Movies and TV Shows Every Man Should See (In order of release)
These are movies and TV shows from all eras that have great appeal to men and present values, ideas, and sometimes humor that men relate to. I realize that a lot of women enjoy these movies too and think that's great just as well, the purpose of this list isn't to exclude anyone, it's simply focused on movies and TV shows that portray masculinity, masculine interests or any related elements.
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- DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsLew AyresLouis WolheimJohn WrayA German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.
- DirectorRay McCareyStarsMoe HowardLarry FineCurly HowardThe stooges become doctors at a large hospital where they disrupt patients and staff alike.This counts for the entire body of work by the Three Stooges. Just make sure you stick to the episodes with Curly or Shemp, but avoid the ones with Joe, even Moe and Larry didn't like those.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsErrol FlynnOlivia de HavillandLionel AtwillAfter treating a Monmouth rebel against King James II in 1680s England, a young Irish doctor is exiled as a slave to Jamaica where he captures a Spanish galleon and becomes the most feared pirate of the Caribbean.Less action than one would expect, but this classic pirate movie kicks ass! Pirates of the Caribbean got much of it's inspiration from this movie.
- DirectorFrank LloydStarsCharles LaughtonClark GableFranchot ToneFirst mate Fletcher Christian leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh, in this classic seafaring adventure, based on the real-life 1789 mutiny.Although most known for Gone With the Wind, Clark Gable was one of the masculine icons of his day and this movie is one of his best.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsJames CagneyPat O'BrienHumphrey BogartA priest tries to stop a gangster from corrupting a group of street kids.A classic gangster movie. Men can learn a lot about masculinity from James Cagney, and the movie itself is especially great as a non-watered down morality tale for troubled teens and young adults. The climax is very intense and powerful.
- DirectorMichael CurtizWilliam KeighleyStarsErrol FlynnOlivia de HavillandBasil RathboneWhen Prince John and the Norman Lords begin oppressing the Saxon masses in King Richard's absence in 1190s England, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a resistance movement."We're men! Manly men!" Oh right, that's another movie. Despite the campy and completely non masculine outfits, this film has great action scenes featuring archery, dueling to the death, and an old fashioned sense of camaraderie. The scene where Robin Hood enters the castle hauling a dead deer on his back is particularly manly.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsJames StewartJean ArthurClaude RainsA naive youth leader is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. His idealistic plans promptly collide with corruption at home and subterfuge from his hero in Washington, but he tries to forge ahead despite attacks on his character.Mr. Smith's political views are neither left wing nor right wing, but simply what he feels is best for the country. A classic film about a man who is criticized by his peers while standing up for his views in the face of political corruption.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneClaire TrevorAndy DevineA group of people traveling on a stagecoach find their journey complicated by the threat of Geronimo and learn something about each other in the process.One of John Wayne's best early films, and has a great chase scene in the middle.
- DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesJoseph CottenDorothy ComingoreFollowing the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.'So legendary and highly regarded that I have little else to say about it.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsHumphrey BogartMary AstorGladys GeorgeSan Francisco private detective Sam Spade takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar and their quest for a priceless statuette, with the stakes rising after his partner is murdered.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsFred MacMurrayBarbara StanwyckEdward G. RobinsonA Los Angeles insurance representative lets an alluring housewife seduce him into a scheme of insurance fraud and murder that arouses the suspicion of his colleague, an insurance investigator.
- DirectorVittorio De SicaStarsLamberto MaggioraniEnzo StaiolaLianella CarellIn post-war Italy, a working-class man's bicycle is stolen, endangering his efforts to find work. He and his son set out to find it.Some will be turned off because it's an artsy Italian film from the 40s. Although I was disappointed with many Neo-realist films from this era, Bicycle Thieves was a very engaging film and is one of the best films about a father son relationship I've ever seen. Has a powerful ending too.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsHumphrey BogartWalter HustonTim HoltTwo down-on-their-luck Americans searching for work in 1920s Mexico convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains."We don't need no stinking badges."
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsTakashi ShimuraNobuo KanekoShin'ichi HimoriA bureaucrat tries to find meaning in his life after he discovers he has terminal cancer.
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsGary CooperGrace KellyThomas MitchellA town Marshal, despite the disagreements of his newlywed bride and the townspeople around him, must face a gang of deadly killers alone at "high noon" when the gang leader, an outlaw he "sent up" years ago, arrives on the noon train.John Wayne called this film unamerican and starred in Rio Bravo as a response. I can't really see how this is unamerican, but this and Rio Bravo are both excellent films. This film in particular shows the consequences of cowardice and the rewards of courage.
