The Official "Why is this Person a Movie Star?" thread.

[Bleacher Creature]

My pick: Colin Farrell.

Has he ever had a real hit movie?? Minority Report doesn't count as it clearly wasn't his movie. And yet, he keeps being cast as the leading actor in movie after movie.

[Earth_First]

1. Jimmy Fallon

Seriously.

[Left Is Write]

4. Is he considered a movie star?

[Earth_First]

5. I sure hope not...

but has 'starred' in several recent movies.

[stlsaxman]

21. I thought he was great in Almost Famous

and i thought Marc Maron was great in it also...

movie stars? nope- but both in roles that made me say "who the f*ck is that?!" then. "ah-ha!"

[philosophie_en_rose]

2. Lindsay Lohan

Her children's movies are cute, but I don't see how her trashy personal life makes her "movie star" material. :shrug:

Jessica Simpson - talentless fuckwit in any medium.

[RockaFowler]

10. Agree about Jessica Simpson

Never mind that Dukes of Hazzard was bad, but did you see her on SNL and her "Specials" on ABC. :puke:

[philosophie_en_rose]

24. She can't even act as herself.

She has the aura of "trying too hard" that really annoys me.

[tenshi816]

64. Jessica Simpson wasn't well-known in the UK

until "Dukes" was released, so we've been spared the onslaught until recently, but I'm familiar with her because of seeing her on virtually every magazine cover when I'm back visiting the US.

There's something freakish about her face. She really does look like a Barbie doll come to life, and I can't get it out of my head that if I touched her skin, it would be smooth and made out of plastic.

Why (or how), exactly, did she become famous? What can she actually do other than grin inanely?

[RetroLounge]

3. Adam Sandler

Talk about a one-trick-pony, and not much of a trick there.

RL

[hippywife]

8. My pick, as well.

He's just childish. Not funny at all. I like my humor a little more cerebral.

[ghostsofgiants]

11. Give him the right material and director and he's actually a talented guy

Case in point, Punch-Drunk Love.

He just happens to prefer really shitty movies.

[trogdor]

88. He just happens to prefer really shitty movies.

Because they're cheap to produce and guaranteed to generate just enough box office to be profitable. Clearly there is a place for movies like that, and that place is cable.

[ghostsofgiants]

106. Like someone else said in a different thread...

Slapstick comedy money is a drug.

[grace0418]

Absolutely, Punch Drunk Love completely changed my opinion of

Adam Sandler.

[RockaFowler]

6. Uma Thurman

I hate the way she is so pretentious. She can't act. She looks gangly. Oh what else - oh yeah only one good movie. Kill Bill.

[ghostsofgiants]

9. Tape was a good film, as was Pulp Fiction...

Though she's not really the star of either (although tape only has three characters, so I guess that might count).

[NewJeffCT]

65. she's a star for one reason...

Or two, I guess:

[Truebrit71sbruv]

68. sorry but....

... Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

[WeRQ4U]

93. The HELL you say!!!???!!!

She's wonderful.

[asthmaticeog]

7. Ben Affleck.

How many of his flicks have to tank before he stops getting hired?

[maveric]

14. His best work was in the Kevin Smith flicks, IMHO.

And "Good Will Hunting".

[chenGOD]

79. He was also good in Dazed and Confused...nm

[lakemonster11]

25. I can never get over having to watch him in Voyage of the Mimi

(I *and* II) when I was in elementary school, back when he was a squeaky-voiced, knobbly-kneed eight-year-old.

"Hi! I'm Ben Affleck!"

I couldn't believe it when I got to high school and realized that he was actually in movies.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124265/

[midnight armadillo]

47. Holy crap, he did Voyage of the Mimi?!?

I remember watching that in 7th grade science class!

[GirlinContempt]

89. An entire Panzer division

[cssmall]

12. Keanu Reeves

Whoa.

[CanuckAmok]

18. Well, of course the rumoured reason is...

...because he's David Geffen's lover.

[cssmall]

22. You're kidding me.

[4_Legs_Good]

85. Maybe not movie star material, but I give him props for "Parenthood" "Bill

& Ted" and maybe even "The Matrix". Also "My Own Private Idaho" and maybe one more somewhere.

