Robert: just saw your question about Far From the Madding Crowd, I have a soft spot for that particular brand of film and it's my #3 for the year so far. I can certainly see why some might think it average/lackluster
I have seen The Shop Around the Corner, Pride and Prejudice, and His Girl Friday and loved all three of them and the performances from the leads (including the leading ladies).
Anyways:
1. Stewart 2. Grant 3. Robinson 4. Olivier 5. Redgrave
I didn't like Garson (I thought Keira Knightley and Jennifer Ehle far surpassed her interpretation of Liz Bennett), Russell was very good, but Sullivan was by far my favourite, such a sweet and funny performance.
I LOVE The Thief of Baghdad, dull secondary lead of John Justin aside, Sabu is a really an endearing hero, and Rex Ingram and Conrad Veidt are great supporting players (I hope the latter may be reviewed).
RatedRStar: Redgrave is a gem, brilliant performance and outside his usual type, probably his second-best performance besides The Browning Version which you should also check out, another hidden gem, my #5 leading performance of all-time.
Calvin: Guess it's just personal taste, because I love Garson in this. I also have not seen the other versions. This is not my favorite Garson performance, but it's up there. Though I do wonder what Vivien Leigh could have done with the role. Perhaps the film would have been better. Russell and Sullavan were excellent as well.
Ruthiehenshallfan99: I like Garson in general, particularly in Mrs Minniver, and Goodbye Mr Chips. It's just her role in P + P that I dislike.
RatedRStar: Hmm I've thought of one you might like. 'The Clairvoyant' (1934), with Claude Rains in the lead role as music-hall showman. Not a perfect film but it has Rains in the lead role and he's pretty terrific, a solid 4.5 for me.
Everyone: Have you all heard of Disney's plans to remake Mary Poppins? What are your thoughts on that? Personally, I really don't want that. I love the 1964 film a lot and think it is incredible (Dick Van Dyke's accent aside).
I love Mary Poppins. Even Van Dyke's accent (and people always seem to forget he also played Dawes Senior to aplomb, with a very good British accent too).
If anything a re-make is wholly unnecessary seeing as how Saving Mr Banks pretty much covered any sort of nostalgic retread territory for that particular film (also grrrrrr Emma Thompson's Oscar snub, still can't get over it).
RatedRStar: It's good enough. Also another gem I've just watched, Walter (1982) with Ian McKellen.
Luke: Might see The Jungle Book remake, but I also still have to see the Cinderella remake, mostly to compare it to the 1950 version. As for Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent, I am probably going to skip them. Still, the remake looks decent.
Ruthiehenshallfan99: The only one you should see is Cinderella, I thought it was very good with a scene-stealing turn from Blanchett. There's nothing to write home about, with the other two.
Luke: Most likely will skip the Jungle Book. As for Cinderella, I really look forward to seeing it. Mostly because it has always been a childhood favorite in the late (very late) 90s. I believe I was three when I first saw it. I hope it does justice to everything, especially Ilene Woods.
The Jungle Book is, bah I dont care for this remake at all, just looks meh, I mean the Disney had fun and excitement and a nice jolly set of characters, what does this have, 2004 CGI lol.
Word is in that Mara is definitely going Supporting for Carol, which by all accounts would be the worst case of category fraud since Jamie Foxx in Collateral.
Reacher - 3(Short though fine example of Duvall doing his craggly old mentor routine. Not anything too notable but still good)
Thank You For Smoking - 3(Also craggly old pseudo mentor which he again does well, but there isn't much of him)
Bullitt - (He's good though it's a nothing role)
Luke:
1942:
Lead:
Joan Fontaine - This Above All Ingrid Bergman - Casablanca Claudette Colbert - The Palm Beach Story Bette Davis - Now Voyager Priscilla Lane - Saboteur - 4
Also:
Suzy Delair - The Murderer Lives At Number 21 - 4
Supporting:
Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons Celia Johnson - In Which We Serve Teresa Wright - Mrs. Miniver Gladys Cooper - Now, Voyager Mary Astor - The Palm Beach Story
1943:
Lead:
Teresa Wright - Shadow of a Doubt Jennifer Jones - The Song of Bernadette Deborah Kerr - The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp Jean Arthur - The More the Merrier Gene Tierney - Heaven Can Wait
Supporting:
Katina Paxinou - For Whom the Bell Tolls Jane Darwell - The Ox-Bow Incident - 4.5 Gladys Cooper - The Song of a Bernadette Patricia Collinge - Shadow of a Doubt - 3.5 Fay Bainter - The Human Comedy - 3.5
Louis: I love your choices. Very glad to see Gladys Cooper and Jennifer Jones in here. Still, I have only seen The Song of Bernadette, Now, Voyager, Mrs. Miniver, Shadow of a Doubt, and Casablanca. Pretty basic, really (Maybe not The Song of Bernadette). All of them rate pretty high among my favorite movies.
