Good actors... come back!!

[Monotreme]

I couldn't help but notice an extremely unfortunate trend in the movie business lately: We've got a slew of extremely talented actors who have delivered some of the best roles of the 90's-early 2000's and then... disappeared. For example:

Kevin Spacey at his peak had wonderful roles in high-quality projects such as The Usual Suspects, Se7en, L.A. Confidential, American Beauty, Pay It Forward, The Shipping News. Since 2003, the most he's done is a vanity project (Beyond the Sea), a crappy straight-to-DVD movie (Edison) and a favour for an old friend (Superman Returns). Most unfortunately, he doesn't seem to have any interesting projects slated for the future, and I ask: why?

Tom Hanks Is my personal favourite actor, and one of the most amazing ever to grace the screens. From his younger years in Big and Sleepless in Seattle through Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Toy Story, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Cast Away, Road to Perdition, Catch Me If You Can... the list goes on. But since 2002 (when Perdition and Catch Me were released), he's done two very average projects in which he delivered uninteresting performances (The Terminal and The Ladykillers), did voice work on a movie which he actually recorded many years before (The Polar Express), and starred in a big, boring, overdone piece of work in which his performance is one of the weakest of the film (The Da Vinci Code). Luckily, he has a few interesting projects on the rise, including Charlie Wilson's War and The Great Buck Howard.

Nicole Kidman Was at the top of her game in the early 2000's, with prestegious projects such as Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge, The Others, The Hours, Dogville, Cold Mountain, and others. Since 2003, she's starred in a string of mediocre to just plain terrible movies - from The Stepford Wives through The Interpreter through Bewitched. Luckily, she has some interesting projects on the horizon, including the Golden Compass movie, Noah Baumbach's new project, and some others. But for now, I'm really missing Nicole.

Julianne Moore Was also at quite a peak in the late 90's-early 2000's; Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, Magnolia, The Shipping News, The Hours, Far From Heaven... since then (2002) she's all but disappeared into small movies nobody even noticed came along like Trust the Man and The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio or just plain terrible fiascos like Laws of Attraction, The Forgotten, and Freedomland. Sure, we saw her in Children of Men but it was unfortunately an ever-so-brief appearance. Come back, Julianne!

Jodie Foster Has been missing for years - in the early 90's she was everything; The Accused, The Silence of the Lambs, Nell, Contact. Since 2002 (Panic Room, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys) and right up until this year, all she had was a cameo role - in Frech - in A Very Long Engagement. Sure, she was great in Inside Man but like Julianne, it was a small supporting role. Jodie, go back to starring - you're one of the most talented actresses around!

As you can see, there is a wide slew of talented actors and actresses who were at the peak of their careers and then just... disappeared into obscurity, nothingless or a dire lack of quality. Oh how I wish these actors would come back and be the centre of attention - they certainly deserve it, and I miss seeing them in interesting roles doing their thing as well as they did earlier. And I ask... why?

[Tuukka]

Jodie did Flightplan a year ago, which was a sizeable hit. But she has always worked sparsely, taking her time in between projects.

[Monotreme]

Well, I didn't mean financial success, as The Da Vinci Code was also a huge success. My concern derives from a notorious lack of good roles in great films with excellent acting from these huge talents.

[ComeNightfall]

I know that Kevin is concentrating on his theater roles in England and being the Artistic Director of the Old Vic. He's starring in A Moon for the Misbegotten in London, and is bringing it to New York next year. (And yes, I'm obsessed with this man so that's how I know). :D He's always loved theater more over acting, but yeah, he needs a really great movie role.

[bigred760]

I thought Tom Hanks actually "acted" in Polar Express - they just make it look the way it did for the movie.

Anyway, I think in the case of Hanks, Kidman, and Spacey - they've gone for the paychecks. Hanks for Da Vinci, Kidman for . . . practically everything, and Spacey for Supes. Jodie Foster hasn't done much since she won her second Oscar for Silence of the Lambs. She's done some directing and acting, but very little. She's gone a couple of kids now and has focused on that for the most part (good for her). Spacey has also tried the directing thing, no hurt in taking risks. As far as Julianne Moore goes, her most successful roles have been supporting roles, with mostly ensemble casts. When she headlines a movie on her own, not as good.

[ilovemovies]

Kevin Spacey was great in Superman Returns. Loved him in that movie. I also thought he was terrific in The Life of David Gale, which I quite liked. And I haven't seen it yet but I'm quite looking forward to the Edison Force.

