The 13 best Leonardo DiCaprio movies
Leonardo DiCaprio is perhaps the last big star that Hollywood has given us, since his career is plagued with box office successes, often being the main claim to bring people to theaters. Today, November 11, he is on his birthday, because he is already 46 years old and at Espinof we wanted to celebrate it by reviewing what I consider to be the 13 best films of him.
I remind you that this is a personal selection and that, obviously, highly regarded films are also left out - it has hurt me above all to have to leave out 'J. Edgar'-, but I had to put the cut at some point and I decided to do it here.
'Quick and Dead' ('The Quick and the Dead', 1995)
I remember that as a teenager he left me somewhat indifferent but that I recently recovered and came across a remarkable western with a cartoon spirit in which a young DiCaprio plays a conceited arms dealer who wants to prove his worth in a peculiar competition . His performance isn't particularly memorable, but as a movie he does deserve to appear here, both for his co-stars and for Sam Raimi's very playful staging.
'Titanic' (1997)
The film that changed everything for the actor, making him a true idol of the masses. The film benefits from having someone like James Cameron behind the cameras, knowing how to dedicate his first half to posing a hooked love story and then unleashing catastrophe cinema with an impressive final hour and a half.
Gangs of New York (2002)
DiCaprio took it easy after the success of 'Titanic' to carefully manage his career, with 2002 being a decisive year to cement that image of prestige that he has never abandoned. In his first collaboration with Martin Scorsese it is fair to admit that he pales before an impressive Daniel Day Lewis, but that does not mean that he is comfortably compliant.
'Catch Me If You Can' ('Catch Me If You Can', 2002)
A fascinating and entertaining biopic in which the actor manages to conquer the camera by giving life to a most peculiar criminal. The cat and mouse game that he plays with the character played by Tom Hanks works wonders. Probably my favorite Steven Spielberg movie so far in the 21st century.
'The Aviator' ('The Aviator', 2004)
His first Oscar nomination for best lead actor - he had already been a supporting candidate for 'Who does Gilbert Grape love?', A film that would have entered here if we were talking about his best performances and not films - is a Howard Hughes biopic perhaps more academic than desirable coming from Scorsese and it may be repeated a bit in some sections, but it also has several anthological scenes and in general lines it is not less than remarkable.
'The Departed' ('The Departed', 2006)
A great remake with a luxury cast in which Scorsese recovered all his nerve in the staging to offer us a vibrant thriller full of surprises. One of those to whom he is happy to return from time to time to have a great time without making any dramatic sacrifice.
'Revolutionary Road' (2008)
More than ten years had to pass for DiCaprio to reunite with Kate Winslet in a film that shows the less kind side of the American dream through a marriage in crisis. Great work by its protagonists -and a very inspired Michael Shannon- and with an elegant staging by Sam Mendes.
'Shutter Island' (2010)
A twisted psychological thriller that is probably the least interesting of all his collaborations with Scorsese despite a very successful atmosphere that gradually goes from the disturbing to the overwhelming as its protagonist investigates more and more into what happened, although it is fair to admit that the film loses some of its bellows in the final section because of its script.
'Origin' ('Inception', 2010)
One of those blockbusters that mark time, especially for its originality, something that is very rare in the great Hollywood productions. Visually impressive, ingenious in the plot despite perhaps explaining something more than it should, with an impeccable cast and an ending that is still discussed ten years after its premiere ...
'Django Unchained' ('Django Unchained', 2012)
It could have been a very great film and it remains a very enjoyable but irregular proposal, especially in a final section in which Quentin Tarantino loses control a bit, letting himself be carried away by excesses. However, up to then it was being a joy despite certain rhythm problems and one of the main culprits of this is an unleashed DiCaprio.
'The Wolf of Wall Street' ('The Wolf of Wall Street', 2013)
A marvel. A shot of adrenaline and fun that is seen in a breath despite its bulky footage. Virtually everything fits and shines in this sensational film, but nothing would be the same without DiCaprio's superlative and dedicated performance, probably the best of his career. It was here that he should have won his first Oscar.
'The Revenant' ('The Revenant', 2015)
A visceral story in which the script does not matter so much as the highly worked staging of Alejandro González Iñárritu, excellent in some sections but not so much in others, seeking to enhance the purely sensory when the important thing here is to show the odyssey of its protagonist, almost turned into an animal, to get revenge.
'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' ('Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', 2019)
Tarantino approaches the cinema and television of an era to offer a film in which, as he already did in 'Inglourious Basterds', he once again twists reality to his liking. However, what really matters here is the particular journey of its two protagonists to take a tour of certain aspects of pop culture, always with the characteristic stamp of its author.
