Best actor alive right now?

[lokiju]

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks (those his Dan Brown roles have been pretty weak)

 

[Mo0o]

I hate Sean Penn but that guy has ridiculous range.

Most actors end up just playing 1 character, albeit very well, but still just one character.

 

[comphollic]

Ben Stiller

 

[JulesMaximus]

This is perhaps the worst poll ever.

 

[TestedAcorn]

I really enjoy movies with Kevin Costner in them.

 

[CRXican]

edward norton

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
This is perhaps the worst poll ever.

Perhaps? Come on, dude. Even I know it's the worst poll ever. Funny thing about lousy polls, here, though...

 

[Miramonti]

Sean Connery is an alltime great, but what has he done lately...

Depp, Pitt, and DiCaprio are at the top of their game. My preference goes to Pitt. I also think Philip Seymor Hoffman and Daniel Day Lewis are outstanding.

For old timers that are still great, that would be Hopkins and Freeman. Hoffman and Deniro...can't think of an outstanding performance by them in over a decade.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: jjsole
Sean Connery is an alltime great, but what has he done lately...

Depp, Pitt, and DiCaprio are at the top of their game. My preference goes to Pitt. I also think Philip Seymor Hoffman and Daniel Day Lewis are outstanding.

For old timers that are still great, that would be Hopkins and Freeman. Hoffman and Deniro...can't think of an outstanding performance by them in over a decade.

Morgan Freeman hasnt really done anything that impressive as of late either

Really though, he's basically played the same guy in 90% of his movies. He plays it very well, but he doesnt have nearly the range as say Nicholson

 

[sjwaste]

It's a sign. On the same day that I added Tobias Funke to the poll, that episode of Law and Order with David Cross came on TV.

He is truly the world's first analyst-therapist.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: elmro
Philip Seymour Hoffman or Daniel Day Lewis

:thumbsup: Another vote for Hoffman.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: darkxshade
Will Smith

this had a thread about it a long time ago

 

[Acanthus]

This is the worst poll ever.

 

[zinfamous]

DDL
DeNiro
Oldman
Duvall
Pacino
DiCaprio
PSH


Streep
Julianne Moore
Linney
Binoche
Deneuve

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: angminas
Gary Oldman.

Daniel Day-Lewis is not far behind, and Sir Ian definitely has his moments. Leo is incredible physically, but his diction is often distractingly amateur. Johnny Depp...I like the guy, and he's pretty good, but I'm still waiting to see this elite acting everyone talks about.

Overrated- Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Anthony Hopkins, Jack Nicholson, Christian Bale, Christopher Lee, Kevin Spacey, Bill Murray

Underrated- Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis, Kate Winslet, Dennis Quaid, Brad Pitt, Tim Curry, Sally Field, Keanu Reeves

Untapped potential- Colin Farrell, Louis Gossett Jr., Harrison Ford, Patrick Stewart, Ralph Macchio, Nicholas Cage, Cuba Gooding Jr., Sean Connery, Morgan Freeman, Christopher Lloyd


Notes

I didn't say all the overrated were worthless and all the underrated were gods, or any other retarded nonsense. Don't even start being utterly stupid.

Acting is a combination of physicality, intelligence, script memory, ad lib ability, charisma...a whole list of things. Being great at one or two of them doesn't necessarily mean you're great overall. Nor does being very good at a lot of them.

Figuring out how William Shatner can sometimes be so good when he's usually so bad is the real reason they built the LHC.


And, just kidding about Keanu Reeves :sun:

Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves are underrated? :laugh: When the best role of your career is playing yourself (asshole movie producer) I'm not sure that qualifies for any award recognition.

but that's the only role he ever plays. his delivery is always the same. his range goes from loud and cocky to vocal and douchebag. that's it.

If anything, he earns way more than he deserves.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: darkxshade

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio.

I really disliked him for some reason early in his career, maybe it's the pretty boy fad everyone had on him at the time but after seeing his films after Titanic, I'm convinced I was wrong about him. I'm a fan of his work now.

Titanic wasn't his early career. He was largely regarded as the next big thing before that role, and Titanic simply exposed him to all the teeny-boppers for several years. It vastly changed his exposure for some time (I even began to think less of his potential because of it), but he's definitely legit.

He could have crashed and burned real easy after the easy success that comes form the gushing fandom of the US Weekly types, but it helps that you have a guy like Scorsese in your corner.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: jjsole

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It took longer than I thought for Ed Norton to be mentioned.

I'd put him there with Leonardo DiCaprio and probably Kevin Spacey.

And probably Morgan Freeman's voice.

He's mentioned as "the other dude from fight club."

He hasn't really done anything that great, or even challenging, since Sleepers, or American History X. I feel like Norton has been on the opposite trajectory of DiCaprio.

 

[L337Llama]

Kevin Spacey.

 

[slugg]

Tom Hanks.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

DDL, PSH.

 

[mchammer187]

DiCaprio because he seems to actually pick good roles as well as he is a fantastic actor

De Niro and Connery have been in alot of crap for most of their last 10 movies

 

[JulesMaximus]

Chuck Norris > *

 

[sao123]

Johnny Depp / Val kilmer / Clint Eastwood

Too bad Ricardo Montalban is dead... hed be at the top of my list.

 

[mcvickj]

The first name that popped into my head was Tom Hanks.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: loki8481
Meryl Streep > *

I think so. I'm not a huge fan, but she's very talented. I also like Gary Oldman.

Clint Eastwood is a badass, but that's what he is. A badass.

Have you seen Gran Torino?

Originally posted by: darkxshade

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio.

I really disliked him for some reason early in his career, maybe it's the pretty boy fad everyone had on him at the time but after seeing his films after Titanic, I'm convinced I was wrong about him. I'm a fan of his work now.

His talent was clear way before Titanic. What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Romeo and Juliet for example. And the fact is that even though Titanic was a sappy, mushy, romantic chick flick, he was still very good in that movie. He's just solidified his place at the top with The Aviator, The Departed, and Blood Diamond

Originally posted by: Locut0s
Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Absolutely. It's easy for guys who look like Brad Pitt to become blockbuster stars, although he happens to be a talented actor too. But a guy like Hoffman isn't going to make it without a huge amount of talent.

Originally posted by: Mo0o
I hate Sean Penn but that guy has ridiculous range.

Most actors end up just playing 1 character, albeit very well, but still just one character.

Totally agree. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dead Man Walking, I am Sam. You can't get much more range than that.

Originally posted by: zinfamous
He hasn't really done anything that great, or even challenging, since Sleepers, or American History X. I feel like Norton has been on the opposite trajectory of DiCaprio.

Yeah, but American History X alone was enough to show that he's got serious talent.

My picks:
DiCaprio
Hoffman
Penn

DeNiro and Pacino are probably up there too, but they seem to have been playing a lot of the same character in the past 10 years.