Moments of "Wow, Hell of an Actor"

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Gary Oldman in... pretty much anything he's ever done. One of the few actors that if I don't catch his name in the opening credits I may not even recognize him. There's "acting" and then there's "being", Mr. Oldman does the second every damn time.
Also Vincent Donofrio. One HELL of an actor who I feel doesn't get enough attention and has a tendency to also make me do a double take because he's so damn good.
Brad Pitt also is talented, and even though Nicolas Cage has made some pretty bad movies he still is a respectable actor. And props to him for taking part of his stage name from a comic book character.
Brandon Lee had so much potential dammit...
Garret Dillahunt from Raising Hope. Versatile actor, and underrated.
Matt Damon never struck me as an action star until the Bourne Identity where he absolutely killed that role... in a good way... never will see him the same after that.
And finally, FINALLY... the Rock for his role in Be Cool. Surprised the hell out of me.

EDIT: Honorable mentions go to Will Smith for his roles in both Seven Pounds and Pursuit of Happyness. The man can truly act when he puts his heart into it.
Also Josh Brolin for multiple roles in the last decade. To think he was once Mikey's (Sean Astin) older brother in Goonies
Oh and Bill Murray in Lost in Translation. Even tho I love the man's work I didn't think I'd actually enjoy that movie as much as I did.

 

[Juan Regular]

Emma Thompson and her portrayal of Karen Eiffel in Stranger Than Fiction was absolutely incredible. She nailed that character and really brought the movie together in my opinion.

Not an obvious choice but a good one. She was amazing.
'I don't need a nicotine patch, Penny. I smoke cigarettes.'

Great movie.

 

[Soxafloppin]

Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast, he plays Don Logan basically the most cockney person ever, which is funny because Kingsley is so well spoken in real life, but he is amazing in this movie. Its a cult film and more people need to see it.

Also Christian Bale in American Psycho, I can quote the "Huey Lewis" scene from start to finish I've watched it that many times.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Basically everyone in The Sopranos, except for AJ.

Some of my favourites...

Spoiler

Spoiler

Also Colin Farrel and Ralph Fiennes in In Bruges.

Spoiler

 

[WWmelb]

Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black.

Some scenes shes acting against a composite of 3 other characters all played by herself, and you can forget its actually the same actress.

Or the scenes where she plays one character thats poorly trying to act as one of her other characters.

Oh god yes. The scenes where she is playing one of her characters who is in turn pretending to be a different character are so fucking amazing. It sounds so confusing writing it down, but the way she pulls it off is incredible. The viewer is never once confused as to which character they are seeing, even when they are in disguise as each other.

Recently, I've got to say Bryan Cranston as Walter White.

To go from Hal, from Malcolm in the Middle, to a character like that.

And he pulls it off so fucking well.

Definitely. Especially in the scene just gone buy immediately after he

Spoiler

has abducted his daughter and done a runner and he calls his wife to threaten her

My god, i had always thought he was amazing, but that scene... that fucking scene. Cemented in my mind as one of the greatest acting moments ever. The threatening voice juxtaposed with the anguished and emotional physical appearance.. i was blown the fuck away.

Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd in Bug.

First thing i'd seen Michael Shannon in, actually pretty sure it was his first film, as he was in the original stage production this film was taken from. Fucking incredible. Until this movie, i had written Ashley Judd off as "barely competent" but wow it showed with the right person to act with and the write director, this woman can ACT dammit.

PS. I find it odd that the spell checker on this keeps telling me i spell things like favourite incorrectly, but "dammit" is a word.

 

[bossfight1]

I loved Liam Neeson in The Grey; mainly the bit after his swim in the river where he screams up at God for a bit of help. "Fuck faith! EARN IT!!"

There's also GTA 4, with the missions "That Special Someone" and "Mr. and Mrs. Bellic".

But I think there's one scene that deserves special mention.

 

[Strazdas]

Lanse Henriksen has managed to pul a swirling pit of scum that is called "Pit and the Pendulum" into a watchable movie. He is great in pretty much everything.
Chrostian Bale is also awesome and he was awesome before he was batman. Remmeber equalibrium, the machinist? yes?

