Netflix knows me, and quite well I might add. Based on my rental history and my ratings of movies, it makes recommendations of other movies I might like. Sometimes I get a movie they suggest, sometimes not. It’s not the movies they suggest that impresses me. It’s the personalized categories, all of which I agree uniquely and accurately describe my tastes.
Action & Adventure based on real life — The key is “based on real life.” I love movies based on true stories — “ripped from the headlines” — or that present a story that I believe could happen.
Feel-good Teen Dramas — Sure. I love a good teeny-bopper flik. Takes me back, keeps me young, makes me laugh at my teen-age self. Some of my faves are Grease, Freaky Friday, Mean Girls, Bring It On.
Dark Military Movies — This is obviously hubby’s movie choices coming through. Although, I’ve been known to enjoy a good war movie from time to time. I even watched We Were Soldiers all on my own a few weekends ago.
Sentimental Wedding Movies — Yeah, I’m a sap for a wedding movie. My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Wedding Date, The Wedding Planner, Sweet Home Alabama, … love ’em all.
Calluna 
You’re not rigid about the “real life” bit, are you? You just brought to mind an incident from a few years back.
I once had an interesting (i.e., heated) conversation with my sister-in-law about fantasy/science fiction/mythological movies. She said she can’t stand movies that contain things that “can’t possibly happen” and refuses to even try them. I asked her if that included ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘The Princess Bride’, ‘E.T.’, etc. and she said absolutely. “They aren’t based in the real world! They can’t happen! It’s just stupid! How can you get interested in a world that isn’t real?!” I was amazed that she couldn’t IMAGINE a world where such things happen – a world with different rules than ours but rules nonetheless, filled with metaphors for our own lives. I asked, “But what if it’s really good. What if it’s really touching or inspiring?” She was adamant. “It can’t be touching or inspiring if it happens in a world that doesn’t exist!”
I said (sarcastically) that she must not like the bulk of action movies where they routinely defy the laws of physics, fire hundreds of bullets even though they’re not carrying extra clips, and can take dozens of blunt force blows to the head without a hitch in their snappy banter. But she was content that they are set in LA or New York or any other current, earth-bound locale. That makes them “possible.” But what about ‘Ghost’? That was set in the present day. “Can’t happen.”
Netflix seems to recommend good stuff for me, too. Right now it has:
Critically-acclaimed Comedies from the 1940s – Kathy and I both love these
Romantic Action & Adventure – These, too
Biographical Political Documentaries – These are strictly Johnny territory
Movies starring Elizabeth Taylor – That’s because I got two of her movies in the space of two weeks recently. I do think she’s an amazing beauty but most of her movies (and her acting skills) were middling at best. I got these two because they were hailed as director George Stevens’ masterpieces. I thought they were okay. My (and Kathy’s) only favorite film with Liz in it is ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’. Excellent, excellent drama – if you can get past some of the accents.
My range of “real life” is pretty broad. Take out sci-fi and comedies based on stupid humor (i.e. Dumb and Dumber, Dude Where’s My Car, etc..) and anything left would fit my idea of “real life.”