The internet has created a new kind of expert, one who draws knowledge from search engines and social media rather than years of investigation and practice. Yet the opinions of the modern connoisseur are not to be taken lightly. How are they signalling their status and influencing everyday habits?

Social network Letterboxd has been providing a digital home for film lovers to track their cinematic habits for nearly a decade, but as people’s film-watching shifts to the small screen, more users are turning to the website and app for trusted reviews and civil cinephile conversation.

Quentin Tarantino has revealed plans to sell a series NFTs from his original Pulp Fiction screenplay, paving the way for a community of digital cinema fans to emerge. With the film industry often hesitant to use new technology, the move could normalize crypto as a broker for an online collectibles market.

Minari tells the story of a Korean-American family forging their own American Dream in rural Arkansas. With plenty of industry buzz, Minari shows the appetite for complex cultural stories of modern America, and how original marketing can make an impact among mainstream film audiences.