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Movies today are further losing connection with the modern male. It’s depressing to think that many young males are growing up now with the message that men are to be embarrassed of their masculinity- and, as many movies, television shows and commercials infer, that they are to behave to the exact opposite of their natural personalities.

This is obviously wrong. Much like young law school students, a well cultured student can learn a hell of a lot from watching quality cinema- especially on what a true man is. With that being said, here are five movies that embody true masculinity.

5. Man on Fire

Man on Fire is a novel (and subsequently, a film) that characterizes the masculine trait of being hard boiled, yet still being selfless and caring. In the most recent version of the movie (starring Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning), the movie inevitably ends in a gory and depressing way- yet the movie in and of itself presents that of a masculine overtone. Denzel Washington’s character John Creasy is a man who has many flaws, but he works extremely hard to not only get the job done, but actually come to terms with his own needs and problems. If anything, Man on Fire is a movie about being more than a mercenary: it’s about being a damn man, through and through.

4. 300

Mentioning 300 to any reader is essentially useless, but I think it’s important to anyway. The thing that makes 300 a wonderful movie is not the extreme violence or lines made of pure awesome, but rather a sign of masculinity in respect to servitude for one’s country. Unlike most films on this theme, 300 is not an American love fest about patriotism for the Red White and Blue- it’s about being responsible and strong in general, even when you know you’re gonna get destroyed. In a way, 300 is a symbol of how true challenges should be taken- not by bending over and taking whatever comes, but fighting it even if it seems (or is) impossible.

3. Oceans 11 (12, and 13)

Now, I’ve touched far too much on the topic of being overly “strong” masculine, so let’s touch on the side of masculinity that is less violent and more refined. The Oceans series is absolutely nothing about being strong or demanding anything- rather, it’s about being clever and classy, and charming to boot. If anything, the Oceans series is like a textbook on how to be masculine in professional settings- not loud or ostentatious, but smart, quick, efficient, and well dressed on top of all of that. Plus, the series is absolutely hilarious at times. Worth a rent, by all means.

2. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

This movie almost explains itself. The character Indiana Jones is all about adventure- that is, that desire to get out there and do what we all wanted to do as kids and explore and do fun things for the rest of our lives. However, Indiana Jones is also more than just the adventure- the character is intelligent and well spoken, which makes him more than a “Conan the Barbarian goes Exploring” kind of character- it’s all about being smart and knowing how to be adventurous on top of that.

1. American Gangster

American Gangster is the closest thing to a true movie about being a man that I have seen in a LONG time. Denzel Washington plays Frank Lucas, a man who is best known as the man behind mass drug smuggling using cadavers from Vietnam. And sure, that’s horrible- but what American Gangster does is portray this beyond the concept of “drugs are bad”, and shows a side of Frank Lucas as a man who takes himself with nothing and builds an empire to make a wonderful life for his family. By all means, Frank Lucas was not a man that should be emulated- but American Gangster is a movie that shows the side of raw masculinity that needs to be shown on movie screens today.

With that being said, many more movies exist than these five that embody masculine traits- this is only a cross section of movies that, in my opinion, show a true side to being masculine: a side that involves strength and character, not sexual obsession and weakness- the masculinity of our forefathers, really. And in this case, they did have something right.

Tags: 300, american gangster, film, indiana jones, man on fire, masculine theory, oceans 11