Happy Birthday, Russell Crowe!

Today, we're celebrating the 48th birthday of Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe. He got his acting start on television in the early 1970s, and he worked so sporadically through the 1980s. It wasn't until the 1990 film Prisoners in the Sun that he made his theatrical feature film debut, propelling him to more consistent work. In 1997, Crowe got his big break in L.A. Confidential opposite Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey and Kim Basinger. Two years later, Crowe nabbed his first Oscar nomination for his performance in The Insider. Crowe then managed to score two more nominations in the two years that followed, winning for his performance in 2000's Gladiator while falling just short with his nomination for 2001's A Beautiful Mind. Since then, Crowe has been a little more selective about his film choices, but he has managed to perform well in a few films in the 2000s, including in 2003's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and in 2007's remake of 3:10 to Yuma. Most recently, audiences have seen him in 2010's The Next Three Days, and we'll next see him in the 2012 film, The Man with the Iron Fists. And so, to celebrate his 48th birthday, I've listed my five favorite of Crowe's performances, and I've supplied clips from each for your viewing pleasure. Once again, happy birthday, Russell Crowe!

5. Capt. Jack Aubrey
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)


*****

4. Wendell 'Bud' White
L.A. Confidential (1997)


*****

3. Ben Wade
3:10 to Yuma (2007)


*****

2. Maximus
Gladiator (2000)


*****

1. John Nash
A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Happy Birthday, Ridley Scott!

Today, we're celebrating the 74th birthday of Academy Award-nominated director, Ridley Scott. He got his directing start in the mid-1960s working on short films and television programming but made his feature film debut with 1977's The Duellists. Two years later, he garnered universal acclaim for his sci-fi horror film, Alien. He followed that smash-hit with the thoughtful and thought-provoking 1982 film Blade Runner, and from there, a masterful career was created. He received his first Academy Award nomination for his direction of 1991's Thelma & Louise, and he nabbed two more nominations in the same category for 2000's Gladiator and 2001's Black Hawk Down. Audiences most recently saw his work in 2010's Robin Hood, which marked the fifth collaboration between he and Russell Crowe. You'll next be able to see a Ridley Scott film in 2012 when he releases Prometheus. So, for this birthday, I've created a list of my five favorite Ridley Scott films, and I've supplied videos for each pick. Once again, happy birthday, Ridley!

5. Blade Runner
1982


*****

4. American Gangster
2007


*****

3. Gladiator
2000


*****

2. Black Hawk Down
2001


*****

1. Alien
1979