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OK, a certain actor or actress being in a movie doesn't guarantee that the movie will be good... but it does seem like certain ones tend to appear in more good movies than bad. Ones I can think of = Johnny Depp, John Cusack, and Holly Hunter.
Any other nominations?
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I must admit, over the past two or so years I have started getting excited for movies solely on who was going to be in them. I just get excited with the combinations of actors and actresses. Like, before I heard anything about Pirates of the Caribbean I was excited to see Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp together. Some others have been Ocean's 11 for George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and Matt Damon, and Down With Love with Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellwegger. The best part is, I enjoyed them all! Posts: 1635 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Har. Eruve, I refuse to mention Connery because of the horror of a movie known as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I refuse to write the acronym because it's become a swear word to me...
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Actually, I've found Sean Connery to be, well, hit and miss. Sometimes he's good, sometimes he's bad.
A local radio show, John Boy and Billy (they're nationally syndicated, but local here) regularly do Sean Connery/Mr. Sulu theater, which cracks me up. Imagine the voices of Sean Connery and Mr. Sulu doing scenes from: When Harry Met Sally (the deli scene), A Few Good Men and The Empire Strikes Back. There's also the Sean Connery/Mr. Sulu version of Lou Reed's Take a Walk on the Wild Side that brings me to the floor every time.
I've also got a friend who does an impression of Sean Connery as the guy from The Crocodile Hunter. It just cracks me up that it works so well.
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I think that actors and actresses can be excused for being in bad movies early in their career. At that point, you're trying really hard to make a name for yourself and hopefully put some food on the table.
As time progresses, you can afford to be more choosy. I think that there are certain actors who have gotten good at picking scripts once their career matured. I think that Brad Pitt is one such actor. He made his name as a pretty-boy, but most of his roles require much, much more than eye-candy status. He worked for peanuts in Snatch because he liked the script, but knew they could not afford him at his usual asking price.
I generally like anything that Mel Gibson is in nowadays, especially if he's directing.
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I think Sean Connery is a great actor. I guess a few of his movies flopped, though. I just love his accent....
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'tis a wonderful lil spot in the world, nestled between the mountains and the sea that has made a wee happy home for me.
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I agree with Taberah, that's what I was going to say.
Some people are more concerned with being in a GOOD movie rather than a blockbuster, because they know that that's what will keep them in the business for a long time. Nothing makes someone a laughing stock more quickly than being the lead in a supposed "blockbuster" that crashes and burns.
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OOH! OOH! Mel Gibson! Every movie I can think of that he was in was good. Well, maybe there were too many Lethal Weapons, but his movies are still great! (and I like his accent, too....)
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Even though every film Depp is in isn’t necessarily wonderful, he does a fantastic job in all of them. Actors can’t always chose what is done with their work, so sometimes it ends up being butchered even if it was originally beautiful. I know this is old news, but I can’t help but saying that Depp was what made Pirates of the Caribbean worth watching. Posts: 21 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I agree with Enigma. Johnny Depp is a great actor. He played jack Sparrow really well, I thought he was the best character in the movie.
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Any reason Sean Connery gets his actual name, while George Takei does not? He has done a lot more than the one role.
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Harrison Ford had a nearly spotless record, until "Six Days, Seven Nights". Since then he's had narry a decent flick. Sad, really.
I thought the same about Jackie Chan, too, up until "Shanghai Noon" and "Gorgeous". The former was mediocre, the latter really bad, and every movie since has been worse than the last.
I wish Bruce Campbell would be in more movies, so that I could a more blanket statement, but I've liked everything I've ever seen him in, even though it's usually just cameos.
And I know there are several exceptions, but I tend to like John Goodman whenever he turns up in a movie. Especially the Cohen Brothers stuff, and True Stories.
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Yes, Harrison Ford had a great record until then, I totally agree with that, Speed. It is sad... Posts: 21 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Sorry mac, I'm going to have to go with Icarus on Analyze This. Awful, awful movie. I went into it expecting to like it, thinking that with Billy Crystal and Robert DeNiro in it it couldn't fail to be great. It managed it.
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WOW! Mrs. M, you have great taste. Christian Bale and Cate Blanchet are both great actors who make non-blockbuster movies.
I generally enjoy Ewan McGregor movies, but I'm not sure if it's because of his acting. I think he has some trouble with accents, here and there. Especially American Southern accents, which has me a little worried about BIg Fish.
But it IS a Tim Burton movie, so I may be able to get Ron to go with me to see it even though it has "Weenie McGregor" in it.
I think Director and writers have a lot to do with how good a movie is. I'd place bets on about anything Pixar's team manages. There hasn't been a real stinker in the bunch, yet. BECAUSE they make sure they have a good story to start with.
But then, I would have thought Hulk would have been better than it was, given that Ang Lee has always done good work in the past. Who knows?
Disney movies generally suck, but Pirates of the Carribean didn't (and that one just SOUNDED like a really Bad Idea, from the start).
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Olivet, I completely agree with you about Ewan McGregor. I didn't list him b/c of the Star Wars movies (not that he was bad, but the movies certainly were) and Black Hawk Down. You could tell that both him and Orlando Bloom were trying, but I clearly heard both of their accents and it ruined the scene for me. I can't imagine Ewan McGregor doing a Southern accent without much intensive training. Cate Blanchett did a pretty good job in The Gift - much better than Katie Holmes, who is American. I can't wait to see Veronica Guerin.
