So there you are, looking for a movie to watch, but not quite sure what you’re in the mood for, or don’t have any particular titles in mind, and are feeling impulsive. You’re strolling down the aisle of your local video rental store (assuming there’s still one in your neck of the woods), or, on your couch, scrolling through Netflix’s immense library of streaming titles, or Amazon’s amazon-size lot of movies, or Hulu, HBO, Showtime, EPIX, etc…

Eventually, something you’ve never heard of gets your attention; you finally stop on a film, pick it up (or click on it) to find out more, and, if you’re in a position to do so, you look up the film’s trailer and watch it, eventually deciding, after all the information in front of you, that the film is either something you’d like to watch, or it isn’t.

Let’s visit those moments, shall we? What I’d like to know is, what is it about this film that first got your attention, when you stopped to investigate it – especially if you don’t know any of the faces on the cover or poster, nor the director? And after you investigate it, what factors help you decide whether you want to actually take the time to watch it, or NOT watch it?

When you’re deciding to watch a film you aren’t at all already familiar with, starring actors you don’t know, and directed by a filmmaker foreign to you, if you’re like me, you have a list of criteria that you mentally check off as you move from one step to the next, in deciding whether you want to watch an unknown film or not.

Your answers may actually assist those who decide how to package a film and how accessible they want it to be to audiences. But I’m asking because I’m working on a larger piece, and I’m interested in your process in making those decisions, so do share…