Thursday 29 October 2015

Alternate Best Actor 1995: Results

10. Johan Widerberg in All Things Fair - Widerberg gives a fine performance that certainly realizes his character's personal journey even if it left me cold.

Best Scene: Watching the newsreel.
9. James Earl Jones in Cry, The Beloved Country - Jones gives an appropriate grace and certain emotional poignancy to his character.

Best Scene: Kumalo meets Jarvis.
8. Jonathan Pryce in Carrington - Although the film oddly keeps a distance from him Pryce gives a compelling realization of Lytton Strachey even in the film's somewhat narrow focus on him.

Best Scene: Carrington reveals her feelings to Strachey.
7. Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise -Hawke gives a very good performance that fits right into the wavelength of both the film's style as well as with his co-star's performance.

Best Scene: Celine and Jesse decide on what to do.
6. Kenneth Branagh in Othello - Branagh gives an intriguing depiction of Iago by presenting of a man of many masks that hide his evil intentions.

Best Scene: Iago reveals his true self.
5. Mel Gibson in Braveheart - Gibson gives a passionate and powerful portrayal that is fitting to the film's presentation of William Wallace as a romantic hero.

Best Scene: Killing the Sheriff.
4. Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys - Willis gives a captivating portrayal of a man on the constant brink of insanity, while being gripped by his time bending mission.

Best Scene: Cole attempts to explain himself.
3. Richard Harris in Cry, The Beloved Country - Harris gives a heartbreaking and convincing depiction of a man being changed for the better despite suffering a horrible tragedy.

Best Scene: Jarvis meets Kumalo.
2. Ian McKellen in Richard III - McKellen gives a brilliant Shakespearean performance as he finds new ground with the character by merely taking his villainy to almost an absurd extent.

Best Scene: Richard's final meeting with the Queen.
1. Morgan Freeman in Seven - Good Predictions Luke, Anonymous, Jackiboyz, and Michael McCarthy. I'll admit this is another year where I am torn by my top two as I really do love McKellen and Freeman's work equally. Freeman though also gives a great performance as he realizes the style of his character so well without falling into an obvious cliche, while realizing the pessimism of the man in such a compelling fashion by finding the humanity within the man that creates it.

Best Scene: The finale.
Overall Rank:
  1. Morgan Freeman in Seven
  2. Ian McKellen in Richard III 
  3. Nicolas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas
  4. Richard Harris in Cry, The Beloved Country
  5. Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects
  6. Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys
  7. Mel Gibson in Braveheart
  8. Brad Pitt in Seven
  9. Kenneth Branagh in Othello
  10. Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise
  11. Sean Penn in Dead Man Walking
  12. Jonathan Pryce in Carrington
  13. Liam Neeson in Rob Roy
  14. James Early Jones in Cry, The Beloved Country
  15. Tom Hanks in Apollo 13 
  16. John Travolta in Get Shorty
  17. Laurence Fishburne in Othello
  18. Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County
  19. Joe Pesci in Casino
  20. Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye 
  21. Bruce Willis in Die Hard With a Vengeance
  22. Denzel Washington in Devil in a Blue Dress
  23. Al Pacino in Heat 
  24. Samuel L. Jackson in Die Hard With a Vengeance
  25. Robert Downey Jr. in Restoration
  26. Michael Douglas in The American President
  27. Gabriel Byrne in The Usual Suspects 
  28. Robert De Niro in Heat
  29. Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide
  30. Tom Hanks in Toy Story
  31. Tim Allen in Toy Story
  32. Johan Widerberg in All Things Fair
  33. Robert De Niro in Casino 
  34. Dustin Hoffman in Outbreak
  35. Chris Farley in Tommy Boy
  36. Richard Dreyfuss in Mr. Holland's Opus 
  37. Hugh Grant in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
  38. Bill Farmer in A Goofy Movie
  39. Antonio Banderas in Desperado 
  40. Bill Pullman in While You Were Sleeping
  41. Damon Wayans in Major Payne 
  42. Steve Martin in Father of the Bride Part II 
  43. Daniel Stern in Bushwhacked
  44. Will Smith in Bad Boys
  45. Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys 
  46. Mel Gibson in Pocahontas
  47. Jason Marsden in A Goofy Movie
  48. John Candy in Canadian Bacon
  49. Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
  50. Anthony Hopkins in Nixon
  51. Robin Shou in Mortal Kombat
  52. Robin Williams in Jumanji
  53. Val Kilmer in Batman Forever 
  54. Jonny Lee Miller in Hackers
  55. Bill Pullman in Casper
  56. Kevin Costner in Waterworld
  57. Malachi Pearson in Casper 
  58. Tom McGowan in Heavy Weights
  59. Sylvester Stallone in Judge Dredd 
  60. Woody Allen in Mighty Aphrodite
  61. Adam Sander in Billy Madison
  62. Woody Harrelson in Money Train
  63. Wesley Snipes in Money Trains 
  64. Chevy Chase in Man of the House
  65. Johnny Depp in Nick of Time
  66. Richard Gere in First Knight
  67. David Spade in Tommy Boy
  68. Jason David Frank in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
  69. Jonathan Taylor Thomas in Man of the House
  70. Dylan Walsh in Congo 
  71. Ryan Slater in The Amazing Panda Adventure
  72. Hal Scardino The Indian in the Cupboard 
  73. Steven Seagal in Under Siege 2: The Dark Territory
  74. Ron Melendez in Children of the Corn III 
  75. Daniel Cerny in Children of the Corn III
Next Year: 1995 Supporting

