I'd planned to do a traditional "Ranked" entry on Morbius star Tyrese Gibson today, but the news that broke yesterday of Bruce Willis' retirement from acting and the heartbreaking circumstances behind it led me to change things up. Without Willis' contributions to cinema for 3+ decades, I doubt I'd grow to love the artform as much as I do. Willis had a gruff, snarky charisma that made him one of the most iconic action stars of all time as well as an unheralded versatility that allowed him to thrive in a wide array of genres. To honor Willis' incredible body of work, I put together a list of my 10 favorite movies of his-which just happens to include my 2 all-time favorites. Thank you for everything Bruce and I hope you and your family are able to navigate this awful situation as gracefully as humanly possible.
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
Alpha Dog
Die Hard with a Vengeance
The Fifth Element
Red
The Sixth Sense
10.Live Free or Die Hard (2007):
The concerns over a PG-13 Die Hard movie proved to be unwarranted. Appropriately frenetic direction from Len Wiseman (Underworld), an impeccable villain turn from Timothy Olyphant and some really nutty, over-the-top action allowed Live Free or Die Hard to be the clear standout among the Die Hard sequels.
9.The Last Boy Scout (1991):
Willis' initial run of films following the breakout success of Die Hard put a lot of stains on his resume. Hudson Hawk, Striking Distance and Billy Bathgate are among the most infamous misfires of the 90's, and their failure was a big part of why people believed his career was headed for a significant downturn until Pulp Fiction sent his stock soaring upwards again. The Last Boy Scout is the only project from this period of Willis' career that I believe to be unfairly overlooked. It's commitment to being an exceptionally dumb, over-the-top action movie is impressive and despite the fact they reportedly hated working together, Willis and Damon Wayans made for a hilarious, electric buddy pairing that gleefully tackled every abundantly nonsensical development this story threw at them.
8.Looper (2012):
Rian Johnson's take on the time travel genre is a smart, wildly entertaining thriller that possesses a surprising emotional core alongside some engaging action sequences and reliably strong performances from its gifted ensemble (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels, Paul Dano).
7.Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014):
While A Dame to Kill For is guilty of not doing much to distinguish itself from its predecessor, its vivid collection of characters paired with the stunning visual flare and sleazy, dangerous vibe driving its noir aesthetic prove to be a winning combination that made the 9-year wait worthwhile.
6.Lucky Number Slevin (2006):
It's been a very long time since I've actually watched Lucky Number Slevin, so this is a case of blind nostalgia driving the bus. This twisty, ultraviolent crime saga managed to confirm that I'll eat up any competent Tarantino riff that is occupied by slick editing, quirky characters and palpable energy.
5.The Expendables 2 (2012):
When Sylvester Stallone launched The Expendables franchise in 2010, he was essentially setting up a big, loud celebration of action movies. So far, The Expendables 2 has done the best job of realizing that mission statement. From the gleefully over-the-top action sequences to the self-aware sense of humor to the beyond welcome additions of Jean-Claude Van Damme, Scott Adkins and Chuck Norris to the crew of heavy hitters Stallone had previously recruited to star alongside him (Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Randy Couture, Willis), the whole thing just feels like a purehearted love letter to the ridiculously massive action movies of multiple bygone eras (80's/90's/00's) and the magnetic meatheads that helped bring them to life.
4.Planet Terror (2007):
This proudly schlocky B-zombie movie that kicked off the unique cinematic package that was Grindhouse represents Robert Rodriguez at his most playful, creative and gruesomely funny best.
3.Die Hard (1988):
For action movie fans, Die Hard is something truly sacred. What John McTiernan cooked up here was something distinctly masterful and the simple yet special formula (charismatic characters, playful tone, rapid pacing, contained setting that organically creates tension and excitement) he employed here has been mimicked to death for the past 30 years or so and will continue to be replicated until mankind ceases to exist.
2.Sin City (2005):
On the eve of its 17-year anniversary, I remain floored by what Sin City was able to accomplish. Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller created a richly rewarding, visually astounding crime saga that redefined what comic book adaptations could be by seamlessly transferring the striking black-and-white color palette, dense, anthology-based storytelling and viscerally lawless atmosphere from the pages of Miller's graphic novel to the moving canvas of the screen.
1.Pulp Fiction (1994):
It's not exactly a secret that Pulp Fiction is my favorite movie. Every time I think about some kind of formative movie experience or a favorite scene or quote, my brain immediately turns to this. This served as my introduction to the unparalleled passion, wit and impeccable storytelling/casting instincts Quentin Tarantino brings to his projects and I remain thankful for how my exposure to this singular masterpiece shaped my film taste and led me down a path to discover the rest of his brilliant films along with some other wild movies (Fight Club, Memento, Snatch) that probably wouldn't have otherwise shown up on my radar at that time of my life.
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