But I agree, usually he sucks.

david

[grace0418]

108. He should be in silent films cause he sure is nice to look at until he

opens his mouth. Definitely nice to look at though.

[MISSDem]

114. I adore Keanu. Besides you don't have to act to be a "movie star", ie,

Julia Roberts.

[fujiyama]

13. Kevin Kostner

I just don't like him for some reason. Sure, The Untouchables and 13 Days were OK, but that was inspite of having Kostner, not because of him.

I have a similar dislike for Ben Afleck, Christian Slater, Patrick Swayze, and Tom Cruise...Though, some of them have done decent films..

[maveric]

16. in "13 Days", WORST Boston accent EVER!

A serious miscast.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

35. No, "Quiz Show" featured worst Boston accent ever from Rob Morrow.

[bliss_eternal]

50. Yeah--that was SO bad!

:(

[4_Legs_Good]

86. That was a total bummer

becuase I like Rob Morrow a bunch, and the movie was quite good.

[no name no slogan]

99. Costner can't do accents to save his life

Even though he's had some of the best coaches in his life, his accents always suck. Case in point: Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. It's like he didn't even TRY to get the fucker right.

The man can't act, period.

[DS1]

15. Jerry O'Connell

:nuke:

[bliss_eternal]

52. Sucks ass--

such a sucky ass, suck ass actor. Bleh--

[KLF44]

17. George Clooney and John Travolta

They could not act their way out of a paper bag.

[tjdee]

27. What IS it with John Travolta??

I really don't understand it. He was hot in the seventies, but now he's just a really chunky guy who kind of...I don't even know what he does.

And that's not saying anything against chunky guys who actually have talent (like Jack Black and Philip Seymour Hoffman :loveya: ). I am just baffled, baffled I say, that John Travolta had a career after Pulp Fiction.

If he doesn't wake up everyday thanking L. Ron for Quentin Tarantino, he should.

[LynneSin]

30. George Clooney is going to get a ton of recognition for this next 2 movies

And to be honest, he is actually pretty talented and a hottie progressive thinker to boot!

[Left Is Write]

34. Yeah. What you said.

[CanuckAmok]

19. David Spade. Jim Carrey.

[NYC Liberal]

20. Oh no you didn't!

:o Jim Carrey is one of my favorites.

[Shell Beau]

71. Jim Carrey was great in Man on the Moon and

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (even though I didn't like the movie) and he was good in Lemminy Snickett. I can understand not liking his sense of humor, but he has actually done some really good work, IMO.

[underpants]

75. He is good in everything

he has talent that most in Hollywood would kill for.

[hfojvt]

90. well, in "Earth Girls are easy"

it seemed to me that he has looks that I would kill for. Something I never noticed in Ace Ventura, Truman, or Bruce Almighty.

[WeRQ4U]

94. Have you seen "Twice Bitten" by any chance.

Even the good ones have some shitty jobs. This was his.

[grace0418]

112. I loved Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind and he was GREAT in it

It seems like comedians actually do much better when they play sad sacks. Most comedians seem to have a lot of sadness in their lives. He was fantastic in that movie and I can't STAND his comedic work.

[gollygee]

98. I don't like either of them

So not funny. But I did like Eternal Sunshine or whatever it was called with Kate Winslet, and I liked The Truman Show despite his awful grin.

[chat_noir]

23. Tigerland (2000)

Colin is wonderful in this little movie.

"Colin Farrell excels in the role of Bozz, the cynical soldier who revels in pissing off the brass." - Rolling Stone

"When you watch Farrell's portrayal of Bozz, you begin to realize that you are watching the next big thing. He commands the screen whenever he on it, and he does not resort to overacting to achieve this. That is not an easy accomplishment when you consider this film is loaded with great acting, but he does it. He conveys his character's disgust of the war convincingly. When he walks away from a lesson in torture because the thought of torturing another human being is too much for him, you feel for him. His pain in seeing another soldier suffer becomes yours. I got the same feeling watching Collin Farrell in this movie, that I got watching Russell Crowe in LA Confidential. I am already looking forward to his next role." The Zreview

[Beaverhausen]

111. Oh- I didn't see you posted this film...I mentioned it below

it was great! :hi:

[tjdee]

26. Jennifer Aniston is the queen of this domain.

Note to Hollywood--Continuing to put her in movies does not make us like her any more than we already do. For some reason, some people liked her with her friends. On her own, boring as hell.

