Sam Neill's legacy in 7 movies, from Australian thrillers to 'Jurassic Park'

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Set us as preferred Rarely would Sam Neill, who died Monday, carry a film on his own, but what he did in several of them, modestly and dependably, was equally as important.His nuanced supporting work allowed some of the greatest actresses of their moment attain their first fireworks.

And even though he starred in one of Hollywood’s hugest blockbusters, it takes a certain kind of confidence to share the spotlight with a dinosaur.Here are Neill’s highlights, all worth rewatching for the sake of better appreciating a sophisticated presence often on the sidelines.

Entertainment & Arts Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor known for his roles in ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘The Piano’ and ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ has died.He was 78.Gillian Armstrong’s first feature is a landmark of the Australian New Wave and feminist cinema, signaling the arrival of the great Judy Davis and containing the most erotically charged (and quite possibly the longest) pillow fight in movie history.

It works splendidly for countless reasons, not the least of which is Neill’s presence as the charming suitor of Davis’ headstrong heroine.Set in 1897 in rural Australia, the film follows Davis’ Sybylla, who dreams of becoming a writer, an unconventional aspiration given her family’s poverty and societal norms.

Then she meets a wealthy charmer, played by Neill, and he proposes.It should be an easy decision, particularly since Sybylla loves him and Neill makes him so irresistible.

That Sybylla does, in fact, resist, choosing independence over love and the possibility of perennial pillow fights, makes “My Brilliant Career” so daring and thrilling.— Glenn WhippIt’s being remade with Margaret Qualley and the main reason for the movie’s notoriety remains Isabelle Adjani’s unhinged, incantatory performance, a collection of freak-outs that’s still unmatched.

But one can argue that Adjani couldn’t have gotten there w...