Upcoming Films...

[daftbeaker]

What makes him a decent actor? Personally I'd have to rate Brad Pitt as the best of the current young(ish) actors, I didn't recognise him in Snatch until someone told me who that pikey was

Really? I mean, he was entertaining in Inglourious Basterds, but Dicaprio seems to take the craft much more seriously than Pitt. Besides, Johnny Depp is only a year older than Pitt and I'd rank him much higher than Mr. Jolie.

The way I judge an actor is if I identify more with their character than them. For example, Keanu Reeves is always Keanu Reeves, he just happens to play different characters. Brad Pitt on the other hand tends to be Mickey and then later I realise it's Brad Pitt playing Mickey, if that makes any sense. Brad Pitt in Fight Club, Burn After Reading, Snatch, Friends and Ocean's Eleven is different people in each.

Maybe I just haven't seen enough films to judge, I can only think of Titanic with DiCaprio as a definite one I've seen.

[Roland Deschain]

Although I like Brad Pitt - Fight Club, Snatch, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Twelve Monkeys and Meet Joe Black all being excellent - I think Leo may just beat him, although i'm not completely convinced. It's too close to call. Brad seems to have a more playful nature in his characters, whereas Leo is more serious. Neither are specifically bad, just different. I can name several films of Leo's where I thought his performance was good:-

Catch Me If You Can
Inception (excellent concept, and the ending...wow!)
Shutter Island (such a good film, this one)
Blood Diamond
Romeo and Juliet
The Beach

[Qwertyuiopasd]

Catch Me If You Can
Inception (excellent concept, and the ending...wow!)
Shutter Island (such a good film, this one)
Blood Diamond
Romeo and Juliet
The Beach

I'd also put The Aviator up there. that and Catch Me If You Can are probably my favorite DiCaprio movies.

Also, db, you must not care much for Morgan Freeman, Michael Cain, Patrick Stewart, George Clooney or Meryl Streep much. :P Of course, it varies with the role, but particularly with Morgan Freeman, that's basically the joke, he's always Morgan Freeman. But he's still a good actor, IMO.

Also, the roles picked do influence things. I don't think Pitt would do well in those DiCaprio roles we mentioned, as you say Roland, because there a little more serious. Not that Pitts roles are easier or cheaper, but the roles DiCaprio tends to take just require more crafting.

I guess it's just that comparing them, when I see a Pitt movie, I don't think "damn, that's acting."

[daftbeaker]

Also, db, you must not care much for Morgan Freeman, Michael Cain, Patrick Stewart, George Clooney or Meryl Streep much.

Michael Caine in his youth is the exception. Get Carter and The Italian Job are different characters.

Of course, it varies with the role, but particularly with Morgan Freeman, that's basically the joke, he's always Morgan Freeman. But he's still a good actor, IMO.

Otherwise, yes, they're stuck in the same role playing the same thing in different costumes. Be honest, when you see Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty or Michael Caine in Batman, you don't think 'Oh, there's god/Alfred', you think 'Oh, there's Morgan Freeman/Michael Caine'. Which again is not necessarily a bad thing, just a reflection on the ability to act. For comparison there's Maggie Smith who I take a good 20 minutes to spot in the Harry Potter films, despite her playing the same character because she seems to change between films in the series. I'd have to check it but I'm willing to bet the McGonagall of the first film is different to that of the last film in terms of body language, speech patterns and stage presence despite being the same actress in the same role.

I guess it's just that comparing them, when I see a Pitt movie, I don't think "damn, that's acting."

Anyone who can pull off a Home Counties gypsy convincingly and is American deserves a few Oscars

[black bart]

I like Anthony Hopkins of course but I think he suffers a little from the Michael Caine syndrome...not as bad though. Sean Connery again is always Sean Connery even when he's just wearing underwear:

[Roland Deschain]

I like Anthony Hopkins of course but I think he suffers a little from the Michael Caine syndrome...not as bad though. Sean Connery again is always Sean Connery even when he's just wearing underwear...

There was no need for that picture, Bart. No need. You Zardoz!

Another upcoming film i'm excited about is The Raid. It's about a raid on the most notorious safe house in Jakarta, the place where only the worst go. Looks sick from the trailer, what with all the guns, martial arts and explosions. Should be good!

[ChowMein]

Red Nails , the Conan flick has stalled , may not get finished , *sigh*

[PKMKII]

The way I judge an actor is if I identify more with their character than them.

I would like to point out that it's not always the fault of the actor if they're constantly typecasted in the same sort of roles. If an actor consistently is only offered the same sort of role (probably because they became famous for that archetype), then it's the fault of the studios, directors, and agents. It's not like an actor can force a studio or director to craft the role to what they want, or to something outside of what they normally portray.

[Roland Deschain]

I would like to point out that it's not always the fault of the actor if they're constantly typecasted in the same sort of roles. If an actor consistently is only offered the same sort of role (probably because they became famous for that archetype), then it's the fault of the studios, directors, and agents. It's not like an actor can force a studio or director to craft the role to what they want, or to something outside of what they normally portray.

It partly is and partly isn't their own fault. Yes, the studios will keep offering them those sorts of roles if they become famous for them, but the actor/actress can always turn it down. This, of course, could end up putting them out of work, and they just take them anyway as it's regular work/money. Or it could be that an actor loves that sort of role, and revels in it, although they may end up getting tired of it in the end. It happens to a lot of actors, where they go through a period of one type of film, then suddenly change to something completely different. Look at Robin Williams' "Axis of Evil" films, like the excellent One Hour Photo, where he plays roles a pole apart from his usual ones. It doesn't always work out for them, as they may lose their touch at acting as someone different, or we just find that they never had that talent in the first place. Hollywood does suck at times, yes.

[pieces o'nine]

^ Yes.
I went to Moscow on the Hudson back in the day, looking forward to character development beyond his Mork schtick. For some reason, I did not/could not 'believe' him in that role for one minute. It was a disorienting experience, and I didn't find him convincing in a serious role until Dead Poet's Society.


I'm considering going to Rum Diary; any reactions to this one?

[Roy Hunter]

I'm considering going to Rum Diary; any reactions to this one?

You will need the services of a Samoan attorney. I can recommend one if you like.

[pieces o'nine]

[PKMKII]

Trailer for The Pirates! Band of Misfits. From Aardman Animation (Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run).

[Roland Deschain]

Aaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh, that be lookin' good, me hearty! Oi be wantin' ter see that when it be comin' out.

The Curse of the Buxom Strumpet - Set in the 18th century, this film is about an infestation of zombies in a village. Starring Sir Ian McKellan, Gillian Anderson, and Dame Judi Dench, this low-budget film is due for release in 2012. The big names/low budget combination could really work, and will offer an alternative to the other period zombie piece due out next year, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

[Clifford]

Caught a whiff of the wind the other day ... seems that there's a film of Ender's Game in the works:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender%27s_Game_%28film%29

I'll go to see it regardless of reviews, being a fan of the book. I am slightly tense on how they're going to manage the child violence however.