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For Sale Mar 26, 2026 at 11:46 AM

What movie completely changed your opinion about a genre you previously disliked?

Posted by Crescitaly

For years I avoided horror movies completely. I just couldn't see the appeal of being scared for entertainment. Then a friend convinced me to watch Hereditary and it completely rewired my brain about what horror can be. It wasn't just jump scares and gore. It was genuine dread, incredible acting from Toni Collette, and a story about grief and family trauma that happened to be wrapped in a horror package. After that I went on a deep dive into elevated horror — The Witch, Midsommar, It Follows, The Babadook — and realized the genre had some of the most creative and emotionally resonant filmmaking happening right now. Now horror is probably in my top 3 favorite genres, which is wild considering I wouldn't touch it five years ago. Another one for me was musicals. Always thought they were cheesy and unrealistic. Then I watched Whiplash (which isn't technically a musical but is deeply about music) and then La La Land back to back. Something clicked about how music can elevate emotional storytelling in a way that dialogue alone can't. What movie was the gateway that changed your mind about a genre you thought wasn't for you?
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the40thieves Mar 26, 2026 +91
Princess Bride got me into kissing movies
91
SeparateSalt9892 Mar 26, 2026 +11
That made me laugh alone reading this. Wesley set the bar so high on what kissing movies should be.
11
DJBudGreen Mar 27, 2026 +2
Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.
2
DaffyStardust Mar 26, 2026 +62
Also horror, but The Thing (1982) for me.
62
PaulFThumpkins Mar 26, 2026 +8
Good intro for body horror too. For me that was an extra level of horror it took me awhile to tolerate.
8
youngatbeingold Mar 26, 2026 +2
Same, I'm still not a huge fan of horror but The Thing is one of my favorite movies ever.
2
Sufficient-Handle986 Mar 26, 2026 +122
Howl's Moving Castle made me want to watch all the other Studio Ghibli films, then eventually check out other anime.
122
PaulFThumpkins Mar 26, 2026 +23
For me it was Akira and Castle in the Sky. And Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood taught me that there are excellent anime shows out there I don't have to choke down because my friends like them.
23
JinFuu Mar 26, 2026 +6
Yeah, FMA:B is what I reccomend to people who haven’t watched anime before. Excellent dub, great story. After that Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo
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VeniVidiVulva Mar 26, 2026 +2
FMA yes
2
ifeelpin Mar 26, 2026 +7
That's exactly how I got into it.
7
justa_flesh_wound Mar 26, 2026 +5
I still can't watch any anime. The style of animation just bugs me in a way I can't stand.
5
Sufficient-Handle986 Mar 26, 2026 +6
That's how I felt before watching Howl's Moving Castle, I hated the overtop reactions and faces that anime characters would make. Studio Ghibli films keep the animations realistic while also keeping the Japanese aesthetic/influence and feel to it. I recently showed Howl's Moving Castle to one of my friends who also hates anime and he absolutely loved it and wants to borrow some more of my Ghibli blu-rays now. So maybe give Howl's a shot if you ever get the chance!
6
justa_flesh_wound Mar 26, 2026 +2
I appreciate it, but I have and it was a no go
2
deadspacekillers Mar 27, 2026 +2
Spirited Away did that for me. Friend dragged me to the theater. Walked out a lifelong fan.
2
Personal_Two6317 Mar 26, 2026 +46
28 Days Later - I didn't like zombie movies before seeing it.
46
TownZealousideal1327 Mar 26, 2026 +5
It was my second. The Resident Evil movie my first, but 28 Days really cemented it. Well done zombie stuff like 28 Days and TWD up to S6.1, are some of my favourite film and TV. The concept is just so fun and equally scary to think about.
5
Personal_Two6317 Mar 26, 2026 +2
I can't remember when I first saw the Resident Evil movies, but they would have also converted me.
2
TownZealousideal1327 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Despite the source material, I really think it was RE, 28 Days, Dawn of the Dead, and the zombie momentum that built across the 00s were the reason TWD got made. The first 5-6 but especially 2 season of the walking dead, was exactly what I’d always wanted. A raw, gritty, well written, long form zombie survival horror story, steeped in realism and character development over action and gore. The pinnacle of that 00/early 010s zombie revival. Too bad they flogged the horse to death and ended up turning it into a cheesy b grade action romp by season 7.
2
MongrelChieftain Mar 26, 2026 +1
I found the Walking Dead to be quite boring and predictable for the first few episodes. I didn't have the heart to keep watching. I always thought it was because I got too familiar with the zombie genre before giving it a go.
1
TownZealousideal1327 Mar 26, 2026 +2
I’ll admit. It was boring coming off the running zombie films… But honestly, it creates great tension, has beautiful shots… and some truly anxiety fuelling, harrowing, and gritty survival stories throughout it. It is more of a slow burn. To be honest I’d say its strength in many ways is almost its predictability. Almost like The Wire of the zombie genre. (Until after s6) it doesn’t need to be edgy and exciting, because it’s just so well done… It feels very real I’m glad I watched it as it aired as a very young adult. It made it much more “scary” for me. I too have now reached zombie saturation where they don’t often excite me these days.
