Many of us have set out on a new project that involves enhancing our minds and expanding our horizons, but eventually let it fall by the wayside. Regardless of the type of Education you want to pursue, we often hit that wall that stops us from advancing as quickly as we’d like or just get a bit bored of the process.
One of the most common self-improvement education pursuits is learning a new language. French is one of the most popular picks, but it can be challenging to grasp conversations and speech properly.. So here, to help you cheat your way to success, here are some movies to help you improve — some of which may be found via the best TV services in the US.
Watching movies in French to get over the hump
Before you start on your language-learning journey, it is beneficial to draw up a plan of action. There are ten essential steps in your journey for how to learn French, and one of them involves building blocks of phrases, such as for shopping or greetings. The steps help to keep learning French fun and straightforward, with perhaps the guilty pleasure of the process coming right on the hump with step five: watch movies and TV in French.
Not only are movies a popular form of entertainment, but by watching a film with subtitles, you will begin to recognize words and how they are used in conversation. This method is also great for helping you get your head around French pronunciations, particularly for the more colloquial or slang terms.
You should begin this step by watching films you are familiar with, Western movies., but with a French dub. You can focus on the language and not need to worry about following the story too closely. Then, when you’re ready, delve into the best French movies for learning the language.
Top picks for your French movie night
You’ll find that many of the very best French films come from the age of black and white movies, so if you’re into old films, you’re certainly in luck. However, to be more generally accessible, the first top picks here are of far more recent movies. Listed at sixth overall by TimeOut, Amélie (2001) is one-of-a-kind, eccentric, cheeky, and even if you haven’t seen the movie, you’ll undoubtedly recognize the protagonist.
Another more modern flick to sink into in French would be A Prophet (2009). Made by French thriller expert Jacques Audiard, the film centers on a convict forced into the vassalage of another inmate, leading to him carrying out criminal activities while on day release. It’s quite the heavy hitter, so if you’d rather something more easygoing, turn to the animated Kirikou and the Sorceress (1998), which draws from West African folktales.
Many consider the best French movies to be the classics from the era of black and white or early color film. However. you’ll see a fair few from the 60s, with three of the top five in Paste Magazine’s rankings proving as such. The musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), romantic drama Jules et Jim (1962), and sci-fi featurette Ja Jetée (1962) are all highly regarded.
Watching movies in French with subtitles can be one of the best and most enjoyable ways to cheat your way to learning the language faster and with more confidence.