Natalie Portman in Film

Natalie Portman started acting at a young age, and she’s went on to obtain a college degree and win herself a Best Actress Oscar. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, I advise starting with the titles listed below, although there are many others to explore. Beautiful and talented, Ms. Portman is sure to be a fixture in Hollywood for a long time.

Cold Mountain (2003) – A Confederate soldier (Jude Law) deserts the military during the Civil War and tries to make it back home to his true love (Nicole Kidman). Portman and Rene Zellweger co-star.

V for Vendetta (2006) – Set in a dystopian Britain of the near future, this adaptation of the Alan Moore work follows a young woman as she falls in with V (Hugo Weaving), a masked freedom fighter who employs lethal means to set the country right. Stunning visuals courtesy of director James McTeigue.

Leon (1994) – Natalie Portman made her feature debut as a 12-year-old girl who takes up residence with a lonely hitman (Jean Reno) after her family is murdered by a rogue cop (Gary Oldman).

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) – Portman rose to stardom in the role of Queen Amidala, the young ruler who would fall in love with the future Darth Vader and give birth to Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. This is the best entry in the second trilogy, mostly because I’m a sucker for anything to do with Boba Fett.

Black Swan (2010) – Portman stars as a ballerina who begins to crack under the pressure while preparing for a production of Swan Lake. Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassell co-star. If you need the Black Swan ending explained, there are a number of online resources to assist you.

Heat (1995) – Al Pacino is a dedicated cop on the trail of a ruthless gang of thieves (led by Robert De Niro). Portman co-stars as his troubled daughter who longs for attention.

The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) – A look at the lives of Queen Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary Boleyn (Scarlett Johansson), two sisters who shared the affection of Henry VIII of England (Eric Bana).

Thor (2011) – Portman tries her hand at comic book movies with this Marvel Comics release about the arrogant God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) and his banishment to Earth to learn humility. Anthony Hopkins co-stars as Odin, and the film is directed by Kenneth Branagh.

If you’re into lovely Jewish girls with serious acting chops, then give the films of Natalie Portman a try. She’s worked in multiple genres, and her best years are still ahead of her. Move over, Meryl Streep, because there’s a new acting powerhouse in town.

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My 10 Favorite Horror Movies

Fans of horror movies have their favorite examples of the genre, and I’m no different than anyone else. This article highlights my picks for the best horror films ever made, and feel free to agree or disagree in the comment section. If you can present a compelling enough reason why I’m wrong, maybe I’ll even send you some Rockstar energy drink coupons.

The Thing (1982) – John Carpenter’s tense tale of isolation and paranoia pits a group of American researchers in Antarctica against an alien with the ability to perfectly mimic its victims. Kurt Russell stars, and co-star Wilford Brimley gets to go berserk.

Evil Dead II (1987) – Director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell return to once again follow the exploits of the big-chinned Ash as he butts heads with demonic beings at an isolated cabin in the woods. There’s plenty of slapstick mixed in with the gore.

Dawn of the Dead (2004) – Zack Snyder’s update of the George Romero classic improves on the original by featuring better acting, a superior soundtrack, and just as much gore. Plus, it’s got Ving Rhames wielding a shotgun!

Frankenstein (1931) – This classic adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel still holds up well thanks to the direction of James Whale and the nuanced performance from Boris Karloff.

An American Werewolf in London (1981) – An American youth (David Naughton) gets bitten by an animal while on vacation in England, only to later learn that he’s been cursed to become a werewolf. Excellent soundtrack and a fair amount of black comedy courtesy of director John Landis.

The Exorcist III (1990) – Fifteen years after the events of the original film, a Georgetown cop (George C. Scott) must track down a serial killer who’s already been put to death. Co-starring Brad Dourif.

Angel Heart (1987) – Mickey Rourke is a 1950’s private eye who takes a job tracking down a missing singer. The resulting investigation leads to madness and murder, and you just know a long-haired Robert De Niro is up to something.

Shaun of the Dead (2004) – A side-splitting zombie film that works equally well as a comedy or horror flick. Simon Pegg stars as a lovable slacker who must save his mom and girlfriend from hoards of British undead.

