To clarify the question: Do we instinctively see similarities between our favourite films and other films that we watch that we might not otherwise see? For example, yesterday I finally got around to seeing Love Is Strange before it exited the theatre. I really enjoyed the film, and I couldn't help but draw comparisons between it and Richard Linklater's Before films: the focus on a relationship between two people, the intricate and smart dialogue, the stunning urban cinematography, etc.