Culture Corner: Adams's Top 10 Movies for White Boy Summer
It’s White Boy Summer. Time for barbecues, barbells, and beers with your bros. It’s also time for movies. I have no idea what movies are coming out over the summer, I don’t care, and I don’t think you do either. Whether it’s because your state is still closed, or you just don’t want to go, you can still enjoy a quality picture. To that end, I’ve come up with a list of ten of my favorite movies for you or your family to put in your summer movie catalog. There are old Westerns, family adventures, and a few dramatic action movies. But what all these films have in common is that all of them have very powerful White Boy Summer energy. So sit back, grab your popcorn, and enjoy all the movies on this list.
10. The Comancheros
You could replace this one with McClintock!, or really most of Wayne’s catalog, But The Comancheros is the one I’ve seen the most, so it’s the one that makes the list. It’s not a traditional Western, with a melodramatic hero and a villain who says things like “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us” which inevitably leads to a showdown at high noon or a fistfight/knife fight/ wrestle on the edge of a cliff or a riverbed. It’s basically a Western Buddy Cop movie, and it works. The banter between Wayne and Stuart Whitman is really funny, and it gives both characters a lot of depth. But that doesn’t detract from the serious moments of the film. It takes the bad guys and the stakes very seriously, and it handles the moments of tension and drama with nail-biting seriousness. The soundtrack is epic, if a little bit redundant. It’s a well-rounded film with something for everybody.
9. The Goonies
The quintessential family adventure film. The comedy in The Goonies still holds up to this day. The story is engaging throughout, and there are moments of genuine tension without detracting from the lighthearted nature of a family movie. The kids themselves work well together, and the friendship that builds between Chunk and Sloth is the most heartwarming part of the movie. And of course, the adventure builds up to a worthwhile conclusion. A great movie to watch with your family.
8. American Sniper
Clint Eastwood’s biopic of Chris Kyle is one of his best films and a patriotic masterpiece. Bradley Cooper’s portrayal of Kyle is incredible. More importantly, the film portrays the harsh realities of the War in Iraq in a visceral way. You experience the dread that Kyle feels when he has to protect his fellow soldiers from women and children with grenades. Your heart breaks for the tortured mind and soul of a man who became a legend for his prolific combat skill but who also saw firsthand the terrible realities of combat. But while the film is deeply critical of the War, it still manages to treat the memory of Chris Kyle with dignity.
7. Disney’s Hercules
My favorite Disney movie of all time ever. Hercules is a soulful film, and not just because of the soul-singing Muses who narrate it. The story is lively and vivid, and the music is fantastic. Everything is a barrage of color. But the best part of the movie is its characters. Susan Egan as the 1940’s damsel-inspired Megara, Danny DeVito as the jaded hero trainer Phil, and James Woods as the fast-talking, fiery-tempered Hades, complete the movie. Hades is one of the best characters in any Disney animated film, and it’s not debatable. On top of all that, the film is almost guaranteed to be the Left’s least favorite movie. It has subtle motifs commenting on celebrity athletes, and one could imagine it borders on cultural appropriation. It’s a bona fide WBS film, and that’s The Gospel Truth.
6. The Patriot
What better movie to watch on Independence Day than the greatest Revolutionary War movie of all time? Mel Gibson’s movies are all excellent, manly, heroic films, and The Patriot is one of the best. Gibson’s character Benjamin Martin is a man of quiet strength and virtuous fatherhood, despite the scars of his past in the French and Indian War and the loss of his wife. But when the Revolution knocks at his door and he is forced to choose sides, he shows himself as a capable fighter and leader. The scene at the headquarters of General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) where he negotiates for the release of his prisoners and then confronts the brutal Colonel Tavington (Jason Isaacs) is Mel Gibson at his best. The film also features command performances from its ensemble cast: Gibson, Isaacs, Wilkinson, Chris Cooper, Heath Ledger, Donal Logue, Leon Rippy, even René Auberjonois, all have memorable roles in this movie. It’s a truly great film about family, country, honor, duty, and courage. A truly classic patriotic film.
