GENRE DESIGN
I developed my own unique genre system based on my background in design and color theory.
Isaac Newton invented the color wheel in 1666 to show the relationship between colors. Colors that look good together create color harmony.
​I invented the genre wheel in 2020 to do the same with movie categories. Each genre is a slight variation of the next continuing 360° to create a spectrum in which to categorize movies in order to determine patterns for combinations you enjoy most – just like colors.
MONOCHROMATIC
​Monochromatic films belong to a single genre (or two very similar) and are very strong to the genre it serves, because every element of the movie reinforces that one aspect.
ANALOGOUS
Three side-by-side genres are analogous. This combination is very versatile. Balance is maintained by one dominant genre supported by two adjacent genres.
COMPLEMENTARY
Genres on opposite sides of the wheel are considered complementary. This combination provides high contrast offering the most impact when used together.
COMPOUND
Compound films involve four or more genres with a split complimentary, meaning instead of just being opposites it uses both sides of the opposite end. These are rare.
DYADIC
Two spaced-out genres on the wheel create a dyadic (two) combination. Triadic and dyadic films offer some contrast along with some versatility.
TRIADIC
Three genres fairly evenly spaced on the wheel create a triadic (triangle) combination. Triadic and dyadic films offer some contrast along with some versatility.
WARM
The genre wheel can be divided into warm and cool color combinations. Warm (green to magenta) movies include ADVENTURE, COMEDY, and DRAMA. It is reserved for movies exclusively in 3+ warm genres.
COOL
The genre wheel can be divided into warm and cool color combinations. Cool (magenta to green) movies include CHARACTER, THRILLER, and SCI-FI. It is reserved for movies exclusively in 3+ cool genres.
HOW DO I ASSIGN GENRES?
Most sources assign every possible genre to a movie no matter how well it truly fits the genre. This makes sense for distributors who want the movie to be listed as frequently as possible, but not very useful for audiences. To determine a genre for a film I recommend, I ask the following question of each genre: "If I'm in the mood for a good <insert genre> movie, should this movie be on the list?" If the answer isn't an obvious yes, I don't assign it. For example, Star Wars. The word "war" is literally in the title and there are numerous battles that take place throughout the movie, however, if I'm in the mood for good movie about wars / battles, is Star Wars really what I'm looking for? Probably not. I'm more likely looking for something like Platoon or Braveheart. so I wouldn't assign that genre to it as there are better genres on the wheel (A WORLD BEYOND, ACTION, FUN).
THE GENRES EXPLAINED
My genre wheel contains six divided classifications: THRILLER, SCI-FI, ADVENTURE, COMEDY, DRAMA, and CHARACTERS (those films whose characters by virtue of their own uniqueness become a central element of the movie itself). Within each of these six classifications are 18 genres:
FUN
Between ACTION and HUMOR is FUN. This genre represents a much more light-hearted action-adventure – heavy on adventure, light on action. It will contain some humor and not take itself too seriously.
Opposite CRIME, FUN is a positive, light-hearted, and enjoyable journey – everything a life of crime is not.
The Goonies
Back to the Future
Ghostbusters
Indiana Jones
National Treasure
Romancing the Stone
Big Trouble in Little China
HUMOR
Tommy Boy
Caddyshack
Hall Pass
Airplane!
Three Amigos
Horrible Bosses
Trading Places
Dumb and Dumber
What About Bob?
Groundhog Day
Christmas Vacation
Step Brothers
The Hangover
Legally Blonde
While HUMOR often contains slapstick it goes beyond that to any movie which, at its core, is intended to make the audience laugh.
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Opposite of MYSTERY, HUMOR leaves no doubt –– you can turn your brain off and just laugh.
DRAMEDY
A DRAMEDY is both a drama and comedy, separate from humor because of its more serious nature.
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Opposite of SUSPENSE, which draws upon the fear of an unknown outside force, a DRAMEDY draws upon the fear of a known internal force that is presented in a whimsical or amusing way.
Forest Gump
Big
Little Miss Sunshine
Napoleon Dynamite
Pleasantville
School of Rock
Roxanne
ROMANCE
You've Got Mail
Sleepless in Seattle
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Message in a Bottle
The Bodyguard
Say Anything
Ghost
ROMANCE deals with love and relationships. Fittingly, it falls directly between the COMEDY genres and DRAMA genres.
