In the Heart of the Sea, which opens in theaters Friday, is director Ron Howard's 23rd feature film. He's been around long enough that most current moviegoers don't have any clue who Opie is, much less Richie Cunningham. The former child actor spent the first half of his career fighting for respect, and despite a slew of hits, he didn't really reach the top until he won two Oscars for A Beautiful Mind in 2002.
Looking back at his IMDb.com "baseball card" is a fascinating exercise. He has routinely attracted peaking A-list talent — from Tom Cruise to Russell Crowe — and he paired with Tom Hanks and Michael Keaton to collaborate on multiple films that have become substantial chapters in each actor's highlight reel. Chris Hemsworth is Howard's leading man of the moment, after starring in Rush, Howard's well-regarded 2013 racing movie.
But which is Howard's greatest movie? EW looked back almost 40 years to rank every one of his movies and determine which one belongs on top.