- DirectorHenri-Georges ClouzotStarsYves MontandCharles VanelPeter van EyckIn a decrepit South American village, four men are hired to transport an urgent nitroglycerine shipment without the equipment that would make it safe.One of the most underrated manly movies ever made. Despite the first 30 minutes which are quite slow, the rest of the movie features very suspenseful scenes and is one of the most gripping films I have ever seen.
- DirectorGeorge StevensStarsAlan LaddJean ArthurVan HeflinA weary gunfighter in 1880s Wyoming begins to envision a quieter life after befriending a homestead family with a young son who idolizes him, but a smoldering range war forces him to act."A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that." As a supporter of gun ownership rights, I love that quote.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsToshirô MifuneTakashi ShimuraKeiko TsushimaFarmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.Few things are more masculine or intimidating than a samurai. An excellent film from Akira Kurosawa that presents the type of male bonding associated with westerns. This is fitting because the film was a huge influence on later westerns and it was even remade into The Magnificen Seven, featuring cowboys in place of samurai. Every character presents some form of masculinity and there is a strong sense of loyalty among the seven. The youngest one even loses his virginity at one point, impressing everyone in the village except the girl's father.
- DirectorNicholas RayStarsJames DeanNatalie WoodSal MineoA rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies.Teen angst and rebellion shown in a way that holds up very well today. If games of chicken, knife fights, or simply running into large groups of young hoodlums don't remind you in any way of your teenage years, High School must have been a dull point in your life.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneJeffrey HunterVera MilesAn American Civil War veteran embarks on a years-long journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches after the rest of his brother's family is massacred in a raid on their Texas farm.Every man should see at least 1 John Wayne movie in his lifetime. This is John Wayne's ultimate movie.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsHenry FondaLee J. CobbMartin BalsamThe jury in a New York City murder trial is frustrated by a single member whose skeptical caution forces them to more carefully consider the evidence before jumping to a hasty verdict.I would've voted guilty had I been on that jury. Despite that, one can learn a lot of great lessons in masculinity from this film.
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsWilliam HoldenAlec GuinnessJack HawkinsBritish POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.A great war film with an unforgettably suspenseful climax.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsCary GrantEva Marie SaintJames MasonA New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt.Carey Grant plays himself while getting chased by spies, low flying aircraft and hooking up with a hot woman. One of Hitchcock's greatest and is an extremely entertaining film altogether.
- DirectorHoward HawksStarsJohn WayneDean MartinRicky NelsonA small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.Another one of John Wayne's best. Has some great shoot outs, and Angie Dickinson is sexy as hell.
- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsYul BrynnerSteve McQueenCharles BronsonSeven gunfighters are hired by Mexican peasants to liberate their village from oppressive bandits.
- DirectorStanley KubrickAnthony MannStarsKirk DouglasLaurence OlivierJean SimmonsThe slave Spartacus survives brutal training as a gladiator and leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman Republic, as the ambitious Crassus seeks to gain power by crushing the uprising.
- DirectorRobert RossenStarsPaul NewmanJackie GleasonPiper LaurieAn up-and-coming pool player plays a long-time champion in a single high-stakes match.
- DirectorTerence YoungStarsSean ConneryUrsula AndressBernard LeeA resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the American space program.Ursula Andress' bikini scene...need I say more.
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.
- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsSteve McQueenJames GarnerRichard AttenboroughAllied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II.Prison escape stories are a staple of manly movies. Between the great cast and excellent action scenes, this a must see for every man.
- DirectorTerence YoungStarsSean ConneryRobert ShawLotte LenyaJames Bond willingly falls into an assassination plot involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
- DirectorGuy HamiltonStarsSean ConneryGert FröbeHonor BlackmanWhile investigating a gold magnate's smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.If you're going to narrow this list down to 10 movies, make sure this one is still there by the end as it's one of the manliest films ever made and has one of the most epic and exciting endings of all time.
- DirectorStuart RosenbergStarsPaul NewmanGeorge KennedyStrother MartinA laid-back Southern man is sentenced to two years in a rural prison, but refuses to conform.