[recoveringdittohed]

32. Aniston actually acted well in 1 movie (The Good Girl)

I thought Jennifer Aniston was in one movie where both the movie was interesting and her role required and got acting ability which was "The Good Girl" (2002). I also liked Office Space but I don't think her supporting role or acting added much to that movie.

[tjdee]

37. Everyone always says "The Good Girl" LOL.

I've not seen it....and I think everyone's got at least one good performance in them.

But I don't understand why she gets chance after chance after chance--and I'd have a bit more respect for her acting if she then didn't take every single "girlfriend" role there is. Because that's what makes me think she has no talent, 90% of her roles are identical to "Office Space."

A star, to me, is someone who you can't see anyone else in the role doing as good of a job. Any actress of the street could have done every single one of her roles (um, LOL, except the Good Girl!)

[Shell Beau]

72. Well you should check out her movie Derailed when it comes

to theaters b/c she has gotten rave reviews. I really like her. Before she didn't really get to pick and choose her movies. Now she is being taken more seriously.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

33. Have you seen "The Good Girl"?

It's a black comedy, subverting rom-coms, written by Mike White (Chuck & Buck, School of Rock). Aniston is really, really good and I'm not much of a fan (although I thought she was watchable in Bruce Almighty).

[tjdee]

39. That's her problem. She's "watchable", but not exciting.

I've not seen the Good Girl, LOL, and everytime I bring up how lackluster she is, someone brings that up! I guess that's like the ONE good role she's had...

The thing is, as I said above, they could have taken any actress out of Tisch or Yale Drama and put them in the roles she's done in Bruce Almighty, Office Space, Along Came Polly, that film where she fell in love with her gay friend.... Why *was* she cast? Just cause of the name. No sparkle. No star quality. Nothing special.

(I'm kind of scared I've seen so many of her films!)

[Shell Beau]

73. You have to remember that she wasn't really considered

leading lady material. She was a TV actress. She is trying desperately to change that.

[grace0418]

109. I love The Good Girl and I love her. Sorry.

I think she's far more than watchable. I think she's very soulful and funny and has great presence.

[Ladyhawk]

28. Tom Cruise. I never liked him.

:shrug:

[philosophie_en_rose]

38. Seconded. He has no range at all.

No emotional depth or subtlety. Just same old blank stare, smug ass nut.

[tjdee]

Well, he was good in Magnolia.

Also, Jerry McGuire and Born on the Fourth of July.

I hated Tom Cruise for a very long time. He finally grew on me with the Mission Impossible films....I can definitely see how someone would hate his acting style.

[philosophie_en_rose]

43. I disagree. I think it's the directors.

Even in Magnolia and Jerry McGuire. He really just plays himself with different costumes. I liked Jerry McGuire and Mission Impossible I, but Tom Cruise is not - James Lipton be damned :) - a good actor.

I think it's all about how the directors cut his performance.

[tjdee]

46. Yeah...but that's true of a number of stars.

He really does need directors who cut him right. And he does play "himself". But that is what happens when one is a big star. It's unavoidable. People want you to "do" whatever it is you "do". I mean, poor Meg Ryan will never be able to do a non rom-com. Julia Roberts had damn well better smile and laugh at least once in every film she does.

And Tom Cruise really *does* need directors that cut him right--I don't know why he doesn't realize that about his own work, as anal as he is about it.

So would I place him with *insert universally revered acting talent here*? No way! But, he *can* be good. But, if his goodness is dependent on directors, is he really good? If a tree falls in the forest and no one's around, will it make a sound? What is the sound of one hand clapping? :silly:

[4_Legs_Good]

83. I agree. I thought he was brilliant in Magnolia

One of the best performances ever.

I also hated him for a very, very long time, but now he's one of my favorites (well, maybe not FAVORITES). Brad Pitt is the same, he woke up with 12 Monkeys and kept moving forward with Fight Club and Snatch.

david

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

45. He has about 27 different types of smirks

He's taken smirking to its highest level as an art form, next to the Chimp.

[Parrcrow]

62. While real actors work around him...

he smirks or just stands there with a stupid befuddled look on his face.

[Missy Vixen]

42. He makes my skin crawl

It's gotten worse since TomKat. Ewwww.

