3. John Nash - A Beautiful Mind
There's a reason that the film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture after Gladiator was A Beautiful Mind, and that's Russell Crowe; though he didn't manage to pull a Tom Hanks and win Best Actor two years in a row, he was again nominated for his stunning performance as John Nash in Ron Howard's classic drama. A brilliant demonstration of the actor's range, moving from the Roman general to a stoic, humble mathematician who becomes stricken with mental illness, this film gives Crowe the chance to showcase some of his very finest acting. Tracing John Nash's mental decline over roughly half a century, Crowe begins by painting Nash as a quaint, likeable fellow, who then becomes dangerous and more interesting once the 'thriller' elements of the narrative begin creeping in, and then once Nash's delusions become clear, Crowe again gets to demonstrate a third facet of both the character and his acting talents. A demanding role and one which Crowe renders emotionally devastating - after all, who can forget the pen scene at the end? - it is the anchor which helped take the film to Best Picture glory.