83 comments:

Robert MacFarlane said...

Okay, look. I know you like Mel Gibson, but how the hell is his horrid, wooden voice work in Pochahontas 44?

Also, why is Bosch ranked instead of Jason David Frank?

Psifonian said...

Patrick McGoohan, Braveheart
David O'Hara, Braveheart
David Strathairn, Dolores Claiborne
Ben Stiller, Heavyweights

Robert MacFarlane said...

Oh yeah, I forgot suggestions.

Kevin Spacey in Se7en
Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress
Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart (if someone MUST be reviewed from it)

Aw fuck it

Ben Stiller in Heavyweights
Paul Freeman in Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

Because I forgot who played Tommy temporarily. As for Pocahontas, its been awhile a long while. It's a film I know I saw(in the theater even), but I could not describe a single scene for you.

Robert MacFarlane said...

It's BAD.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Robert: He was very wooden. One of the worst castings Disney made, and they are usually excellent at casting voices. But To be fair, he is not the worst of the Disney Heroes. In fact... (Sudden ranking is sudden)

Best to Worst

1. Zachary Levi
2. Tom Hulce (Hunchback)
3. Jonathan Groff
4. Robby Benson
5. Tate Donavan (Hercules)
6. BD Wong
7. Bobby Driscoll (Peter Pan)
8. Christopher Daniel Barnes (The Little Mermaid)
9. Scott Weinger
10. Bill Shirley (Sleeping Beauty)
11. Mel Gibson
12. William Phipps (Cinderella)
13. Harry Stockwell (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Though to be fair to Phipps and Stockwell, they had very few lines, so one could say Gibson is the worst.

Another sudden extra: Singing voices

1. Harry Stockwell
2. Zachary Levi
3. Tom Hulce
4. Bill Shirley
5. Donny Osmond (Mulan)
6. Roger Bart (Hercules)
7. Mike Douglas (Cinderella) (He is completely overshadowed by Ilene Woods, but then again it is Ilene Woods)
8. Jonathan Groff
9. Robby Benson
10. Brad Kane (Aladdin)
11. Mel Gibson

I love all of them from 1-7. Like Groff, ok with Benson and Kane, hate Gibson.


You, and everyone else, is (are?) very welcome to ask for my thoughts and ratings on either list, except Phipps and Stcokwell on the speaking roles, as their parts are very difficult to rate.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Robert and everyone else: I can also give out my rankings of the heroines if you wish (I kind of want to)

Michael Patison said...