Julie
can't decide who I think is more repulsive today, Tom Cruise or Alex Rodriguez

[RubyDuby in GA]

81. Amen!

Hi, I'm Tom Cruise acting like a spy. Now I'm Tom Cruise acting like a samuari. No wait, look at me I'm Tom Cruise acting like a sports agent. How's my hair?

God, he couldn't act his way out of a paper bag if his life depended on it.

[wug37]

87. Agreed

He just can't act. I don't understand how he keeps getting movies.

[newportdadde]

29. Freddie Prince jr, Farrell, Affleck

[bliss_eternal]

51. Don't get how he gets work...

Freddie Prince, Jr. Totally devoid of talent, as far as I can see, and not all that good looking--so I really don't get it.

He was pretty funny on that one episode of Friends as the nanny. So I guess I should amend my earlier statement somewhat. He has some talent...

[Cannikin]

31. Kevin Costner

[njdemocrat106]

36. I'll agree with you on Farrell

From what I hear, he's a big boozehound and cokehead, as well. And when I see interviews with him, I can't understand him between his accent and the constant bleeping of vulgarities.

Also, even though she technically isn't a movie star, I'll add Paris Hilton. I CANNOT STAND this girl. She is the poster-girl for young Republicans: rich, slutty-looking, and dumb as a box of rocks.

[philosophie_en_rose]

40. Another Pick: Kirsten Dunst.

Boring. Boring. Dull. Cameron Crowe owes me $8.50 for not casting Sarah Polley or someone convincing in the role.

[NewJeffCT]

66. main reason

similar to my post on Uma above... Dunst looks great in a wet shirt, a la her kiss with Spider-Man.

[Floogeldy]

41. Freepers, Fundies And Right-Wing Idiots Bash Hollywood And Actors.

I don't.

And neither should any of you.

}(

[philosophie_en_rose]

44. You're being silly.

Movies are a product. If I don't like Downy fabric softener, then I have the right to say so. Whether a person can act is more than fair to comment upon.

[LynneSin]

63. I'm going to have to go public with agreement on your statement

The bulk of Hollywood is out there defending us progressive so I find it hard to be critical of them

[philosophie_en_rose]

70. How many people on this list?

Affleck aside, how many people on the list actually support the Democratic party? Rob Schneider?

:P

I think Hollywood has a reputation for being liberal, but some of these people are beyond politics. :)

The suckitude of Tom Cruise transcends political parties. :P

[sbj405]

116. And I commend them for that, but that doesn't mean their decent actors

:hide:

[KitchenWitch]

48. Rob Schneider

[democracyindanger]

54. We're talking movies, not wastes of film

[bliss_eternal]

56. Right, but Kitchen Witch makes a good point...

how the hell does Rob Schneider continue to get starring roles in bad films?

He's much better as a featured background player in Sandler's films.

[democracyindanger]

57. 'Cause Lorne Michaels has too much free time

[bliss_eternal]

60. LOL!

Probably very true...lol!

[underpants]

78. Adam Sandler produces all those movies for the SNL guys

Probably makes tons of money off them too


Check his producing credits


http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001191/

[KitchenWitch]

58. Well, he makes it a waste of film

so what is the difference?

:rofl:

[borlis]

49. What about Tara Reid?

Just what is she famous for except for accidently exposing her recent boob job to photographers at a red carpet type of event? :shrug:

[bliss_eternal]

55. Being a professional party girl/drunk..

..or as South Park put it, she's a stupid, spoiled, whore.

:hi:

[bliss_eternal]

53. I thought this thread would be about Julia Roberts...

when I saw the title.

I watch movies with her in them, in spite of her presence, not because of her. Case in point, Steel Magnolias. She seemed completely lost in her scenes with Sally Field. Oscar nod for THAT? Why because the character died?

Bleh...

[skygazer]

117. Seconded

In my opinion, Julia Roberts is THE most overrated actor out there. There is nothing different about any character she's ever played - they're all the same person. Julia Roberts. Name a Julia Roberts character and it will be the same as any other - Erin Brockovich, the woman she played in The Mexican, Clooney's wife in the Ocean's films, the hooker in Pretty Woman, etc.

To me, a really good actor is someone who is so involved playing the character, you can forget who it is acting.

