![General Premise: An aging Secret Service agent (Clint Eastwood) who is fairly close to retirement crosses paths with a former CIA agent who now has the ambition of murdering the President of the United StatesIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Even though I have yet to reach the age of a "senior citizen," I have been around enough of my older relatives, and particularly my older male relatives, enough to know that many of them have a hard time accepting that their youthful and energetic days have passed.Secret Service Agent Frank Horrigan (Eastwood) has a hard time accepting the fact that he is at an age where he needs to retire. The fact is, he has lost a step. Or two. Or three. On top of that, he is still haunted by the fact that he failed to prevent the assassination death of former President John F. Kennedy (at least within the world of this fictional story).If you are a young or middle aged man, will you be ready to embrace your years of 65 and older? Or will you slowly transition into your own delusional fantasy world, and lead your mind to believe that you are still in your twenties, thirties, forties, or fifties?Only time will tell. Remember: You are never too old to be someone's hero.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/cc/3e/cc3e8f78da60f2effd4f757c35928ae9.jpg?itok=AJqpPkGk "General Premise: An aging Secret Service agent (Clint Eastwood) who is fairly close to retirement crosses paths with a former CIA agent who now has the ambition of murdering the President of the United StatesIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Even though I have yet to reach the age of a "senior citizen," I have been around enough of my older relatives, and particularly my older male relatives, enough to know that many of them have a hard time accepting that their youthful and energetic days have passed.Secret Service Agent Frank Horrigan (Eastwood) has a hard time accepting the fact that he is at an age where he needs to retire. The fact is, he has lost a step. Or two. Or three. On top of that, he is still haunted by the fact that he failed to prevent the assassination death of former President John F. Kennedy (at least within the world of this fictional story).If you are a young or middle aged man, will you be ready to embrace your years of 65 and older? Or will you slowly transition into your own delusional fantasy world, and lead your mind to believe that you are still in your twenties, thirties, forties, or fifties?Only time will tell. Remember: You are never too old to be someone's hero."){kind=small}
![General Premise: A young urban professional a.k.a. "yuppie" (James Spader) who is intelligent and ambitious, but lacks courage and backbone, befriends a mysterious stranger (Rob Lowe) who offers him advice on how to climb the ladder to career success and personal happinessIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Surely if you are 21 years of age or older, you have met a guy who initially seemed very cool, down-to-earth, helpful, and enjoyable to be around. Then a few days, weeks, or months later, you realize your new friend has some quirks and behavioral habits that just do not mesh right with you and your personality.Many men and women who swear by the Christian Bible say that Lucifer (otherwise known as "The Devil" or "Satan") never 'forces' human beings to do anything that they really do not want to do. The Devil simply monitors your more selfish, immoral, and unethical desires, and whispers in your ear and mind, "Go ahead ... do it. You know you want to."This is never clearly said in the film, but my best speculation is that Lowe's character represents Satan, similar to Al Pacino's character in The Devil's Advocate. If he is not Lucifer himself, he is definitely an agent of or fan of the Fallen Angel.Choosing quality friends is not a challenge unique to men ... because many women face this challenge as well. Men though love bonding with other men, and enjoying the camaraderie of new male acquaintances. You have to watch yourself. Some new male friends may prove to be a "bad influence" in your life, and the next thing you know, your life is spiraling out of control. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/3b/e8/3be80d110b8fe41cc892ade6f1381d2c.jpg?itok=SRHg7FB_ "General Premise: A young urban professional a.k.a. "yuppie" (James Spader) who is intelligent and ambitious, but lacks courage and backbone, befriends a mysterious stranger (Rob Lowe) who offers him advice on how to climb the ladder to career success and personal happinessIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Surely if you are 21 years of age or older, you have met a guy who initially seemed very cool, down-to-earth, helpful, and enjoyable to be around. Then a few days, weeks, or months later, you realize your new friend has some quirks and behavioral habits that just do not mesh right with you and your personality.Many men and women who swear by the Christian Bible say that Lucifer (otherwise known as "The Devil" or "Satan") never 'forces' human beings to do anything that they really do not want to do. The Devil simply monitors your more selfish, immoral, and unethical desires, and whispers in your ear and mind, "Go ahead ... do it. You know you want to."This is never clearly said in the film, but my best speculation is that Lowe's character represents Satan, similar to Al Pacino's character in The Devil's Advocate. If he is not Lucifer himself, he is definitely an agent of or fan of the Fallen Angel.Choosing quality friends is not a challenge unique to men ... because many women face this challenge as well. Men though love bonding with other men, and enjoying the camaraderie of new male acquaintances. You have to watch yourself. Some new male friends may prove to be a "bad influence" in your life, and the next thing you know, your life is spiraling out of control. "){kind=small}
![General Premise: A young guy (Seth Rogen) who just loves partying with his buddies and hitting on women ends up having a one-night stand with a slightly inebriated beautiful woman (Katherine Heigl) who he and his close friends consider to be "out of his league," and to his surprise, he finds out later that he got the woman pregnantIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Many young guys who have read one or more of my books tend ask me, "Alan ... how can I build up enough confidence to approach women who are 'out of my league'?" Personally, I do not believe in the notion of a woman being "out of a guy's league." I see women as either being interested in you romantically or sexually ... or not interested in having sex with you and dating you.Most men dread thinking about the idea of getting a woman pregnant after a one-night stand or weekend fling. Over half of the reason is because usually, you tend to have a one-night stand or weekend fling with women who you do not look at as "wife" material or "long-term girlfriend" material. In those situations where our primary objective is short-term non-monogamous sex, we as men really just want enjoyable sex and satisfying orgasms.What if the tables were turned? What if you had sex with a woman who you did look at as potential "girlfriend" material, but it was the woman who looked at you as just a casual roll-in-the-hay? This was the situation that Rogen's character of "Ben Stone" found himself in.Even though this is primarily a comedy, the film had some dramatic moments that were very touching. If a man is about to become a father for the first time ... he has absolutely no idea what to expect. Even the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama said that when she was pregnant with President Obama's oldest daughter Malia, he once took a walk around the block numerous times because he was sort of "stressing out" about his impending foray into fatherhood.The greatest responsibility any man will ever have in life is being responsible for providing food and security to children who depend on them. Many men run away from this responsibility.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/85/7f/857f4978bdf1ba7714f60d416310c783.jpg?itok=8jmjJszD "General Premise: A young guy (Seth Rogen) who just loves partying with his buddies and hitting on women ends up having a one-night stand with a slightly inebriated beautiful woman (Katherine Heigl) who he and his close friends consider to be "out of his league," and to his surprise, he finds out later that he got the woman pregnantIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Many young guys who have read one or more of my books tend ask me, "Alan ... how can I build up enough confidence to approach women who are 'out of my league'?" Personally, I do not believe in the notion of a woman being "out of a guy's league." I see women as either being interested in you romantically or sexually ... or not interested in having sex with you and dating you.Most men dread thinking about the idea of getting a woman pregnant after a one-night stand or weekend fling. Over half of the reason is because usually, you tend to have a one-night stand or weekend fling with women who you do not look at as "wife" material or "long-term girlfriend" material. In those situations where our primary objective is short-term non-monogamous sex, we as men really just want enjoyable sex and satisfying orgasms.What if the tables were turned? What if you had sex with a woman who you did look at as potential "girlfriend" material, but it was the woman who looked at you as just a casual roll-in-the-hay? This was the situation that Rogen's character of "Ben Stone" found himself in.Even though this is primarily a comedy, the film had some dramatic moments that were very touching. If a man is about to become a father for the first time ... he has absolutely no idea what to expect. Even the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama said that when she was pregnant with President Obama's oldest daughter Malia, he once took a walk around the block numerous times because he was sort of "stressing out" about his impending foray into fatherhood.The greatest responsibility any man will ever have in life is being responsible for providing food and security to children who depend on them. Many men run away from this responsibility."){kind=small}
I love good movies and high quality independent films.
The main reason why I moved to Los Angeles in late May of 1994 was because at the time, I wanted to become a high-ranking, powerful feature-film development executive. I had an internship in Beverly Hills at New Line Cinema film production and distribution company that exposed me to various facets of the feature-film industry.
I read dozens of spec scripts as part of my internship (a 'spec script' is a screenplay written by an up-and-coming or unknown screenwriter who is attempting to sell his work and/or get his work "optioned"; For example, if Paramount Pictures offers me a $50,000 / $300,000 option, that basically means that they will pay me $50,000 upfront just for the opportunity to have the exclusive rights to read my script for three-to-six months ... and then, if they choose to "green light" the script and have it made into a feature-film, then I would receive an additional $250,000 in compensation. If they pass on the script, I get to keep the $50,000 and try to sell it to another movie studio or production company).
My taste in movies is very eclectic. I love all genres of film: dramas, comedies, horror, suspense thrillers, biographical tales and period pieces, and action movies. For the purposes of this article, I want to offer my suggestions for films that best ask (and hopefully answer) one or more of these questions:
"How do I handle being a father for the first time?"
"How do I determine who is really my friend versus someone who just wants to take advantage of me?"
"How do I handle the process of getting older and experiencing declining health and energy?"
"How do I get away from a lifestyle of poverty and violence and attempt to improve my life?"
"How close is my bond with my closest male friends? Would I sacrifice my life in order to save theirs?"
"Will some of the best memories I cherish for the rest of my life be the times I spent on a 'road trip' with my closest male friends?"
"Do I need someone to light a fire under my butt to help me get out of a 'rut' and do what I need to do to improve my career and my finances?"
"Have I taken time out of my life to be a 'big brother' or 'mentor' to someone younger than me who needs good advice and wisdom?"
"If my best male friend does not care for my new girlfriend, should I dump her to remain friends with him? Or should I sacrifice my friendship with him in order to maintain my romantic relationship with my new girlfriend?"
"If I see that hundreds or thousands of people are at risk of being harmed, should I put my own life at risk in order to provide them with safety?"
"Which is more important: My career success and financial security? Or my sense of moral character, honesty, and integrity?"
"How do I reveal to my closest male friends that I feel depressed and lonely after breaking up with my last long-term girlfriend? How do I ask for tips on how to approach new women, initiate a conversation with them, and ask for their phone number?"
