The Visitor -

Paul Newman, classic actor and philanthropist, dies at 83

"His death was as private and discreet as the way he had lived his life, a humble artist who never thought of himself as 'big', surrounded by his beloved family and the close circle of friends."



Paul Newman was one of my favorite actors ever and his characters have always been complex. Even in the goofy but hilarious "Slap Shot", his character balances the line of joker and troubled soul. Newman was always able to do this in a way few ever have or ever will. He was known as a private but great guy, was presently in a 50+ year marriage and his charity, Newman's Own (view website), has donated over 250 MILLION DOLLARS to charity. Maybe this is why people around him say he had made his peace with his pending death, because he had lived such a wonderful life.

I went out and rented "Slap Shot" last night in his memory and below I've listed some of my favorite Newman movies.

1. The Hustler
2. Cool Hand Luke
3. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
4. The Sting
5. Slap Shot
6. The Verdict
7. The Color of Money

View his full career list here!

Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" -

I saw Into the Wild last night and was blown away and it really should have been nominated for Best Picture. But maybe once you see it you'll see why the makers of the film and person it was made about (true story) would be happy "not" to be nominated. The movie left me feeling sad at first but then even angry at the lead character for being selfish.

But when I thought about it more I realized that for all his tragic flaws, the power of this story is that this young boy went on the type of adventure we all think about taking in life but never do.

Oscars 2008 -

I haven't see Atonement but out of the best picture nominations I have to go with Michael Clayton. It was close to perfect with a razor sharp script and outstanding performances from George Clooney, Michael Wilkison and Tilda Swinton. But I guess it depends on the mood you're in when watching the films. No Country for Old Men has the Academies love of the Coen Brothers (rightfully so) going for it plus over the past 20 years you can easily say the Coen Brothers have the most diverse and creative body of work of any directors working. Juno is just flat out a good time with a great script too. The Oscars should be fun tonight because on top of the best movie nods it has also been a great year for American film!

The King of Kong (Donkey Kong)

Juno Promo -

TOP TEN actors working today (1-5) -

If you missed my numbers 10-6 for top ten working actors please click here.

5. Al Pacino - Pacino is quotable ("Say hello to my little friend!"), memorbale ("It was you Fredo!") and always fun to watch ("Whoooo-aaaahhhhhhhh!"). So much so that I think we can sometimes take his great talents for granted. Just remember this is the dramatic genious behind his characters in the Godfather 1 and Godfather 2, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Glengarry Glen Ross and Angels in America. His portrayal of a brutal drug lord in Scarface is one of the most quoted and imitated roles in pop culture history. From Insomnia to Scent of a Woman and the Insider to Donnie Brasco, you always can expect a solid performance from Pacino.

4. Gary Oldman - Oldman should have an Academy Award by now and if you don't know who he is it simply could be because you don't recognize him. Oldman, more than any actor in the past twenty years has been un-recognizable from one picture to the next. Some of his highlights include but are not limited to, his portrayal of Sid Vicious of "The Sex Pistols" in the depressing Sid and Nancy, a loosely based portrayal of Irish mobster Mickey featherstone in State of Grace, a rastifarian drug dealer in True Romance and most recently in the Harry Potter movies. Other highlights include roles in JFK, Romeo is Bleeding and The Contender.

3. Daniel Day-Lewis - While I feel Leonardo DiCaprio was miscast in Gangs of New York, Day-Lewis surely was not. His character, Bill the Butcher, is one of the greatest villians in recent history and while the movie is a miss, it's worth watching again for Day-Lewis alone. How lucky we would be if Day-Lewis made films more frequently but for such a brief career we have been blessed with a lifetime of classic characters and moments. With The Unbearable Lightness of Being and My Left Foot, Day-Lewis planted his flag as one of the great talents working today. He has followed these films with dominating performances in The Last of the Mohicans, The Age of Innocence, In the Name of the Father and Gangs of New York.

2. Sean Penn - For someone who does not love acting, as Penn freely admits, he has put together an all-time classic career. Who can forget Penn's character in Fastimes at Ridgmont High, Jeff Spicoli, ordering a pizza to his classroom? But this would be one of the last times we would laugh in a Sean Penn film. He has since put together a sizzling resumes of dramas including Taps, At Close Range, Falcon and the Snowman, State of Grace, Carlito's Way, Dead Man Walking, The Thin Red Line, Sweet and Lowdown, Before Night Falls, I am Sam, Mystic River and 21 Grams.

