# What movies appeal equally to both men and women? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2024, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137 "2024-03-21T11:47:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/21 "2024-03-21T18:35:11Z")
Funny, aren’t you. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/22 "2024-03-21T18:36:57Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > I personally liked _Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes_ and _Beaches_. Would most men like them? I don’t know. YMMV _A League Of Their Own_ was kind of a masterpiece for this. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/23 "2024-03-21T18:37:49Z")
That is a great nomination for this. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/24 "2024-03-21T18:43:09Z")
No matter the flick, the going’s on of Shermer Illinois had broad gender appeal if you grew up in the 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/25 "2024-03-21T19:13:24Z")
Hmmmm. [![](https://i.imgur.com/AmuNLOD.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/AmuNLOD.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/26 "2024-03-21T19:33:11Z")
Thanks for the discussion. Boy - Shawshank is a great one I wouldn’t have thought of. **Maserschmidt** - can you sorta explain what those numbers mean. What does 7.8/7/8 mean - that men and women rated it as 7.8 out of 10? In your opinion, how much of a difference suggests it appeals to both men and women, and how much of a difference would there be for a clear guy/chick flick? Most suggestions are a few years old. Any more recent suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/27 "2024-03-21T19:45:07Z")
Heh, _Shawshank_ was the first title that popped into my head. Nice to have some empirical proof. In terms of other classic movies, I’d say _To Kill a Mockingbird_ is pretty universally well-liked (and, really, courtroom drama in general seems very non-gendered in its appeal). ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/28 "2024-03-21T19:52:49Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > So now I’m wondering: in order to appeal equally to both men and women, does a movie have to have some ingredients that appeal to men and other ingredients that appeal to women? That’s certainly the easiest way to do it. The original _Top Gun_ hits this balance damn near perfectly, having “relationship” scenes interspersed with “Woohoo! Dog fighting!” scenes in a nearly 1-to-1 time ratio. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/29 "2024-03-21T20:26:01Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > That’s certainly the easiest way to do it. The original _Top Gun_ hits this balance damn near perfectly, having “relationship” scenes interspersed with “Woohoo! Dog fighting!” scenes in a nearly 1-to-1 time ratio Good call! Exactly same score for men and women, though interestingly it’s only 6.9. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > **Maserschmidt** - can you sorta explain what those numbers mean. What does 7.8/7/8 mean - that men and women rated it as 7.8 out of 10? In your opinion, how much of a difference suggests it appeals to both men and women, The scores are out of 10, and I’m listing the men’s score 1st, and the women’s score 2nd, because that’s how they have them. And there is a statistical test that could be applied to tell you what’s meaningful, and it will vary by vote count, but I’m lazy, and from my perspective a difference of zero or 0.1 is about the same result. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/30 "2024-03-21T20:31:38Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Heathers 7.0 for men, 7.4 for women. Also, Steel Magnolias, 6.9/7.7! ---
**Author:** ![HelenTroy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helentroy/32/86_2.png) [@HelenTroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenTroy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/31 "2024-03-21T23:04:52Z")
Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/32 "2024-03-21T23:19:48Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Napoleon Dynamite. “I caught you a delicious bass.” ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/33 "2024-03-21T23:22:07Z")
Bull Durham The Wedding Singer 50 First Dates ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/34 "2024-03-21T23:41:54Z")
I was going to say The Princess Bride, but since that’s covered, I’ll toss out Gone Girl. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/35 "2024-03-21T23:48:57Z")
Forrest Gump My Cousin Vinnie ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/36 "2024-03-21T23:52:45Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I think your John Hughes/80s teen movies appeal across the board. Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Heathers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, etc. Even more than these, I think - _Back to the Future._ ---
**Author:** ![Imuseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbce88/32.png) [@Imuseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imuseless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/37 "2024-03-21T23:55:06Z")
The Terminator ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/38 "2024-03-22T00:00:26Z")
Three broad genres which I feel have equal appeal to men and women: Biopics Horror Oscar Bait ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/39 "2024-03-22T00:14:34Z")
Just thinking about the movies that my husband and I both enjoy for non-obviously gendered reasons, I think of films with great, involving stories and that keep your eyes on the screen. Films like The Sting, Silverado, The Untouchables, L.A. Story, and so on. For me, Titanic and Avatar dragged on and bored me silly while my husband actually enjoyed the spectacle. I like a story to get lost in and acting that keeps me riveted. For the last five decades I’ve always said my favorite movie is The Sting. Silverado is a close second. Husband loves them both too. We also both love musicals when done well (Jesus Christ Superstar, for example), and fantasy. I find it very interesting to compare what we like to what my daughter and her boyfriend like, too. All of us really enjoyed Barbie, for example. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-appeal-equally-to-both-men-and-women/999137/40 "2024-03-22T00:19:05Z")
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