Few actors in recent decades have left as indelible a mark on Hollywood as Samuel L. Jackson. Since breaking through with a memorable supporting turn in Spike Lee's sophomore feature School Daze, Jackson has gone on to play everything from acerbic sidekicks and double-dealing criminals to brilliant scientists and villainous masterminds. That's before you even mention a certain eye patch-wearing boss in the MCU and the first Jedi of color in the Star Wars prequels. It's worth noting how many of cinema's greatest directors Jackson has worked with — Spielberg, Lee, Scorsese, Tarantino, and Paul Thomas Anderson among them. To put it simply, Jackson has portrayed every sort of character imaginable on screen in his now four-decade-long career.

To help you sort the finer moments from the forgettable entries in the beloved actor's oeuvre, here's a list of his five best movies as Sony PIX celebrates his 71st birthday.