3 Of The Best Masculine Movies Released In The Last Decade

I usually don’t like list posts as they can be lacking in substance overall but I thought I’d throw together some masculine movies of the last decade (roughly). I see many of these lists but they usually draw from movies of decades past, which is great because there are plenty of good movies out there made awhile ago. However what is getting more and more rare is quality movies made in modern Hollywood. A couple here and there slip through but for the most part they are subervsive masculine hating B.S., also I wanted to take a second to talk about the importance of art.

Much is talked about what is wrong with modern art, film, and “literature” and much of this criticism is spot on. But what is missed is that art is needed in any movement or line of thought to be truly effective. Sure modern art is largely subversive and bad but if no alternative is offered then it will continued to be consumed. Humans need art in their lives whether that’s music, film, books, paintings, plays, or anything else that expresses art.

I know many see movies, books, or even games as mindless distractions but these are all things that have huge impact on the societies that they’re in. Imagine if a red pill book sparked and took off like 50 Shades Of Grey, imagine if that happened to Man Up? Of course it’d be fought tooth and nail instead of promoted at every corner but you get the point. Art has tremendous power as we know from sales people are sold on emotion not logic. And art is great in not only stirring up the emotions but also touching the primal spiritual parts of man.

This is a discussion I’ll get deeper into at another time. Just understand that art is no small matter as a matter of fact it is one of the most powerful for affecting change. Keep that in mind, so these movies are more then just good flicks. They reflect something much more timeless and deep and frankly it’s a surprise that any of them were made in modern Hollywood. Alright let’s go down the list.

The Grey

Once more into the fray.

Into the last good fight I’ll ever know.

Live and die on this day.

Live and die on this day.

Usually poems and song written for movies (that didn’t first come from an old book) are so cheesy are bad that they’d be better off if they left them out. Not with The Grey. I’ll save spoilers but this movie has one of the best masculine, will to power endings that I’ve ever seen. Liam Neeson stars in this with a group of oil rig workers (or something) whose plan crashes into the Alaskan wilderness. They are then set upon by a group of wolves and have to work to escape all while fighting the wolves at every turn.

However this is far more than an action flick. This is more about a Nietzschian struggle for survival and the might makes right rules of nature. The men bond together throughout the movie as they struggle against the unforgiving world around them. This movie highlights strength, force of will, and how no matter how hard we strive and fight it may ultimately be for not. It also highlights the truth that we are alone and no one will save us but our own strength and even then…who knows. Be sure to check it out.

Lawless

Lawless tells a story of Virginia moonshiners fighting against corrupt big city law enforcement. That sentence alone highlights many of the good themes of the movie. The free wolves fighting against the corrupt and psychotic sheep dog. Of the free mountain men fighting against the corrupted sickening influence of civilization. And so on and so forth. This story focuses on the Bondurant brothers who refused to pay comission to a new deputy from Chicago trying to strong arm them which leads to the battle between the forces described above.

This movie highlights men standing their ground and refusing to back down. It highlight having the strength to fight instead of kneeling down to a threat. It highlights the theme of choosing freedom over the comfort and safety of slavery even if it means your life. Values that men have lost in this modern age. Tom Hardy does a great job playing the main character and this is a film you’ll definitely want to check out.

300

This movie caused hissy fits all across the nation. Every limp wristed panty waste journalist lamented about the historical inaccuracy (what movie isn’t?) and other bad bad things about this movie but the real reason was because it depicted strong men and masculinity unapologetically. Again we have the themes of dying fighting with your balls and freedom intact as opposed to “living” on your knees. We have strong men banding together and fighting against a great threat. This movie is seen by most as simply an action flick but they are missing so much.

This movie celebrates masculinity, strength, brotherhood, tribe, and honor. Something that those that have been corrupted by the modern world simply don’t understand. To hold your honor and the honor of your tribe above your own life. To be a part of something bigger and greater than yourself while still holding your own independence and strength. A film against the modern age. Worth checking out.

The Power Of Art

The power of film can be used for inspiring, for education, while at the same time being entertaining. We learn best through stories, and these are well told stories with good themes. You’ll notice there’s no Conan The Barbarian, Predator, Braveheart, Fight Club, Gladiator, or the like because like I said I wanted to include more recent ones. If there’s one I missed that you think of add in the comments.

If you have any questions you would like to see answered in a future post send them to me at charlessledge001 (at) gmail (dot) com. If you found value in this post then I would encourage you to share this site with someone who may need it as well as check out my books here. I appreciate it.

-Charles Sledge