2
304libco Mar 26, 2026 +1
Interesting I feel like the first season and the third season are my favorites
1
FranksGun Mar 26, 2026 +20
My wife didn’t like westerns and then I showed her Tombstone
20
Awktung Mar 26, 2026 +8
Watch Silverado next. That thing is jam packed with star power...all used to their utmost.
8
ShowerThoughtsAllDay Mar 26, 2026 +4
Second this.  Run time is just over two hours, but I swear it feels like at least double that.  And I mean that in a good way. So many fascinating characters and so many stories going hell bent towards a classic high-noon showdown.  Always a great time.
4
zuuzuu Mar 27, 2026 +2
So many great lines in that movie, too. Emmett: I'm afraid it is a bad start, friend, 'cause my name ain't Baxter, he ain't Hawley. Hobart: You're not Baxter? Emmett: Name's Emmett. Hobart: You're not Baxter either? Paden: No, I'm not Hawley.
2
treetoptrain Mar 26, 2026 +3
That one did it for me too-Val Kilmer blew my mind.
3
janiemackxxx Mar 27, 2026 +1
Mine was Django. Now I can't stop watching westerns. Faves are Good, Bad & the Ugly, Assassination of Jesse James, and Quick & the Dead.
1
BunnyStarlighto Mar 26, 2026 +46
for me it was Mad Max Fury Road. i thought action movies were just loud and brainless, then that movie dropped and it was like pure chaos but somehow super intentional and kinda artistic?? barely any dialogue but still told a whole story. made me realize the genre isn’t dumb, i just hadn’t seen a good one yet 😭
46
NotATem Mar 26, 2026 +5
Have you seen the black and white cut? Gives one the shivers, heh.
5
Jackbuddy78 Mar 26, 2026 +14
I never understood that, so much of that movies mood is determined in the colors. 
14
dotnetmonke Mar 26, 2026 +3
I didn't think it would work until I saw it, but now it's the only way I watch it.
3
devilsbard Mar 26, 2026 +16
Get out. Never really liked horror until that.
16
garbage1995 Mar 26, 2026 +5
Get Out is a different kind of horror.
5
[deleted] Mar 26, 2026 +45
[deleted]
45
Dysan27 Mar 26, 2026 +15
If you want to see how emotionally Impactful they can be try "Grave of the Fireflies" it is the best movie you will only watch once. It is absolutely amazing cinema. It is soul crushingly depressing.
15
animeman59 Mar 26, 2026 +10
Dear God man... Just throw him into the deep end of the pool with weights attached why don't ya.
10
DeuxSouth Mar 26, 2026 +2
Need to que up Ponyo on the Cliff directly after to regain sanity.
2
Upbeat_Tension_8077 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Avatar the Last Airbender was what initiated the spark for me, then Akira fully ignited it
1
undeadsabby Mar 26, 2026 +28
Didn't like Westerns till I saw The Outlaw Josey Wales. Now I make exceptions, like Tombstone, High Noon, etc.
28
TownZealousideal1327 Mar 26, 2026 +20
May I suggest, Deadwood the TV series. And The Assassination of Jessie James by the Cowardly Robert Ford Bit more realism than those you mentioned but very gritty.
20
Kimantha_Allerdings Mar 26, 2026 +10
Some more modern ones I’d suggest - the Coens’ True Grit, The Quick And The Dead, and Slow West. First Cow and No Country For Old Men, if those count
10
undeadsabby Mar 26, 2026 +4
Seen True Grit, and No Country For Old Men (loved it, but I love Coens' films anyway). Will add the others to my list, thanks.
4
Crimkam Mar 26, 2026 +3
I liked the 3:10 to Yuma remake with Russel Crowe and Christian Bale
3
cholotariat Mar 26, 2026 +10
I’d recommend Bone Tomahawk, but audiences are split
10
vivnsam Mar 26, 2026 +6
so was one of the cowboys
6
Cefus Mar 27, 2026 +3
That's a deep cut
3
vivnsam Mar 27, 2026 +1
I see what you did there :p
1
Mysterious-Driver132 Mar 27, 2026 +1
that's like a western-horror
1
SecondhandRaincoat Mar 26, 2026 +8
The Wild Bunch and Unforgiven are worth your time too
8
Waasamatteryou Mar 26, 2026 +4
I’ll add Pale Rider to the list
4
wumbologistPHD Mar 26, 2026 +5
Add 3:10 to Yuma and Appaloosa to your list if you haven't seen them already.
5
lunchbox12682 Mar 26, 2026 +4
Try Justified. Even though it's actually an Eastern, sort of.
4
LegacyLemur Mar 26, 2026 +2
The Good the Bad and the Ugly for me
2
ScreenTricky4257 Mar 26, 2026 +1
For me it was Open Range.
