The last ten years have been good to guy movies. You want sex and violence in equal measures? You’ve got hundreds of films to choose from.
But which are the very best guy movies of the decade? Here’s our take. These movies had to appeal primarily to guys, but did not have to be your typical crash-em-up, blow-em-up blockbuster.
10. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Ang Lee’s martial arts epic stands up to multiple viewings, even years later. The story is compelling, the acting is stellar, and the direction is fantastic.
9. Borat. Unbelievably crude and inappropriate. Unbelievably funny from almost start to finish.
8. The Bourne series. In Jason Bourne, Matt Damon creates a new kind of action hero – smart, controlled and deadly. Some of the best chase scenes around.
7. The 40 Year Old Virgin. The movie that made Judd Apatow, not to mention Steve Carell. The 40 Year Old Virgin proved that romantic comedies could actually appeal to guys.
6. Kill Bill. Quentin Tarantino’s wacky take on martial arts films. While not for everyone’s tastes, the fight scenes are hard to beat.
5. Gladiator. Russell Crowe at his manly best. An excellent cast conveys the intensity and gore of gladitorial combat.
4. The Departed. The best Scorcese film of the decade starred Leonardo DiCaprio in a role that was actually not annoying. Add in Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon and you’ve got a top-notch gangster drama.
3. There Will Be Blood. Now, one could argue that this is not strictly a guy movie. But it is about manly men doing manly things like drilling for oil, so it makes the list. The great Daniel Day Lewis does it again with an unflinching performance as a consummately evil man that is beguiling nonetheless.
2. Casino Royale. The best Bond movie of the decade and one of the best ever. Daniel Craig brings us a newer, manlier James Bond – one who can show emotion and still look great in a tux.
1. Memento. This is a truly great movie that many people forget about. It follows Guy Pearce as he pieces together fragments of his memory. A kaleidoscopic film about the all-consuming need for vengeance, this movie is the most original and entertaining of the last decade.
This list won’t make everyone (anyone?) happy, but what’s what lists like this are for – to encourage debate and get you thinking. So what would you add or take away from this list?
December 21st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I haven’t seen all of these, but the one’s I have seen I love, so I’ll take your word for it and check out the rest! Cool!
December 21st, 2009 at 10:14 pm
This is great saw 7 of them…
December 21st, 2009 at 11:31 pm
I have seen them all. Outstanding list, but Kill Bill should be replaced by Inglorious Basterds.
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Seen them all and agree with everything except Memento-now a great movie but shouldnt be on this list at all. Inglorious Basterds should be on this list….and There will be Blood should be number 1. Daniel Day Lewis is without a doubt currently the greatest actor performing today and his performance was nothing short of amazing.
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
With the exception of Gladiator, I have to disagree with this list. Three of these movies would make it mandatory for any guy to turn in his ‘Man Card’ permanently.
What about Snatch, Fight Club, Sin City and Boondock Saints? And for the gore factor, let’s not forget The Devils’s Rejects – Rob Zombie’s finest.
December 30th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Alan, man get yur arse into the current decade. Wasn’t Fight Club and Boondock Saints released in 1999? And what about Snatch? you ask. Well for one thing, it was a P.O.S. movie. Rob Zombie? Come on man. wtf
February 19th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Crouching tiger hidden dragon lowered my iq watching it, and borat was funny in the previews….. how about batman begins and dark knight, death sentence, law abiding citizen, 300, oceans series…. list isn’t terrible, but there are WAY better movies than that this decade.