5 Best Film Performances of the 21st Century

[coolkirb]

Alan Rickman is far better then Daniel Radcliff, Daniel appeared far too whiney for me and made me just hate the charecter, Rickman did an amazing job as snape.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Really? 11 years into the century and we are already doing this? And it's made even worse by the fact that all these lists contain almost nothing but major hollywood movies. I haven't watched many independent or foriegn films myself, but it really shows something about the breadth of your tastes when all your best performances are from American, major motion pictures. At least try to have some logic and say something like "best performances of the decade" or something...

Thats creepy how our <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.307422-5-Best-Film-Performances-of-the-21st-Century#12384107>posts started the same way.

 

[antigodoflife]

MOVIES:
1.) Ryan Reynolds - Buried
2.) Christian Bale - The Machinist
3.) Ivana Baquero - Pan's Labyrinth
4.) Sean Penn - I Am Sam
5.) Dakota Fanning - I Am Sam

TV:
1.) David Duchovny - Californication
2.) Sean Bean - Game of Thrones
3.) Michael C. Hall - Six Feet Under
4.) Evan Handler - Californication
5.) Michael C. Hall - Dexter

 

[Hides His Eyes]

Really? 11 years into the century and we are already doing this? And it's made even worse by the fact that all these lists contain almost nothing but major hollywood movies. I haven't watched many independent or foriegn films myself, but it really shows something about the breadth of your tastes when all your best performances are from American, major motion pictures. At least try to have some logic and say something like "best performances of the decade" or something...

Why is it illogical to ask about the best performances of the century so far? If I ask about the decade then I cut off 2010 and 2011. As for independent or foreign films, I don't know what your point is. It's sad that most people watch mostly big-budget American films so we shouldn't discuss our favourite films performances?

Although, on the subject of foreign language films, Ivana Baquero in Pan's Labyrinth is pretty much interchangeable with anyone on my list except Ledger

 

[BristolBerserker]

Just thought of another brilliant performance. Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker in In The Loop. Brilliant acting and inventive uses of swearing, making threats and insulting americans.

 

[Stall]

Why is it illogical to ask about the best performances of the century so far? If I ask about the decade then I cut off 2010 and 2011. As for independent or foreign films, I don't know what your point is. It's sad that most people watch mostly big-budget American films so we shouldn't discuss our favourite films performances

Because the decade is only fucking 11 years old. It's not "best performances so far" or something... but "best performances". You are basically making objective statements over 89 years of film that has yet to exist. Even further, if you cut off 2010 and 2011, why wouldn't you say "best of the previous decade"? That statement is not only airtight and less illogical, but makes a whole lot more sense than "best of the century".

And good for you... you can name off one actor from a highly mainstream foreign film. Should I be impressed? It just strikes me as rather... ironic when people try to make statements about the "best whatever" in films when they have only watch one kind of film. I don't watch many other types of film either, so I don't try to make statements about the "best" since I know I might be missing amazing performances. It's just funny when people think they can have some kind of opinion on films with they barely even watch them.

 

[Last Hugh Alive]

Just thought of another brilliant performance. Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker in In The Loop. Brilliant acting and inventive uses of swearing, making threats and insulting americans.

Holy shit, I love that movie! Thanks for reminding me. I wish Jamie's character got more screen time though.

Anyway, this is my list, in no real order:

Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
Alan Rickman - Harry Potter

 

[Just_A_Glitch]

Okay, I'll try my hand at this.

Sam Rockwell in Moon.
Natalie Portman in Black Swan.
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler.
Sergi López i Ayats in Pan's Labyrinth.
Christian Bale in The Machinist.

Its hard to not put Heath Ledger on this list. It really is. But, while he gave his life for that role, the rest of these folks performed just as well, and are still around to do more. Sorry Heath, you're number six.

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Jack Nicholson - About Schmidt
Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose

 

[Hides His Eyes]

Why is it illogical to ask about the best performances of the century so far? If I ask about the decade then I cut off 2010 and 2011. As for independent or foreign films, I don't know what your point is. It's sad that most people watch mostly big-budget American films so we shouldn't discuss our favourite films performances

Because the decade is only fucking 11 years old. It's not "best performances so far" or something... but "best performances". You are basically making objective statements over 89 years of film that has yet to exist. Even further, if you cut off 2010 and 2011, why wouldn't you say "best of the previous decade"? That statement is not only airtight and less illogical, but makes a whole lot more sense than "best of the century".

