Happy Birthday, Guy Pearce!

Today, we're celebrating the 44th birthday of Guy Pearce. Pearce got his acting start in the mid- to late-1980s television series "Neighbours," using that as a springboard to nab parts in films like 1990's Heaven Tonight and 1994's The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. He started to gain fame in the United States after his semi-starring role in 1997's L.A. Confidential, and then again with Christopher Nolan's 2000 film, Memento. Since then, he's appeared in films relatively consistently but hasn't made quite the splash he made in the late-1990s and early 2000s. Still, I consider him to be one of the more-talented actors on the Hollywood scene right now, and for that, he should be commended. You might still be able to catch him in theaters in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, but you will be able to see Pearce in 2011's The Wettest County in the World. So as I normally do, I'm counting down my five favorite performances for Pearce. I hope you enjoy the list! Once again, happy birthday, Guy Pearce!

5. Veteran
The Road (2009)

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4. Sgt. Nathan Leckie
Animal Kingdom (2010)


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3. King Edward VIII
The King's Speech (2010)

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2. Edmund J. Exley
L.A. Confidential (1997)


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1. Leonard Shelby
Memento (2000)


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Top Rated Film (According to Me): L.A. Confidential (1997)

Awards
2000: Nominee - Best Actor, Drama

Happy Birthday, Kate Winslet!

Today, we're celebrating the 36th birthday of Kate Winslet. She started acting in the early 1990s on a number of television series and finally got her first role in a feature film in 1994's Heavenly Creatures. From there, Winslet began to skyrocket toward superstardom, which she ultimately achieved after nabbing Academy Award nominations for her performances in 1995's Sense & Sensibility and 1997's Titanic. From there, she has seemingly only meddled in dramatic fare, choosing her roles carefully over the years. It took her until her sixth Academy Award nomination (for 2008's The Reader) finally to win the illustrious award. You can currently see Winslet in theaters in Contagion, and her next film will be a dramatic comedy called Carnage, which is slated for a December 16 U.S. release and will also star Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly. So, for her birthday, I've listed my five favorite of Winslet's roles. Here's hoping you enjoy the clips! Once again, happy birthday Kate Winslet!

5. Slyvia Llewelyn Davies
Finding Neverland (2004)


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4. Rose DeWitt Bukater
Titanic (1997)


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3. April Wheeler
Revolutionary Road (2008)


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2. Sarah Pierce
Little Children (2006)


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1. Hanna Schmitz
The Reader (2008)


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Top-Rated Film (According to Me): Finding Neverland (2004)

Awards
2004: Winner - Best Actress, Drama | Nominee - Best Couple
2006: Winner - Best Couple | Nominee - Best Actress, Drama
2008: Winner - Best Actress, Drama | Nominee - Best Couple

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