George Clooney's Best Movies

George Clooney continues to be a fascinating figure in American film. He's surprisingly, prodigiously gifted, far more so than his early movie appearances (Batman & Robin) would have suggested. In interviews, he's coy and funny, and he seems to have surrounded himself with a group of superstars that are also close, private friends. He keeps a mysterious profile, so much so that his dating life appears to be off limits. On camera, he has a Cary Grant-like ability to switch from big, goofy humor to serious, sinister and subtle. He already owns an Oscar (Best Supporting Actor for Syriana), and earned two more nominations (for Michael Clayton and Up in the Air) in addition to a writing nomination and directing nomination (both for Good Night, and Good Luck). With the release of his new movie is The Ides of March, I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at Mr. Clooney's greatest accomplishments to date.

1. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Clooney's offbeat, snappy, wide-eyed performance in this one-of-a-kind movie is a thing of wonder -- perfectly meshing with Joel and Ethan Coen's unique humor.

2. Out of Sight (1998)
Clooney is super-cool, sexy, and tough in this whip-smart crime movie that started a long-standing friendship and working relationship with director Steven Soderbergh.

3. Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)
A visually gorgeous, low-key political drama that deserves to rank with All the President's Men.

4. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
Clooney's directorial debut is a bizarre, cult-worthy biopic that celebrates the tall tale.

5. Burn After Reading (2008)
The Coen brothers' underrated Washington D.C. farce makes brilliant use of an ensemble cast, with Clooney's character among the most humorously ineffectual.

6. The Thin Red Line (1998)
Clooney only appears in one scene, but this is a masterpiece any way you slice it.

7. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
A vocal performance full of snappy patter and witty asides, in a superb animated film that stretches the boundaries of the medium.

8. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
A badass performance in a crackling "B" movie.

9. Three Kings (1999)
An endlessly inventive, slightly off-kilter war parody that deserves to remain in the public consciousness.

10. Michael Clayton (2007)
Another quietly intelligent thriller for Clooney in a career that seems happily full of them.


Apologies to the enjoyable Ocean's trilogy and several other good titles.