NEWS: Men Love Chick Flicks

CULTURE: Men Love Chick Flicks

A Kansas State University study has pushed the envelope of science and psychology to reveal that chick flicks are actually not chick at all. Guys love 'em too, if not more.

During the study Richard Harris used a 7 point scale to decipher how men and women were reacting to the RomComs. Both women and men scored an average enjoyment level of 4.8 according to the scale. The study revealed that men would admit to liking particular romantic comedies, but not the genre in general, and that men and women are still really sexist. The full enjoyment of these movies actually rely on men and women adhering to certain gender stereotypes.

Harris' research was done as follow-up to earlier research, a survey of violent movies and horror films which are typically classified as masculine and catering to male audiences. That survey had similar results suggesting that gender stereotypes are equally involved in the enjoyment of these films, but also that as far as date movies go, the selection of horror or romantic comedy could go either way.

soo true. Im a sucker for chick flicks, I like to see the girl get the guy or the guy get the girl.. it makes me extremely happy, and gives me hope in my life haha.

Then again, the term "chick flick" was probably coined by some dude who refused to question his masculinity.

I don't know. I went to see "The Holiday" with my girlfriend and didn't really enjoy it. She loved it a lot, so I guess I was happy that she was happy? That's usually the case when I go see those movies... Unless you consider "Eternal Sunshine" a chick flick. That one kicks ass. Meh. I prefer kids movies to most romantic comedies. Give me "Hook" or "The Lion King" anyday.

I like RomZomCom's if they count

<------Proof positive.

I like good flicks.

Ditto.

I don't know how to say this, so I'll just say it.

Some "chick" movies are alright I thought Ghost was a pretty good movie.

Not even 30 years ago romantic comedies weren't viewed as "chick flicks." They were viewed as films of mass appeal, a distinction they inherited from musicals. "Chick flicks", on the other hand, were sentimental and humourless: think Sally Field, Barbra Streisand, Meryl Streep (but not at the same time, please).

You can trace the gendering of romantic comedies through the career of Meg Ryan marking as ground zero "When Harry Met Sally," a good movie that spawned a decade of derivative pap with marketing to match.

<~~~glad his g/f pukes at the site of those chick flicks too!!!

although she does love gilmore girls and er..thats kinda chick

I go to chick movies with a guy all the time. It's just not my husband.

You don't need to make our Secret Sundays sound so gay dear.

It's not gay if she falls for your "hole in the bottom of the popcorn tub" trick.

I don't know what this "hole" thing is that you're talking about, but the last theater that FP and I went to needs to have their concession stand inspected because there was a snake in the bottom of my popcorn. I'll never go there again.

You should have been suspicious when he asked for quadruple extra butter.

I don't know why Rom-Coms are automatically called "Chick Flicks." Shit, The Apartment is one of the all time great movies, and I have never found anyone of any sex who doesn't like it.

I dunno, though. I mean, I love The Apartment, but it's not very funny. Mostly, it plays as a drama with some funny bits.

And while I do love the old screwballs and such, I can't say I care much for the newer stuff by and large. Like I love The Shop Around the Corner, but I can't say that the remake, You've Got Mail, was anywhere near that quality. I don't know that I'd go so far as to say that the quality has dipped, because we filter all the shit out through time, but I don't feel like the forumlas and conventions of romantic comedies have really been improved upon much.

Although I did think the 40 Year Old Virgin, aside from when apparently sincere cheesy-ass line at the end ("I was just waiting for you...") was actually a terrific romantic comedy. Go figure.

My husband loves chick flicks... in fact when we first got together there were quite a few that he had seen that i hadnt. lol.

I like any well made film however I tend to find a lot of romantic comedies are formula films which I am not very found of.

If I hear that fucking piano intro to that "Making my way downtown / Walking fast...A thousand miles" song as the soundtrack to another movie starring Diane Keaton, I'm going to cut someone.

I've definitely had Dr. Harris as a professor. He's a pretty cool dude.