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Your favourite acting performances


Murtz

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Billy Bob Thorton in Slingblade, he's unrecognisable, brilliant performance, brilliant film...i've added this one because more people need to see it.

 

As this aint neccessarily about film, i'll add some TV...TV characters are built over a much longer period of time so i find that you get much more involved with them:

 

Michael Chiklis/Forrest Whitaker/Walton Goggins - The Shield - I could include a couple more actors from The Shield, but these 3 stand out, Chiklis for 7 seasons brought to life the most intense character ive ever known in TV, the fact that show is kind of shot in documentary-like style and the actors make it feel so real makes it commendable, best show ever.

 

Ian McShane in Deadwood - Al Swearengen, that's all i need to say.

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Billy Bob Thorton in Slingblade, he's unrecognisable, brilliant performance, brilliant film...i've added this one because more people need to see it.

 

As this aint neccessarily about film, i'll add some TV...TV characters are built over a much longer period of time so i find that you get much more involved with them:

 

Michael Chiklis/Forrest Whitaker/Walton Goggins - The Shield - I could include a couple more actors from The Shield, but these 3 stand out, Chiklis for 7 seasons brought to life the most intense character ive ever known in TV, the fact that show is kind of shot in documentary-like style and the actors make it feel so real makes it commendable, best show ever.

 

Ian McShane in Deadwood - Al Swearengen, that's all i need to say.

 

Walton Goggins should be everyone's hero. Brilliant in The Shield and Justified as well. Didn't do enough in Predators!

 

I think Billy Bob Thornton is ace, Friday Night Lights is one of my favorite performances from him.

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Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen Ross is amazing (its easy to forget how good a serious actor he was because of the quality of his comedy work), Val Kilmer in Tombstone, Peter Sellers in Being There, Pacino in Dog Day afternoon, Every single performance by John Cazale (Sad that he made so few films but must surely have the most perfect acting CV of all time)

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Michael Chiklis/Forrest Whitaker/Walton Goggins - The Shield - I could include a couple more actors from The Shield, but these 3 stand out, Chiklis for 7 seasons brought to life the most intense character ive ever known in TV, the fact that show is kind of shot in documentary-like style and the actors make it feel so real makes it commendable, best show ever.

 

I agree with all of that. I'd add Anthony Anderson as well. Antwon Mitchell was one of the best tv heels ever. "When I say "suck my dick", you say "should I lick your balls, daddy?". Legend.

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I might post more later, but these ones just occur to me off the bat (trying to avoid the big performances that you'd associate with these threads):

 

Dermot Morgan as Father Ted Crilly in "Father Ted" - considering he was an untrained actor, Morgan is unforgettable in the lead role in what I consider the greatest television sitcom of all time. He is perfect for the part and manages to convey all of the characteristics that are endowed to Ted perfectly: there is an inherent likeability, charm and irreverence. Ardal O'Hanlon plays off him superbly as Dougal.

 

Ralph Fiennes as Harry Waters in '"In Bruges" - he doesn't appear on screen until near the end of the film, but for the entire running time preceding his arrival, you are very much given the clear impression that Harry is a complete and utter arsehole. He doesn't disappoint, and his rage is delightful. People always remember (and rightly so) the "YOU'RE AN INANIMATE FUCKING OBJECT!!" line, but my personal favourite is in his sweary exchange with Ken: "RETRACT THAT BIT ABOUT MY CUNT FUCKING KIDS! WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?!"

 

Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker in "The Thick of It" - the show is heavily lauded for the swearing on display, but it would all be a pointless exercise without Capaldi, who is genuinely terrifying and intimidating as Tucker.

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Ralph Fiennes as Harry Waters in '"In Bruges" - he doesn't appear on screen until near the end of the film, but for the entire running time preceding his arrival, you are very much given the clear impression that Harry is a complete and utter arsehole. He doesn't disappoint, and his rage is delightful. People always remember (and rightly so) the "YOU'RE AN INANIMATE FUCKING OBJECT!!" line, but my personal favourite is in his sweary exchange with Ken: "RETRACT THAT BIT ABOUT MY CUNT FUCKING KIDS! WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?!"

I thought that was a great performance, but it felt like a carbon copy of Ben Kingsley's 'Don' character in Sexy Beast, which I thought was much better.

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I like Stallone in Rocky and agree it was good acting but I always thought the end part of First Blood where Rambo has the break down and starts talking about his troops and Johnny. Real nice and touching scene after the nice film gore. Very good performance from Sly.

 

Colin Farrell in Phonebooth. I always thought this film would be as boring as shit but Farrell's performance as a cocky prick into a desperate man is utterly compelling and very well played.

 

Steve Martin in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Actually I can put John Candy in this as well. Both men had good solid roles and both played them superbly. The ending is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in a Steve Martin film.

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Neil Patrick Harris- How I Met Your Mother. NPH carries that show as Barney.

 

In movies, Ryan Reynolds in Just Friends and Jason Segal in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Both basically play the lovable heartbroken loser, but it's more impressive coming from Reynolds because he's often the cool, funny guy.

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My answer to this question probably changed every time I think about it, but...

 

I think my single favourite performance ever is Robert Mitchum in The Yakuza, which I should have mentioned in the Underrated thread. There's a scene in the film where he returns to Japan and encounters the love of his life who he'd had to leave behind 30 years before, which is simply breath-taking, and brings tears to the most heartless eyes.

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