1
Winston-Fucking-Wolf Mar 27, 2026 +1
3:10 to Yuma and Appaloosa are also great
1
zuuzuu Mar 27, 2026 +1
Give Silverado a watch if you haven't already.
1
Otherwise_Winter_587 Mar 26, 2026 +11
I was never a big fan of westerns but tombstone is one of my all time favorites. I still don’t love them but I guess I appreciate the genre a bit more.
11
60nine_lol_NICE Mar 26, 2026 +2
Of you also like horror, check out bone tomahawk. That was my western movie gateway
2
illini02 Mar 26, 2026 +19
I still don't love Rom Coms. But "My Best Friends Wedding", showed that they could be enjoyable and not just "sappy chick flicks"
19
z4guy Mar 26, 2026 +7
I don’t like rom coms either, and 50 First Dates is such an outlier for me
7
LitwicksandLampents Mar 26, 2026 +1
50 First Dates and It's Complicated are the only rom coms I like. The scene with Alec Baldwin in his birthday suit will never not be hilarious. Especially with Steve Martin's acting in that scene. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
1
wildwalrusaur Mar 28, 2026 +1
50 first dates is the goat of romcoms The only other one that comes close is When Harry Met Sally
1
Crasino_Hunk Mar 26, 2026 +6
Ah man if you haven’t already, please watch You’ve Got Mail. I maintain RomComs are awesome, but mostly only if they’re part of a larger plot (or a plot of, random career city girl finds herself a cute guy back in small home Christmas setting shit).
6
dotnetmonke Mar 26, 2026 +1
It's such a cozy movie, especially around Christmas time.
1
2KupShakur- Mar 26, 2026 +4
Really can't stand rom coms, but I love Along Came Polly and The Break Up
4
Ladybeetus Mar 26, 2026 +10
So Jennifer Anniston is your gateway drug. Legit.
10
2KupShakur- Mar 26, 2026 +2
Yeah that's probably it 🤣 I'll throw Four Christmases up there as a honorable mention, I think Vince Vaughns comedic timing is brilliant
2
Awktung Mar 26, 2026 +3
Notting Hill for me.
3
Croaker715 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Notting Hill, About Time, and The Holiday!
2
affemannen Mar 26, 2026 +2
For me it was can't buy me love, because it gave nerds hope even if he paid for it.
2
ILive4PB Mar 26, 2026 +2
Same but with “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”
2
CopiousCool Mar 26, 2026 +1
"A love less ordinary" is worth a shot
1
ZombieJesus1987 Mar 26, 2026 +1
The Holiday for me.
1
Mysterious-Driver132 Mar 27, 2026 +1
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days & Two Can Play that Game will make you laugh your azz off
1
Technical-Outside408 Mar 26, 2026 +8
Pure drama. Then I watched The Ice Storm (1997). Just 2 hours of flawed people doing flawed things and it was really engaging. Ang Lee really made something special with that movie.
8
narwolking Mar 26, 2026 +8
The Thin Red Line for war films. I hadn't seen many before this one and just assumed they would all be stuffy and boring. The Thin Red Line made me realize that the best war films are abstract, and spiritual. I went on to watch many more after it. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly with westerns. I didn't know westerns could be this fun. I went back and explored some classic westerns and also some more modern revisionist or anti westerns.
8
Artistic_Ebb_1784 Mar 26, 2026 +7
Singing in the Rain - musicals 
7
Big_Instruction2217 Mar 26, 2026 +28
Never liked musicals until La La Land. The way it used the songs to show their relationship falling apart hit different. Actually cried in the theater.
28
kurtcobainwaskilled Mar 26, 2026 +9
Watch singin’ in the rain
9
justa_flesh_wound Mar 26, 2026 +4
I'm the opposite, I've liked most musicals but I really don't like La La Land.
4
The_Ref17 Mar 28, 2026 +1
If you like musicals, La La Land is near the bottom. That and the whole Lone White Dude Magically Saves jazz just called me ...
1
PaulBlartWallClock Mar 26, 2026 +2
Watch The Umbrellas of Cherbourg if you haven't. La La Land's main influence.
2
JabbrWockey Mar 26, 2026 +1
Testament to Ann Lee was similar for me.
1
ottersncrocs Mar 26, 2026 +7
High Noon (1952). I thought westerns were boring as a kid then I realized I had just been watching boring ones. There’s some incredible movies in the genre starting for me when I saw high noon and was on the edge of my seat for 90 minutes 
7
Lost_Kaiju_Slippers Mar 26, 2026 +4
“I Saw the Devil” got me mad into Korean thrillers.
4
CopiousCool Mar 26, 2026 +4
Moulin Rouge changed my opinion on Musicals but I'm yet to find one that tops it in my opinion
4
Last_Book2410 Mar 26, 2026 +10
Godzilla: Minus One
10
Ladybeetus Mar 26, 2026 +6
I took my kids to see that one. So amazing. A deeply personal postwar drama but also Godzilla? F****** sign me up!!!
