In preparation for the upcoming summer blockbuster The Lone Ranger (we’ll have a review next Wednesday), the latest outing for eccentric superstar actor Johnny Depp, I am recommending some of his best roles. After delving into the actor’s filmography, I chose three of my favorite Johnny Depp-led films for this week’s Home Video Update.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (PG-13, 143 minutes- also starring Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley)
The best adventure film of the last decade that didn’t take place in Middle Earth, Pirates melded fantasy, action and comedy like no other film since the Indiana Jones series. Since its release, the film has become a modern classic: even Klaus Badelt’s franchise-defining score is instantly recognizable. I found Depp’s performance as the beloved Captain Jack Sparrow to be the highlight of the film. He even earned an Oscar nomination for the role, something that rarely happens for blockbuster movies.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (PG, 115 minutes- also starring Freddie Highmore)
Although the film doesn’t quite reach the delirious heights of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the first adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, Depp’s performance gives the legendary Gene Wilder a run for his money. Depp uses his trademark eccentricity and knack for pulling off insane outfits and hairdos to his advantage in one of his multiple collaborations with Tim Burton.
Rango (PG, 107 minutes- also starring the voices of Isla Fisher and Abigail Breslin)
Rango was far and away the best animated film of 2011. I remember being blown away by the sheer amount of film references and hilarious moments in the animated children’s film when I first saw it in theaters. The role of the title character could not have been more perfectly voiced by Depp.
(The photo above is from the fourth Pirates film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.)