[bliss_eternal]

59. Will Smith...

it frankly pisses me off that he is considered a movie star. He's not an actor as far as I'm concerned.

He was a personality, and a character that someone liked and saw marketability in and it all snowballed from there...

:grr: :mad:

[Shell Beau]

102. He was good in Ali, IMO.

[XemaSab]

61. Steve Gutenberg

:D

[Dukkha]

82. who makes Steve Gutenber a star?

We Do!
We Do!

[ikri]

67. Can't believe no one has mentioned

Val Kilmer

All the acting abilities of a plank of wood

[Truebrit71sbruv]

69. On behalf of the...

... National Association of Timber Merchants and Other Wood and Stick-Thingy Related Industries (going by the catchy acronym NATMOWSTRI) I feel I must:

a) object in the strongest terms about this unwarranted slur on planks of wood

b) report your comment to the moderators as against the terms of usage of the DU forums as it is a direct attack upon a disenfranchised minority (i.e. wood)

Tsk... such thoughtlessness!!!

:spank:

[underpants]

74. Stick-Thingy Related Industries

Too funny. Welcome to DU

[Truebrit71sbruv]

77. heh

thank you!

:toast:

[underpants]

76. ROBBED of an Oscar for "The Doors"

They don't like bio picks much but he was outstanding in that role.

[4_Legs_Good]

84. Agreed absolutely, and I would say he's been great in a few other roles

like "Kill Me Again", "Real Genius" and a few more.

But he also goes through horrible wooden stages, particularly his Batman movie was horrible.

david

[Felix Mala]

101. And who could ever forget that DeNiro guy. Who does he keep

sleeping with to make movies?

[Patiod]

105. ROBBED of an Oscar for Tombstone - best Doc Holliday EVER

I'm your huckleberry.

Absolutely fucking brilliant portrayal. Ran away with the movie.

I don't care if he sucks in every other thing he's ever done, his Doc Holliday absolutely totally redeems him.

[Tikki]

80. A television personality, but why is...

Heather Locklear relevant?!!!! She appears odd.

[edbermac]

91. Pauly Shore, Tom Green

:puke:

[dajoki]

92. tom arnold

what the fuck did he ever do besides marry roseanne? and that ain't much of an accomplishment either.:banghead:

[terrya]

95. Ashton Kutcher

He seems to be making a career of appearing in crappy movies. I honestly don't get his appeal. Yeah, he's pretty and all...but beyond that, I just don't get it. :shrug:

[Catfight]

96. Jennifer Jason Leigh is by far the worst actress ever. Why she even

continues to get roles is beyond me, her family has to have connections for her to even be considered. I totally agree about Colin Farrell by the way, I don't get his appeal at all.

[Shell Beau]

103. She was good in Single White Female.

[Spirochete]

104. Maybe they feel sorry for her

because her father got killed in that helicopter accident. I don't like her too much either. I thought Farrell was good in Tigerland, though.

[Shakespeare]

97. Julia Roberts.

She has exactly TWO means of expression. A furrowed brow or that incredibly irritating guffaw coupled with overly huge smile (*cough* lip injections *cough*).

[brentspeak]

100. I second that

[Beausoir]

118. Agree.

Since when do GYNORMOUS teeth qualify as acting credentials?

[grace0418]

107. Andie McDowell. Her line in Four Weddings and a Funeral was

ghastly: "Is it raining, I hadn't noticed."

[Beaverhausen]

110. Colin Farrell was great in "Tigerland"...which very few people saw

but was a really great film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170691/

[bikebloke]

113. Tom Thumb "Cruise"

At least he didn't ruin "Interview with the Vampire" as everyone feared.

Ben Afflicted-upon-us

Adam Sandler - Oh why, oh why did I hire "The LongestYard"?

[Truebrit71sbruv]

115. Steven Seagal

...or is it Seagull?

Merely because I have The Glimmerman on as my multi-tasking wallpaper at the moment, and I cannot be arsed to change the channel until I need to go get another glass of wine.

How the HELL did he ever end up in Hollywood?

[HughBeaumont]

119. Drew Barrymore.

Has about as much range as Jennifer Aniston. SAME damned shtick and voice, EVERY movie. Even in Wayne's World 2 she couldn't escape her dull persona in a useless cameo.