- DirectorRobert AldrichStarsLee MarvinErnest BorgnineCharles BronsonDuring World War II, a rebellious U.S. Army Major is assigned a dozen convicted murderers to train and lead them into a mass assassination mission of German officers.Probably the first war movie I ever saw a child. Was one of my favorites then and remains a favorite today. A very tough minded film with great humor, memorable characters and an exciting climax.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsHenry FondaCharles BronsonClaudia CardinaleA mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.Henry Fonda played more good guy roles than one can imagine, but in this film he is introduced while shooting a kid in the face. Can't go wrong with a movie featuring him and Charles Bronson. Claudia Cardinale is *beep*ing hot as hell too, and provides a surprisingly well developed character while playing what is all too often a stock character in westerns.
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsCharlton HestonRoddy McDowallKim HunterAn astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet where highly intelligent non-human ape species are dominant and humans are enslaved.
- DirectorDennis HopperStarsPeter FondaDennis HopperJack NicholsonTwo bikers head from L.A. to New Orleans through the open country and desert lands, and along the way they meet a man who bridges a counter-culture gap of which they had been unaware.Ever since I first saw this, I've been meaning to take a road trip across the country alone.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsJohn WayneKim DarbyGlen CampbellA drunken, hard-nosed U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger help a stubborn teenager track down her father's murderer in Indian Territory.John Wayne's most iconic performance as Rooster Cogburn.
- DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsWilliam HoldenErnest BorgnineRobert RyanAn aging group of outlaws look for one last big score as the "traditional" American West is disappearing around them.Outlaws swearing, drinking, mercilessly killing others, robbing a train full of WWI era weapons, and hooking up with Mexican prostitutes. The gloriously bloody final shoot out is one of the best in film history.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.More family friendly than The Wild Bunch, and is a good movie for anyone looking to introduce westerns to their kids. A lot of great action scenes in this movie and is notable for the main characters' heroic exit in the film's final scene.
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsGeorge C. ScottKarl MaldenStephen YoungThe World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.A great character study of one of history's most masculine and hard nosed military leaders.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.An inside look into the mind of a deranged teenager. Disturbing, surreal and funny at the same time, with great social commentary and plenty of female nudity as well.
- DirectorDon SiegelClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodAndrew RobinsonHarry GuardinoWhen a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.Popularized the .44 magnum. This coupled with one of Clint Eastwood's most badass performances as a cop who breaks the rules to make criminals suffer puts this film very high on the list of must see movies for men.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsGene HackmanRoy ScheiderFernando ReyA pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a heroin smuggling ring based in Marseilles, but stopping them and capturing their leaders proves an elusive goal.Contains what is still one of the greatest car chases in film history
- DirectorGordon ParksStarsRichard RoundtreeMoses GunnCharles CioffiA crime lord hires black private eye, John Shaft, to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.One bad mutha...
- DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsDustin HoffmanSusan GeorgePeter VaughanA young American and his English wife come to rural England and face increasingly vicious local harassment.A very raw study of masculinity that accurately depicts what happens when a timid and weak man is pushed beyond his limits. Also features nudity from beautiful Susan George.
- DirectorWei LoStarsBruce LeeNora MiaoJames TienA young man seeks vengence for the death of his teacher.
- DirectorJohn BoormanStarsJon VoightBurt ReynoldsNed BeattyIntent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's dammed and turned into a lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock takes his friends on a canoeing trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.A weekend canoeing trip that devolves into a nightmare involving bowhunting, fighting against harsh elements to survive, and of course the infamous squeal scene.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.The greatest film of all time and also the manliest. Features masculine characters and has a strong theme of honor, respect, and power running throughout it. Reportedly the respectable attitude portrayed by Marlon Brando influenced the attitudes of real life Mafiosos.
- DirectorRobert ClouseStarsBruce LeeJohn SaxonJim KellyA Shaolin martial artist travels to an island fortress to spy on an opium lord - who is also a former monk from his temple - under the guise of attending a fighting tournament.With the excellent action scenes aside, this film shows how incredible Bruce Lee was as a martial artist.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroHarvey KeitelDavid ProvalIn New York City's Little Italy, a devoutly Catholic mobster must reconcile his desire for power, his feelings for his epileptic lover, and his devotion to his troublesome friend.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordRobert ShawTwo grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con.
- DirectorMel BrooksStarsCleavon LittleGene WilderSlim PickensIn order to ruin a western town, a corrupt politician appoints a black Sheriff, who promptly becomes his most formidable adversary.One of the most politically incorrect movies of all time, and that's why men of all ages love it.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJack NicholsonFaye DunawayJohn HustonA private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsGene HackmanJohn CazaleAllen GarfieldA paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.
