My English language learning journey has been quite interesting and equally fulfilling. When people were stuck reading textbooks, I was learning English through stories. After that, I moved to movies and discovered the best movies for learning English.
Since I made that discovery, I haven’t needed an English language teacher or language schools. I watched movies and learned so much more about the English language than I thought possible.
Now that I’ve proven it works, I can boldly share how English movies changed my life and how they can change yours too!
Before we delve in, here’s a list of some of the best movies for learning English:
- Forrest Gump- Beginner
- The Pursuit of Happyness- Beginner/Intermediate
- Finding Nemo- Beginner
- The King’s Speech- Beginner/Intermediate
- The Devil Wears Prada- Advanced
- Notting Hill- Intermediate
Why I Think the Best Movies for Learning English Trump Textbook Learning
Don’t get me wrong; textbooks are great and all, but after I experienced a burnout from trying and failing to master English communication using textbooks, I found movies that did everything textbooks failed to do for me.
- With movies, I didn’t just learn random vocabulary; I learned real-life vocabulary in their right contexts.
- Movies provided visuals and emotional hooks that helped me remember words and their contexts better than textbooks.
- Watching movies, I learned how to pronounce words with the right tone and accents. (Goodbye transcriptions, welcome natural pronunciations).
- Learning English using movies taught me to understand and appreciate humor, slang, and idioms in use, beyond the expressions written on the pages of paper.
- Most importantly, I learned cultural contexts and expressions that formal textbooks could never provide.
These discoveries didn’t happen overnight, but the action that spurred it all happened in one night.
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7 Days FREE TrialThe Night I Discovered Forrest Gump Could Teach Me English
That night, I intentionally chose the movie ‘Forrest Gump’ because I saw it on so many recommendations when I looked up ‘best movies for learning English.’
In case you’re wondering why I looked it up in the first place, all I can say is that, after learning English through novels and stories, I wanted something equally exciting. I love watching movies, so that was the next possibility to explore.
Back to ‘Forrest Gump.’ I heard the movie was great for learning English because the actors delivered their lines in a clear accent. So, I hit ‘download,’ and my first video learning experience began, with Forrest (Tom Hanks) as my teacher.
Forrest delivered his lines steadily, simply, and with emotion. Since I already had some foundational knowledge of English, I followed his lines easily, with and without subtitles.
I learned some interesting phrases and slang, especially in the American English context, and I rehearsed them multiple times, mimicking the pronunciation and tone.
After that experience, I decided to include movies in my English language learning routine. Tons of movies later, thanks to online suggestions and platforms like Jolii.ai, I explored movies as an interactive English lesson and picked up expressions that took my skills from 1 to 100.
Some of my favorite phrases from the movies I’ve watched are
- May the Force be with you: meaning good luck
- Hit the sack: Meaning to sleep
- Just keep swimming: meaning don’t give up
- A piece of cake: something easy to do.
- My bad: means you made a mistake or blunder.
I had fun discovering new phrases and conversations, and you will too if you try it.
Tangible Ways Movies Transformed My English
After watching all the best movies for learning English, I had so many results to show for it. Even buddies in my language exchange call group pointed out a few of them that I didn’t initially notice.
1. My listening skills improved by much
When having conversations, I didn’t need people to repeat themselves. I could hear and follow the pace of their conversations.
2. I spoke English more naturally
The days of assuming the way words were pronounced and sounding words in my local accent were finally behind me. I learned the right stress and tone for pronouncing different English words.
3. I got familiar with English Contexts
You can’t really master English until you master the context in which words are used and the expressions they communicate. I learned to differentiate jokes, sarcasm, direct statements, and even flirtatious words.
4. My confidence levels rose
Thanks to movies, I spoke more confidently when chatting with natives. I didn’t have to worry about sounding weird.
These few things, amongst many others, changed for me as soon as I opened the doors to learning English through movies. They can change for you too.
The 5 Best English Movies for Learning English and What I Learned From Them
Since I already mentioned Forrest Gump, I’ll skip that and discuss 5 other movies that make the list.
1. The Pursuit of Happyness (Beginner/Intermediate)
This movie uses everyday vocabulary that you’d come across at work or in the family environment. The words are pronounced clearly, and you can pick up the emotions behind the words.
2. Finding Nemo (Beginner)
This is a fun and easy movie, with simple English that’s easy to understand. The characters speak clearly enough for kids to pick up. You’ll learn basic phrases and actually remember them.
3. The King’s Speech (Beginner/Intermediate)
I picked up this one to learn British English, because a lot of movies on my watch list were American. The speech patterns are slow enough to follow, and the accent is clear. I learned to pronounce words clearly and confidently.
4. Notting Hill (Intermediate)
This is also a British movie, but it teaches something different. In addition to the clear accent, the movie used a lot of British humor and introduced me to English politeness and the art of making small talk.
5. The Devil Wears Prada (Advanced)
This movie had a lot of business, fashion, and general workplace language. The dialogue is quite fast, so I advise you to reduce playback speed so you can follow properly. I enjoyed learning humor and sarcasm from this one.
There is an inexhaustible list of the best movies for learning English. Check out this video for some more recommendations.
How to Watch Movies for Effective Learning
Now that you know the movies to watch, you need to know ‘how’ to use them as a learning tool too. Here’s my method:
1. Watch them with English Subtitles
Yes. You might be tempted to use subtitles in your native language, but using English subtitles helps you to connect the sound with the spelling of the word.
2. Choose Some Scenes to Rewatch
When you find scenes with interesting dialogues, replay them several times. Listen, repeat after them, and read the words until you understand the scene.
3. Note interesting phrases and learn them
Not sure what some phrases mean? Write them down and go back to study their context and meaning.
4. Copy tone and accents when speaking
This doesn’t mean trying to sound ‘foreign’ just try to pronounce the words like they do.
5. Rewatch some movies after a while
Go back to some movies you had a hard time understanding after a few months of studying and see how much your comprehension improved.
My Advice: Your Takeaway
Words cannot express how an action as simple as incorporating movies into my English learning journey changed my life. But it’s better to experience it for yourself.
Start watching movies immediately. Download or watch some of the recommended movies online, and start learning.
For a more guided process, watch videos on Jolii.ai. Every movie clip teaches you phrases, contexts, and natural, real-life English.
I hope these movies change your English learning journey as they did for me.
