#168 Movie idioms and expressions in English

Published: April 30, 2021, 11:47 a.m.

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Hi, everyone! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of\\xa0SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently.

Today we are going to talk about idioms and specific vocabulary related to movies in English.

And with a mini-story, you are going to improve your fluency. I\'ll tell you a story while asking you many questions that you have to answer right away. It\'s like talking to another person in English.

Please, visit\\xa0SpeakEnglishPodcast.com\\xa0to get the transcript of today\'s episode. And follow me on\\xa0Facebook,\\xa0Instagram,\\xa0and YouTube.

Let\'s get started!

As I said today, we will look at some specific words and idioms related to movies in English.

Let\'s start!

1. Get the show on the road

When someone tells you to get the\\xa0show on the road, they urge you to start doing something. They want you to start, even if there are some mistakes and things that hinder your progress.

Examples:

\\xa0"Let\'s\\xa0get the show\\xa0on the road, or we\'ll be late."

"We\'re finally ready to\\xa0get the show on the road."

"It\'s about time we\\xa0got the show on the road!"

"Come on, the fans are waiting outside, and we must\\xa0get the show on the road!"

2. To kick off a show, or kickoff

In show business, to\\xa0kick off a show\\xa0means to start a performance. We also use this expression to refer to the first performance among many.

A\\xa0kickoff celebration\\xa0is a party that celebrates the beginning of something. You can simply call this party a\\xa0kickoff.

Examples:

"The advertising campaign is ready to\\xa0kick off the show."

\\xa0"Kickoff\\xa0will be at 10 o\'clock prompt."

\\xa0"Tom is coming to the\\xa0kickoff tonight."

\\xa0

3. Popcorn movie

Do you enjoy eating popcorn?\\xa0

But what\'s a popcorn movie?

When you want to watch a movie just for entertainment, you will usually watch a\\xa0popcorn movie. Although they are called popcorn movies, you don\'t necessarily need to eat popcorn while watching them.\\xa0

Let\'s say that this kind of movie will not give you a new perspective on life. Many of the summer\\xa0blockbusters\\xa0are popcorn movies, and the great thing is that you can watch them with friends or family.\\xa0

A\\xa0blockbuster\\xa0is\\xa0a very successful product like a movie or a book that makes a lot of money.

For instance, a Hollywood studio releases many movies in search of a\\xa0blockbuster.

Here are some popular popcorn movies you have already watched:

Transformers (2007), Spider-Man (2002), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Mission: Impossible (1996), Forrest Gump (1994), Batman Begins (2005), The Fast and the Furious (2001), etc.\\xa0

4. Live up to the hype

If a movie or a show is\\xa0up to the hype, it means there is enough interest in it. Movie critics and bloggers become excited about something by generating a lot of buzz or\\xa0hype.

Generally speaking, it\'s hard to\\xa0live up to the hype, but the best movies can generate many expectations before they are released.

Examples:

"I watched that movie you recommended last week, and it definitely\\xa0lived up to the hype. I loved it!

"I am happy to say that your performance lived up to\\xa0the hype."

5. Sell out

We can use the expression to\\xa0sell out\\xa0in several ways.\\xa0

But if tickets are\\xa0sold out, it means that all available tickets for a movie, concert, etc., have been sold.

And also when we want to buy something in a store or on the Internet. If they are\\xa0sold out, they are no longer available.

Examples:\\xa0

"We sold out all the movie tickets in the first couple of hours."

"My favorite T-shirt\\xa0sold out\\xa0everywhere."

Before we continue, I want to give you a useful tip on how to understand movies in English.

First of all, you should keep in mind that movies are meant for native speakers and are full of expressions and phrasal verbs. And yes, actors usually talk fast. And the reason they speak so fast is that they have memorized their lines.

I believe that the biggest problem English students have is that they don\'t listen enough. First you have to build a good foundation by listening to many hours of content with clear audio and good pronunciation. Over time, understanding movies will become easier.\\xa0

Before I move on to the next section, go and get the transcript of this episode at\\xa0SpeakEnglishPodcast.com/podcast

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