Actors - Best and Worst performances

[Gus]

Inspired by some of the comments made in the 'Profile' thread, was wondering if people would like to share their views on the following actors/actresses. Just list for each their best and worst film .... lots to choose from. Add any commentary you feel appropraite .. no doubt there will be some serious diagreement at some stage :devil:

[list=1]
Tom Cruise
Melanie Griffiths
Sean Connery
Julia Roberts
Robin Williams
Sigourny Weaver
Clint Eastwood
Elizabeth Taylor
[/list=1]

The following link may help you to remeber some of their classic (and not so classic) performances - http://www.imdb.com/search.html

[TheTramp]

What about Cameron Diaz??? I can't believe that we get Melanie Griffiths, and Julia Roberts, and you leave out Cameron Diaz...!!

(Okie, so I may be biased here!!)

Steve

[Gus]

Originally posted by TheTramp
What about Cameron Diaz??? I can't believe that we get Melanie Griffiths, and Julia Roberts, and you leave out Cameron Diaz...!!

Steve Sorry ... this thread is for people who can act ... not just some jumped up slapper who's crowning moment was shaking her over-sized butt (whilst wearing seriously naff nickers) to a cringingly bad 70's disco tune during the WORST film ever made (Charlies Angels) ......:reallymad :reallymad

(Okie, so I may be biased here!!):wink:

[Lisa]

And Tom Cruise can act?! He does the same cheesey "acting" in every movie.

Lisax

[TheTramp]

Actually. I quite liked that film (Charlie's Angels). But she was better in 'The Mask'. And she looked pretty good in 'Any Given Sunday' too. :yum:

I think that Lisa made a very valid point too!! The words 'Tom Cruise' and 'Actor' are surely mutually exclusive??

Steve

[Dreadful Scathe]

Tom Cruise: Actually a superb actor, if he's in a good film - like Rainman, Minority Report and Magnolia. It was the cheesy ones hes known for though - cocktail, days of thunder, top gun (plane burger with cheese)

Melanie Griffiths: shes rubbish in everything.

Sean Connery: the best bond, best films - Untouchables, Hunt for Red October, Time Bandits and many more... :)

Julia Roberts: big mouthed bint, but was good in Erin Brockavich (sp?) and nothing else :)

Robin Williams: his two best films are just out 'insomnia' and 'one hour photo' but he's a great actor. 'Dead Poets Society' anyone ?

Sigourny Weaver: 'Get away from her you BITCH' ahh no one else could deliver that line so well - superb in Alien(s) ok in everything else - not seen 'Gorillas in the mist'

Clint Eastwood: best actor on your list, 'Dirty Harry', 'A fistful of dollars' his bad ones are any that are recent :(.

Elizabeth Taylor: hmm not been acting much recently - she was from an era of fantastic actresses and shes good but not great ..so there.

wheres my favourite actors then ? Bill Paxton, Jimmy Stewart, Doris Day, Ian Holm, Kirk Douglas - 'Im Dreadful Scathe - NO I'M DREADFUL SCATHE' ...etc..

:)

[Gus]

OK ... as no one wants to stick to the rules ......

My nominations are as follows ... best film first, worst film second...

1.
Jerry McGuire
A Few Good Men

2.
Something Wild
Everything else

3.
Name of the Rose
Highlander

4.
Pretty Woman
Runaway Bride

5.
Dead Poets Society
Flubber

6.
Aliens
Working Girl

7.
In the Line of Fire
The Rookie

8.
Cleopatra
Flinstones

[TheTramp]

as no one wants to stick to the rulesAbout the same as normal then :D

I'll post my nominations later, when I've had chance to think about them....

Steve

[TheTramp]

Tom Cruise
Best: A Few Good Men
Worst: Mission Impossible II

Melanie Griffiths
Best: Working Girls
Worst: Working Girls

Sean Connery
Best: All the James Bond films
Worst: Entrapment

Julia Roberts
Best: Oceans 11
Worst: Pretty Woman

Robin Williams
Best: What Dreams May Come, Fisher King, Good Morning Vietnam, Good Will Hunting
Worst: Never seen him do 'worst' (one of my favourite actors)

Sigourny Weaver
Best: Aliens I, II and III
Worst: Ghostbusters

Clint Eastwood
Best: Unforgiven
Worst: Space Cowboys

Elizabeth Taylor
Best:
Worst:

I think that this is subjective somewhat, ie. If I like a film, then I tend to like the way it's acted, and vice versa.

Looking at the list, I've only ever seen one film with Melanie Griffiths in (it was enough), so that's both the best and the worst. And I don't think I've ever seen a film with Elizabeth Taylor....

