er the years. The one in question, and what brought this discussion up, was Flawless. Maybe Demi Moore drives me away from a movie as much as he brings me to it. So the two of them together create problems. Flawless was full of flaws starting with an unbelievable heist scene. I'll say no more because what I'm interested in is which actors will you pay money to see even if the movie is probably not your cup of tea. And which ones turn you off despite their role in a movie you might have interest in.
For me: Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan Gosling, Tom Wilkinson, Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney, Kate Blanchett, Kate Winslett attract my attention.
On the negative side: Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Lily Tomlin, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson, Owen or Luke Wilson, Robin Williams.
How about you?
16 comments:
I'll always go to a movie with: Daniel Day-Lewis, Johnny Depp, Anthony Hopkins, Philip Seymour
Hoffman, Casey Affleck, Meryl Streep
I try to avoid movies with Ben Affleck (although I loved Hollywoodland and I want to see The Blade Itself), Mathew Mcconaughy.
BTW: Congratulations on your Derringer Nomination.
Oh, how could I have forgotten Ben. I used to feel that way about Meryl but some of her recent choices...same with Diane Keaton.
And thanks!
I have a hard time watching movies with Ben Affleck.
But, I don't worry so much about the actors-- I'm all about story.
Which might be why I'm totally blanking on actors right now. =)
A bad performance can take me right out of a story though. Better to see a movie from a original screenplay, I think.
You have some interesting choices, especially Lily Tomlin. I rented The Late Show sometime in the past few years, and I could not get through the movie; Tomlin's mugging made it unwatchable. I suspect from the presence of Robin Williams and Owen Wilson on your list, that you also have little patience for mugging.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Mugging, yes, And that happens a lot when comedians try to do straight movies. And RW has that sing-songy quality to his voice that I can't abide.
May I add James Mason here. Love him.
I really only reliably go to John Sayles movies and he usually has one of Chris Cooper or David Strathairn. A couple even had Kris Kristoferson and he was good -- especially in "Lone Star." A lot of the others could be loosely called the Sayles Company Actors.
It's funny you mention Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he's in the new adaptation of Elmore Leonard's "Killshot." Please read the book before you see the movie ;)
Yes, yes. Chris Cooper's sensational. Lone Star especially. And the same with DS. He scared me to death in that story about a teacher and a student. I'm blanking on the name.
Some people, such as Deborah Foreman, are consistently in projects that are better than one has any reason to expect them to be. Then there are those, such as Alan Arkin or John Astin, who entirely too often the only bright spot in the projects they choose.
Judi Dench and Helen Mirren. Todd, I don't even know Deborah Foreman. John Astin, Sean's father?
Foreman got tired of diminishing returns some years back, but I see she took a small role in a new film, BEAUTIFUL LOSERS (indeed). John Astin, Gomez Addams among subtler (and a few broader) roles, exactly.
Todd-You never have an unoriginal thought. How do you manage it?
You wrote just what I'd have written had I let my comment run a bit longer ... about comedians straining to be taken seriously in straight roles, I mean.
Then there's Woody Allen, a strange beast without parallel. It's not so much that his performances are unbearable. It's just that his comic shtick often seem weirdly grafted onto an otherwise unrelated serious movie, as in Hannah and Her Sisters.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Positive: Day-Lewis, definitely. Daniel Craig (Bond or not Bond), and speaking of UK actors: Clive Owen. Jonathan Rhys-Myers.
Edward Norton is the best! Philip Seymour, totally. And Christian Bale is always interesting.
Negative: Jessica Simpson, J Lo, Leonardo Di Caprio (except he's had one or two I've liked, Catch Me If You Can - which has a My Town tie-in for me - but most of his other roles? Pass.
Funny how many British actors turn up here. Clive Owens, yes. Daniel Craig too. Going back to r2-Mcconaughy looked to be a real actor once upon a time, but now he's a joke. Maybe the roles that make you credible don't always come.
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