Ruthie:
Then do it. Nobody will mind.

Louis:
Suggestions:
Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress
Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart
Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart
Alan Rickman in Sense and Sensibility (I love this performance but fear it'll get a 3.5 or 4)

Another:
Jimmy Smits in My Family (It seems a potentially interesting performance and I really like Smits and think he's quite underrated. But having not seen the film, it's hard to tell whether he's lead or supporting).

Anonymous said...

Louis, a few suggestions for good films of '95... clueless and welcome to the dollhouse. Neither contains any standout males, but they are among the better films of the year, i think.

Calvin Law said...

Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress

Also thoughts and ratings on:
Liam Neeson in Rob Roy
Tom Hanks in Apollo 13
Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County
Joe Pesci in Casino
Bruce Willis in Die Hard With a Vengeance
Al Pacino in Heat
Samuel L. Jackson in Die Hard With a Vengeance
Robert Downey Jr. in Restoration
Michael Douglas in The American President
Gabriel Byrne in The Usual Suspects
Robert De Niro in Heat
Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in Toy Story
Robert De Niro in Casino
Dustin Hoffman in Outbreak
Chris Farley in Tommy Boy
Richard Dreyfuss in Mr. Holland's Opus
Hugh Grant in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill

Matt Mustin said...

Kevin Spacey in Seven
Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart
Angus MacFadyen in Braveheart
Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress
Paul Freeman in Power Rangers (he knows *exactly* what kind of movie he's in)

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Robert: All right then.

Speaking Roles

1. Ilene Woods (Cinderella)
2. Mandy Moore
3. Idina Menzel
4. Kristen Bell
5. Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid)
6. Paige O'Hara (Beauty and the Beast)
7. Kathryn Beaumont (Alice in Wonderland)
8. Adriana Caselotti (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
9. Susan Egan (Hercules)
10. Kathryn Beaumont (Peter Pan)
10. Mary Costa (Sleeping Beauty)
11. Ming-Na Weng (Mulan)
12. Linda Larkin (Aladdin)
13. Demi Moore (Hunchback)
14. Irene Bedard (Pocahontas)

I love Ilene Woods - Adriana Caselotti, really like Egan, Beaumont, and Costa, like Weng and Larkin, am ok with Moore, and very indifferent to Bedard.

Singing:

1. Ilene Woods
2. Mary Costa
3. Adriana Caselotti
4. Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas)
5. Lea Salonga (Aladdin)
6. " " (Mulan)
7. Jodi Benson
8. Kristen Bell
9. Susan Egan
10. Mandy Moore
11. Kathryn Beaumont (Alice)
12. " " (Peter Pan)
13. Heidi Mollenhauer (Hunchback)
14. Idina Menzel

I love Ilene Woods - Kristen Bell, really like Egan - Beaumont (both), am ok with Mollenhauer, and am somewhat annoyed by Menzel at this point.

RatedRStar said...

Kevin Spacey in Seven
Patrick McGoohan - Braveheart
Angus MacFadyen - Braveheart
Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress
Sean Bean - Goldeneye

Anonymous said...

Gene Hackman in Get Shorty

Anonymous said...

Hackman in Get Shorty
Spacey in Seven
Don Cheadle in Devil Wears a Blue Dress

Anonymous said...

Louis what are your top ten films of 1995, as well as your thoughts on Crimson Tide, The American President and Restoration?

Anonymous said...

1995 Supporting
Kevin Spacey in Seven
Gene Hackman in Get Shorty
Angus MacFayden and Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart
Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress
Louis: Who would be your cast and director for:
Heat and Thelma and Louise (1920's version)
Double Indemnity (1950's, 1960's and 1970's version)
The Gunfighter (1990's version)

L Rime said...

Jason David Frank is a 5...

Calvin Law said...

Also Louis what compelled you to up Cage to a 5? And I know it's been changed for a while but what bumped Penn down to a 4.5 for you?

Luke Higham said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Luke Higham said...

