Here's my list of the required viewing for anyone who doubts the genre's greatness:
5. "Desperado" (Dir. Robert Rodriguez, 1995)\nIt put Rodriguez on the map thanks to its epic gunfights and fast-paced storytelling. More movies need guitar cases containing rocket launchers.
4. Anything from Michael Bay\nBay's middle name might as well be "Entertainment." "The Rock" is baller and "Bad Boys II" takes everything that is wrong and makes it feel oh so right, whether it be blowing up a KKK rally or barreling through a shantytown in a Hummer.
3. "Yojimbo" (Dir. Akira Kurosawa, 1961)\nIt was remade as "A Fistful of Dollars" \nand "Last Man Standing," but nothing beats Kurosawa's original with Toshiro Mifune as Sanjuro the wandering ronin.
2. "The Killer"/"Hard Boiled" (Dir. John Woo, 1989/1992)\nThese pistol operas have influenced every filmmaker in the world on what makes a good shoot-out, and nothing is more poetic than watching Chow Yun-Fat unload two pistols while flying through the air.
1. "Die Hard" (Dir. John McTiernan, 1988)\nAlmost everyone lists it as their #1 for one reason: it is THAT damn good. Hot off "Predator," McTiernan's masterpiece fires on all cylinders from beginning to end with its memorable dialogue and perfectly executed action sequences.
