Aaron’s Top 15 Movies for Guys in Their 30s

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Aaron’s Top 15 Movies for Guys in Their 30s

Posted on 27 November 2007 by Aaron Phillips

This post was inspired by pure boredom. As I let it simmer, it became a challenge. Originally, I was going to do a Top 10, but found that this was nearly impossible. And then to figure the format and order became an issue for me also, so I decided to create a countdown from 15th to 1st (in my opinion of course), and then add the criteria of being a hit between the time of childhood to a 30 year old adult. So if you're between the ages of 28-34 and a red blooded American male who doesn't play ball in left field, you will probably be able to relate to these picks! Feel free to comment on something I might have missed or placed in the wrong order. Here we go…..

15. Star Wars

Star Wars

Seeing how there are 6 films in the Star Wars saga, this placement is more geared toward the original, although I thoroughly enjoyed the most recent releases as well. I enjoyed them because of the originals 4, 5, and 6. My dad took me to see all three, although I only remember seeing Return of the Jedi in the theater, and I was mesmerized. Over the course of my childhood, I acted out the characters in these movies with my friends, whether I was pretending a broom stick was a light saber or my bike was a speeder bike. Not to mention Princess Leah and what that outfit in Jabba's lair did for my hormones. The most recent 3 are put into a different category - more along the lines of The Lord of the Rings. Both trilogies are great, but don't make the cut because of timing.

14. Rocky

Again, something from my childhood. Sylvester Stallone's underdog story. All of the Rockys were pretty good, especially the one with Mr. T. We actually have these on video. Don't think I saw the original in theaters, but my four brothers and I would watch them and then we'd beat the crap out of each other for hours at a time with tube socks wrapped around our fists. This is probably where a lot of the violence originated that was evident when we became teens.

13. Back to the Future

I saw this in the theater and have to admit I wanted to be just like Michael J. Fox (Marty). The skateboard, Nikes and the vest! An all-around cool movie and instant classic.

12. Top Gun

I probably wasn't allowed to see this as a child because of the language and sex scene, but managed to see this anyway. Nothing was going to keep me from F-16s , Kelly McGillis and guys saying cuss words I'd never heard before.

11. Indiana Jones

I mean, what can I really say about these movies? Indiana was a true man's man, and growing up in a third world country made these movies even more exciting and my adventures roaming the jungles and streets of Costa Rica with absolutely no adult supervision even better.

10. Ferris Bueler's Day Off

Ferris Bueller

Bomp bomp, chica chica bomp bomp! The one and only good movie Matthew Broderick ever made. Watching this at the age of 12 or 13, this movie was hilarious! Strangely enough, at 30 this movie is still hilarious to me. That chick was hot too.. The twist and shout scene was the best! I try to get my wife and kids to do that routine with me (They stare at me with puzzled expressions).

9. Die Hard

Another movie I wasn't allowed to watch as a kid, but managed to get a hold of. Die Hard set a new standard for action movies and action heroes. Bruce Willis was it. I was saying yippie kai yay ******* for weeks. Its now one of the movies I watch every Christmas.

8. Tombstone

Tombstone

"Im your huckleberry" - Val Kilmer at his best. By far the best western for my time.

7. Good Fellas

Almost the best Gangster movie of all time. DeNiro and Pesci- extremely violent yet Deneiro made looking bad so good. Very intense and testosterone-filled movie.

6. Gladiator

The movie takes place in ancient Roman times. The story is reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo. It's a story of vengeance. Superb acting and some pretty powerful fight scenes. It's one of those movies you can just watch over and over again.

5. The Matrix

The Matrix

Innovative film making at its best. I was taken back when I saw this movie. I wasn't expecting it at all. Phenomenal special effects stuff that had never been done before. Keanu Reeves did surprisingly well in the role of Neo. The story line was different in a good way (at least for the first one), and the character Trinity was great. The action sequences were amazing and the bad guys were convincing. Instant classic.

4. Heat

Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro and Val Kilmer all in the same film - what more could you ask for in a movie? Good guy versus bad guy, cat and mouse chase to the very end. This film is intense, and its Pacino Vs DeNiro! C'mon!

3. The Family Man

Nicolas Cage in somewhat of a rendition of It's a Wonderful Life. It's a comical flick. It has Tea Leoni in it, and after having kids of my own, I could relate to a lot of the dialogue and some of the feelings expressed. This movie probably ranks higher than it should simply because I am following a time line from childhood to adult. But it's still a good soft-hearted comical drama that brings some balance to the list.

2. The Godfather

Say what you will, but you can not deny the intrigue generated by the Mafia. This Francis Ford Copolla saga starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, and Robert DeNiro can be hard to follow and hard to watch all the way through, but it really tells a believable story of two generations of Mafia from Vito the original godfather to Michael Corleone who later became godfather. Some of the best acting I have ever seen.

1. Brave Heart

Braveheart

The story of William Wallace directed by and starring Mel Gibson. This film has everything a guy could want in a movie, and William Wallace is what every guy aspires to be: Courageous, Noble, Feared and Legendary.

For the un-drafted picks, these are films that should get some recognition but didn't make my list: Goodwill Hunting, A Few Good Men, Batman, JFK, Hoosiers, Office Space, Pulp Fiction, and Old School.

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1 Comments For This Post

Daniel Dessinger Says:
November 27th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
Okay, I’m going to start off by saying that I could not have made this list. I have no concept of what guys in their 30s do or should prefer when it comes to movies. I like what I like, so I can only give you my top 15 films… and you won’t like it.

15. Sabrina
14. Two Weeks Notice
13. Little Man Tate
12. About a Boy
11. Knotting Hill
10. Outbreak
9. The Village
8. You’ve Got Mail
7. Kate & Leopold
6. Meet Joe Black
5. French Kiss
4. The Siege
3. The Matrix
2. Se7en
1. Great Expectations

There’s a quick and painless list. I could easily add Tombstone, Training Day, Conspiracy Theory, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Die Hard to my list of top favorites.

I could never add Back to the Future, Ferris Bueller, Heat, Top Gun, Rocky, or Good Fellas to my list.

There you go. I’m all about the chick flick.