The Wicker Man (1973) – Edward Woodward is a no-nonsense constable who heads to a remote island to investigate the disappearance of a local girl. He gets more than he bargained for, of course, and the film’s final 15 minutes are especially strong.

The Return of the Living Dead (1985) – When a long-dormant chemical is unleashed, zombies get loose and begin to menace a group of punk rockers. Filled with horror, comedy, and a rockin’ soundtrack.

Most horror movies are of substandard quality, so the few good ones should be cherished and put on a pedestal. If you’ve missed some of the movies I’ve listed, you owe it to yourself to give them a try.

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Action-Packed Conspiracy Movies

The best conspiracy movies of all time come in every shape and size. Some are plodding affairs filled with shadows and tense music, while other include shootouts, martial arts showdowns, and white-knuckle car chases. This article is about the latter category, as we shine a spotlight on some of the best action-packed conspiracy movies.

Above the Law (1988) – Steven Seagal is Nico Toscani, an honest cop and former soldier who discovers a plot by the CIA to kill a politician. Expect plenty of bones to get broken in this one. Co-starring Pam Grier and Sharon Stone.

Valkyrie (2008) – Tom Cruise heads up a superb cast in this tale of the real-life plot by German officers to kill Hitler and end World War II. Directed by Bryan Singer and co-starring Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Terence Stamp, and Tom Wilkinson.

The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) – Geena Davis strikes a blow for equality as Charly Baltimore, a CIA assassin who regains her memory after living as an amnesiac housewife and mother for the past eight years. When she investigates her past, her old pals show up to kill her, forcing her to seek the assistance of a shady private investigator (Samuel L. Jackson).

Three Days of the Condor (1975) – After returning from lunch, a CIA analyst (Robert Redford) finds all of his co-workers murdered. He soon realizes that he was the real target. Max von Sydow is interesting as the foreign assassin with a bizarre sense of honor.

Salt (2010) – When a Russian defector claims that CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is actually a Russian sleeper agent, she must escape her co-workers and learn the truth behind the accusations.

The Parallax View (1974) - Following the death of an ex-girlfriend, a reporter (Warren Beatty) starts snooping around and uncovers an organization that specializes in assassination. Guess who their next target is?

The Last Boy Scout (1991) – When his client and an old pal wind up murdered, a Secret Service agent turned private eye (Bruce Willis) teams up with a disgraced quarterback (Damon Wayans) to catch the men responsible. Willis smokes, cusses, and even dances a jig. Look for Halle Berry in a pre-fame role as a stripper.

If most of us were trapped in a conspiracy movie, we’d get killed off in the first 10 minutes. The men and women on this list, however, simply grit their teeth, throw out a few clever one-liners, and gun down henchmen like nobody’s business.

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Weird Movies

Even the biggest fans of romantic comedies get in the mood for a weird movie every now and then. Your definition of weird movies is probably way different than anyone else’s–what’s weird for one person may be totally normal for another.

Here is a list of the best weird movies in the world, along with a short description. Check out any of these the next time you want to get away from the Pretty Womans and Princess Brides of the film world.

The Room

This cult favorite is often called “the worst movie ever made,” though that title is probably unfair. Director/actor/writer Tommy Wiseau is difficult to describe–he’s vaguely foreign (Belgian? German? Austrian?) and his acting can best be described as “wooden.” You have to see this weird and awful movie to believe it.

anything by Andy Warhol

The pop artist Andy Warhol did more than just paint soup cans and Marilyn Monroe–he also made lots of weird movies. His film Sleep is literally an eight hour recording of his friend John Giorno getting a good night’s rest.

The Idiots

Lars Von Trier’s story of people rebelling against society by pretending to be retarded is weird and wonderful and funny, but also a little bit offensive. Perfect for a weird movie night with your buddies.

Pound

Nearly impossible to describe, this film is a mockumentary about dog pounds, featuring actors in dog costumes, Broadway-style show tunes, and essentially an hour and a half of movie insanity. Watch it with plenty of beer, or the intoxicant of your choice, for a fun weird movie night you and your guests won’t soon forget.

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