popcorn movie
A motion picture without serious dramatic content, a weighty message, or intellectual depth, which serves simply as enjoyable entertainment.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“We just want to watch a fun popcorn movie tonight.”
“After a long week at work, I prefer watching a mindless popcorn movie instead of a serious drama.”
“While critics often dismiss the summer blockbuster as a mere popcorn movie, audiences consistently flock to theaters for the pure, unpretentious spectacle it provides.”
The term is a compound formed from popcorn and movie, named for the snack's established status as a common accompaniment to the cinema.
- 01
grab the popcorn
Used to express anticipated enjoyment from watching a conflict or argument developing between other people, as if one were being entertained at the movies.
- 02
have seen this movie
To have experienced a situation which is the same as or similar to the current situation, especially with a sense of the unpleasantness or tiresomeness of the recurring situation.
- 03
movie jail
A state of derailment of a career or limited opportunities to which a film industry professional is seemingly relegated, usually as a result of making an unsuccessful film.
- 04
tentpole movie
A major motion picture which is expensive to produce but expected to generate significant revenue for its studio and investors.
Last updated August 10, 2026