Steve

[Lisa]

Tom Cruise:
Maybe I was a little harsh about Cruise. Since I've definitely blown my chances with the man :tears:, I'm going to stick with my overall initial opinion of his acting. DS- you're probably rightÉits more the cheesy American feel good/moral of the story films I object to rather than him! I have enjoyed many of his films. As an underage youngster I enjoyed watching Risky business with my mates and he was very nice to look at in MI. I'd probably plunge for Born on the Fourth of July as one of his best roles and Eyes Wide Shut as one of my lesser favourites.

Melanie Griffith:
I've got to confess I haven't seen her in anything apart from Lolita and I don't think that performance is enough to base an opinion on.

Sean Connery:
Could listen to his voice for hours. Highlander and the Untouchables are good. Can't think of a bad movie for him.

Julia Roberts:
I really like her and loved most of her movies so would have to be hard pushed to choose between Steel Magnolias, Erin Brochovich, Pretty woman, Sleeping with the Enemy. Erin Brochovich it is. My least favourite would definitely be -Michael Collins.

Robin Williams:
Love the man. Great actorÉ.I loved him since I can remember. Remember Mork and Mindy? He probably doesn't want to remember but I do! It's so very hard to chooseÉ..Good Will Hunting, Dead Poet's Society, GOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!! I even liked Mrs Doubtfire. The least fav would have to be Hook.

Sigourny Weaver:
Good actress from what I've seen in "Gorillas in the mist" and Ghostbusters! As these are the only two of her movies I've seen, then they are the best and worst in that order!

Clint Eastwood:
Dirty Harry, Play Misty for meÉ..Two Mules for Sister Sara- one where he seduces a nun? Oh and the ones with the orangutan ? I wanted one after those movies....can't spell...help Heather! Again, utmost respect for his acting so no negatives there!

Elizabeth Taylor:
Not a huge fan but I really liked her in National Velvet. She also played Amy March in Little women. Didn't like her character very much but she played her role really well. I even pondered putting a peg on my nose every night to make it smaller after seeing her snobbish performance! Can't think of a bad 'un. Sorry.

My favourite men are:
Robert Redford -everything he was HOT when he was young
John Malkovich first enjoyed him in Death of a Salesman at school but who could ever forget him in Dangerous Liasons- a personal favourite.
Robert De Niro (Taxi-"ya talking to me?")
Al Pacino (love the Godfather movies)
Ewen McGregor in anything but Star Wars
Jack Nicolson (One Flew over the Cuckoo's nest - a fantastic film). I think I need to change my favourite 3 movies list now.

As for the ladies... June Allyson, Leslie Caron, Doris Day, Julia Roberts, Judy Dench and Kate Winslet. All fantastic actresses in my opinion!

Really got to go back to work.

:cheers:

Lisa x

[Lisa]

It took me so long to write the bl**ming thing I didn't realise the fuss about all the rules in the meantime! Sorry Gus.
Anyway, aren't rules just asking to be broken? :devil:

Lisa x

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally posted by Lisa
It took me so long to write the bl**ming thing I didn't realise the fuss about all the rules in the meantime! Sorry Gus.
Anyway, aren't rules just asking to be broken? :devil:



thats fine as long as one of the rules isnt 'you must break the rules' :) ooh

[Lisa]

I read you! :D

Lisa x

[TheTramp]

Over and Out

Steve

[John S]

I guess if you like/dislike the film your views of the actors will generally follow the same line.

Tom Cruise
Best: Born on the Fourth of July
Worst: Days of Thunder

Melanie Griffiths
Best: Working Girl
Worst: Can't think of any other film!!!

Sean Connery (Big Tam)
Best: Too many to list, but here goes:
The Untouchables, The Name of the Rose, Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, The Hill, The Rock
Worst: Also too many to list, but here goes:
Entrapment (act your age, Tam, no way the Zeta Jones filly would fall for a tired old has-been - oh, sorry, got that wrong, didn't I, Michael?!)
Zardoz (really, Tam - did you ever watch that??)
First Knight (and goodnight)
Medicine Man (keep taking it, Sean)
Shalako (Yeah, Brigitte Bardot out west, convincing, non?

Julia Roberts
Best: Erin Brockavitch, Steel Magnolias
Worst: Pretty Woman (& has she not just made a sort of followup with Richard Gere? Why?)

Robin Williams
Best: The Fisher King
Worst: Popeye, Mrs Doubtfire

Sigourny Weaver
Best: Gorillas in the Mist, Galaxy Quest (about the hunt for chocolate?)
Worst: Ghostbusters (about small-chested women?)

Clint Eastwood
Best: Unforgiven, Play Misty for Me
Worst: As Rowdy Yates in the "Rawhide" TV series, and anything with an oran-utan

Elizabeth Taylor
Best: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Butterfield 8, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Worst: Probably Michael Jackson's home movies

[Will]

All this talk about great actors and you've missed out the greatest of all.