"How do I learn to stand up for myself against other guys who are trying to 'bully' me?"
"What is the key to achieving my most desired goals and objectives in life? Just how hard must I work in order to achieve them?"
"Is it better to be non-confrontation with others and do whatever the status quo is doing? Or should I be bold enough to blaze my own trail in this life, and exhibit behavior that goes against the grain of conventional wisdom?"
"How would I go about teaching my son how to develop confidence and backbone in order to be a man? What if I was put in a situation where I had to show my older brother or even my father how to be more of a man?"
"Am I a man who has truly lived up to my potential? Or am I a man who has a profound 'fear of success' that has prevented me from using my gifts, skills, and talents to the highest degree?"
"Am I a man who looks for the 'easy way' to do things? Am I afraid of complex challenges that may prevent me from achieving my desired goals and objectives? Am I afraid of failure?"
"How do I learn to avoid conflict and violence when even the police are not committed to protecting the members of the community?"
"What do I need to do to attract my first girlfriend ever? Or at minimum, get laid for the first time ever?"
"How do I go about getting a new job when I am broke and unemployed, even though I have a child to raise and attend to as a single father?"
"If I was convicted for a crime that I did commit, how would I suppress my anger and bitterness and eventually adjust to life in prison?"
"How do I find the strength to go on in life after I have seen my parents get murdered in cold blood? How do I fight violent criminals without resorting to gun violence myself?"
"How do I overcome my fears, doubts, insecurities, and cowardice to become a real man or else risk being killed by a stranger?"
"If someone from another neighborhood, city, region, or country came into my community threatening to enslave my male friends and I, and even worse, rape and sexually take advantage of our women, would I stand up for myself if it meant possibly being killed or imprisoned by these men? Or would I just give in to their demands in order to avoid being killed or put in a prison cell?"
As the #1 male Dating & Relationships columnist on The Examiner.com, I am going to share with you my choices for the films that best address these questions and themes.
![General Premise: A young guy (Seth Rogen) who just loves partying with his buddies and hitting on women ends up having a one-night stand with a slightly inebriated beautiful woman (Katherine Heigl) who he and his close friends consider to be "out of his league," and to his surprise, he finds out later that he got the woman pregnantIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Many young guys who have read one or more of my books tend ask me, "Alan ... how can I build up enough confidence to approach women who are 'out of my league'?" Personally, I do not believe in the notion of a woman being "out of a guy's league." I see women as either being interested in you romantically or sexually ... or not interested in having sex with you and dating you.Most men dread thinking about the idea of getting a woman pregnant after a one-night stand or weekend fling. Over half of the reason is because usually, you tend to have a one-night stand or weekend fling with women who you do not look at as "wife" material or "long-term girlfriend" material. In those situations where our primary objective is short-term non-monogamous sex, we as men really just want enjoyable sex and satisfying orgasms.What if the tables were turned? What if you had sex with a woman who you did look at as potential "girlfriend" material, but it was the woman who looked at you as just a casual roll-in-the-hay? This was the situation that Rogen's character of "Ben Stone" found himself in.Even though this is primarily a comedy, the film had some dramatic moments that were very touching. If a man is about to become a father for the first time ... he has absolutely no idea what to expect. Even the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama said that when she was pregnant with President Obama's oldest daughter Malia, he once took a walk around the block numerous times because he was sort of "stressing out" about his impending foray into fatherhood.The greatest responsibility any man will ever have in life is being responsible for providing food and security to children who depend on them. Many men run away from this responsibility.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/04/c0/04c00c1ee9f769a6537c3826cf4e3db3.jpg?itok=tntpsArT "General Premise: A young guy (Seth Rogen) who just loves partying with his buddies and hitting on women ends up having a one-night stand with a slightly inebriated beautiful woman (Katherine Heigl) who he and his close friends consider to be "out of his league," and to his surprise, he finds out later that he got the woman pregnantIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Many young guys who have read one or more of my books tend ask me, "Alan ... how can I build up enough confidence to approach women who are 'out of my league'?" Personally, I do not believe in the notion of a woman being "out of a guy's league." I see women as either being interested in you romantically or sexually ... or not interested in having sex with you and dating you.Most men dread thinking about the idea of getting a woman pregnant after a one-night stand or weekend fling. Over half of the reason is because usually, you tend to have a one-night stand or weekend fling with women who you do not look at as "wife" material or "long-term girlfriend" material. In those situations where our primary objective is short-term non-monogamous sex, we as men really just want enjoyable sex and satisfying orgasms.What if the tables were turned? What if you had sex with a woman who you did look at as potential "girlfriend" material, but it was the woman who looked at you as just a casual roll-in-the-hay? This was the situation that Rogen's character of "Ben Stone" found himself in.Even though this is primarily a comedy, the film had some dramatic moments that were very touching. If a man is about to become a father for the first time ... he has absolutely no idea what to expect. Even the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama said that when she was pregnant with President Obama's oldest daughter Malia, he once took a walk around the block numerous times because he was sort of "stressing out" about his impending foray into fatherhood.The greatest responsibility any man will ever have in life is being responsible for providing food and security to children who depend on them. Many men run away from this responsibility.")
![General Premise: A young urban professional a.k.a. "yuppie" (James Spader) who is intelligent and ambitious, but lacks courage and backbone, befriends a mysterious stranger (Rob Lowe) who offers him advice on how to climb the ladder to career success and personal happinessIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Surely if you are 21 years of age or older, you have met a guy who initially seemed very cool, down-to-earth, helpful, and enjoyable to be around. Then a few days, weeks, or months later, you realize your new friend has some quirks and behavioral habits that just do not mesh right with you and your personality.Many men and women who swear by the Christian Bible say that Lucifer (otherwise known as "The Devil" or "Satan") never 'forces' human beings to do anything that they really do not want to do. The Devil simply monitors your more selfish, immoral, and unethical desires, and whispers in your ear and mind, "Go ahead ... do it. You know you want to."This is never clearly said in the film, but my best speculation is that Lowe's character represents Satan, similar to Al Pacino's character in The Devil's Advocate. If he is not Lucifer himself, he is definitely an agent of or fan of the Fallen Angel.Choosing quality friends is not a challenge unique to men ... because many women face this challenge as well. Men though love bonding with other men, and enjoying the camaraderie of new male acquaintances. You have to watch yourself. Some new male friends may prove to be a "bad influence" in your life, and the next thing you know, your life is spiraling out of control. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/ac/e2/ace257c722642f3941add21f60b53e4a.jpg?itok=QrutBMn0 "General Premise: A young urban professional a.k.a. "yuppie" (James Spader) who is intelligent and ambitious, but lacks courage and backbone, befriends a mysterious stranger (Rob Lowe) who offers him advice on how to climb the ladder to career success and personal happinessIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Surely if you are 21 years of age or older, you have met a guy who initially seemed very cool, down-to-earth, helpful, and enjoyable to be around. Then a few days, weeks, or months later, you realize your new friend has some quirks and behavioral habits that just do not mesh right with you and your personality.Many men and women who swear by the Christian Bible say that Lucifer (otherwise known as "The Devil" or "Satan") never 'forces' human beings to do anything that they really do not want to do. The Devil simply monitors your more selfish, immoral, and unethical desires, and whispers in your ear and mind, "Go ahead ... do it. You know you want to."This is never clearly said in the film, but my best speculation is that Lowe's character represents Satan, similar to Al Pacino's character in The Devil's Advocate. If he is not Lucifer himself, he is definitely an agent of or fan of the Fallen Angel.Choosing quality friends is not a challenge unique to men ... because many women face this challenge as well. Men though love bonding with other men, and enjoying the camaraderie of new male acquaintances. You have to watch yourself. Some new male friends may prove to be a "bad influence" in your life, and the next thing you know, your life is spiraling out of control. ")
![General Premise: An aging Secret Service agent (Clint Eastwood) who is fairly close to retirement crosses paths with a former CIA agent who now has the ambition of murdering the President of the United StatesIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Even though I have yet to reach the age of a "senior citizen," I have been around enough of my older relatives, and particularly my older male relatives, enough to know that many of them have a hard time accepting that their youthful and energetic days have passed.Secret Service Agent Frank Horrigan (Eastwood) has a hard time accepting the fact that he is at an age where he needs to retire. The fact is, he has lost a step. Or two. Or three. On top of that, he is still haunted by the fact that he failed to prevent the assassination death of former President John F. Kennedy (at least within the world of this fictional story).If you are a young or middle aged man, will you be ready to embrace your years of 65 and older? Or will you slowly transition into your own delusional fantasy world, and lead your mind to believe that you are still in your twenties, thirties, forties, or fifties?Only time will tell. Remember: You are never too old to be someone's hero.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/5a/61/5a610cebbcebc6dcb05fb6dc7105ec1e.jpg?itok=v5fNKYSd "General Premise: An aging Secret Service agent (Clint Eastwood) who is fairly close to retirement crosses paths with a former CIA agent who now has the ambition of murdering the President of the United StatesIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Even though I have yet to reach the age of a "senior citizen," I have been around enough of my older relatives, and particularly my older male relatives, enough to know that many of them have a hard time accepting that their youthful and energetic days have passed.Secret Service Agent Frank Horrigan (Eastwood) has a hard time accepting the fact that he is at an age where he needs to retire. The fact is, he has lost a step. Or two. Or three. On top of that, he is still haunted by the fact that he failed to prevent the assassination death of former President John F. Kennedy (at least within the world of this fictional story).If you are a young or middle aged man, will you be ready to embrace your years of 65 and older? Or will you slowly transition into your own delusional fantasy world, and lead your mind to believe that you are still in your twenties, thirties, forties, or fifties?Only time will tell. Remember: You are never too old to be someone's hero.")
