Anthony Hopkinshas been acting for a great many decades at this point, with his earliest noteworthy role being in1968’sThe Lion in Winter. He also turned in strong performances in films likeMagic,The Elephant Man, andA Bridge Too Far, but it took a surprisingly long time before he scored a nomination at the Academy Awards, which goes to show that, even if they’re a big deal, they’re certainly not everything. Still, better late than never, and Hopkins ended up scoring a win from his first nomination.
Since then, he’s been nominated five more times at the Oscars, and won a second for a more recent film, released at the start of the 2020s. The filmography of Anthony Hopkins is, by now, a sizable one, and he’s the sort of reliably great actor who always turns in a good performance, even if the movie around him isn’t fantastic. However, the films he got awards recognition for were generally good to great in quality, and allthose movies with an Oscar-nominated (or Oscar-winning) performance by Anthony Hopkins are rankedbelow.
6’The Two Popes' (2019)
Appeared as Pope Benedict XVI
A slightly nicer pope-related movie than 2024’sConclave,The Two Popesdoes also deal with the question of which person should replace the last pope… but with something of a twist. It’s also based on real-life events that didn’t happen too long ago in the overall scheme of things, whenPope Benedict XVIchose to step down as pope, being the first to do so in almost 600 years. He was ultimately replaced byPope Francis, who serveduntil his passing in 2025(popes generally continue to serve until they pass away).
Still, it’s interesting to see what’s technically a historical drama that deals with events that happened only a few years earlier, and the acting is very good.
So, that’s whatThe Two Popesis about, but it’s mostly an excuse forHopkins (as Pope Benedict XVI)andJonathan Pryce(as Pope Francis) to show why they’re considered acting greats. Their performances are the most engaging thing here, with the rest of the film being a little slow at times, and also quite oddly shot, almost like a mockumentary sitcom with jittery camerawork and awkward zooms. Still, it’sinteresting to see what’s technically a historical drama that deals with events that happened only a few years earlier, and the acting is very good, so maybe all that’s enough.
The Two Popes
Appeared as John Quincy Adams
Amistadisa lesser-knownSteven Spielbergmovie, and debatably one part of a 1997 Spielberg double that was trying to do the same thing he did in 1993… maybe. See, in 1993, Spielberg made the biggest award winner of the year withSchindler’s List, and then dominated the blockbuster sphere withJurassic Park. Then, in 1997, he directed another serious historical drama (Amistad) and another blockbuster (The Lost World: Jurassic Park), neither as good as their 1993 “counterparts.”
But both were still good, and withAmistad, though it’s a bit drawn-out, becoming grueling thanks to both its length and content, it’s all solidly directed and ultimately well-acted. Anthony Hopkins plays U.S. PresidentJohn Quincy Adams,thoughAmistad’s narrative concerns events that happened after his presidency, following a court case that takes place because of an uprising on a slave ship. It is interesting in parts, perhaps not quite so much when it focuses on being a courtroom drama, but Hopkins is good (of course he is), and the rest of the cast mostly impress, too.
4’Nixon' (1995)
Appeared as Richard Nixon
Oliver Stonehas never been one to shy away from politics, and this is on full display withNixon, which aims to take some of the paranoia and style found inJFKand make it about a tumultuous presidency, rather than the aftermath of an assassination. So, they’re a little different narratively. And they differ in terms of quality, too, withJFKbeing the more impressive film, butNixonalso has a lot more to offer than some give it credit for. And hey, it’s got Anthony Hopkins playing another U.S. President, and let’s not forget he also played a pope, too.
Richard Nixonwas a divisive figure, and a complex one,andNixonisa three-hour paranoid epicthat tries to capture who the titular man was and what happened to make him fall from grace. It’s not perfectly paced or entirely rewarding, but it is a good movie. Anthony Hopkins is really engaging, and there are so many other big names here who sometimes only show up for a scene or two, or maybe just minutes,Oppenheimer-style.If you like offbeat political dramasand have an afternoon to spare,Nixon’s probably worth checking out.
3’The Remains of the Day' (1993)
Appeared as Mr James Stevens
The second movie to earn Anthony Hopkins an Oscar nomination wasThe Remains of the Day, and it was pretty much the opposite sort of film to the one he was first nominated for (more on that crime/thriller/horror movie in a bit). WithThe Remains of the Day, what you get is a patiently paced and very mature – yet also reserved –film that unpacks class and loveon a wealthy estate, and mostly during the years that preceded World War II.
Like with the pair-up inThe Two Popes,The Remains of the Dayis perhaps most worth watching because of how talented its two lead stars are: Anthony Hopkins andEmma Thompson. Both are reliably great, but it’s also cool to seeChristopher Reevein a very non-Superman-like role, demonstrating the sometimes underrated actor’s range. Otherwise, it’s all very handsomely made and presented, with the historical setting captured well, and everything feeling successfully lived in and authentic.It’s a slower film, but it’s worth sticking with and being patientfor.
The Remains of the Day
2’The Father' (2020)
Appeared as Anthony
More so than even most dramas,The Fatherreallyneeded a knockout performance at its centerto work, and it got that and then some in the form of Anthony Hopkins. He plays an elderly man who’s struggling with worsening dementia, and the film puts you in his frame of mind by having the rather small and isolated world he lives within change and morph often, and in unsettling ways. It’s all disorientating by design, and evokes frustration and confusion on a mortifyingly visceral level.
And Hopkins is also hugely sympathetic and unbelievably authentic here, with the filmmaking and performance working in tandem to make everything feel so real and harrowing. It is, naturally, not a fun film by any means, but it is an important one that might well be among thestronger drama films of the 2020s so far.The Fatherwasalso the film that won Hopkins his second Oscar, and it’s not too hard to see why, since it truly is one of the best performances the prolific actor’s ever given.
The Father
1’The Silence of the Lambs' (1991)
Appeared as Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Of courseThe Silence of the Lambsis the best Oscar-nominated or Oscar-winning performance Anthony Hopkins has ever given, since it’s understandably his most acclaimed and iconic performance ever, too. And his win at the Oscars for it was just one of many significant wins forThe Silence of the Lambs, seeing as it joinedIt Happened One NightandOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nestas movies that won the big five:Best Actor, Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally).
It’s the best ahorror movie has ever done at the Oscars, and even then,The Silence of the Lambsis more than just a horror film. It maintains a certain level of creepiness with its story aboutusing an imprisoned serial killerto hunt for another on the loose, but it’s just as striking as a crime/thriller movie, too. It’s got everything you could want out of a great movie, and it packs so much into just two hours. But you probably knew that very well already,since this often gets considered one ofthe greatest movies of all time.
The Silence of the Lambs
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