Acting performances that surprised you

I honestly thought Pacino had lost it by the time Glengarry Glen Ross came out. I did not like him in the overrated Essence of a Woman, but he was by far the best thing about GGR. Even if the film wasn't a total win for me, his performance was. Shame that brilliance did not last very long...

The number one in my list has to be John Travolta in pulp fiction. But of course Quentin should get all the credit.

Sharon Stone in 'Casino.'


From what I've seen from SS, I've always pictured her as the hot chick who lifted her leg in 'Basic Instinct.' I never knew she could act, like 'ACT ACT.' But she blew me away in that film. Honestly believed she deserved an Oscar for that.

Yeah, Stone is gutsy and electric in Casino, for my money the best work of her career and I could have lived with her winning an Oscar for it.

She should've went for Supporting. I haven't seen 'Dead Man Walking,' but If others believed the later was more deserving. Then It would have been nice for SS to compete in the Supporting Category. She wasn't a lead in the film anyway.

Mira Sorvino DID NOT deserve that Oscar for Mighty Aphrodite. Stone winning in that Category would've been...

I've never seen that but Romy and Michele's High School Reunion is my favourite of the ones I have. She's fantastic in it .

I've always felt that Sarandon's win was a "Body of Work/Lifetime Achievement" award as she has done WAY superior work.

On the other hand, I don't think the role of Ginger was a supporting role.

Probably been said infinity times but, Matthew Mcconaughey has become a solid actor these past 5 years.

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I mentioned on the child actor thread I initiated that I think comedy is harder for actors than drama, noting that I have observed many first rate dramatic performances by primarily comedic actors and lame attempts at comedy by dramatic actors. One such instance of the former was Steve Martin in the Hitchcock-like suspense thriller The Spanish Prisoner (1997). I thought Martin’s performance was superb. Bear in mind, that I'm no Steve Martin fan. His sort of comedy seems inane to me, and I could never understand his appeal. Thus, his performance in this most atypical film for him did indeed most pleasantly surprise me.

He's fine so long as he doesn't go overboard & chew up all the scenery. I found him very tiresome in Dallas Buyers Club & Interstellar.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

This:

I bailed out of that movie. Disappointed because I thought I would like it.

I liked it more than I thought I would as I wasn't in the mood for a heavy drama at the time. Bale and Affleck slayed.

Oh hai!!!!
Is there really a "best way to catch a fish?" I mean... in this day and age?
*hint hint hint*

I saw a bit of The Iceman again the other day and I was enjoying Chris Evans. I may be mistaken due to unfamiliarity but it doesn't seem like his usual thing and he was really good.

Evans is, IMO, giving the best performance in the Marvel universe as Captain America.

Yeah, he looks very good from what I've seen. Robert Downey Jr. is great as well. I've not really kept up with the Avengers characters' films.

I saw the last sort of 40 minutes of A Place in the Sun (1951) the other day and I thought Montgomery Clift was really good.

He was terrific in The Misfits if you've never seen it.