Russell Crowe is back with his old mate Ridley Scott this week with their latest project together...Robin Hood.
It's been twelve months since we have seen Crowe on the big screen, as he led the cast of State of Play last summer.
In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power.
And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.
So after you have all flocked to the cinema this weekend to catch Crowe and co in action here are few other of the Oscar winner's movies that you really should check out.
The Insider
The Insider saw Crowe work with screen legend Al Pacino and director Michael Mann back in 1999 and was to be his major breakthrough movie in America, despite having starred in The Quick and the Dead and L.A. Confidential.
Based on the article "The Man Who Knew Too Much," The Insider depicts the true story of Jeffrey Wigand (Crowe), a successful scientist who is fired from the Brown & Williamson tobacco company for objecting to certain lab tests.
He signs a confidentiality agreement to ease the company's nervousness, but when hotshot 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (Pacino) recruits Wigand to help him decipher some technical documents, he realizes that there's a bigger story hiding inside Wigand.
Eventually Bergman convinces him to break the agreement and sit for an interview with Mike Wallace (Plummer).
Crowe landed his first Oscar nomination for his role as Wigand, which started a good run of fortune for the actor in Hollywood.
Despite under performing at the box office the movie was a huge critical hit.
Gladiator
Maximus Decimus Meridius remains the most famous role for the actor and saw him pick up his first Best Actor Oscar in 2000, seeing of competition from Javier Bardem, Tom Hanks, Ed Harris and Geoffrey Rush.
Maximus is a Roman general who leads the troops in conquering Germania for the empire. When an aging Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) tells Maximus that he'd like him to rule Rome once he's gone, a classic confrontation ensues between the brave and charming soldier--who wants to return home to his wife, son, and farm--and the jealous and conniving Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the emperor's only son, who is thirsty for power.
Bought as a slave by the profiteering Proximo (Oliver Reed, in his last role), Maximus must kill or be killed in the ring, battling to save not only himself but the future of the very empire that he loves and honours.
The movie cemented Crowe as a bone fide leading man in Hollywood and his career was well and truly on the rise.
The movie took over $457 million at the global box office and went on to win the Best Picture Oscar.
A Beautiful Mind
And a second Oscar looked almost certain for Crowe in 2001 but his angry behaviour could well have cost him another little golden man.
Based loosely on Sylvia Nasar's acclaimed biography of mathematician John Forbes Nash, the film is a compelling look at one man's genius, his debilitating mental illness, and the fine line between the two.
It's a great central performance from Crowe which demonstrated that he wasn't just capable at the more action based roles but his character work was just as excellent.
The movie went on to win Best Picture, as well as Best Director for Ron Howard, but Crowe missed out to Denzel Washington.
Cinderella Man
It was another life story for Crowe with Cinderella Man in 2005, which saw him work with Howard once again, and it remains one of his most under-rated performances.
In the North American Great Depression, the former successful boxer James Braddock loses all his possessions and savings with the crash of the stock market.
His beloved wife Mae Braddock and their three children survive to starvation and lack of heating and the daily difficulties supported by their love.
In 1934, when Jim's couch and manager Joe Gould offers to him a chance to return to boxing, he becomes the symbol of hope of hopeless people in a ruined nation.
Once again it was another powerful performance from Crowe as he got under the skin of Braddock as he fought to save his family.
3.10 To Yuma
The remake of 3.10 To Yuma is one of my personal favourite Crowe movies as he teams up with Christian Bale and director James Mangold.
War veteran Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is facing a daily struggle to keep a roof over his family's head and food on the table. The drought has led to the death of many of his cattle and he is on the verge of being thrown out of his home with nothing.
When infamous outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is captured Dan, in an attempt to gain some lost respect and some money, he volunteers to join the group that will take Wade to Contention to put him on the 3:10 train to Yuma, the train that will take him to trial.
And these two actor, Bale and Crowe, who are arguably the best of their generation, deliver they are driving force and main asset to this movie.
The duel like nature between the two men, who come from different walks of like a murderous Wade and the moral upstanding Evans, is cleverly kept intact throughout the duration of the film keeping the focus on them, how they react to what is happening and more importantly how they are reacting to each other. And their scenes together, in particular at Contention station, are box office gold.
Other Crowe movies that are well worth a watch include L.A. Confidential, American Gangster, State of Play and Virtuosity
Robin Hood is released 12th May
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Robin Hood Russell Crowe