Going for the Goldblum: My Top 5 Favorite Jeff Goldblum Movies

I can remember, when asked who some of my favorite actors were, I often received confused glances and questioning looks when I eagerly added the name Jeff Goldblum to my list. While others were clamoring on about Brad Pitt and George Clooney, here I was, spouting on about someone who was virtually unknown. Well, not completely unknown - but definitely not one of Hollywood's hunkiest guys.

Jeff Goldblum has acted in countless films, often portraying parts that people recognize, even though it isn't always easy to put the name and the face together. While still a very accomplished actor, he's often referred to as "that mathematician guy" from Jurassic Park or Buckaroo's sidekick, from Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. Nevertheless, Jeff Goldblum is a definite talent. Here are five movies that always stand out, in my mind, when I think of the amazing talent that is Jeff Goldblum:

My Top 5 Favorite Jeff Goldblum Roles

1. The Fly, 1986 - Seth Brundle
Seth Brundle had it all going for him - a great science project to work on, a cute girlfriend and a bug's libido. Say what? Okay, okay...maybe we didn't need to see him shirtless and sprouting strange back hair, but it was pretty awesome watching him upchuck on people that annoyed him. Dark and creepy, this was an amazing film for its time and Jeff Goldblum really brings something unique to Seth Brundle. It's certainly a step up from the cheesy old classic.

2. Earth Girls Are Easy, 1988 - Mac
It took me a while to get around to watching this one, considering it didn't have any of the usual 80's brat pack in it, and I often kick myself for not enjoying it earlier. If you're a fan of musical comedies or like anything blatantly 80's, Earth Girls Are Easy is a great goofy flick. While Julie Brown, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans keep you snickering with their character antics, Mac comes across as a rather endearing and pretty sexy alien. Forget ET...gimme a Mac!

3. Jurassic Park, 1993 - Dr. Ian Malcolm
If you aren't familiar with this movie and you don't recognize this character, go out and rent it now. Shame on you! For a girl who grew up watching claymation dinosaurs and Land of the Lost, Jurassic Park was the next best thing since sliced bread. And to top it all off, there was Jeff Goldblum, playing this highly intelligent and weirdly witty mathematician/chaos theorist. Filled with great one liners, lots of action and more than a few suspenseful moments, Jurassic Park shines as one of the best movies of the 90's and one of Jeff Goldblum's most memorable movies.

4. Powder, 1995 - Donald Ripley
Powder is one of my favorite movies of all time, and it never ceases to amaze me how many people don't know anything about this amazing film. The story of an albino boy, discovered in a the cellar of an old farmhouse, Powder is a complex tale that questions not only our abilities, but the things we are capable of - both compassion and cruelty. Jeff Goldblum is wonderful in the role of physics teacher, Donald Ripley, who takes Powder under his wing.

5. Adam Resurrected, 2009 - Adam Stein
Not widely known, this American-German-Israeli film raised more than a few eyebrows when it was screened at various film festivals around the world. The story of a charismatic performer and patient of a psychiatric asylum for Holocaust survivors, Adam Resurrected takes us on a whirling tale of how one man manages to survive, and what he endures through the war, being treated and kept as a human dog. It's a very powerful and moving tale that hits the viewer hard in the gut.

Jeff Goldblum has recently chosen to resign from his role as Detective Zach Nichols in the award-winning crime drama series, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," but will be co-starring in two comedies, set to release later this year.