Kevin Spacey - Seven
Don Cheadle - Devil In A Blue Dress
Gene Hackman - Get Shorty
Patrick McGoohan/Angus MacFadyen - Braveheart
Paul Freeman - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

I'll reveal my request on a later date.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your Female Lead/Supporting Top 5s for 1995 with ratings and other 4+ performances.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your ratings and thoughts on:
Bill Farmer and Jason Marsden in A Goofy Movie
Robin Williams in Jumanji
Kevin Costner in Waterworld
Sylvester Stallone in Judge Dredd

Anonymous said...

Louis: My request is Gary Cooper in Man of the West.

Maciej said...

Pete Postlethwaite - The Usual Suspects
Kevin Spacey - Se7en
Sam Waterston - Nixon (won't happen but what the hell)
Sam Neill - Restoration
David Strathairn - Dolores Claiborne

Robert MacFarlane said...

@Ruthie: I'm sorry, but I have to STRONGLY dissent on Menzel. She's in my Supporting Actress lineup that year for Frozen and I'm not even remotely ashamed to admit.

Also, Robbie Benson is for my money the best voice work we've had for a Disney protagonist. Ignoring the shock value that he was 70's/80's Zac Effron doing THAT voice, his work has subtle touches that tend to go unnoticed. If you listen closely, you can hear his voice become less and less gruff over the course of the movie.

John Smith said...

Louis: I'm glad that you understand why i LOVE Widerbergs performance. You seem to have notice every thing i loved but even though you did it made you feel detached. I can accept that.

Also ratings and thoughts on Marika Lagercrantz in All Things Fair

Requests:

Tomas Von Brömmsen/All Things Fair

John Smith said...

Requests:

Spacey/Seven
Alan Rickman/Sense And Sensibility
Joe Pesci/Sense And Sensibility
Danny Devito/Get Shorty
Joaquin Phoenix/To Die For
TAKESHI KANESHIRO/FALLEN ANGESL (Please...)

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Robert: She is my winner for Supporting Actress, to be completely honest. The Funny thing was that I used to love Menzel's singing voice in Frozen and merely tolerate Bell's. This has reversed in the recent years. As for their acting, both actually get 5s from me. And I must agree on Levi and Benson. I think Benson is now second for his group. Still not a fan of his singing. As for my fives, they are Caselotti, Woods (who I believe gives the best voice work), Beaumont (Alice), Benson (Both), O'Hara, Moore, Levi, Menzel, and Bell. I could never give them an order, but Ilene Woods would take first.

Calvin Law said...

Joe Pesci: Sense and Sensibility? ;)

RatedRStar said...

John Smith: Ill probably request Takeshi for the bonus rounds at some point so I wouldn't worry.

John Smith said...

Calvin Law: Hahahahahaha, I would love that version (;

I meant Alan Rickman in Sense And Sensibilit and Joe Pesci in Casinio lol

John Smith said...

RatedRStar: You are a lifesaver (:

RatedRStar said...

What was everyones favourite scene from Joe Pesci in Sense and Sensibility lol was it the scene where he rapes Kate Winslet, or the scene where he punches Hugh Grant, or maybe the scene where he pulls his tommy gun out and rinses Emma Thompson =D =D.

John Smith said...

RatedRstar: Lol, someone has to pitch this idea, the scene when he punches Hugh Grant is a future classic moment that will be analysed and examined by all the film fanatics out there (:

Michael McCarthy said...

Ratings and thoughts on Neeson in Rob Roy?

Also I know we left this topic a while ago, but I think that if Frozen had given Jonathan Groff a real song where he actually got to show off his talent he'd be at the top of everyone's lists.

Luke Higham said...

*At a Later Date.

Michael Patison said...

Ruthie:
I'm not going to rank either the men or the women, but I will say the following:
Menzel's singing is incredible and is the main reason I enjoyed her voice performance.
That being said, Kristen Bell is my favorite lead vocal performance of all time. Tom Hulce and Robbie Benson are the only 2 that come even close. Tony Jay is the only vocal performance overall that's in the same league (and I refuse to choose between them because that's too difficult).
Also, Tom Hulce should be #1 for singing, Robbie Benson for speaking. To argue with the second part is sacrilege ;) (but really, Robert will agree with me on that).

