Upcoming UK Blu-ray Releases

[nosferatu42]

I thought about that after i'd written the original post, love Eastwood, at least he has the defence of being a varied director.
Wayne i'm not a fan of. Maybe it's just a personal thing then.

But a bit more variety in roles would improve my opinions of some big stars.
Hanks and Meryl Streep types always seem too earnest, trying for oscars.
When's the last time they were evil? or spouting obsceneties and then blowing shit up. Not all the time, but now and then.

Helen Mirren on the other hand is very good but seems more flexible (mind starts wandering), throwing in a bit of sex/arthouse/blow shit up stuff every now and again.
Ian McCellen does heroes and villains equally well.
Just like a bit of variation.
Cruise has been stuck in action mode for years.
He was Lestat so fair play,but even there he was overly theatrical and Kirstin Dunst made that film for me.
Personal opinions i know but i also find a lot of Hollywood product dull.

Eastwood has a charisma, cool easy going exterior but piss him off and he'll smack the living shit outta you. I guess that duality is interesting in itself.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by nosferatu42

I thought about that after i'd written the original post, love Eastwood, at least he has the defence of being a varied director.
Wayne i'm not a fan of. Maybe it's just a personal thing then.

But a bit more variety in roles would improve my opinions of some big stars.
Hanks and Meryl Streep types always seem too earnest, trying for oscars.
When's the last time they were evil? or spouting obsceneties and then blowing shit up. Not all the time, but now and then.

Helen Mirren on the other hand is very good but seems more flexible (mind starts wandering), throwing in a bit of sex/arthouse/blow shit up stuff every now and again.
Ian McCellen does heroes and villains equally well.
Just like a bit of variation.
Cruise has been stuck in action mode for years.
He was Lestat so fair play,but even there he was overly theatrical and Kirstin Dunst made that film for me.
Personal opinions i know but i also find a lot of Hollywood product dull.

Eastwood has a charisma, cool easy going exterior but piss him off and he'll smack the living shit outta you. I guess that duality is interesting in itself.

Ian Mckellan's not a star in my eyes, well he is, but he's just a bloke from Burnley, about five miles from me, same for Patrick Stewart, he was born local as well, albeit nearer Rik.

Tom Cruise always divides feeling. Those like me who like him think he's a true star but the others sort of dislike him with a vengeance. I really like how he is with fans. He always makes time for them at events which is really good in my opinion. I really couldn't give two hoots about his beliefs as long as he makes films like Mission Impossible and Jack Reacher.

Whilst i like Mirren she's too much of an opinionated luvvie who thinks we should all listen to what she has to say on the issues of the day. FFS shut up! You're just an actor.

Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are like Gods of the film world.

As for Stewart, i'm surprised you don't like him (or at least you never mentioned him) He's a brilliant actor and always worth watching no matter what he's in.

Bogart, Edward G and Cagney always played their selves or at least their screen persona. All are frankly superb.

.........................

In an unrelated piece. (Not aimed at you nos42) I find it difficult to take anyone seriously who can't appreciate the stars of the past. We don't have many true stars nowadays. Hanks and Cruise as well as Clooney are the only ones i can think of off the top of my head since the early 90's who have true proven star quality and longevity.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Ian Mckellan's not a star in my eyes, well he is, but he's just a bloke from Burnley, about five miles from me, same for Patrick Stewart, he was born local as well, albeit nearer Rik.

Tom Cruise always divides feeling. Those like me who like him think he's a true star but the others sort of dislike him with a vengeance. I really like how he is with fans. He always makes time for them at events which is really good in my opinion. I really couldn't give two hoots about his beliefs as long as he makes films like Mission Impossible and Jack Reacher.

Whilst i like Mirren she's too much of an opinionated luvvie who thinks we should all listen to what she has to say on the issues of the day. FFS shut up! You're just an actor.

Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are like Gods of the film world.