1. Robert DeNiro - DeNiro has screen presence in a way few ever have or ever will. While DeNiro's script choices appear to increasingly be based on money, there is no denying his body of work. DeNiro's collection of characters and films is simply stunning! You can click the following link to view a blog post I wrote on DeNiro's film career.

Those who barely missed being on the list: Gene Hackman (a true professional), Johnny Depp (fearless), Robert DuVall (a rock), Phillip Seymour Hoffman (has gone from a solid 2nd or 3rd man to dominating films), Harvey Keitel (daring), Kevin Bacon (underrated but alway solid), Ben Kingsley (in Gandhi? Moma mia, so good!).

Special Mention: Comedians Robin Williams (Goodwill Hunting to Mrs. Doubtfire), Steve Martin (The Jerk to The Spanish Prisoner) and Jim Carrey (Liar Liar to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) have all done both great comedic and dramatic work. They say to make someone laugh is the hardest thing to do in acting, so these three actors and comedians in general deserve their own unique category.

The next generation: Javier Bardem (powerfully subtle), Leonardo DiCaprio (sometimes miscast but sometimes brilliant too), Billy Crudupp (can dissapear from one role to the next like few can) and Edward Norton (makes his characters seem much larger then they actually are).

top ten actors working today (10-6) -

This has been a very fun list to put together but it was much more difficult then I thought it would be. It kills me to leave certain actors off the list but I'm definitely pleased with the result. I cheated a little with having two actors tied at number 8 (Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe) but I thought they were at very similar points in their career.

10. Forrest Whitaker - If you want to talk about an actor who has done a lot with a little, you have to talk about Forrest Whitaker. Always the likable sidekick (Good Morning Vietnam) but also with the range of being a cold blooded killer (Ghost Dog). When given the opportunity in lead roles he has blown us away as the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland and as Charlie Parker in Bird.

9. Paul Newman - There are moments in The Hustler when paul newman is the coolest man alive. But there are also moments when he is the biggest loser and therein lies Newman's brilliance. His charm and good looks were only a smoke screen to many of his characters tragic flaws. You can vividly see this in Cool Hand Luke and The Verdict.

8A. Russell Crowe - To understand the range of Russell Crowe consider these contradictions. He played a brutal skin head gang leader in Romper Stomper and followed it by playing a gay man on an Australian television show. He gained a ton of weight to play a tobacco industry whistle blower in The Insider only to follow it by playing the buff Spanish General in Gladiator. Other highlights include A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man.

8B. Denzel Washington - As we watched Denzel stare at Matthew Broderick and cry as he was whipped in Glory, it was obvious we were witnessing true talent. Denzel demands attention on screen and he is always believable whether it be eating breakfast or reading a newspaper. While his resume of films might be on the weaker side of this list, it speaks more to the state of Hollywood then his talents. I do think Denzel will age well as an actor and that some of his best performances are yet to come. Highlights in his carrer include Malcolm X, Philadelphia, The Hurricane and Training Day.

7. Dustin Hoffman - Hoffman is one of the most quirky actors in history and he's done it all. From a neurotic homeless man in Midnight Cowboy to a cross dresser in Tootsie and an autistic in Rain Man to a struggling single father in Kramer vs. Kramer, Hoffman has been disappearing in his roles for decades. Other highlights include Little Big Man and Marathon Man.

6. Jack Nicholson - Nicholson has been making quality films since 1958 and to this day is still a powerhouse in Hollywood. His films have been influential (Easy Rider, One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest), larger than life (The Shining, Batman, A Few Good Men) and lots of fun (As Good As it Gets, The Departed).

Please click the following link to view my numbers 1-5 for top working actors.

Robert DeNiro - GREATEST living movie actor?

You could make a strong case that Robert DeNiro is the greatest living actor around and he ranked first on my top ten working actor list which you can view here. My definition of a great actor is one who disappears in the role they are playing and is unrecognizable from one movie to the next. A category that one of my favorite actors, Gary Oldmam ("sid and nancy", "state of grace" and "true romance" to name a few), would fit into also. While actors like Kevin Costner and Denzel Washington are charismatic and fun to watch, I do feel like they are being themselves at all times and you will find them to be similar from one role to the next. This to me is the making of a good but not all-time great actor.

