When Movies Do "Cool" the Right Way

Cool movies rarely, if ever seem as cool as they try to be. They often come off as cringe or seemingly try way too hard. Let's dive into what makes a movie cool and discuss the examples over the years.

[@rottensquid]

First of all, your writing style and voice-over are pretty damn cool, so I kinda think you're onto something with this exploration. "Cool" in cinema is a vastly under-rated trait, and one that Nerdwriter, Thomas Flight, and Tom Van Der Linden aren't quite set up to explore. They're all cool folks, but "cool" clearly isn't their focus. I think you could go deep down this rabbit hole. But I think if you're going to do that, you should consider that all the films you cite here are "cool guy" films, centering masculine swagger, and masculine identity, as the definition of cool. And I think that's limiting, because there's other expressions of cool. For example, the coolest film of all time to my mind is actually "Only Lovers Left Alive." If you don't know it, it's a vampire film basically about two vampires and how they keep their marriage alive over the centuries. The features on everything you talk about here. Its protagonist, Adam, has the same dark, silent, late-night mystique of the Driver in Drive. The dialog has the same easy meandering free-association of Pulp Fiction. And all the characters are just relentlessly, impossibly cool, even in the midst of earnestness and vulnerability and pathos. What it doesn't have is the power struggles that make up the plots of Pulp Fiction, Drive, Oceans Eleven, and all these other "cool" films cited in the video. It's interesting to sink into a movie that has nothing to do with "winning" against anyone, least of all men competing with other men, trash-talking, fighting for dominance, and all that stuff that makes up the bulk of the conflict in most "cool" movies. I think it's interesting to watch a film where no men are trying to make other men "their bitch." It's so easy to get caught up in that game, to the point where it's all you think of when you think of conflict, or even cool. But it's such a rat race. To my mind, it makes everyone less cool. Anyway, I think if you keep on this track, "Only Lovers Left Alive" is worth a look, for a very different take on what it means to be cool.

[@Renzy_YT]

thanks for the effort and thoughtfulness that went into this comment. deserves a pin. Cheers!

[@brunoactis1104]

First, i think you overstate the masculinity of coolness. Second, with Pulp Fiction i think the movie itself is the cool part, not the plot, as a wannabe filmmaker i know peopt often underestimate the cinematographic language, and overestimate the literary language, and i think you might fall here. I haven't watched the movie you mention, but i absolutely doubt it has a single shot cooler than anything in Pulp Fiction, like the introduction to Marcellus Wallace, with the still camera on Butch and the red lights, the music and Marcellus almost singing to the beat though he's actually just talking.

[@rottensquid]

@@brunoactis1104 I think you misunderstand my intent. I don't think coolness is necessarily masculine at all, but I noticed that the essayist only focused on examples of "cool" that had a particularly masculine bent. I just thought it was worth noting. There's more to cool than male swagger, as much as I love male swagger. One of the coolest shots in television, to my mind, was Peggy Olson walking into her new job in the final episode of Mad Men, sunglasses on, cigarette hanging out of her mouth, letting the audience know that, whatever happens next, she's gonna handle it like a bad-ass. Female swagger can be just as cool. Growing up, I loved Star Wars (a film you young'ns call A New Hope), but watching it as an adult, it seemed obvious the coolest character wasn't Han, or Vader, or even Chewbacca; it was Leia, the hard-as-nails princess. Just to be clear, I loved this essay, and I think it's a subject worth exploring more. I just think the way to open the subject up is to step past the notion that cool is about manliness, one-upping or dominating others. Nothing wrong with that kind of story, but it's not the end-all, be-all of what it means to be cool. Oh, and yeah, that Marcellus intro is one of the coolest moments in cinema, no doubt. But I feel like the coolest moment for Marcellus is his last, when he and Butch, who met as master and servant, parted as respectful equals.

[@Ave_Satana666]

​@@Renzy_YTain't no way your gonna see this but. I'm breaking down some fine ass weed to smoke to this. In honor of the fine dedication an Craftsman ship fr. But yo forehead is big as shit doe ngl😂

[@TumaH]

Sir. Don't underestimate your insight. This is the third video of yours I'm watching in a row. I wish for nothing but big things for you. You deserve it.

[@Renzy_YT]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@alk34eva1]

Could not be more correct.

