Movie

A movie, or motion picture, is a sequence of moving images designed to be shown on a screen, often accompanied by synchronized sound. The term film is also used, referring to the medium's material basis (celluloid historically) and to cinema as an industry. Movies tell stories or present information and can range from feature-length productions to shorts.

Origins trace to late 19th century experiments with motion and projection; devices like the kinetoscope and the cinematograph enabled single-viewing and projection of short sequences. Early narrative cinema emerged in the 1900s with directors such as Georges Méliès and D. W. Griffith. The introduction of synchronized sound in the late 1920s produced the era of talkies, and color processes expanded in the following decades.

Modern movie production involves multiple specialized roles—from writers and producers to directors, editors, and cinematographers—working across preproduction, principal photography, and post-production. After completion, the film is distributed to theaters or digital platforms and often released on home video, broadcast, and streaming services. Formats vary, with 24 frames per second as a standard, 16mm/35mm film historically, and digital cinema as the dominant method today. Genres span drama, comedy, action, thriller, science fiction, documentary, and more, with evolving subgenres and crossovers.

The movie industry is a global entertainment sector, influencing culture and economy through box office, festivals, and awards. Ratings systems, such as age-based classifications, guide audiences. Preservation efforts seek to maintain film heritage amid material deterioration and technological change. Digital distribution and streaming have reshaped access and revenue models, while intellectual property laws and censorship reflect regional norms and policy.