#NewsBytesExplainer: Understanding major sub-genres of romance films with mainstream examples
Oh, the sweet symphony of passionate romance! Perfect for the days when you want to allow emotions to overwhelm you or have a memorable date night, romantic films keep one engrossed—the lead pair's meeting, some (necessary) conflict, and usually, a happily ever after that fills people with hope and happiness. Today, let's dive a little deeper into a few sub-genres of romance films.
Romantic comedies
Possibly the most famous kind of movies, especially in Hollywood, romantic comedies usually follow the same rule: two people, usually unlike each other, meet due to a turn of fate and get swept up in a hurried, passionate romance. Some highly popular rom-coms are Crazy, Stupid, Love, About Time, 13 Going On 30, Sex and the City, Crazy Rich Asians, and She's All That.
Historical romance
As the name suggests, historical romance is set in an era gone by and tells the tale of the past. There might be a lot going on, but the central focus will always be romance. Premium Beat says, "The time period will reflect how characters interact with each other and how the romance will unfold." Examples include Gone With the Wind and Little Women.
Romantic Drama
Premium Beat describes romantic drama as stories that "dive deeper into the conflicting emotions of romance and relationships, dealing with other issues like tribulations, death, separation, infidelity, and the introduction of love triangles." Casablanca, The English Patient, Marriage Story, The Fault in Our Stars, Love, Simon, Meet Joe Black, The Notebook, and A Walk to Remember are movies that fit in this genre.
Paranormal romance
Think romance, but not exactly between humans. In paranormal romances, usually, one-half of the pair is a supernatural entity. But when did love worry about such problems? Some prominent examples are the Twilight franchise, Warm Bodies, I am Dragon, Vampire Academy, Byzantium, Blood and Chocolate, Being Human, Snow White and the Huntsman, Sapphire Blue, and Drink Slay Love, among others.