I thought Tom Hanks was wonderful in The Terminal. A really great performance and such a criminally underrated gem. The Polar Express was also great and he did a great job in that.


Nicole Kidman gave one of her best performances in The Interpreter which I absolutely LOVED. It's a great political thriller. She and Sean Penn are amazing in it. And I know I'm the only one, but I really enjoyed Bewitched and I loved her in that movie.

Despite not having THAT much screen time (it's just a supporting role), I thought Jodie Foster was the best thing about Inside Man. She gave that movie a much needed boost of energy that was kinda missing from the rest of the movie.

Freedomland was a loser and Julianne Moore was actually annoying in that movie. But I loved her in The Forgotten. That movie was flawed but still pretty good IMO. Like a decent episode of The X-Files.

[bob]

I agree with this rant....the fact that I have barely thought about any of the mentioned actors cements their lack of relevancy.

[Scorpio24]

Ever thought they may have just semi-retired?

There is a general feeling in Hollywood that great scripts are more and more hard to come by.

You have these great actors that have covered a broad scope in their caeers, that are maybe waiting for a defining role to come along.

Better that than churn out a slew of mediorce films ,no?

[JackassFan]

Kevin Spacey is my fave actor, and I loved him in Superman returns. So I'm happy.

[powersauce]

2006 has been a less exciting year since there's not one Rachel McAdams movie although I understand she needed a break from that 2005 trifecta.

Thankfully, she's in the upcoming Marriage where she plays a femme fatale with a platinum blonde wig. *prepares drool bucket* I also hear she's Jon Favrau's first choice to cast in the role of Pepper in Iron Man. Plus, she's gonna be in The Time Traveler's Wife depending on who directs it.

[bigred760]

Originally posted by powersauce
2006 has been a less exciting year since there's not one Rachel McAdams movie although I understand she needed a break from that 2005 trifecta.

Thankfully, she's in the upcoming Marriage where she plays a femme fatale with a platinum blonde wig. *prepares drool bucket* I also hear she's Jon Favrau's first choice to cast in the role of Pepper in Iron Man. Plus, she's gonna be in The Time Traveler's Wife depending on who directs it.

Thanks for staying on topic.

[Scorpio24]

Originally posted by bigred760
Thanks for staying on topic.


Haha
:D

[Hannibal21]

Originally posted by bigred760
As far as Julianne Moore goes, her most successful roles have been supporting roles, with mostly ensemble casts. When she headlines a movie on her own, not as good.

I take it you haven't seen Safe, The End of the Affair, and Far From Heaven? :)

She does more than carry all three movies, and her performances in them are easily among the best to be offered in those respective years - FFH especially, she should've gotten the Oscar for that one. I personally think that even with all the mediocre-crap movies Moore has been doing lately, those performances alone (not to mention her incredible work in the P.T. Anderson pictures and other ensemble features) solidifies her position as the best actress working today. But, yeah, I have to agree that she should take on more challenging, emotionally demanding roles in high quality movies like she used to.

As a matter of fact I agree with this whole rant, almost word for word, and have two actresses to add:

Susan Sarandon - I consider her to be one of the very best actresses out there. In the early to mid 90's she was in her finest form, with so many terrific acting turns in stuff like White Palace, Thelma & Louise, The Client, Little Women, and above all Dead Man Walking. Now, some of those films aren't what I would consider great, but all her performances were and really helped to elevate them to a reasonably high level quality wise. But what has she really done since 2002's Igby Goes Down & Moonlight Mile? The Banger Sisters, Alfie, Shall We Dance, and Elizabethtown all ranged from mediocre to bad, and Sarandon was just relegated to rather thankless role in each and every one of them.

Michelle Pfeiffer - One of my all time favorite beauties and also underrated as an actress. Pfeiffer might not be the same league as some of the other performers mentioned here, but in my opinion she's much more than just a pretty face. She rocked my world with her late 80's-early 90's work, displaying a level of range in both contemporary roles & period pieces and made for an ideal Catwoman. How is it that she hasn't had a film role since doing voice work in 2003's Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas? I refuse to believe that she's already past her prime in both the looks and acting departments. I really, really miss her.

[Deadite914]

ok, here we go

Kevin Spacy - totally agree with you, Monotreme. this guy is one of my favorite actors of all time and his career is circling the drain. He needs to go back to the characters he played in seven, k-pax, american beauty and Usual suspects. I was greatly disapointed with not just his role i Superman Returns, but the whole movie i general.

