Everyone knows the famous franchises like Mission Impossible, Fast and Furious, Star Wars, John Wick, etc. They’re all well-loved franchises, ranging in all types of ages. You can find much older guys being really into John Wick and Fast and Furious and kids who are the exact same. Most of the time these movies can be a money grab or a way to keep the utmost traction, a little story, a repeated story, or just not enough effort. That doesn’t go for everything, things like Harry Potter or Star Wars are well-made, coming from original pieces turned into masterpieces. The fan bases are very specific and have a nature to them.
What about “Film Bros”? Film Bros usually range from anywhere from 14 to late 20s. These types of ‘bros’ find themselves immersed into what they consider ‘peak’ film. These films were famous for their time and go on to be very recognized. American Psycho, Fight Club, The Wolf of Wall street, The Dark Knight, and many more. Usually the movies like to focus on males and they’re emotionally flamboyant. Men who treat women badly, make their way to the top of the corporate pyramid, let anger and adrenaline control them. Lots of films bros would consider themselves very literate in what they watch, call it a ‘unique’ taste.
They also tend to like shows including Breaking Bad, Dexter, etc. They all seem to be drawn to this specific genre. None of the movies or shows are inherently bad, but it’s the male-leading audience that consumes, and in the end, ruins it. You can find these Film Bros on Letterboxd with their top four containing Fight Club or American Psycho at least 9/10 times. Which is super ironic, because American Psycho is a movie made to make fun of masculinity – especially in its time period. Fight Club’s message really indicated the insecurities of men in society and how it’s nearly impossible for them to come to terms with it.
You can enjoy these movies just fine, but to avoid being the stereotype is where you start. Coming out of being the Film Bro stereotype can be really easy if you can understand complexities and genuine messages of movies. Watching movies out of spite and because you know it’s popular doesn’t make you a genuine fan of cinema and film.
In my own personal opinion, starting with “cult classics” is always the way to go. Movies that were very unpopular upon release, but became super popular in a fanbase over time are considered “cult classics.” Rocky Horror Picture Show is a really famous one for its deep message and general recognition. Definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s good to be exposed to everything regardless of the culture. Anything from the late 70s to early 00s are also really good starters. From John Hughes to Wes Anderson is where you can find the best classics for their originality and genuine love. Featuring all types of actors who love doing it for the fun of it rather than the money, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to Fantastic Mr. Fox, you can see a large variety of actors and cameos.
Not everything is going to be an immediate interest either, horror movies are good starters too, especially with classics like the Conjuring franchise or the Saw franchise. Finding a good production company or director can set anyone in the right direction. Production companies like American High, Neon, or A24 all contain many directors who get the support they need to make a movie for anyone’s liking. Looking into short films or old cinema from the early 1900s can really open your eyes to what’s past all the actions and fighting movies. Finding certain actors with larger varieties of roles like Timothee Chalamet, Willem Dafoe, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, etc. Finding your own actor niche or directors pallet can make you into your own true movie buff or cinema enthusiast.
The range of movies is endless and painting yourself into a corner of just pure Film Bros really puts a cover on anything you could potentially be more interested in. Don’t be a Film Bro unless you really want to.