 

[saoirse13]

Have to say (prob the most predictable) Robert DeNiro, in every movie he has been in especially Heat, Cape fear, the King of Comedy, Midnight Run, Deer Hunter and Night and the City

Dustin Hoffman is also one of the greatests. Kramer vs Kramer was one emotional and endearing films iv ever seen. Tootsie was fantastic. Not to mention Rainman and All the presidents men.

Others that make the "Wow one hell of an actor" Category are:
KRISTEN STEWART (HAHAHAHAHAHA JOKE)
Robert Redford
Paul Newman
Leonardo DiCaprio
Robert Downey Junior
Bryan Cranston
Kevin Costner
Carry Grant
Jane Levy (Evil dead Remake, she was pretty darn good)

 

[Angie7F]

Robert Deniro in Taxi Driver.
He has such crazy person eyes in it and it creeps me out an turn me on t the same time.
Along the same line is Ikuta Toma in Nouotoko.

Actually, I think Nouotoko is the ost exciting japanese movie I have seen in years because all the cast are simply amazing.

 

[ViridianV6]

Christopher Walken in The Deer Hunter.
His breakdown at the hospital after the Russian Roulette scene is sad and his complete dehumanisation afterwards are downright chilling.

Well deserved Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

 

[Jadak]

Or the scenes where she plays one character thats poorly trying to act as one of her other characters.

Those scenes are what really sell the acting quality. It's impressive enough to see a single scene with multiple characters played by the same woman and view them as completely distinct characters.

But, when you start getting those characters pretending to be each other with varying levels of success (or lack of), with glimpses of their 'selves' leaking through.. That's some impressive stuff.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Does voice acting count?

[spoiler: If so, then...]
In the Adventure Time episode "Holly Jolly Secrets", we get a glimpse into the Ice King's back story, and boy, is it dark.

He was once a mild-mannered archaeologist by the name of Simon Petkrov, who after buying a familiar-looking crown in Scandinavia, went to show his fiancee Betty, even putting it on his head as a joke... only to be assaulted by visions and voices, and when he finally took it off... he had done something so terrible that Betty, his "Princess" left him forever, slowly loosing his mind as time went on.

What cliches it for me is Tom Kenny as the Ice King/Simon Petrikov in that scene, as he is really what sells it, his anguish just tears at your heartstrings...

See for yourself, just skip ahead about a minute to get to that part.


[/spoiler]

 

[2clueless]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the HEATH LEDGER and his performance as the Joker.

Only he could put so much character he put into such a bastard nihilist, its amazing! Even in death he steals every scene in The Dark Knight.

How about Mark Hamill voice acting Joker in.. well, anything?

Also, recently watched a move called Ironclad. Paul Giamatti as King John. Specifically the castle courtyard scene late in the movie. I've liked Paul before, but that performance was quite powerful, to me.

 

[Icehearted]

Daniel Day-Lewis.

/thread

Sean Bean

Fuck yeah, Sean Bean is awesome.

He asked for moments, not just names, mate.

Daniel Day-Lewis, pretty much the whole second half of The Crucible. The confession scene was hard to watch brilliance.

Also want to add Robert De Niro in Awakenings, pretty much the entire movie, but when the efficacy L-Dopa begins to wear off...

...Robert Downey Jr in Chaplin. His performance was pretty much perfect.

 

[Adept Mechanicus]

Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor. That one scene where he tortures the Dalek was pretty much the moment when Doctor Who transformed from just a fun show to a great show in my eyes.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

I wasn't aware that voice actors also count! In that case I have to say Karen Strassman and Erin Fitzgerald.

Karen is really capable actress, but damn is she good at voice overs. She can play any accent, any character and still be recognizable for her sweet, soothing and motherly voice. Her performance as Aigis was just amazing, especially once you hear how she goes from emotionless robot to a real human being.

Erin is also an amazing voice actress. Her performance as Chie was half a reason I've fallen in love with the character. She's loud, energetic and even a little bit obnoxious. Not just that, but Erin can play literally anyone and you won't ever be able to recognize her.

 

[SanguiniusMagnificum]

Well, let's see.... Tom Cruise in "Thropic Thunder" and "Collateral". Just shows that you can be a great actor even if you are a batshit insane scientologist. Not everyone can play a fat, bald movie producer with a love for diet coke and temper tantrums AND a cold, ruthless, snarky, nihilistic assassin while retaining their movie carreer.

Hat off to you, Mr. Cruise. Now get of my damn couch, you crazy bastard!!!