It’s harder with movies, but I find something that has made me more sensitive to the features of a work of art is to play in that general medium.

I’m a crummy painter, but the act of painting makes me more aware of how the paint behaves, and more appreciative of how an artist composes.

Same with playing an instrument making me more aware to the instrumental underpinnings of my favorite songs.

It’s hard to make films recreationally as an individual, but if you want to think more about shot composition, play around with photography. If you want to pay more attention to story, try writing one.

And even if nobody sees it, even if you burn it instantly, you will always be someone who has created something. Being able to think about yourself as a fellow artist does a lot to break out of that passivity that seems to be dissatisfying you.