The 20 types of films and their characteristics

A classification of the different forms of cinema and the genres of the seventh art.

Watching movies is a good way to be entertained. There is a great variety of feature films nowadays, of different styles, so it is not always easy to choose which one we want to watch. The diversity of movie types feeds our imagination.. A scary movie, an adventure movie or a comedy, all of them make us feel different emotions that make us feel different emotions that enrich our lives..

The interesting thing about movies is that they take us to imaginary places that can seem very real. They invite us to spend exciting moments and give us the possibility to identify with the characters and feel, as if the story were ours, what they think and how they feel. Movies can be a great psychological experience.

Different ways to watch movies

Just a decade ago, the only ways to watch films were in the cinema, on VHS or on television. Moreover, we had to watch them from a fixed location, for example, our living room. Today this has changed thanks to new technologies. We can download movies to our computer, watch them online on this device and even take them with us on our cell phone or tablet to enjoy them when we are traveling. Boredom is a thing of the past, but but so has the way we watch movies..

Nowadays, we don't just go to the cinema to watch whatever is on; we can choose from a very wide variety of catalogs.which includes many types of movies capable of satisfying almost every taste.

• If you are looking for how to watch movies online...: "The 18 best websites to watch movies online (and for free)".

Types of movies

In this article we review the different types of films and explain their characteristics so that you will be able to identify any work of the seventh art according to its genre.

According to the moment in time

Films can be classified according to the time in which they were released.

1. Current films

Current films are those feature films that have been released more or less recently and that therefore make use of the latest technical and technological advances.. They are not necessarily films that are in theaters, but they are recent films.

2. Old movies

Old films are those that were released many years ago. were released many years ago and that when we see them we realize how technology has advanced, especially when they are in black and white and with special effects that have nothing to do with those of current films.

3. Premieres

Premieres are very recent films. They are included in the current filmsbut they have only recently come to light. They are the most recent and arouse great interest.

4. Classics

The classics are films that have gone down in history for different reasons, among them, for their innovative special effects or for how much they have been liked. "Gone with the Wind", "Titanic" or "Rambo" are some examples. Classics are works of art.

According to their sonority

Depending on their sonority movies can be:

5. Silent

The first films were silent, so the actors did not speak. They were very expressive films in which you could interpret what was happening just by watching the actors and reading some text that appeared between scenes. Most films were silent until the end of the 20's, because technology did not allow any other way of interpreting what was happening.because technology did not allow any other format.

6. Soundtracks

From the year 1927, films began to have sound.. It was then that they made a leap in quality. The first commercial feature film that was not a silent film was "The Jazz Singer".

According to their color

Due to technology, the first films were colorless. However, technological progress has made it possible to have films with exceptional image quality.

7. Black and white films

Black and white films are old films. They had this format because, being based on photography, there was no possibility of filming them in black and white, there was no possibility of filming them in color at that time.. Many color films have been re-released in color after a few years.

8. Color films

With the advance of technology, films also became more sophisticated and color films appeared.

Film genres

Depending on the content, films can be:

9. Action films

This type of film is of high tension and contains chases and many fights, in addition to a direction that emphasizes movement. They include rescues, battles, escapes, explosions... Their rhythm is spectacular, where the good guy or guys usually fight with the bad guys. For example, one of the paradigmatic action movies is Speed, in which a bus must be moving all the time to avoid exploding.

10. Adventure films

If you've ever seen "The Adventures of Indiana Jones" you'll know what I'm talking about with this genre. These films tell interesting and exciting stories in usually exotic contextsand with a content similar to that of action movies. They usually take place in the desert, the jungle or at sea. The characters are usually in search of treasure.

11. Comedies

Comedies are funny movies, built for the viewer to have a good time and keep laughing. It happens in many contexts, but unlike regular movies, comedies exaggerate the situation to make the audience laugh out loud.

12. Dramatic

These are serious films, with very realistic characters and situations, similar to everyday life.They include tense and dramatic situations, which may or may not end badly.

13. Horror

Horror movies are intended to arouse our fear with shocking, tense and terrifying scenes, or by means of a setting and direction that produce anguish. Horror films may include unrealistic characters, such as undead or non-human beings.

• This article may interest you: "Why do we like horror movies?"

14. Musicals

Musical movies are characterized by scenes where actors dance choreographies and sing. The story is explained in the combination of musical and non-musical moments.. For example, Mary Poppins.

15. Science fiction

They revolve around fantastic and, in many cases, futuristic situations that may or may not include time travel or three-dimensional travel. The characters in this genre are not necessarily human, but may be robots, androids or extraterrestrials. The scenes contain very striking special effects.

16. War or war movies

As the name suggests, war films include stories that revolve around war.. Since many of the films are American, the soldiers are, in many cases, of that nationality. It is possible to see military operations, the training of soldiers, battlefield action, and even the love stories of members of the military.

17. Western Movies

Western movies are set in the American West. It is one of the oldest film genres, and the plot is almost always the same.and the plot is almost always the same. Gunslingers, horses, beautiful women, whiskey, bars of the time and lots of action. However, their contents can vary to give rise to different settings. For example, it is said that the Star Wars saga is practically a series of Westerns filtered through a science fiction filter.

18. Crime (Thriller)

These films contain content related to murder or crime related to murder or organized crime.. The plot usually includes a homicide or a criminal act that, throughout the film, is clarified. They are also known as suspense films or thrillers.

Depending on the target audience

According to the public to which it is destined, the movies can be:

19. children's

These are movies for children. They usually include magical characters and are not necessarily people. Some movies are cartoons and contain animals as characters. Although they are for children, some adults also enjoy them.. Some examples are: Toy Story or The Lion King.

20. Adults

Adult movies are feature films with scenes of adult content, either because of their violence or because of the intimate scenes seen.