Marvin’s Room:1996: This is a great film, under-appreciated in my opinion. It stars Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep as two sisters who are coming together after years of estrangement when Keaton discovers she has cancer. The ultimate moment of truth comes when a dying Keaton tells her frivolous and self-centered sister, Streep that her greatest reward in caring for her elderly parents was the fact that she was able to love THEM so much…it was a love based not on what she gave, but the love she received. This was a turning point in the film for Streep. DiCaprio plays the estanged son of Meryl Streep, and is very good in this role, a pivotal moment in his career where he stepped away from more juvenile parts to play more mature, leading man roles.
The Man in the Iron Mask: 1998- A remake of the classic tale by Alexandre Dumas. The plot revolves around twin royal brothers with vastly different personalities. DiCaprio plays the spoilt, narcissistic and pampered King Louis XIV and also the worthy twin who has been imprisoned in the iron mask for so many years.
Blood Diamond, 2006- Danny Archer: One of his best roles to date. He plays a cavalier and insouciant man who falls for a young woman he meets after unwittingly becoming involved in the smuggling of a prized diamond mined in Africa.…The focus of the film is on the brutality surrounding the African diamond trade. DiCaprio was up for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
The Departed: 2006- Billy Costigan Jr. Remake of a 2002 film from Hong Kong entitled Infernal Affairs. This is a nihilistic and dark version of the mean streets. It features great performances not only by DiCaprio, but by Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg as well.
The Aviator-2004: One of his outstanding collaborations with Martin Scorsese, this film explores the dark side of Hughes. DiCaprio has a way of finding the dark vein and mining it with a charismatic style that was reminiscent of Howard Hughes himself… As with many brilliant actors in years past, Leonardo DiCaprio has found a wellstone of inspiring material through his collaborations with a gifted director. In this case, Scorsese has tapped a gold mine by developing a successful working relationship not only with Robert De Niro, but in recent years, with DiCaprio.
Six Degrees of Film 