How to make films look amazing on your television.

Film  You've probably seen this already, but just in case, Prolost explains why your new tv ruins films:

"Most TVs have some preset modes deigned for different uses. There’s often a “Cinema” or “Movie” picture mode. Use it. It’s the best, easiest shortcut to setting up your new TV to be as inoffensive as possible. These modes will be quite subdued compared to the amped-up default settings, so chances are, when you first switch them on, you’ll experience a bit of that “wow, that sure is yellow” sensation that you get when you look back to the correct Inception frame after staring at the torch-mode one for a minute. Don’t worry, this will pass almost immediately."

It's true. I've been watching everything with amped up brightness and contrast for years, turn this on and although everything does seem a subdued initially, after that cinematography, even on dvds, suddenly looks all the more awesome.

I would add one correction.  On my LG, the "cinema" setting does default to "warm" mode, which does make everything look yellow.  Too yellow.  Black and white film and television is positively sepia which surely isn't want either Frank Capra or Waris Hussein wanted.

So I've gone in and changed that setting to neutral so that the white all look white again.  But other than, even Douglas McGrath's breathless 2002 adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby looks splendid, especially during the scenes at the Squeers school.