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Opposite of HORROR, ROMANCE gives us hope of an eternal love, not the grim finality of a brutal end.
LIFE JOURNEY
LIFE JOURNEY includes your typical dramas. Real life isn't perfect. It's messy, complicated, and fraught with obstacles and conflict – a constant struggle between flaws and talents, or triumphs and tribulations.
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Opposite of A WORLD BEYOND, a LIFE JOURNEY revolves around one's own world in the here and now.
Shawshank Redemption
Dead Poets Society
Remember the Titans
Apollo 13
Gran Torino
Boyz 'N the Hood
The Perfect Storm
COMING OF AGE
Dirty Dancing
The Karate Kid
Sixteen Candles
Stand by Me
School Ties
Almost Famous
Dazed and Confused
COMING OF AGE falls between LIFE JOURNEY and MISFITS. It is the classic tale of transitioning away from an awkward misfit stage in life to maturity by experiencing a life's journey moment.
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Opposite to the fiction of FANTASY, a COMING OF AGE story uncovers the truth about oneself, one's capabilities, and/or one's true potential.
MISFITS
MISFITS include idiots, outcasts, and fish-out-of-water characters who do not feel they belong (externally or internally), or a diverse group who wouldn't normally be associated together, but together their pairing works.
Opposite of BATTLES & WAR, the only battle for MISFITS is a sense of belonging in their own minds and lives.
The Breakfast Club
Pitch Perfect
Joker
Elf
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
The Sandlot
Rudy
BRILLIANT MINDS
There is a fine line between MISFITS and BRILLIANT MINDS. These are often movies about a gifted genius with extraordinary intelligence or exceptional talent in the fields of math, science, or the arts.
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Opposite of the WILD WEST, BRILLIANT MINDS are not an open canvas waiting to be explored but a full canvas waited to be shared or understood.
Good Will Hunting
Hidden Figures
The Di Vinci Code
A Beautiful Mind
The Prestige
The Theory of Everything
Rainman
HUSTLES & HEISTS
HUSTLES & HEISTS are driven by an ensemble of interesting characters with a diverse range of specialities used to pull off some kind of hustle or heist – or an individual who possesses each trait him or herself.
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Opposite of ACTION, HUSTLES & HEISTS make a conscience attempt to avoid action, which inevitably happens when/if it doesn't go as planned.
Ocean's 11
Point Break
The Thomas Crown Affair
The Italian Job
Inside Man
Rounders
Maverick
CRIME
From law enforcement and courtroom dramas to criminals and gangsters, CRIME bridges the gap between the THRILLER and CHARACTERS genres.
Opposite of FUN – one wants, enjoys, and hopes others experience – CRIME comes from a place of greed, hate, necessity, desperation, and/or unwanted circumstances, and wouldn't be wished upon anyone.
Taken
Bad Boys
Heat
Munich
The Client
Just Cause
Pulp Fiction
A Few Good Men
A Time To Kill
The Untouchables
The Negotiator
The Life of David Gale
Road to Perdition
Beverly Hills Cop
MYSTERY
The MYSTERY genre explains itself perfectly. There is a mystery to solve.
Opposite of HUMOR, the hallmark of a good MYSTERY is to keep the audience guessing, on the edge of their seat, and in the dark.
Seven
The Firm
The Game
12 Monkeys
Basic Instinct
Disclosure
Fletch
Shooter
The Fugitive
The Usual Suspects
The Pelican Brief
The Bone Collector
Rising Sun
Unbreakable
SUSPENSE
Hunt For Red October
The Abyss
Gravity
Mr. Brooks
Jaws
The Sixth Sense
Zodiac
It has been said that the fear of death is worse than death itself, making SUSPENSE the perfect bridge between MYSTERY and HORROR.
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Opposite of DRAMEDY, which deals with an internal struggle or fear of oneself, SUSPENSE draws upon the fear of an unknown outside force.
HORROR
HORROR movies go beyond the fright of SUSPENSE into the shock of a horrible death.
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Opposite of ROMANCE, which offers hope and the possibility of eternal love, a HORROR finds little hope in the finality of a brutal demise.