![General Premise: A teenage boy and member of a notorious gang (Edgar Flores) growing up in Central America reaches out to help a teenage girl (Paulina Gaitan) and her family remain safe as they attempt to move from The Republic of Honduras to Mexico, and eventually the United StatesIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I love foreign films. Many of my friends hate subtitles, but if a movie is good ... it is good. I don't care what language it is filmed in. Over the last 10-15 years, I have watched an average of five-to-ten foreign films per year.Sin Nombre is hands down one of the best foreign films I have ever seen. The writing, acting, and directing in this film is exceptional. Some young men cannot relate to gang life, because they were fortunate enough to be born and raised in a neighborhood that was far removed from socio-economic factors that breed gang banger lifestyles.For many guys in different cities in the US and internationally, the only way you can prevent yourself from being bullied and harmed is to become initiated into a gang.The lead character in this film, Casper, does not want remain in a gang. He wants more for his life. Also, he has fallen in love with his girlfriend. After the head gang member rapes and kills his girlfriend, Casper is ready to take off from his world of drama, violence, and murder and move on.Casper tries to persuade his young protégé named "Smiley" (Kristyan Ferrer, who was a terrific child actor in the film) to leave the gang too, but Smiley wants to prove to the gang that he is "not a punk."How many young guys grow up with that being their #1 mission in life? "Hey ... I ain't no punk. I ain't no wimp. I'm as tough as anyone!!" Many of the pre-teens and teenagers looking to prove they are not a "punk" end up dead soon after joining a street gang.You do not need to murder people, harm people, or bully people to prove that you are "not a punk." Simply do not allow others who are "bad influences" to sway you away from your beliefs, convictions, principles and beliefs. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/39/7b/397bc4bab237ffd6a72db30a888a41ae.jpg?itok=8OfVUqNu "General Premise: A teenage boy and member of a notorious gang (Edgar Flores) growing up in Central America reaches out to help a teenage girl (Paulina Gaitan) and her family remain safe as they attempt to move from The Republic of Honduras to Mexico, and eventually the United StatesIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I love foreign films. Many of my friends hate subtitles, but if a movie is good ... it is good. I don't care what language it is filmed in. Over the last 10-15 years, I have watched an average of five-to-ten foreign films per year.Sin Nombre is hands down one of the best foreign films I have ever seen. The writing, acting, and directing in this film is exceptional. Some young men cannot relate to gang life, because they were fortunate enough to be born and raised in a neighborhood that was far removed from socio-economic factors that breed gang banger lifestyles.For many guys in different cities in the US and internationally, the only way you can prevent yourself from being bullied and harmed is to become initiated into a gang.The lead character in this film, Casper, does not want remain in a gang. He wants more for his life. Also, he has fallen in love with his girlfriend. After the head gang member rapes and kills his girlfriend, Casper is ready to take off from his world of drama, violence, and murder and move on.Casper tries to persuade his young protégé named "Smiley" (Kristyan Ferrer, who was a terrific child actor in the film) to leave the gang too, but Smiley wants to prove to the gang that he is "not a punk."How many young guys grow up with that being their #1 mission in life? "Hey ... I ain't no punk. I ain't no wimp. I'm as tough as anyone!!" Many of the pre-teens and teenagers looking to prove they are not a "punk" end up dead soon after joining a street gang.You do not need to murder people, harm people, or bully people to prove that you are "not a punk." Simply do not allow others who are "bad influences" to sway you away from your beliefs, convictions, principles and beliefs. ")
![General Premise: Two men (Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña), who have developed a close friendship while working together as police officers in one of the toughest neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, find themselves targeted to be killed by members of a South American drug cartelIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Some moviegoers probably looked at this film as a movie simply about "good guys vs. bad guys," but this film is a really a story about male bonding and a strong, brotherly like friendship between two police officers who are partners.Mike (Peña) is more of a loyal family man who is deeply in love with his wife, who was his high school sweetheart. Brian (Gyllenhaal) is more of a womanizing, fun-loving free-spirit who is not afraid to smart-mouth anyone, including his boss.I cannot talk about this film without giving too much away, but I will simply ask you: How many close male friends would you take a bullet for? I mean, literally. How many of your close male friends would you sacrifice your life in order to protect and save theirs? Marinate on that question for a few days, weeks, and months. "Friendship" should never be used loosely. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/38/78/3878737da9ca90d2e495e3c0b71cfc0c.jpg?itok=e9jkz42O "General Premise: Two men (Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña), who have developed a close friendship while working together as police officers in one of the toughest neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, find themselves targeted to be killed by members of a South American drug cartelIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Some moviegoers probably looked at this film as a movie simply about "good guys vs. bad guys," but this film is a really a story about male bonding and a strong, brotherly like friendship between two police officers who are partners.Mike (Peña) is more of a loyal family man who is deeply in love with his wife, who was his high school sweetheart. Brian (Gyllenhaal) is more of a womanizing, fun-loving free-spirit who is not afraid to smart-mouth anyone, including his boss.I cannot talk about this film without giving too much away, but I will simply ask you: How many close male friends would you take a bullet for? I mean, literally. How many of your close male friends would you sacrifice your life in order to protect and save theirs? Marinate on that question for a few days, weeks, and months. "Friendship" should never be used loosely. ")
![General Premise: Two close male friends (Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms) travel to Las Vegas to celebrate the upcoming wedding of their buddy (Justin Bartha); The soon-to-be-bride's brother (Zach Galifianakis) also comes along with the three to Vegas, but after a wild night of partying and drinking, the fellas find themselves not able to remember what happened the night before, and unable to find their buddy who is the upcoming groom.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I know most men enjoy spending quality time with their girlfriends or wives, but I would argue that some of your best memories as a man come from just hangin' out with your closest male buddies. Especially if you all are hangin' out with one another while out-of-town somewhere.Hopefully, when you are somewhere between 18 years of age and 35 years of age, you have had the opportunity to take at least one "road trip" with two or more of your closest male friends.One of my most memorable times like this began on a Friday night in March 1995, when me, my older brother, and three other close friends made a very 'spontaneous' decision to travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas at about 1:00 AM PST. This was my first time ever in Vegas, and I had a blast. We still talk about what happened that weekend to this day.My real life adventure in Vegas would not hold a candle to what happened to the fictional characters in the movie The Hangover, but that movie simply makes me think of all of the good times I have ever had in Las Vegas, and all of the good times I have ever had hangin' out with my closest male friends.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/f9/2e/1363632253_8778_TheHangover.jpg?itok=nA9ykpUf "General Premise: Two close male friends (Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms) travel to Las Vegas to celebrate the upcoming wedding of their buddy (Justin Bartha); The soon-to-be-bride's brother (Zach Galifianakis) also comes along with the three to Vegas, but after a wild night of partying and drinking, the fellas find themselves not able to remember what happened the night before, and unable to find their buddy who is the upcoming groom.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I know most men enjoy spending quality time with their girlfriends or wives, but I would argue that some of your best memories as a man come from just hangin' out with your closest male buddies. Especially if you all are hangin' out with one another while out-of-town somewhere.Hopefully, when you are somewhere between 18 years of age and 35 years of age, you have had the opportunity to take at least one "road trip" with two or more of your closest male friends.One of my most memorable times like this began on a Friday night in March 1995, when me, my older brother, and three other close friends made a very 'spontaneous' decision to travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas at about 1:00 AM PST. This was my first time ever in Vegas, and I had a blast. We still talk about what happened that weekend to this day.My real life adventure in Vegas would not hold a candle to what happened to the fictional characters in the movie The Hangover, but that movie simply makes me think of all of the good times I have ever had in Las Vegas, and all of the good times I have ever had hangin' out with my closest male friends.")
![General Premise: A group of real estate salesmen (Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, and Jack Lemmon) spend a lot of time whining and complaining about how much they hate their jobs, but then a top company salesman by the name of "Blake" (Alec Baldwin) informs them that there are new sales leads available to them known as the "Glengarry leads."IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: At one point in my twenties, I was pursuing an acting career. I remember I was once in a stage play, but I failed to win the audition for the lead male character. My director said, "There are no 'small parts' in this play. Every part is significant."At the time, I was like "He is just saying that to make me feel better." After viewing the David Mamet's film Glengarry Glen Ross, I realized I had to agree with my former stage play director. Alec Baldwin is only in this film for maybe fifteen or twenty minutes, but he damn near steals the movie.The speech by Baldwin's character of "Blake" to the disgruntled salesmen of a Chicago real estate office is priceless.Have you ever been an employee who was constantly complaining about your boss, your co-workers, or the responsibilities of your job? If you have not been this person, have you worked with others who were like this?My attitude is, if you don't like what you are doing ... quit. Find another job that you actually do like. But do not sit around whining and complaining everyday and every week.You know what it takes to sell real estate? Brass balls.If you have not yet seen this film, you will enjoy it thoroughly.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/5e/c7/5ec720deab7cbe4102c20ffab5169222.jpg?itok=KwMpqWKw "General Premise: A group of real estate salesmen (Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, and Jack Lemmon) spend a lot of time whining and complaining about how much they hate their jobs, but then a top company salesman by the name of "Blake" (Alec Baldwin) informs them that there are new sales leads available to them known as the "Glengarry leads."IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: At one point in my twenties, I was pursuing an acting career. I remember I was once in a stage play, but I failed to win the audition for the lead male character. My director said, "There are no 'small parts' in this play. Every part is significant."At the time, I was like "He is just saying that to make me feel better." After viewing the David Mamet's film Glengarry Glen Ross, I realized I had to agree with my former stage play director. Alec Baldwin is only in this film for maybe fifteen or twenty minutes, but he damn near steals the movie.The speech by Baldwin's character of "Blake" to the disgruntled salesmen of a Chicago real estate office is priceless.Have you ever been an employee who was constantly complaining about your boss, your co-workers, or the responsibilities of your job? If you have not been this person, have you worked with others who were like this?My attitude is, if you don't like what you are doing ... quit. Find another job that you actually do like. But do not sit around whining and complaining everyday and every week.You know what it takes to sell real estate? Brass balls.If you have not yet seen this film, you will enjoy it thoroughly.")
