has enjoyed nearly a lifelong career in —he first found fame as a child actor on shows like and before retiring from acting in 1980 and shifting his focus to behind the camera. Since then, . His work has earned him numerous award nominations and wins, including two Academy Awards.

Howard's films run the gamut from intense to family-friendly staples. While it's impossible to distill his work down to a single theme or focus, he's proven to be skilled at telling character-driven stories dealing with the complexity of humanity, especially ones based on true stories. And given his past successes, .

is of the classic Christmas story written by and published in 1957. The mean, green Grinch () lives on a mountaintop just outside the town of Whoville and detests their lively Christmas celebrations, so he decides to come down and ruin the holiday. While the townspeople are asleep, .

, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas brings it to life in a fun, lighthearted way, even if it might not be as highly regarded as the original animated version. Carrey plays the Grinch in the same over-the-top manner he became known for in his roles in the '90s, and the character is well-suited for it.

When a group of 12 young boys and their soccer coach become trapped in a system of caves in Thailand, an unexpected rainstorm causes the caves to begin to flood in . A team of world-class divers is sent in to navigate the caves and find the boys, including British cave divers John Volanthen () and Rick Stanton (). The film of the Tham Luang cave rescue in 2018.

The Tham Luang cave rescue —, and it’s no surprise . Howard skillfully presents a dramatization of the events with great pacing, highlighting the scope and difficulties of the rescue, from major players to others impacted. Thirteen Lives also has a realistic look and feel, thanks in part to the input of the real Volanthen and Stanton.

follows Henry Hackett (), the assistant managing editor of a tabloid struggling with financial issues. While considering an offer for another job, one with shorter hours and better pay, , and one of his reporters overhears a cop admitting as much. Henry races to confirm and get the story to print.

—it’s a fast-paced film which captures the equally fast-paced workday at a newspaper, especially with a fast-approaching deadline, and it’s no surprise it’s held in particularly high regard by those who have such work experience. Keaton is great to watch as Henry as he balances his personal life with his professional life, especially as he chases the story of his career.

Formula One drivers James Hunt (), from Britain, and Niki Lauda (), from Austria—with two very different personalities—have an intense rivalry in , set in the 1970s. . The film also follows their lives away from the track, including their marriages. It was based on a true story.

Rush is underrated, —it’s a character-driven story with a focus on the dynamic between Hunt and Lauda, although its racing scenes do still capture both the thrill and danger of the sport. , and the film also has a great score from . It received positive reviews from critics, as well as Lauda himself.

In , a young farmer named Willow () finds a baby floating down a river, and a rune on her indicates she’s destined to overthrow the evil Queen Bavmorda (). He travels with her to protect her, and along the way, they meet a mercenary named Madmartigan (), who accompanies them. The story was created by , who also produced the film. It was followed up .

Although Willow when it was released, , and it still holds up well today. It can be predictable at times, but it’s still a heartwarming and ambitious fantasy film with great performances from both Davis and Kilmer—. Marsh, for her part, makes an incredible evil queen, just one sinister element among many.

—while trespassing in a seemingly empty house owned by aliens disguised as humans in the sci-fi comedy . When others discover its powers, overuse renders it useless, forcing the aliens to depart. It was loosely based on the novel by and was followed by a sequel, , in 1988.

The idea of a fountain of youth is a familiar one, . Its impressive visual effects earned it an Academy Award, and was acknowledged for his performance with a win for Best Supporting Actor. The film was an early success in Howard’s career as a director, helping pave the way for some of his later work.

stars as James J. Braddock, . With the Great Depression approaching, his former manager, Joe Gould (), offers him a one-time slot against a younger fighter, and after winning, Braddock enjoys a comeback. He continues to win fights as he gears up for the title match against Max Baer (). It was based on a true story.

Cinderella Man is a compelling drama in particular—he’s made multiple films with Howard, and the two clearly work well together. . The film’s fight scenes capture his sheer determination, as well as the brutal physicality of boxing and the toll the sport can take on fighters. The result is a film still considered among .

, depicts Richard Nixon’s () one-on-one interview with British talk-show host David Frost (). when Frost pushes him on the events and timeline of the scandal. The movie was based on the 2006 play by , who also wrote the screenplay.

Frost/Nixon is between Nixon and Frost, with great performances from both leads—they perfectly embody their real-life counterparts and play off each other excellently, . The film was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Langella as Nixon, but shockingly, it did not win any.

In , mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. (Crowe) gains an international reputation after making a groundbreaking discovery and is recruited by the military to aid in code-breaking. , overshadowing his professional accomplishments. The film was based on a true story, including a biography of Nash of the same name written by .

A Beautiful Mind is an acclaimed drama which remains among Howard’s most highly regarded works over 20 years later. , especially as his condition worsens and begins to impact his young family—the performance is easily among the best of Crowe’s career. The film also boasts an impressive star-studded cast. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, four of which it won, including Best Picture and Best Director.

follows astronauts Jim Lovell (), Fred Haise (), and Jack Swigert () on a lunar mission gone wrong when an oxygen tank explodes, causing damage to the vessel. With the astronauts in danger and unable to make it to the moon, NASA must find a way to get them back safely. The film surrounding .

, but it features incredible performances by Hanks, Paxton and Bacon, as well as the supporting cast. The film is critically acclaimed and and attention to detail—which give it a realistic feel—in addition to its dramatic storytelling focusing on the characters rather than action. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards.

NEXT: The 10 Best Performances in Ron Howard Movies, Ranked