Best actor of the 90's and 00's

[CutsLikeDrugS]

This conversation was started in another thread but I think it deserves its own. I put forward...

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Love Liza, Capote, Happiness)
Gael Garcia Bernal (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Amores Perros, The Motorcycle Diaries)
Denzel Washington (Training Day, Malcom X, Philadelphia)
Don Cheadle (Traffic, Hotel Rwanda, The Assassination of Richard Nixon)
Ed Norton (American History X, Rounders, 25th Hour)

[jusscali]

ed norton, william h. macy, or don cheadle i think should get it .

seymoure's stock is rising, but i think norton is the top dog imo

[CutsLikeDrugS]

ed norton, william h. macy, or don cheadle i think should get it .

seymoure's stock is rising, but i think norton is the top dog imo
I'd go as far as to say, see Love Liza and then try and say PSH isn't the best American actor of the 90's 00s.

[jaimej]

I'm a huge Ed Norton fan.

[dekdog11]

PSH's role in Along Came Polly still makes me laugh, mainly the sharting line.
But I agree, he is one of the best.

[jusscali]

PSH's role in Along Came Polly still makes me laugh, mainly the sharting line.
But I agree, he is one of the best.
without question. it was actually hard to believe that after his role in red dragon as some pee-on alongside norton, that he turned out as great as he has. although capote was rather slow he was amazing. i will say though that i wish he had split it with, shit i cant remember his name, but good night and good luck, because that man become edward murrow to the blink of an eye.

[irthesteve]

i don't think there is a such thing as the best.

that being said, i feel like i really like every character that Jason Lee has done

[Broken Parachute]

Adam Sandler I would have to say. How many good movies has he made in the 90's? Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, etc.

[cantnokdahustle]

GARY OLDMAN

there is absolutely no contest

second to GO(d) is Tim Roth

[aheroinmyeyes]

but i think norton is the top dog imo
agreed.

[Broken Parachute]

GARY OLDMAN

there is absolutely no contest

second to GO(d) is Tim Roth

Good call.

[SonnyBertGerard]

I liked Johnny Depp in Cry Baby...

[hobbes2809]

Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman

[cantnokdahustle]

I liked Johnny Depp in Cry Baby...

everyone must see Cry Baby!

[SonnyBertGerard]

everyone must see Cry Baby!

After this movie, I wanted to be a Drape.

[Blake Solomon]

The Rock

[Blake Solomon]

edit: Vin Diesel

[TheByrus]

no one beats kevin spacey.

[preppyak]

Adam Sandler I would have to say. How many good movies has he made in the 90's? Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, etc.
haha...except they are all the same role. Look at any legit actor and the variety of their roles.

I'm a huge Ed Norton fan.
He's up there...he's had some amazing roles.

[preppyak]

no one beats kevin spacey. My list goes:

1.PSH
2. Don Cheadle
3. Tom Hanks
4.Kevin Spacey
5. Morgan Freeman
6. Ed Norton
7. Nicolas cage
8. Adrien Brody

[Broken Parachute]

My list goes:

1.PSH
2. Don Cheadle
3. Tom Hanks
4.Kevin Spacey
5. Morgan Freeman
6. Ed Norton
7. Nicolas cage
8. Adrien Brody

Good good call.

[preppyak]

I liked Johnny Depp in Cry Baby...
Depp has good variety, but he has a few weaker parts I can think of (Secret Window, Charlie)

[preppyak]

Good good call. Yeah, someone listed him earlier, I almost forgot him.

He takes a terrible role (The Terminal, Cast Away) and makes it amazing

Hotel Rwanda is the only reason Cheadle is over Hanks for me...he's just so powerful in that.

[jusscali]

edit: Vin Diesel
ahahahhaha everytime you post its a good thing for this site.

when i go to the movies i pay with boobies

[jusscali]

no one beats kevin spacey.
good point, i totally forgot about him.

[Broken Parachute]

Yeah, someone listed him earlier, I almost forgot him.

He takes a terrible role (The Terminal, Cast Away) and makes it amazing

Hotel Rwanda is the only reason Cheadle is over Hanks for me...he's just so powerful in that.