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Michael: Very True. Groff is not given a real song in the movie, but even so, he does not make me cringe like Gibson (who would be higher if the song If I Never Knew You was still in the final cut), conflict me like Robby Benson, or leave me cold like Kane (who is ony kept from the bottom due to Lea Salonga). Groff might be better than Douglas, but I have a better connection to the latter's voice than I have with the former's.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Michael: Maybe I am being a little too harsh on Menzel. Hearing the song everywhere got on my nerves. I think I will bump her up to 9th with Moore. But the rest of the women are pretty much in stone. I have always loved the singing style of the past, which explains the top 3 (And Stockwell's first place). It's so hard to rank my childhood (I'm 19 now). Still have not seen The Princess and the Frog, so that might completely change the field.


Speaking of Tony Jay (who is one of several 5's), I don't think I could ever do a speaking ranking for the villains, with so many of them and a good number of them being very good (I'm not even going to touch the supporting characters). But as for their singing, I could do a ranking later, but I will have to listen to them again.

Michael Patison said...

Luke:
I was just searching for Louis's rating on DDL in Nine (If you can find it, I'd be grateful) and ran across a question you had asked me way back on the 2009 Lead results about my thoughts on Un Prophete and The White Ribbon.

I haven't seen Un Prophete, but it is on my list.

I found The White Ribbon to be excellent, though I was bothered somewhat by its terribly slow pacing (the same can be said for Ida, though I still recommend both wholeheartedly). I though Proxauf stood out, but I did see it quite some time ago, so my views on the performances could change on rewatch. A rewatch would also be necessary for me to flesh out my thoughts.

Luke Higham said...

Michael Patison: Day-Lewis is a 2.5.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Do you still think that Rylance could win the BAFTA for Wolf Hall?

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Yes I do, though I'll wait for the nominations to give a final say on who's going to win. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: It's quite a shame that Rylance's filmography seems to be not that interesting. Well, he prefers the theater anyway.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'm actually glad about that, because his appearances on Film & TV are all the more special to me.

Anonymous said...

Luke: But still, you said that you'd love to see him on theater.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I would've loved to see him perform as Richard III. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: Three Tony Awards. One for playing a woman. What a feat!

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'm annoyed that he wasn't cast for the upcoming Hollow Crown Series.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: The best of his generation. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: Well, you really do want him to win the Oscar.

Luke Higham said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Yes, yet I've no problems with Hardy, Del Toro or Keaton taking the prize either.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Rylance is like one of Britain's hidden treasures, like Scofield was.

Anonymous said...

Luke: They prefer the theater, yet give a memorable performance in films.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I love Scofield and I do see the similarities between the two. There work as Cromwell and More respectively are some of the most understated performances I've ever seen from either TV or Film.

Anonymous said...

Luke: You know, I'm stunned how much love Lee Marvin's work in Cat Ballou got from awards.

Luke Higham said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I haven't seen Bridge Of Spies just yet, but I'm sure he's very memorable. :)

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'm not a huge fan of Burton, but he sure was robbed that year.

Anonymous said...

Luke: I think he was a great actor that just got lazy like Brando.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Agree 100%. For me personally, he went downhill after Where Eagles Dare. (One of my favourite WWII films)

Anonymous said...

Luke: What role was Rylance supposed to play in the upcoming Hollow Crown series?

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: What I actually meant was, I wished that he was going to be in the new series, as it would've been more captivating from a viewer's standpoint. He wasn't contacted for any major role, whatsoever, which is a damn shame. :(

Anonymous said...

Luke: Or he was just not offered any role? I'll go with the latter.

Anonymous said...

Luke: I bet you would love to meet Cotillard and Mulligan to get an autograph from them. :)

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: OHHHH Yeah! :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: Just imagine you, acting in a movie with them both...

Anonymous said...

