the cinema? Yeah, so... And what do we call people who comment on different films?

Critics. Or reviewers.

Critics. So, a critic. Reviewers or critics. So a critic can go alone. Someone whose job is to give their opinion is B2. But critic, someone who says that they do not approve of someone is C1. Be your own critic. That's C1. So judge yourself. Be your own critic. Or, for example, I'm my worst critic.

Right, dear listener. So what do you think are the highest grossing movies 2026? Grossing, highest, high gross movies.

The ones that make the most money.

Money. Yeah. High grossing movies. So, the new Spiderman is number one, according to people.com. Brand new day. Spider-Man brand new day. Have you watched it?

Really?

No. Yeah, number two, the Adysseus Rory told us about with Matt Damon. So I haven't seen it yet, but yeah. Toy Story 5. Yeah, an animated movie, Toy Story 5, Disney. Ooh, Michael, right. Number four, Michael Jackson. The film about Michael Jackson. I've watched it. It's actually pretty cool. So Michael Jackson, dear listener, if you haven't watched it yet. The Super Mario Galaxy movie. Also number five. Oh, number six, Rory, your favorite. The Devil Wears Prada too.

I'm so surprised because I watched that and I don't think it was actually that great to be honest with you.

And number seven, Project Hail Mary. I don't know what it is. Something about space.

Oh, it's a science fiction film.

Yeah, dear listener. So this is your bucket list. Then we have Millions and Monsters about minions. And obsession, number, also obsession. I don't know what it is. Yeah, there we go, dear listener. Rory, so which movie would you like to watch out of the list?

Maybe Spider-Man film because I've already seen Project Hail Mary.

What about Michael Jackson?

I'm not interested in that. I think we've heard enough about famous people's lives, don't you?

Right, yeah. I agree with you. I'd watch Spiderman. Dear listener, what about you? Spiderman? The Adysseus? Toy Story? Michael? Which one? Now you know what to do. Watch films in English.

Surely. That's our advice. Just watch some films...

in English. Yeah. With subtitles, it's good practice, even if you don't understand much, but still. Copy the actor's accent. It's like Matt Damon. Copy some of his phrases, how he says things. Well, if you like his accent. If you don't, you can copy Rory's accent. Thank you very much for listening. Bye!

Bye!