Happy Birthday, Sam Mendes!

Today we've got the birthday of director Sam Mendes, who turns 46. Mendes splashed onto the Hollywood scene, winning Best Director for his directorial debut, 1999's American Beauty (which also went on to win Best Picture that year). Since then, he's only offered up four other films, but they've all been of rather astounding caliber, if I do say so myself. Despite the lack in quantity, Mendes's work achieves a quality that many directors would love to possess. So, for this post, I've listed his five films in the order of my preference, much like I do with other birthday posts. All that being said, I'd like to wish Sam Mendes a happy 46th birthday, and I hope you enjoy this list.

5. Jarhead
2005


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4. Revolutionary Road
2008


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3. Away We Go
2009


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2. Road to Perdition
2002


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1. American Beauty
1999

Happy Birthday, Kevin Spacey!

Today is a very special day for me, in that I get to create a birthday post for arguably my favorite actor of all time, Kevin Spacey. Now, I'd seen some of Spacey's more recent fare in the past few years - my first strong memory of him in a film was 2006's Superman Returns - but once I started delving into his past filmography, I saw how surprisingly wonderful he actually is. He's a two-time Academy Award winner, if that's not enough to prove to you how great of an actor he is. He brings such a force and a presence to the screen that is often unmatched by his peers. Because I'm so fond of his work, I've listed my top ten roles rather than my usual top five. There's also an extra bit at the end of the post that I'm sure you'll find rather hilarious, so be sure to check it out. Once again, happy birthday, Kevin Spacey!

10. Albert T. Fitzgerald
The United States of Leland (2003)

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9. Lex Luthor
Superman Returns (2006)


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8. Dave Harken
Horrible Bosses (2011)


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7. Famous Dr. Evil
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)


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6. Jack Vincennes
L.A. Confidential (1997)


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5. Jack Abramoff
Casino Jack (2010)


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4. Henry Carter
Shrink (2009)


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3. Lester Burnham
American Beauty (1999)


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2. Roger 'Verbal' Kint
The Usual Suspects (1995)


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1. John Doe
Se7en (1995)


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Now if the acting wasn't enough to make you fall in love with Spacey, this video might put you over the top:

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Awards
1998: Nominee - Best Voice Acting
1999: Winner - Best Actor, Drama
2001: Nominee - Best Supporting Actor, Drama
2002: Nominee - Best Cameo or Brief Appearance
2004: Nominee - Best Cameo or Brief Appearance
2006: Nominee - Best Supporting Actor, Comedy; Best Villain
2010: Winner: Best Actor, Comedy