Mine for 1942 are the following (I'm still unsure about ratings so they won't be included):
Lead (Alphabetical order for the first 3. I still have not decided on a winner)
Ingrid Bergman: Casablanca Bette Davis: Now, Voyager Greer Garson: Mrs. Miniver Carole Lombard: To Be or Not to Be Greer Garson: Random Harvest
Bette Davis for In This Our Life is an honorable mention
Supporting:
Gladys Cooper: Now, Voyager Teresa Wright: Mrs. Miniver Olivia de Havilland: In This Our Life (arguably a lead) May Whitty: Mrs. Miniver Susan Peters: Random Harvest
1943 Lead:
Jennifer Jones: The Song of Bernadette Teresa Wright: Shadow of a Doubt Joan Fontaine: The Constant Nymph Claudette Colbert: So Proudly We Hail! Greer Garson: Madame Curie
Supporting:
Gladys Cooper: The Song of Bernadette Anne Revere: The Song of Bernadette Patricia Collinge: Shadow of a Doubt Alexis Smith: The Constant Nymph Ethel Waters: Cabin in the Sky (Not sure if she is supporting or not)
Bette Davis - Now Voyager, 4.5 Joan Fontaine - This Above All, 4.5 Ingrid Bergman - Casablanca, 4.5 Priscilla Lane - Saboteur, 4 Greer Garson - Mrs Miniver, 4
Supporting:
Celia Johnson - In Which We Serve, 4.5/5 Teresa Wright - Mrs. Miniver, 4 Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons, 4 Gladys Cooper - Now, Voyager, 4 Veronica Lake - This Gun for Hire, 3.5
1943:
Lead:
Teresa Wright - Shadow of a Doubt, 5 Jennifer Jones - The Song of Bernadette, 4.5
Supporting:
Deborah Kerr - The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 5 Jane Darwell - The Ox-Bow Incident - 4.5 Gladys Cooper - The Song of a Bernadette, 4
Louis: You know, I'm kind of surprised you gave Harlow a 4 for her performance in The Public Enemy. Most people hate her performance. What rating would you give to Edward Woods, Clarke and Blondell?
Anonymous: Thanks, though last time I checked, Colbert was a 4 for The Palm Beach Story and am getting the impression that Davis is down to a 4 for Now, Voyager.
Anonymous: I'm more of a Mr. Positive around here, though I guess, a problem I would have, is that there are people (Away from the Blog) who can't separate the actor from the person (Phoenix/Gibson Etc) and feel that a lot of critics take many great performances for granted. (Fassbender in 12 Years A Slave, Sean Bean In The Fellowship Of The Ring Etc).
When it comes to the blog, 2 pet-peeves I have is when some try to influence Louis' decisions or ratings or complain about a performance not winning an overall year, even though he/she received a 5 star rating. (Be grateful, people) :)
Luke: Of course I know that you respect everyone's opinions, apart from those two (Hammond and LaSalle, the guys I talked you about). Anyway, I think that one of my pet peeves is that fans of a certain actor think that the actors and critics' opinions are the definitive ones of that said actor. It's like they're the best judges of acting. And that having more Oscar nominations makes you a better actor than any one. I guess it's kind of annoying hearing how Brando invented great acting.
Anonymous: I think we can all agree that Louis' one of the best judges of acting.
I can't stand incessant whining from an actor's fanbase (e.g. DiCaprio's)
I'll be perfectly honest with you, even though I don't like/love actors such as Sean Penn or George Clooney, I really wish that I could like them, because I do think they're capable of greatness. They just don't show it or go way over the top.
Anonymous: Anyway, I'm gonna predict Louis' Top 5s for all 4 acting categories this year.
