Top 10 Manliest Movies of 2014

From the outset, there is not a great deal about John Wick to be excited about. The mediocre Keanu Reeves in an action movie that would probably seem PG-13 to the untrained eye. But oh boy, nobody saw this one coming - an incredibly brutal, relentlessly R-rated, beautifully-orchestrated action movie that's lean and fast-moving. It's the best pure action movie in years, and it's easily the manliest movie of 2014.

Wow. This is one of the best WWII movies of all time, a movie that's worthy of Saving Private Ryan. Even so-so actors like Brad Pitt and Shia LaDouche are amazing here, amid an incredible ensemble of manly performers. The authenticity is astonishing, and the cinematic tank action is out of this world. This is the only movie in history to use a functioning Tiger tank, the last one that exists. This is how dedicated to realism director David Ayer is...

The language is salty. The violence is brutal. And there is badassness galore. It's manly as fuck.

Oh boy, this movie is awesome. It's very R-rated and features some of the most amazing martial arts sequences in history, not to mention the shootouts are badass as well. Any manly man worth their salt will enjoy this fucking incredible action flick that will leave you begging for more.

Cold in July is an amazing movie, one of the manliest of the year. It's extremely violent when it needs to be, with a thoroughly extraordinary shootout which closes the film, and it features one hell of a cast. Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson and Sam Shepard are manly as fuck here. It oozes manliness from every pore.

This movie is a fucking instant classic. Yeah, it's a formulaic set-up, but this is a brisk, 90-minute western that's more concerned with execution than anything else. It's fucking gorgeous to look at, the action scenes are exciting, and Mads Mikkelson is one of my new favourite big-screen badasses. Fucking awesome!

This is Clint Eastwood's best movie in years. It's a superb chronicle of Chris Kyle's life, with some spectacular combat sequences and an often affecting look at PTSD. The sense of brotherhood between the troops, and the fact that the violence pulls no punches, ensures this is one of the year's best and manliest.

R-rated studio action movies are a rare commodity these days, especially when they have a decent cast. But The Equalizer is a diamond in the rough, and it's spectacular. It's not perfect due to some so-so pacing, but the action scenes are where it delivers. Denzel is manly as shit here, a cool, collected badass hero who can kick seven shades of butt. A must-see for manly men.

2014 was not a great year for manly comedies, but 22 Jump Street thankfully stands out. On top of having some amusingly violent shootouts, the central pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum remains awesome, and the story underscoring the importance of their brotherhood is pretty freaking manly. It's fun and funny, and it's very much a boy's movie.

The Guest is another super cool '80s throwback, with very '80s-style music and cinematography. There's plenty of tension throughout, as well. And did I mention there's tits?

In the final act, the movie develops into a straight-up action-thriller, and it is awesome. Practical squibs were clearly used, which makes the violence far more satisfying. There are some fantastic set-pieces here.

This is a great movie, very manly and very retro. It's 80s all over with its insane violence and cinematic technique reminiscent of gems from several decades ago. I enjoyed it mightily.

Most of us expected more from this movie, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have any merit. On the contrary, it still contains some incredible shootouts imbued with Ayer's trademark brand of violence. Arnie is a solid anti-hero here as well, and the rest of the ensemble are badasses who banter and swear. Yeah, I liked it, though I would've preferred the original ending that's included as an extra on the Blu-ray. Ayer's original vision would've been better.