[@ianwathuku1870]

I also just found the channel days ago and watched 3 videos on the spot 😅. Pretty awesome channel

[@morganjones593]

This

[@lIlWAVYlIl]

9:31 Nightcall just hits different driving anytime past 10pm

[@EmersonWyrick-ec7tg]

I’m so glad willem talked about life aquatic. Not only is it one of his most fun performances but also top 3 Wes Anderson. Extremely underrated/under-appreciated. Glad it’s starting to get more recognition and praise

[@clarkwing9507]

No mention of Django?? Django might be my favorite most badass character, at least by Tarantino for sure

[@nathanspiers9559]

Django I think is his most badass in terms of action but in terms of dialogue, I think Jules takes the cake.

[@garrettmetz9026]

Dawg are you frl crying bc he didn’t put your favorite character in the video…. Pls make it more obvious you have main character syndrome 😂

[@playgroundchooser]

Coolest movie ever? Ocean's 11. Clooney & Pitt lead the coolest bunch of misfits of all time.

[@wolfboy20]

Seriously,,,this movie oozes wayyy too much charm and cool! It's damn near perfect!!

[@jackalexande]

can't think of ocean's 11 without thinking of ocean's 8 😂

[@theboulder4914]

That movie was not good.

[@wolfboy20]

@@theboulder4914 🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢

[@theboulder4914]

@@wolfboy20 It was generic. Brad Pitt was not allowed to have a good character. Everyone was boring. Too many characters diluted the film. Reservoir Dogs is far better.

[@dubvuchyea502]

Ryan Gosling is literally me

[@6661SynysterA7X]

thats crazy cause he's literally me

[@dubvuchyea502]

@@6661SynysterA7X us, even

[@johnphares3358]

Same.

[@zoulzopan]

i am literally Ryan Gossling in blade runner 2049

[@johnphares3358]

I'm Lala Land Ryan

[@someonesvagabond]

I'd consider No Country For Old Men a cool film, all three main characters are cool in their own way.

[@djtridium]

I just love how you cut to clips of Steven Segal whenever you’re talking about something shit. ‘Space Ice’ would love and appreciate this as do I 😂😂😂

[@dark1112]

Underrated channel for sure. Good editing and everything

[@derrekingledue3138]

Some of my coolest characters: Han Solo, Indiana Jones, James Bond, Chris Knight (Val Kilmer in Real Genius), David (Lost Boys)

[@jzwadlo]

Just found your channel and love the topics. As for this one - it's easy, just anyone that doesn't give a f*ck and is confident in their own skin - but like COMPLETELY confident. If they were 99.9% confident then no, they're not cool. That's the kicker - you need to envy how comfortable they are in their own skin - that's the acid test. If you do, then they're cool.

[@codapapa7955]

I’ve been binge watching your vids while I cook and I just wanna say that you’re videos are awesome! Your channel is a gem and I’m glad I found it!!

[@Renzy_YT]

Happy to hear it! Thank you for the kind words 🙌🏼

[@omart8088]

Really great content! I have watched most of your videos and have to applaud you on the effort put into each of them. Keep up the great work, and eventually you will have a Thomas Flight and Nerdwriter size audience. All that said, please note that Film Noir has not been around since the dawn of film but began with 1941's "Maltese Falcon", and "Pulp Fiction" was set in the 1990s (Vince and Jules use cellphones, Bruce Willis' character was a small boy during the Vietnam War, The Wolf drives an Acura NSX which came out in 1991, etc). Still, very enjoyable viewing, looking forward to more videos!

[@Renzy_YT]

Yeah deff dropped the ball there but I’ll be more conscious of that moving forward 👍🏼 and thank u for the kind words!

[@omart8088]

@@Renzy_YT Nah, more of a slight fumble than a ball drop, but you retained possession for sure. Keep up the great work and positive attitude 👍🏻

[@redgrizzly1492]

Movies like Drive and Fight Club may have been memed to death and in some people's eyes lost some of their bite due to their association with/being co-opted by the literally me/redditor crowd. But as you pointed out, there's just so much cool factor and style in these movies taken on their own and divorced from the internet discourse around them. You can debate "the point" of these movies until you're blue in the face and ultimately people see what they wanna see. However, it cannot be denied that these movies and other films in the neo-noir subgenre bring a sense of style, mystery, and yes, cool that other films simply just can't replicate. It's a delicate balance that so many film makers never really grasp and it makes movies like this so much more special for it.

[@johnphares3358]

Fight club is a timeless masterpiece.

[@olorinever-young4685]

I just discovered your channel, this is the second video I watched after your Micheal Cera one. Excellent stuff! You deserve far more subs. Best wishes and God bless.

