Showdown In Little MoFo: A List Of My Favorite Action Movies!

8. Die Hard (1988)



There's a reason this is considered the greatest action film of all time. Could it be Bruce Willis' relatable, wisecracking hero John McClane? Or is it the simple, yet excellent approach from John McTiernan? Is it the endlessly quotable script that gives me and I'm sure many others day-to-day quotes? Or is it Alan Rickman's fantastic villian that gives us someone to truly boo and hiss at? Or is it, at the end of the day, because this is how an action film should be? It seems almost every action film that comes out today is a PG-13 kids movie. This is hardcore: violent as hell, foul, full of f-bombs, some '80's nudity and that great '80's look in the photography. It's got everything that makes me love the action genre and even though it's only #8 on this list, I doubt you could find a better and more influential '80's action vehicle.

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"George, this is a little too much for me. Escaped convicts, fugitive sex... I've got a cockfight to focus on."

Oh sorry Tyler but you just made a major mistake. By listing Die Hard at a mere #8 you have ruined the list. In fact having it anywhere but #1 makes the list null and void!

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JayDee, believe me, if this was a 'best' action film list, Die Hard would take the number one spot again and again, but when it comes to 'favourites', there are seven other films that I think are just a little more important in cementing my love for the action genre.

Yippee ki yay mother f****r!

7. Out For Justice (1991)



This is the film that was instrumental in cementing my love for Steven Seagal. I had seen and already loved Under Siege, but it was Out For Justice that made me think "this guy's a badass". With his horrible wardrobe and cliched dialogue, Steven Seagal still manages to give a decent performance as Gino Fellino, the Brooklyn cop hunting childhood adversary turned psychotic drug dealer, who killed his partner and is basically making a day out of being a menace. There are plenty of great moments, action-wise, including a hilarious bar brawl and the finale, in which Seagal manages to shoot off a guy's leg with a shotgun.

This is just great Seagal fun, with a better story and acting than you'd expect.

I really loved his first 5 movies. After that it's been up and down.

Before you started your top 10 I said I thought I could predict a good chunk of it. That was not one I was expecting. Perhaps that will be the next Seagal effort I try out

I think you'll like this one a lot, JD. Lots of humour mixed with some dark moments.

6. Cliffhanger (1993)



My favourite Stallone actioner. For all the Rambos, all the Rockys, all the others, I love Cliffhanger more than any of them and for good reason. Renny Harlin's structure of the action scenes is superb, he creates a lot of excitement and tension with his filmmaking techniques and the music, which is amazing (I hum the theme all the time). Stallone can play this kind of role in his sleep and John Lithgow is delightfully villainous as the baddie, with a solid script, with great dialogue and an excellent opening.

Stallone's best and one of the best action films of the '90's.

Cliffhanger is one of those movies that reminds me of a throwback to the disaster movie. Daylight was the other.

Great movies.

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Never cared for Cliffhanger. I simply don't get the love for it.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

5. Sudden Death (1995)



By far my favourite Van Damme flick, and a much better Die Hard clone than you'd expect, mainly because of the awesome stunts and action sequences, great performances from both Van Damme and Powers Boothe, competent direction from the underrated Peter Hyams and the great scene featuring the fight between JCVD and a Penguin mascot.

Haven't seen it since it was out but I remember really liking it.

Very nice choice, love me some Sudden Death.

And I'm sorry Tyler but I'm now going to use your thread to shamelessly plug my review of said film! Sudden Death review

Y'know, I don't know if I've ever seen Sudden Death or not.

Definitely check it out, HK. As you can see, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

4. Con Air (1997)



Ridiculously ludicrous, but totally over the top in its enjoyability, Con Air is a film that never ceases to amaze me in it's appeal and it's rewatchability factor. Simon West delivers an extremely impressive debut (for what it is), and one definitely has to account for the Cage; he's great, totally turning people's opinions of him on their heads and completely stealing JCVD's look from Hard Target. And the score is amazing. Actually, everything about it is amazing (for what it is).

Not a fan of Cage or Bay but Con Air is an exception to the rule. Enjoyable hokum

I absolutely love Con Air, one of those films that you can watch over and over again and is always enjoyable fun :P

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I just don't care for this at all.