11. Aliens (1986)
Logline: Ripley accompanies a crew of space marines to a colony attacked by acid-spitting creatures from the first film.
Memorable Moments: “Get away from her, you bitch,” remains one of the most cheer-inducing lines in the history of action films. The fight between the Mother Alien and Ripley in the loading bot holds up well after all these years, and so does the unexpected bisection of actor Lance Henriksen.
Why Guys Dig It: Action, action, and more action! Plus, it never hurts to see a woman kick a little backside.
12. Alien (1979)
Logline: A crew of space explorers becomes the victims of a rogue alien creature with intentions of murder and reproduction.
Memorable Moments: In much the same fashion of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, this film catches you off guard with the cast it chooses to kill and the unexpected brutality and realism of the creature. And how can you leave out the chest-bursting scene?
Why Guys Dig It: It’s moody, claustrophobic, atmospheric and scary. After all these years, movies such as Pandorum and Event Horizon are trying to replicate its effects.
13. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Logline: Three very different investigators clash over a murder investigation with implications of police corruption in Fifties Los Angeles.
Memorable Moments: The massacre at the Nite Owl diner initially comes to mind, but it takes a back seat to the tension that crackles on the screen between Officers Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) and Bud White (Russell Crowe). These are very different men, who hate each other, and both actors turn them into star-making roles. (White: “The Nite Owl case made you. You’re telling me you want to tear all that down? Exley: “With a wrecking ball. Wanna help me swing it?”)
Why Guys Dig It: The action is gritty. The stars are compelling. The characters are well drawn from the psyche of men everywhere.
14. The Godfather (1972)
Logline: An aging mob boss struggles between legacy and family amid the burgeoning drug trade of the Forties.
Memorable Moments: The horse head in the bed and Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes are not the only two great moments of The Godfather. There is also the murder of Sonny Corleone and the hard-hitting finish as Michael moves to dispatch all of the men who played a role in his father’s assassination attempt.
Why Guys Dig It: There is something very empowering about using force to get what you want. Don Vito Corleone makes a career of it, tempered with a passionate love for his children.
15. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
Logline: Two men who hate each other race against time and a ruthless mercenary to uncover buried gold in a cemetery.
Memorable Moments: Lee Van Cleef has a fun time being bad in this classic Western. Whether he’s taking payments from targets to kill his employers or torturing men for information, he is the Man in Black and will stop at nothing to get the treasure before Blondie (Clint Eastwood) and Tuco (Eli Wallach) can.
Why Guys Dig It: A massive Western like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly appeals to any man who had a thing for showdowns, independence, and mano-y-mano violence.
16. Backdraft (1991)
Logline: Two brothers on the Chicago Fire Department work together to bring down a deadly arsonist.
Memorable Moments: Lots of stunning fire play and explosions in this one. Virtually every backdraft will take your breath away and the unhinged performance of Donald Sutherland as a mentally ill arsonist lights up the screen. Not to mention that touching and exciting finale!
Why Guys Dig It: Brothers share a close bond that few people who have never experienced it ever could. Backdraft captures this connection perfectly. That, and how can you not appreciate a cast that includes Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rebecca DeMornay, and the late great J.T. Walsh?
17. The Shining (1980)
Logline: An author goes crazy and tries to kill his family while acting as the caretaker of a haunted hotel during a brutal winter storm.
Memorable Moments: Jack Nicholson is completely deranged as Jack Torrance, a family man with an inner darkness that finally boils over to madness at a chilling moment in the film as he stalks wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) up the staircase with “redrum” on his mind. Son Danny’s haunting and violent visions in the hallway hint at the place’s dark history and its possible deadly future. “Heeeeere’s Johnny!”
Why Guys Dig It: Aside from Nicholson’s performance, men dig what the movie has to say about routines and commitments, and how they can sometimes drive you a little crazy.
18. The Departed (2006)
Logline: Two double agents—one mob, one cop—engage in a violent struggle to discover the other’s identity.
Memorable Moments: Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) rules the Irish Mafia with a brutal hand. Bringing up police officer Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) as his successor provides many violent thrills and chills, but nothing compares to the shocking surprise ending.
Why Guys Dig It: What guy hasn’t ever wanted to play hardcore cops and robbers? It’s why Grand Theft Auto is such a successful franchise of video games, and it’s why this Martin Scorsese film is among the maestro’s best.
19. Once Upon a Time in the West (1969)
Logline: A mysterious drifter and a ruthless enforcer for a railroad baron head for a showdown to settle an untold score.
Memorable Moments: Henry Fonda himself is a memorable moment in this film. Always one to play the white hat hero, he takes a 180-degree turn and goes for pure evil, killing men, women and children, all while flashing those baby blues at the camera. Charles Bronson, the harmonica playing good guy, has a score to settle, and in a legendary opening sequence, proves himself capable of the job. Facing down three men with three horses, he stands alone on the other side of the tracks. “You forgot your horse,” one of the men laughs. In cold, wooden, and wonderful Bronson fashion, he simply replies, “Looks like you brought two too many.” You can probably guess what happens next.
Why Guys Dig It: Quentin Tarantino idolized director Sergio Leone for this film in particular, even shooting a new trailer for the special edition DVD. The coolness of both protagonist and antagonist makes this one not to miss!
20. The Cowboys (1972)
Logline: After his employees abandon him to find gold, a rancher reluctantly takes on a group of boys for a dangerous cattle drive.
Memorable Moments: “Forgive me for all those men I’ve killed out of anger, and for all those I’m about to.” This line launches a sudden burst of violence that culminates in one of the most gratifying kills of any bad guy to grace the Silver Screen. And speaking of villains, Long Hair (Bruce Dern) became the most hated man in America for what he does to the Duke.
Why Guys Dig It: John Wayne by this time was your rugged grandfather, who may be old, but he could still take you to the woodshed if you needed it. He is both abrasive and approachable, and there is something about him you can’t help loving. We also dig the great ending.
