Best Movies for Men: 25 Films Every Guy Should See

It’s hard to give a clear definition of what a movie for men is. Different men have different tastes, and that’s also seen in movies. But there are some movies that usually cater mostly to men. Why? Perhaps the intense action, car chases and gangsters, war stories, the deep and strong storyline, but all those would be limited definitions.

There are also good comedies and dramas as well that men find attractive. Something that tickles their intellect in ways other movies can’t is also another reason and there are a few titles that do that and do it well.

All in all, sometimes you just need to forget about other ways of entertainment and sit down on your couch, turn on the TV and play a good movie, one that will have you stuck on the couch for those one or two hours.

And if you don’t have an idea on what to play, have a look below. We’ve strived to make a selection of the best 25 films every guy should see. Thank us later.

25. Old School (2003)

As one of the best comedy films around, 2003’s Old School, from director Todd Philips, and starring the the comedian Will Ferrell in the role of Frank “The Tank”, manages to amuse its viewers time and time again, no matter how many times they’ve watched it.

It’s Ferrell’s most iconic role and an unforgettable one. The movie itself is packed with fun moments and also a good amount of man love, making it a must watch for any guy. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. If you did, watch it again.

24. Wedding Crashers (2005)

Some may look towards action movies only, with guns and explosions and manly eye candy, but the romantic comedy Wedding Crashers is a very appealing film, even for the manliest of men out there.

It came out in 2005 and is filled with moments of laughter and bromance that every man will love. The story follows two separation lawyers with an interesting hobby: crashing weddings so they could flirt with hopeless romantic women. At least until they find their “the one” and things complicate.

23. CaddyShack (1980)

The older CaddyShack is a sports comedy that follows the story of Danny Noonan, who’s forced to work as a golf caddy at the Bushwood Country Club in order to pay for his college.

But there’s something fishy going on at the club, and Danny is caught in the middle of it all. And he’s willing to do almost anything to raise those money. But when all hell breaks loose, will he be able to?

22. Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)

One year later after playing in Old School, Will Ferrell gets himself a role in a new comedy movie, the Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, in which he starts a dispute on-air with Veronica Corningstone, played by Christina Applegate.

The dispute costs Ron his job, but eventually he’ll get a chance to save his career. And judging by the fact that this is one of Ferrell’s most comedic roles, expect plenty of laughter.

21. Step Brothers (2008)

Will Ferrell strikes again, this time in Step Brothers, released in 2008, which is definitely one of the funniest movies ever made.

Together with John C. Reilly, they jump in the shoes of two step brothers in their late thirties who still live with their parents.

20. The Bourne Trilogy (2002 – 2007)

Moving on from comedies, we’ve got The Bourne Trilogy. It’s one of the best action thriller movies out there, and it comprises The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), all of them gathering massive commercial success.

Brilliant actor Matt Damon stars in the role of Jason Bourne, an ex CIA agent who suffers from amnesia and tries to uncover his past. What he finds out is dangerous and deadly. If you haven’t seen the series yet, it’s a must.

19. Iron Man (2008)

Marvel Comics’ 2008 Iron Man was a blockbuster, a really massive one, so it’s almost impossible you’ve missed.

But if you did, make sure you grab a copy and immerse yourself in the universe of Tony Stark, a genius billionaire industrialist who invents an iron man suit and turns himself into a superhero. It’s Marvel, and it’s a good one.

18. Die Hard (1988)

Die Hard is one of those action movies with the perfect ingredients for a man’s favorite movie. It’s a 1988 film, but it’s still good today.

In fact, it’s legendary. It wonderfully combines action scenes with comedy, and has that way of keeping you on the edge from beginning to the end.

17. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Shawshank Redemption, with Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, is an exceptional film, one that defies any genre you might want to put it in.

It tackles various universal themes, while keeping you interested with both action and good humor.

16. The Matrix (1999 – 2021)

The Matrix series is simply iconic, especially the first three movies. With a story about a future in which the Earth is controlled by machines through a simulated reality, while most of humanity has been almost wiped out, and the few humans left are used as fuel sources for the machines, it keeps you glued to the screen to the very end, and leaves you wanting more when it eventually ends.

The question is.. which is your favorite Matrix movie?

15. Inception (2010)

Yes, Inception has Leonardo DiCaprio in the main role and yes, this is one of the best Sci-Fi thriller films ever made. It’s a mind bending story of dreams inside dreams and about a professional thief who enters other people’s dreams to steal important secrets from their subconscious.

That thief is DiCaprio’s character, Dom Cobb. He’s given a chance to clear his criminal record and get his family back, but for that he needs to plant someone else’s idea into a target’s subconscious, the exact reverse of what he used to do.

And guess who directed and wrote the script for this one. It’s none other but the legendary Christopher Nolan.

14. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Continuing with Leonardo DiCaprio, this time for a biography, we’ve got the acclaimed The Wolf of Wall Street.

It’s based on the memoir with the same name by former stockbroker and trader Jordan Belfort, following his real life story of how he made his fortunes through pump and dump schemes and how he was eventually jailed for crime and fraud.

13. Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas was dubbed as the best gangster and crime movie of all time, a masterpiece produced by the legendary Martin Scorsese.

The 1990 film is actually an adaptation of a non fiction book, Wiseguy, written by Nicholas Pileggi. And among its cast, you’ll get to see Robert De Niro, Lorraine Bracco, and Joe Pesci, who received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, playing the cruel Tommy Devito.

