12 Movies for 12 Movie Genres

Photo Credit: Paramount / FAiR Use

Let's face it—sometimes we get stuck in a rut, even when it comes to our movie choices.

I’ve realized that Matthew and I tend to stick to lighthearted comedies on weekdays because we feel like it takes extra energy to try something new. But every once in a while it does us good to shake things up. When we do, we often remember and enjoy the experience more. In branching out, we’ve discovered whole new genres of movies to love and learn from.

We generated this list of movies for those who want to shake up their movie choices but don’t know where to start. The list is by no means exhaustive, but each movie has been chosen with novices to the genre in mind.

As part of our Opposite’s Attract Date, we created a quiz to see which types of movies you usually avoid. Now we encourage you to take the quiz and watch one of them!

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WESTERN

True Grit (2010)

Westerns are possibly the most underrated films on our list. If you have ever shaken off the thought of watching one, think again. Not only do westerns embrace the American landscape, they also bring up challenging themes of belonging, survival, and justice.

One such adventure is True Grit (2010), the story of a 14-year-old young woman seeking justice for her father's murder. With her gender, her age, and the harsh desert environment all working against her, she must display strength far beyond what others expect of her.

Turn it into a double feature with the original True Grit (1969).

Runners Up:

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) -

A railroad tycoon aims to create a railroad stop on the only strip of land around the town of Flagstone with water. The only problem? The land's owner doesn't want to sell. A series of injustices lead you to question how the American West has been romanticized in this revisionist western.

Red River (1948) -

In this classic, three men attempt to drive a herd of 10,000 cattle from Texas to Missouri after the Civil War. Hungry, tired, and on dangerous terrain, the three come into conflict and must fight to survive.

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HORROR

Psycho (1960)

The horror genre has a bad reputation for the number of poorly done, low-budget horror films that have been produced over the years. But in the spirit of branching out, we ask you to forget all of them and focus in on a couple of masterpieces.

While you may ordinarily go for feel-good films like love stories or comedies, horror films aim to illicit a different type of feeling—fear. But don’t let that scare you. Well-done horror films often use fear, as well as psychological or supernatural concepts, to take on challenging themes. And despite the iconic scene from Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), horror does not have to be all blood and guts.

In Psycho, a secretary from Phoenix goes on the lam for a desperate crime she would like to take back. Tired and unable to go on, she stops at a run down motel.

Runners Up:

Night of the Living Dead (1968) -

When corpses start emerging from the neighborhood graveyard and feasting on the living, a group of people take refuge in an abandoned house. This film marks the beginning of modern horror films.

The Sixth Sense (1999) -

A terrorized young boy visits a child psychologist who has all but given up on his work. They turn out to be just what the other needs.

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ROMANCE

Titanic (1997)

On the other hand, if blood and guts are your usual thing, why not change it up and focus on the blood pumping through the human heart and the gut-wrenching feelings you get when watching a romance. You never know... you might fall in love with a movie like Titanic (1997).

In Titanic, a wealthy young woman falls in love with a man far below her class, much to the dismay of her family and arrogant fiancé. She prepares to embrace the consequences when the ship carrying them strikes an iceberg and slowly plummets into the depths of the ocean.

Runners Up:

Casablanca (1942) -

A nightclub owner in Morocco helps his former lover and her husband escape the Nazis during WWII.

Pride & Prejudice (2005) -

A young woman faces her own stubbornness and pride when the man she loathes saves her family from losing everything.

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SUSPENSE

Jaws (1975)

Perhaps you usually play it safe and silly. If so, it’s about time to try to get those hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. Suspense utilizes different themes than horror, but they both keep you on the edge of your seat, unsure of what might come next.

Stream a movie like Jaws (1975) and hold your breath as you ride the wave of human versus beast. A giant killer shark threatens the island of Amity and the new police chief must capture it and kill it.

Runners Up:

Rear Window (1954) -

A newspaper photographer breaks his leg and is stuck recuperating in his apartment. Bored, he starts spying on his neighbors through his camera lens and witnesses a murder.

Shutter Island (2010) -

A U.S. Marshall travels to a remote island, home to an insane asylum, to locate a murderess who has escaped. However, he soon struggles to distinguish between his imagination and reality.

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FAMILY

Wizard of Oz (1939)

If you normally like intrigue and suspense, it’s time to try something completely different, like a classic family film. A family movie might not be the first thing you pick, but you may be surprised how much you fall in love with a classic like The Wizard of Oz (1939).

In The Wizard of Oz, a young woman from rural Kansas gets transported to a magical world she has always dreamed of, only realize "there's no place like home."

Runners Up:

E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982) -

A gentle alien finds himself stranded on earth and is rescued by a boy and his siblings. But the suburbs are no place for a creature from outer space.

Enchanted (2007) -

A cruel queen sends a fairytale princess to the dark world of modern New York City, where she gets a hefty dose of reality. Hilarious and self-deprecating, this film will surprise you.

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COMEDY

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Lighten things up with a classic comedy—everyone can use a good laugh every once in a while, even if it’s not usually your first choice. If you haven't seen the collective favorite Some Like It Hot (1959), start there. When two down-on-their-luck musicians witness a horrible crime, they run from the mafia disguised as women.

