Jim Sheridan, 1982 (8*)
This is one of the most involved and excrutiating performances in cinema history, as Daniel-Day Lewis won his first Best Actor Oscar (when basically unknown) portraying the true life story of Irish poet and artist Christy Brown, born with cerebral palsy and nearly completely paralyzed, but who learns to use his left foot. Amazingly he writes and paints with this foot in a story that is gut-wrenching to watch, but which is ultimately inspiring as few of us can achieve what Christy did using our complete faculties. Look for some incredible scenes here, and some heart-warming ones as well, such as his brothers incorporating Cristy into their soccer games as the goalie. Brenda Fricker also won a supporting actress Oscar as his mother. When Lewis learned of his Oscar nomination, it’s said that he ran outside and ran through the streets of London in pure jubilation; that sounds like Lewis who rarely gives a less than Oscar-worthy performance. See Gangs of New York for his portait of Bill the Butcher, my favorite villain in any film.