https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2013/03/13/7-movies-that-show-you-the-masculine-ideal/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usWed, 10 Jun 2026 10:46:39 -0400<![CDATA[Action movies are just as American as motherhood, apple pie, and capitalism. Movies like Unforgiven, Gladiator, Rooster Cogburn, Conan, Dirty Harry, Die Hard, The Dark Knight, High Noon, Man on Fire, Red Dawn, Tombstone, and True Grit speak to men in a primal language that transcends the story line on the screen. Men like these films because they capture qualities we&#8217;d like to think we have ourselves. We like the idea of being billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and fighting crime in our spare time, pointing a gun at a punk and asking him if he feels lucky, or responding to the question, &#8220;What is best in life?&#8221; with &#8220;To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!&#8220; While there are dozens of deserving action movies, there are seven that are particularly good at revealing parts of the male psyche.]]>Wed, 13 Mar 2013 07:00:41 -0400<![CDATA[John Hawkins]]>https://pjmedia.com/john-hawkins/2013/03/13/7-movies-that-show-you-the-masculine-ideal-n144774