6
einarfridgeirs Mar 26, 2026 +3
Joint Security Area opened my eyes to how genuinely great Korean cinema could be in the early 2000s and made me give a lot of other projects a chance. It has since been eclipsed by Park Chan-wook's later more well known films but I still have very strong feelings towards this one.
3
babypunching101 Mar 26, 2026 +1
I think Oldboy and more recently Parasite has done this for a ton of people. JSA was such a great nuanced look at how North and South Koreans see each other and themselves for us outsiders.
1
einarfridgeirs Mar 26, 2026 +1
Absolutely. It was a WAY better movie than I expected when I picked up the DVD, I was expecting a fairly basic military thriller centered around the paranoia of the DMZ but got something really poignant and interesting with the gradual uncovering of what had been going down.
1
ExoticWeapon Mar 26, 2026 +4
Les Miserables with Hugh Jackman got me to finally accept musicals (just films though, I don't think I can do stage musicals yet)
4
Artistic_Ebb_1784 Mar 26, 2026 +8
Punch Drunk Love - romcoms 
8
TattooNeedsADentist Mar 26, 2026 +4
Hey OP, this is off topic but I wanna chime in as a horror nerd because you touched on one of my biggest tangents I go on! I’ve also been that friend that introduces people to horror because unfortunately the genre is often misunderstood lol so I wanna pick your brain a bit Have you had the chance to see the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre? All of the violence is actually pretty much off screen, it’s a surprisingly eerie and quiet movie. Definitely one of those that’s been torn to shreds by later entries. What other horror films have you loved?
4
beachnfruit Mar 26, 2026 +1
Can you tell me more about the appeal of horror? Anything and everything you've got haha. I previously thought unsettling movies were kinda fun, but was never into scary or horror movies. And now I just want to watch something wholesome and meaningful, or light and easy. So I've even lost interest in the eerie it seems. I love to be open minded and have my understanding changed or expanded so would love to hear more! Any movies you'd recommend? In general, I love a good/quality story, good twists, and especially - really good endings (think Shawshank)
1
PaulsRedditUsername Mar 26, 2026 +3
I used to have a prejudice against "old" movies. Black-and-white, low-tech, they always just looked boring and I would skip them. Then I saw *The Third Man* and realized I'd been missing out on decades of great classic films.
3
serke Mar 26, 2026 +2
The Third Man really impressed me, I think it was the first b&w movie I saw that treated going to a non-English speaking country realistically.
2
rbergs215 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Casablanca. Doubled as a wake up call for romance and black and white.
2
PaulsRedditUsername Mar 26, 2026 +3
My favorite thing about Casablanca is that it was done during the "studio-system" days, when they were cranking out dozens of movies every year. Casablanca was nothing special, it was just one more movie on the list, but they accidentally struck gold and made a perfect movie.
3
DAOLYR Mar 26, 2026 +3
Wasn’t a big musical fan until I saw Repo! The Genetic Opera and then sealed my fate with Phantom of the Paradise
3
SyrupBuccaneer Mar 26, 2026 +2
I didn't care about musicals until Forbidden Zone
2
CopiousCool Mar 26, 2026 +1
I remember having a film like this on VHS when I was a kid, it was called "Lust in the Dust" [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089523/](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089523/)
1
_segasonic Mar 26, 2026 +2
The Conjuring and horror.
2
forever87 Mar 26, 2026 +2
*dredd* and *avatar* (& its sequels) made me appreciate 3d movies (that were meant to be seen in 3d)
2
Ladybeetus Mar 26, 2026 +2
I really hated the r*** revenge subgenre. Then I saw Coraline Fargeat's Revenge. it is gorgeous. The lead is so good, she plays a completely disposable girl who has skated by on her looks and humanizes her. Makes what happens to her deeply upsetting without dwelling on the lurid parts. And the Phoenix imagery was heavy handed but I loved it. Still can't bring myself to watch Irreversible though. Just because it's great doesn't mean I need to see it.
2
Upbeat_Tension_8077 Mar 26, 2026 +1
I love Revenge. One thing about it, especially compared to other r*** and revenge films, is that I think it doesn't have quite the same gratuitousness that still feels very icky towards how a woman is portrayed on-screen (like a sex object) & it doesn't fall short in making the male perpetrators look and feel disgusting (and pathetic once they start to get their comeuppance)
1
Ladybeetus Mar 26, 2026 +1
It is very male gaze-y, but pointedly so. To underscore This STILL isn't ok. Yes she's pretty and vapid But it is STILL NOT OK!!
1
narwolking Mar 26, 2026 +1
I really gotta check out Revenge. I will say that Irreversible isn't really in the "r*** revenge" sub genre. I'd argue it's trying to do something very different than most of those films. Not an easy watch by any means though.
1
FinAdda Mar 26, 2026 +2
Godfather. Never cared about crime / mobs movies before. Afterwards started to watch the lot of them include the greats and classics. Nothing hits the same spot as Godfather. Been an interesting 20 years without finding a similar movie.