Sir Arnold Schwarzanegger.

Take Terminator 2 for example. When has an automaton ever been portrayed so convincingly!!!

[TheTramp]

SIR Arnold Schwarzanegger???

Just when did he make the New Year Honours List then??

Steve

[Graham]

Tom Cruise
Best:Born on the Fourth of July
Worst:Days of Thunder

Melanie Griffiths
As far as I recall I've only seen Working Girl and Pacific Heights, and I think she was okay in both

Sean Connery
Best:The Hunt for Red October
Worst:I honestly can't think of anywhere his acting let the film down, although he's been in a couple of stinkers!

Julia Roberts
Best:Erin Brockovich
Worst:Runaway Bride - what a complete load of tat!

Robin Williams
Best:Dead Poet's Society, Good Morning Vietnam, need I go on?
Worst:Flubber, Jumanji, Toys, Hook, need I go on?

Sigourney Weaver
Best:Alien
Worst:I'd have to pick Ghostbusters, but to be fair she played the role she was given

Clint Eastwood
Best:The Bridges of Madison County
Worst:Every Which Way But Loose / Any Which Way You Can

Elizabeth Taylor
No particular comments either way

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Graham
Robin Williams
Best:Dead Poet's Society,

Oh wow! I'd forgotten about that film!! I first saw it about 10 years ago and it still gets me... :tears:

ooopss... lapsing into forum profile territory.... :what:

Jayne
:wink:

[Curtain]

I can't believe some of these posts. Ghostbusters was the best film to come out of the early 80's and Highlander was one of my favourite films for ages (only let down when they went all space age for the second one, sort of ruined it). Totally agree with Lisa on the whole Death of a Salesman thing, arguably Dustin Hoffman's best performance. I can't believe you didn't put in some of the finest actors ever ...

1. Samual L. Jackson (The coolest most chilled actor award)
2. Michael Caine (he's Michael Caine!!)
3. Robert De Niro (God)
4. Edward Norton (My favorite contemporary actor)
5. Steve McQueen (Great Escape, need I say more?)
6. Mike Myers (comic genius)
7. Robert Carlyle (had to put a Scot in)
8. Sandra Bullock (allegedly poor man's Julia Roberts)
9. Whoopi Goldberg (better than Demi Moore in Ghost)

Can i just add that Robin Williams is possibly the unfunniest man alive (apart from one joke I heard him tell about the Scots inventing Golf).

[TheTramp]

Can i just add that Robin Williams is possibly the unfunniest man alive Everyone is entitled to an opinion I guess....

No matter how wrong it is :rolleyes:

Steve

[CJ]

Perhaps Curtain is in more dire need of a **** $*@ than any white man in history??

:D :D :D :D :D :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :cheers:

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Curtain
1. Samual L. Jackson (The coolest most chilled actor award)


Also a contender for "sexiest man in a kilt" award for his performance in 51st state... puurrrrrr :grin:

Jayne
:nice:

[Graham]

Originally posted by Jayne

Also a contender for "sexiest man in a kilt" award for his performance in 51st state... puurrrrrr :grin:

As you'd probably be excited about Quasimodo in a kilt, I hope you never get to meet Samuel so attired, as you'd probably expire! :wink:

Then again, at least you'd die happy! :grin:

[Graham]

Originally posted by Curtain
I can't believe some of these posts. Ghostbusters was the best film to come out of the early 80's and Highlander was one of my favourite films for ages (only let down when they went all space age for the second one, sort of ruined it).

I can't speak for everyone else, but in my list I was rating the performance of the individual actor/actress. I also liked Ghostbusters, and if I'd been rating Dan Aykroyd or Bill Murray I might have put it as one of their best, but Sigourney Weaver's part was not exactly challenging. I think one of the problems with Highlander is that it's difficult to get past the absurdity of the accents, although again, I also liked it.


Originally posted by Curtain
Can i just add that Robin Williams is possibly the unfunniest man alive (apart from one joke I heard him tell about the Scots inventing Golf).
He wouldn't be among my favourite comedians (or comic actors) either, but he is a very good actor.

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Graham
Then again, at least you'd die happy! :grin:

Absolutely!!!
:grin:

Not so sure about Quasimodo though... :sick:

Jayne
:grin:

[Gus]

Originally posted by Curtain
2. Michael Caine (he's Michael Caine!!)
6. Mike Myers (comic genius)
8. Sandra Bullock (allegedly poor man's Julia Roberts)
9. Whoopi Goldberg (better than Demi Moore in Ghost)


Urrghhhhh ... whare were you hiding when the good Lord was giving out taste (and sensible haircuts)?????

Michael Caine has about as much expression and acting range as Steven Segal!