Male Lead 1. Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant 2. Idris Elba in Beasts Of No Nation 3. Michael Fassbender in Macbeth 4. Johnny Depp in Black Mass 5. Tom Hardy in Legend
Female Lead 1. Rooney Mara in Carol 2. Cate Blanchett in Carol 3. Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl 4. Alicia Vikander in Testament Of Youth 5. Carey Mulligan in Suffragette/Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn
Male Supporting 1. Tom Hardy in The Revenant 2. Christoph Waltz in Spectre 3. Mark Rylance in Bridge Of Spies 4. Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight 5. Kurt Russell in The Hateful Eight
Female Supporting 1. Marion Cotillard in Macbeth 2. Jessica Chastain in Crimson Peak 3. Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina 4. Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight 5. Rose Byrne in Spy
Luke: Well, that's a good prediction. I agree with you with that whole people can't separate actor from person. However, at IMDB's message boards (I go there for the lols, by the way), that metalman091 guy who worships Judy Garland to death, loves Rex Harrison as an actor even if Harrison was a prick, yet hates Alec Guinness' performances for being cold and unemotional, claiming that Guinness was cold and unemotional in real life. What beautiful logic there, huh?
Luke: This guy contradicts himself a lot. I mean, he likes Peck's unemotional acting style, claiming that he was like that in real life, but then in another board, he says he wasn't dull. Once again, metalman091 logic. If natural acting is supposed to be realistic acting, then the actor should be able to express anger, sadness and happiness. An actor who is unemotional can't be called natural.
Luke: I know that a person can like a performance more than the other (I told you that I really liked March in TYBOOL), but do you think there are performances that are objectively bad that can't be defended? Mr. Franciosa's performances that aren't Career come to mind.
What I mean when I say that, is that it's much more enjoyable for me to watch actors, who let loose a little bit. Their overacting must be built upon true emotions though, but I want them to overdo them a bit. I know that method acting and naturalistic acting have become very popular. We are taught method acting at school and I realize it's appealing to the most of the audience. But when an actor gets his emotion right and then his overdoes it, it brings me to the feeling of ecstasy, you know. It brings me to the catharsis that art is supposed to. So that's why I'm so much against naturalistic acting. I adore Marion Cotillard's turn in Two Days One Night, but if I wanted to see a person with real depression (as Cotillard really poured herself into the role), I would watch a documentary. Daniel Day-Lewis is the closest method actor to achieve the midway. For example his performance in Gangs of New York is an example of method acting, but it's wonderfully overacted. (On the other hand he used method acting in a boring way in Lincoln.) So I understand that many people like realistic acting. It's becoming more popular every day (unfortunately). But it's a spoonful of overacting that gives me chilles while I watch the performance.
Anonymous: I don't think Peck's style should ever be called 'unemotional', he can be a bit bland in some roles but take say TKAM where his very underplayed, subtle reactions to various other characters is what makes it an amazing performance.
Calvin: Well, that's what the guy from IMDB said of Peck's style, not me. I just said that the IMDB guy said that he called Peck's style unemotional, that's all.
Anonymous: your top 10 favourite actors and top 10 favourite actresses? For me,
1. James Stewart 2. Trevor Howard 3. John Hurt 4. Gary Oldman 5. James Cagney 6. Tom Courtenay 7. Robert Duvall 8. Daniel Day-Lewis 9. Al Pacino 10. Tom Hardy Hon. Mentions: Alec Guinness, Toshiro Mifune, Sidney Poitier, Ralph Richardson, Ian Richardson
1. Deborah Kerr 2. Marion Cotillard 3. Barbara Stanwyck 4. Celia Johnson 5. Olivia de Havilland 6. Shelley Winters 7. Anne Bancroft 8. Julianne Moore 9. Carey Mulligan 10. Kathy Bates
Calvin: I love your Top 10s! I want to share mine as well (though it is mostly nostalgic). I am including voice acting, so my list (the women in particular), will be very unusual.
