Best Acting You've Ever Seen

[traxx]

The Dude, in the dark shirt in this clip, has proven, over time, that he ain't no slouch, neither . . .

One of the most underrated actors of our time. Whatever character he's playing, you believe he is that character. It's not over the top, it's just believable. Whether he's Duane Jackson or The Dude or Bad Blake or Obadiah Stane or Jack Lucas or many other characters he's played through the years.

[Dennis Heaton]

Wonder what ever happened to these fellas...

[kelroy55]

Charles Laughton in any movie he did.

[FritterGirl]

Hard not to love Heath Ledger as the Joker, but his turn in "Brokeback Mountain" was spectacular as well.

Michael Fassbender in just about anything he does is superb, and of particular note, his turn in "Shame" is an absolute stand-out. I still get chills thinking about that role, not because of what he did, but because of how he pulled his character back from any emotional investment given his complete dysfunction and inability to connect with any "real" person outside of an abusive situation. On that same point, Carey Mulligan's role as his equally dysfunctional sister is spellbinding, as well. This film made me squirm with extreme discomfort, and not during the obvious scenes where detached and broken people were engaged in raw and callous sexual acts, but in very chaste scenes where their complete inability to function on any "normal" emotional level was brought to the surface. I genuinely believe Fassbender would have won the Oscar for that role had he been nominated, but the subject matter was perhaps a bit too on edge for most Academy voters. This film haunts me for so many reasons, but most notably the subtle turn of these performances, which were some of the best I've ever seen.

Another performance I can never fail to recognize was Forrest Whitaker in his Oscar-winning turn as Idi Amin in "The Last King Of Scotland." I saw the film when it came out and said at the time he would win an Oscar for that role, and he did. He held the character on a knife's edge the entire way through and you never knew which way he was to turn, literally and figuratively. Truly outstanding work.

My perennial favorite, however, is indie actor John Hawkes, who became known to me during his stint on HBO's now defunt "Deadwood." His range is remarkable and he's been spellbinding in just about everything I've seen him in. An actor who is quiet, but draws you in with his intensity. "Winter's Bone," "Martha Marcy May Marlene," and "The Sessions" (he was nominated for an Oscar for this) are all worth watching.

Felicity Huffman in her role as a transgendered woman in "Transamerica" is also worth a look.

Most "actors" are capable of emoting and selling their work on screen, but it's rare for an actor to bring you into their character with raw intensity, as if wrestling some great beast under the surface and pulling you in for the fight. To me, this is the mark of a great actor far more than someone who can just chew scenery.

[Stan Silliman]

I put some work into this article to come up with my favorite nine well acted boxing movies. Lots of clips:

Silliman's Nine Favorite Well-Acted Boxing Movies | Bleacher Report

[Achilleslastand]

William H Macy as Bill Porter in door to door

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Stephen Root.

That dude is in EVERYTHING. And has played the full range very, very well. And 90% of you will have to google him to see who I'm talking about. Only 23% of you will admit this.

[Stan Silliman]

I put some work into this article to come up with my favorite nine well acted boxing movies. Lots of clips:

Silliman's Nine Favorite Well-Acted Boxing Movies | Bleacher Report

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/5...-movies/page/2

[traxx]

Stephen Root.

That dude is in EVERYTHING. And has played the full range very, very well. And 90% of you will have to google him to see who I'm talking about. Only 23% of you will admit this.

Dude. You think you're the only one that's seen Office Space or News Radio? We know who he is.

[Prunepicker]

I know what you're thinking. But when I think of outstanding acting
this is the first movie that comes to mind. Seriously.

@8:00 "he doesn't want me, he want's the other monkey!" Then
what follows...

By the way, the grand father of a very good friend of mine did the
sound for many of these.

[Prunepicker]

I haven't heard of half of these people from current movies and TV.
That reflects my age - nothing else.

The best acting I have ever seen would probably come from movies
involving one or more of these people... no particular order.

Robert De Niro
Michael Caine
Lauren Bacall
Jack Nicholson
Robert Duvall
Jimmy Stewart
Meryl Streep
Tom Hanks
Judi Dench
Gene Hackman
Fredric March
Ingrid Bergman
Anthony Hopkins

All greats to me.

A very, very good list.

I'd add to your list:
John Wayne
Humphrey Bogart
Debbie Reynolds (she could do it all while blind folded)
Lionel Barrymore (he could act better sitting in a wheel chair than
most actors could standing up)
Cary Grant (who I believe would have made a fantastic James Bond)
James Cagney
Edward G. Robinson
Bette Davis
Joan Crawford (if you name Bette you must name Joan)
Orson Wells
Paul Newman
And when I think of "A Touch of Evil" Charlton Heston.

Supporting Actors
Edward Everett Horton
Jack Carson
Ben Johnson
George Kennedy

[Prunepicker]

I'm a John Wayne fan. I can't think of a single western without
him coming to mind.

Case in point "The Searchers". He makes my skin crawl.
The Quiet Man.
True Grit.
Rooster Cogburn.

[td25er]

Freddie Highmore has a knack for portraying a creepy MF'er in Bates Motel.

Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York was pretty good.

[kelroy55]

I'm a John Wayne fan. I can't think of a single western without
him coming to mind.

Case in point "The Searchers". He makes my skin crawl.
The Quiet Man.
True Grit.
Rooster Cogburn.

About the only movie John Wayne didn't play the same character in was one of my favorites, The Quiet Man

[hoya]

In Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure, Keanu Reeves had me totally convinced he was a brain dead stoner. Amazing job. I haven't seen any of his other movies but I can only assume he's turned in the same amazing caliber of performance.

[Richard at Remax]

LeBron?