And good for you... you can name off one actor from a highly mainstream foreign film. Should I be impressed? It just strikes me as rather... ironic when people try to make statements about the "best whatever" in films when they have only watch one kind of film. I don't watch many other types of film either, so I don't try to make statements about the "best" since I know I might be missing amazing performances. It's just funny when people think they can have some kind of opinion on films with they barely even watch them.

There are so many problems with this post that I don't know where to start.

Ok.

Yes, it IS "best performances so far" because I said it was, and it's my thread. I am interested in hearing people's favourite performances of the 21st century up to this point. I am not interested in the 89 years we haven't had yet. And if you want to make a thread about people's favourite performances from 2000 to 2009 then go and make one.

And the "statement" in my original post is not illogical, it makes perfect sense, you just don't like the idea of it for some reason that I confess I still don't understand.

And no, of course you shouldn't be "impressed" that I can name an actor from a foreign film. What the hell kind of pretentious person even thinks in those terms?

Next: big-budget American films are not "one kind of film". My list of five included a historical drama, a biopic drama, a crime thriller, a psychological horror-drama sort of thing, and an action film which was also a superhero film, yet another type. Just because they all came from the big-budget film industry does not make them the same type of film, and does not make my taste narrow.

Naturally I expect people to limit their answers to films they have actually seen. If all those films happen to be Hollywood films then fine, that's not exactly surprising is it? If it includes a bunch of independent European films, that's great too. Everyone's opinion is limited by their experience, that's just common sense. Even if someone had only seen one film and they simply chose five of the actors in that film, their opinion would be perfectly valid. Probably not worth a whole lot to most of us, but nothing to get pissed off about.

If you're a troll, consider your mission accomplished.

EDIT: Oh and where on earth did you get "objective statements" from? I thought I made it pretty clear this was a thread about people's opinions. Apparently not clear enough.

 

[Alkali]

Sean Biggerstaff; not as Oliver Wood in HP.
But as Ben Willis in Cashback

 

[alandavidson]

Mark Strong - Revolver
Brad Pitt - Snatch
Alan Rickman - Harry Potter Franchise
Heath Ledger - The Dark Night
Chloe Moretz - Kick Ass

There are so many more that I could put on here, but I'm limited to five. Sad day.

 

[Hides His Eyes]

I agree that Heath Ledger deserves to be in the top best film performances of the 21st century but I doubt people would put him in the top 5 if it weren't for his death...I mean what about the guy who played Rorschach in Watchmen? He also did just as good a job I reckon.

On the other hand though I suppose we'll never know what we'd of thought of Heath Ledger's role as the joker if he hadn't died.

Not to sound like a smart-arse or argumentative for the sake of it, but I'm pretty sure my opinion would be exactly the same if he was still alive. People need to watch the film and forget about everything outside the film, including his death, and they'll see.

Rorschach was a great performance but as far as I'm concerned, not even close to the Joker.

 

[I Have No Idea]

Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood
Sam Rockwell in Moon
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker
Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad (TV)
Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men
Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man
Everyone in Crash

 

[Mr Thin]

Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Alan Rickman - Galaxy Quest (that's right, bitches, he was great in HP, but even better in GQ)
Johnny Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean

Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men

Did you hear he's going to be Roland Deschain in the Dark Tower adaptation *drool*

And finally... oh, the agony of decision!

I'm gonna have to roll with Christian Bale in The Machinist. What a performance.

Mark Strong - Revolver

Such great acting, such an enjoyable movie to watch... and such a TERRIBLE ending. That film really pissed me off.

 

[Genixma]

Jim Carrey: Joel Barish, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Heath Ledger: The Joker or Tony, The Dark Knight or Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Johnny Depp: Sweeney Todd or J.M. Barrie,Sweeney Todd or Finding Neverland
Jackie Earl Haley: Rorscach Watchmen
Ewan McGregor/Albert Finnery: Edward Bloom, Big Fish

 

[Hides His Eyes]

I think the latest on the Dark Tower is, tragically, that it's not happening after all Barden would have been a great Roland, although Viggo Mortensen would have been my first choice.

 

[zephae]

Mark Strong - Revolver

I loved that movie and couldn't for the life of me understand why it was so poorly reviewed.

 

[emeraldrafael]

...

Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men

Did you hear he's going to be Roland Deschain in the Dark Tower adaptation *drool*

...

<url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Tower_%28series%29#Film_adaptation>I'm pretty <url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/jul/19/dark-tower-adaptation-plans-crumble>sure they <url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a330504/dark-tower-movie-adaptation-rejected-by-universal.html>dropped that.

its highly doubtful to be picked back up as well.