1. Laurence Olivier 2. Humphrey Bogart 3. Marlon Brando 4. James Stewart 5. Clark Gable 6. Henry Fonda 7. Kirk Douglas 8. Cary Grant 9. Paul Newman 10. Peter O'Toole
1. Vivien Leigh 2. Ilene Woods 3. Olivia de Havilland 4. Elizabeth Taylor 5. Bette Davis 6. Judy Garland 7. Ava Gardner 8. Katharine Hepburn 9. Lillian Gish 10. Ingrid Bergman
Honorable mentions: Joan Crawford, Doris Day, Rita Hayworth, Julie Andrews, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Jennifer Jones, Lana Turner, Deborah Kerr, and Gene Tierney.
Davis - 4.5(Although their ranking would be switched)
Kerr - 4.5
Arthur - 4
Tierney - 3.5
Cooper - 4.5
1944:
Lead:
Barbara Stanwyck - Double Indemnity Ingrid Bergman - Gaslight Gene Tierney - Laura Claudette Colbert - Since You Went Away Majorie Reynolds - Ministry of Fear - 3.5
Supporting:
Tallulah Bankhead - Lifeboat Mary Anderson - Lifeboat - 4 Josephine Hull - Arsenic and Old Lace - 4 Geraldine Fitzgerald - Wilson - 4 Jean Adair - Arsenic and Old Lace - 3.5
1945:
Lead:
Celia Johnson - Brief Encounter Gene Tierney - Leave Her to Heaven Peggy Ann Garner - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Joan Crawford - Mildred Pierce Vivien Leigh - Caesar and Cleopatra
Supporting:
Anna Magnani - Rome, Open City Jane Wyman - The Lost Weekend - 4.5 Dorothy McGuire - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 4 Ann Blyth - Mildred Pierce Lucile Gleason - The Clock - 3.5
Calvin:
1. The Innocents 2. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp 3. Black Narcissus 4. The Sundowners 5. From Here To Eternity
87 comments:
1. Stewart
2. Grant
3. Robinson
4. Olivier
5. Redgrave
1. Stewart
2. Grant
3. Redgrave
4. Robinson
5. Olivier
Robert: just saw your question about Far From the Madding Crowd, I have a soft spot for that particular brand of film and it's my #3 for the year so far. I can certainly see why some might think it average/lackluster
1. Grant
2. Stewart
3. Redgrave
4. Robinson
5. Olivier
I'll make an alteration to my prediction.
3. Redgrave
4. Robinson
5. Olivier
I have seen The Shop Around the Corner, Pride and Prejudice, and His Girl Friday and loved all three of them and the performances from the leads (including the leading ladies).
Anyways:
1. Stewart
2. Grant
3. Robinson
4. Olivier
5. Redgrave
I didn't like Garson (I thought Keira Knightley and Jennifer Ehle far surpassed her interpretation of Liz Bennett), Russell was very good, but Sullivan was by far my favourite, such a sweet and funny performance.
1. Stewart
2. Grant
3. Redgrave
4. Robinson
5. Olivier
One of the many many reasons I love this blog is that there is the odd hidden gem around, I am hoping Robinson or Redgrave could be this hidden gem =)
Louis and anyone else I recommend you watch The Thief of Baghdad just for sheer fun lol cause its kinda fun =D.
1. James Stewart
2. Cary Grant
3. Edward G. Robinson
4. Laurence Olivier
5. Michael Redgrave
I LOVE The Thief of Baghdad, dull secondary lead of John Justin aside, Sabu is a really an endearing hero, and Rex Ingram and Conrad Veidt are great supporting players (I hope the latter may be reviewed).
RatedRStar: Redgrave is a gem, brilliant performance and outside his usual type, probably his second-best performance besides The Browning Version which you should also check out, another hidden gem, my #5 leading performance of all-time.
Ratings and thoughts on:
Robert Duvall in Jack Reacher, Bullitt and Thank You For Smoking
Calvin Law: Any other hidden gems you want to mention =)
1.Grant
2.Stewart
3.Olivier
4.Robinson
5.Redgrave
Calvin: Guess it's just personal taste, because I love Garson in this. I also have not seen the other versions. This is not my favorite Garson performance, but it's up there. Though I do wonder what Vivien Leigh could have done with the role. Perhaps the film would have been better. Russell and Sullavan were excellent as well.
Ruthiehenshallfan99: I like Garson in general, particularly in Mrs Minniver, and Goodbye Mr Chips. It's just her role in P + P that I dislike.
