Regardless of the specific types of movies that you tend to prefer, there’s no doubt there are some actors whose names have a tendency to stand out better than others. One of the people who has definitely made a name for himself over the last 20 plus years is Josh Hartnett. Although not all of his movies have been well-known and obviously, some of them have been better received than others (this isn’t exactly surprising because it happens to everybody), there are a few that stand out. While your own favorites might be different from the ones listed here, there is a reason that each and every one of the five movies listed below have been chosen as one of the best movies of his career. If this has your interest piqued, all you have to do is keep reading to find out more.
1. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
There is no doubt that some movie critics and even some fans would argue that this movie should not even be on this list, much less in the number one slot. That’s fine, but the important thing to remember about any form of art, including the Performing Arts, is that they are indeed subjective. The very thing that one person thinks is excellent may be absolutely dreadful in another’s opinion. That’s part of what makes the Performing Arts so beautiful. Everyone has the opportunity to choose the things that speak to them on a personal level. It’s also worth mentioning that this was his very first film. If you look in the opening credits on the film, it actually says “Introducing,” which is something that is rarely used in Hollywood these days. All in all, this may not be a movie that critics would love, but it is certainly one that fans enjoy, especially those that are fans of the Halloween franchise.
2. Black Hawk Down (2001)
All in all, this is a movie that will definitely have your blood pumping one minute and have you reaching for tissues the next. If you don’t know the story, it is an account of some of the events that happened concerning the United States military and their operations in the Middle East. Granted, some of the things have been changed in order to make the movie flow better and to make the overall story you see on the screen more interesting but the story was inspired by true events. That’s one thing that makes this one such a compelling choice as one of his five best films. There’s also no arguing that as far as his performance goes, this is one of the best movies of his career. That’s because it essentially allowed him to demonstrate extremes of emotion that simply wouldn’t be practical in a movie like Halloween or many of the others that he has starred in. This is one that required him to search deep within himself in order to come up with the best performance possible and there is no doubt that he delivered time and again. If you’re a Josh Hartnett fan and you haven’t seen the film, this is definitely one that you need to watch sooner rather than later.
3. The Faculty (1998)
As it turns out, 1998 was a big year for this young actor who was just coming on the scene at the time. As a matter of fact, Halloween H2O and this movie came out the same year and again, this is a movie that was picked to pieces by the critics. That’s okay, largely because this was never a movie that was meant to be critically acclaimed. At its core, it is one of the more fun movies to watch that this particular actor has been involved with. It’s based on aliens that replicate themselves to look like the human beings that you know, which is a story that has been done before. That being said, it’s never been done quite like this and it’s worth seeing. If you like movies about aliens, zombies or anything in that particular genre, this is something that you will probably enjoy a great deal. It’s also worth noting that the film has other great actors alongside Hartnett, most notably Robert Patrick of X-Files fame. It would be unfair to reveal any more details about the plot because doing so would take all the surprise out of watching it in the first place. Just know that regardless of what the critics said when this movie came out, it’s something that you should see for yourself.
4. Pearl Harbor (2001)
Just as he starred in two movies that might be considered closer to the horror genre in 1998, he also starred in both Black Hawk Down and Pearl Harbor in 2001. This was a performance that was based on the events that happened in Pearl Harbor and with the Doolittle, or Tokyo, Raiders. If you’re unfamiliar was those events, it’s important to get your facts straight so you might want to pick up a history book. The movie is not a factual account in and of itself, but a fictionalized story based on a historically significant event. Of course, Hartnett does a great job acting in the film and there are some rather emotional scenes that will have you reaching for the tissues in this one, too. If you’re a big fan of action scenes or you like anything involving aviation, this is something that will get your attention. The flight scenes in this film are truly outstanding.
5. 30 Days of Night (2007)
By now, you might be thinking that he’s done a lot of films that some might throw into the horror genre but this one is actually quite different from Halloween H2O and The Faculty. Granted, the film is about vampires, but if you’re not a fan of that sort of thing, don’t let that stop you from watching this movie. If you are a fan of movies about vampires, then you will absolutely love this one and you will love his performance in it as well Just when you think you have everything figured out in this film, it surprises you. There are a number of twists and turns involved and if you think that you have finally got it all sorted out, wait until the very end. You will definitely be surprised. For that reason alone, this is a film worth seeing. In fact, you will probably end up with the rather guilty pleasure of watching it more times than you can count.
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