All good so far.
And I should have mentioned Viggo Mortensen. He’s played everything, and he’s played it well.
That’s where I knew him from. It was driving me nuts when I watched Juno. Yeah, he is good.
Amy Adams. Every time I see her perform, I think “She’s a star”.
Michael Caine. Peter O’Toole.
That’s all I got for now.
J.
Oliver Platt.
Seconded on J.K. Simmons. Funny that you mention you haven’t seen Oz, because his character on that show was really pretty scary (Nazi skinhead, gang leader), which is starkly different in tone from the lighter, more humorous roles he’s had in movies for the last few years. He’s got range.
I’ve also been noticing the work of Josh Brolin lately – Grindhouse, American Gangster, No Country for Old Men. He’s always good, and now he’s playing the title role in W. I think he’s starting to break through as an A lister.
I like him too. He’s currently in Burn After Reading, and although he doesn’t have a huge part, he gets the best lines. In fact, the whole movie seems like a lead-up for him to deliver a couple of great one-liners at the end. He’s terrific.
How could I forget Chris Cooper. Lone Star, Adaptation…he’s always brilliant.
I nominate George Kennedy. He was the butler in Bolero . He was Huds friend in jail. He has done everything in between.
If you like Simmons, Marley23, I’d strongly recommend OZ (that is, if you’ve got a strong stomach. A lot of the stuff on OZ ain’t for kiddies). By far his most amazing performance. Of course, I’m the resident OZ fanatic and totally obsessed with it, and I squee whenever I see the actors in anything, so I’m a bit biased. But J.K. Simmons’ Schillinger has got to be one of the scariest characters ever put on television. One of my favorite scenes is when he’s being interviewed by a documentary filmmaker, and he’s saying to the camera, “I know how you people are going to represent me. Like some sort of fanatic. But I’m a family man, a man who believes in America.” We know he’s a rapist, murdering white supremacist, but he knows exactly what to say and how to sell himself.
Another actor who, coincidentally, was one of Simmons’ castmates on OZ is Bobby Cannavale. He’s been great in everything I’ve seen him in, and he’s usually the best part of whatever show he’s on. Of course, in my opinion he’s never been better as the amoral transvestite Torquemada who has a glass eye and a penchant for hallucinogens from OZ, but like I said, I’m biased.
Oh, and Robert Duvall.
Also excellent in the recent Breach, about a self-loathing FBI turncoat.
For your consideration: Alan Rickman.
I haven’t seen everything he’s done, but I love the variety of things I have seen him in and have never been disappointed (by him).
Quigley Down Under, Die Hard, Sense and Sensibility, Galaxy Quest, Love Actually, Harry Potter.
Plus one. I’ve not seen Jeremy Piven in a bad role, either.
Cate Blanchett. She’s head and shoulders above most of her peers. Always impressive.
Ian McShane has to be added to this list, he’s so good, no matter what.
J.K. Simmons and Sam Rockwell are both favorites of mine. Sam stole the show in Galaxy Quest, and he was going against Alan Rickman!
Also Kate Winslet.
Please see Truly, Madly, Deeply, even if you don’t usually go to romantic movies.
Emma Thompson.
Yes! I’m seeing a ton of the usual suspects here but Oliver Platt is a good one. A truly underappreciated actor.
Another vote for Sam Rockwell.
Also, Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, and the best actor without an Oscar, Jeff Bridges (of course, that’s just, like, my opinion, man).
Or remember the time the big city Mayor was in the OZ hospital. This was a guy Schillinger worshiped. But when Schillinger went to visit him in the hospital, the Mayor totally dressed him down. Simmon’s reaction was amazing. Very real.
I’ll never forget that scene.