[@abchk22]

The coolest movie is 12 Angry Men.. what a premise and acting! P.S. Love your videos!

[@specialknees6798]

I struggle to think of a less cool classic film lol. It’s an amazing film but not “cool” at all really

[@Neenybeany]

The Thomas Flight reference made me smile

[@milarnojohnson8212]

I have found My new favorite KZbin channel ❤😂 I've watched 3 videos one after the other and they are so interesting... why don't you have more subs

[@SlappyMcSlappster]

"One of my favorite films of all time is the John Wick series." That sentence threw me for a loop lol

[@alinn.4341]

Wanted to support you for the content and then saw I'm already subscribed. xD Thanks!

[@FaizKhan-ol5rb]

coolest character has to be the man with no name he started the coolness and his whole cool aura changed cinema forever

[@markburns4497]

Drive is one of my all time favourite movies, and yes I play the sound track in my car while driving at night, LOL

[@Varsonin]

Hey Renzy, keep up the good work. You definitely deserve way more subs and I think you're really onto something. Don't give up, your effort is appreciated!

[@Renzy_YT]

Thank you so much!! The love is greatly appreciated 🙏🏼

[@matthewsawczyn6592]

Cool is self assuredness. Danny Ocean, Han Solo, The Driver, The Dude - all completely at home in their skin That’s cool 😎

[@MyDesignService]

Gosh I love film. It's the perfect medium .. everything from fashion to music to cars to writing .. it's all present in one picture. It's not a huge commitment for 30 minutes across a couple years .. just one big 2-4 hour show that you can revisit and re-experience every now and then.

[@DenKulesteSomFins]

Fight club and Drive. They're so cool and charismatic(and good looking) that people deify and idolize a terrorist cult leader and a pretty cold killer

[@joannparkgiraud2472]

We Bare Bears || Icy Nights episode does an incredible job capturing the essence of cool that we saw in Drive

[@mikeg2092]

Daniel Craig in Casino Royal is ultimate cool. Capable and calculated, light on the futuristic gadgets. Walking back into the poker game after being poisoned and dropping that one liner. 👌

[@nimazsheik5152]

Sean Connery the OG cool dude. He wasn't just an actor, he was a bodybuilder, served in the military and lived a long and happy life!

[@SimplyJustRed]

Twas a good idea to start making video essays, mate. Lemme put you closer to 1k 😁

[@Renzy_YT]

Thanks for the support!! 🙏🏼

[@AlexKomnenos]

You and I have very similar tastes in “Cool”. Drive and the Oceans movies are some of my favorites

[@Maidenless007]

John Wick is very cool, particularly the first one. So is American Gangster, particularly Denzel's character. Someone confident with an underlying level of danger who is also extremely charismatic. No Country For Old Men, too.

[@matrixhasyou13]

Great movies all around! Also, thank you for two of my favorite movies ever. The Matrix and John Wick. And if you don't like Reeves, I'm pretty sure you have no soul😅

[@DocMortsnarg]

Big Lebowski, man. King of Staten Island, Ghostbusters, Smiling Friends, Indiana Jones are pretty fucking cool. I feel like movies and characters that are able to get beat up, shit on, passed over and heartbroken- but still walk away with some optimism, are cool to me. Not trying, just being. It's why that as much as I enjoy Tarantino, I can't appreciate his films for their "coolness". Maybe Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, and Inglorious Basterds. Those are the exceptions. That's why the James Bond/fast cars/hot women/explosions version of cool don't do much for me. It's that lo-fi aesthetic, I think.

[@flame_khaos5259]

The coolest movie ever (and im saying this 100% seriously) is Surfs Up - 2007

[@mohammedhuzaifa8654]

Amazingly put. Godspeed son

[@johnphares3358]

Anyone who doesnt see ryan goslings acting skills is blind. All I see is when I watch his movies is subtle genius. Imo he's the best actor of his time. One of the best of all time.

[@darktheories1758]

Blade was cool! Especially in the first one. BUT one of the absolute COOLEST characters in a role??? Brendan Fraser in Encino Man. Especially since I was a kid when it came out. Dude just oozed a primal caveman coolness. Betty Nugs! Wheeze the Juice, buhdy! The cheese is old and moldy, where is the bathroom? Edit: Also.. Christian Bale in Equilibrium. Still one of the coolest action movies ever made! OH and we CAN NOT FORGET, like half the cast from Dazed and Confused. What a stellar cast that was too. One of the London Twins Jason I think, Matthew McConaughey., Parker Posey, Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser(2 fast 2 furious villain), Anthony Rapp. Yeah. Dazed and Confused may be the coolest movie to me. If nothing else because the cast is a bunch of cool actors.

