The Friday Five: Angelina Jolie

The Friday Five: 

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is one of the most iconic, well-known actresses of our time.  She can do it all - comedy, drama, horror, animated, action - and has an alluring, captivating, one-of-a-kind physical presence that's undeniable.  As we eagerly anticipate her follow-up to "Maleficent," I take a look at my five personal favorite Angelia Jolie films.

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#5

 Salt

In a time where it seemed men had all the fun in regards to playing a rogue government agent who's framed for a crime they didn't commit, Angelina Jolie emerged with "Salt," and showed that women can be as powerful as any man.  Playing a CIA officer who's accused of being a Russian spy, Jolie's character has to prove her innocence as she goes on the run, hunted down by both the government and the bad guys.  Providing a ton of twists and turns along the way, "Salt" is a picture-perfect popcorn action film.

#4

 Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Known as the film that broke up Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" serves as a unique husband and wife tale that obviously has strong chemistry between Pitt and Jolie - since the two became the next hottest couple known as Brangelina.  On the surface they seem like a typical married couple, but they're hiding a big secret - they're both trained assassins, and are tasked with killing the other.  What results is an action-packed spectacle filled with sexual tension and dark humor between the two acclaimed actors.

#3

 A Mighty Heart

Proving that she can deliver compelling, thought-provoking dramatic performances, Angelina Jolie plays Mariane Pearl, the real-life wife of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl who wass taken captive in Pakistan.  She travels to Pakistan to bring him home, and endures both terrorists and international attention, and finds danger at every turn.  It's a stunning performance by Jolie, and firmly establishes her as one of today's most powerful actresses.

#2

 Changeling

Directed by Clint Eastwood, "Changeling" once again finds Angelina Jolie playing a real-life person, this time Christine Collins, whose son was kidnapped in the 1920s.  The police eventually found a boy and claimed it was Collins' son, but Christine knew that the boy wasn't hers.  The events that unfold sent Christine to the depths of depression, but she never relented in the search for her real son.  Jolie gives a tour-de-force performance, and earned an Academy Award nomination for her efforts.

#1

 Girl, Interrupted

The film that earned Angelina Jolie her (as of now) only Oscar win, "Girl, Interrupted" finds Jolie playing Lisa, a sociopath who befriends Winona Ryder's character Susanna, and steals the scene in every moment she's in.  She plays the role as a manipulative master, who plays with Susanna's emotions in unforgettable ways, and it's no wonder why she earned an Oscar for her performance - and why the film is still her crowning achievement, even though Ryder got top billing.