2
kurtcobainwaskilled Mar 26, 2026 +1
Have you ever seen the Departed?
1
FinAdda Mar 26, 2026 +1
Yes. Long time ago. Godfather got the family tie via Vito that no other mob movie gets. C*****, Goodfellas, Scarface, The Irishman etc Watched them.
1
atomicitalian Mar 26, 2026 +2
Singing in the Rain for musicals. Thought they weren't for me, but I was wrong
2
LowerSeat2712 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Planet Earth 2 changed my mind about nature documentaries.
2
mrjasong Mar 26, 2026 +2
RRR was the first time i could appreciate a Bollywood movie. Now I'm watching Dhurandhar so there you go, I'm basically a bolkyweeb at this point
2
Deep_Loss_4084 Mar 26, 2026 +3
🙋 Whiplash is basically the movie of my life. It has this incredibly oppressive atmosphere, yet there’s a sense of liberation that flickers through the cracks of that quiet, suffocating darkness. The music captures that exact feeling perfectly. It’s also the reason I fell in love with drumming.
3
timpoakd Mar 26, 2026 +5
None, one or two outliers in a genre doesn't change my opinion about the genre in general.
5
violentbear Mar 26, 2026 +4
While you’re here, would you like to share one or two of your outliers?
4
timpoakd Mar 26, 2026 +2
Well funnily enough, OP gave good examples which made me think that i've not changed my mind about their genre. I liked both La La Land and Midsommar but they are among the outliers that i've actually liked from their genres.
2
Kimantha_Allerdings Mar 26, 2026 +2
FWIW, “elevated horror” is something that’s always existed. It’s just a term that’s used by people who look down on the genre that somehow the films they like aren’t *really* horror I mean, you list It Follows. I’d agree that that’s a great film. I’m not sure it’s much deeper than the first film in one of the biggest and most famous slasher franchises, though - A Nightmare On Elm Street Nightmare is cheesier and lower budget and has more gore, but it’s got just as much going on under the surface as It Follows Yet I don’t think anybody would call it “elevated horror”. In fact, it’s exactly the kind of film that the people who coined the term “elevated horror” want to distance themselves from I’m not having a go at you here, OP, but it’s a term that’s been quite controversial with horror fans
2
blackmermaidsurfer Mar 26, 2026 +2
Blue is the Warmest Color now on Netflix. Prior to that I hated all French films. The director of the film is problematic, but he created a beautiful movie.
2
SquirrelMoney8389 Mar 26, 2026 +2
How about The Intouchables?
2
DorkHarshly Mar 26, 2026 +1
> hated all French films: How about: Le haine Amelie Holy motors I am pretty sure I have seen amazing French one for every genre.. unless your real problem is subtitles
1
blackmermaidsurfer Mar 26, 2026 +1
I hated Amelie. I never said subtitles were a problem. I’ll look into Holy Motors and Le haine, thank for the suggestions.
1
KuatoBaradaNikto Mar 26, 2026 +1
I definitely understand a disdain for Amelie’s surface level cuteness. I’ll second Holy Motors as a great surreal viewing experience. If you enjoy that strange film, I’ll mention another film that stars the same actor: Beau Travail by director Claire Denis, which lands on some “great films” lists. I think the actor in question (Denis Lavant) is one of the true versatile wonders of modern cinema. Depending on your taste, there is also the entire filmography of the incomparable Agnes Varda. A couple of the truly great female directors ever!
1
IronChefPhilly Mar 26, 2026 +1
Taboo 3 - The Final Chapter
1
bean_boi1922 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Almost the same as what you say about Hereditary. I never liked horror either. It never really appealed to me until I was bored one day and I watched "The Haunting of Emily Rose." That one kind of got me interested in possession stories and I would watch things like "Amityville Horror" with Ryan Reynolds and I started liking the "Saw" franchise. I would casually watch some horror every so often, but still I couldn't really be to interested until I saw "Hereditary." On a double date we had planned on watchin some comedy but we weren't really feeling it. Once we got to the theater we saw the poster for "Hereditary" and it had us interested in that so we watched it instead. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I've been chasing that particular high ever since and some have come close. I became a big Ari fan. Then an Robert E fan and then I just started watchin every A24 movie I could.
1
TownZealousideal1327 Mar 26, 2026 +1
You have amazing taste in horror. The show Deadwood, and The Assassination of Jessie James by the Cowardly Robert Ford, changed how I view westerns. Sullivans Crossing was such a beautiful location and quite a rocking story between a father who struggled with addiction but was a good man and his estranged daughter, in such a picturesque location, that I actually started sometimes enjoy that hallmark type of show. And I’m usually The Wire, True Detective, kinda guy, didn’t even like SoA and Yellowstone, or TWD after S6, even later season Breaking Bad because they were too cheesy, too try hard for me. But sometimes, just sometimes, a mindless, community drama, part romance, in a picturesque location, is the perfect escapism.