I agree. When I watched The Terminal I thought it was a dumb movie, but I could see how perfect Tom Hanks was for the role. He legitimately looked like a foreigner and he spoke so perfect. I thought he was fantastic in Apollo 13. Just shows you he can take a serious part or a comical part and make it into a great movie.

[jusscali]

Good good call.
yeah but i think tom hanks transcends the 90's, 2000, hes one of the greatest of all time.

the mentioning of brody was a good thing as well.

[preppyak]

I agree. When I watched The Terminal I thought it was a dumb movie, but I could see how perfect Tom Hanks was for the role. He legitimately looked like a foreigner and he spoke so perfect. I thought he was fantastic in Apollo 13. Just shows you he can take a serious part or a comical part and make it into a great movie.
Yeah, Catherina Zeta Jones was terrible in the Terminal...it was basically just Tom Hanks outacting everyone else

[jusscali]

I agree. When I watched The Terminal I thought it was a dumb movie, but I could see how perfect Tom Hanks was for the role. He legitimately looked like a foreigner and he spoke so perfect. I thought he was fantastic in Apollo 13. Just shows you he can take a serious part or a comical part and make it into a great movie.
believe it or not i really enjoyed the terminal.

[Broken Parachute]

Yeah, Catherina Zeta Jones was terrible in the Terminal...it was basically just Tom Hanks outacting everyone else

They kind of screwed her. She got the shittiest lines in that movie. Horrible acting too.

believe it or not i really enjoyed the terminal.

I did too haha I saw it in the movies with 3 of my friends and we all hated it. Then I saw it again on HBO one night and I kind of liked it a little more.

[Spooky]

Gary Oldman is absolutly sick.. who said him gets a thumbs up.

Johnny Depp for just the range of roles he plays...

I super like Adrian Brody, but he hasn't done enough roles I've seen for me to say he's the best.

[TheByrus]

adrian brody comes in close second to kevin spacey.

[preppyak]

believe it or not i really enjoyed the terminal.
it's a cute story, and it has some highlights, but there were parts (anything involving Zeta Jones) where I hated it. It's one of those movies i'd watch on TV, but now own or rent

[preppyak]

I super like Adrian Brody, but he hasn't done enough roles I've seen for me to say he's the best.
true...but for the Pianist and the Village alone, I like his work.

[Base3Studd]

keifer sutherland

[fight4urdemons]

It really does have to be Ed Norton. Best actor of his generation.

[jusscali]

adrian brody comes in close second to kevin spacey.
i love him, but i think he has some shit to prove as well. a couple more roles. after the pianist im sure he has one more amazing performance in him.

[jusscali]

keifer sutherland
booo to that. 2nd rate fox television star is nowhere near in the league of some of these great actors. he wont even touch his father when its all said and done.

[jusscali]

It really does have to be Ed Norton. Best actor of his generation.
i mean look at the diversity in his roles

primal fear
then american history X
then red dragon (i think i like red dragon better than silence because i prefer him to foster by a mile)
and then of course fight club

amazing range

[Broken Parachute]

keifer sutherland

Just because he's in 24?

[Base3Studd]

booo to that. 2nd rate fox television star is nowhere near in the league of some of these great actors. he wont even touch his father when its all said and done.
you're right im just watching season 4 right now

[preppyak]

i mean look at the diversity in his roles

primal fear
then american history X
then red dragon (i think i like red dragon better than silence because i prefer him to foster by a mile)
and then of course fight club

amazing range
Throw Rounders and 25th hour in there as well

[jusscali]

you're right im just watching season 4 right now
lol oh alright i didnt want to burst your bubble, although im sure there are some real uneducated 24 fans who really believe it

[Base3Studd]

i think dicaprio has gotta be up there

[jusscali]

Throw Rounders and 25th hour in there as well
i never even got ot see 25th hour, shit.

i love rounders, a fucking classic

[jusscali]

i think dicaprio has gotta be up there
i think hes gotten the benefit of many roles, but i dont necessarily think hes ever been any good in any of them

[jusscali]

believe it or not, i think brad pitts acting ability may be slightly underrated. hes dont alot of good things

seven
snatch
fight club as well
the fairly medium size roles in the ocean films

i just think hes real good too

[Base3Studd]

he has the last several years, but i thought he was awesome in Basketball Diaries and What's Eating Gilbert Grape

[fight4urdemons]

Yeah, Norton kicks ass. Such a clever actor. I can see him achieving De Niro status someday. Di Caprio is underrated.