![General Premise: A young African-American high school student (Rob Brown) with a talent for basketball and an even greater talent for writing and English crosses path with a well-known, well-respected book author (Sean Connery) who has become a low-key recluse in his old ageIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: When I was the Program Coordinator for a nationwide mentoring program at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana, I would show this movie each and every year to the incoming freshmen as part of the program's "Summer Bridge Academy" which was held in July every year.I will confess ... I am somewhat partial to films where the lead character and male protagonist is a writer, author, screenwriter, playwright, editor, blogger, etc. Many times, when you are a young black male with some degree of writing talent, you are tempted to hide it for fear of having some of your peers label you a "nerd" or "bookworm."This was, to a degree, the case with the character of Jamal Brown. He had a gift for writing, but he never liked emphasizing it or talking about it because basketball was where he earned most of his respect from his male peers. Many men, and particularly Black men, have written lyrics for songs, musicals, and stage plays. Many rappers are even underrated as writers and lyricists.To take it a step further, what if you were a high school student who had an English teacher who did not feel like you deserved to attend his prestigious prep school, and accused you of plagiary when you hand in your essay paper?I do not want to give away too many plot points for those who have not seen this film, but this movie left an indelible impression on me for sure.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/de/6c/de6c982c5f10d4aa48aaf132586826cd.jpg?itok=9EPDNTgA "General Premise: A young African-American high school student (Rob Brown) with a talent for basketball and an even greater talent for writing and English crosses path with a well-known, well-respected book author (Sean Connery) who has become a low-key recluse in his old ageIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: When I was the Program Coordinator for a nationwide mentoring program at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana, I would show this movie each and every year to the incoming freshmen as part of the program's "Summer Bridge Academy" which was held in July every year.I will confess ... I am somewhat partial to films where the lead character and male protagonist is a writer, author, screenwriter, playwright, editor, blogger, etc. Many times, when you are a young black male with some degree of writing talent, you are tempted to hide it for fear of having some of your peers label you a "nerd" or "bookworm."This was, to a degree, the case with the character of Jamal Brown. He had a gift for writing, but he never liked emphasizing it or talking about it because basketball was where he earned most of his respect from his male peers. Many men, and particularly Black men, have written lyrics for songs, musicals, and stage plays. Many rappers are even underrated as writers and lyricists.To take it a step further, what if you were a high school student who had an English teacher who did not feel like you deserved to attend his prestigious prep school, and accused you of plagiary when you hand in your essay paper?I do not want to give away too many plot points for those who have not seen this film, but this movie left an indelible impression on me for sure.")
![General Premise: In the early-to-mid 1990s, a civil war between the Tutsi ethnic group and the Hutu ethnic group broke out in the African country of Rwanda that resulted in a "Rwandan Genocide." Close to one million Rwandans were left dead by the time the war finally ended. Real life hero and humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina (portrayed in the film by actor Don Cheadle) was responsible for saving the lives of over 1,000+ Rwandan refugees.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I love movies about real-life heros. I mean, some fictional heroes are cool too (such as Bruce Wayne / Batman), but movies that are based on ordinary men risking their lives to unintentionally become a hero really resonates with me.I think the moment you move from being a "good" person to an "evil" person (or if not 'evil,' at minimum, "selfish") happens when you lose your sense of compassion and empathy for the challenges and unexpected episodes of adversity of your fellow human beings.The Rwandan Genocide was an atrocity that should have never taken place. Think about how many men and women have either been murdered and/or enslaved because of their racial differences from those in power, their ethnic differences from those in power, and general physical appearance and general background differences from those who had money, weapons, or both.Hotel Rwanda is a powerful film that demonstrates the old adage, "one man CAN make a difference in the lives of others." Thousands of others.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/20/2a/202a136bbfb69ca6ca662ea923d3d7f5.jpg?itok=IFhIOVSI "General Premise: In the early-to-mid 1990s, a civil war between the Tutsi ethnic group and the Hutu ethnic group broke out in the African country of Rwanda that resulted in a "Rwandan Genocide." Close to one million Rwandans were left dead by the time the war finally ended. Real life hero and humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina (portrayed in the film by actor Don Cheadle) was responsible for saving the lives of over 1,000+ Rwandan refugees.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I love movies about real-life heros. I mean, some fictional heroes are cool too (such as Bruce Wayne / Batman), but movies that are based on ordinary men risking their lives to unintentionally become a hero really resonates with me.I think the moment you move from being a "good" person to an "evil" person (or if not 'evil,' at minimum, "selfish") happens when you lose your sense of compassion and empathy for the challenges and unexpected episodes of adversity of your fellow human beings.The Rwandan Genocide was an atrocity that should have never taken place. Think about how many men and women have either been murdered and/or enslaved because of their racial differences from those in power, their ethnic differences from those in power, and general physical appearance and general background differences from those who had money, weapons, or both.Hotel Rwanda is a powerful film that demonstrates the old adage, "one man CAN make a difference in the lives of others." Thousands of others.")
![General Premise: This film tells the true story of former tobacco industry executive Jeffrey Wigand (portrayed in the film by actor Russell Crowe), who reluctantly decides to act as a "whistleblower" on the activities of the tobacco industry and appear on the CBS-TV News show "60 Minutes" after being persuaded by the very truth-oriented and detail-oriented show producer Lowell Bergman (portrayed by actor Al Pacino). Wigand ultimately reveals that the tobacco industry was not only aware that cigarettes were highly addictive & harmful to people's health, but that the scientists in the industry were directed to deliberately increasing the level of addictive agents in cigarettes.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: If you worked for a corporation and you were earning a nice six-figure salary, would you risk your sense of financial security because of your desire to be honest and maintain your sense of moral character and integrity? I mean, seriously ... would you?For many men, wealth. career success, and financial security is EVERYTHING. Literally. I know many men that even if they found out that the company they worked for was into "shady practices," they would simply turn their head the other way and keep earning their paycheck. I mean, who wants to be broke and unemployed? Especially when you have a family to feed and support?It takes a man of high integrity ... a real man ... to stand up for his beliefs and convictions, and publicly admit that something is not right about a company and an entire industry that is essentially making millions and billions of dollars ruining people's health and ultimately killing them.At least once per year, you should examine yourself thoroughly and ask yourself, "What principles do I stand for? What about my life is MORE important than money, fame, social status, partying and power?" When you answer those questions honestly, you will identify your true self.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/e5/3e/e53e7a99281e7bad23bde18a7a39e646.jpg?itok=m6czsaFs "General Premise: This film tells the true story of former tobacco industry executive Jeffrey Wigand (portrayed in the film by actor Russell Crowe), who reluctantly decides to act as a "whistleblower" on the activities of the tobacco industry and appear on the CBS-TV News show "60 Minutes" after being persuaded by the very truth-oriented and detail-oriented show producer Lowell Bergman (portrayed by actor Al Pacino). Wigand ultimately reveals that the tobacco industry was not only aware that cigarettes were highly addictive & harmful to people's health, but that the scientists in the industry were directed to deliberately increasing the level of addictive agents in cigarettes.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: If you worked for a corporation and you were earning a nice six-figure salary, would you risk your sense of financial security because of your desire to be honest and maintain your sense of moral character and integrity? I mean, seriously ... would you?For many men, wealth. career success, and financial security is EVERYTHING. Literally. I know many men that even if they found out that the company they worked for was into "shady practices," they would simply turn their head the other way and keep earning their paycheck. I mean, who wants to be broke and unemployed? Especially when you have a family to feed and support?It takes a man of high integrity ... a real man ... to stand up for his beliefs and convictions, and publicly admit that something is not right about a company and an entire industry that is essentially making millions and billions of dollars ruining people's health and ultimately killing them.At least once per year, you should examine yourself thoroughly and ask yourself, "What principles do I stand for? What about my life is MORE important than money, fame, social status, partying and power?" When you answer those questions honestly, you will identify your true self.")