1
EggElectrical669 Mar 26, 2026 +1
For me it was Mad Max Fury Road, I never liked action movies much before that. It felt so intense and well made that it changed how I see action movies now.
1
Rabbitscooter Mar 26, 2026 +1
Red River and Westerns.
1
Speechisanexperiment Mar 26, 2026 +1
I'm not into period drama, but Cries And Whispers and Fanny And Alexander both grabbed me and became favorites.
1
annie_leonhartt Mar 26, 2026 +1
i never liked horror either, but watching hereditarily freaked me out in a way that actually stuck with me. the story and acting made it feel… real, not just scary for the sake of it
1
bibonacci2 Mar 26, 2026 +1
I would have felt the same way about Hereditary if it had finished at the 2/3rd mark. The last section just turned the movie into “Supernatural Silly” to me (one of the reasons I avoid horror). The first parts of that movie are incredible, though.
1
sabbakk Mar 26, 2026 +1
Pirates of the Caribbean for me. I can't remember why I even bothered to watch because I was so uninterested in the pirate adventures genre, but it to this day remains one of my top movie-going experiences
1
According-Report6898 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Devil wears prada.
1
chasgirl68 Mar 26, 2026 +1
if you are willing to read subtitles, Parasite is an excellent film.
1
Eat_Locals Mar 26, 2026 +1
Yeah, horror hits different when you understand that most horror movies are about something else, eg The Babadook = grief. 
1
rockingenzzz Mar 26, 2026 +1
I went in skeptical and came out obsessed
1
BeGentle1mNewHere Mar 26, 2026 +1
The VVitch is the only horror movie I like.
1
Upbeat_Tension_8077 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Even though this is a TV example, I wasn't into the medical genre at all until I watched the first season of The Pitt. There's something about how it balances the glimpse into the true personalities of the staff with the authenticity of the environment/dynamics of an ER that got me hooked
1
Rough_Painting_8023 Mar 26, 2026 +1
That elevated horror shit looks to me like some pretentious shit made to keep the lights on at A24 and for people who hate horror to go around and say I don't hate all horror, I like this slow. dull and critically acclaimed horror
1
Alone-Macaroon4745 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Galaxy Quest. That movie enabled parodies to be their own distinct stories that both parodied and added to the genre. By Grabthar’s Hammer…what a movie.
1
Old_Association6332 Mar 26, 2026 +1
The horror genre isn't generally my thing -I scare easily and some elements of the supernatural scare me. That said, I'd sworn never to watch a horror movie ever in my lifetime for that reason and, so, when The Sixth Sense came along, I avowed to my friends I'd never watch it. Then, however, I was stuck on a long plane ride and that movie came up on the in-flight entertainment. Out of a lack of nothing better to do, I ended up watching it. It's now one of my favorite movies. It's changed my attitude from being one where I'll never watch a horror movie to one where I'd be willing to watch certain horror movies depending on its content
1
aangsmol Mar 26, 2026 +1
The VVitch, horror. I had never seen a movie like it, and I was always terrified of gore and jump scares (I grew up in the age of Saw movies being some of the most popular horror flicks). Now I love finding these kinds of slow psychological thrillers.
1
Prestigious_Duck6964 Mar 26, 2026 +1
The South Park movie made me appreciate musicals
1
Cutthechitchata-hole Mar 26, 2026 +1
Not a movie but Band of Brothers got me into more war movies.
1
Middle-Armadillo-660 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Moulin Rouge
1
DavidJonnsJewellery Mar 26, 2026 +1
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997). Wasn't into chick flicks. Girlfriend insisted I watch it with her. And yeah, it's a great movie. What do I know
1
AdorableSillies Mar 26, 2026 +1
It Follows for horror. I went in blind because it was playing at the time I wanted to go. I was blown away. 
1
affablenihilist Mar 26, 2026 +1
An American Werewolf in London introduced horror comedy to me. Unusual in that it was actually funny.
1
joe12321 Mar 26, 2026 +1
When I was younger I didn't like Westerns at all. Eventually it occurred to me that even if it's not my favorite flavor, at least the best of them must be worth watching. I checked out **Once Upon a Time in the West** and **The Searchers**, and wooo they turned me around!
1
MomusSinclair Mar 26, 2026 +1
Consider watching The Changeling with George C. Scott.
1
CndConnection Mar 26, 2026 +1
I wasn't into thrillers at all. Then I saw The Others in the 6th grade for Halloween (our teacher thought that was appropriate! but it turned out well the whole class loved it and no one got too scared/upset). My sister showed me Silence of the Lambs. I remember not being able to sit through The Cell while she watched it but I tried. I loved Edward Norton so I watched Red Dragon even though it was a rough watch at that age lol So yeah I can enjoy a good suspenseful thriller now but only the smart ones. I don't care about the small-set stuff like "oooh is the house maiden a killer?" or "Ohhh they are lost and they have to hang out with this creepy guy in his house, is he a killer?" that shit is trite and boring.