[jusscali]

Yeah, Norton kicks ass. Such a clever actor. I can see him achieving De Niro status someday. Di Caprio is underrated.
oh he deff will because i truly believe he has been the greatest actor of his generation. it will be real interesting to see how many of these younger than middle aged guys will hang around until theya re old like the deniros or even the paul newmans and shit.

cool hand luke is the shit!

[ShallowDepths]

Joseph Gordon Levitt... though not there right now, will someday - make that list.
screw 3rd rock. if thats all you've seen you owe it to yourself to see him in Mysterious Skin and Brick.

[preppyak]

i think hes gotten the benefit of many roles, but i dont necessarily think hes ever been any good in any of them
agreed....all I have to say is Man in the Iron Mask, so bad.

[preppyak]

Joseph Gordon Levitt... though not there right now, will someday - make that list.
screw 3rd rock. if thats all you've seen you owe it to yourself to see him in Mysterious Skin and Brick.
haven't seen Brick, but I've heard he is amazing...so I'll have to find it

[TheByrus]

i love him, but i think he has some shit to prove as well. a couple more roles. after the pianist im sure he has one more amazing performance in him.

he was great in the jacket, king kong, and.....uh....angels in the outfield.

[TheByrus]

+ thin red line.

[jusscali]

he was great in the jacket, king kong, and.....uh....angels in the outfield.
he was real good in the jacket, also i loved him in summer of sam.

another couple of good actors that arent great but i like alot

mos def
john lequizamo (spelling), but in more serious roles
and believe it or not, if they find the right roles in the future for him, i think the rock could be a fairly good actor cuz hes just the man

[itsjdiggity]

Ving Rhames

[jusscali]

Ving Rhames
hell yes. second to samuel l jackson, he kicks a whole lotta ass.

[Broken Parachute]

Jack Black

[jusscali]

Jack Black
ill let you know once i see nacho libre

[preppyak]

ill let you know once i see nacho libre
the trailer looked good, whihc is hard because that style of acting is almost impossible to put in a trailer

[fluke182]

You can't really say PSH is the best actor of the 90's and 00's - he's essentially best supporting actor from these decades, because all he does is small roles or supporting shots. I think he's great, but you cannot compare him to people who consistently are leads. Please don't tell me the movies he has been leads in because I am aware of them.

My opinion - Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jim Carrey (his comedic work in the 90's was at least inspired and his work in the Truman Show and Man on the Moon verified him as a great actor), Tom Cruise (Even if a lot of it is action pieces, he's been consistently great), Kevin Spacey, Johnny Depp, Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman.

With that noted, Gary Oldman mainly played support, but I think he is much more electric in his roles than PSH ever has been. Oldman in Leon > PSH in anything. On another note, I think Terrence Howard is the next big actor. He's paid his dues with a lot of small roles and now his leads are starting to get him noticed. I just finished watching Animal, a straight to video movie, and he is uniformly excellent in it.

[preppyak]

My opinion - Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jim Carrey (his comedic work in the 90's was at least inspired and his work in the Truman Show and Man on the Moon verified him as a great actor), Tom Cruise (Even if a lot of it is action pieces, he's been consistently great), Kevin Spacey, Johnny Depp, Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman.
I disagree with Tom Cruise...I don't think he was a particularly good actor in his films...more so his looks and charm helped him become popular, and now his antics are tearing him down.

The rest of the names I agree with though.

And I see what you are saying about PSH, but I still believe that by the time 2010 rolls around, he will be THE guy from the late 90's and the entire 00's

[Broken Parachute]

Tom Cruise eats babies.