![General Premise: A group of male friends who have decided to move to Los Angeles in hopes of having a successful career in the Entertainment Industry rally around one of their buddies (Jon Favreau) who has just broken up with his long-time girlfriend, and they encourage him to socialize more and meet new women to take his mind off of his ex-girlfriend.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: This movie is arguably my favorite "romantic comedy strictly for men" ever made. The interesting thing is, when I first saw this movie, I was very ticked off. Why? Because a few months earlier, I had provided my older brother with a 25-30 page pamphlet entitled, "The Mode One Principles" (which was the precursor to my first book, Mode One: Let the Women Know What You're REALLY Thinking) to share with some of his male co-workers and subordinates. I felt like the film Swingers had a lot of "Mode One themed undertones" that could have possibly been "stolen" from my pamphlet. I could relate to both of the lead characters in this film. At times in my life as a young adult male, I found myself exhibiting behavior eerily similar to that of the "Mikey" character (Favreau). The character of Mikey is loosely similar to Bradley Cooper's character of "Pat" from the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook in the sense that both men have a hard time getting over the fact that their previous relationships have ended. Mikey is constantly looking at photographs of he and his ex-girlfriend.On the flip side, I could totally relate to the smooth, charming, ultra-confident personality of the witty womanizer named Trent (actor Vince Vaughn). I have been the guy who was known for giving advice to male friends on how they could improve their chances of attracting and seducing a woman of interest.Basically, whenever I was involved in a relationship, or shortly after a break up, I was "Mikey." When I was totally single and unattached, and just looking to get laid regularly, I was "Trent." This movie also resonated with me because I had only been living in Los Angeles for about two years when this movie came out, and I was a struggling, "wannabe" screenwriter and filmmaker trying to make ends meet.Similar to my #20 choice, The Hangover, this film will make you reminisce on all of the good times you've had hanging out with your closest male friends. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/5e/8f/5e8fdfba17cd545a362f01a18967d4e5.jpg?itok=WV-XbYBz "General Premise: A group of male friends who have decided to move to Los Angeles in hopes of having a successful career in the Entertainment Industry rally around one of their buddies (Jon Favreau) who has just broken up with his long-time girlfriend, and they encourage him to socialize more and meet new women to take his mind off of his ex-girlfriend.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: This movie is arguably my favorite "romantic comedy strictly for men" ever made. The interesting thing is, when I first saw this movie, I was very ticked off. Why? Because a few months earlier, I had provided my older brother with a 25-30 page pamphlet entitled, "The Mode One Principles" (which was the precursor to my first book, Mode One: Let the Women Know What You're REALLY Thinking) to share with some of his male co-workers and subordinates. I felt like the film Swingers had a lot of "Mode One themed undertones" that could have possibly been "stolen" from my pamphlet. I could relate to both of the lead characters in this film. At times in my life as a young adult male, I found myself exhibiting behavior eerily similar to that of the "Mikey" character (Favreau). The character of Mikey is loosely similar to Bradley Cooper's character of "Pat" from the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook in the sense that both men have a hard time getting over the fact that their previous relationships have ended. Mikey is constantly looking at photographs of he and his ex-girlfriend.On the flip side, I could totally relate to the smooth, charming, ultra-confident personality of the witty womanizer named Trent (actor Vince Vaughn). I have been the guy who was known for giving advice to male friends on how they could improve their chances of attracting and seducing a woman of interest.Basically, whenever I was involved in a relationship, or shortly after a break up, I was "Mikey." When I was totally single and unattached, and just looking to get laid regularly, I was "Trent." This movie also resonated with me because I had only been living in Los Angeles for about two years when this movie came out, and I was a struggling, "wannabe" screenwriter and filmmaker trying to make ends meet.Similar to my #20 choice, The Hangover, this film will make you reminisce on all of the good times you've had hanging out with your closest male friends. ")
![General Premise: A teenager and high school student (Ralph Macchio) moves with his single mom to Southern California, and very soon, begins to get picked on and bullied by a group of teenage boys who are studying a form of the martial arts known as karate. One night, after being chased by the bullies, the high school student befriends an older Asian man (Pat Morita) who teaches him how to stand up for himself and fight back against the bullies.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I think every boy between the ages of 6 or 7 years of age up until their late teens or even early twenties can relate to the idea of having to deal with one or more neighborhood bullies and/or classroom bullies.Bullying has been around for centuries, and from the news stories I read, it does not seem like it will ever go away. One of the reasons among others why many men and women send their sons and daughters to private schools instead of public schools is so that they won't have to deal with other kids picking on them on weekly or monthly basis.It seems that the number one time a young boy is usually tested is when he first enrolls in a new school, and similarly, first makes his presence established in a new neighborhood. Sometimes you might have parents who are able to protect you, older siblings or cousins who are able to protect you, or close friends who will able to protect you, or at least assist you during a fight. Other times, you just have to learn to stand up for yourself and fight your own fights. Most bullies really do not want to fight. They just want to instill fear in you so that they can "punk" you and get you to behave in the manner that they want you to. Once you show a bully that you are not willing to be his personal "punk," most of them will eventually leave you alone. This is the beginning of when a boy starts to develop his backbone. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/c5/55/1363639452_8830_TheKarateKid.jpg?itok=L17YaUtd "General Premise: A teenager and high school student (Ralph Macchio) moves with his single mom to Southern California, and very soon, begins to get picked on and bullied by a group of teenage boys who are studying a form of the martial arts known as karate. One night, after being chased by the bullies, the high school student befriends an older Asian man (Pat Morita) who teaches him how to stand up for himself and fight back against the bullies.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I think every boy between the ages of 6 or 7 years of age up until their late teens or even early twenties can relate to the idea of having to deal with one or more neighborhood bullies and/or classroom bullies.Bullying has been around for centuries, and from the news stories I read, it does not seem like it will ever go away. One of the reasons among others why many men and women send their sons and daughters to private schools instead of public schools is so that they won't have to deal with other kids picking on them on weekly or monthly basis.It seems that the number one time a young boy is usually tested is when he first enrolls in a new school, and similarly, first makes his presence established in a new neighborhood. Sometimes you might have parents who are able to protect you, older siblings or cousins who are able to protect you, or close friends who will able to protect you, or at least assist you during a fight. Other times, you just have to learn to stand up for yourself and fight your own fights. Most bullies really do not want to fight. They just want to instill fear in you so that they can "punk" you and get you to behave in the manner that they want you to. Once you show a bully that you are not willing to be his personal "punk," most of them will eventually leave you alone. This is the beginning of when a boy starts to develop his backbone. ")
![General Premise: A high school football player (Sean Astin) who does not really have the physical prowess or academic credentials to warrant the attention of the prestigious Notre Dame University focuses on his ambitions, works hard, and finally gains admittance into Notre Dame as a student, and earns a place on the practice team as a walk-on of the University's football squad.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: If you want to achieve anything in life that is truly worthwhile, you have to work your butt off. Along the way to you pursuing your goals, there are going to be challenges, setbacks, naysayers, haters, doubts and insecurities in your own mind ... all of that.The question is, how bad do you REALLY want to achieve that goal? What are you willing to sacrifice? How hard are you really willing to work?That is the essence of this film in a nutshell. By the end, you will be chanting "Rudy! Rudy!! Rudy!!!" Every young man with ambitions of improving himself should see this film. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/e4/1a/1363645754_6221_Rudy.jpg?itok=gxSN3cFy "General Premise: A high school football player (Sean Astin) who does not really have the physical prowess or academic credentials to warrant the attention of the prestigious Notre Dame University focuses on his ambitions, works hard, and finally gains admittance into Notre Dame as a student, and earns a place on the practice team as a walk-on of the University's football squad.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: If you want to achieve anything in life that is truly worthwhile, you have to work your butt off. Along the way to you pursuing your goals, there are going to be challenges, setbacks, naysayers, haters, doubts and insecurities in your own mind ... all of that.The question is, how bad do you REALLY want to achieve that goal? What are you willing to sacrifice? How hard are you really willing to work?That is the essence of this film in a nutshell. By the end, you will be chanting "Rudy! Rudy!! Rudy!!!" Every young man with ambitions of improving himself should see this film. ")
![General Premise: A fairly new teacher (Robin Williams) becomes the center of controversy when it is learned that he exhibits some very "unconventional" methods of teaching his male students English, grammar, and poetry at a private boarding school for boys.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Do you think for yourself? Or do you just sort of "follow the crowd" and adhere to the beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral norms that the "majority" of people in society have?Many times, it is a challenging endeavor to "go against the grain." Just about every book I have written has messages in it and teachings in it that "go against the grain" of conventional, popular wisdom, particularly as it relates to interpersonal communication skills between men and women, and the subject of attraction, seduction, love, sex, and dating in general.At some point, you have to ask yourself, "Am I the person who I really, truly want to be? Or am I the person that everyone else around me (friends, family, neighbors, etc.) wants me to be and expects me to be?" This film examines that question, and the end result is one of the best films you will ever see in your life. My current screensaver on my computer says, "Seize the Day," and I first became familiar with that concept from watching this film. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/e7/9f/e79fcb3484a18a998df67c21a151081c.jpg?itok=E6DwFi7- "General Premise: A fairly new teacher (Robin Williams) becomes the center of controversy when it is learned that he exhibits some very "unconventional" methods of teaching his male students English, grammar, and poetry at a private boarding school for boys.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Do you think for yourself? Or do you just sort of "follow the crowd" and adhere to the beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral norms that the "majority" of people in society have?Many times, it is a challenging endeavor to "go against the grain." Just about every book I have written has messages in it and teachings in it that "go against the grain" of conventional, popular wisdom, particularly as it relates to interpersonal communication skills between men and women, and the subject of attraction, seduction, love, sex, and dating in general.At some point, you have to ask yourself, "Am I the person who I really, truly want to be? Or am I the person that everyone else around me (friends, family, neighbors, etc.) wants me to be and expects me to be?" This film examines that question, and the end result is one of the best films you will ever see in your life. My current screensaver on my computer says, "Seize the Day," and I first became familiar with that concept from watching this film. ")
![General Premise: A high school student (Michael J. Fox) with a love for comic books and science fiction movies develops a close friendship with an eccentric wannabe inventor (Christopher Lloyd), and through a twist of unexpected circumstances, he is accidentally sent back thirty years in time only to find himself in a position where he must play the role of "matchmaker" for his mother and father to ensure his existenceIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Have you ever as a young boy told one of your buddies, "My Dad can beat up your Dad!" In most scenarios between fathers and sons, it is usually the father who is teaching the son "how to be a man."What if you went back in time via an unorthodox "time machine" only to be shocked and disappointed to find out that your father was somewhat of a "wimp" and introvert who was practically afraid of his own shadow? What would you do?Let's take it a step further. What if during your visit "back in time" you saw that your mother and father were not on the path to connect romantically (in part, because of your presence)? In other words, if you do not make sure your mother and father connect romantically and sexually, you will no longer exist in the universe?In this delightful comedy, it is the son who teaches the father about what it means and what it takes to be a real man with backbone. The scene where the cowardly father finally stands up for himself actually got me choked up the first one or two times I saw this film.I will repeat this theme and message ad nauseum: In every man's life, there is going to come a time when you will be challenged to stand up for yourself and demonstrate your backbone. Either physically, psychologically, spiritually and/or morally, or all of the above. It might be when you are as young as 5 or 6 years of age, or as old as 30 or 40 years of age. That moment always comes. It is inevitable. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/b0/6f/1363645754_9665_BackToTheFuture.jpg?itok=CQS7CVrV "General Premise: A high school student (Michael J. Fox) with a love for comic books and science fiction movies develops a close friendship with an eccentric wannabe inventor (Christopher Lloyd), and through a twist of unexpected circumstances, he is accidentally sent back thirty years in time only to find himself in a position where he must play the role of "matchmaker" for his mother and father to ensure his existenceIMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Have you ever as a young boy told one of your buddies, "My Dad can beat up your Dad!" In most scenarios between fathers and sons, it is usually the father who is teaching the son "how to be a man."What if you went back in time via an unorthodox "time machine" only to be shocked and disappointed to find out that your father was somewhat of a "wimp" and introvert who was practically afraid of his own shadow? What would you do?Let's take it a step further. What if during your visit "back in time" you saw that your mother and father were not on the path to connect romantically (in part, because of your presence)? In other words, if you do not make sure your mother and father connect romantically and sexually, you will no longer exist in the universe?In this delightful comedy, it is the son who teaches the father about what it means and what it takes to be a real man with backbone. The scene where the cowardly father finally stands up for himself actually got me choked up the first one or two times I saw this film.I will repeat this theme and message ad nauseum: In every man's life, there is going to come a time when you will be challenged to stand up for yourself and demonstrate your backbone. Either physically, psychologically, spiritually and/or morally, or all of the above. It might be when you are as young as 5 or 6 years of age, or as old as 30 or 40 years of age. That moment always comes. It is inevitable. ")