1
Loud_Role7122 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Mine was horror as well and seeing Doctor Sleep changed that. I caught it on tv a few months after my partner died by suicide, and the scene with Danny talking to Charlie about how we ‘don’t end’ gave me such validation and relief in my grief (and my own fear of dying).
1
light_defy Mar 26, 2026 +1
The Babadook is such a good story that I find myself thinking about it often and reflecting on what it says about trauma, motherhood, overwhelm, etc. Watching it genuinely added value to my life, not many horror movies say that!
1
insomniac2go Mar 26, 2026 +1
Musicals were the same for me. Just hated the idea of having a story devolve into a seemingly random song and dance. But, I watched Tick Tick Boom and absolutely loved it.
1
techside_notes Mar 26, 2026 +1
I had that shift with sci-fi. I used to think it was all just tech, space, and concepts I couldn’t connect with. Then I watched Arrival and it completely reframed it for me. It didn’t feel like “sci-fi” in the usual sense, it was more about communication, time, and grief, just told through that lens. After that I started noticing how a lot of sci-fi is really just exploring human stuff in a different setting. Same thing happened later with slower films in general. I used to avoid anything that felt “too quiet,” but once I got used to that pace, it started to feel more immersive than boring. It’s interesting how one film can basically unlock a whole genre you were ignoring.
1
ezmobee_work Mar 26, 2026 +1
Not a movie but I'm not a sci-fi guy at ALL and absolutely loved The Expanse.
1
No-Koala1918 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Godzilla Minus One. I like Japanese monster movies for a laugh, but this proved that the genre could be more than that.
1
WorthPlease Mar 26, 2026 +1
Same thing as you OP regarding horror to me just being popscares, slasher flicks with the same three bad guys, and gore. For me the movie was the first Saw. It's still got a little bit of gore but it's mostly a thriller crime whodunit movie with some horror. It's like my favorite genre of movie now.
1
RelevantCash5893 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Idk if you play old games but you could check out Silent Hill 2- it goes right along with the things you said you liked about horror.
1
Brief-Park3296 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Westerns.
1
BosskHogg Mar 26, 2026 +1
Unforgiven
1
Danny-Wah Mar 26, 2026 +1
Sweeny Todd, turns out, I don't completely hate a musical.
1
CrispyHoneyBeef Mar 26, 2026 +1
I also hate musicals and I got about thirty seconds into both Wonka and Wicked before I had to turn them off
1
Elderberryinjanuary Mar 26, 2026 +1
Happy Gilmore. I used to like comedies. That movie was just so bad I was never able to go back to the genre.
1
Varekai79 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Check out OP's post history. Bots and karma farmers absolutely infest this sublistnook.
1
pattilytle0 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Soy beans and corn
1
Charlie_Runkle69 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Terminator and T2. I wouldn't say I disliked action movies exactly but they were just popcorn bubblegum movies to me for the most part. Those movies made me actually feel something and have an appreciation for special effects that I didn't know I had.
1
Low_Tip3245 Mar 26, 2026 +1
I'm a hater of both Sports films and Romantic Comedy, but Marty Supreme and Eternity were good.
1
General-Sprinkles801 Mar 26, 2026 +1
“He’s just not that into you” romance. I don’t remember how that movie went, but I kinda remember that movie opening my eyes that’s everyone else is confused about dating and love when we crave it so much. I was like a high schooler when I saw it maybe? So idk know what I’d think of it now, but it was the first one that got me into romance
1
Stormy8888 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Train To Busan - wasn't a fan of zombie movies until that one came along with the emotional story telling and one of the biggest villain humans ever (Grrr I HATE that guy!) Actually ended up crying. Great story and performances. After that I ended up watching a ton of other zombie flicks.
1
tgoddess Mar 26, 2026 +1
Ironman got me into comic book/superhero movies .
1
scarletwitchmoon Mar 26, 2026 +1
i never really liked horror. it was always too anxiety inducing and i thought most modern horror films were slasher with campy jump scares. i made myself watch *mother!* to branch out of my comfort zone. but then i watched *haunting of hill house*, a tv show, shortly after and it completely altered my brain chemistry. i didn't know horror could be so sad and poignant and cathartic. the rest is history. i now read mostly horror novels.
1
chubuio Mar 26, 2026 +1
ngl horror movies used to freak me out but then i watched hereditary and it completely changed how i see the genre. scary movies can actually be like art? what movie changed it for you?
1
Beneficial_Run9511 Mar 26, 2026 +1
Punch drunk love changed my opinion of Adam Sandler
1
Phantom-Finger Mar 27, 2026 +1
Hereditary and horror.
1
Routine_Condition273 Mar 27, 2026 +1
Insidious completely changed how I viewed horror. I was 15 at the time and I assumed horror was just a about shock value. But I decided to give this one a shot and I was spellbound the entire movie. Never before had I enjoyed being scared.
