Contact (1997)
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
The Genius: Dr. Hannibal Lecter
The Awesome: Lecter’s proof that just because you’re smart, it doesn’t mean you’re nice. In fact, it probably means the complete opposite.
A distillation of evil, Lecter’s cutting intellect is only undermined by the cravenness of his actions. But even when he’s hacking and killing, Lecter does it with intelligence – witness the death pose of one unlucky policeman, which Lecter based on a Francis Bacon painting.
Stupidest Moment: He’s pretty much untouchable in Lambs , but come Hannibal , Lecter’s all over Clarice and willing to chop off his own hand to save her.
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
The Genius: Sherlock Holmes
The Awesome: Holmes isn’t just any detective, he’s one with a staggering amount of smarts. And disguises. And an uncanny ability to unite brains and brawn in a spectacularly concussive manner.
Not only is he book smart, he’s street smart, too; note his capacity to correctly read a person’s character by merely observing them. Plus he’s buff as hell.
Stupidest Moment: Falling for the charms of former lover Irene, who chains him naked to her bed and leaves him there.