Luke: *yourself

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'll be thoroughly overshadowed, yet being in there presence is a delight in and of itself. :) :) :)

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Goodnight. :) I'll be at my father's house for a Halloween party tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Of course you'd be overshadowed. :) You'd be delighted if you acted alongside DDL, Oldman, Hardy and Fassbender.

Calvin Law said...

I thought Steige was robbed to be honest.

Anyone still up, feeling very lonely now.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: Goodbye. :)

Robert MacFarlane said...

Louis, can you give me your rating and thoughts on David Thewlis in Prisoner of Azkaban?

Michael Patison said...

Louis: Ratings and thoughts on Dita Parlo in Grand Illusion

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

Neeson - 4(In Neeson wheelhouse of the stoic hero but it must be said he does it well. Here there also comes an additional emotional weight in the way he internalizes Roy's pain basically right up until that final duel where he shows Roy release all of his anger at all of his mistreatment)

Hanks - 4(Hanks in prime leading man form. He anchors the film quite admirably)

Eastwood - 4(Not a surprise from me I suppose that I preferred Eastwood here to Streep actually. I think Eastwood really does well in the role as he undercuts the sentiments and possibly trappings of a sappy romance by just presenting this man as an actual lived in man whose found love in a way that seems to surprise himself. He never comes off as creep even as he tries to pressure her to go with him. Eastwood artfully keeps the film from falling too much into melodrama which it easily could have considering the material)

Pesci - 4(I've never been able to get behind the film which always felt like a ripoff of Goodfellas, but just happened to be made by the same director. This unfortunately comes in with Nicky who shares just a few too many tendencies with Tommy, while never being as a compelling of a character. Pesci of course still does very well as this sort of mobster, and does at least find a few places to try to make Nicky a different beast from Tommy)

Willis - 4(Although he phoned it in a bit with 2 Willis makes up for it here by again being the charming comic action hero he should be while still injecting the character with vulnerabilities that gives the action some actual weight to them. Plus he has some great chemistry with Jackson.)

Jackson - 3.5(Jackson is a hoot in the sidekick role, and it is particularly fun to see him play kind of a wimpy type character for once.)

Louis Morgan said...

Downey Jr. - 3.5(I wish Downey would return to a period piece since he is surprisingly good at fitting in. He carries a modern feel but never seems out of place. Downey is good here as the vapid playboy, to the man trying to find a purpose, to almost a saint. The transitions are off, though not due to Downey, but Downey matches each phase well)

Douglas - 3.5(Although I have plenty of problems with the film, Douglas is not one of them as he manages to be a charming romantic lead while bringing enough command to be a convincing president at the same time)

Byrne - 3.5(He's really just a red herring now isn't he? Byrne though is good at playing a smooth criminal type, and he good her in playing the character with just the right sort of mystery that perhaps he's someone else or maybe he's exactly who he says he is)

Washington - 3.5(Washington does some rock solid leading work, whenever he has a role like this he does tend to deliver)

Hanks - Toy Story - 3.5(Hanks actually is pivotal to Woody since he manages to make him likable despite really being the villain of the film.)

Allen - 3.5(Allen always kinda cartoony sounding delivery works especially well for the boisterous spaceman that is Buzz, but he also is quite effective in the way he switches to a more measured approach when Buzz realizes he's a toy)

De Niro - Casino - 3.5(De Niro is just fine in the role, but he does not bring that cutting edge that he brought to Goodfellas. This time he feels a bit overshadowed by Pesci as well, although that might be in part due to his unassuming character, though De Niro very well could have done more in this low key sort of role)

Hoffman - 3(Fairly straight forward role for Hoffman but he brings enough passion that's needed for the part particularly in the final scene where he has to convince the men not to destroy the town)

Farley - 3(Although I don't care for Spade as a straight man Farley certainly puts it into his all into the being the funny man. I don't think it all works, but enough of it does)

Dreyfuss - (I reviewed him Calvin old boy)

Grant - 3(Standard Grant though a good enough rendition of it)

I should try to re-watch Heat.

