I remember this kid in highschool that, when I asked what was his favorite movie or TV shows, he said he never really watched much stuff before. Like… I ask him about piracy, I forgot what he answered but it was something on the lines of “idk”, dude doesn’t have a netflix and never figured out piracy… So um… yea, strict parents sheltering him… I guess… so that’s why we never really “clicked”.
To be fair, I wasn’t exactly the most outgoing person, but like I could do some amount of random conversations, I know common topics to talk about.
IMO, pop culture can be a great icebreaker, but it’s definitely not essential for building meaningful friendships. I’ve formed friendships with people even when we had no shared (pop) references whatsoever.
In my experience, learning about someone else’s (pop culture or other) interests can be a meaningful way to get to know them better.
At the end of the day, it’s not about which movies someone likes, but the substance of your conversations: empathy, shared experiences, and the trust that comes from opening up, for example.
Just be curious, open, and supportive. The rest will follow.
And hey, your favorite movies will come up eventually. Who knows, you might end up watching something new together.