15 Roles Only Leonardo DiCaprio Could Have Pulled Off!

Leonardo DiCaprio has been in the business for 25 long years now 每 and has made less than 30 movies, which is quite few for an actor of his talent. Extremely particular about his roles, it is no wonder that most of his performances are brilliant 每 whether they cinch an Oscar nomination or not. As the actor turns 41, here are his 15 greatest movies, ranked from best to worst 每 which is really hard, because even the ＆worst＊ movies are the ones that you would choose to watch a dozen times over!

1. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

Paramount Pictures

When the Oscar nominations for 2014 were announced, Leo fans actually thought that this year would finally be the one in which the actor would break his Oscar curse. Leo＊s portrayal of the wealthy stockbroker Jordan Belfort was spellbinding 每 and audience could not stop talking about his Lemmon 714 scene.

2. Django Unchained (2012)

Columbia Pictures

Leonardo DiCaprio＊s dedication to his shots have been spoken of extensively 每 especially regarding the one scene in this movie when he injured his hand while shooting, but continues to act with a bloody hand that unassuming audiences thought was fake. Leo＊s role of the smooth-talking yet bloodthirsty plantation owner Calvin Candie earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

3. Blood Diamond (2006)

Warner Bros

This political war-thriller gave an amazing insight into the business of blood diamonds and the Sierra Leone Civil War of the late 1990s 每 and Leonardo＊s performance was hailed by critics unanimously. The otherwise boyish actor looked quite grown-up in this gritty violent movie 每 and it won him an Oscar nomination.

4. What＊s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Paramount Pictures

Those who have not watched this movie yet will not understand why it ranks higher than the likes of ＆Revolutionary Road＊ and ＆Shutter Island＊. DiCaprio was just 19 when he acted in this movie 每 playing the role of a mentally challenged small-town boy Arnie. His performance of the character catapulted into famedom 每 easily throwing shade on Johnny Depp and earning his first ever Oscar nomination.

5. The Departed (2006)

Warner Bros

The genius collaboration of Martin Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio has produced five excellent movies so far 每 ＆The Departed＊ being one of them. With four Oscars to its name (and none for Leonardo), it was one of the best movies of that year, featuring on many critics＊ top 10 lists. As the undercover cop Billy Costigan, he commanded equal attention next to actors like Mark Wahlberg, Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon.

6. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Dreamworks SKG

In this movie, Leo essayed the role of the real-life of teenager Frank Abagnale, who in the 60s successfully conned millions of dollars by posing as a pilot, a doctor and a prosecutor. Supported by some brilliant cast like Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken and Amy Adams, Leonardo won his third Golden Globe nomination for this one.

7. Titanic (1997)

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

His second Golden Globe nomination was for his role of the impoverished artist Jack Dawson in the superhit romantic drama ＆Titanic＊. With 14 Oscar nominations and 11 wins, it was the biggest movie of that year 每 and a movie that proved that Leonardo DiCaprio had truly arrived.

8. The Aviator (2004)

Forward Pass

A number of Leonardo＊s best works have been portraying real-life characters 每 and ＆The Aviator＊ is another one. Playing aviator and director Howard Hughes in this Martin Scorsese film, he again won an Oscar nomination for his role. Besides his nomination, the movie was nominated in 10 other categories 每 including Best Picture and Best Director.

9. Revolutionary Road (2008)

Dreamworks SKG

Bringing the hit pair of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet back onscreen after a space of 11 years, ＆Revolutionary Road＊ is one of those great movies that you cannot bear to watch again because it is so heart-rending. The story of a middle-class couple in the late 40s stuck in endless ennui and wishful dreams, it was one of DiCaprio＊s best performances and got him a Golden Globe nomination.

10. J. Edgar (2011)

Imagine Entertainment

Directed by Clint Eastwood, this biopic on FBI head J. Edgar Hoover received mixed reviews 每 but the critics were unanimous when it came to DiCaprio＊s performance which was said to be ※predictably powerhouse§.

11. Inception (2010)

Warner Bros

Ranking #14 on IMDB＊s Top 250 Movies of All Time, ＆Inception＊ is undoubtedly one of the most interesting sci-fi thrillers to have been made. Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb - an ＆extractor＊ who is haunted by his past and the memories of his wife 每 wows the audience as much as Nolan does with the entire plot of the movie.

12. Shutter Island (2010)

Paramount Pictures

2010 was a great year for DiCaprio and his fans 每 with both his releases that year being nail-biting thrillers, one a sci-fi, the other a psychological one. Both the movies tease your mind till you feel you are losing it 每 and the ending of ＆Shutter Island＊ is one of the most unexpected ones, making you go ＆Woah!＊

13. The Great Gatsby (2013)

Warner Bros

Adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald＊s novel of the same name, ＆The Great Gatsby＊ had Leonardo DiCaprio playing the title character Jay Gatsby. This was the second time director Baz Luhrmann was working with DiCaprio 每 the first time being ＆Romeo + Juliet＊. His performance made critics assess this movie as the best one out of the five Great Gatsby movies made so far.

14. Gangs Of New York (2002)

Miramax Films

Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, ＆Gangs of New York＊ was one of the best movies to release that year 每 a historical crime drama marking Leo＊s first collaboration with Martin Scorsese. He plays the protagonist Amsterdam Vallon who has a face-off with his father＊s killer, Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day Lewis).

15. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Bazmark Films

The last in this list is the romantic drama ＆Romantic + Juliet＊ 每 a modern retelling of Shakespeare＊s famous play. One of the earliest performances by DiCaprio as a lead actor, this Baz Luhrmann movie was quite the rage at the Berlin Film Festival as well as the MTV Movie Awards 每 and critics commended Leo for being perfect for the Shakespearean protagonist＊s role.

(Originally published in MensXP)