12. The Big Lebowski (1998)

The 1998’s crime comedy The Big Lebowski has become a cult favorite despite the fact that it wasn’t a big box office hit when it appeared.

Written, produced, and directed by one of Hollywood’s best, Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski brings together all the right ingredients for being an excellent movie. It’s unique, it’s fun, and gets better and better the more you watch it.

The story follows Jeff Lebowski, known as “The Dude”, a laid-back individual who gets mistaken as the millionaire Jeffrey Lebowski, aka The Big Lebowski, whose wife has dangerous connections in the Los Angeles underworld. What follows is one of the best stories of crime and comedy ever created.

11. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

The 1992 Reservoir Dogs is Quentin Tarantino’s debut as an independent filmmaker, and, as you might expect, it’s got all the ingredients of a classic Tarantino movie.

The story starts with a perfectly planned jewelry heist that goes south. The remaining criminals start suspecting that one of them is working as an undercover informant for the police. From here on, everything gets interesting, to say the least.

10. 300 (2006)

The unforgettable 300 is a war movie. A gory one, riveting and masterfully made. It’s a fictional portrayal of 300 Spartan warriors in the Battle of Thermopylae as part of the Persian War.

Gerard Butler plays King Leonidas, leading his 300 Spartans to battle against the Persian God King Xerses and his huge army consisting of 300,000 soldiers. If you haven’t seen this one yet, it’s time to see it.

9. Braveheart (1995)

Braveheart is a timeless classic, a historical drama of epic proportions. It hasn’t been called one of the most incredible films in history for nothing.

In the main role we’ve got multiple award winner Mel Gibson, who also co-produced the film. The result is an astonishing story, following Sir William Wallace (Mel Gibson), a 13th century Scottish warrior who led his people against King Edward I in the First Scottish Independence War.

8. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

For all those passionate about war movies, Full Metal Jacket is not to be missed. It’s a very intense war movie, disturbing through the way it captures the violence and gore of the Vietnam war during the late ’60s.

Stanley Kubrick’s classic tells the story of a group of marines as they battle their way first through basic training, under an abusive drill instructor, and then through the Vietnamese jungle and the horrors of the war.

7. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan is one of the most realistic war movies ever created. It’s a masterpiece that comes from legendary director Steven Spielberg, depicting a fictional story in which Captain John Miller, wonderfully played by Tom Hanks, leads his team on a special mission of finding and bringing home one Private James Ryan, after all his other brothers are killed in the war.

But the most impressive part of the film and the one it was most praised for was the very raw and graphic depiction of the D-Day landings at the Omaha Beach in Normandy, and the horrors of the battle of Normandy that unfolded afterwards.

And that’s not all. The movie had an impressive cast, with Tom Sizemore, Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Edward Burns, Adam Goldberg and Barry Pepper among the most prominent figures.

6. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 Inglourious Basterds, is set during the World War II as well, in Nazi occupied France in 1944, and follows Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), who, with his team of Jewish soldiers on a mission to decapitate the Third Reich of its leaders.

Once it was out, Inglorious Basterds joined the ranks of the best action movies ever made, with all the elements that make it a perfect guy movie.

5. The Departed (2006)

Having Martin Scorsese as the director and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg, the epic crime thriller The Departed will bring you all the suspense, violence, crime in an epic storytelling that should impress any man who’s looking for a good thriller.

The twists and turns will keep you in front of your screen until the very end. Definitely a must-see for fans of the genre.

4. Rocky (1976)

Rocky follows the struggle of local underdog boxer Rocky Balboa, played by Silvester Stallone, in his attempt to rise from the tough streets of Philadelphia and become one of the best boxers of all time.

It’s a movie about overcoming hardships more than just violence, and it’s why it makes it extremely enjoyable for the male audience. There have been countless sequels ever since, but there’s nothing like the first movie.

3. The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather shouldn’t be on this list. It should be on every man’s list of favorite movies, as it’s one of, if not the best movie to ever come out of Hollywood.

Besides the main gangster theme, the film also brings in family, honor, and revenge into play, making it a true epic that’s only enhanced by the stellar play of Al Pacino in the role of Michael Corleone, involved in his family’s mafia operation.

Some people might say that The Godfather: Part II is even better than the first movie, but to us the first part is a lot more exciting.

2. Top Gun (1986)

Top Gun is the quintessential aviator movie. We’re talking about the 1986 one here, with a young Tom Cruise in the role of Maverick, fighting to get to the top of the best aerial combat school in the US Navy. Iceman, played by Val Kilmer, is giving him a hard time throughout the school both in the air and on the ground.

The 2022 sequel (Top Gun: Maverick) is very good as well, but it doesn’t beat the original.

1. Fight Club (1999)

Fight Club may be the very best film a man can see. It’s simply one of the best movies of all time, there’s no doubt about that.

It stars Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, both in the role of an insomniac who starts an underground fight club, a movement that catches on all over America, eventually leading to sheer chaos.

Final Thoughts

There you go, some of the best movies for men, from comedies, to gangster and crime thrillers and war movies, only the best of the best.

We won’t believe you haven’t at least seen some of the titles, but if you haven’t, it’s time you did. There’s nothing else better to do right now after all, is it?