[CutsLikeDrugS]

You can't really say PSH is the best actor of the 90's and 00's - he's essentially best supporting actor from these decades, because all he does is small roles or supporting shots. I think he's great, but you cannot compare him to people who consistently are leads. Please don't tell me the movies he has been leads in because I am aware of them.

My opinion - Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jim Carrey (his comedic work in the 90's was at least inspired and his work in the Truman Show and Man on the Moon verified him as a great actor), Tom Cruise (Even if a lot of it is action pieces, he's been consistently great), Kevin Spacey, Johnny Depp, Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman.

With that noted, Gary Oldman mainly played support, but I think he is much more electric in his roles than PSH ever has been. Oldman in Leon > PSH in anything. On another note, I think Terrence Howard is the next big actor. He's paid his dues with a lot of small roles and now his leads are starting to get him noticed. I just finished watching Animal, a straight to video movie, and he is uniformly excellent in it.
PSH in Love Liza is better than any GO roll. Sorry.

[CutsLikeDrugS]

I disagree with Tom Cruise...I don't think he was a particularly good actor in his films...more so his looks and charm helped him become popular, and now his antics are tearing him down.

The rest of the names I agree with though.

And I see what you are saying about PSH, but I still believe that by the time 2010 rolls around, he will be THE guy from the late 90's and the entire 00's
Tom Cruise stole the show in Magnolia.

[SonnyBertGerard]

Depp has good variety, but he has a few weaker parts I can think of (Secret Window, Charlie)

What dissapointed me about Cry Baby was that Cry Baby's singing voice wasn't Johnny Depp's.

[fluke182]

PSH in Love Liza is better than any GO roll. Sorry.
Weird. I always heard Love Liza was incredibly mediocre, from friends, critics didn't particularly like it and IMDB has it at a 6.7 from the votes. I'll check it out, although I hope you've seen Leon, because Gary Oldman is absolutely a force in that movie. Shit, I'd say in his small time in True Romance he's better than 90% of PSH's roles. I'd like to add another, he hasn't been in a ton because he is incredibly choosy, but Daniel Day Lewis. Personally, between the Boxer, Gangs of New York and Last of the Mohicans (Especially Last of the Mohicans) he deserves the title because he is absolutely phenomenal in all three, but his other work is quality too (Even in the Crucible, which I did not like overall).

[preppyak]

Tom Cruise stole the show in Magnolia. true, and he was good in The Last Samurai and Vanilla Sky.

But he got outacted in Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men, he was too boying in Top Gun, I'm not even going to mention War of the Worlds, and now because of his outside personality, he has created this terrible persona in anything he acts in. MI:3, I basically assume the woman is Katie Holmes, and this is how he views his life.

Oh, add Collateral in, he was decent there, but Jamie Foxx owned him in it.

Basically, he has a long list of roles, but he seems quite hit or miss throughout them. Had he been better, he'd be probably our most prolific actor really

Edit: Wanted to add, Rainman was another movie where he was good, but not the best. Days of THunder however, he was good in. His variety is better than I had remembered...

[preppyak]

I'd like to add another, he hasn't been in a ton because he is incredibly choosy, but Daniel Day Lewis. Personally, between the Boxer, Gangs of New York and Last of the Mohicans (Especially Last of the Mohicans) he deserves the title because he is absolutely phenomenal in all three, but his other work is quality too (Even in the Crucible, which I did not like overall).
mmmm, good choice. Gangs of New York was a travesty of a movie, but he acted very well in it none the less. Last of the Mohicans, I just can't put words to his acting in it.

Excellent addition

[DroppedUrPocket]

Christopher Walken

[insidepunk]

Adam Sandler I would have to say. How many good movies has he made in the 90's? Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, etc.

I was thinking the same thing.

[preppyak]

I was thinking the same thing.
:shake:

Variety of roles wins you best actor stuff...not the same role with a different name. It was a great formula, but he is far from a great actor. He's good (Punch Drunk Love), but not great

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

um KEVIN SPACEY ANYONE?????

[Shatter_Glass]

Edward Norton.

[preppyak]

um KEVIN SPACEY ANYONE?????
he's been mentioned a few times