I ask this because I've been prepping a lot lately for upcoming films, especially ones I plan to write or podcast about. I'm just finishing the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender in anticipation of the movie. I read a slew of Jonah Hex leading up to the film. I spent time with menopausal women to get ready for Sex and The City 2.
What lengths do you go through to get ready for a film?
I usually just watch the trailers. If I hear lots of bad buzz (like for Clash of the Titans) I'll skip it, but otherwise, not a lot of prep.
The exception would be Watchmen, I kept the trade in the "reading room" and when I got to the end I'd start over again, and I listened to the LOD trade review.
It really depends on the film. If I get really excited about a film I may check out the source material before I see the film. Some of my best experiences tend to be when I see a film cold turkey though. I try to avoid reading any reviews before seeing a film because usually they are too spoiler filled.