看什么电影？

You can use it as a standalone question. You can also add a subject like 我们 (we) at the start. It works perfectly in person or over text. If you see a friend at the cinema, this is your opening line. If you are bored on the couch, say this to your partner. It is a very versatile building block for social life.

Use it when you are standing in front of a theater marquee. Use it when browsing Netflix with your roommates. It is great for that indecisive moment when nobody can pick a genre. It is also useful when someone mentions they went to the cinema yesterday. You ask this to find out the title. It is the ultimate conversation starter for film buffs.

Do not use this in a high-level business meeting about film distribution. It is a bit too casual for professional industry talk. Avoid using it if you want to sound extremely polite to a superior. In those cases, use 您想看哪部电影？ instead. Also, don't use it if you aren't actually planning to watch something. It implies an immediate interest in the answer.

Movie-going is a massive social activity in modern Chinese cities. Going to the "dianyingyuan" (cinema) is a standard date night or weekend hangout. Because Chinese grammar is flexible, you don't need complex auxiliary verbs. This phrase reflects the efficiency of spoken Mandarin. It’s all about the action and the object. No fluff required.

You might hear 看哪部电影？ which means "Which specific movie?" You might also hear 看啥电影？ in Northern China. 啥 is a more colloquial version of 什么. If you are feeling extra lazy, just say 看哪个？ while pointing at a screen. All of these will get you to the same place: popcorn and a show.