Ron Howard has had an impressive career since he played Opie Taylor on the 1960’s sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show. He later starred as Richie Cunningham on the 1970’s sitcom, Happy Days and he soon became a household name.
However, the former child star eventually discovered his true passion: directing. In 1977, he made his directing debut with the comedy-action film, Grand Theft Auto. He has directed numerous successful films and is regarded as one of the most prominent directors of the modern era.
Cocoon (1985) – 6.7
In the mid-1980s, Ron Howard was still learning and growing as a film director. Some of his first films weren’t as successful, but the 1985 science-fiction film, Cocoon, changed how the film industry viewed him. They took notice of him as a director, and nothing has been the same since.
In the film, a Florida retirement village stumbles upon the Fountain of Youth. They’re surprised to find out that aliens are offering them eternal life, but they have to leave Earth. Can they leave their loved ones behind? It’s a heartbreaking film that was critically praised, especially Howard’s directing. According to The New York Times’ Janet Maslin, “Mr. Howard brings a real sweetness to his subject … He has also given Cocoon the bright, expansive look of a hot-weather hit.”
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) – 6.9
Any film in the Star Wars franchise is a box office hit, but that wasn’t true with the 2018 film, Solo: A Star Wars Story. It served as a prequel to the franchise, focusing on young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) as he joins forces with galactic smugglers. In the film, Han meets Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) for the first time, and he also encounters the Millennium Falcon.
Howard wasn’t originally supposed to direct the film. After experiencing creative differences with the original directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Lucasfilm hired Howard as the film's replacement. Howard was happy to add his own voice to the Star Wars franchise. Unfortunately, the film was the first Star Wars film to be a box office flop.
In The Heart Of The Sea (2015) – 6.9
The 2015 historical action-adventure, In the Heart of the Sea, takes audiences back to 1820. Crewmen, played by Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, and Cillian Murphy, are aboard a New England ship, Essex, when they encounter a large whale. Inspired by Herman Melville’s 1851 novel Moby-Dick, the film explores how the men must fight for survival.
The film received mostly positive remarks, particularly about its visual effects. Howard effectively showcased the story through his direction, but other critics thought the film didn’t achieve the success it was aiming for.
Parenthood (1989) – 7.0
The 1989 dramatic comedy, Parenthood, is a movie that most families can find relatable. It focuses on the entire Buckman family, including the perfectionist, Gil (played by Steve Martin), his divorced single sister, Helen (Dianne West), who recently found out her teenage daughter, Julie (Martha Plimpton), is pregnant, his sister, Susan (Harley Jane Kozak), who is struggling in her marriage with Nathan (Rick Moranis), and his immature brother, Larry (Tom Hulce), who has a son he doesn’t know how to raise.
The Buckman family is chaotic and it’s about to get even busier when Gil’s wife, Karen (Mary Steenburgen), finds out she’s pregnant. The movie is a day-in-the-life of the Buckmans — a family just like your own. Critics praised the movie for its comical, thoughtful depiction of a real family. It was so successful that it inspired two television series, including the 2010 series that ran for six seasons.
Willow (1988) – 7.3
1988’s dark fantasy film, Willow, is not your typical movie and takes viewers to a mystical world of myth and magic. Willow (Warwick Davis) is a hesitant farmer who is tasked to protect a baby from the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh), who threatens to destroy the world. Along the way, Willow meets Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), a trained swordsman, who helps Willow on his quest.
Willow received mixed reviews from critics, mostly about Howard’s directing. Maslin from The New York Times wrote, “Howard appears to have had his hands full in simply harnessing the special effects.” Despite this remark, viewers appreciated the film’s state-of-the-art visual effects.
Apollo 13 (1995) – 7.6
To many, 1995’s Apollo 13 is the best movie ever produced about space exploration. The historical space film depicts the events of the 1970 Apollo 13 space mission, which resulted in astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) being stranded in space after an oxygen tank explosion.
The movie brilliantly showcases how the astronauts adjusted to their sudden crisis, as well as the engineers who worked tirelessly at Mission Control to bring the men back home. Even though viewers know that the astronauts arrive back home, the intense momentum leaves audiences on the edge of their seats. The film was highly praised by critics, especially Howard’s intricate direction. Maslin from The New York Times commented, “It is far and away the best thing Mr. Howard has done.”
Frost/Nixon (2008) – 7.7
Some of Howard’s best films are historical dramas, including the 2008 film, Frost/Nixon. The film analyzes the 1977 post-Watergate scandal interviews between David Frost (Frank Langella) and President Richard Nixon (Michael Sheen). Adapted from Peter Morgan’s Broadway play, Howard had the difficult task of taking a play that essentially featured two men sitting in chairs and presenting it on camera.
But if anyone could accomplish this, it would be Howard. The movie gets to the heart of Frost and Nixon’s captivating characters, including a famous quote from Nixon: “When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.” The movie was highly praised by critics, who felt the film was laced with the perfect amount of tension and wit.
Cinderella Man (2005) – 8.0
Everyone loves a good movie about an underdog claiming victory, especially if it's about boxing. The 2005 biographical sports drama, Cinderella Man, tells the story of real-life boxer James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), who is down on his luck during the Great Depression.
Braddock’s former manager, Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), offers him the chance to box against a rising star. However, Braddock's wife, Mae (Renee Zellweger), isn’t too thrilled about this match. The film was credited for its great storytelling, with plenty of heartfelt, gritty moments and realistic boxing scenes.
Rush (2013) – 8.1
The 2013 sports film, Rush, focuses on the real-life rivalry during the mid-1970s between Formula 1 motor-racing drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl), who often push each other to dangerous, life-threatening conditions.
The movie earned Howard some of the best reviews of his career. Critics were impressed with his decision to focus on the relationship between the drivers instead of the intense racing scenes. Lauda reflected on the film: “When I saw it the first time, I was impressed. There was no Hollywood changes or things changed a little bit Hollywood-like. It is very accurate. And this really surprised me very positively.”
A Beautiful Mind (2001) – 8.2
The 2001 drama A Beautiful Mind is regarded as Howard’s best film because of its well-crafted depiction of the life of Abel prize-winning mathematician, John Nash. Starring Russell Crowe, the film brilliantly examines Nash’s beautiful mind as he makes incredible mathematical discoveries. Meanwhile, he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, and the movie analyzes how a man with such a brilliant, beautiful mind can also struggle with a complex mental disorder.
The Academy Award-winning movie was praised for its accurate representation of mental illness and how it can affect anyone - even someone with the best mind in the world. The Guardian critic, John Sutherland, wrote, “Howard pulls off an extraordinary trick by seducing the audience into Nash’s paranoid world.” Howard rightfully earned his first and only Academy Award for Best Director for the film.