![General Premise: A young man (Matt Damon) who has been a foster child for most of his life, and works as a janitor at a prestigious university, reveals that he has the intellectual acumen to figure out extremely complex mathematical formulas, but he seems to be content just hanging with his childhood friends rather then taking the steps to genuinely improve his life.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Have you ever been accused of "under-utilizing" your potential? Maybe you have the talent to be an athlete, but you are lazy. Maybe you have the talent to be an actor, screenwriter, singer, or musician, but you have a lack of self-confidence that is holding you back. Maybe you have what it takes to become the owner and CEO of your own company, but your "fear of failure" (or "fear of success") is preventing you from making any bold moves.Whenever my older brother and I have lived far apart from one another, there will be times when he will call me and say, "Go see XYZ movie. NOW." I know what that usually means. That movie has a some sort of character, storyline, or message that I need to see and hear.Good Will Hunting was one of those movies. My brother identified my potential to be an author way before I did. He was urging me to become an author as far back as the late 1980s, early 1990s, but I did not officially become an author of a paperback until late February of 2006.Most people tend to believe that it is the "fear of failure" that prevents people from achieving all that they are capable of achieving. My late father Clarence, along with movie mogul Sherry Lansing, had a different take on what prevents men and women from rising to the heights of their full potential.They both said that it was more so the "fear of success" that held people back rather than the fear of failure. When you "fear" something, you generally try to avoid it as much as possible. So that stands to reason that if you truly "feared" failure, you would do everything possible to avoid it.My father believed that many guys (and women too) were "afraid" of success primarily for two reasons: 1) He believed that most people are afraid of provoking feelings of jealousy and envy in others (in other words, they do not want to have to deal with critics, doubters, and 'haters'); 2) He believed that most people did not want to see their relationships with close friends and family members "change" drastically due to a significant improvement in their level of career success. wealth, fame, or authority and power.A few years after my father dropped those words of wisdom on me, Ms. Lansing essentially said the same thing when she offered some comments during an interview.This is the main theme of Good Will Hunting. Will (Damon) is a guy with a boat load of "potential," but he is scared to put that potential to use because he is afraid that his friendships with his buddies will no longer be the same.Are you "afraid of success?" Be honest.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/c0/b6/c0b69d47f4e5e51fbef367e1fe058736.jpg?itok=HvSHvv5X "General Premise: A young man (Matt Damon) who has been a foster child for most of his life, and works as a janitor at a prestigious university, reveals that he has the intellectual acumen to figure out extremely complex mathematical formulas, but he seems to be content just hanging with his childhood friends rather then taking the steps to genuinely improve his life.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Have you ever been accused of "under-utilizing" your potential? Maybe you have the talent to be an athlete, but you are lazy. Maybe you have the talent to be an actor, screenwriter, singer, or musician, but you have a lack of self-confidence that is holding you back. Maybe you have what it takes to become the owner and CEO of your own company, but your "fear of failure" (or "fear of success") is preventing you from making any bold moves.Whenever my older brother and I have lived far apart from one another, there will be times when he will call me and say, "Go see XYZ movie. NOW." I know what that usually means. That movie has a some sort of character, storyline, or message that I need to see and hear.Good Will Hunting was one of those movies. My brother identified my potential to be an author way before I did. He was urging me to become an author as far back as the late 1980s, early 1990s, but I did not officially become an author of a paperback until late February of 2006.Most people tend to believe that it is the "fear of failure" that prevents people from achieving all that they are capable of achieving. My late father Clarence, along with movie mogul Sherry Lansing, had a different take on what prevents men and women from rising to the heights of their full potential.They both said that it was more so the "fear of success" that held people back rather than the fear of failure. When you "fear" something, you generally try to avoid it as much as possible. So that stands to reason that if you truly "feared" failure, you would do everything possible to avoid it.My father believed that many guys (and women too) were "afraid" of success primarily for two reasons: 1) He believed that most people are afraid of provoking feelings of jealousy and envy in others (in other words, they do not want to have to deal with critics, doubters, and 'haters'); 2) He believed that most people did not want to see their relationships with close friends and family members "change" drastically due to a significant improvement in their level of career success. wealth, fame, or authority and power.A few years after my father dropped those words of wisdom on me, Ms. Lansing essentially said the same thing when she offered some comments during an interview.This is the main theme of Good Will Hunting. Will (Damon) is a guy with a boat load of "potential," but he is scared to put that potential to use because he is afraid that his friendships with his buddies will no longer be the same.Are you "afraid of success?" Be honest.")
![General Premise: A young Armed Services lawyer (Tom Cruise) who has a reputation for being a master at avoiding actual litigation and trials because of a talent for negotiating plea deals is finally forced to experience an actual trial as he attempts to prevent two marines accused of murder from spending the rest of their lives in prison.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: If there is one actor that has been a star or co-star in some of my all-time favorite movies, it is Tom Cruise (with Eddie Murphy and Denzel Washington right behind him). This is just the first of three films included in my "Top 25 Movies That Will Make You Examine Your Manhood" that will feature the talented Mr. Cruise.A lot of us in life want to take the "easy route" to achieving our goals and objectives. Either in our careers, or in our personal lives, there are some of us who really do not want to be challenged, or really do not want to go "the extra mile" that may be necessary to accomplish a given task.Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Cruise) is one of those people. Kaffee has no desire to actually try a criminal case. His first option - always - is to go for the plea deal. Kaffee is the unoffical "King of Plea Deals" in the ranks of the Armed Services.When two marines are accused of murdering their fellow soldier, Kaffee is chosen to represent them. Initially ... as expected ... he just simply wants a plea deal for both marines. One of the marines challenges Kaffee's manhood though. This marine does not want to accept a plea deal because in his heart, he does not feel like he did anything that was wrong or against the law. All he did was follow orders, and in the Marines, it is your obligation to always follow the orders that are given to you.The last 20-30 minutes of this film consistently gives me goose bumps. Hands down, one of the best courtroom thrillers in the history of movies. "I want the truth!!" "You can't handle the truth!!!" Classic.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/58/c1/58c13610d72f0f07e910ca159805bd52.jpg?itok=GVZLql2B "General Premise: A young Armed Services lawyer (Tom Cruise) who has a reputation for being a master at avoiding actual litigation and trials because of a talent for negotiating plea deals is finally forced to experience an actual trial as he attempts to prevent two marines accused of murder from spending the rest of their lives in prison.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: If there is one actor that has been a star or co-star in some of my all-time favorite movies, it is Tom Cruise (with Eddie Murphy and Denzel Washington right behind him). This is just the first of three films included in my "Top 25 Movies That Will Make You Examine Your Manhood" that will feature the talented Mr. Cruise.A lot of us in life want to take the "easy route" to achieving our goals and objectives. Either in our careers, or in our personal lives, there are some of us who really do not want to be challenged, or really do not want to go "the extra mile" that may be necessary to accomplish a given task.Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Cruise) is one of those people. Kaffee has no desire to actually try a criminal case. His first option - always - is to go for the plea deal. Kaffee is the unoffical "King of Plea Deals" in the ranks of the Armed Services.When two marines are accused of murdering their fellow soldier, Kaffee is chosen to represent them. Initially ... as expected ... he just simply wants a plea deal for both marines. One of the marines challenges Kaffee's manhood though. This marine does not want to accept a plea deal because in his heart, he does not feel like he did anything that was wrong or against the law. All he did was follow orders, and in the Marines, it is your obligation to always follow the orders that are given to you.The last 20-30 minutes of this film consistently gives me goose bumps. Hands down, one of the best courtroom thrillers in the history of movies. "I want the truth!!" "You can't handle the truth!!!" Classic.")
![General Premise: Based on a true story, a young boy (actor Alexandre Rodrigues) grows up in the slums in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil with the aspiration of becoming a top photographic journalist; While chasing his ambitions, he begins to chronicle the lives and activities of local gang members who desire to own and control the city. IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: With all due respect to talented filmmakers Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes (Menace II Society) and John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood) ... two films that fell just short of being included in this Top 25 list ... I would have to say that City of God makes both of those films seem like they are about Boy Scouts rather than street gangsters.Do you know the number one characteristic of a great film? Among other things, is when the movie seems more like a real-life documentary than an actual fictional feature-film. This movie feels so real and raw, that you actually feel like you were watching a documentary on life in the slums of Brazil.A well-known comedian once said there is a difference between "growing up poor, and growing up PO." To be "po" makes being conventionally poor seem wealthy. The main protagonist of this film is PO. The ghettos and slums of Rio de Janeiro make just about any ghetto in one of the major cities in the United States seem like an affluent neighborhood.Gangs ruled in Rio in the latter half of the 20th Century. They paid off most of the easily corruptible cops, and they intimidated almost all of the citizens they came in contact with. If you even halfway attempted to challenge one or more of the major gangsters in Rio, you were pretty much asking for a death wish.Imagine living a life as a child, teenager, and young adult where you could not depend on the police to "protect" you in any genuine manner? What if your manhood was challenged by gangsters everyday of every week of every month of every year?Even though the movie is in subtitles, you must see this film. You have too. I guarantee you that any man from the U.S will watch this film, and afterwards say, "I thought I had it bad here!! Wow. Those guys growing up in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s in Brazil REALLY had it rough!!!" Yep, yep. For sure.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/8e/70/8e70b83a792ec2c97d6467ac1eba2edb.jpg?itok=EHWDLAyd "General Premise: Based on a true story, a young boy (actor Alexandre Rodrigues) grows up in the slums in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil with the aspiration of becoming a top photographic journalist; While chasing his ambitions, he begins to chronicle the lives and activities of local gang members who desire to own and control the city. IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: With all due respect to talented filmmakers Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes (Menace II Society) and John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood) ... two films that fell just short of being included in this Top 25 list ... I would have to say that City of God makes both of those films seem like they are about Boy Scouts rather than street gangsters.Do you know the number one characteristic of a great film? Among other things, is when the movie seems more like a real-life documentary than an actual fictional feature-film. This movie feels so real and raw, that you actually feel like you were watching a documentary on life in the slums of Brazil.A well-known comedian once said there is a difference between "growing up poor, and growing up PO." To be "po" makes being conventionally poor seem wealthy. The main protagonist of this film is PO. The ghettos and slums of Rio de Janeiro make just about any ghetto in one of the major cities in the United States seem like an affluent neighborhood.Gangs ruled in Rio in the latter half of the 20th Century. They paid off most of the easily corruptible cops, and they intimidated almost all of the citizens they came in contact with. If you even halfway attempted to challenge one or more of the major gangsters in Rio, you were pretty much asking for a death wish.Imagine living a life as a child, teenager, and young adult where you could not depend on the police to "protect" you in any genuine manner? What if your manhood was challenged by gangsters everyday of every week of every month of every year?Even though the movie is in subtitles, you must see this film. You have too. I guarantee you that any man from the U.S will watch this film, and afterwards say, "I thought I had it bad here!! Wow. Those guys growing up in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s in Brazil REALLY had it rough!!!" Yep, yep. For sure.")
