Jim Carrey is a rubber faced comedic actor who in recent years has begun to take on roles of a more dramatic nature. Carrey got his start on the FOX TV series, “In Living Color” playing such memorable characters as Fire Marshal Bill among others. One of his first starring roles was in “Once Bitten” (1985) which starred Lauren Hutton as a thousand year old vampire who needs the blood of a virgin (Carrey) to stay young and beautiful.

Here are a few of Jim Carrey’s best films.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

This was Carrey’s breakout comedy. He starred as a private detective who specializes in missing pets. The film had a lot of near slapstick type comedy including one tasteless bit with Carrey “talking” from his buttocks. Tom Shadyac directed the film and would work with Carrey as the star of several other films. Courtney Cox played Carrey’s love interest, and Sean Young was the Police Lieutenant who Ace runs afoul of. A year later, the sequel, “Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls” was released.

Batman Forever (1995)

Carrey took a darker turn in the third film of the Batman franchise, which was produced and directed by Tim Burton. Carrey played computer expert Dr. Edmund Nigma. Nigma discovers a method to drain information from the brains of Gotham City’s residents, including Bruce Wayne/Batman. Nigma’s mind becomes unhinged and he becomes The Riddler. He then teams up with Harvey Dent/Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones in a manic turn) and Val Kilmer becomes the caped crusader in this film. Nicole Kidman played Dr. Chase Meridian, a psychiatrist who develops an interest in Batman.

Liar, Liar (1997)

Tom Shadyac again directed Carrey in this film about a lawyer who suddenly finds he cannot lie. In the story Carrey plays Fletcher Reede, a workaholic who forgets his son’s fifth birthday. The son makes a wish that for one day, his father cannot lie. The wish comes true with hilarious results. Maureen Tierney, Jennifer Tilley, and Cary Elwes co-star, and the late Anne Haney plays Fletcher’s secretary. This was also character actor Jason Bernard’s last film.

The Majestic (2001)

Set in 1951 amid the McCarthy era hearings, a screenwriter (Carrey) falls under suspicion of being a Communist. When he gets in a car accident, he loses his memory and ends up in a small town up the California coast. He is mistaken for Luke Trimble, a soldier who was lost in the war. Nearly everyone thinks he is Luke, including Luke’s father, (Martin Landau) who ran The Majestic, the town’s movie theater. He lost interest in the theater when his son was listed as missing. He gets Luke/Peter to help him refurbish the theater, and it reopens. David Ogden Stiers, and Hal Holbrook also star in this poignant film.

Bruce Almighty (2003)

This is yet another Jim Carrey – Tom Shadyac collaboration. Carrey plays Bruce Nolan, a television reporter who complains about God so often that the Almighty decides to give Bruce the powers of God for a short time. Morgan Freeman plays God with a twisted sense of humor, and Jennifer Anniston plays Bruce’s long suffering girlfriend. Steve Carell had a supporting role as Evan Baxter in this film, and would star in the sequel “Evan Almighty” in 2007.