Movie Genres
On recommendamovie.com we use a genre list of 22 common genres we feel accurately
describe the plethora of movies in existence today. Every movie on the site belongs
to one or more of the following genres on the chart below.
Action:
Films that are high energy and action packed. Characters typically struggle through a series of physical feats, fights, and/or chases.
Notable Action Movies:
- Commando
- Die Hard
- Dirty Harry
- Enter the Dragon
- Under Siege 2
Notable Action Stars:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Bruce Willis
- Jackie Chan
- Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Steven Segal
- Sylvester Stallone
Notable Action Elements:
- Big Budget Stunts
- Car Chases
- Explosions
- Gunplay
- Martial Arts
Adventure:
Films that tell exciting stories and astonishing tales. Characters often visit exotic locations on quests, expeditions, and/or hunts.
Notable Adventure Movies:
- Avatar
- Indiana Jones Series
- Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy
- The Mummy
- Robin Hood
Notable Adventure Stars:
- Angelina Jolie
- Brendan Fraser
- Harrison Ford
- Nicolas Cage
Notable Adventure Elements:
- Ancient Ruins
- Expeditions
- Pirates
- Tresure
- Quests
Animation:
Movies that are composed of artwork drawn/crafted by hand and/or computers. Puppetry and other model works are also included in this genre.
Notable Animation Movies:
- Beowulf
- Spirited Away
- The Lion King
- Toy Story
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
Notable Voice Actors:
- Mike Myers
- Nancy Cartwright
- Trey Parker & Matt Stone
- Tress MacNeille
- Tom Hanks
Notable Animation Elements:
- Cartoons
- Computer Animation
- Claymation
- Puppetry
Biography:
Films that dramatize the life of a real person or people. Biographies aim to tell a person's life story through the most historically important years of their lives.
Notable Biography Movies:
- Ed Wood
- Goodfellas
- Lawrence of Arabia
- Man on the Moon
- Ray
Notable Biography Stars:
- Jamie Foxx
- Jim Carrey
- Peter O'Toole
- Ray Liotta
Comedy:
Films that are light-hearted and consistently designed to amuse the audience. This is often done through situational humor, jokes, and character interaction.
Notable Comedy Movies:
- Ace Ventura, Pet Detective
- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Caddy Shack
- Police Academy
- The Hangover
Notable Comedy Stars:
- Bill Murray
- Jim Carrey
- Zach Galifianakis
- Mike Myers
- Woody Allen
Notable Comedy Elements:
- Screwball
- Classic Rom-Com
- Parody
- Slapstick
- Spoofs
Crime:
Films that focus on the lives of criminals and criminal acts.
Notable Crime Movies:
- 12 Angry Men
- Goodfellas
- Ocean's Eleven
- The Godfather
Notable Crime Stars:
- Al Pacino
- Robert De Niro
- Marlon Brando
Notable Plot Elements:
- Crimes
- Gangs
- Gangsters
- Court Cases
- Police Investigations
- Private Detectives
- The Mob
Documentary:
Films that document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record.
Notable Documentary Movies:
- Fahrenheit 9/11
- An Inconvenient Truth
- Super Size Me
Drama:
Films that focuses on in-depth development of character dealing with emotional themes.
Notable Drama Movies:
- The Help
Notable Drama Elements:
- Addiction
- Coming of age
- Infidelity
- Intolerance
- Prejudice
Family:
Films that focus on appealing to a variety of age groups and families.
Notable Family Movies:
- Beethoven
- Home Alone
- Homeward Bound
- The Little Mermaid
Notable Family Stars:
- Charles Grodin
- Macaulay Culkin
Notable Plot Elements:
- Captive Princesses
- Talking Animals
Fantasy:
Films that involve magic, the supernatural, fairy-tale creatures, and/or imaginary worlds.
Notable Fantasy Movies:
- Enchanted
- Harry Potter Series
- Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Notable Fantasy Stars:
- Daniel Radcliffe
- Elijah Wood
- Ian McKellen
Notable Plot Elements:
- Evil Witches
- Fairy Tales
- Fictitious Beings
- Magic Spells
Film-Noir (Debated):
Films that are primarily crime dramas but are associated with a black and white visual style.
Notable Film-Noir Movies:
- Laura
- The Big Combo
- Sin City
History:
Films that have plots based on historical events and/or persons.
Notable History Movies:
- The Ten Commandments
- Hercules
- King Arthur
Notable History Stars:
- Cate Blanchett
Notable Plot Elements:
- Monarchs and their Kingdoms
Horror:
Films that have plots seeking to scare/frighten viewers by preying on their fears.
Notable Horror Movies:
- Candy Man
- Friday The 13th
- Frankenstein
- Jason
- Nightmare on Elm Street
- The Amityville Horror
Notable Horror Stars:
- Robert Englund
Notable Plot Elements:
- Demons
- Ghosts Hauntings
- Killers
- Vampires
- Zombie Apocalpse
Music:
Films that have characters who sing, play instruments, or dance interwoven into the narative.
Notable Music Movies:
- Footloose
Notable Music Stars:
- Kevin Bacon
Notable Plot Elements:
- Concerts
- Dancing competitions
Musical:
Films that have songs sung by characters that are interwoven into the narrative and sometimes accompanied by dancing.
Notable Musical Movies:
- Little Shop of Horrors
- Moulin Rouge
- Phantom of the Opera
- Rent
Notable Musical Stars:
- Dick Van Dyke
- Julie Andrews
Mystery: Films in which sleuths solve mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.
- Sherlock Holmes
- The Thing
- The Usual Suspects
Romance:
Films in which love and the pursuit of love are the main story.
Notable Romance Movies:
- City of Angels
- Stardust
- The Notebook
Notable Romance Stars:
- Sandra Bullock
Sports:
Films that cover sport activites.
Notable Sports Movies:
- Cool Runnings
- Rocky
- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
- The Blindside
- The Longest Yard
- The Mighty Ducks
Notable Sports Stars:
- Sylvester Stallone
Notable Plot Elements:
- Underdogs Winning
Thriller:
Films that use suspense, tension, and excitement to inspire emotional responses in the audience.
Notable Thriller Movies:
- Rear Window
- Misery
- No Country for Old Men
- Sleeping with the Enemy
- Silence of the Lambs
Notable Thriller Stars:
- Anthony Hopkins
War:
Films set primarily during wartime and dealing in land/air battles.
Notable War Movies:
- Band of Brothers
- Platoon
- Saving Private Ryan
Notable Plot Elements:
- Famous Battles
- Military Life
- World Wars
Western:
Films set primarily in the American Old West. Most Westerns are devoted to telling stories of the early days of the American frontier.
Notable Western Movies:
- Dances with Wolves
- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
- The Searchers
- Tombstone
Notable Western Stars:
- Clint Eastwood
- Clayton Moore
- John Wayne
- Sam Elliott
Notable Plot Elements:
- Cowboys
- Saloon Gambling
- Shoot Outs
- Mining Towns
- The Frontier