Posted July 31, 2010 Just thought it'd be interesting to find out, i might have missed some awesome perfomances out there. Mine are: Ed Norton - American History X Dustin Hoffman/Tom Cruise - Rainman (have to credit both, Cruise was just as good in the straight role) Christian Bale - American Psycho (can't believe Leo Dicaprio was almost cast instead, that would NOT have worked) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 31, 2010 Peter Sellers - Dr Strangelove (mainly the President (mainly during the phonecall scene)) Richard E. Grant - Withnail & I Bob Hoskins - Brazil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 31, 2010 I'm not too sure. There are too many. Here are three. Vivien Leigh playing Blanche du Bois in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. Toby Jones playing Capote in 'Infamous'. Hugh Jackman playing Tom/Thomas in 'The Fountain'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 31, 2010 Jim Carrey - Dumb & Dumber This film is a beautiful story of friendship (bromance?) and unrequited love (for a woman, not for each other) and Jim Carrey is pitch perfect. It's his best performance - better than his serious films and better than his very silly films like Ace Ventura and The Mask. Bill Murray - Ghostbusters What can I say? Everyone loves Peter Venkman! He's cool, sarcastic and even a bit of a git, but you can rely on him when Mr Stay Puft is rampaging about, and his laughter-in-the-face-of-danger is up there with Roger Moore's. Haven't really got a third one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 31, 2010 Klaus Kinski as Count Dracula in Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht. Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin Last King of Scotland. Malcolm McDowell as Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange. Runners up: Jonathan Pryce as Sam Lowry in Brazil. Min-sik Choi as Dae-su Oh in Oldboy. Bill Murray as Phil in Groundhog Day The entire cast of Pulp Fiction Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach in Watchmen. And many more that I'm too tired to figure out right now... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 31, 2010 I can't think of just 3, and there's one that stands out above the rest. Björk as Selma Jezkova (Dancer in the Dark, Lars Von Trier, 2000) Even if I had never heard of her/hated her music, this is still the most powerful film performance I've ever seen. The awareness that you're "Watching a film with actors playing roles" is gone during this film, making her performance seem real, and as a result, leaves you feeling a little bit broken at the end. Actually, another tour-de-force performance that always remains in my head is Laura Dern as Nikki Grace (Inland Empire, David Lynch, 2007) Her performance is astonishing in it's range/what it covers throughout the film. On the male side, I keep thinking about Requiem For A Dream/Jared Leto, but I can't be sure as the person I lent the DVD to hasn't given it back, and I think I'm thinking of the film itself as opposed to him. Maybe River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho. But I have to think about that more/see it again. EDIT: Also like...everyone in Million Dollar Baby. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Jack Nicholson-One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Min-sik Choi-Oldboy Liam Neeson-The Phantom Menace.... Wait no scratch that last one. Cillian Murphy-28 Days Later Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy in Anchorman. Samuel L Jackson as Elijah Price in Unbreakable. Aaron Johnson as Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass in Kick-Ass. On the male side, I keep thinking about Requiem For A Dream/Jared Leto, but I can't be sure as the person I lent the DVD to hasn't given it back, and I think I'm thinking of the film itself as opposed to him. Maybe River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho. But I have to think about that more/see it again. I actually nearly picked River Phoenix for Stand By Me. He'd be my number 4. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Have to agree with Will Ferrel - Anchorman Tommy Lee Jones - The Fugitive Tom Cruise - Scientology. It's amazing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 jim carrey: eternal sunshine of the spotless mind me myself and irene truman show gotta say though liar liar and dumb and dumber and my favourites from him though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby/Unforgiven/Shawshank Redemption Al Pacino - Any Given Sunday Robin Williams - One Hour Photo Big fan of Morgan Freeman, even if he does continue to play the same kind of roles in films. Every film I've seen him in, he's been fantastic. Al Pacino puts in a fantastic performance in Any Given Sunday. Not seen many films where he's in them but that is perhaps one of my favourite ever. And Robin Williams is really exceptional in One Hour Photo. Really against the character of Williams but he played the part so well. Also worth mentioning, Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino and as others have pointed out, Will Farrell in Anchorman. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Hm... tough one this one... Rita Hayworth- Gilda. She's DIVINE. Ed Norton- Fight Club Sam Rockwell- Moon ...and more recently... Christoph Waltz- Inglorious Basterds. Honestly, his performance as Landa was.... priceless. I'm sure i'm leaving many out, though...... but had to pick 3... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 This is really tricky, but here are three which impressed me: Michael Biehn - The Terminator - Incredible. He could be a soldier from the future, or he really could be a deranged loon. Some of his lines in this are brilliant, almost poetic. He's the perfect hero, very dedicated to the cause, never does anything to put his mission at harm. I can't imagine anybody else playing this role. Ian Holm - Alien- Very cold, calculated and mysterious. You get the idea that something is not right about him all the way through the movie. Then, out of nowhere comes the revelation that he isn't human. That scene must have caught everybody off-guard. Very well acted, and the scene where he (his head) talks of his admiration for the Alien is great viewing. Every actor in this film is great in his or her own right, but Ian Holm steals the show for me. A great villain, despite not being the main villain of the film. Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump - When I watch films and it comes to characters, I want to see the "character" of the film rather than the actor underneath. Whilst watching this, I forget that the character is Tom Hanks. I see Forrest Gump, from beginning to end. The film itself is one of my favourites, and Tom makes the character his own. He's a very talented actor and his starred in some brilliant films over the years. This, Castaway, Green Mile, Philadelphia, the list goes on. But this I think is his best performance. For me anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 This is really tricky, but here are three which impressed me: Michael Biehn - The Terminator - Incredible. He could be a soldier from the future, or he really could be a deranged loon. Some of his lines in this are brilliant, almost poetic. He's the perfect hero, very dedicated to the cause, never does anything to put his mission at harm. I can't imagine anybody else playing this role. Ian Holm - Alien- Very cold, calculated and mysterious. You get the idea that something is not right about him all the way through the movie. Then, out of nowhere comes the revelation that he isn't human. That scene must have caught everybody off-guard. Very well acted, and the scene where he (his head) talks of his admiration for the Alien is great viewing. Every actor in this film is great in his or her own right, but Ian Holm steals the show for me. A great villain, despite not being the main villain of the film. Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump - When I watch films and it comes to characters, I want to see the "character" of the film rather than the actor underneath. Whilst watching this, I forget that the character is Tom Hanks. I see Forrest Gump, from beginning to end. The film itself is one of my favourites, and Tom makes the character his own. He's a very talented actor and his starred in some brilliant films over the years. This, Castaway, Green Mile, Philadelphia, the list goes on. But this I think is his best performance. For me anyway. Slightly disappointed you didnt put Stallone's performance in Rocky in there ......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Slightly disappointed you didnt put Stallone's performance in Rocky in there ......... If it was a top 5 list, it would be in there. Along with maybe Harrison Ford from A New Hope/Empire Strikes back. Or even Bill Murray from Lost in Translation. It's tough to decide whether he's better in the first Rocky or the first Rambo. So very different characters. I'm tempted to think that maybe he gives a better performance in Rambo, purely for the ending monologue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Sigourney Weaver - Ellen Ripley, Aliens Bjork - Selma Jezkova, Dancer In The Dark Let me think about the last choice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Sigourney Weaver - Ellen Ripley, Aliens Ahh, now which one do you prefer? The Weaver in Alien, or Aliens? She's a completely different character in both. In Alien she's the "survivor", the one who thinks clearly and analyses her options in order to keep herself alive. In Aliens, she's traumatised at the beginning, and then turns into this brave person who looks out for others (when she goes back into the hive for Newt). Alien - She's Selfish Aliens - She's Selfless Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Ooh very tough question. Ask me on another day and these may be different but for now. Actors: 1. Javier Bardem - Anton Chigurh: No Country For Oldmen 2. Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Caden Cotard: Synecdoche, New York. 3. Kevin Spacey - Lester Burnham: American Beauty. Actresses: 1. Anne Hathaway - Kym: Rachel Getting Married. 2. Gloria Swanson - Norma Desmond: Sunset Boulevard. 3. Ellen Burstyn - Sara Goldfarb: Requiem For A Dream. Since these are all from Movies I'd like to give an hounrable mention to Aaron Paul who think is brilliant at portraying the character of Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction. x3. SAY WHAT ONE MORE GOD DAMN TIME. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Tommy Wiseau in The Room. He does things no other man can in this role. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 Val Kilmer as Madmartigan in Willow Jodie Foster as Clarice in Silence of the Lambs Patrick Stewart as anybody in anything Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 I have a huge list of top performances, so long in fact that i randomly picked 3 out of the hat. And here we are. Tom Hanks in Castaway Al Pacino in Scarface Charlie Sheen in Platoon I could honestly keep going, but as this is limited to 3 there we go. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 1, 2010 I don't think I'll give much explanations. Anyway, Anthony Perkins: Norman Bates From Pyscho. Just because he is completely insane and plays the part perfectly. Even though it isn't from a movie, I'm going to say Tim Roth: Cal Lightman In Lie to Me. Just fantastic actor. And finally Helena Bonham Carter: Anything One of my favorite actors and is just fantastic. She's amazing in Harry Potter and Sweeney Todd. I think that some others worth mentioning is Johnny Depp in most things he does and Angela Bassett in "What's Love Got to Do with It". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 2, 2010 Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood Christian Bale - American Psycho Peter Finch - Network Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
