5 Greatest Movies Of All Time That Isn’t Just Die Hard 5 Times
IT’S widely accepted that Die Hard is without question the greatest movie of all time.
But we here at WWN Culture want to bring avid movie buffs a sample of the 5 greatest movies of all time that definitely aren’t just the John McTiernan directed masterpiece from 1988 listed 5 times.
It’s time to give other movies their moment in the spotlight, some of them long forgotten or unforgotten but all of them have the power to enhance our understanding of humanity due to their masterful exploration of the human condition.
5) Takagi’s Last Hour
A stand out from Japanese cinema, which continues to influence Western cinema to this day.
The story of the abrupt and violent death of a businessman played by James Shigeta explores themes a world away from Die Hard. Read as a metaphor for the working life, Takagi’s Last Hour asks does capitalism ask too much of us and are we ready to pay the ultimate price? In the 80s, a decade of excess, this cautionary tale warns that being a cog in a machine of profit, in this case, a huge globe spanning corporation brings no rewards even if you’re at the top.
4) Holly And John
A spiritual companion to that other eponymous rom-com of the period When Harry Met Sally, ‘Holly And John’ deals unflinchingly with a married couple struggling to save their marriage, who reconnect against the odds.
Set over the course of one night, an innovative choice for 1988, Holly And John reconnect and rediscover their love for each other during a Christmas party in LA. Ahead of its time with its title too, giving a woman first billing.
3) My Brother The Henchman
Don’t be fooled by the title, this is a tough and heartaching watch. The movie centres around German man ‘Karl’ who mourns the death of his brother who died carrying out his job within an organised crime outfit. We weep as Karl must contend with his grief, complicated by the fact that he was there when his brother died. Alexander Godunov gives a tour de force performance as guilt, grief, revenge and regret all wrestle inside tortured Karl. Some subtitles in this one.
2) An Evening With Argyle
Unapologetically experimental in nature, this movie, also from 1988 is a challenging art house cult favourite which centres on a limo driver named Argyle. We spend the course of the movie in the limo with Argyle as inconsequential incidents, dialogue and music follow on from each other. We explore how Argyle amuses himself and are forced to turn that camera lens back on ourselves and ask ‘aren’t we all Argyle? Passing time in the limo of our lives’. The theme of 24/7 self-entertainment through technology was way ahead of its time and the movie has probably never been more important. And has nothing do to with Die Hard.
1) Die Hard
Clearly it’s Die Hard you fucking philistines.