There’s a lot that goes into making a good movie . The very best movies are the perfect combination of script, directing, set design, score, and acting.
Sometimes, though, an actor absolutely steals the show. It might be in an Oscar-winning biopic or a critically panned B-movie, but in any event, a strong acting performance has a way of captivating the audience.
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Let’s take a deep dive into the discussion of these actors.
This tweet got things rolling.
Note that this question leaves things pretty open-ended. They could be good movies, bad movies, or anything in between. The most important thing is that they feature an actor going all-out.
Campy, but he goes hard.
I know he has tons of fans, but I’ve never been a big fan of Bruce Campbell or the campy movies he’s in. Still, it’s impossible to deny his full commitment to each and every role.
A true legend.
You may have grown up with the fast-talking, manic Robin Williams of the ’80s. Maybe you came of age during his sensitive, bearded movie roles. But Robin Williams was capable of so much more. Don’t sleep on World’s Greatest Dad , either.
Let’s throw it back.
I can barely sit through one of these old-timey, weird-talking black and white movies. I’m not sure if this endorsement will change things, but he was a Hollywood legend for a reason.
Fantastic biopic.
So many biopics are toothless, simply glossing over large tracts of a person’s life so they can be properly lauded. But Sid & Nancy is a different beast, and it owes a lot to Oldman’s captivating performance.
A lot to digest here.
Toby Huss is my favorite obscure actor, thanks largely to his work on King of the Hill . It’s hard to picture him turning his affable presence into a villain, but either way, I’m intrigued.
A true powerhouse.
Kiefer Sutherland is one of those actors who never fully disappears into a role — you always know it’s Kiefer Sutherland — but regardless, his acting chops cannot be denied.
Can’t deny it.
Nic Cage is more meme than man at this point, but whatever he’s in — whether it’s something critically acclaimed like Leaving Las Vegas or, well, The Wicker Man — features him giving it his all.
Some greats in this list.
I haven’t actually seen Flawless , but probably should. Philip Seymour Hoffman was worth watching in pretty much every movie he was a part of.
Lynchian weirdness.
I never really warmed up to Blue Velvet , but Dennis Hopper gives a standout performance. The rest of the cast is pretty good, too — I’m always down for a Laura Dern role.
Great movie.
I don’t think I ever saw Colantoni’s role in Galaxy Quest as standing above the roles of the other actors, but looking back, I can certainly see it.
I’ll add this one to the list.
I’ve literally never heard of this movie, but just look at that still. You know some dark stuff is about to go down.
A ’90s mainstay.
Raul Julia had a long career, but kids of the ’90s know him best for Street Fighter and The Addams Family . Also, as a side note, Street Fighter is so bad it’s almost good. Not quite, but almost.
A dynamic performance.
There are great actors who come from everywhere on the planet, but there’s something about British actors — particularly when they’re chewing the scenery in a Jane Austen adaptation — that places them on another level.
Is it worth watching? Ehhh…
Frank Langella’s a great actor, no doubt. But unless you’re absolutely starved for ’80s nostalgia, I’m not sure if his performance in Masters of the Universe is worth the time investment.
We’ll miss Bowie.
It’s hard to imagine a more dynamic star than David Bowie. From reinventing himself throughout his music career to dabbling in film — and absolutely killing it in every role — Bowie was an absolute legend.
Not a fun watch, but a great one.
Malcolm McDowell doesn’t need to carry A Clockwork Orange , because it’s a masterful piece of filmmaking. Still, it wouldn’t be quite as good if someone else played his role.
Back to the classics.
I find old-timey westerns only slightly more tolerable than old-timey courtroom dramas, but I’ll make an exception for The Magnificent Seven because it still holds up today.
Next-level yelling.
If you only know Michael Shannon as the psychopathic fed from Boardwalk Empire , you’re missing out. Check out the rest of his IMDB, to see him as a psychopath across a variety of genres.
Don’t sleep on Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Like Marion Cotillard, Charlotte Gainsbourg is one of those actors you’re vaguely aware of from critically-acclaimed foreign dramas. Then you see one of their movies and realize what the hype is all about.
