Watching movies is a popular form of entertainment, a way to pass the time, and improve your mood. The popularity of this form of entertainment can be traced back to its wide variety of genres. Movie plots are so varied that everyone can find a riveting story to enjoy. Let’s list the most common genres and their features.
Comedy
Calling the most popular types of films, let’s highlight comedies. This genre is unlikely to ever die, as it is extremely in demand. Comedies were presented on the stage of the ancient Greek theatre. Their plots evoke a laugh or a smile, their characters all the time are in ridiculous situations.
Comedies are the beginnings of feature films. They captivate audiences with funny dialogues, memorable phrases. An example of a good comedy is American Pie.
Drama
When listing the varieties of films, it is impossible not to mention drama. It is based on conflicted action and numerous monologue dialogues. These films often deal with the private lives of individuals in conflict with society. The plots raise themes of universal contradictions related to the behaviour or actions of the characters.
An example of a skilfully filmed drama is Paradise Lake.
Drama subgenres include tragedy. They show the real strength of characters. Dramas reflect the everyday circumstances, the relationship of the characters with others, their attempts to solve their own problems and difficulties of life. It can be a quarrel between spouses or a prison break. The drama is often supplemented with other genres to make it more thematic or location specific.
The thriller
The main components of action films are violence, fighting and harassment. They usually have a big budget as there are a lot of stunts and special effects. The plot is convoluted, the main character is forced to fight with evil, often using violence as the only possible way out. The main character is compelled to kill, but in spite of this, the plot is almost always happy.
In action films it is difficult for the heroes to solve problems peacefully, they prefer fists with guns. This kind of film genre is mostly enjoyed by the male audience because it contains a lot of action scenes that include fights, chases and shootouts. The good action heroes always win over the bad guys.
Cartoon
Cartoons are a separate kind of cinema for younger audiences. Animation is rapidly evolving and makes increasing use of special effects. Modern cartoons are very colourful and their plots are filled with dynamics. Children love watching the adventures of Tom and Jerry, Masha and the Bear, the wolf and the hare from Well, wait for it! The last of these cartoons dates back to the Soviet era and is enjoyed by children of all generations.
Science fiction
In films made in the sci-fi genre, viewers are told about other worlds and planets. These are stories that show the development of science with technology. Most often their plots are built around the not too distant future or alternate realities of the present. In science fiction films, there are several areas: meetings with the inhabitants of other civilizations and planets, space, life on other worlds. In these bands are always a lot of scenery and special effects used to create an image of the future.
Thriller
This genre is much like the horror, the difference is that it is not so much fear but anxiety with uncertainty. The plot draws the viewer’s attention not to certain external actions, but to the internal experiences of the characters. The emphasis is on the psychological. Thrillers can be terrifying and mystical, the emotions are transferred to the audience through the characters. For maximum glow atmosphere in these films use complex plot twists and turns, dramatic music, stories are often interrupted at the most interesting point. Elements of the thriller can be present in other genres of movies, such as detective or adventure.
Adventures
Almost everyone likes the adventure genre, these films are also called adventurous. Their characters are in constant search of adventure, can conquer the jungle, oceans and seas, and even other planets. Events in adventure films are fast-paced, with unexpected plot twists and turns. Characters are clearly divided into bad and good. Positive characters rarely use physical force to fight evil, more often they use their wits and savvy.
Romance
The best example of a romantic film is the legendary Titanic, directed by James Cameron in 1997. Another example is Talk to Her from 2002.
It is one of the first cinematic genres to focus on the emotions and experiences of the characters. The characters and the people around them can be stereotyped and schematic. The main character is often presented as an ideal, forced to confront evil, to save a lover or a beloved one from trouble. The screen reveals the full range of emotions that the characters are going through in detail.
Romantic films are usually about love, heartache. They almost always end with a happy ending, which is one of the characteristics of the melodramatic genre, although there are always exceptions, for example, all the same “Titanic”.
Horror movies
The plots of horror films are terrifying to the audience. They often have suspenseful music and at the most unexpected moment, monsters and maniacs appear. They can show dismembered bodies and other unsightly details and are therefore subject to an age restriction. Many horror films evoke in the audience not only fear but also disgust – these feelings are considered the most primitive. Horror films are not advisable for children. But despite the scary plots, good often triumphs over evil in the finale. Horror movies may have twisted characters, fantastic creatures and otherworldly forces.
Documentaries
Documentary films are films that have a storyline based on real events or people. It is a kind of non-fiction filmmaking where all the events and people involved are real. The plot of such films may be about outer space, the great mysteries of mankind, and the Middle Ages.