Let's take a look at this outstanding top ten list I've put together of Robert DeNiro's films. They can easily stand up against any fellow actors resume, from now or in the past.

10. heat - Heat is a pulsating romp through the crime underworld of LA seen through the brilliant eyes of director Michael Mann. This movie carries an all-star cast of Val Kilmer, Al Pacino and many more but in every scene we see DeNiro (including DeNiros first ever scene with Al Pacino) he steals the show.

9. his comedies - Rarely can you find a dramatic genius such as DeNiro who at the same time has been immensely successful in the comedy genre. From the overly sarcastic cop he played in "midnight run", to the ex CIA father in law of Ben Stiller in "meet the parents", to a mobster in need of a therapist in "analyze this", DeNiro has show an ability to make fun of himself and his very unique facial expressions. He was also great as the star crazed fan in "the king of comedy" and a CIA agent in need of a war in "wag the dog".

8. the untouchables - This wonderful movie by Brian DePalma stars Kevin Costner, Sean Connery and DeNiro among others. It is set in 1920's Chicago and DeNiro plays Al Capone. As usual, every scene he is in is an event to look forward to.

7. the mission - A gorgeous but tragic tail of redemption and greed set in the 18th century. Spanish Jesuits (including Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson and a converted DeNiro) try to protect a remote South American Indian tribe in danger of falling under the rule of pro-slavery Portugal. DeNiro's character is interesting in that he starts the movie as a mercenary who hunts the Indian Tribe but is born again through the Jesuits and winds up living with and eventually fighting along their side in the end.

6. taxi driver - While I grew up on independent films it was martin Scorcese's "taxi driver" that showed me the technical brilliance possible in film. Every shot, every piece of dialogue has a specific purpose in this movie and of course you have to love DeNiro in a mohawk. Some of his lines in the film are still quoted in pop culture to this day.

5. mean streets - A young DeNiro, Scorcese and Keitel, all hungry and on fire in this tour de force through the mean streets of New York City. DeNiro's Johnny Boy is timeless.

4. raging bull - DeNiro plays Jake LaMotta in this true life adaptation. LaMotta was a wonderful fighter with a very difficult personal life. He would fall from grace hard and DeNiro went the extra mile (as he always does) to portray LaMotta's demise. They took a break in the middle of shooting this movie to allow DeNiro to go to Europe and gain 50+ pounds to play Lamotta in his later years. Some people criticized this approach, saying it was not acting but DeNiro's performance is nothing short of brutal and brillant.

3. goodfellas - Goodfellas is one of the greatest gangster movies of all time and has one of the best opening 15-20 minutes of any film ever made. Goodfellas was critically acclaimed and exposed you to the daily "street level" dealings of the mafia. It became a box office success (when you include rentals and dvd sales) and has also reached cult status with many of the lines and scenes from the movie being imitated by everyone from pop icons to those talking at the water cooler. In the midst of an all-star cast DeNiro still dominates the screen in every scene.

2. godfather 2 - In one of the best films of all time DeNiro stands out as the young Vito Corleone. His concentration and intensity is so strong throughout the movie that when he rests for a moment to hold hands with his wife before dinner, the simplicity of it alone makes for a memorable scene.

1. the deer hunter - In my mind this is the greatest american movie ever made (yes I think it's better than citizen kane). There are scenes that are hard to watch but well worth it to witness a cast (DeNiro, Christopher Walken (won the academy award), Meryl Streep, Jon Cazale) and director Michael Cimino who are all in top form. DeNiro's performance is nothing short of brilliant.

honorable mention - angel heart - DeNiro was so creepy in this twisted tale that I actually looked behind my couch to make sure I was alone. Mickey Rourke endures a torturous travel through the underworld of New Orleans only to meet DeNiro in the end for a mind blowing climax to the film.

the one scene stolen from DeNiro - Leonardo DiCaprio in "this boys life"

ratatouille -

"The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new...needs friends."

- from ratatouille, the movie

into the wild -

"I read somewhere how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions...That's how it is here."

- from the movie "into the wild"