"That" as in a previous event + another question

[kaoskastle]

I'm sure this has been asked before or covered in a JP101 lesson somewhere but I wouldn't even begin to know how to search for "that" and not get a billion results.

How do I say "that" when referring to an event that took place? Such as "that movie was great" or something. I'm hesitant to use それ　/　あれ because it just seems like that would be incorrect. I'm not sure what would be correct, though, so any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

edit: Also, a second question just hit me. In an early Beginner Lesson (in the 30-somethings), いっしょに was taught to mean "together". Is the に in there the same as in 二 or is this the particle or just part of the word?

[hatch_jp]

これ／それ／あれ

これ ： refer to something close to your
それ ： refer to something close to the person side you are talking to
あれ ： refer to something far from both of you and the person you are talking to

これは わたしの けいたい です。 = This is my cell phone.
それは わたしの けいたい です。 = That (one close to you) is my cell phone.
あれは わたしの けいたい です。 = That (one over there) is my cell phone.


この／その／あの + noun
When you refer to something with the noun, you say この, その or あの + the noun.
この けいたい は わたしの です。 = This cell phone is mine.
その けいたい は わたしのです。 = That cell phone (close to you) is mine.
あの けいたい は わたしの です。 = That cell phone (over there) is mine.


いっしょに is an adverb, so に in this word is one of the part of the word.

[WalterWills]

From what I understand after being corrected by Japanese people when speaking,

If the topic hasn't been mentioned before in the conversation, e.g. "By the way, how was that exam last week?", you would use あの.

But if you're already talking about it, you would use その.

[kaoskastle]

Ah, thanks to both of you - I've gotten the answers I was looking for. Thank you much!

[Javizy]

From what I understand after being corrected by Japanese people when speaking,

If the topic hasn't been mentioned before in the conversation, e.g. "By the way, how was that exam last week?", you would use あの.

But if you're already talking about it, you would use その.

Did they give you a better explanation? I remember reading that その is used about something the speaker hasn't experienced, whereas あの is used about things the speaker or both the speaker and the listener have experience/knowledge of.

その映画はどうだった?
How was that movie (you saw)?
あの映画って? くだらなかった。
That movie? It sucked.

あの映画は面白かっただろう?
That movie (we saw) was good, huh?

Now it has been mentioned, I'm really not sure myself, but I think there's more to it than has been said. Hopefully somebody can give a more definite answer...

[WalterWills]

I asked a Japanese friend, and she said what I said about using sono/ano depending on whether or not it's already been mentioned, but when I asked..

"What about: 「その映画はどうでしたか？」「あの映画は面白くなかったです」?"

..she just laughed and couldn't give me an explanation!