Yeah, yeah, I couldn’t narrow it down to 10, so I categorized a little. Please don’t sprain your brain trying to make sense of these categorizations — I made them up on the spot based on nothing other than my own weird logic. It’s my blog, I can do that. Anyway, here are some actors that I think are pretty cool. The weather is supposed to be somewhat crappy the rest of the week — maybe some movies are in order???
10. Djimon Hounsou: He’s just very compelling and believable on screen — Amistad, Gladiator, Blood Diamond, and In America in particular, which is a beautiful movie.
Hugh Jackman: I know this is going to sound crazy, but bear with me here — I loved him in Kate and Leopold. It really wasn’t a very good movie — typical schlocky romantic comedy — but he was *so* charming in it. Plus, he’s the Wolverine.
9. John Cusack: I heart him so much, especially in High Fidelity (Any similarities between his character and my husband are purely coincidental. What? They are!) and Grosse Pointe Blank.
Matt Damon: I would have to include him even if he wasn’t as dreamy as the day is long. (damn, I drooled on my keyboard…) He was surprisingly hilarious in Stuck On You. I also loved him in Good Will Hunting, Ocean’s 11 and 12 (haven’t seen 13 yet…) and in The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy. I’m practically counting down the days (17! Oh, did I say practically? Because I meant literally.) until The Bourne Ultimatum is released!
8. Ewan Mcgregor: Um, Scottish accent. Need I say more? He was incredible in Trainspotting, but that movie makes me very uncomfortable. I loved him in Down With Love.
7. Johnny Depp: He is incredibly versatile, with roles as varied as Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie and Captain Jack Sparrow. And I. Can’t. Wait. to see him as Sweeney Todd — I seriously can’t think of a better actor for that role.
6. Leonardo DiCaprio: He’s kind of a tool, what with all the environmental sermonizing, but dude can act. If you don’t believe me, see What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and then we’ll talk. I loved him in The Departed. And he’s pretty cute in Catch Me If You Can, you know, for a criminal.
5. Liam Neeson: Rob Roy, Ethan Frome, Schindler’s List, Les Misérables, and the voice of Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — how’s that for range?
Daniel Day-Lewis: He was excellent in Gangs of New York and The Crucible, but I loved him in In the Name of the Father — that fierce family love gets me every time.
4. William H. Macy: We all know he was amazing in Fargo; there was also Boogie Nights, Pleasantville (“Where’s my dinner?”), Sports Night (TV), and Thank You For Smoking. But if you haven’t seen him in The Wool Cap, get on Netflix (or go to a movie store) right now. It’s such a sweet movie — you won’t regret it.
3. Kevin Spacey: He was Keyser Soze and even the other characters didn’t know it — he’s that good.
His body of work speaks for itself: Glengarry Glen Ross, The Usual Suspects, Seven, L.A. Confidential, American Beauty (“I Rule!”), Pay It Forward (I don’t care what anyone says — I loved that movie) Beyond the Sea. He has also done some award-winning stage work in Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh and Long Day’s Journey Into Night.
2. Gregory Peck: To Kill A Mockingbird and Roman Holiday – both completely different roles and yet he is brilliant in both.
1. Jimmy Stewart: It’s A Wonderful Life — no matter how many times I watch this movie, it makes me cry like a baby every time. Jimmy Stewart inhabited the character of George Bailey so thoroughly — his hopefulness, his discouragement and disappointment, and finally his enthusiasm and gratitude for love — and I believe that is the reason this movie, and Stewart’s performance in particular, speaks to generation after generation.
Your turn!! Who do you love? or hate? I dying to know…
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