These twenty basic plots are from the Tennessee Screenwriting Association. I once saw a list of similar plot ideas with the movies based on them, but I wasn't able to find it again. Obviously, there's a lot of cross over. 'Buddy movies', for instance, would have to include 48 Hours, The Lord of the Rings, and even Casablanca. Oddly, the buddy plot isn't included here.
If you want to see the definitions of each category, follow the link:
http://www.softwaresecretweapons.com/jspwiki/20basicplotsforstorygenerators
1. QUEST - Lord of the Rings, The Maltese Falcon, She, Indiana Jones series.
2. ADVENTURE - The Treasure of Sierra Madre, Beau Geste, Platoon, The Alamo.
3. PURSUIT - North by Northwest, Cannonball Run, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
4. RESCUE - The Sting
5. ESCAPE - The Count of Monte Cristo, Les Miserables, Cool Hand Luke.
6. REVENGE - Tombstone, The Count of Monte Cristo, Silence of the Lambs.
7. THE RIDDLE - Citizen Kane.
8. RIVALRY - Indiana Jones series
9. UNDERDOG - The Magnificent Seven, Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars, 300.
10. TEMPTATION - The Mephisto Waltz
11. METAMORPHOSIS - Superman, Spartacus.
12. TRANSFORMATION - Mad Max series
13. MATURATION - Star Wars.
14. LOVE - The Princess Bride.
15. FORBIDDEN LOVE - Camelot
16. SACRIFICE - The Scarlet Pimpernel, A Tale of Two Cities.
17. DISCOVERY - The Razor's Edge.
18. WRETCHED EXCESS - Days of Wine and Roses, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
19. ASCENSION - It's a Wonderful Life.
20. DECISION - Lust for Life.