Tom Hanks - I didn't think that his part in polor express was bad, nore were his roles in ladykillers or the terminal. I mean, there certinly not his best roles, but i found the Terminal to be an enjoyable movie, and ladykillers, although not as good as the original, was still a pritty good movie. but the da vinci, i would agree with you on. But, I don't think his career is down for the count.

Nichole Kidman - Even having seen the movies made in her peak, I was never really a fan of hers and I haven't payed much attention to her latest stuff. all though, I did see bewitched and thought it was a waste of time.

Julianne Moore - A great actress, I thought she was good in p.t anderson's flix as well as big lebowski. I didn't see the hours or Far from heaven, and haven't seen anything shes been in more resently. I don't know where she might be going now days.

Jodie Foster - she was great in taxi driver, silece of the lambs, panic room, etc... And as far as now days, I didn't think shes been half bad in Flight Plan or Inside man, although she is better in bigger roles, i will admit.

[Country1969]

Michelle Pfeiffer - always had a crush on her.
Chasing Montana (2008) (pre-production) (in talks)
Hairspray (2007) (filming) .... Velma Von Tussle
Stardust (2007) (post-production) .... Lamia
I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007) (completed) .... Rosie


Tom Hanks - Always loved this guy.

Clint Eastwood - great actor and now a great Ths director. I like him too.

Mel Gibson - Loved him in The Patriot. (MY very 1st dvd I owned)
Lethal Weapon movies funny. But that was the past.

Burt Reynolds - Smokey and The Bandit (saw this as I grew up)
You remember these stars for movies like that.
He aged alot and his movies are not that great.

Sylvester Stallone - Here is a man who had great movies.
Rocky series, Rambo series, Cobra (I loved him in this one), Over the Top (Not that good),SPY KIDS moviie (NO WAY!)
He has Rocky 6 and hes working on Rambo IV: Pearl of the Cobra. He is showing his age more and more each day. I still love this guy.

Theres so many you can talk about.

Wait. Take these actors/actresses today.

Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Lopez
Rachel McAdams
Jessica Alba
Brad Pitt
Tom Cruise

will someday fade away.
They will be giving the better parts to young and new actors in a few years to come.

[Monotreme]

Originally posted by Hannibal21
Susan Sarandon - I consider her to be one of the very best actresses out there. In the early to mid 90's she was in her finest form, with so many terrific acting turns in stuff like White Palace, Thelma & Louise, The Client, Little Women, and above all Dead Man Walking. Now, some of those films aren't what I would consider great, but all her performances were and really helped to elevate them to a reasonably high level quality wise. But what has she really done since 2002's Igby Goes Down & Moonlight Mile? The Banger Sisters, Alfie, Shall We Dance, and Elizabethtown all ranged from mediocre to bad, and Sarandon was just relegated to rather thankless role in each and every one of them.

WOW. What an excellent, excellent choice. I whole-heartedly agree - in the 90's, she was at her prime. Now, she's in the sidelines. I also think she's one of the better female actresses of our time.

And in response to Country1969's post...Rachel McAdams is just taking her first baby steps in what I certainly hope will be an extremely long and prosperous career - sure, the roles (nor the films) weren't that sharp, but her performance in three of last year and 2004's output (Wedding Crashers, Red Eye and The Notebook) have put her near the top of my list of up-and-coming actors with the most potential. Hopefully she'll soon expand into more interesting roles, and will stay in the spotlight for years to come.

And Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt... Considering that Cruise has been near the top of the A-list since the 80's and remains there until today, and Brad Pitt followed him not long after, in the 90's... I highly doubt either of these guys will EVER fade away, until their very last days perhaps.

[ilovemovies]

I loved Susan Surandon's performance in Elizabethtown. I love the movie and I thought she was wonderful in it. She's also great in the Alfie remake which I thought was pretty good. And Moonlight Mile is such a GREAT movie! And she is absolutely wonderful in that!

I've always loved Michelle Pfieffer and I agree that I miss her. What was her last movie? Was it White Oleander? Atleast she FINALLY has a movie coming out next February.

[warholmuse]

I miss Michelle so much too! She hasn't been on screen since White Oleander, and i miss her so much. At least we know she has a slew of projects on deck for next year. Have you guys seen her new trailer?

Here it is!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7haHhU30z0

[ilovemovies]

Wow. That woman is almost 50 years and she is still so amazingly gorgeous! And not just for her age either. She puts many women half her age to shame! Damn!

Looks like a cute movie too. Hope it's good.