"The Cinematic effect can’t be enabled" message on iMovie

Read through this Apple Support link and see if anything in there helps you:

Edit Cinematic mode video in Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and Motion on Mac - Apple Support

Here's a quote from the above link:

"If no on-screen Cinematic controls appear on Cinematic mode clips, you might have imported the clips with iCloud Photos and Optimize Mac Storage selected in Photos preferences. Try these options to access Cinematic controls:

• Delete all copies of the clips in the library and in any project,
• then import directly by connecting your device to your Mac using a USB
• cable.
• Import the Cinematic mode clips again from your Phone or from your Photos library.

If Cinematic controls still aren't available, you might have to update to macOS Monterey."

-- Rich

This works:

Select the cinematic mode files on your phones to AirDrop to your Mac.

At the AirDrop menu on your iPhone, select 'Options'.

Next, select 'All Photos Data'.

Hit 'Done', then initiate AirDrop to your Mac.

Your Mac will create a discrete folder for each video clip containing 4 files: an AAE file, the cinematic mode file (e.g., IMG_1234), a non-cinematic version of the file (e.g. IMG_E1234), and a 4th file I can't remember now because I am typing this on my PC. :)

That's it.

Select the cinematic mode file, and you're all good.

Cheers,

-AbsoluteVista

Hmmmm. I don't know what is going on there. You might benefit from talking with the techs at Apple Support. They have the

capability of remotely accessing your computer, that we do not have here. To contact support, click on the Get Support item in the upper right hand corner of this forum's screen, and navigate to the appropriate place where you can enter you phone number. The techs here are pretty savvy and might be able to solve this.

-- Rich

See " iOS 16 breaks cinematic mode in Final Cut Pro ( and iMovie)"

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254224177