- DirectorRobert AldrichStarsBurt ReynoldsEddie AlbertEd LauterA sadistic warden asks a former pro quarterback, now serving time in his prison, to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards.Prison violence, football, and Burt Reynolds. What more could you ask for in a manly movie?
- DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsWarren OatesIsela VegaRobert WebberAn American barroom pianist and his prostitute girlfriend go on a trip through the Mexican underworld to collect the bounty on the head of a dead gigolo.Sam Peckinpah was a very masculine director and this is arguably his rawest film.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsMarilyn BurnsEdwin NealAllen DanzigerFive friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.Sure the remake has sexy Jessica Biel in it, but you can't beat the original. Scared people into a state of shock upon it's release and contains one of the most iconic screen villains of all horror films.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsAl PacinoJohn CazalePenelope AllenThree amateur bank robbers plan to hold up a bank. A nice simple robbery: Walk in, take the money, and run. Unfortunately, the supposedly uncomplicated heist suddenly becomes a bizarre nightmare as everything that could go wrong does.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down."We're gonna need a bigger boat." On one level Jaws is a great monster movie about a giant shark and the men who hunt to kill it. If that's not manly enough, this film features the classic boat cabin scene where the men compare scars and Quint tells the memorable tale of the sunken warship.
- DirectorTerry GilliamTerry JonesStarsGraham ChapmanJohn CleeseEric IdleKing Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroJodie FosterCybill ShepherdA mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanMichael OntkeanStrother MartinA failing ice hockey team finds success with outrageously violent hockey goonery.Hockey is a manly sport, and this film perfectly shows the intensity, violence, locker room humor and comaraderie involved with the sport.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.
- DirectorHal NeedhamStarsBurt ReynoldsSally FieldJerry ReedThe Bandit is hired on to run a tractor-trailer full of beer over state lines, in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsJack NanceCharlotte StewartAllen JosephHenry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.A very strange film, and definitely not for everyone. Despite being one of the least conventional stories ever put on film, it does portray primal male fantasies and fears beneath all of the strangeness.
- DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Hui LiuLieh LoYue WongA man studies kung fu at the Shaolin Temple to fight back against the oppressive Manchu government.
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsJohn BelushiKaren AllenTom HulceAt a 1962 college, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, but those troublemakers have other plans for him.
- DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsDavid EmgeKen ForeeScott H. ReinigerDuring an escalating zombie epidemic, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter and his TV executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.Post apocalyptic stories and zombie outbreaks have become a staple of masculine fantasy. Nearly every guy I know has some kind of plan for a zombie apocalypse. While this movie is a lot more silly and outdated than the remake, it shows the level of fun that can be attributed to the zombie apocalypse.
- DirectorMichael CiminoStarsRobert De NiroChristopher WalkenJohn CazaleAn in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.Sometimes described as Halloween and Jaws set in space. This film and it's sequel popularized female action stars and as a result Sigourney Weaver is more badass than a great deal of male movie stars. Aliens is more of an action film, while this is more of a horror film, and both are equally great. This film in particular is most famous for the stomach bursting scene. And fortunately we also get to see some partial nudity of Sigourney Weaver.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.Insanity, war, drugs, a helicopter attack set to "Ride of the Valkyries," and the classic line "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." This film is a very dark, surreal journey through hell on earth from the perspective of a wartorn mind. There is lots of depth, but it can be equally enjoyed for it's entertainment values and simpler moments.
- DirectorGeorge MillerStarsMel GibsonJoanne SamuelHugh Keays-ByrneIn a self-destructing world, a vengeful Australian policeman sets out to stop a violent motorcycle gang.Quite outdated and not as good as its sequel, but it still features some great action scenes, an awesome shotgun as Max's primary weapon, and has a raw style that action film buffs will enjoy.
- DirectorWalter HillStarsMichael BeckJames RemarDorsey WrightA street gang known as the Warriors must fight its way from the Bronx to its home turf on Coney Island when its members are falsely accused of assassinating a respected gang leader.Great gang fighting scenes. Extra manly points go to this film due to reports that fights broke out during screenings of this film.
- DirectorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsRobert HaysJulie HagertyLeslie NielsenAfter the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.One of the most quotable comedies and greatest spoofs ever made, before those untalented hacks who made "Epic Movie" ruined the genre. Also watch for the gratuitous but awesome shot of the topless woman bouncing her breasts for the camera.