[@MatadorShifter]

Many of these middle old school actors oozed coolness every movie they were in: Sean Connery, Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Lee Van Cleef, Steve McQueen, Warren Beatty, James Coburn, Rod Steiger, Peter O’Toole (Night of the Generals, hot damn!), Telly Savalas, Dean Stockwell, the list goes on and on

[@tannerschnelle7897]

Listened to nightcall on my way home then randomly watched this video 👌🏻

[@krypticunlimited6925]

The most amazing thing about Pulp Fiction's dialogue is that it SEEMS pointless on the surface, but in reality EVERY conversation has meaning. And I mean literally all of them. Read between the lines and you realize that every word uttered is either call backed to/referenced later on, or serves the greater theme of the movie, and this is done through perhaps the most mundane, arbitrary banter cenima had seen up to that point

[@themeanlesbeann]

Kate with Mary Elizabeth Winstead is another solid neo-noir film. It's rare a woman gets to play the cool lead.

[@JhonNye96]

The first Matrix , Blade and the Crow are still cool fight me

[@The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World.]

The Crow fs

[@casualspawnpeeking3680]

for me what makes the john wick movies so good is that john wick gets hurt a lot he's not impervious to damage and every fight he gets into leaves him battered while he is a legend among assassins, he's still just a normal guy fighting people who have also trained their whole lives.

[@quasarulas3968]

The latest John whick instalment felt totally unbelievable like watching a weird superhero/video campaign, the action started to drag and blend into homogeneous executions

[@wbbigdave_]

"A man obsessed with Film" I honestly thought you were going to say feet there. You can always tell a Tarantino film by the feet

[@darktheories1758]

Steven Segal actually was cool back in the day, though. My dad loved him, RIP dad. Under Siege and Marked For Death were cool, especially back then. Under Siege 2 was when he took the express elevator straight down!

[@deanparkes4644]

Keanu as Constantine is cooool.

[@DiamondWoodStudios]

I had this conversation with my dad recently and he says the coolest man in Hollywood was Humphrey Bogart, after watching Casablanca I don’t think I can argue with him.

[@isaiahwilliams7502]

Watch some Paul Newman movies. Like the sting or Cool hand Luke. Ain’t a cooler dude in cinema

[@BuiltbyF]

Sub worthy video. Excellent work. Enough said.

[@jzwadlo]

Also I would have added Baby Driver

[@StuntmanDanHemi]

Oh cmon a video about coolness in cinema and not a single mention of the king of cool Steve McQueen, any of his characters, or movies... smh. Also, one of the most stylish/coolest movies I've ever seen that never gets that recognition is Looper, that futuristic greaser/rockabilly style is already quite unique and then JGL drops the coolest performance of his career as a young Bruce Willis, instant classic for me.

[@mrcoolcanon]

He really is the IRON MAN

[@leandersantos2477]

Terminator 2. Tenet. Casino royal. Inside man. Iron man 1 Should have made the list

[@mikeg2092]

Casino Royal 100%

[@infoharvester]

subscribed… for God-sake, subscribed ! 😫

[@-_--zg5sy]

Fallen Angels is like my new coolest movie

[@johnphares3358]

I'm 100% with you. Pulp fiction is the coolest movie of all time.

[@erichmyles4481]

Blade is the definition of cool for me

[@salvux-ke9qz]

off topic but is that CLARA BOW IN 4:47

[@jacko250]

For me the coolest film of all time is Breathless (À bout de souffle) directed by Jean-Luc Godard, no contest!

[@RiC3R69]

New Movies of the Fast and Furious Franchise feels like the parody to the original movies They just ruined everything

[@twilightdash6746]

WONDERFUL

[@_unqfficial_jim4844]

A lot of people like Oceans 11 and the whole trilogy but I feel like it is Underrated in the Filmmaking community. It is one of my favourite films and Trilogies of all time and I am so in love with the overall vibe of these Movies. I wasn't really able to point out why specifically I love oceans this much but now I've got the last puzzle peace. It's (among other things) just the Coolness of relatability of most of the Characters annd the witty dialogue.

[@InfinityX2]

Winston Wolf

[@jeffshapiro9209]

Cool, Chance from ToLive and Die in L.A.

