Mel Gibson Movie List

OTL: Latest on MLB's A-Rod Investigation

All-in, A-Rod.

Despite the return of professional football (no, not you, CFL), the week's headlines were stolen by the report that baseball player Alex Rodriguez may have played in a Hollywood poker game in which a fight could have broken out and someone might have used some white substance to clear his nose.

Oh, the infamy!

Not likely Mr. Rodriguez suffers more than a tweet from the commissioner's office advising him to hire another dozen publicists to whitewash his off-the-field activities. But it got us thinking about poker. Here are my three favorite short-short poker jokes:

• "I was playing poker with Tarot cards and got a full house. Four other players died."

• "I have two rules for winning poker. One, never reveal everything you know. Two, …" (Come on, think about it.)

• "I was losing at casino poker and decided to try the crap tables. They threw me out for being too literal."

Also, A-Rod's alleged activities got me thinking about the greatest poker movies. Here's my mini-list:

• 3. "Maverick" (1994) -- Remember when we loved Mel Gibson? And James Garner isn't Maverick in this movie but still steals the flick. Great poker con on a river boat at the end.

• 2. "Rounders" (1998) -- You're probably screaming that this must be No. 1. Tough. Matt Damon is solid, John Malkovich is funny and Edward Norton will always be Worm. And yes, it really played a role in the outbreak of Texas hold 'em. Young players love the message of following your calling and going all-in on life instead of protecting your chips. But that's young players.

• 1. "A Big Hand for the Little Lady" (1966) -- You've probably never heard of this because I'm older than dirt, but it's a great flick starring Henry Fonda and Joanne Woodward. It's worth checking out, especially for one of the film's great twists at the end.

A few tidbits while our literary chefs are putting the final touches on the Brunch's main dishes.

• Should the NFL give the Lombardi Trophy to the Eagles now or should we go ahead and play it out just for kicks?

• The FC Barcelona-Chivas de Guadalajara soccer match was seen by 70,080 at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida. Dolphins ownership is officially on "suicide watch."

• The postseason game at Boise State's Bronco Stadium is now the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Question: What's the trophy going to look like?

Best Mel Gibson Movies List: Top 5 | Movie Scribes

To call Mel Gibson a controversial figure in the current landscape of Hollywood is a major understatement. Despite a strong career as an actor and film maker, Gibson is as recognized for some misplaced comments and recorded episodes of domestic disagreements as he is for movies. This best Mel Gibson Movies list of all time celebrates the actor and highlights the best films that he has starred in.

This best Mel Gibson movies list features the top 5 best Mel Gibson films of all time including only films that he acted in that have already released. In order to be included in this top 5 list of Mel Gibson movies, each film must have been critically and/or commercially successful, had long-lasting impact in entertainment, and Gibson must have played a prominent acting role. Author discretion is the final criteria used to distinguish the films.

Top 5 Best Mel Gibson Movies List

5. Signs (2002) – Not including a film outside Gibson’s niche genre of action would do a disservice to his versatility in science fiction, romantic comedy, et al. Signs is one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies as well, and Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix combine to offer one of the more humorous, yet eerie alien movies ever.

4. Mad Max (1979) – Long before Lethal Weapon, Gibson demonstrated is hard-core film persona in one of the best cult classics of all time. The follow up Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, which features singer Tina Turner, is as popular in some circles.

3. Lethal Weapon (1987) – One of the early roles that landed Gibson in the American film psyche, this police drama co-starred Danny Glover and sparked a four-part series.

2. The Patriot (2000) – No one makes or stars in war films like Mel Gibson, which is why the top Mel Gibson films list is loaded with epic war stories. This memorable and dramatic story of patriotism and revenge centers on the Revolutionary War.

1. Braveheart (1995) – Few films weave together the delicate blend of intense war and passionate romance as does this loose biopic story about William Wallace (Gibson) and the Scottish Revolution. An epic tale with riveting drama, graphic war sequences, and a conclusion that makes any man squeamish.

The Passion, photography from the movie The passion of the Christ

Mel Gibson's Passion and philosophy, the cross, the questions, the controversy

Mel Gibson's Passion, the film, the controversy, and its implications

The Films of Mel Gibson

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