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsJohn BelushiDan AykroydCab CallowayJake Blues rejoins with his brother Elwood after being released from prison, but the duo has just days to reunite their old R&B band and save the Catholic home where the two were raised, outrunning the police as they tear through Chicago.The one musical that men will proudly watch. Also has one of the most hilarious car chases ever put on film.
- DirectorHarold RamisStarsChevy ChaseRodney DangerfieldBill MurrayAn exclusive golf course has to deal with a flatulent new member and a destructive dancing gopher.When one thinks of classic comedies that many men have seen and quote on a regular basis, this is the first one to come to mind.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroCathy MoriartyJoe PesciThe life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Arguably better than it's predecessor, and shows a more dramatic side to the Star Wars saga before it involved teddy bear warriors, whiny Annakin, and that horrible Jar Jar Binks. Considering that the film begins with Han Solo saving Luke from freezing by stuffing him inside an animal carcass, and is followed by the battle on Hoth, the classic "I am your Father" scene, and many other great moments, this is definitely a manly film and a must see.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsJürgen ProchnowHerbert GrönemeyerKlaus WennemannA German U-boat stalks the frigid waters of the North Atlantic as its young crew experience the sheer terror and claustrophobic life of a submariner in World War II.One of the most intense, realistic and harrowing war films ever made. Also shows a very different side to German WWII soldiers, the side which did not agree with Hitler's politics, but simply did their job to serve their country during a war that none of them fully understood. Nearly every character in this movie is honorable and sympathetic, and you will route for them by the end of the film.
- DirectorGeorge MillerStarsMel GibsonBruce SpenceMichael PrestonIn the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline-rich community to get rid of a horde of bandits.A better movie than the original overall and has an excellent car chase along with some very raw action scenes. Also noteworthy because many post-apocalyptic films draw inspiration from this film.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.The first and best of the Indiana Jones films.
- DirectorGerald PottertonJohn BrunoJohn HalasStarsRichard RomanusJohn CandyJoe FlahertyA glowing green orb that embodies ultimate evil terrorizes a young girl with an anthology of bizarre and fantastic stories.The ultimate fantasy for adolescent males, and adolescents at heart. With an awesome soundtrack, gratuitous cartoon violence, and the unbelievably sexy, and mostly naked, female warrior Taarna, this is a must see. The kids in South Park had to get high to attempt to see Taarna nude, fortunately the rest of us can simply watch this film and see her in all her animated glory.
- DirectorWalter HillStarsKeith CarradinePowers BootheFred WardDuring a routine exercise, a team of National Guardsmen are threatened by angry and violent locals.The trailer compared this film to Deliverance and Apocalypse Now. I can definitely see the comparisons. A great adventure film.
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayJohn CandyHarold RamisTwo friends who are dissatisfied with their jobs decide to join the army for a bit of fun.
- DirectorWalter HillStarsNick NolteEddie MurphyAnnette O'TooleA hard-nosed cop reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal temporarily paroled to him in order to track down a killer.Eddie Murphy from his glory days, before he acted in idiotic comedies and children's films. A great action movie as well.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.
- DirectorAmy HeckerlingStarsSean PennJennifer Jason LeighJudge ReinholdA group of Southern California high school students are enjoying their most important subjects: sex, drugs and rock n' roll.Phoebe Cates and Jennifer Jason Leigh are both very sexy, and Cates' topless scene remains a favorite among many.
- DirectorTed KotcheffStarsSylvester StalloneBrian DennehyRichard CrennaA veteran Green Beret is forced by a cruel Sheriff and his deputies to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.Rambo himself has become a definition for ultimate masculinity. Although not as bloody as the sequels, it's still the best of the series.
- DirectorBob ClarkStarsDan MonahanMark HerrierWyatt KnightIn 1954, a group of Florida high-school guys try to help their buddy lose his virginity, which leads them to seek revenge on a sleazy nightclub owner and his redneck sheriff brother for harassing them.Not as good as Animal House, but still lots of fun. Features a scene in the middle which is impossible to watch without even grinning.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
- DirectorJohn MiliusStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerJames Earl JonesMax von SydowA powerful warrior seeks to avenge the genocide of his people and the murder of his parents at the hands of a snake cult.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsKlaus KinskiClaudia CardinaleJosé LewgoyThe story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an extremely determined man who intends to build an opera house in the middle of a jungle.Can't get much manlier than hauling a ship over the side of a mountain.