Who are/will be the great actors of our era? (ekmanning5)

[soundmotor]

Originally Posted by ekmanning5

Well, like I've said, the 5 or 6 in my response have in my estimation never made a bad flick. Especially Hackman and Duval.

I was curious where they stood out first to you. Which films were those? Each has a wide & deep body of work.

[WhiteSE]

Gene Hackman first in The French Connection
Steve McQueen in Bullit
Ed Norton in The Fight Club
DiCaprio, for me in Blood Diamonds
John Cusak in Grosse Pointe
Chris Mortensen in Hidalgo
Van Helsing for....whats his name...

[Duffinator]

I forgot Marky Mark, Mark Wahlberg - The Basketball Diaries. The Jim Carroll story...

Not sure if Mark will be remembered as one of the greats but he's one of my current favorites of the younger actors. He was terrific in The Departed as well.

[soundmotor]

Originally Posted by Duffinator

Not sure if Mark will be remembered as one of the greats but he's one of my current favorites of the younger actors. He was terrific in The Departed as well.

Dirk Diggler rocked.

[Doctordirt]

Originally Posted by soundmotor

Dirk Diggler rocked.

..................in Rock Star

Watch the behind-the-scenes on "The Jacket" -- you will develop a new appreciation for Keira Knightley. There's a specific moment I remember where she was talking about talking with an American accent, she tells what you have to do, and then she just effortlessly slides into an American accent to demonstrate it -- and you realize you just watched her do a whole movie like that -- and then slips right back into her British accent.

[Andyman]

Originally Posted by Duffinator

He was terrific in The Departed as well.

He may have been the best part of the show for me; I loved his smart ass, "bad" cop role. That scene where he and Sheen "interview" DeCaprio early on is priceless!!

[Duffinator]

Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk

Watch the behind-the-scenes on "The Jacket" -- you will develop a new appreciation for Keira Knightley.

I already have a pretty good appreciation of her already.

[krautmaster]

Morgan Freeman -best of the best
Gene Hackman- always convincing especially playing a bad ass
Robert Duval- plays cowboys better than the Duke
Denzel Washington- gets better all the time: see Training Day!!
Tom Hanks- the Jimmy Stewart of today
Johnny Depp

Not so great, but always fun to watch:
Bruce Willis
Will Smith
John Cusak (maybe he should be up on top)
George Clooney

there are truly great ones out there but the movie biz has changed a lot,and not all for the better.so much more time and effort is devoted to technical wizardry that good stories and fine actors get lost in the shuffle.a 30 second phrase will have so many jump cuts and camera angles that the performers are just along for the ride.watching chiseled ab guys playing joe schlump roles kind of belies credibility,as does some starlet with a six hundred dolar hairdo playing a waitress........but as long as devoted fans buy their reading material at supermarket check stands i dont see any change happening soon

[soundmotor]

Originally Posted by Andyman

He may have been the best part of the show for me; I loved his smart ass, "bad" cop roll. That scene where he and Sheen "interview" DeCaprio early on is priceless!!

No one does a Masshole, the way Wahlberg does. Anytime you want to envision a textbook, 'burbs of Boston townie, think Wahlberg. 'tis a thing of beauty!

[ekmanning5]

Originally Posted by soundmotor

I was curious where they stood out first to you. Which films were those? Each has a wide & deep body of work.

The first Hackman film that made me sit up and take notice was "The Conversation". This may be a case of a great film influencing the work of the actors, but I kind of think Hackman had a lot to do with the film being as good as it was.
With Duval, although his work in "The Godfather" films is outstanding, he really shines for me in "The Apostle". Come to think of it, "Apocalypse Now" wasn't too shabby either.
That's the thing about these two guys, sure they made a few dogs, if you make enough movies you're bound to. But I could go on and on with pictures large and small in which they quietly did the job.

[Twenty20Man]

Tommy Lee Jones
and a second for both Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington.
Harrison Ford
Robert "Gus" Duval

[Andyman]

Watching the AFI tribute to Al Pacino right now.

Now there's a set of shoes that would be tough to fill.........

[Fisherdude]

Speaking of Gene Hackman, have any of you ever seen "I Never Sang For My Father"? It also starred Melvin Douglas, and it was one of the best movies I've ever seen in my life. Well, I may be influenced by the fact that my relationship with my father wasn't the best either, so it really touched me. I've never heard much about it, and that's really a shame.