Runners Up:

His Girl Friday (1940) -

A newspaper editor finds out his ex-wife intends to remarry and does everything he can to break them up and get her back to work as his top journalist.

Groundhog Day (1993) -

When a grumpy weatherman travels to the small town of Punxsutawney for a puff piece on Groundhog Day, he somehow finds himself living the same day over and over.

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DRAMA

Atonement (2007)

We get it. If you are like many, you like to keep it light, have a few laughs, and keep the tears in your eyes where they belong. But if you want to try something different you're going to have to let yourself indulge in a meaty drama. Let a tragedy take you in for once. It will be good for you.

We recommend Atonement (2007). One lie has dire consequences for a young woman, her sister, and her sister's lover. When a world war breaks out, they may be separated forever.

Runners Up:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) -

A man is born with a strange disease that makes him age backwards. His lifelong love must try to meet him in the middle as their lives move in opposite directions.

The Maltese Falcon (1941) -

A private detective gets entangled in a web of crime and intrigue as he searches for a bejeweled statuette that everybody seems desperate to get their hands on.

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HISTORY

Gladiator (2000)

Perhaps you prefer to think ahead. This time, why not turn towards the past? Historical movies have the ability to transport you to another place and time. They give you perspective and compassion for the lives of people who have come before you.

Try something different tonight with Gladiator (2000). In Roman times, a powerful general's life collapses when the emperor's son murders his family and sells him into slavery. The general fights to become a successful gladiator and threatens the power of the throne.

Runners Up:

Schindler's List (1993) -

A business man joins the Nazi party in 1939 and plans to profit from impending WWII. He staffs his factory with Jewish workers as a money saving tactic but soon finds it is the only way to save their lives.

12 Years a Slave (2013) -

Before the Civil War, a free black musician in the north is kidnapped and torn from his family. He is sold into slavery in the south and spends years trying to return home.

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SCIENCE FICTION

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

While you may normally watch something grounded in true happenings, maybe you should let your imagination run wild with a science fiction film. Instead of focusing on what we can learn from our past, sci-fi warns us of our potential future.

Start with a classic like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and see what it would be like if computers had minds of their own. A mysterious object appears on the surface of the moon and humankind aims to discover its origins with the help of H.A.L. 9000, a highly intelligent supercomputer.

Runners Up:

Jurassic Park (1990) -

What if science could bring back dinosaurs? In this movie, a paleontologist and botanist visit a soon-to-open theme park where dinosaurs are to be gawked at on display. They soon learn that some things are better left buried in the ground.

Metropolis (1927) -

In a futuristic city, life is perfect bliss. Yet things aren't always as they seem. Underneath the city lies a group of workers who slave to keep this mirage alive. This may be the most influential science fiction film of all time.

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ANIMATED

Up (2009)

If you crave action, change up your routine with an animated feature. You may be surprised to find that some animated films are just as enjoyable for adults as kids. And most are loaded with action and adventure.

Take Up (2009), for instance. The story follows a curmudgeonly old man as he attempts to escape reality and fulfill his lifelong dream of traveling to South America. He'll use any means necessary to achieve his goal, but his plans are upset by an unexpected stowaway.

Runners Up:

The Emperor's New Groove (2000) -

A young emperor must learn to let go of his pride when his power-hungry advisor attempts to kill and dethrone him, but instead turns him into a llama. Possibly the funniest animated film ever made.

Coraline (2009) -

A girl named Coraline moves into a new home and finds a secret door that leads to a better version of her own life. But as this new world quickly turns twisted and creepy, she must learn to appreciate what she already has.

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ACTION

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

If you tend to stick with your favorite childhood movies, it's time to embark on some new adventures. Why not try an action flick to pluck you out of your routine? We promise it won't all be guns and explosions. (Though there will be guns and explosions, for sure.)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) has it all: a far off land, a hunky hero, a big bad villain, a seemingly strong yet always distressed damsel. It may even have a happy ending (or perhaps an utterly bizarre one).

Runners Up:

Skyfall (2012) -

This is James Bond as you have never seen him. He must save his fellow agents as a vindictive man aims to sabotage his boss, M.

African Queen (1951) -

A religious spinster in Africa aims to avenge her missionary brother's death during WWI. A steamboat captain offers her safe passage out, but she has other plans.

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MUSICAL

Chicago (2002)

Have you ever even considered watching a musical? If you are convinced it’s not your thing—probably not. But let your bias and fear go just this once. You may be surprised.

One musical that may change your outlook is Chicago (2002). Not only does it feature a star-studded cast with actual talent, but it also does an incredible job of interweaving jazz music into the twisted storyline of several murderesses trying to avoid getting hanged. If that doesn't intrigue you, I don't know what will.

Runners Up:

West Side Story (1961) -

A teenage street gang picks a fight when one of their own falls in love with the rival gang leader's sister. A modern day Romeo and Juliet, the film deals with age, race, and class.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) -

A woman falls in love with a man at first sight, only to find out he has six brothers to take care of. You will expect the stereotypical upbeat song and dance numbers. You won't expect how funny and outrageous it is.

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What new movie genre do you want to try? Let us know on social @makeadateofit

This Post was Last Updated: 06/23/2020.

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