Mike Myers created the worst film for years in Goldmember

Sandra Bullock couldn't act (or even hold and intelligent conversation) is her life depended on it.

Whoopi WHO ...as in, "didn't she useed to be famous?"

And in their defence you would say......?

ODA Strikes back etc

[John S]

Originally posted by Gus


Whoopi WHO ...as in, "didn't she useed to be famous?"



Didn't she used to be a cushion?

[Curtain]

Gus what are you talking about man? Michael Caine is just the best. Granted he only ever plays one character (i.e. himself) but he's dead good at it. I'll concede the Whoopi Goldberg thing, just put her in for a laugh. Couldn't think of any decent females. Although Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear, From Dusk Til Dawn Fame) wouldn't be far away.

Oh and another one you missed - Harvey Kettle... Sorry ... Keitel.

[Gus]

Just to clarify ... the actors I listed are not neccesarily the best ... they were just a range of actors who have appeared in a wide range of commonly known films and have been in some good and some real turkeys.

There is alwys a debate as to whether an actor was good or bad in a good or bad film. I've always admired Sean Connery but he's been in some atrocious films .... but I've alwys though he has acted well ... though why do they keep trying to make him out to be a foriegn national when he can only speak scottish?? In his first film he was supposed to be a greek fisherman (go figure), in Red October he was supposed to be Russian and in Highlanger he was supposed to be Spanish ... surely someone up there has a warped sense of humour.

A reverse example is the Matrix ... excellent in many ways but Messr Reeves exhibited all the acting skills of wet play-doh ..... who can forget his Oscar-missing performance when he uttered the immortal line "I know Kung Fu"?? At least in "Bill and Ted's Bogus Jouney" you could belive his part.

OK ... finished my rant..... any other contributions?

[Ronde!]

I'm a huge fan of British drama and actors... and definitely not those naaasty Hollywood ones!

Helena Bonham-Carter must be the most underrated actress of the modern age; I've seen her do everything from Shakespeare to Situational Comedy opposite Rowan Atkinson (another British legend), and everything in between. (Between the genres, not between Shakespeare and Atkinson).

Anthony Hopkins and Sean Connery would also get votes. I'm a great fan of actors that can act in a diversity of roles, and like Helena, these chaps act at all extremes.

The worst? Brad Pitt in "Meet Joe Black," with his almost *one* line: "Yeeeesss" (said deadpan, his character is "Death" and I guess he truly acts like something dead.)

Best all-time film goes to "The Princess Bride," (and the book is even better than the film!) Followed closely by "Amelie," Audrey Tatou is radiant in the role.

Live passionately,

[Chris]

Only just found this thread :D - being a film addict . . .

(limiting it to ones I've seen - I'm sure some of these people made worse ones when they started)

Tom Cruise
Magnolia
Cocktail

Melanie Griffith
Working Girl
haven't seen enough others to know

Sean Connery
Untouchables
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Julia Roberts
Erin Brockovich
Mary Reilly or Runaway Bride

Robin Williams
One Hour Photo
Birdcage

Sigourny Weaver
Alien
Galaxy Quest (no acting needed lol)

Clint Eastwood
Unforgiven
Paint Your Wagon

Elizabeth Taylor
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
National Velvet

Some great performances, but none of my fave actors, which would include Humphry Bogart, Fred Astaire, Sharon Stone, George Clooney, Nicole Kidman . . . and too many others to mention . . .

[Dance Demon]

Originally posted by Curtain
Igenius)
7. Robert Carlyle (had to put a Scot in)


Totally agree with this one....of all the actors to come out of the seriously overrated Trainspotting..:devil: Robert Carlisle is definately the best...And that includes pretty boy McGregor:wink:

Clint Eastwoods best movie for me ..(and probably one of the finest westerns ever made ) was The Outlaw Josey Wales....

One of my fav actors that hasn't had a mention is Robert Duval, great in all the Godfather movies and as the aging cop in Falling Down IMO

Oh and Curtain.....I think you'll find that Sir Sean Connery is also Scottish......not a particularly outstanding actor..(sounds the same in all his films ).......but Scottish non the less:wink: :devil:

[fruitcake]

Originally posted by Will
All this talk about great actors and you've missed out the greatest of all.

Sir Arnold Schwarzanegger.

Take Terminator 2 for example. When has an automaton ever been portrayed so convincingly!!!

OH MY GOD WILL!!!

Finding another Arnie fan is so unusual,praps I'll PM you and we can go on...and on... and onn...about his good films(predator etc)

My best all time film as I've mentioned earlier is tying in first place terminator 1 & 2, the scene in the mall with the guns and roses bit one of my faves!!
Anyway, gone off the thread. Have to think up some others now, but Sean C. in Alfred Hitchcocks MARNIE was excellent,
Back soon
Fruitcake