Here is my list of Top 10 Actors of all time, this is of course a matter of opinion but please comment and
share your personal favorites.
1) Anthony Hopkins
Sir Anthony Hopkins has a crazy good resume but for his performance in the "Silence of the Lambs" saga alone he deserves this honor. He is in a ton of other remarkable films that not many people seem to care about but the only actor that has every been able to creep us out and make us feel unsafe to the point he might actually jump through the screen and eat our faces. Hopkins has some other great movies I suggest
you guys watch that you may haven't seen such as Titus Andronicus. Titus is a Shakespeare play put to screen some years ago that you can find in almost any video store. The cover has Hopkins face painted blue
and he is wearing a Roman fighter's helmet and looking at you like he wants to devour your soul. This is an
underground favorite of mine and even though its really long its one of the coolest movies I've ever seen as it
switches between ancient Rome and modern Europe seamlessly. Enough said Anthony Hopkins best Actor of our time.
2) Ben Kingsley
Watch the movie Ghandi and then tell me he doesn't belong this high on the list. Ben Kingsley teach you more about living in one sentence uttered in a movie than most books will tell you in a lifetime. The timing and power behind his screen presence are unreal. He has no limit to the genre of characters he can become
and has done this for decades. My underground Kingsley favorite is "House of Sand and Fog" where he plays a misunderstood Iranian man coping with the tribulations of life. He is also brilliant in many others so google him and rent anything he's been in and you will not be disappointed.
3) Kevin Spacey
Mr. Spacey makes this slot in my mind based on two performances. He is a manipulative criminal minded genius in both "Seven" and "Usual Suspects." Kevin Spacey has a very suttle way about his method acting as you never know whether or not he is plotting on killing someone or saving their life. To tell you the truth I haven't seen a lot of his earlier work but all of the movies I've seen have been brilliant. He has a very original voice which I think further separates him from the pack, so distinguishable, in particular when he is doing a narrative sequence. Spacey is just ridiculously good and may be high on this list for some but in my opinion one of the most underrated actors ever.
4) Merly Streep
Meryl is so amazing on screen. I recently watched her in "Out of Africa" a movie I hadn't seen for 10 years in which she plays an English woman that runs a coffee plantation in colonial Kenya. In this film her range of emotion is unlimited and engages you from start to finish. She has a nearly bottomless resume but I think her best performances are in "Out of Africa" and "The Manchurian Candidate" a political thriller and remake of a 60's film that starring Frank Sinatra. Streep shuns other actors on camera but instead of just upstaging them she brings out the best in her co-workers making the screenplays far better than they could be anticipated. This isn't just the actress your mother loves she is a living legend and should seen as such.
5) Al Pacino
Pacino is a legendary actor and there isn't really much need for explanation. "Scarface", "Serpico", "Donnie Brasco", "Carlitos Way", the list goes on and on. If you haven't seen any of the "Godfather" movies stop what you are doing take a day off and rent the trilogy. If you don't know about this guys track record already your probably not much of a movie fan anyway. If I'm not sure what i want to download or rent I just get a Pacino movie for its a sure shot to be awesome.
6) Robert Deniro
Its scary how sturdy Deniro is on screen. He has a grace about him which is odd for the fact he usually is playing a criminal boss or some type of crafty person that can easily murder something. Deniro has been on point since the 70's holding his own with the best in the business. Some of my underground Deniro favorites include "Ronin" and "Cape Fear". These movies may be well known to people around my age but foreign to some of the younger folks, Check them out and witness this man's greatness.
7) Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp can play a quirky roll to a tee or a serious role as well as anyone out there. He is also the only guy out there better looking than I am (lol). His portrayal of Hunter S. Thompson in "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas" is pure genius and my personal favorite. He can put himself so deep into character that you forget that who your watching at times. I remember laughing at this guy as a kid watching "21Jumpstreet" and now millions line up to watch anything he is in. Depp is a brilliant actor and I think the best of his generation for he has done films that appeal to a huge range of audiences and is always entertaining.
8) Jack Nicholson
Jack has a gang of legendary one liners that make film history in a single sentence. He's been doing it for decades making us laugh and jump out of are seats with his quick and unexpected rants. "The Shining" is his best movie according to myself however the list is extensive and he can appear for just minutes in a movie and make the whole film a classic. I would say what makes him so good is that even in the later years of his career he remains cool and relevant. A true Hollywood Icon and classy dude, Jack Nicholson is the man period.
9) Christopher Walken
This is the strangest man alive in my opinion. He is fascinating in the way he delivers his speeches on film with such ease. He could stare down the devil with his stone cold faces as he has mastered a signature look that works for him whether he portrays a hero or a villain. A must see Walken movie you probably don't know about is "Communion" in which he plays American writer Whitley Strieber who goes to his cabin for the weekend and gets abducted by aliens. He always has one scene in a movie that brings the film together and for his originality and off demeanor alone he deserves to be on the list. Christopher Walken is an enigma in himself and not for everybody but definitely a rare talent.
10) Clint Eastwood
I have to put Clint on the list just for his longevity alone. He is at his best in Westerns but has been great later on in his career playing grumpy old characters that come of age assisting younger people find themselves and him finding new life in the process. My favorite Eastwood role is in "Unforgiven" where he liberates a town from corruption. Eastwood is "the" one man army and has to be the smoothest and most nonchalant good guy with a bad streak in Hollywood history. Clint Eastwood has always played that character that is gonna get you if you get on his bad side and won't flinch when he's shooting. Watch some old Eastwood flicks there a lot of fun.
That's my Top 10 actors list which is obviously up for debate and that's what this is all about. I look forward to the comments and seeing who is on your Top10.
No comments:
Post a Comment