From going fishing with his Pa at age 6 on The Andy Griffith Show to leading a marching band two years later in The Music Man to his iconic role as the best friend of one of the coolest guys on television in Happy Days, Ron Howard has had a stellar acting career. But his footprint in the annals of Hollywood has been his directing.

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Howard has been responsible for some of the best entertainment in cinema history. His extensive catalog from his directorial achievements includes Backdraft, The DaVinci CodeWillow, and Gung Ho. Here are the 10 best Ron Howard movies, ranked (according to Rotten Tomatoes):

A Beautiful Mind (2001) 74%

A Beautiful Mind (2001) Russell Crowe

A Beautiful Mind is based on the life of Abel prize-winning mathematician John Nash. The film examines the depths of Nash’s genius and the effects of suffering from paranoid schizophrenia had on his life. This is Ron Howard’s most critically acclaimed film winning Best Director, Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress for Jennifer Connelly's portrayal of Nash’s wife, Alicia.

There were concerns about the film’s inaccuracies of the portrayal of Nash’s life. But the film is a liberal not literal characterization. Overall, the film was well-received due to its cinematic excellence in both acting and directing a movie capturing the effects of mental illness and how it affects the lives of anyone who comes in its overwhelming circle of hysteria.

Ransom (1996) 75%

Based on the 1956 movie with the same name starring Glenn Ford, Ransom was the sixth highest-grossing film in the United States in 1996. The action-thriller stars Mel Gibson as a multimillionaire whose son is kidnapped for a ransom. After exhausting all means, he takes matters into his own hands.

It is an adrenaline ride of plot twists and cerebral overtones. Ransom is an intense thriller that has superb performances by Gary Sinise, Rene Russo as well as Gibson along with new-comer New Kids on the Block, Donnie Wahlberg in his second credited acting role.

Cocoon (1985) 78%

A who’s who of Hollywood, Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, and Jessica Tandy star as a group of seniors who find a newness on life after swimming in a pool of alien cocoons in this fun science-fiction comedy. Cocoon earned Don Ameche an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and was well received by audiences. Both family-oriented and fun, it is reminiscent of the sweetness and sympathetic feel of Howard’s earlier work.

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An interesting note, Robert Zemeckis of Back to the Future fame, was originally hired to direct the film, but the studio executives were not happy with his recent efforts and decided to go in another direction with Howard.

Cinderella Man (2005) 80%

The title of this 2005 film, Cinderella Man, is the nickname of the former heavyweight boxing champion, James J. Braddock. It stars Russell Crowe as the down on his luck boxer during the Great Depression who overcame odds and became the champion of the world inspiring a nation during the time of desperation and uncertainty.

With great storytelling and the deceleration of human civility, it is hard not to love an underdog story. Although Cinderella Man does not have the fanfare of the Rocky franchise, it is a film with heart, grittiness, and hope that encompasses us all.

The Paper (1994) 88%

Henry looks serious in a closed office in The Paper

The Paper is about a day in the far from regular preposterous life of newspaper editor, Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) who discovers evidence of a police cover-up concerning the murder of two businessmen. The critically acclaimed film also examines the tense relationships he has with his boss Alicia Clark (Glenn Close) and his wife Martha (Marisa Tomei).

Despite the accolades from critics, audiences were tepid to the idea of the frantic life of a newspaper editor trying to stay ahead of the daily accounts of society. As Keaton’s character so eloquently states, “I walk, talk, and think as fast as I can, just to keep my head above water.”

Splash (1984) 90%

Walt Disney’s first release under Touchstone Pictures targeted to reach a more mature audience, Splash, one of the best romcoms of the eighties and the start of both careers of Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah, was a box office sensation. It was one of the top ten highest-grossing films in 1984.

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With such a unique and simple premise about a man and a fish, Allen (Hanks) falls in love with Madison (Hannah), a mermaid, who saved him as a young boy and the comedic mastermind of John Candy as Hank’s brother, the film is a favorite among cinema attendees of the ’80s.

Parenthood (1989) 91%

Steve Martin leads the clan of The Buckmans in this comedy-drama about the ends and outs of raising a family that is sometimes, hilarious, oftentimes frightening but always rewarding. Martin heads an all-star cast that consists of Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves, Mary Steenburgen, Diane Wiest, and Jason Robards.

With such a wide appeal that it is easily relatable, Parenthood was a juggernaut earning $10 million on its opening weekend, making it number one. Also, the film sparks two TV series in both 1990 and 2010 reminding us that there is a lot of comedy in truth, and at times it does not hurt to laugh.

Night Shift (1982) 92%

This is Ron Howard’s first film starring his Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler, a morgue attendant, who is talked into running a brothel by his co-worker portrayed by Michael Keaton.  The only problems are the pimps and the owner of the morgue.

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Breaking away from his Happy Day’s persona, critics and audiences raved about Winkler’s performance. No longer the cool lady’s man who can get any woman with the snap of his finger, Winkler portrays the sensitive nerd who has a hard time fitting in.

Frost/Nixon (2008) 93%

Frost/Nixon analyzes the 1977 interviews between David Frost (Michael Sheen) and Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) based on the screenplay under the same name and has its Broadway actors take their performance to the big screen.

Both Michael Sheen and Frank Langella’s performances are outstanding as they fight it out for screen dominance like a mental game of chess, one trying to overshadow the next, both captivating and brilliant.

The three interviews per week over a four weeks included a notable quote by Nixon where he stated, “when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

Apollo 13 (1995) 95%

Apollo 13 needs safe passage back to earth, putting the lives of Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Jack Wigert (Kevin Bacon) in danger. With a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this is Ron Howard’s number one movie with a score of 8.2 out of possible 10.

Factually accurate with little embellishment, Apollo 13 proved that it had the staying power, holding the audience’s attention for two consecutive weeks as the number one film in the country. Not a documentary, but a story of inspiration and determination including a dynamic cast and an equally dynamic director, the movie had the ingredients that made it a box office sensation.

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