RatedRStar: Hmm I've thought of one you might like. 'The Clairvoyant' (1934), with Claude Rains in the lead role as music-hall showman. Not a perfect film but it has Rains in the lead role and he's pretty terrific, a solid 4.5 for me.
1. Stewart
2. Grant
3. Robinson
4. Redgrave
5. Olivier
Everyone: Have you all heard of Disney's plans to remake Mary Poppins? What are your thoughts on that? Personally, I really don't want that. I love the 1964 film a lot and think it is incredible (Dick Van Dyke's accent aside).
Calvin: =D it is good
Mary Poppins to be remade by Rob Marshall who did Pirates 5, FUCK THAT.
RatedRStar: Do you mean, Pirates 4. :)
I love Mary Poppins. Even Van Dyke's accent (and people always seem to forget he also played Dawes Senior to aplomb, with a very good British accent too).
If anything a re-make is wholly unnecessary seeing as how Saving Mr Banks pretty much covered any sort of nostalgic retread territory for that particular film (also grrrrrr Emma Thompson's Oscar snub, still can't get over it).
RatedRStar: It's good enough. Also another gem I've just watched, Walter (1982) with Ian McKellen.
Calvin: I would like to say, that I absolutely loved your post on Tom Hardy. :)
Luke: Cheers mate :)
Disney's The Jungle Book - Live-Action Remake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owgrkAQ-Log
Luke: Might see The Jungle Book remake, but I also still have to see the Cinderella remake, mostly to compare it to the 1950 version. As for Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent, I am probably going to skip them. Still, the remake looks decent.
Ruthiehenshallfan99: The only one you should see is Cinderella, I thought it was very good with a scene-stealing turn from Blanchett. There's nothing to write home about, with the other two.
I have to admit...I think it looks dreadful.
Calvin: I completely agree with you. The CGI looked quite unconvincing and didn't exactly like the art style either.
1. James Stewart
2. Cary Grant
3. Michael Redgrave
4. Edward G. Robinson
5. Laurence Olivier
Louis: Your Female Lead/Supporting Top 5s with ratings and other 4+ performances for 1942 and 1943.
Luke: Most likely will skip the Jungle Book. As for Cinderella, I really look forward to seeing it. Mostly because it has always been a childhood favorite in the late (very late) 90s. I believe I was three when I first saw it. I hope it does justice to everything, especially Ilene Woods.
Luke: Yes sorry I meant 4 =)
Calvin: Ohh interesting =D
The Jungle Book is, bah I dont care for this remake at all, just looks meh, I mean the Disney had fun and excitement and a nice jolly set of characters, what does this have, 2004 CGI lol.
Calvin: I'm gonna see Legend on Friday.
Luke: That's good to hear.
Anonymous: :)
1. Stewart
2. Grant
3. Redgrave
4. Robinson
5. Olivier
Word is in that Mara is definitely going Supporting for Carol, which by all accounts would be the worst case of category fraud since Jamie Foxx in Collateral.
Anonymous:
Reacher - 3(Short though fine example of Duvall doing his craggly old mentor routine. Not anything too notable but still good)
Thank You For Smoking - 3(Also craggly old pseudo mentor which he again does well, but there isn't much of him)
Bullitt - (He's good though it's a nothing role)
Luke:
1942:
Lead:
Joan Fontaine - This Above All
Ingrid Bergman - Casablanca
Claudette Colbert - The Palm Beach Story
Bette Davis - Now Voyager
Priscilla Lane - Saboteur - 4
Also:
Suzy Delair - The Murderer Lives At Number 21 - 4
Supporting:
Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons
Celia Johnson - In Which We Serve
Teresa Wright - Mrs. Miniver
Gladys Cooper - Now, Voyager
Mary Astor - The Palm Beach Story
1943:
Lead:
Teresa Wright - Shadow of a Doubt
Jennifer Jones - The Song of Bernadette
Deborah Kerr - The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Jean Arthur - The More the Merrier
Gene Tierney - Heaven Can Wait
Supporting:
Katina Paxinou - For Whom the Bell Tolls
Jane Darwell - The Ox-Bow Incident - 4.5
Gladys Cooper - The Song of a Bernadette
Patricia Collinge - Shadow of a Doubt - 3.5
Fay Bainter - The Human Comedy - 3.5
Louis: I love your choices. Very glad to see Gladys Cooper and Jennifer Jones in here. Still, I have only seen The Song of Bernadette, Now, Voyager, Mrs. Miniver, Shadow of a Doubt, and Casablanca. Pretty basic, really (Maybe not The Song of Bernadette). All of them rate pretty high among my favorite movies.
