Whether fantasy, thriller, or romance, movies can be various genres, styles, and subjects. When it comes to choosing which type to watch, looking to those with a passion for film may help to find your own favorites.

Chloe Kaczmarek, junior

A horror movie fanatic, Kaczmarek’s favorite genre of films was highly influenced by her mother, who shared her love of the genre when Kaczmarek was younger.

“What I enjoy about horror is that scary isn’t all that it needs to be. Horror films can be raw, heart-wrenching, and aesthetically pleasing,” Kaczmarek said. “On the other hand, sometimes horror movies are just straight up terrifying with nothing else to it, and that’s okay. There’s a wide world of possibilities when talking about horror.”

Kaczmarek even has a favorite horror movie director, Jordan Peele, who she says is “creative and talented.” She claims that his two films, Get Out and Us, are “fantastic modern day horror movies.”

In terms of a must-see horror movie, Kaczmarek recommends Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. She admires the movie’s camera work and use of color.

“With an outstanding score to top everything off, The Shining is an amazing movie,” Kaczmarek said. “I love a lot of horror movies, but I might as well start off with recommending the classics.”

Although her favorite genre is horror, Kaczmerak says her all time favorite movie is comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine, directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton. The movie has greatly resonated with her since she watched it a few summers ago, according to Kaczmarek.

Part of her love for the movie comes from relating to one of the main characters. Seeing a little girl struggle with body positivity and a lack of support from her family members was something Kaczmarek says was “refreshing, yet heartbreaking” to see on screen.

“Words cannot fully describe how much I love Little Miss Sunshine,” Kaczmarek said. “I believe that everyone should watch it for themselves. It is the perfect mixture of fun and touching. Even after seeing it many and many times, it never fails to make me sob and smile in a short matter of time.”

Little Miss Sunshine has provided more than just entertainment to Kaczmarek, 

It served as an inspiration to Kaczmarek’s hope to become a movie director when she is older. Aside from wanting to disprove those who doubt her ability to make a living in the film industry, she says movies themselves are what fuel her passion. 

“Watching a movie can fill any bad day with color and hope, and they encourage me to make my own,” Kaczmarek said. “When I watch a good movie, I’m able to transport [myself] to a place that isn’t reality.”

Matthew Luby, junior

Similar to Kaczmarek, Luby is fond of the aspect of escapism that watching movies can provide and says he enjoys immersive movies, regardless of genre.

“I like watching movies because there’s no fluff or filler like in a TV show, and movies oftentimes have a budget and cast [to help] it reach greater heights,” Luby said. “Movies take everything else off my mind like no other distraction can.”

His favorite movie creator is Christopher Nolan because of his ambition in visual storytelling and plot. Though Luby says “some of Nolan’s movies are better than others,” he expresses that he always finds the concepts within the movies intriguing.

Despite the fact that the majority of Nolan’s filmography is composed of action films, Luby actually prefers the genre of comedy. He prizes the genre for its versatility in that “comedy movies can be watched by yourself, with friends, inside or outside of a theater, and be incredibly entertaining,” he says.

One of the comedy movies Luby would recommend is Superbad, a raunchy film starring actors Jonah Hill and Michael Cera that was released in 2007. Another movie he suggests everyone should watch is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a comedy-drama, which he claims has “universal appeal.”

The broad range of his favorite genre is reflected in the variety of movies Luby references, and his personal favorite film, a black comedy,* is indicative of the way that comedic writing may verge into many different territories.

“My favorite movie is American Psycho because it’s very funny and extremely quotable,” Luby said. “I think the satire is done extremely well, and it touches on some important themes with an ending that makes you think.”

Jackson Maclay, junior

Variety in film is also reflected in the mixed tastes of Maclay, who says he likes any kind of movie and that he has not “ever watched something [he] didn’t get some entertainment out of.”

Maclay’s appreciation of a diverse range of movies manifests itself in the director he dubs the “goat** of animated films,” Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki has directed and written eleven feature films with genres ranging from fantasy-romance to war tragedy, the 2008 film Ponyo being Maclay’s favorite of the line-up.

Alternatively, one of Maclay’s top movie picks he proposes everyone should watch is The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a Western by the Coen Brothers.

“It’s on Netflix, so it’s pretty accessible,” Maclay said. “It’s a really interesting take on the American West. I think the realism partnered with the Coen Brothers’ ability to make you care about a character in a short period of time makes it a great movie for anyone to watch.”

Other films that he praises are those by filmmaker Mel Brooks. Although Maclay states that some of the humor is “a little dated,” he finds the acting of Gene Wilder “hilarious” in many of the movies.

Sentimentality also plays an element in his preference in film, according to Maclay, and the high status of Pixar’s Wall-e as his favorite movie comes from having watched it many times as a kid. 

“It holds pretty significant importance to my heart,” Maclay said. “But other than that, it’s also just a great movie with amazing animation, and a heartfelt story and message.”

The nostalgic factors of different movies not only affects which movies Maclay enjoys, it also affects what he chooses to do to make his viewing experience more enjoyable.

“My favorite thing to do is to try and figure out the ending [of movies] based on tropes in the industry,” Maclay said. “It’s something my dad does, so I picked it up by watching him do it, and it’s very satisfying to be right.”