Is it usually akin to men’s reactions to chick flicks, something of a “meh” reaction?
I’m not sure exactly what films we’re talking about here without clarification. Like, Remember the Titans and Saving Private Ryan are well respected films in those categories and while there’s probably some gender bias, plenty of women like them. Especially the former. In fact, a lot of the more “uplifting” sports movies (and especially ones with silly religious bents like Angels in the Outfield) in my experience have more female fans. Are we just talking about the mass-produced artless schlock that’s made every year just to make a quick buck from a target demographic?
That’s what I think of when I hear “chick flick”, generally low-effort films meant to fulfill a quick emotional need to watch a movie the target demographic will enjoy. Lots of “chick flicky” movies are well-respected high profile dramas, we just stop calling them “chick flicks”.
For a somewhat factual answer, if you look at the IMDB top 250 rated movies by male viewers and by female viewers, the lists aren’t all that different. The recent Batman movies, for example, are near the top of both lists.
I can’t speak for every woman. Those genres may not be faves of mine, but I enjoy some of the examples.* Tora Tora Tora* is interesting in a mostly-factual way. Twelve O’Clock High & Memphis Belle are views of My Father’s War. *Red October *has some fine performances by fine actors. Sports? Well, Bull Durham is fine, if not typical–a couple of good roles for actresses, too.
Of course, the generic “Chick Flick” does nothing for me–those One Step Above Hallmark Channel jobs usually starring Julia Roberts. Nope. The Austen films & spinoffs are For The Thinking Chick. Alan Rudolph made some fine, moody, witty films about Relationships–then stopped.
Horror? Nope. Except for Cabin in the Woods & eXistenZ & a few other exceptions. Lots of SF–good art direction & some wit in the dialog goes a long way. Superheroes?* The Avengers* & its “family” are worth repeated viewing.
But I’m not typical.
From The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human:
Narrator: [at the movies] Human females enjoy stories about one person dying slowly. The males prefer stories of many people dying quickly.
How can people on a message board answer what women “usually” think of such movies? Unless there are studies, all we can talk about is what we think of such movies.
I avoid war movies because I cannot bear gore. I tend to like some sports movies like “Moneyball” and “Bull Durham.” I tend to find other sports movies preachy and overly dramatic.
I do not like what are mostly referred to as “chick flicks.” I generally do not like romance, especially tragic romance, or uplifting tales of terminal illness.
I like smart comedies, non-gory action/thrillers, political movies, and a lot of animation.
I agree, the question is way too broad. War/combat/sports encompasses a lot of movies, and is not really an equivalent to “chick flicks”.
Generally, I love sports movies and enjoy war/military movies a lot, but I do tend to get frustrated at the idiotic little things they get wrong (for example - seriously, how hard is it for a costume department to form a damn beret!?).
I’m a former athlete and so I enjoy sports movies, even the formulaic maudlin ones.
I judge war and action movies on the same scale as I do any other movie - is there a good story, is the acting first rate, or is it simply a showcase for special effects and lots and lots of gore? There are war movies that are great classics and I enjoy them and learn from them. Action movies can be a lot of fun and I like cool fx as much the next person. But it irritates me when that is all there is to a movie. I want a plot!
I almost never watch a war movie, unless it has an interesting storyline separate from the war aspects, or primarily covers the home front.
I watch sports movies when I have an interest in the sport (golf, baseball) but not ones when I don’t (basketball, football). I am planning to see Concussion, but that’s more of an anti-sports movie. Oh, and I do watch some interesting dramatic boxing movies even though I’m not a fan of boxing.
What I really don’t like, and would consider my equivalent to a chick flick for guys who avoid them, would be an action movie (the Fast and the Furious series, the current crop of James Bond movies, Terminator movies, etc.) They are just so much background noise to me. Interestingly, this weekend I was working on a sewing project, and when the T.V. show I had on for background noise ended, a Liam Neeson action movie came on. I didn’t feel like stopping what I was doing to change the channel, so I had it on as background for a while. It was strange because it seemed like almost nothing happened, because I rely on dialogue to propel the plot. All of the rest of it is just nonsense that I tune out. If I had filmed that story, it would have been a very short movie.
Why are so many sports movies SO maudlin? It’s weird.
But big dumb action movies aren’t really the right equivalent, because lots of women go to see those. Furious 7’s audience was 49% women. Spectre’s first weekend was just 38% women, but that’s still not exactly a dude’s only movie.
Oh, I absolutely don’t speak for all women. I’m only saying what my personal preferences are.
IME it’s westerns that women really don’t like. Violent, hyper-macho westerns e.g. The Wild Bunch, thoughtful, dramatic westerns e.g. Unforgiven, vaunted classics e.g. Shane or High Noon, they just don’t like 'em.
I am not a woman but my last girlfriend loved science fiction and superhero movies. She couldn’t watch movies with realistic violence or gore. She hates chick flicks. Maybe that’s not typical I don’t know.
Socially acceptable outlet for manly men to be moved to tears by something?
I’m typically not a big fan of war or sports movies as they tend to bore me. The plot needs to be war or sports plus something else to get my attention. Deathwatch and **The Bunker **were good, but those were war + supernatural. And I liked the TV adaptation of Friday Night Lights, but that was sports + small town drama.
HEY! You’ll remove my copy of High Noon off my cold, dead hands!
Well, OK, I did toss it away, but it was a videotape Dad had pirated off the telly and you can stream it legally now…
I can’t stand gore or anything that may include it; so far I’ve been able to void the whole Alien series successfully, as well as anything signed by Stephen King. But Bridge over the River Kwai is a perfectly safe saturday afternoon bet, and I love Sergeant York. Does Doctor Strangelove count as a war movie?
Very nice response. If you would like to see a superb war movie that has very little bloodshed but a Hell of a great story, try “The Eagle has Landed” from 1976.
IMHO, this is as good today as it was some 40 years ago when I first saw it. A very interesting plot and some wonderful actors including:
Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter, Donald Pleasance, Anthony Quale and Larry Hagman.
If you’ve ever watched Dallas, Hagman’s performance in this film will come as a very nice surprise. He does a great job. This movie is the one that got me to really appreciate Robert Duvall and I’ve been a big fan of his ever since. I hope you will try it. If you do, I’m sure you will like it. After all, “What’s not to like”?
Most women i know do not like the Three Stooges. Why is this? Is it the head knocking and ey poking? Or maybe the silly humor?