Are we subconsciously stereotyping our film suggestions?

I’m recovering from a week of the flu (take your vitamins and get your flu shot, kids) which left me with a lot of time to think about just about everything. When I wasn’t sleeping, I was either looking for something to watch or was watching a show.
As mentioned before, I’m on a year-long adventure to watch movies I haven’t seen before. I’m notorious for being behind (like, years and decades) in my movie watching and realized that it’s taking a toll on my relationships. Okay, maybe not that extreme but it’s certainly hard to keep up with conversations when there are tons of movie references.
Friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, social media friends, and just about everyone else was asked about their favorite movies so I could add them to the list. Nothing was excluded – unless I already watched it, and even then some were added as a second-chance – and no film was judged by its title. [For example: I saw Die Hard in December and thought there was going to be more dying than there actually was.]
Two movies continued to come up from my questioning these people – men and women, young and old –  Love Actually and The Holiday. Now, let me be the first to say that these are two great movies. They’re enjoyable and classic and quotable and danceable. But I have to dig into this.
Why in the world are these the first two movies that people suggested to me?
Perhaps it was because I was asking around the holidays and they’re the warm-and-fuzzy-enjoy-with-some-hot-chocolate kind of films. That’s a fair assumption and could very well have been why. But, I can’t help but think that they assumed that I would want to watch a rom-com or that I wouldn’t want to watch an action film, mystery, or comedy.
Are we subconsciously suggesting films based on what we see of the other person and what we think they should watch? We’re constantly making judgments about people based on how they look, who they’re with, what they’re doing, and so much more. Every now and then it’s fun. Sit in a crowded area with a friend and create beautiful stories about the people you’re watching. But, that’s from afar.
As soon as we start talking to another person – whether they’re a familiar face or a new one – all assumptions need to be put aside and we need to treat the person as a blank slate of jolly goodness.
It takes practice.
And starts with awareness. When you find yourself making an assumption about someone, ask them a question instead to gain clarity. When someone is asking you a question, be open to conversation instead of assuming they’re being nosy.
What do people assume about you?