When determining the list of the greatest actors working in Hollywood, Christian Bale’s name should be toward the top. The 48-year-old burst onto the scene as a child actor in the late ’80s and has been working ever since. Bale is known for his intensity and ability to transform when it comes to his role. The best example of Bale’s dedication to acting is his weight transformation in 2004-2005. Bale lost 62 pounds for The Machinist, weighing in at 120 pounds. For his next role as Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, Bale gained over 100 pounds. When he overshot his goal, Bale lost 30 pounds to achieve his desired weight before filming.

Bale appears in his third movie since July 2022 with his starring role in the Netflix gothic thriller The Pale Blue Eye. Bale plays a detective summoned to West Point to solve the murder of a dead cadet. To celebrate the film’s release, here are five movies you should watch that best showcase why Bale is one of the most respected actors of his generation.

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