1
aMoose_Bit_My_Sister Mar 27, 2026 +1
The Babadook is absolutely brilliant.
1
Madi473 Mar 27, 2026 +1
Phantom of the Opera live at Mamchester Wasn't a big musical fan but that one was really fun to watch. I'm not against musicals as much but I still start with a bit of hesitation. Anyways.....SING FOR ME!!!
1
janiemackxxx Mar 27, 2026 +1
I refused to watch westerns until after Django, and now Ive seen all the classics and beyond.
1
CBAlan777 Mar 27, 2026 +1
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. I generally dislike vampire movies. The stupid Party City fangs. The Hot Topic clothing. Or the generic "Dracula" look. Bloodlust by comparison is like this post-apocalypse, sci-fi, western with Gothic castles, hoards of monsters, armored vehicles, and sword fights. It's so underrated. It was wrong place, wrong time for that movie.
1
Midwest099 Mar 27, 2026 +1
I used to avoid war movies, but then I saw Darkest Hour. Changed me completely. I've now watched other, more realistic war films and I'm definitely into it more than I used to be.
1
vivnsam Mar 27, 2026 +1
Until my mid-20s I thought I hated Westerns. The movie that made me realize my ignorance was John Wayne's last movie, "[The Cowboys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cowboys)" I wasn't expecting a general-audience movie to give me the feels but it really did, I found the whole thing just wholesome af and really entertaining. Shortly after that I picked up a DVD at the dollar store -- the Spaghetti Western "[They Call Me Trinity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Call_Me_Trinity)" which introduced me to the incredible Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill which I also found a lot more entertaining than expected. From there it was "what else am I missing" -- which is when I started seeking out the real genre classics. I've seen hundreds of Westerns at this point and am always on the lookout for more. Deadwood was so very wonderful, as was the movie. Anyone at the "maybe I do like Westerns after all" stage in life, I really recommend you check it out.
1
ariadnevirginia Mar 27, 2026 +1
Silly humour. I was brought up by snobs who assessed them as stupid films for stupid people. Then I saw "Airplane" at a friends house and I was so conditioned I thought it was stupid at first.... but he laughed so hard, my brain clicked and realised it was hilarious.
1
Independent-Story883 Mar 27, 2026 +1
Silent film : Red,White and Blue
1
wildwalrusaur Mar 28, 2026 +1
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
1
AmazingAd2502 Mar 26, 2026 +1
For me it wasn’t genre but time period of movie, I couldn’t stand seeing anything made from before 2000’s but I watched the cube, and realised their creativity gave way to tension, suspense, creativity, every thing I love about watching movies. Since then I’ve searched in every genre for something that looks like something I wouldn’t watch and give it a go.
1
fett3elke Mar 26, 2026 +2
I might be biased since I grew op with those movies, but to me the 90s is the best decade for movies
2
CopiousCool Mar 26, 2026 +2
Yeah, even at the time during the 80s & 90s there were a lot of B movies and trash being made and add to that the fact that some simply haven't aged well then I can understand this take I'm older and grew up during those films but I can tell you it's worth sticking it out and relying on recommendations because there IS a lot of good stuff from those periods
2
AmazingAd2502 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Absolutely, exactly this. But here’s what I neglected because I judged it too hard. The creativity it took to make em. 🤯, totally forgot that’s what it’s about.
2
CopiousCool Mar 26, 2026 +2
Yeah, some of the effects that were cutting edge then can appear comical now, case and point being "The Lawnmower Man" ... it was a cool Sci-Fi film when I was young and I saw it in the cinema and loved it in but a recent rewatch I could see it hadn't aged very well, much like Virtuosity 1995 with Russle Crowe and Denzel. Even some Horrors that scared me are somewhat child like now "Nightmare on Elm Street 3 Dream Warriors" But as you say, as long as you can watch them and appreciate them for the period they were made in you'll be entertained
2
AmazingAd2502 Mar 26, 2026 +2
🤣 yeah I seen elm street again, really funny. I’ve watched snippets of a really old movie, jury 48 or something idk, was grounding, palpable, couldn’t believe it, my perception has been played with like ping pong over the years but seeing something like that cemented ideas.
2
CopiousCool Mar 26, 2026 +2
African Queen with Humphrey Bogart is a good watch on a Sunday afternoon or any Hitchcock film tbh but those are way before my time but I do try much like you. in B/W I like Charlie Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Abbot & Costello they're good for comedy Don't know many action ones
2
AmazingAd2502 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Cool, I’ll give it a watch, I’ve also never seen any Alfred movies but I’m always hearing about them.
2
CopiousCool Mar 26, 2026 +2
Oh yeah, the Birds scared TF out of me as a kid, recent rewatch is OK, Psycho is his best imo, Rear Window is decent ... to be honest he was like the Tarantino of his time nearly everything he made was gold, TV Series included
2
AmazingAd2502 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Ohhhh cool, I think I know what I’m getting into, snippets as well so wasn’t familiar, yeah great, I’ll give his a watch.
2
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