Cage really should have always been a five as even in my review my praise isn't that of merely a good performance. Penn just slowly lost impact for me. Still like him though.

Anonymous:

Top Ten:

1. Braveheart (Just to get Robert to break some more furniture)
2. Seven
3. Babe
4. 12 Monkeys
5. Before Sunrise
6. Dolores Claiborne
7. Apollo 13
8. Smoke
9. Dead Man Walking
10. Die Hard With a Vengeance

Crimson Tide - (It's a decent enough thriller. There isn't anything extraordinary about it but it moves along well with some great actors doing some solid work)

The American President - (The film does have a certain charm in parts to it, though it's Aaron Sorkin with politics which I find usually tiresome due to his overabundant use of straw men as well as a strange naivety that is ill fitting in something that wants to sound so smart.)

Restoration - (There are three good stories in there, and they are bolstered by some great costumes and sets. My only problem is that it never really transitions through the phases well at all. It just suddenly becomes about something else, and each is an awkward switch. Still I liked the acts despite this)

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Heat (directed by Lewis Milestone):

McCauley: Louis Wolheim
Hanna: George Bancroft
Shiherlis: Lew Ayres
Nate: Wallace Beery
Drucker: Boris Karloff

Thelma and Louise (1920's directed by G.W. Pabst)

Thelma: Louise Brooks
Louise: Greta Garbo
Slocumb: Walter Huston

Double Indemnity (1950's, 1960's and 1970's version)

50's (give Hitchcock his turn):

Neff: William Holden
Phyllis: Shelley Winters
Keyes: Ray Milland

60's (Henri-Georges Clouzet)

Neff: Yves Montand
Phyllis: Simone Signoret
Keyes: Charles Vanel

70's (Brian DePalma)

Neff: James Caan
Phyllis: Faye Dunaway
Keyes: Jack Warden

The Gunfighter (directed by Clint Eastwood)

Ringo: Eastwood
Marshal Strett: George C. Scott

Luke:

Actress:

Kathy Bates - Dolores Claiborne
Susan Sarandon - Dead Man Walking
Elisabeth Shue - Leaving Las Vegas
Madeleine Stowe - 12 Monkeys
Emma Thompson - Carrington

And:

Julie Delpy - Before Sunrise
Holly Hunter - Copy Cat - 4
Alicia Silverstone - Clueless - 4
Emma Thompson - Sense and Sensibility

Supporting Actress:

Judy Parfitt - Dolores Claiborne
Jennifer Jason Leigh - Dolores Claiborne - 4.5
Kate Winslet - Sense and Sensibility
Gwyneth Paltrow - Seven
Catherine McCormack - Braveheart

And:

Joan Allen - Nixon
Famke Janssen - GoldenEye - 4

Farmer - 3(Fine Goofy rendition and one does need to give him a bit of credit in being able to actually give the character more in depth emotions while maintaining his usual way of speaking.)

Marsden - 2.5(He's fine though nothing too memorable)

Williams - 2.5(Standard Williams doing family movie type of work from him)

Costner - 2(Pretty bland, but he's been blander)

Stallone - 1.5(Actually really quite an awkward performance from him in the way he tries to give Dredd kinda of a dark streak that fails miserably. When he hams it up, especially when his ham-brother is around, it does end up being rather entertaining, though that probably was not the intention)

Robert:

Covered Thewlis in supporting results 2004. Although just add on top of that I think Thewlis deserves credit for trying to make that first scene with Oldman work, which I have to admit was probably poorly thought out by Cuaron. Thewlis seems to try to hint at what's coming while the film tries to hard to makes Sirius's intentions seem like a twist.

Michael Patison:

Parlo - 3(Offers a nice warm presence, though with the right needed reservation, to offer a late comfort in the film while still conveying the effects of the war)

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

I also forgot for Actresses:

Nicole Kidman - To Die For would be #5 and a 4.5.
Illeana Douglas - To Die For would be in the "And" section with a 4.

Christopher Tennies said...

Louis what do you think of Kevin Bacon in Murder in the First?