No idea what to watch tonight?
The question isn't "what's the best film", it's "what am I in the mood for right now". They aren't the same thing, and they aren't searched for the same way.
A catalogue asks you for a genre. But nobody thinks "I fancy a drama": you think you want to laugh, to grip the arm of the sofa, or to be somewhere else for two hours.
That's where to start from. Each of the six pages below starts from an urge, explains what sets apart the films that serve it, and why a summary and a score almost never settle it.
What thriller should you watch tonight?
You want a film that holds you. Not necessarily violent, not necessarily spectacular: a film that doesn't let you drift off.
What science fiction film should you watch?
Some evenings you aren't looking for a good film. You're looking to be somewhere else.
What emotional film should you watch?
You're not looking to be entertained. You're looking to feel something — and that isn't the same request.
What action film should you watch tonight?
You want movement, spectacle, and above all not to spend thirty minutes choosing.
What comedy should you watch tonight?
Nobody has the same sense of humour. That's what makes comedy impossible to recommend on a rating.
What horror film should you watch tonight?
Horror is the genre catalogues serve worst, and by some distance.