Mine for 1942 are the following (I'm still unsure about ratings so they won't be included):
Lead (Alphabetical order for the first 3. I still have not decided on a winner)
Ingrid Bergman: Casablanca
Bette Davis: Now, Voyager
Greer Garson: Mrs. Miniver
Carole Lombard: To Be or Not to Be
Greer Garson: Random Harvest
Bette Davis for In This Our Life is an honorable mention
Supporting:
Gladys Cooper: Now, Voyager
Teresa Wright: Mrs. Miniver
Olivia de Havilland: In This Our Life (arguably a lead)
May Whitty: Mrs. Miniver
Susan Peters: Random Harvest
1943 Lead:
Jennifer Jones: The Song of Bernadette
Teresa Wright: Shadow of a Doubt
Joan Fontaine: The Constant Nymph
Claudette Colbert: So Proudly We Hail!
Greer Garson: Madame Curie
Supporting:
Gladys Cooper: The Song of Bernadette
Anne Revere: The Song of Bernadette
Patricia Collinge: Shadow of a Doubt
Alexis Smith: The Constant Nymph
Ethel Waters: Cabin in the Sky (Not sure if she is supporting or not)
Switch Alexis Smith with Ann Sheridan for Edge of Darkness. Just realized I have seen that.
Maureen O'Hara in This Land is Mine is an honorable mention as well, but I don't know if she is a lead or not.
1942:
Lead:
Bette Davis - Now Voyager, 4.5
Joan Fontaine - This Above All, 4.5
Ingrid Bergman - Casablanca, 4.5
Priscilla Lane - Saboteur, 4
Greer Garson - Mrs Miniver, 4
Supporting:
Celia Johnson - In Which We Serve, 4.5/5
Teresa Wright - Mrs. Miniver, 4
Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons, 4
Gladys Cooper - Now, Voyager, 4
Veronica Lake - This Gun for Hire, 3.5
1943:
Lead:
Teresa Wright - Shadow of a Doubt, 5
Jennifer Jones - The Song of Bernadette, 4.5
Supporting:
Deborah Kerr - The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 5
Jane Darwell - The Ox-Bow Incident - 4.5
Gladys Cooper - The Song of a Bernadette, 4
Louis: You know, I'm kind of surprised you gave Harlow a 4 for her performance in The Public Enemy. Most people hate her performance. What rating would you give to Edward Woods, Clarke and Blondell?
1) Cary Grant
2) Laurence Olivier
3) James Stewart
4) Edward G. Robinson
5) Michael Redgrave
Louis: Ratings for Colbert, Davis, Kerr, Arthur, Tierney and Cooper.
Your Female Lead/Supporting Top 5s with ratings and other 4+ performances for 1944 and 1945.
Louis: *Gladys Cooper in The Song Of Bernadette
Luke: Colbert and Davis are both 4,5's.
Anonymous: Thanks, though last time I checked, Colbert was a 4 for The Palm Beach Story and am getting the impression that Davis is down to a 4 for Now, Voyager.
Has anyone had trouble posting comments in the past half hour.
Everyone: Do you guys consider Gene Tierney a supporting player in Laura, or a lead?
ruthiehenshallfan99: I think I would consider her supporting since the film focuses more on Andrews.
Luke: Nope, no problems with posting.
Anonymous: I posted that comment, about two hours ago, but I was seriously having problems for about half an hour.
Luke: Just a question. What are your top 10 pet-peeves when it comes to talking about actors and movies? Odd question, I guess, but go ahead.
Anonymous: I'm more of a Mr. Positive around here, though I guess, a problem I would have, is that there are people (Away from the Blog) who can't separate the actor from the person (Phoenix/Gibson Etc) and feel that a lot of critics take many great performances for granted. (Fassbender in 12 Years A Slave, Sean Bean In The Fellowship Of The Ring Etc).
