Mark begins with one of the most popular genres of all, the classic romantic comedy. They are sometimes sneered at by critics, but from the 1930s to the present day, many of our most beloved movies have been romantic comedies.

This time it is the turn of the heist movie, with its unique combination of suspense and action. Whether it is the big bank job or netting a fortune in diamonds, why, asks Mark, do otherwise law-abiding audiences find themselves rooting for robbers and even killers? More than any other genre, the heist movie plays with our sympathies, encouraging us to identify with characters we would run a mile from in real life.

Mark explores the genre that captures the joy and pain of growing up - the coming-of-age movie. It is the most universal of all genres, the one we can all relate to from our own experience, yet it can also be the most autobiographical and personal.

Mark explores the most visionary of all genres - science fiction, and shows how film-makers have risen to the challenge of making the unbelievable believable. Always at the forefront of cinema technology, science fiction films have used cutting-edge visual effects to transport us to other worlds or into the far future. But as Mark shows, it's not just about the effects.

Mark Kermode reveals the cinematic tricks and techniques used to create classic horror films, from The Phantom of the Opera to The Exorcist, Psycho to Get Out.

Mark Kermode unwraps a glittering selection of Christmas cinematic treats, from much-loved classics to hidden gems, from Hollywood blockbusters to international films.

Mark Kermode explores the sorts of films that have won Academy Awards time and time again. Is it the subject matter or its treatment that is the key to beating your rivals?

Mark Kermode uncovers the cinematic and storytelling secrets of one of the oldest and most spectacular genres of all, the disaster movie.