5. White House Down
Roland Emmerich and James Woods make their second appearance on this list. The real-life parallel is a bit on the nose, but even with the obvious politics it’s still a tremendous movie. The All-Star cast includes Channing Tatum, Joey King, Maggie Gyllenhall, Jamie Foxx, Woods, Lance Reddick, and the guy who played Taub on House. It’s also non-stop action. There’s guns and drifting in armored cars and machine guns and sneaking around and guns and palace intrigue and a grenade belt tied onto a man and witty banter and a minigun and a guy with a mantle clock and calling off an air strike and yes, guns. Tatum, Foxx, and Woods are all excellent in their roles, and Joey King is actually pretty good too. It’s a true thrill ride that makes a great weekend watch.
4. The Magnificent Seven (1960)
My favorite Western movie of all time. Where some of the aforementioned movies have ensemble casts, this one is a juggernaut: Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Eli Wallach, Robert Vaughn, a veritable who’s who of action and Western heroes. The music is great and the theme song is one of, if not the most iconic piece of music in all of cinema. But what makes the movie great is the story. Seven men facing impossible odds to protect a tiny farming village from a band of thugs. But more than that, the seven also have to teach the villagers, as well as the youngest member of their group, how to be men. The veteran Chris teaches the young Chico to control his hot temper. The lonely Bernardo teaches the village boys the necessity of obedience and the true meaning of courage. And the seven gunfighters teach the villagers to stand up for themselves. In the end, the gunfighters gain nothing, as Chris tells Vin at the close of the movie, but the farmers (and viewers) gain valuable lessons in the virtues of manhood. The film was remade in 2016, but the original is just better.
3. The Italian Job (2003)
I just got done saying the original Magnificent Seven was better, but here I am recommending the remake of The Italian Job. But it’s just too good. Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Seth Green, Mos Def, and Edward Norton are all fantastic. It’s a quintessential heist movie, with a twist of vengeance. Like all heist movies, it’s got driving, explosions, deception and money, but instead of sports cars, the team drives modified Mini Coopers, and the heist itself employs some of the most creative uses of scenery you can imagine. The chase scene through the Los Angeles subway, streets, and the LA River is incredible. Plus the movie gives plenty of payoff even before Norton gets his. Wahlberg’s Charlie Croker is an excellent leader. He’s able to command respect from his team, but he also handles the furtive and impulsive Stella (Theron) with care. He does right by his friends. The Italian Job is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish.
2. John Wick Chapter 2
One of very few cases where the sequel is better than the original. Wick 2 doesn’t feel like a ham-fisted sequel desperately leeching the energy off the first film. It feels like a natural sequel. The loose ends from the first film are neatly tied up. But then John Wick is forced to deal with the consequences of his return to the assassin business. The stakes are raised, and that is where the movie shines. The action sequences build off the ones from the first one, and we get to see the source “possibly” of the pencil legend from the first movie. The fight scenes between Wick and Cassian (played by common) are excellently choreographed, and it’s refreshing to see John Wick actually challenged by an equal rather than just shooting his way through an army of henchmen. Also, the suit up scene in Italy is just glorious, especially with the sommelier (played by Peter Serafinowicz) and the “wine tasting”/weapons dispensary. Keanu Reeves is also a natural in his role, and the chemistry with director Chad Stahelski is obvious. I think Stahelski will have a long career as a director after the Wick series ends because these movies get better after every watch.
Unstoppable
It’s my favorite movie, so of course it makes number 1 on the list. I like the movie because it’s an action movie with t r a i n s but you’ll like it too for that same reason. Runaway vehicles are a pretty common plot device in action films but having a runaway freight train as the primary antagonist is pretty novel. It’s also a Tony Scott film so the action is heart-poundingly intense. Watching the train come within moments of a brutal accident or effortlessly smashing a box car to pieces just makes you lean back in your seat and go “woah” every time. But the constant action also gives way to some pretty heartfelt moments between Denzel Washington and Chris Pine in the lulls between action scenes. Denzel, Pine, and Rosario Dawson are all fantastic in their roles. It’s one of those movies that’s never not engaging.
White Boy Summer demands virtue from every aspect. The movies you watch are no exception. These movies exude vitality and manly energy. They instill important lessons on the meaning of virtue and manliness. And of course, they’re filled with exciting action. All these things together make this the quintessential White Boy Summer watchlist. I hope you will add these movies to your summer catalog, and I hope you enjoy all of them just as much as I do.