Angelina Jolie is not only a great actor in Hollywood, but she is also a dedicated humanitarian and director. She has appeared on more than 60 big and small screens since 1982 when she had her debut. Jolie has distinguished herself as one of the greatest and most talented actors in the world. TechTrends, therefore, made a list of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time.
Angelina Jolie has proved that she is more than just a pretty face, with her mountain of magnificent movies. When given the right material, she can be quite compelling. She also has the capability of being the sole reason a movie is unforgettable. Over the course of her career, Jolie has picked projects that have many various genres, such as action thrillers, prestige biopics, and a lot more. Among her accomplishments are one Oscar win and eight Golden Globes nominations. In addition, she also enjoys directing and has already done it in four feature films (three war movies and one personal project. Moreover, she is a representative of the UN Refugee Agency. She has established herself as one of the most famous women in the world.
Since she has many great movies, it is hard to make a shortlist of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time. However, that didn’t stop us from trying. Here are the best Angelina Jolie films ever.
Best Angelina Jolie Movies of All Time
Angelina Jolie is without a doubt one of the most glamorous and talented actors to ever grace the screen. She has had a successful career with her incredible performance, keeping her name in the consciousness of movie lovers as well. Everyone has at least heard her name once in their lives. Despite being in her 40s, she can easily be called a legend of the industry. Without further ado, let’s dive into the list of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time. The list is in reverse chronological order.
Maleficent 2014
- Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
- Director: Robert Stromberg
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Brenton Thwaites
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 54%, IMDb 6.9
Maleficent is indeed one of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time in which Jolie plays the villain in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. However, this is also one of the first live-action films that have given a tragic backstory to a Disney villain. They did that to give the big bad more sympathy, with the trend also showing itself in the movie Cruella in 2021. Jolie and Elle Fanning shared good chemistry. However, the use of CGI in enhancing Jolie’s features which were already well-defined is overwhelming. Moreover, her accent is just as sharp as her cheekbones in the movie. Sharlto Copley plays the handsome king, performing surprisingly restrained. Despite the acting being magnificent, the only disappointment is the unpleasing CGI world.
The movie tells the story of a powerful winged fairy that lives in a magical forest. Her true love betrays her for his ambitions of becoming a king. Therefore, she turns out to be the witch of her dark kingdom. Maleficent attempts to take revenge by putting a curse on her former love’s infant daughter and just true love can break the curse. However, as time passes, she grows fond of the princess and regrets what she did.
Salt 2010
- Genre: Action/Mystery
- Director: Phillip Noyce
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Live Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Yara Shahidi, Daniel Olbrychski, August Diehl, Corey Stoll
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 61%, IMDb 6.4
Angelina Jolie performs the role of Evelyn Salt in the movie Salt directed by Phillip Noyce. She is an agent of the CIA who swore an oath to duty, honor, and country. However, when she is accused of being a Russian spy, her oath starts to undergo a test. She becomes a fugitive, using all her skills from training and experience to avoid being cut. However, no matter how hard she tries to prove that she is innocent, she looks more and more guilty. Jolie combines her acting skills with action masterfully well and makes you root for the character throughout the movie. Aside from the remarkable entertainment put on screen by Jolie’s good acting, the story focuses on good vs. evil. Salt is one of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time and it is worth watching.
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Changeling 2008
- Genre: Drama/Crime
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Michael Kelly, Jeffrey Donovan, Amy Ryan, Colm Feore
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 62%, IMDb 7.8
In the movie Changeling, Angelina Jolie has the role of a tireless mother who does everything in her power to find her missing son, notwithstanding being under a lot of pressure. The movie is based on a true story and the movie is set in 1928, directed by Clint Eastwood. The story revolves around a woman named Christine Collins, who tries to take on the all-powerful Los Angeles Police Department. When her son goes missing, the police find him and bring him back, which forms a rare happy story. Moreover, the department of police hopes to improve its reputation by telling the story to the press. However, that boy was not Walter, according to Christine. So, when she insistently says that he is not his son, the LAPD sends her to a psychiatric ward.
Jolie’s performance in this movie got her an Oscar nomination as she masterfully portrays a single mother, who has no one on her side other than a pastor. She sees herself stuck between a rock and a hard place. The more she protests, the crazier they call her. However, she does not give in. Challenging is one of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time.
Wanted 2008
- Genre: Action/Thriller
- Director: Timur Bekmambetov
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman, Kristen Hager
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 71%, IMDb 6.7
The movie Wanted takes an untypical approach to the world of assassins and action. Wesley Gibson, played by James McAvoy, works in an office and his life is not going anywhere. The movie is more about this man who gets recruited into a secret group tasked with assassins and completes missions for them in order to avenge his father’s death. Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman pulled off amazing performances in the movie. Moreover, Jolie was exceptional as always in portraying her character. Although she does not play the main character, this is still one of the best action movies Jolie did and she is the star attraction. The action scenes are very entertaining. This is one of the best must-see Angelina Jolie performances; you don’t want to miss it.