![General Premise: A high school senior (Tom Cruise) who has yet to lose his virginity is given the house to himself for approximately a week while his parents are out of town on vacation.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Hollywood has produced a lot of "coming of age" (i.e., transitioning from a teenager to a young adult) movies over the years, and Risky Business is arguably the best one I have seen to date that was geared toward young men from middle class families in my generation.Risky Business was the first feature-film that I ever saw as many as four times at the movie theater. There was just something about the character of Joel Goodson (Cruise) that resonated with me, even though I am Black and the character of Goodson was Caucasian. Joel's mother and father reminded me of my own parents on those occasions where the left me with the house for two days or longer.Whenever there is a discussion about having sex for the first time and losing your virginity, most films and television shows put more emphasis on that storyline from the girl's point of view than they do the guy's. Most of the guys I have been friends with lost their virginity as young as 12, and usually by no later than the age of 22 or 23. A very small percentage might have lost their virginity later in life.Joel does what most high school age male virgins do: He tries to pretend that he has already gotten laid before, but all of his close friends know he has not. A friend of his by the name of Miles (Curtis Armstrong) has an idea to call up some professional Call Girls and upscale Erotic Escorts to help Joel experience his "first time." Joel is not down, but Miles forces the issue.An attractive Call Girl (Rebecca De Mornay) eventually shows up at Joel's house, the movie takes off from there.The key line to remember from this film comes from Miles: "Sometimes you just gotta say 'What the fu**' and make your move. Saying 'what the fu**' gives you freedom .... freedom brings opportunities ... and opportunities make your future."For better or for worse, I have lived most of my adult life on that philosophy.You want to approach a woman who you think is "out of your league?" Sometimes ... you just gotta say, "What the fu**." Make your move.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/2f/3f/1363659121_2951_RiskyBusiness.jpg?itok=YFNNGW7t "General Premise: A high school senior (Tom Cruise) who has yet to lose his virginity is given the house to himself for approximately a week while his parents are out of town on vacation.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Hollywood has produced a lot of "coming of age" (i.e., transitioning from a teenager to a young adult) movies over the years, and Risky Business is arguably the best one I have seen to date that was geared toward young men from middle class families in my generation.Risky Business was the first feature-film that I ever saw as many as four times at the movie theater. There was just something about the character of Joel Goodson (Cruise) that resonated with me, even though I am Black and the character of Goodson was Caucasian. Joel's mother and father reminded me of my own parents on those occasions where the left me with the house for two days or longer.Whenever there is a discussion about having sex for the first time and losing your virginity, most films and television shows put more emphasis on that storyline from the girl's point of view than they do the guy's. Most of the guys I have been friends with lost their virginity as young as 12, and usually by no later than the age of 22 or 23. A very small percentage might have lost their virginity later in life.Joel does what most high school age male virgins do: He tries to pretend that he has already gotten laid before, but all of his close friends know he has not. A friend of his by the name of Miles (Curtis Armstrong) has an idea to call up some professional Call Girls and upscale Erotic Escorts to help Joel experience his "first time." Joel is not down, but Miles forces the issue.An attractive Call Girl (Rebecca De Mornay) eventually shows up at Joel's house, the movie takes off from there.The key line to remember from this film comes from Miles: "Sometimes you just gotta say 'What the fu**' and make your move. Saying 'what the fu**' gives you freedom .... freedom brings opportunities ... and opportunities make your future."For better or for worse, I have lived most of my adult life on that philosophy.You want to approach a woman who you think is "out of your league?" Sometimes ... you just gotta say, "What the fu**." Make your move.")
![General Premise: Based on the real-life personal and professional experiences of a successful investment banker named Christopher Gardner, this film centers on a single father (Will Smith) whose wife leaves him, and he now has the challenge of both making ends meet and raising a young son (Jaden Smith).IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I am man enough to confess that after I saw The Pursuit of Happyness for the first time, I sat in my movie theater seat, all by myself, and shed a few tears.If you have always had an "easy life," or grew up with a 'silver spoon' in your mouth, you will not be able to relate to Smith's character in this film. You might try to, but you just will not be able to.I have been broke and unemployed before. Not in a situation where I had to raise a son ... thank goodness ... but I have had periods where I was broke and unemployed for weeks, months, or even a year or longer. A lot of men I know have. Black, White, Asian, and Hispanic.I remember one time years ago I asked my brother, "Why doesn't someone make a movie about a guy who is just having a hard time finding a job? That is a real-life challenge for some men!" With this movie, well ... there you go.This is one of Will Smith's best movies ever.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/0a/70/0a70f2db93a989bad7cdbe3f10bc2047.jpg?itok=VuIqpMBm "General Premise: Based on the real-life personal and professional experiences of a successful investment banker named Christopher Gardner, this film centers on a single father (Will Smith) whose wife leaves him, and he now has the challenge of both making ends meet and raising a young son (Jaden Smith).IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I am man enough to confess that after I saw The Pursuit of Happyness for the first time, I sat in my movie theater seat, all by myself, and shed a few tears.If you have always had an "easy life," or grew up with a 'silver spoon' in your mouth, you will not be able to relate to Smith's character in this film. You might try to, but you just will not be able to.I have been broke and unemployed before. Not in a situation where I had to raise a son ... thank goodness ... but I have had periods where I was broke and unemployed for weeks, months, or even a year or longer. A lot of men I know have. Black, White, Asian, and Hispanic.I remember one time years ago I asked my brother, "Why doesn't someone make a movie about a guy who is just having a hard time finding a job? That is a real-life challenge for some men!" With this movie, well ... there you go.This is one of Will Smith's best movies ever.")
![General Premise: Andy Defresne (Tim Robbins) is wrongfully convicted for the murder of his cheating wife and her lover, and begins a life term in prison. While imprisoned, he learns lessons and becomes friends with a well-respected inmate by the name of "Red" (Morgan Freeman), and as their friendship grows, they both end up leaving an indelible impression on one another.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I cannot imagine what it feels like to be locked up in prison for a crime that you know you did not commit.I would literally go crazy. I would be so full of anger, I would probably be seething every minute of every hour of every day. I would constantly be asking God, "Why me? Why am I being subjected to this when I am innocent?"Hence, the main storyline of The Shawshank Redemption. Andy is put in prison for life as a result of being convicted of a murder that he in reality did not commit.So ... are you going to be like me and be "angry" each and everyday .... or are you going to muster up the mental and emotional strength to deal with the circumstances that have unfortunately been thrust upon you?When unexpected and seemingly unfair episodes of adversity come your way, you are just going to have to learn to deal with them like a man. Not like a boy, but like a man.I believe everything in life happens for a reason. As they say, everything that happens in your life that doesn't kill you has the potential to make you stronger and more resilient. If you are young, keep these adages in the front of your mind. Who said that life was guaranteed to be fair?](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/2c/e4/1363659121_2094_ShawshankRedemption.jpg?itok=M07DIX2z "General Premise: Andy Defresne (Tim Robbins) is wrongfully convicted for the murder of his cheating wife and her lover, and begins a life term in prison. While imprisoned, he learns lessons and becomes friends with a well-respected inmate by the name of "Red" (Morgan Freeman), and as their friendship grows, they both end up leaving an indelible impression on one another.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: I cannot imagine what it feels like to be locked up in prison for a crime that you know you did not commit.I would literally go crazy. I would be so full of anger, I would probably be seething every minute of every hour of every day. I would constantly be asking God, "Why me? Why am I being subjected to this when I am innocent?"Hence, the main storyline of The Shawshank Redemption. Andy is put in prison for life as a result of being convicted of a murder that he in reality did not commit.So ... are you going to be like me and be "angry" each and everyday .... or are you going to muster up the mental and emotional strength to deal with the circumstances that have unfortunately been thrust upon you?When unexpected and seemingly unfair episodes of adversity come your way, you are just going to have to learn to deal with them like a man. Not like a boy, but like a man.I believe everything in life happens for a reason. As they say, everything that happens in your life that doesn't kill you has the potential to make you stronger and more resilient. If you are young, keep these adages in the front of your mind. Who said that life was guaranteed to be fair?")