[@user-kr4fj2tz9j]

First of all don't give a direct spoiler of any movie that you mentioned or you will mentioned in their future videos As I get to know a a characters motive from this video which I wanted to know from the movie itself when I will watch it

[@BobbertDuckington]

"cool" is paul newman in anything and everything

[@The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World.]

The Crow

[@John-so8rc]

Fear. With Mark Walberg. He Was A Interesting Character (Cool To Me) Had MachineHead & Comedown From Bush (Cool 90's Rock Band) The Relationship Between A Twisted Guy Like Marks Character And A Sweet More Innocent Then B!Tch Type Girlfriend Which Would've Wanted To Workout But Ended With Mark Walberg Being A Stalker (So Let Me In Your F. N House (.

[@Th3Pr0tag0n1st]

Coolest movie ever: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

[@gluteusmaximus5094]

hobie brown.

[@gavinchen-forral5236]

BABY DRIVER IS COOLEST COOLEST

[@agatheduvic3032]

Great video and great subject, but, why don't you talk about women ? There are a lot of interesting and cool women characters and women directors. For instance, i love Tarantino, you could talk about Death Proof ?

[@alexanderwindh4830]

Collateral is peak.

[@RYANG0SLlNG]

Drive. A film not only extremely cool, but all about me.

[@juanvelez5699]

Tennet is annoyingly cool... even tho i cant hear shit, the vibes are impeccable

[@Chun_ed]

I like this video.

[@megamerp9315]

didn't tarantino make john travolta dance?

[@The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World.]

12:11 don't know how anti establishment and hyper masculinity go hand in hand

[@danielmartin25]

No Butch Cassidy? No Five Easy Pieces? No Easy Rider? No A Bout de Souffle? No Conformist? No Les Valseuses? Cinema did not begin with Tarantino. A tragic paucity of choice and taste.

[@phantom3742]

Imo nobody is the “coolest” film I’ve seen and I liked it more than any of the John wick films

[@dannyd4339]

"One of my favorite films of all time is the john wick series" young blood over here doesn't know how to count higher than 1

[@thewhitewolf58]

Hate john wicks wooden acting. He sounds like he just woke up and made a phone call.

[@scott9235]

I bet Jim Carrey is your favorite actor

[@creed_606]

Coolest movie of all time hands down is miami vice

[@John-so8rc]

Fear

[@collinwever4620]

Batman. I don’t need to say anything more

[@RugerEnthusiast]

i think iron man 1 is very very cool

[@Blitzwing2]

the coolest film ever made is pacific rim

[@petel5781]

No Out Of Sight? Not cool.

[@udinelumbu2351]

The Matrix is the coolest movie ever made

[@DBUCKS1988]

You think the John wick character and series stayed believable?

[@leandersantos2477]

Sigh….. he explained it buddy. In the context of the world yes.

[@DBUCKS1988]

@@leandersantos2477 it started out as an underground league of assassin's. By the end it appeared everyone in the world was linked in and controlled by the assassin's. I love the character, the series and the world it was set in stayed so far from the original concept it took away from the series. Still great to watch mindlessly, but I feel like the writing got lazy and forgot it was supposed to be a secret society. People have have different opinions. I'm surprised I need to explain that to you. Friendo

[@fredricclack7137]

👻 🐶

[@theotrovato8250]

Coolest movie?! Point break

[@shiyahumi4203]

Coolest movie is, unfortunately, the Hangover. It's about a bunch of friends fixing their fuck ups. THAT is the coolest thing ever.

[@yellowbones]

Dom Toretto is probably one of the cringiest most pathetically written characters in pop culture

[@CC3GROUNDZERO]

Nah, sorry, Drive is not even a good film. The self-confessed narcissist Nicolas Winding Refn was always overrated and it's good that he's mostly gone from the big screen and hasn't made any more films since the abysmal Neon Demon. Drive is a film made by a narcissist, for an audience of narcissists. Just no thank you. This film is worse than Baby Driver.

[@Green_Guy502]

Ok

[@CC3GROUNDZERO]

@@Green_Guy502 Go look up interviews with Refn if you don't believe me.

[@Neylindo10]

weak bait

[@CC3GROUNDZERO]

@@Neylindo10 "Bait"? Nah, just my honest opinion after reading up on what a self-confessed narcissist Refn is. You can either follow suit and read up on him, or you can pretend that you already know everything. Your choice.

[@alcedob.5850]

Wouldn't compare it to Baby Driver, too different vibe, of you would allow the use of such word. But yeah, among the neo-noir genre it's ok at best