A Mighty Heart 2007
- Genre: Drama/History
- Director: Michael Winterbottom
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi, Irrfan Khan
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 6.6
A Mighty Heart is yet another one of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time and it is based on a true story. The movie follows the tale of two American journalists named Mariane and Daniel Pearl who are in Pakistan after 9/11. Michael Winterbottom directs the movie in which Dan Futterman plays the role of Daniel, who gets kidnapped when having a meeting at a restaurant. Mariane, played by Jolie, is pregnant and tirelessly tries to find him. Asra (Archie Panjabi), her friend, the local police captain (Irrfan Khan), and a US special agent, played by Will Patton, help her in her attempt to find him.
Once again, Jolie performs incredibly well as a tough woman who is determined to find her loved one, despite all the obstacles she faces. This is one of her best performances and also one of her most underseen movies.
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The Good Shepherd 2006
- Genre: Thriller/Drama
- Director: Robert De Niro
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Matt Damon
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 55%, IMDb 6.7
Another one of Angelina Jolie greatest movie roles is in the film called The Good Shepherd. The film follows the life of a CIA spy and his family. Jolie plays a very engaging role and is capable of making her character believable. It is a great movie when it comes to patriotism and dedication to job and honor. It represents the way some people with big dreams try their best to follow them. Once again, Jolie went on to prove she is brilliant in acting.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith 2005
- Genre: Action/Romance
- Director: Doug Liman
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Adam Brody, Vince Vaughn, Rachael Huntley, Michelle Monaghan
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 60%, IMDb 6.5
When Mr. & Mrs. Smith was first released in 2005, it gained more attention for sparking a relationship between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie than the film itself. The movie follows two assassins marry one another as a cover for their exciting and secret life, not knowing that they are technically rivals. One of the highlights of the movie is Michael Kaplan’s costume design for Jolie. Moreover, the two have sexual chemistry, making the movie interesting to watch, particularly in the scene where they destroy their home while fighting but end up sleeping together. This is one of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time. However, don’t read too much into the plot holes.
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Original Sin 2001
- Genre: Action/Romance
- Director: Michael Cristofer
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Antonio Banderas, Thomas Jane, James Haven, Jack Thompson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 12%, IMDb 6
Original Sin has two beautiful actors, a hot setting, erotic thrills, and melodrama, making it one of the best Angelina Jolie movies ever. The movie takes place in late 19th century Cuba. Antonio Banderas plays the role of Luis, who is a wealthy man who orders a mail-order bride and receives more than he bargained for. Jolie plays the role of a seductress named Julia. When Luis sees her, he is done. The two fall for each other. However, Julia is not who she says she is and before he knows it, she is gone with her new husband’s money. No matter what she does, he only gets more and more obsessed with her. This movie is believed to be a love it or hate it type of film.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 2001
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Director: Simon West
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Chris Barrie, Jon Voight, Noah Taylor, Daniel Craig, Iain Glen
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 20%, IMDb 5.7
Adaptations of video games are most often controversial and hardly ever successful. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is not an exception; however, many believe that Jolie was the greatest choice for the role of Lara Croft. Although the movie is not very great, it is an iconic role for the actor as it launched her to a brand-new level of stardom. The other actors are charming as well, with Jolie’s real-life father, Jon Voight, also shining in the movie as her dad. This is one of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time as it was the beginning for Jolie.
Girl Interrupted 1999
- Genre: Drama
- Director: James Mangold
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Winona Ryder, Brittany Murphy, Elisabeth Moss, Jared Leto
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 53%, IMDb 7.3
The leader of the movie Girl Interrupted is Winona Ryder, with the set being in a late 60s psychiatric hospital. The young women on the ward are Clea Duvall, Brittany Murphy, Elisabeth Moss, and Angelina Jolie. For her supporting role in the movie as the Sociopathic Lisa, Jolie won an Oscar. The movie portrays the mental health struggles teenagers face. However, there could have been a more nuanced and complex screenplay, which was saved by the performances. This is without a doubt one of the best Angelina Jolie movies of all time.
Gia 1998
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: Michael Cristofer
- Stars: Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Mitchell, Faye Dunaway, Mercedes Ruehl, Mila Kunis, Eric Michael Cole
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDb 6.9
Jolie experienced one of her early leading roles in the movie Gia. The movie follows the true story of model Gia Carangi’s rise and fall. Three other amazingly talented women also perform in this HBO film – Faye Dunaway (playing her agent, Elizabeth Mitchel (the love of her life), and Mercedes Ruehl (her mother). Gia’s rise to fame is followed by drug addiction, which ruins her career and life. The model dies in 1986 of AIDs-related complications. Jolie was able to embody her character well, particularly in her scenes with Mitchell. This is one of the best Angelina Jolie films of all time.