Academy Award winner Halle Berry is one of the most accomplished and beloved actresses of her generation.
First appearing in supporting roles in now classic movies like 'Jungle Fever', 'The Last Boy Scout', and 'Boomerang', Berry won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in 2001's 'Monster's Ball', becoming the first and only Black woman to ever receive that honor from the Academy.
But she has also appeared in some of the most popular franchises of all time including the original 'X-Men' trilogy, 'John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum', 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle', and the James Bond movie, 'Die Another Day'.
Not to mention starring in critically acclaimed movies like 'Losing Isaiah', 'Bulworth', and 'Could Atlas'. Her latest, the new crime thriller 'Crime 101', opens in theaters on February 13th.
In honor of the new film's release, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies of Halle Berry's long and impressive career, including her latest.
Let's begin!
Related Article: Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins Talk 'Never Let Go'
20. 'X-Men: The Last Stand' (2006)
When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men, led by Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), and the Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organized under Xavier's former ally, Magneto (Ian McKellen).
19. 'Never Let Go' (2024)
In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother (Berry), and her twin sons (Percy Baggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins) is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
18. 'Executive Decision' (1996)
Terrorists hijack a 747 inbound to Washington D.C., demanding the release of their imprisoned leader. Intelligence expert David Grant (Kurt Russell) suspects another reason and he is soon the reluctant member of a special assault team that is assigned to intercept the plane and hijackers.
17. 'The Program' (1993)
Several players from different backgrounds try to cope with the pressures of playing football at a major university. Each deals with the pressure differently, some turn to drinking, others to drugs, and some to studying.
16. 'The Call' (2013)
Jordan Turner (Berry) is an experienced 911 operator but when she makes an error in judgment and a call ends badly, Jordan is rattled and unsure if she can continue. But when teenager Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin) is abducted in the back of a man's car and calls 911, Jordan is the one called upon to use all of her experience, insights and quick thinking to help Casey escape, and not just to save her, but to make sure the man is brought to justice.
15. 'Swordfish' (2001)
Rogue agent Gabriel Shear (John Travolta) is determined to get his mitts on $9 billion stashed in a secret Drug Enforcement Administration account. He wants the cash to fight terrorism, but lacks the computer skills necessary to hack into the government mainframe. Enter Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman), a n'er-do-well encryption expert who can log into anything.
14. 'Losing Isaiah' (1995)
Khaila Richards (Berry), a crack-addicted single mother, accidentally leaves her baby in a dumpster while high and returns the next day in a panic to find he is missing. In reality, the baby has been adopted by a warm-hearted social worker, Margaret Lewin (Jessica Lange), and her husband, Charles (David Strathaim). Years later, Khaila has gone through rehab and holds a steady job. After learning that her child is still alive, she challenges Margaret for the custody.
13. 'Bulworth' (1998)
A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician (Warren Beatty) puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecting the rhythms and speech of hip-hop music and culture.
12. 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' (2014)
The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods as they join forces with their younger selves in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future.
11. 'Die Another Day' (2002)
James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is sent to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul, who is funding the development of an international space weapon.
10. 'Crime 101' (2026)
Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, 'Crime 101' weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices–and the realization that there can be no turning back.
9. 'Boomerang' (1992)
Marcus (Eddie Murphy) is a successful advertising executive who woos and beds women almost at will. After a company merger he finds that his new boss, the ravishing Jacqueline (Robin Givens), is treating him in exactly the same way. Completely traumatized by this, his work goes badly downhill.
8. 'X-Men' (2000)
Two mutants, Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), come to a private academy for their kind whose resident superhero team, the X-Men, must oppose a terrorist organization with similar powers.
7. 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' (2017)
When an attack on the Kingsman headquarters takes place and a new villain rises (Julianne Moore), Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Merlin (Mark Strong) are forced to work together with the American agency known as the Statesman to save the world.
6. 'The Last Boy Scout' (1991)
When the girl (Berry) that detective Joe Hallenback (Bruce Willis) is protecting gets murdered, the boyfriend (Damon Wayans) of the murdered girl attempts to investigate and solve the case. What they discover is that there is deep seated corruption going on between a crooked politician and the owner of a pro football team.
5. 'John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum' (2019)
Super-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.
4. 'Jungle Fever' (1991)
A successful and married black man (Wesley Snipes) contemplates having an affair with a white girl (Annabella Sciorra) from work. He's quite rightly worried that the racial difference would make an already taboo relationship even worse.
3. 'X2' (2003)
Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his team of genetically gifted superheroes face a rising tide of anti-mutant sentiment led by Col. William Stryker (Brian Cox). Storm (Berry), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) must join their usual nemeses—Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn)—to unhinge Stryker's scheme to exterminate all mutants.
2. 'Monster's Ball' (2001)
A prison guard (Billy Bob Thornton) begins a tentative romance with the unsuspecting widow (Berry) of a man whose execution he presided over.
1. 'Cloud Atlas' (2012)
A set of six nested stories spanning time between the 19th century and a distant post-apocalyptic future. 'Cloud Atlas' explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.
