Action Movie Star Tom Cruise is tremendous, but the Tom Cruise who works with auteur filmmakers is even better.

Cruise has collaborated with some of the greatest directors of the last 40 years, including Stanley Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut), Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia), Martin Scorsese (The Color of Money), and Oliver Stone (Born on the Fourth of July), and given terrific performances in all their film. But he’s still searching for his first Academy Award. He’s been nominated three times (Best Actor twice for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire and Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia), but no wins.