I also liked his early work.

The first time I heard about Christian Bale was when I saw Equilibrium. While the plot called for a relatively monotone cast, he had an amazing amount of emotion right below the surface.

I then stumbled upon a movie of his that I had previously overlooked, American Psycho. I've never seen acting like that before. I've seen pretty much every A/B movie since 1990, and honestly, his acting in American Psycho was something special.

After that I sought out his movies. "The Machinist" was probably his undisputed masterpiece, and at least his best work since equilibrium. It was a deep meditation on intangibility. Empire of the Rising Sun was also quite good. The script was a little drab, but even as a child Christian Bale's acting was developed and unique.

Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to continue praising him for setting standards, I haven't seen anything groundbreaking from him in a while. He's done a great job with a few characters in his more recent career, but the few times he's hit a home run, the writer or director haven't paid the proper respect to his character.

All of his Dark Knight movies don't call for acting anywhere near the depth he's portrayed in the past, so while entertaining, they didn't set any standards. Though they do mark the point at which Bale really came into his own, both commercially and artistically.

"Flowers of War" was a decent drama. Bale had the opportunity to do anything he wanted with a scoundrel of a character who was forced into the role of a rapidly maturing priest. I didn't see anything revolutionary in that portrayal though; Bale just went from a drunk into a sober priest. It was unfortunately a shallow transition, when I had expected him to make me truly empathize with his character.

Christian Bale hit a new peak of professionalism while playing a self deluded crack head in "The Fighter". Unfortunately, the movie was about Marky Mark much more than Bale, so he was given a minimum of screen time to develop the character. Usually the older brother's mannerisms had to be embellished to get the point across that he was a negative effect on Wahlburg. In the end it was a missed opportunity, but at the same time it does deepen and enrich the meaning of his preceding movies.

Terminator Salvation: As a zealous Christian Bale fan, I absolutely have to admit that he never should have been in this movie. Sam Worthington as Marcus was captivating, while Bale as Connor was dull and distracting. McG, the director, had to sweet talk bale to get him to play the role of connor. McG promised that the movie wasn't about action, it was about character development. Additionally, bale had to talk McG into making his role bigger than it originally was. In the end, the whole movie had clear, crisp acting from Bale, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism, that really gave the movie a big boost. Unfortunately, I honestly think the director had a much different idea for this movie (and the character of Connor) than Bale did, and it shows in the final cut. Christian Bale was investing a lot into Connor, but the director didn't want to give him the creative freedom and screen time that the Character deserved. The result was a series of sporadic scenes with Connor screaming at the Camera. It seemed forced and didn't work.

"3:10 to Yuma" was also disappointing. Bale was given the entirity of the movie to develop his character, but it didn't captivate me at all. Obviously he wanted to convey how heroism isn't skin deep, but I think the character was almost too "real" for its own good. Real people are dull, and I think that is what happened with his character in Yuma. A boring adaptation of a father who has to put his responsibilities before his own pride. While the acting was unsatisfying, the movie seemed to be more commercial, and therefore more meaningful in a narrower way.

Christian Bale really worked his acting chops in "Rescue Dawn", but the movie flopped. There's not much more to be said, except that the movie is extremely uplifting. The acting is as positive, and affirmative, as anything I've seen in cinema.

He hit a home run with his character in "The Prestige". Unfortunately, the director focused mostly on Hugh Jackman. If that movie had been mostly about Bale's character, I feel it would have been truly memorable. It's hard to choose a favorite among all of Bale's characters, but Alfred Borden is one of the best, most powerful roles ever written, about self preservation and dignity. It's universal message crosses all boundaries, and instills one with the hope that it's not to late to better ourselves.

"Harsh Times" was probably Christian Bale's worst work. He was supposed to play an emotionally damaged war veteran who slowly destroys his own life because of his mental scars from Iraq. The character was instead a hodge podge of urban slang phrases and stereotypes. It was just too artsy; Too intellectual. Occasionally, as he was on the tipping point between sanity and losing control, his character was captivating. The majority of the movie didn't live up to these moments, though.

Ultimately, you're going to get the best performance out of Christian Bale when the movie isn't made for the "Main Stream" audience. Bale shouldn't have to compete with Marky Mark, explosions, or CGI. Get him in a movie where he's playing a unique character (Psycho, machinist, equilibrium, etc), and let him help direct the movie to ensure his vision goes hand-in-hand with the director's. His Main Stream releases are often so catchy that people don't watch the acting, but they should, because they're not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, they're also a personal statement about the actor himself.

Hey Paul...