Sam the Man

09/11/08

SHOW THUMBNAILS

At some point around 1994 or so, Samuel L. Jackson went from being a working actor to a Hollywood power player. Including all of his cameos, supporting roles, and star turns, his films have domestically grossed $4.34 billion, making him the second highest-grossing movie star of all time behind Harrison Ford. In honor of his most recent effort, Lakeview Terrace, which opens this week, we have compiled a list of his top flicks according to the ratings from YOU, the Yahoo! Movie user.

Photo by Miramax, Everett Collection15. JACKIE BROWN

At number fifteen -- according to Yahoo! Movies users -- is Samuel L. in Quentin Tarantino's follow up to Pulp Fiction as gun runner Ordell Robbie.

Photo by Columbia/Revolution Studios/Kobal, WireImage14. XXX

As NSA agent Augustus Gibbons, Sam cajoles extreme-sports-enthusiast-turned-spy Xander Cage to hunt down the bad guys. Way cool explosions ensue.

Photo by Dimension Films13. 1408

Based on a Stephen King short story, this flick features Sam as Gerald Olin, a hotel manager who knows about the dark secrets of room 1408.

Photo by Columbia/Kobal, WireImage12. S.W.A.T.

In this film, Sam plays Dan "Hondo" Harrelson, a grizzled police veteran ordered to assemble a team of crack cop commandoes.

Photo by Cinergi Pictures/Kobal, WireImage11. DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE

For this third installment of the Die Hard series, Sam as Zeus Carver is John McClanes reluctant partner versus an insane East German with a vendetta. This was one of four movies that he starred in with Bruce Willis.

Photo by Bill Kaye/Lucas Film/Kobal, WireImage10. THE PHANTOM MENACE

At number ten -- according to Yahoo! Movie users -- is Samuel L. making his first appearance as Jedi master Mace Windu in this inaugural installment of George Lucas' epic space opera.

Photo by 20th Century Fox9. ATTACK OF THE CLONES

And in this second flick in the trilogy, Mace Windu uses his Jedi kung fu to defeat Jango Fett and help fight Count Dooku and his legion of battle droids.

Everett Collection8. FRESH

In this brilliant little indie flick, Samuel L. plays an absent, alcoholic chess master whose son struggles to survive on New York's mean streets.

Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures, Everett Collection7. 187

Next on the list is Sam as Trevor Garfield, a high school teacher with a past who is on a collision course with an L.A. street gang.

Photo by Trimark Pictures/Kobal, WireImage6. EVE'S BAYOU

Though this indie flick didn't find much of an audience, it did receive rave reviews, especially for leads Samuel L. and Jurnee Smollett.

Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures, Everett Collection5. A TIME TO KILL

In this adaptation of a John Grisham novel, Sam plays the grieving father of a rape victim out for vigilante justice in the deep south.

Photo by Miramax/Kobal, WireImage4. PULP FICTION

Quentin Tarantino wrote the part of Jules specifically with Samuel L. in mind. The movie, of course, not only turned him from a character actor into a full-fledged movie star but also got him a Oscar nomination too.

Photo by Walt Disney, Everett Collection3. THE INCREDIBLES

As with his bit part as Nick Fury in Iron Man and as a bad guy in the upcoming film The Spirit, Sam once again gets to act in a movie with superheroes. In this go around, he's Mr. Incredible's buddy Frozone.

Photo by 20th Century Fox2. REVENGE OF THE SITH

And in this final film of the second Star Wars trilogy, Mace Windu goes mano-a-mano with Anakin and Palpatine and loses. Reportedly, Sam requested that his light saber be colored purple -- his favorite color. All other light sabers in Lucas' epic are either red, green, or blue.

Photo by Paramount, Everett Collection1. COACH CARTER

And at number one on the Yahoo! Movies users list is the inspirational sports movie Coach Carter. Is your favorite movie not on this list? Since this list was based on your ratings as Yahoo! Movie users, be sure to bump up the rating of your fav flick!

35 comments

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  • Samuel L. Jackson's one of my all time favorites loved his movies and he's a good actor as playing both a good and bad guy.like in lakeveiw terrace does a good job at bein a good cop and bad neighbor
    report abuseLil Patt posted September 16, 2008, 8:16 pm PDT
  • Pulp Fiction. Need I say more?
    report abuseJordan P posted September 17, 2008, 11:42 am PDT
  • please call me on this number 002347086941444
    report abuseyahyaa posted September 18, 2008, 9:31 am PDT
  • His best performance, based on script, is Pulp Fiction. Any movie where he gets to say "Mother Fu^
    report abuseDj posted September 19, 2008, 8:31 am PDT
  • Let us not forget the Greatness of his character Gator in Jungle Fever......."You know what I did with the television........I smoked it."
    report abuseShaft posted September 19, 2008, 9:32 am PDT
  • Oh come on!!!!!! Where's The Red Violin?
    report abuseSamantha D posted September 19, 2008, 7:47 pm PDT
  • Ya number two and one are all from starwars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    report abuseDanFossati posted September 19, 2008, 7:59 pm PDT
  • I just want to hear him say "mutha%@!*#a" and A few lines from pulp fiction... Hey, He was also in Jurrasic park as the computer tech guy..
    report abuseMarvin posted September 19, 2008, 8:23 pm PDT
  • BLACK SNAKE MOANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    report abusewil c posted September 19, 2008, 8:25 pm PDT
  • I am glad you guys appreciated "Eve's Bayou," cause Oscar didn't.
    report abuseFreelance posted September 19, 2008, 8:28 pm PDT
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