It depends on the movie. Some reinforce horrible stereotypes and can cause some women to have unrealistic expectations of HOW men act and put many "shoulds" in their relationships.
"But, he didn't give me the Fairy Tale. He should have." Please.

IMO, one of the most dangerous movies ever made was "Pretty Woman." It gave us the stereotype that it's FUN to be a streetwalker, gave us NO insight into the STDs, diseases, abuse from pimps and Johns, drug addiction, etc that many, but not all street workers often have to deal with. It also gave women the stupid impression that there IS a "Fairy Tale" (which there isn't) and that ANYBODY can get any rich, successful man, when in reality, those men are nearly always "snatched up" by the daughters of other rich successful men. Men like this don't go slumming for wives.

Not as an offense to street walkers, but in most cases one would have about as much luck in marrying a rich, kind, successful businessman, as I would have marrying Johnny Depp. And, if it did happen, you don't think her past wouldn't be thrown in her face EVERY TIME they had an argument?

I just hate ANY romantic movies, I guess. I liked "Fried Green Tomatoes" (Although it was completely different than the book and the book was better) and "How to Sew an American Quilt" but IMO, "romance movies" are silly, a waste of time, and give one false hope of riches, wealth, and Prince Charmings, no matter what our OWN frailties might be.

I'd rather watch shit blowing up. Looking forward to "The Expendables." Much better fantasies of the guys in this movie than some simpering, pasty "nice guy" in most chick flicks, for my taste. Either that or some Art House movie. Sid and Nancy was the last "romance" movie I liked.

Only thing I really care about if I like a movie or not. I don't care if its labeled chick flick. I like it or not Mean girls or Ever After are some I like and their labeld chick flicks, a guy can enjoy the movies too but they are called chick flixs probly because more girls watch them or some are love storys. Alot of guys just aren't interested in those movies. Some just watch them because it's wat the other people their with wanted to watch. I don't believe the things in movies and they don't give me certain expectations. They are a nice escape I enjoy them. like twilight love those.

The Bridget Jones books were hilarious. I laughed out loud. The movies, eh, not so much. But, they were certainly better than the "romantic" type.

Legend rocks for so many reasons and The Princess Bride is even better.

I think a lot depends on why you're watching the movie and what you want to get out of it.

I don't think they reinforce stereotypes and unreal expectations because I think of them as a MOVIE, they're not real..so I don't expect things to be like that in real life or people to act the way that the people in movies do.

Are they revealing about differences between the sexes? Well I think that depends on the writer and the director really..since you're not seeing people's real emotions you're seeing actors playing a part that was created for them. It's all just a vision that is being portrayed, not reality.

I don't think that they are under-valued because they're directed towards women. Plenty of men like "chick flicks" too. My husband watches them with me and while we both agree that they all follow the same basic plot.that doesn't mean that the movie won't be interesting or funny along the way..it just means we can call the ending before we even see it.

I just watched Princess Bride again last night with my 5 year old, we now have a new Princess Bride fan in the house..he LOVED it. His only complaint though was "I think they should have gotten that giant man a bigger horse, I think he's gonna break that horse's back and that's not cool". LOL

LOL My mom and I call it TVC - The Victim Channel.

HATE the Lifetime Channel. "Men are all rapists and wife beaters and cheaters and you are better off alone, with your female friends to commiserate." Staring Valerie Bertinelli, Farrah Fawcett etc.

I hate the Lifetime channel. More dangerous than "Pretty Woman" IMO.

The Victim Channel. I love it. I have a new name for this hated network. Thank You!

ditto

Ha, nice. We always called the History channel the Hitler Channel. There are a lot of things on now but 15 years it was WWII documentaries 24/7.

I really don't care if they're "chick flicks" or "dude flicks" or whatever.

If I like it, I like it. If I don't, I don't. I like some chick flicks. I don't like some chick flicks. Meh.

Hahahaha. My Man and I call it The Hitler Channel too. As you said, they have expanded from almost exclusively WWII and Nazi things in the past 10 years or so.