Yet, what makes Hopkins so endlessly captivating isn’t just his technical mastery.
Its the human vulnerability that flickers beneath even his most formidable characters.
With this in mind, this list ranks the actor’s must-see movies.
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Both actors are fantastic.
Much of this is due to the skillful direction fromFernando Meirelles, the mind behind City of God.
At the very least, the performances are unassailable.
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Hopkins is stellar, as areMorgan Freeman,Matthew McConaughey, andDjimon Hounsou.
I owe it so much."
Hopkins is subtle and understated here, playing the character with a careful mix of stoicism and gentle humor.
He allows the character’s emotions to simmer beneath the surface.
His restrained dignity makes for a wonderful counterpoint to Bancroft’s irreverent energy.
The stars significantly elevate the material, making84 Charing Cross Roadnostalgic, bittersweet, and deeply emotional.
It’s the kind of movie that bookworms are likely to fall in love with.
7’Howards End' (1992)
Directed by James Ivory
“Only connect.”
They are played brilliantly byEmma ThompsonandHelena Bonham Carter.
In the process, he turns what could have been a cardboard character into a strikingly real figure.
The performances are terrific across the board, with Thompson taking home that year’s Best Actress Oscar.
As a whole, the movie is certainly flawed, with certain stretches really trying the viewer’s patience.
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But the performances from Oldman and Hopkins are great, and the visuals are always interesting and engaging.
“The Remains of the Dayis another book-based drama fromHowards EnddirectorJames Ivory.
Both the movie andKazuo Ishiguro’s Booker Prize-winning novel are excellent, full of suppressed longing and unspoken romance.
Hopkins, in particular, never overplays the tragedy.
He internalizes Stevens' regrets, letting them quietly seep through his polished exterior as the story unfolds.
The holly, or each other?”
The script is simply killer; a cascade of scathing one-liners and intellectual swordplay.
The performers all rise to the occasion with committed performances, Hepburn taking home Oscar gold for hers.
But even in an ensemble filled with thespian firepower, Hopkins' Richard commands attention.
This is one of the most complex performances of Hopkins' career, and that’s saying something.
I am a human being!"
Hopkins gives Treves quiet dignity, portraying him as a man torn between professional curiosity and genuine human concern.
His guilt and moral complexity are revealed as the story rolls along.
I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."
Claiming the top spot on this list is, perhaps unsurprisingly,The Silence of the Lambs.
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His unnervingly calm voice, piercing stare, and precise diction make every scene with Lecter pulse with tension.
However, his work utterly changed that, making him the benchmark for cinematic villainy.
His psychological chess match withJodie Foster’s Clarice Starling is one of the most compelling dynamics in movie history.
NEXT:10 Essential Documentary Movies, Ranked
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A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
