Paul Walker was a father, model, actor, lover of marine life, humanitarian, and car lover who was best known for his role in the Fast franchise. Walker made a name for himself in the entertainment realm, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who wasn’t a fan of his talent and charm.

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Walker was born on Sept. 12, 1973, and he would have been celebrating his 50th birthday today. Instead, we honor him and the impact he left on all of us. Whether you were a fan of his films from the beginning or if you really only ever saw him as Brian O’Conner, being a fan of Walker was an adventure. When news of his untimely death on Nov. 30, 2013, first hit the social realm, hearts everywhere broke, and his loss has been felt every day since.

As we celebrate his birthday today, here are 10 movies to watch to honor the life, talent, and passion of Paul Walker, a man who truly lived each moment to the fullest.

The Fast and the Furious

Fans first met Brian O’Conner in The Fast and the Furious when it sped into theaters in June of 2001, quickly taking the top spot in the hearts of car enthusiasts everywhere. LAPD officer turned family man, O’Conner is the kind of guy you root for easily, carving out a place in the hearts of viewers everywhere with his quick wit, wholesome charm, and exceptionally handsome smile.

O’Conner is one of Walker’s best roles, so when you start your watch-a-thon this afternoon, don’t forget to kick it off with this one!

Hours

What would you do if you found yourself in the throws of a natural disaster, having become a dad weeks before your baby’s anticipated due date and finding out that you lost the love of your life in the same few moments? That’s what happens to Walker’s character, Nolan Hayes, in the thriller Hours by Eric Heisserer.

Walker shines as a grieving but determined father in Hours, and his character proves that there’s nothing a parent wouldn’t do to save their child.

She’s All That

Movie buffs everywhere can remember where they were when they first watched She’s All That, a romance/drama/comedy for the ages. The movie asks what happens when a recently dumped high school jock vows to make any girl he dates popular. Walker takes on the role of Dean Sampson, Jr., a popular guy with an axe to grind, and he plays the part well.

Walker might not be the romantic lead or the heartwarming main character, but you still find yourself fawning over him anyway, because how could you not?

Varsity Blues

What’s better than a classic high school football movie? A high school football movie with Paul Walker; that’s what! Breathing life into the character Lance Harbor, Walker is the film’s lead and the starting quarterback of the Coyotes in Varsity Blues. His life trajectory is thrown way off course through bad decisions, peer pressure, and life-altering injuries. You feel sorry for Harbor, wishing he’d done what we’re all taught from childhood and thought before he decided to act.

Instead, we see his character go through experiences that shape him differently, and while he ends up alright, there’s always a piece of our hearts rooting for Harbor’s story to have gone differently.

Pleasantville

Pleasantville is one of our favorite comedy dramas of all time, and the role Walker plays in it is quite entertaining. A young man stuck in a black-and-white TV world, Walker plays Skip Martin, a man who meets a woman he’s quite smitten by named Mary Sue Parker, and she changes his world. The thing is, Mary Sue Parker is just a character and the real person behind her is named Jennifer, who comes from a far different time.

Skip Martin is an “easy to read” character on the surface, but as we look back at a film we hadn’t seen in quite some time, we’re reminded that it’s an overlooked piece of cinematic history that deserves another watch, and Skip deserves another look.

Eight Below

Sled dogs, Paul Walker, and a heartwarming adventure story? Sign us up. Walker shines as Jerry Shepard in Eight Below, and we couldn’t love a storyline more. There’s a lot of life, love, heartache, and a fight against the elements in this movie, one that Shepard has to battle, in large, on his own with only the companionship of man’s best friend: the dogs.

If you’re anything like us and you check DoesTheDogDie.com before watching a movie, we’ll let you know that; unfortunately, two pups perish on this larger-than-life trip, but there’s a beautiful homage to them in the end.

Into The Blue

Hear us out: while the storyline in Into The Blue might not be life-affirming or totally emotionally engaging, it’s a great watch. There are boats, jet skis, sun, and passion-soaked afternoons, and the movie is just action-packed and a lot of fun.

Walker plays Jared, a man happy to live on the beach with the love of his life, and they’ve crafted quite a life for themselves. Without warning, they’re thrown into more adventure than they could have imagined as well as turmoil. With their lives on the line, every decision they make might mean life or death; here’s hoping they make the right ones.

Joy Ride

Joy Ride might be one of our favorite mystery/thriller films of all time, and there are a few reasons for it. Paul Walker is great in this film, the storyline is terrifying, and much like the Final Destination movies — it certainly made you think twice about being in your vehicle for any amount of time. Playing the role of Lewis Thomas, Walker goes along for what would have been a joy ride, and ends up being the ride of a lifetime, or rather — a ride that leads to a life-or-death decision.

What will become of Thomas, Fuller Thomas, and Venna Wilcox? You’ll have to watch to find out.

Fast & Furious 7

We had to include Fast & Furious 7, also stylized as Furious 7, because it’s the last installment of the Fast saga with Walker in it. Paul’s brother, Cody, helped film the scenes that needed to be re-approached or filmed after Paul’s untimely passing, so there was a special sense of camaraderie throughout the film, already heavily focused on family and togetherness.

Paul’s appearance in the film is emotionally charged, and its debut meant something special to those who had followed the saga for years; his presence in this franchise is deeply missed, and saying goodbye certainly wasn’t easy.

I am Paul Walker

There’s no better way to celebrate the life and legacy of Paul Walker than by watching the documentary crafted about his life. Walker would have been turning 50 this year, and his life is certainly something worth celebrating. I Am Paul Walker is a look into the life of the man who seemed to burn too bright for this world, moving quickly to the next plane of existence far too soon, and yet, he still lives on in the hearts of those who loved him best.

Here’s to Paul Walker and the bright light he left behind.