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How to Use AI to Get Movie, Book, and Show Recommendations

Getting a genuinely good recommendation for what to watch or read next is harder than it should be. Algorithm-based services recommend things similar to what you already liked, friends recommend their personal favorites regardless of your taste, and review sites require you to already know what you are looking for. AI does something different: it has a conversation with you about your actual preferences, the mood you are in, what you have loved and why, and what you are not in the mood for -- and produces recommendations that feel like they came from a knowledgeable friend who actually knows you. People use it to find deep cuts in genres they love, discover films or books from other countries or eras, get perfect recommendations for a specific mood or occasion, and find the next thing after something they loved.

5 Best Prompts for Getting Great Recommendations to Ask Claude or ChatGPT

Copy any prompt below and paste it directly into your AI of choice.

  1. Prompt 01 · Based on what I loved

    "I loved [title] because [specific reasons: the pacing / the moral ambiguity / the unreliable narrator / the sense of place / the relationship dynamics]. What should I read or watch next that captures those same specific qualities -- not just the same genre?"

    Best for: recommendations based on why you loved something rather than just what it was.

  2. Prompt 02 · For a specific mood

    "I want to [watch a film / read a book] that makes me feel [specific mood: unsettled but not terrified / intellectually stimulated / quietly emotional / like the world is bigger than I thought / nostalgic for something I never experienced]. What would you recommend and why?"

    Best for: matching a recommendation to how you actually want to feel, not just what category you feel like.

  3. Prompt 03 · Hidden gems in a genre

    "I know the obvious classics of [genre: noir / magical realism / hard sci-fi / literary fiction / psychological thriller]. What are the genuinely underrated or overlooked works in this genre that serious fans consider essential but most casual readers or viewers have never encountered?"

    Best for: going deeper into a genre you love beyond the titles everyone mentions.

  4. Prompt 04 · From another country or era

    "I want to discover great [films / books / TV shows] from [country or era] that I would not find through normal recommendation engines. I enjoy [describe your general taste]. What should I start with, and what do I need to know to appreciate it in context?"

    Best for: expanding your cultural range beyond the English-language bubble.

  5. Prompt 05 · Help me articulate what I want

    "I know I want to read or watch something but I cannot articulate what. Can you ask me a series of questions -- about recent things I loved and hated, the mood I am in, what I am tired of, what I am craving -- and use my answers to give me a specific recommendation?"

    Best for: the frustrating situation of knowing you want something without knowing what it is.