It is always interesting to come across an actor who, while extremely talented, takes a while to work his way up to widespread acclaim. One such actor is Philip Seymour Hoffman. For about 20 years, Hoffman has appeared in many movies but hasn't necessarily starred in them. I guess you can say he has had his big break, and now has the freedom to choose whichever roles he wants.

Here are my top five favorite films that star or feature Philip Seymour Hoffman in a leading or supporting role.

The first movie I will discuss is a rather dark film and was released on a smaller scale, as many of his films often are. Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is a difficult film to get through, but Hoffman's acting is nothing short of top notch.

Another great role that Phillip Seymour Hoffman played was as the villain in Mission Impossible III. This wasn't the best film ever, but you could not ask for a better bad guy.

If you have yet to see Doubt, then you are missing out on some amazing acting. Any time you put Meryl Streep and Philip Hoffman together the result is going to be great. It came as no surprise that both of them were nominated for Academy Awards for this film.

Philip Seymour Hoffman doesn't always feel the need to play the lead role in a film and that is most apparent to me as his role of Brandt in The Big Lebowski. He may not have been the star of this movie, but there is no doubt he helped to contribute to its greatness.

When it comes to Hoffman's finest acting performances, one movie that has to be mentioned is Capote. This movie finally won Hoffman an Oscar. Even without knowing anything about the man who this movie is about, you can still appreciate the fine acting job that he delivered.

These are just some of the great films starring the ever so talented Philip Seymour Hoffman.