When it comes to the blog, 2 pet-peeves I have is when some try to influence Louis' decisions or ratings or complain about a performance not winning an overall year, even though he/she received a 5 star rating. (Be grateful, people) :)
Anonymous: I respect and appreciate everyone's opinions, apart from Hammond, LaSalle, Roeper, Travers and especially, Armond White.
Luke: Of course I know that you respect everyone's opinions, apart from those two (Hammond and LaSalle, the guys I talked you about).
Anyway, I think that one of my pet peeves is that fans of a certain actor think that the actors and critics' opinions are the definitive ones of that said actor. It's like they're the best judges of acting. And that having more Oscar nominations makes you a better actor than any one. I guess it's kind of annoying hearing how Brando invented great acting.
Anonymous: I think we can all agree that Louis' one of the best judges of acting.
I can't stand incessant whining from an actor's fanbase (e.g. DiCaprio's)
I'll be perfectly honest with you, even though I don't like/love actors such as Sean Penn or George Clooney, I really wish that I could like them, because I do think they're capable of greatness. They just don't show it or go way over the top.
Luke: I think that DiCaprio's haters are just as worse.
Anonymous: Anyway, I'm gonna predict Louis' Top 5s for all 4 acting categories this year.
Male Lead
1. Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant
2. Idris Elba in Beasts Of No Nation
3. Michael Fassbender in Macbeth
4. Johnny Depp in Black Mass
5. Tom Hardy in Legend
Female Lead
1. Rooney Mara in Carol
2. Cate Blanchett in Carol
3. Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl
4. Alicia Vikander in Testament Of Youth
5. Carey Mulligan in Suffragette/Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn
Male Supporting
1. Tom Hardy in The Revenant
2. Christoph Waltz in Spectre
3. Mark Rylance in Bridge Of Spies
4. Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight
5. Kurt Russell in The Hateful Eight
Female Supporting
1. Marion Cotillard in Macbeth
2. Jessica Chastain in Crimson Peak
3. Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina
4. Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight
5. Rose Byrne in Spy
1. Cary Grant
2. James Stewart
3. Laurence Olivier
4. Edward G. Robinson
5. Michael Redgrave
Luke: Well, that's a good prediction. I agree with you with that whole people can't separate actor from person. However, at IMDB's message boards (I go there for the lols, by the way), that metalman091 guy who worships Judy Garland to death, loves Rex Harrison as an actor even if Harrison was a prick, yet hates Alec Guinness' performances for being cold and unemotional, claiming that Guinness was cold and unemotional in real life. What beautiful logic there, huh?
For supporting I'd guess Oscar Isaac in Ex Machina before Jackson or Waltz. And I'm still holding out for Hoult.
Anonymous: Okay, he's an exception then. :)
Michael McCarthy: My prediction will likely change overtime, as I do think it's gonna be one of, if not the best supporting year ever.
Anonymous: Apart from Rose Byrne and Alicia Vikander, who received a 5 already for Ex Machina, the others are possible 5s in my opinion..
Luke: This guy contradicts himself a lot. I mean, he likes Peck's unemotional acting style, claiming that he was like that in real life, but then in another board, he says he wasn't dull. Once again, metalman091 logic. If natural acting is supposed to be realistic acting, then the actor should be able to express anger, sadness and happiness. An actor who is unemotional can't be called natural.
Anonymous: It only works whenever it's called for.
Anonymous: Moviefilm called Naturalistic/Realistic acting boring.
Luke: Yeah, I know that. :) Arnold in the first two Terminator movies is a good example.
Luke: Would you agree with him on that?
Anonymous: No offence to him now, but no. :) His reviews never appeal to me.
Luke: Natural acting and theatrical acting can be both great or downright embarrassing.
Anonymous: I respect his views anyway. :)
Anonymous: Marco Perella in Boyhood. Eugh!
Luke: I know that a person can like a performance more than the other (I told you that I really liked March in TYBOOL), but do you think there are performances that are objectively bad that can't be defended? Mr. Franciosa's performances that aren't Career come to mind.
Anonymous: Sean Penn in I Am Sam, god help anyone who likes that performance.
Luke: Cooper in Sergeant York and Wayne in The Conqueror come to mind as well.
Anonymous: Goodnight.