Silence of the Lambs
Saw
Scream
Friday the 13th
Nightmare on Elm Street
Halloween
Poltergeist
A WORLD BEYOND
The Matrix
Avatar
E.T
Star Wars
Terminator
Alien
Predator
The Edge of Tomorrow
Jurassic Park
Independence Day
Guardians of the Galaxy
Minority Report
Meet Joe Black
Heaven Can Wait
A WORLD BEYOND the here and now includes distant or make-believe worlds, the afterlife, and the future.
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Opposite of a LIFE JOURNEY, which focuses on the internal exploration and life experiences in the here and now, A WORLD BEYOND is external and often bigger in scope.
FANTASY
FANTASY pertains to the mythical as it exits in this world – zombies, mummies, vampires – to a magical reinvention of our current world. And regarding time, it includes the past.
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Opposite COMING OF AGE, which asks "who am I?" in an internal quest for truth, FANTASY asks, "what could be?" and is rooted in make-believe.
Lord of the Rings
Count of Monte Cristo
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Princess Bride
Twilight
Night at the Museum
Teen Wolf
BATTLES & WAR
BATTLES & WAR examine conflict on a grand scale including battles from the past as well as modern wars.
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Opposite of the internal struggle of MISFITS, WARS & BATTLES focus on large groups united by an external reason worth fighting and dying for.
Braveheart
300
Platoon
Gladiator
Rob Roy
The Patriot
Troy
The Last Samurai
Saving Private Ryan
Lone Survivor
Hacksaw Ridge
Navy Seals
13 Hours
The Four Feathers
WILD WEST
WILD WEST covers the law and lawlessness of explorers and pioneers on the frontiers of our past.
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Opposite BRILLIANT MINDS, which requires extraordinary thought and talent to create and invent – the WILD WEST is untamed and unexplored territory often ravaged by outlaws, chaos, and revenge.
Tombstone
Young Guns
Gangs of New York
Last of the Mohicans
Unforgiven
Dances With Wolves
Django Unchained
ACTION
Top Gun
Rocky
John Wick
Die Hard
Road House
Man on Fire
Blown Away
The Equalizer
Blown Away
A History of Violence
The Bourne Identity
Mission Impossible
Best of the Best
Kickboxer
From fight scenes and shootouts to explosions and car chases, ACTION movies are fast-paced adrenaline-pumping films.
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Opposite HUSTLES & HEISTS, which attempt to avoid action, ACTION films are about direct physical conflict and causing or escaping danger at every corner often with a reckless disregard for safety.
ADDITIONAL SORTING FILTERS
In addition to genre and genre design my gems can be filtered by a variety of sub-categories:
SERIES
For streaming a multi-episode series instead of a movie.
MUSIC
Find a gem that pertains to a story centered around music.
HOLIDAY
Recommended gems for Christmas and other holidays.
TRUE STORY
For gems based on a true story or inspired by true events.
FAITH
Filter your search for faith-based movies.
REVENGE
Movie gems with a particular focus on being a revenge plot.
SPORTS
Narrow your search for sports themed movies.
FAMILY
Movie gems that are appropriate for all ages, including kids.
FOREIGN
Foreign films – may be in English, dubbed in English, or subtitled.
RECOMMEND SOMETHING GREAT – TOP 10 RECOMMENDATIONS
Not sure where to start? "Recommend something great" will filter my recommendations with some of my personal favorite under-the-radar hits and gems you may likely have never even heard of. You can't go wrong with these TOP 10 gem recommendations. Note: Everyone knows I put more than 10 movies in a TOP 10 list.
KEVIN COSTNER
Kevin Costner is one of my favorite actors of all-time. While he is a big name actor in big named movies, he has also starred in several under-the-radar gems as well.
SAM ROCKWELL
Sam Rockwell is an amazingly gifted actor who plays very good roles in many hidden gems. In fact, I specifically seek out his movies when I want to find a good gem.
JIM CAVIEZEL
Jim Caviezel is not just a great actor, but from what I hear a very down-to-earth kind and caring person of great faith. He also happens to be a fantastic actor in a variety of hidden gems.
* I have many more favorite actors such as Meg Ryan, Denzel Washington, and Ed Harris, but some of them are just always in big movies so I do not filter them on my site. If I see my collection of recommended gems pile up a handful of movies all with the same great actor, I will add them to the filter list in the future.