As for Stewart, i'm surprised you don't like him (or at least you never mentioned him) He's a brilliant actor and always worth watching no matter what he's in.

Bogart, Edward G and Cagney always played their selves or at least their screen persona. All are frankly superb.

.........................

In an unrelated piece. (Not aimed at you nos42) I find it difficult to take anyone seriously who can't appreciate the stars of the past. We don't have many true stars nowadays. Hanks and Cruise as well as Clooney are the only ones i can think of off the top of my head since the early 90's who have true proven star quality and longevity.

You're forgetting

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

You're forgetting

I don't think he is!

As for 'true' stars of today, Christopher Walken is probably the one who fits that mould best for me. Also, I know his career isn't what it once was and thanks to the films of Tim Burton he's become stereotyped and almost predictable in his roles, but Johnny Depp has certainly a great and (in the past) varied career.

[Nordicdusk]

Tom Cruise is the business

John Wayne and Clint never put a foot wrong with me i love both of them and all their work to bits.

[Nordicdusk]

Brewsters Millions and Dragnet always loved both those films not seen them for some years now.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

I don't think he is!

As for 'true' stars of today, Christopher Walken is probably the one who fits that mould best for me. Also, I know his career isn't what it once was and thanks to the films of Tim Burton he's become stereotyped and almost predictable in his roles, but Johnny Depp has certainly a great and (in the past) varied career.

The problem with Walken is he's an actor, rather than movie star, he never headlines movies just sort of pops up.

Depp i agree, i think. Again if it's not a Pirates film it won't guarantee box office.

I'd also like to add that it's all a bit pointless, if that's the right word, as todays stars don't headline films like they used to do. It's usually the franchise that's the draw. For example The Avengers films - people go to see Iron Man and Thor, not Downey jr and Nordy.

James Stewart for example wouldn't have made Harvey as he'd be tied up filming Winchester 73 part II: The Gunfighters.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

The Tory Story films? Are they political dramas?

Duly amended!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by nosferatu42

I disagree this is one of the reasons i dislike Tom Hanks i don't think he's that adaptable.
Same way i feel about Tom Cruise.
Most of his roles consist of nice guy, everyman characters or nice guys stuck in a bad situation. Even Road to P, where he's involved with crime he's still a nice guy.


If he had any real range he'd go the full hog and be the bad guy. The characters are all too alike.
i thought the early comedies were better too.
At least they had Daryl Hannah and Joe Dante.

I do like Tom Hardy, so it's not just a Tom thing.

Henry Fonda was just like that until he was cast as the main villain in Once Upon a Time in the West by Sergio Leone and audiences around the world was stunned when Frank was revealed. Maybe someone will do something similar with Tom Hanks and cast him in a film as a cold-blooded killer, similar to Road to Perdition, but with absolutely no conscience. Henry Fonda was one of the greatest actors who ever lived.

[nosferatu42]

I do like James Stewart.
Always watchable.

In general i prefer interesting character actor types like Harry dean stanton, Brad Douriff, Dennis Hopper, Guy Pierce, Jeremy Irons, Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges, Patrick Magoohan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Donald Pleasance, Malcolm Mcdowell, Donald Sutherland, Emily Watson, Cillian Murphy.

People who can pop up and steal a film and have a bit of an unpredictability about them.

People like Peter Cushing And Boris Karloff are my favoutive horror stars, equally good at being Kind and gentle and sinister and evil.

Depp is very good when he's good, Pitt and Hardy can be very good, Fassbinder is pretty interesting at the moment, i also like Sam Riley presently.

Scarlett Johansson can just do whatever she wants i don't mind, but "Under the skin" was a pretty out there choice for a big star.

I think Mia Mia Wasikowska is a really interesting little actress at the moment and Saoirse Ronan.

Some of the above have given dodgy performances at times, but they are usually interesting to watch even on a bad day.

Most of my favourite films are "star" less.