Best ACTING in film

[Matt]

Don't beat me up too hard on this, but...

Keanu Reeves in 'The Gift'.

[FilmNerdJamie]

Never saw it. For me, he's never topped his work in 'The Abyss' or 'Pollack'. He's one of my all time favorite actors.

When I hear Avatar defenders say, "Yeah...Cameron's never been that good a writer!" (to defend the bland/shittiness of that overrated piece of crap). All I have to do is point to Harris trying to resuscitate Mastrantonio and that's the end of the argument.

[Nathan]

Don't beat me up too hard on this, but...

Keanu Reeves in 'The Gift'.

He was frightening. Believably so.

[Matt]

When I hear Avatar defenders say, "Yeah...Cameron's never been that good a writer!" (to defend the bland/shittiness of that overrated piece of crap). All I have to do is point to Harris trying to resuscitate Mastrantonio and that's the end of the argument.

If 'The Abyss' had been THE HIT that it should have been, Ed would have gotten nominated AND that would have been the clip that they showed when his name got mentioned.

ME Mastrontonio was also fantastic.

[Nathan]

If 'The Abyss' had been THE HIT that it should have been, Ed would have gotten nominated AND that would have been the clip that they showed when his name got mentioned.

ME Mastrontonio was also fantastic.

That too.

[Howard]

When I hear Avatar defenders say, "Yeah...Cameron's never been that good a writer!" (to defend the bland/shittiness of that overrated piece of crap). All I have to do is point to Harris trying to resuscitate Mastrantonio and that's the end of the argument.

That's a credit to Harris' acting, not Cameron's writing.

[FilmNerdJamie]

That's a credit to Harris' acting, not Cameron's writing.

Cameron wrote the scene and set up that dynamic between that couple with that story.

[FilmNerdJamie]

Speaking of...didn't Harris and Mastrantonio refuse to do press because of how bad things got on the set with Cameron?

[BillyG]

Duvall not followed by The Godfather equals massive fail. He is so goddamn good in The Godfather.

[B_Metal]

Agreed on 'Lonesome Dove', but I'm gonna have to disagree on 'The Apostle'. I had to turn that one off due to his over-acting in it...it was very overdone to the nth degree, in my opinion.

For my money, Duvall's best moment was in 'the Great Santini'.

I'm guessing not a lot of experience with crazy southern baptists? Because he was damn near spot on with some of the loons I've seen. But diff strokes/folks and all. And yes Duvall was great in Santini and Open Range.

[Matt]

Speaking of...didn't Harris and Mastrantonio refuse to do press because of how bad things got on the set with Cameron?

I remember seeing a Rolling Stone article featuring ME Mastrantonio about a month before 'The Abyss' came out. They were praising the film in advance, and specifically praising her work in it and talking about how it would advance her career. It's funny to remember that considering how much she absolutely HATED that experience. Her lack of participation in the making of documentary (on the laserdisc and DVD) is telling. It's also a credit to Ed Harris that he DID participate in it, bad experience and all.

[B_Metal]

Duvall not followed by The Godfather equals massive fail. He is so goddamn good in The Godfather.

I think that one is a given though and thus less likely in need of pointing out.

[FilmNerdJamie]

And the fact that Duvall wasn't in Godfather III is the fuck-up of fuck-ups.

[BillyG]

Duvall wanting more money than god to be in Godfather III was the fuck-up of fuck-ups.

[FilmNerdJamie]

Yeah, but wasn't Duvall's career in the best position circa 1989 to justify demanding it?