"But above all, I am a man". Remembering the work of Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Today we all mourn the loss of a great acting talent. An actor who gave us many incredible performances and sadly won't do so anymore. And while thinking about that, it's truly hard to stop the tears.

Capote

It's irrational, isn't it? To have tears in your eyes when you read about the passing of one of favorite singers, actors, directors...but today many, if not all, the movie fans are deeply consumed by sadness. Because one of the best actors working today - and for me one of the all time greats - Philip Seymour Hoffman - passed away.

Over the years Philip Seymour Hoffman gave us dozens of brilliant and unforgettable performances. When looking at his page on imdb you see all those wonderful films, years of incredible choices and beautiful performances. I was going to make a post highlighting 10 best performances of his, but it's truly impossible to choose just 10.

The Big Lebowski

I change my choice for favorite actor constantly. The name on number one spot changes all the time. But if you asked me over the last few years who I consider to be THE BEST actor working today? The answer was always constant - Philip Seymour Hoffman.

I have not seen all of his performances, but I've seen plenty. And this man never delivered a bad one. More importantly he always brought his A game and made his characters so insanely memorable.  No matter how supporting his characters were, Hoffman played them as if they were real people. He infused them with so many emotions and his own charisma. It was simply impossible not to remember his work vividly after the movie was over. And I suspect, years after seeing the film.

The Master

Just look at his work in films with not only big ensembles, but ensembles filled with so many famous actors - The Scent of a Women, Talented Mr. Ripley, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Almost Famous, 25th Hour, Cold Mountain, The Ides of March, The Big Lebowski, Red Dragon - it's impossible to forget him in spite of so many characters in those films.

Some of those performances, in the films listed above, were downright show stealing like in Boogie Nights and Talented Mr. Ripley. Who can forget his hilarious scene in Red Dragon where he is forced to see the 'art' of Fiennes's character? Or his desperate laughter and 'this is our concern, Dude" from The Big Lebowski?

Synecdoche, New York

No matter how much screentime Hoffman had in those films, he truly owned the character and the scene.  Whether he was playing a sleazy journalist, depraved Reverend or a guy in charge of political campaign, he truly made you believe he was all those people.

One of the most impressive things an actor can do is to give a great performance in a movie that either doesn't work or shouldn't work in the first place and yet miraculously, it does. And Hoffman proved how good he was when he did just that in Mission Impossible 3 and Along Came Polly. Hoffman had pretty great comedy talent too - he also appeared in The Boat that Rocked, Richard Curtis' hilarious film.

Magnolia

He even impressed me in films I really didn't like, for example Punch-Drunk Love. And Catching Fire....some criticized the work Hoffman did in this film but let me tell you the way he delivered the line this is a revolution and you are a Mockingjay was easily my favorite moment in this whole film.

Then there are the performances that are so mesmerizing, if I ever listed 100 of my favorite ones they would either end up on my list or be in serious consideration. There is recent The Master, in which Hoffman played the leader of the cult and for me, was miles above Phoenix. Phoenix was great, but this was one of the times Hoffman delivered work so raw and memorable you couldn't take your eyes of him.

Doubt

There was also great and challenging performance in equally great and challenging Synecdoche, New York, which I'm sure many would call Hoffman's best work. And of course his Oscar winning mesmerizing performance in titular role in Capote. But for me when it came to choosing Hoffman's best it was always about the two of his performances.

First one was Doubt where Hoffman played a priest accused of molesting one of the boys in the school. I've seen this film so many times and I still don't know whether the priest was guilty or not. Hoffman makes his character's humanity and kindness so incredibly believable you truly don't know whether this is the truth or just an extremely well planned and executed facade meant to cover his sins.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

And then we have Before the Devil Knows you're Dead. The entire performance is amazing but there is this one moment which for me is the single greatest moment of Hoffman's career. After his wife leaves him, his character walks slowly around the apartment - he pulls covers from the bed, he slowly pushes the things off the bedside table on the floor. He walks over to the glass table and picks up a bowl filled with marbles. And he slowly spills them on the glass. Without saying a single word.

Scotty J. heartbroken and in tears after being rejected. Lancaster Dodd lashing out against one of the people disagreeing with him. Freddie Miles calling out Tom on his peeping. Brandt showing the Dude around. Father Flynn's sermon about the pillow and the gossip. So many scenes, so many performances, so many memories.

Rest in peace, Mr. Hoffman.