#20 - 11 of 50 Guy Movies: A Modern Guide

March 20th, 2008 · 1 Comment · Tagged as Guy Movies

20. Hot Fuzz. Ripsnortingly funny British cop movie from the Shaun of the Dead crew. ROTFLMAO. My stomach hurts so bad from laughing. Highly recommended if you like dry British humor (and even if you don’t). Sargeant Angel, an over-achieving London riot cop, gets sent to a station in the countryside, expecting a boring existence in a model, award-winning town that hasn’t had a murder in 20 years - only accidents. Or so they say.

19. Million Dollar Baby. The saying “you fight like a girl” takes on new meaning as a determined Hilary Swank tries to convince cranky Clint Eastwood to train her to box. Great lines: Morgan Freeman as narrator says, “People love violence…. Same people claim to love boxing… Boxing is about respect.” Clint Eastwood says to Hilary Swank, “I don’t train girls… Girly, tough ain’t enough.” A priest to Clint Eastwood, “There are no demi-gods you f**king pagan.” Basic message: even the toughest guys feel emotion sometimes.

18. The Big Lebowski. A Coen Brothers dark comedy masterpiece, starring Jeff Bridges and John Goodman, with several great supporting actors. Bridges is Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, mistaken by really bad guys for millionaire Jeffrey “The Big” Lebowski, who they’re looking for to clear up debts, incurred by his pretty young wife.

17. Kill Bill Vol 1, Vol 2. A witty feast for the mind, with lots of female assassins who beat on each other, kung fu, and typical Tarantino humor, violence and a great soundtrack (which Robert Rodriguez and RZA produced). Kill Bill was released as two “volumes”, but you really need to watch both of them together to make any real sense of them. Not to mention, “Bill” doesn’t show his face until Vol 2. You only hear his voice and see his hand wiping the face of Uma Thurman’s character, The Bride. Best scene (vol 1): When “The Bride” faces 50 or 60 assassins with only her sword. Great line: Lucy Liu to Uma Thurman: “Silly Caucasian girl likes to play with Samurai swords.”

16. Braveheart. While there are some historical inaccuracies, Mel Gibson’s Braveheart shows the struggle of 13th Century Scotsman William Wallace, in his efforts to overthrow British rule. Highlights: incredible cinematography and well-executed battle scenes.

15. Sin City. If not for all the great acting talent, and not for the great directors (Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino), then watch it for the fact this is an incredible visual adaptation of Frank Miller’s Sin City graphic novels. The black and white with red style really pops out, adding an unusual dimension to the photography.

14. No Country For Old Men. The Coen Brothers are master filmmakers. This movie, which won them 4 Oscars and another 83 awards, including Best Supporting actor for Javier Bardem and Best Picture. Bardem plays a cold-blooded, determined killer who goes after stolen drug money, using a shotgun and a compressed-air cattle gun as his weapons.

13. Se7en/ Seven. A self-righteous, diabolical serial killer takes it upon himself to violently eliminate people who violate the seven deadly sins. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, who both give admirable performances, are the detectives on a mission to capture the killer.

12. The Usual Suspects. Best line: While discussing the possibly imaginary crime lord Keyser Soze, Kevin Spacey’s character says, “The best trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”

11. Goodfellas. One of the best mob movies, and based on a true story. See it for Joe Pesci’s Oscar-winning portrayal of a hair-trigger, ultra-violent Tommy DeVito, who finds a way to be offended about anything and everything. Multiple great actors, and many you might recognize from The Sopranos TV series.