Monday, August 18, 2008

Best Actor (pt. 1)

On vacation in the Outer Banks this week, a discussion formed amongst the fam and co. about who the best actor is, which made me think this would be a great debate for boski's blog. I'm not really sure who my pick is, so I'm going to do a blog on all the top actors and then rank my top 5. Starting off pt. 1....Tom Hanks

Top 5 Movies (my opinion obviously)

1 - Forrest Gump - I think this is definetly his clear cut #1. You may have liked some of his other movies better, but as far as individual performance in the movie this has to be his best.

2 - A League of their Own - This will probably be heavily debated being listed at #2, but Hanks is pwn in this movie

3 - Saving Private Ryan - Great movie overall

4 - Apollo 13 - ditto

5 - Catch me if you Can - Leo really carried this movie but I still throw it in Hanks' top 5

Other Notables-
Big (I wasn't as big of fan of this as most, but I think a lot of people would top 5 this)
Cast Away (Could make an argument for this as high as #2)
Road to Perdition (Sleeper)
The Terminal (haven't seen)
Da Vinci Code
The Green Mile
Philadelphia
Sleepless in Seattle (ive actually only seen maybe 10 minutes of this)
You've got mail

Overall outlook: Outside contender for #1.....definite contender for top 3

9 comments:

booncakes said...

tom hanks top 5 movies (based on performance):
1) Forrest Gump
2) Philadelphia (won an academy i think)
3) Saving Private Ryan
4) Green Mile
5) Cast Away

As for my choice of best actor, it's too tough to call but people that should be considered are (in no particular order):
1. Leo dicaprio (one of my personal favs)- departed, titanic, the beach, blood diamond, catch me if you can, what's eating gilbert grape, gangs of new york, etc etc
2. kevin spacey- american beauty, seven, usual suspects, LA confidential
3. russell crowe (pretty much in the most bad ass movies)- gladiator, beautiful mind, LA confidential, cinderella man, quick and the dead

Here is where the controversy starts...my opinion on a person who is overrated = denzel
he is a good actor, and has been in some fantastic movies, but i feel like he always plays the same type of role = angry black guy who tries to be a bad ass. he's the black version on keanu reeves...aka has played in good movies but he's always the same no matter what the movie is. no flexibility like a leo who can play an assassin, retard, south african, etc...you get the picture.

Poorman said...
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Poorman said...

definetly agree with Denzel....i was planning a write-up with him but i dont consider him up there because of what you mentioned

dicaprio was def who ive always said is #1, but after looking at some filmographies, i think i can argue others. Spacey will def receive a write-up. not sure abotu crowe tho, ill see what other peeps have to say because he only has 2 movies i think worth mentioning

pex said...
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pex said...

I agree about Tom Hanks, obviously. I'll throw a few out there for consideration and list some movies for each.

Tom Cruise - Eyes Wide Shut, Vanilla Sky, Mission Impossible

Jack Nickolson - The Shining, The Departed

Daniel Day Lewis - Gangs of New York, There Will Be Blood

Robert DeNiro - Casino, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver

Ed Norton - American History X, Fight Club

About one of your other comments, I'd like to disagree about Denzel Washington. He is capable of playing different roles, ie Malcolm X, The Hurricane, that old school civil war movie with Mathew Broderick. Just because he fits a role and plays it well doesnt mean thats all he can do. Training Day was pretty much just him doing what he does best.

On the same note, I'd probably compare him to Al Pacino and Samuel L. Jackson. They both play similar characters in a lot of their movies, but I'd have to say its just because they know how to play that role very well. Just because they don't take random artistic roles like Johnny Depp doesnt mean they arent good actors, some of the best in fact. (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Unbreakable and Scarface, The Godfather, Donnie Brasco)

Poorman said...

I haven't seen Malcolm X or Hurricane, but definetly a good call on Glory as I forgot about that one (although i guess that basically is the role we had spoke of).

Cruise, who you mentioned, is who I will highlight next. At first I didn't really think much of him but when I went back over the movies he did around the Top Gun era I realized how many off the charts movies he had

booncakes said...

i think my sleeper would have to be philip seymour hoffman. look at these classics: boogie nights (gay scottie), the big lebowski (funny character), almost famous, 25th hour (another classic character), along came polly (raindrop!), capote (didnt see but he got an oscar for it), Mission impossible 3 (best villain ever)...

pex said...

remember the titans and the great debaters were also pretty good. and good call on psh

Staboski said...

man you guys are leaving a ton of movies with the other actors listed.

and for boski to throw a few out there that nobody has mentioned yet:
John Travolta
Willem Dafoe
Christopher Walken
Sean Connery
Brad Pitt