Christian Bale is the master of accents - I have only heard him slip once. It was in Laurel Canyon, when he was having a screaming fight with Frances McDormand. I am very interested to see him as Batman.
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See, I like Ewan McGregor's "southern" accent considerably more than I like actual male southern accents. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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You know who does an amazing American accent? Bob Hoskins. My first exposure to him was in Roger Rabbit, and I was floored when I later found out that he was British.
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Training Day Malcom X The Hurricane A Soldier's STory Glory Crimson Tide Remember the Titans Antwoine Fisher A Pelican Brief Cry Freedom Philadelphia Courage under Fire, etc...
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Mm, Frances McDormand, does she correlate well with good movies? I've liked her in all the movies I've seen that she's in (Laurel Canyon, Almost Famous, Fargo)
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I reckon that these two have been involved in some of the most memorable / powerful films I've ever watched, And I'd be interested to get other people's opinions.
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Good call on the Jason Statham. I can't think of a movie I've ever seen him in that I really didn't like.
Of course, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels were great.
Even The Italian Job wasn't bad, for a big-budget Mark Wahlberg blockbuster type.
I think I'm one of the only people in the world that actually liked The One , although getting him to try to do an American accent was a huge mistake.
And even though The Transporter had one of the worst plots/ screenplays I've ever seen, even in an action movie, I was really impressed with him in it. I'd never even imagined him in an action hero role. But he was fast, flexible, and looked like he could beat the living crap out of just about any other current American action star. And he can act, too. Who'd have guessed?
So, yeah, kwsni, I have to agree with you on that one.
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Statham was good in "The Transporter", but the film actually sucked.
Two one's that come to mind for me are Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey. Kevin Spacey has had a few stinkers, but check out these movies in odd numbered years: in '95 he stars in both Seven, and The Usual Suspects, the latter considered by me to be one of the best films of the nineties, and a film that did win him an Oscar if I remember right. In '97 he stars in the equally brilliant LA Confidential, perhaps a better movie, and more amazing yet, his acting in his death scene is probably the best death scene ever (with the possible acception of Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone in The Godfather)recorded on film. In '99 he wins praise all around for his role in the classic, "American Beauty." Absolutely amazing. He also did a very nice job chewing up scenery in the bizarre Swimming with Sharks in '95 as well.
Russell Crowe also has an amazing history. He's had a few stinkers here and there, but Romper Stomper, LA Confidential, The Insider, A Beautiful Mind, and The Gladiator were all terrific. His acting in the films I saw amongst those, Confidential, Insider, Beautiful Mind and The Gladiator were all nearly flawless, beautifully executed performances. I don't know what to say about the man, obviously he has issues, but no one can doubt his ability to act, and act quite brilliantly.
Right now, I have to admit, I probably appreciate Carey Grant most. Watching some of his old films on AMC, and TMC's at my folks place in August, it just reminded me of what a glorious period the forties and the fifties were for actors, so many great ones, so darn many of them. Today we probably have more good one's than we did back then, but I'm not so sure we have as many great ones, as many actors like Carey Grant, who were so enjoyable not just in their roles, but just acting in principle, that you just wanted to see them, regardless of what they were in.
Additionally Ralph Fiennes is a nice addition to the list as well. his movies aren't always good, but they are nearly always interesting, and there is something about Jim Caviezel that makes he think great things could be in his future. He made Angel Eyes watchable, and was terrific in The Thin Red Line.
As for actresses, Cate Blanchette is great, and there are a few others, for instance Julianne Moore.
Anyway, that's my take. And Audrey Hepburn is a dream, in anything, anytime, anywhere, just sit down and watch .
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Here are a few actors whose very presence make me want to watch the movie: Morgan Freeman Gene Hackman Tim Robbins Tommy Lee Jones Fred Estaire Richard Dreyfuss Robert Redford Walter Matthau Will Smith Gregory Peck Jimmy Stuart Meg Ryan (surprisingly) Jennifer Aniston Audrey Hepburn
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graywolfe, I am inclined to agree about Russell Crowe. I hated A Beautiful Mind, but not because of his performance. He was also great in Mystery, Alaska and The Quick and the Dead. I'm excited for Master and Commander (also because Billy Boyd is in it).
I do, however, disagree completely about Kevin Spacey. I have hated almost every movie he has been in, especially American Beauty. He was at his best playing Jim Williams in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil because his smarmy smugness was perfectly appropriate for the role. He was good in The Usual Suspects and Se7en - he does have skills. I have never found him believable as a father or a husband and I think he should stick to quirky, non-political roles. It would take a lot for me to sit through another one of his movies.
Oh, and good call about Jim Caviezel. I really hope The Passion doesn't hamstring his career - he was brilliant in The Thin Red Line. He was also great in the highly underrated Frequency and The Count of Monte Cristo.
I'm going to add Brendan Fraser to my list - his performance in Gods and Monsters was beautiful and he was hilarious in Blast From the Past and Monkeybone.
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