Joaq like an Egyptian

Rumors have started to surface that Joaquin Phoenix may be done with his Osama bin Laden facial hair and K-Fed-level music career. I sure hope so. Because before he stumbled around on late night talk shows uttering monosyllabic responses, he made some pretty awesome movies. Here are my favorites:

Walk the Line
Portraying Johnny Cash would intimidate even the best actors. After all, the Man in Black means so much to so many, and is well-remembered for both his music and his image. But Joaquin Phoenix tackled the role fearlessly, even doing his own singing. He managed to capture both the swagger and the despair of country music's biggest legend, earning his second Oscar nomination. If you haven't seen the film, let this trailer give you a taste.

Clay Pigeons
This quirky, mesmerizing thriller could easily be mistaken for a Coen brothers movie with its rural Montana setting and its dark humor. Here, Joaquin is Clay, a young man who inadvertently becomes embroiled in a criminal investigation when the bodies begin to pile up around him. Vince Vaughn and Janeane Garofolo inject charisma and a wee bit of satire into their supporting characters. The trailer does not appear to be on YouTube, but if you don't mind potential spoilers, check out this clip and then get this movie from Netflix or your favorite local video store.

Inventing the Abbotts
Good romantic dramas seem few and far between these days, but this 1997 movie exceeds the boundaries of its sometimes limiting genre. Set in the 1950s, the movie follows brothers (played by Billy Crudup and Joaquin) from the "wrong side of the tracks" in their pursuit of the glamourous Abbott sisters (played by, among others, Liv Tyler and Jennifer Connelly). The actors play their roles without irony, portraying the joys and heartbreaks of first love and sibling rivalry and class struggles. There's something beautiful and innocent about this film, and while it may not make any groundbreaking advances in plot, its certainly worth watching. Check out the trailer here.

To Die For
Gus Van Sant strikes all the right notes in this hysterical/tragic story of a woman (Nicole Kidman at her very best) so obsessed with fulfilling her dream of becoming a famous TV anchor that she will kill for it (or get other people to kill for her). Joaquin Phoenix here plays an awkward high school student who falls prey to her schemes and seduction, talking his friends (one of whom is played by Casey Affleck) into helping him. Here's a trailer to whet your appetite for this scintillating, memorable movie.

Gladiator
Russell Crowe gets top billing in this historical epic, but Joaquin Phoenix has the juicier role as the villainous Commodus. "It vexes me. I am terribly vexed," whines the blood-thirsty emperor when the gladiator seems to garner more applause and adulation than he does. The role earned Joaquin his first Oscar nomination, and remains one of his most memorable performances. If you have never seen this incredible film, I urge you to seek it out immediately. In the meantime, this trailer should be compelling evidence of the movie's greatness.