TOP FIVE: Buddy Films

"Hot Fuzz" is out in theaters today and the film is made by the same guys who brought us "Shawn of the Dead." Since "SofD" was such an awesome movie, there is no reason to doubt whether or not "Hot Fuzz" will be a successful play on the action genre. So this begs the question: what action films that inspired "Hot Fuzz" are truly the best out there? What buddy films are timeless and will always be around? The following movies are, in my opinion (and remember, yours doesn't count), the best of all time for the genre.

Shane Black is the screenwriter who brought us "Lethal Weapon," "Last Action Hero" and "Monster Squad." The man knows how to make a great movie with even better dialogue. The best of the bunch has to be his latest film, "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang," which stars Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. Kilmer has already done movies in the past which has proven he is one funny motherfucker ("Top Secret," "Real Genius," and the funniest film ever made, "Batman Forever"). The chemistry between the two actors in this film is outstanding, which comes as no surprise since the writing is so damned good. Nobody ever remembers this film because it was in and out of theaters. Another victim of critical acclaim, but poor box office performance.

"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" makes the list because of the banter between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. Everybody loved this film for that reason. So much so that at this point, everyone expects Connery back in the forthcoming "Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods." I always was partial to the Indy/Short Round bond in "Temple of Doom," but the scene in which we find out Indy was named after the dog kills me every time.

Just kidding.

Everyone always seems partial to "48 Hours" since it was one of Eddie Murphy's first movies as star, but for me it never got any better than "Beverly Hills Cop." Eddie Murphy was at the top of his game here and pretty much stole the entire movie. Every line he has in this movie is hilarious and it was Murphy who made Axel Foley into an 80s icon. By now it is a tired scenario with the fish out of water cop who meets the straight laced by the book cops, but when this was released it was still fresh and funny. At least in this one they kept the white vs black stereotypes out of it. Nothing kills a movie faster than that. Murphy kept the laughs going in "Beverly Hills Cop II," but opted to phone it in for the shitfest "Beverly Hills Cop III."

Most people consider this the grandaddy of them all. The "Lethal Weapon" movies, as well as the "Mad Max" trilogy, are what launched the career of Mel Gibson (which is a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it). We get the crazy vietnam vet who has a death wish partnered with the family man just days from retirement. Then somehow they find a common ground and are able to work together. I will admit that Riggs and Murtaugh had the best chemistry out of any duo on screen for this type of film. These movies, like the "Die Hard" films, set the tone for action films and were copied for years (even today) because of their success.

Speaking of "Die Hard," this is what tops the list for me. "Die Hard with a Vengeance" is the king of all buddy films for me. Nothing is better than Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson running around New York City looking for explosives. Now admittedly, this film did go the route of making the racial jokes, but they worked here as opposed to other films. There were no stereotypes about music or shit like that. It was about two guys who genuinely didn't get along for most of the film, and made some pretty damn good banter back and forth for close to two hours.