![General Premise: Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) witnesses his parents get murdered in cold blood by a ruthless gunman as a child, and grows up full of anger and a strong desire for revenge. He later learns that there is a difference between wanting revenge and wanting justice, and he commits himself to fighting the criminal underworld without the use of gun violence.IMDb link | IMDb link | IMDb linkWikipedia.org link | Wikipedia.org link | Wikipedia.org linkWhy these films earned a spot in my Top 25: I initially attempted to choose just one of the three movies in this very entertaining trilogy, but I just could not bring myself to leave out even one of the three films written and directed by Christopher Nolan.These three "Batman" films are all about making the transition from a boy to a teenager to an adult to a man with character and integrity.How would you feel growing up if you saw your parents murdered in front of your eyes? The term "angry" seems like too much of an understatement for me. Many of us would probably grow up to become a revenge-seeking psychopath and/or sociopath.The first temptation might be to get our hands on a gun, and try to kill anyone and everyone who is associated with the people who murdered our parents. Well, that is what Bruce Wayne (Bale) does too. He grabs a gun, and is ready to kill the man he knows is responsible for murdering his parents.Then, Wayne slowly but surely learns that there is a difference between seeking violent revenge and seeking meaningful justice.Revenge can go on forever. You kill my friend, I kill yours. You kill my spouse, I kill yours. You kill my son or daughter, I kill your son or daughter. You kill my parents, I kill yours. When will it end?I do not look at The Dark Knight trilogy as simply a series of "comic book hero" movies. These are "What choices and decisions does a real man make when he wants to see the 'good' in society conquer the 'bad' in society?"There are some 'bad guys' that want money, power, fame, and vengeance. Then, there are other psychotic 'bad guys' who just want to see the world burn. Remember: It is not who you are underneath that really makes a difference. It is what you do in life that defines you.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/3c/7d/3c7d78c47cac3731cf9e7c0f511d5319.jpg?itok=UAYYvObQ "General Premise: Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) witnesses his parents get murdered in cold blood by a ruthless gunman as a child, and grows up full of anger and a strong desire for revenge. He later learns that there is a difference between wanting revenge and wanting justice, and he commits himself to fighting the criminal underworld without the use of gun violence.IMDb link | IMDb link | IMDb linkWikipedia.org link | Wikipedia.org link | Wikipedia.org linkWhy these films earned a spot in my Top 25: I initially attempted to choose just one of the three movies in this very entertaining trilogy, but I just could not bring myself to leave out even one of the three films written and directed by Christopher Nolan.These three "Batman" films are all about making the transition from a boy to a teenager to an adult to a man with character and integrity.How would you feel growing up if you saw your parents murdered in front of your eyes? The term "angry" seems like too much of an understatement for me. Many of us would probably grow up to become a revenge-seeking psychopath and/or sociopath.The first temptation might be to get our hands on a gun, and try to kill anyone and everyone who is associated with the people who murdered our parents. Well, that is what Bruce Wayne (Bale) does too. He grabs a gun, and is ready to kill the man he knows is responsible for murdering his parents.Then, Wayne slowly but surely learns that there is a difference between seeking violent revenge and seeking meaningful justice.Revenge can go on forever. You kill my friend, I kill yours. You kill my spouse, I kill yours. You kill my son or daughter, I kill your son or daughter. You kill my parents, I kill yours. When will it end?I do not look at The Dark Knight trilogy as simply a series of "comic book hero" movies. These are "What choices and decisions does a real man make when he wants to see the 'good' in society conquer the 'bad' in society?"There are some 'bad guys' that want money, power, fame, and vengeance. Then, there are other psychotic 'bad guys' who just want to see the world burn. Remember: It is not who you are underneath that really makes a difference. It is what you do in life that defines you.")
![General Premise: A professional contract killer (Tom Cruise) quickly develops a friendly rapport with a Los Angeles based taxicab driver (Jamie Foxx), and later holds the cab driver hostage as he proceeds to systematically murder various high profile witnesses in an upcoming trial against a powerful South American drug lord.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: THIS is my movie. Anyone who is close friends with me knows that this is my all-time most watched movie in the history of movies. If you combine the number of times I saw this film at the movie theater, on cable television, and on DVD, I would estimate that I have watched this movie somewhere between 75 and 90 times. Seriously. (Four other films I have watched at least fifty times would include Heat, Batman Begins, Beverly Hills Cop, and A Few Good Men)When you think of developing a stronger sense of backbone and personal confidence to meet the challenges of life and deal with the unexpected episodes of adversity you may face as a man, you probably would estimate that this process is going to take months and/or years.Imagine if you were forced to make the transition from a complacent, semi-wimpy layman to a heroic man with backbone in just a few hours? This is the position that Jamie Foxx's character of Max Durocher finds himself in after picking up what he thinks is just another pedestrian looking to be transported from point A to point B.In less than a half-hour, Durocher quickly realizes that his taxicab rider by the name of "Vincent" (Cruise) is actually a professional hit man and a homicidal sociopath with no sense of empathy for human life, and no sense of remorse after killing people.I have heard many naive types say, "Acting is easy. Anyone can be a good actor or actress." What if I put you in an environment where you were in the company of hardened criminals and gangsters, and you had to 'pretend' like you were a hard-nosed gangster yourself as well as a talented and ferocious hit man? Could you pull it off? What if I told you that if your "performance" failed to be believable, you would be killed instantly?There is a scene in this film where Vincent puts Max in that very position described above. The scene is powerful. Actor Javier Bardem plays the feared drug lord, and his brief cameo performance is outstanding.Sometimes developing the balls and backbone you need to be a "real man" might have to happen quicker than you think, so you have to always be prepared to do whatever it takes to save your life, and lives of those who you are most fond of. This was the challenge for Max in this film.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/25/d1/1363659121_2068_Collateral1.jpg?itok=vg2TOe-L "General Premise: A professional contract killer (Tom Cruise) quickly develops a friendly rapport with a Los Angeles based taxicab driver (Jamie Foxx), and later holds the cab driver hostage as he proceeds to systematically murder various high profile witnesses in an upcoming trial against a powerful South American drug lord.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: THIS is my movie. Anyone who is close friends with me knows that this is my all-time most watched movie in the history of movies. If you combine the number of times I saw this film at the movie theater, on cable television, and on DVD, I would estimate that I have watched this movie somewhere between 75 and 90 times. Seriously. (Four other films I have watched at least fifty times would include Heat, Batman Begins, Beverly Hills Cop, and A Few Good Men)When you think of developing a stronger sense of backbone and personal confidence to meet the challenges of life and deal with the unexpected episodes of adversity you may face as a man, you probably would estimate that this process is going to take months and/or years.Imagine if you were forced to make the transition from a complacent, semi-wimpy layman to a heroic man with backbone in just a few hours? This is the position that Jamie Foxx's character of Max Durocher finds himself in after picking up what he thinks is just another pedestrian looking to be transported from point A to point B.In less than a half-hour, Durocher quickly realizes that his taxicab rider by the name of "Vincent" (Cruise) is actually a professional hit man and a homicidal sociopath with no sense of empathy for human life, and no sense of remorse after killing people.I have heard many naive types say, "Acting is easy. Anyone can be a good actor or actress." What if I put you in an environment where you were in the company of hardened criminals and gangsters, and you had to 'pretend' like you were a hard-nosed gangster yourself as well as a talented and ferocious hit man? Could you pull it off? What if I told you that if your "performance" failed to be believable, you would be killed instantly?There is a scene in this film where Vincent puts Max in that very position described above. The scene is powerful. Actor Javier Bardem plays the feared drug lord, and his brief cameo performance is outstanding.Sometimes developing the balls and backbone you need to be a "real man" might have to happen quicker than you think, so you have to always be prepared to do whatever it takes to save your life, and lives of those who you are most fond of. This was the challenge for Max in this film.")
![General Premise: Based on the life of 13th Century Scottish warrior William Wallace (Mel Gibson) who led the Scots against King Edward I of England during the First War of Scottish Independence.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Think about this for a moment. Let's say that you are happy and at peace. You have a lovely girlfriend, and all of your good friends live in the same neighborhood and community. You work hard and play hard.Then, all of the sudden, some men from another community or region of the world say to you, "We want you to be our bitch. And ... we want to have sex with all of your girlfriends and wives. In other words, you will be our man slaves, you can only have sex with your women after we have sex with them, and you will always worship us, be fearful of us, do what we tell you to do, and always be subservient to us."Would you just take that? Or would you stand up for yourself, rally your friends to do the same, and protect those you love and everything you have worked hard for?That might not be the most accurate description of the film Braveheart, but essentially, that is what the story is about.In past centuries, this type of "I want to conquer your country, dominate all of the men in your country, and rape and have sex with all of the women in your country" mentality was not uncommon.Plain and simple, there are good men in society, and there are bad men. The latter are very egotistically competitive with an insatiable thirst for power, wealth, sex, and world resources, and they really do not care how they go about getting each of these things. Ethics? Yeah, right. Morals? Give me a break. Compassion and empathy for others? Stop talking like a girl.If you took away man's greed for money, power, sex, and the world's natural resources, I would assert that the days of wars and violence would end practically overnight. Realistically though, that will never, ever happen. There will always be men who want way more money than you, want way more power than you, and want to have sex with way more women than you. These men want to be able to look you in your eyes and say, "I own you. You are my bitch."Are you going to let them get away with that?William Wallace of Scotland, played wonderfully by Gibson, said, "I will be no other man's bitch. Even if it means I will be imprisoned or murdered." Okay, Gibson's character did not actually say that in the movie ... but for all practical purposes, that is essentially what he said.You cannot allow others to 'punk' you and disrespect you ALL YOUR LIFE. Stand up for yourself, your beliefs, and your convictions. That is what being a man is all about.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/03/2c/032cb001ad6d7465ab8b7f2fbb2b109b.jpg?itok=YPtJQ5qD "General Premise: Based on the life of 13th Century Scottish warrior William Wallace (Mel Gibson) who led the Scots against King Edward I of England during the First War of Scottish Independence.IMDb linkWikipedia.org linkWhy this film earned a spot in my Top 25: Think about this for a moment. Let's say that you are happy and at peace. You have a lovely girlfriend, and all of your good friends live in the same neighborhood and community. You work hard and play hard.Then, all of the sudden, some men from another community or region of the world say to you, "We want you to be our bitch. And ... we want to have sex with all of your girlfriends and wives. In other words, you will be our man slaves, you can only have sex with your women after we have sex with them, and you will always worship us, be fearful of us, do what we tell you to do, and always be subservient to us."Would you just take that? Or would you stand up for yourself, rally your friends to do the same, and protect those you love and everything you have worked hard for?That might not be the most accurate description of the film Braveheart, but essentially, that is what the story is about.In past centuries, this type of "I want to conquer your country, dominate all of the men in your country, and rape and have sex with all of the women in your country" mentality was not uncommon.Plain and simple, there are good men in society, and there are bad men. The latter are very egotistically competitive with an insatiable thirst for power, wealth, sex, and world resources, and they really do not care how they go about getting each of these things. Ethics? Yeah, right. Morals? Give me a break. Compassion and empathy for others? Stop talking like a girl.If you took away man's greed for money, power, sex, and the world's natural resources, I would assert that the days of wars and violence would end practically overnight. Realistically though, that will never, ever happen. There will always be men who want way more money than you, want way more power than you, and want to have sex with way more women than you. These men want to be able to look you in your eyes and say, "I own you. You are my bitch."Are you going to let them get away with that?William Wallace of Scotland, played wonderfully by Gibson, said, "I will be no other man's bitch. Even if it means I will be imprisoned or murdered." Okay, Gibson's character did not actually say that in the movie ... but for all practical purposes, that is essentially what he said.You cannot allow others to 'punk' you and disrespect you ALL YOUR LIFE. Stand up for yourself, your beliefs, and your convictions. That is what being a man is all about.")
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