:)
Goodnight, Luke. :)
What I mean when I say that, is that it's much more enjoyable for me to watch actors, who let loose a little bit. Their overacting must be built upon true emotions though, but I want them to overdo them a bit. I know that method acting and naturalistic acting have become very popular. We are taught method acting at school and I realize it's appealing to the most of the audience. But when an actor gets his emotion right and then his overdoes it, it brings me to the feeling of ecstasy, you know. It brings me to the catharsis that art is supposed to. So that's why I'm so much against naturalistic acting. I adore Marion Cotillard's turn in Two Days One Night, but if I wanted to see a person with real depression (as Cotillard really poured herself into the role), I would watch a documentary.
Daniel Day-Lewis is the closest method actor to achieve the midway. For example his performance in Gangs of New York is an example of method acting, but it's wonderfully overacted. (On the other hand he used method acting in a boring way in Lincoln.)
So I understand that many people like realistic acting. It's becoming more popular every day (unfortunately). But it's a spoonful of overacting that gives me chilles while I watch the performance.
Moviefilm: Fair Enough.
Anonymous: Goodnight Again. :)
Anonymous: I don't think Peck's style should ever be called 'unemotional', he can be a bit bland in some roles but take say TKAM where his very underplayed, subtle reactions to various other characters is what makes it an amazing performance.
Louis: what are your top 5 Deborah Kerr performances.
Calvin: Well, that's what the guy from IMDB said of Peck's style, not me. I just said that the IMDB guy said that he called Peck's style unemotional, that's all.
Anonymous: My bad, sorry :)
Anonymous: your top 10 favourite actors and top 10 favourite actresses? For me,
1. James Stewart
2. Trevor Howard
3. John Hurt
4. Gary Oldman
5. James Cagney
6. Tom Courtenay
7. Robert Duvall
8. Daniel Day-Lewis
9. Al Pacino
10. Tom Hardy
Hon. Mentions: Alec Guinness, Toshiro Mifune, Sidney Poitier, Ralph Richardson, Ian Richardson
1. Deborah Kerr
2. Marion Cotillard
3. Barbara Stanwyck
4. Celia Johnson
5. Olivia de Havilland
6. Shelley Winters
7. Anne Bancroft
8. Julianne Moore
9. Carey Mulligan
10. Kathy Bates
Calvin: I love your Top 10s! I want to share mine as well (though it is mostly nostalgic). I am including voice acting, so my list (the women in particular), will be very unusual.
1. Laurence Olivier
2. Humphrey Bogart
3. Marlon Brando
4. James Stewart
5. Clark Gable
6. Henry Fonda
7. Kirk Douglas
8. Cary Grant
9. Paul Newman
10. Peter O'Toole
1. Vivien Leigh
2. Ilene Woods
3. Olivia de Havilland
4. Elizabeth Taylor
5. Bette Davis
6. Judy Garland
7. Ava Gardner
8. Katharine Hepburn
9. Lillian Gish
10. Ingrid Bergman
Honorable mentions: Joan Crawford, Doris Day, Rita Hayworth, Julie Andrews, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Jennifer Jones, Lana Turner, Deborah Kerr, and Gene Tierney.
Luke:
Colbert - 4.5
Davis - 4.5(Although their ranking would be switched)
Kerr - 4.5
Arthur - 4
Tierney - 3.5
Cooper - 4.5
1944:
Lead:
Barbara Stanwyck - Double Indemnity
Ingrid Bergman - Gaslight
Gene Tierney - Laura
Claudette Colbert - Since You Went Away
Majorie Reynolds - Ministry of Fear - 3.5
Supporting:
Tallulah Bankhead - Lifeboat
Mary Anderson - Lifeboat - 4
Josephine Hull - Arsenic and Old Lace - 4
Geraldine Fitzgerald - Wilson - 4
Jean Adair - Arsenic and Old Lace - 3.5
1945:
Lead:
Celia Johnson - Brief Encounter
Gene Tierney - Leave Her to Heaven
Peggy Ann Garner - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Joan Crawford - Mildred Pierce
Vivien Leigh - Caesar and Cleopatra
Supporting:
Anna Magnani - Rome, Open City
Jane Wyman - The Lost Weekend - 4.5
Dorothy McGuire - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 4
Ann Blyth - Mildred Pierce
Lucile Gleason - The Clock - 3.5
Calvin:
1. The Innocents
2. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
3. Black Narcissus
4. The Sundowners
5. From Here To Eternity
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