Just how overrated is Dicaprio ? and his parallels with Chris Nolan

Scorsese has also produced many films with Leo in it, but I get what you're saying.
I agree that the partnership between Leo and Scorsese is, apart from an artistic one, also a financial one and that Leo's brand helps Scorsese. I'm just disputing that Scorsese doesn't like Leo's acting and squeezes his nose whenever he's making films with him.


I agree. I think pure stars can be just as enjoyable and interesting to look at as "chameleon actors", though.

I think his star power and charisma does elevate the material. Actually, a great example of that is his performance as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained. He really elevated that film with his presence, in my opinion.

It's pretty well documented that this "old man" you're referring to was Franco Nero, whom Tarantino genuinely thought was too old for the part when he met him. He gave him a short cameo during the introduction scene of (Leo's) Calvin Candie in the ultimate film.
Kurt Russell was going to play a character called Ace Woody. You can look it up.

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of course not. He don't dislike DiCaprio, the question of "is he the greatest actor there is?" just doesn't come up.Its like Exodus casting as described by Ridley scott over whitewashing controversy - "question of casting someone else doesn't even come up in the casting for projects so huge". Who are the alternatives for DiCaprio is early 2000s ? its either brad Pitt or johnny Depp..because none of his other contemporaries have enough starpower..matt damon was struggling at box office wise till he was cast in bourne identity. Directors get a very limited choice as i told.Actor need to meet 2 main criterias..1)Box office draw 2)He needs to fit the role best among the available stars.You cant really cast Matt Damon as a frontiersman and Brad pitt as well all know isnt really great choice for epic filmmaking..his dialogue delivery doesnt support long loud speeches without sounding cocky. You already know this.We all know Johnny Depp is into weird movies and characters as he was trying to beat his pretty boy image. I seriously think that had christian bale became as popular as Dicaprio in early 2000s or atleast had a 600 or 700 million dollar hit at that time...I dont think Dicaprios filmography would be as glorious as it is. Some of the projects would be split between them.He just broke a little late and in a superhero movie which makes it harder.So he had to fight the typecasting machine of Hollywood as well.Look at where tobey maguire is.


DiCaprio has the best freak outs in the industry. His freak outs are much more expressive than anyone else. I wish we have a video of christian bale terminator salvation freak out video to compare his expressions it with Bale's , haha . He was good for that part obviously. But I can't help but think he freaks out a lot. Aviator/Revolutionary road/Inception/Wolf of wall street/Revenant/Django unchained/Great gatsby/The departed...scenery chewing is his specialty and he picks projects like that. Getting angry and saying his dialogues out loud with urgency. Its sometimes laugable when you compare that with something like christian bale in fighter..where he is acting with his whole body or Marlon brando with Godfather...i think he barely freaks out in the movie unlike the stella shouting in street car. Does it feel good to see if someone is screaming and shouting Quentin Tarantino lines in scenes like that ? Yes of course.I cant help but think the same scene in dinner table of Django could have been played with quiet intensity...where in the sheer conviction and belief calvin candie had that white people are anatomically/genetically better than black people could have been played like basement scene in inglourious..but then people wouldnt feel Dicaprio is "acting" because he is not screaming at the top of his lungs..but to me that would have been more impactful.

I do think DiCaprio and his team interrogates and works out scripts that he takes on very thoroughly. a) Is this role playing to his strengths. b) Does it appeal to his fanbase c) Does this movie have oscar prospects. b)Does it render itself to epic filmmaking. e) is the director an auteur/what are the chances this script with this director can become a piece of crap. f) Is our acting translating to audience. I am sure others do it as well.

But when you have so many obligations/criterias to taking on a role..I cant help but think its not in DiCaprio's best interest to play a miserable drug addict(the fighter).. and not a drug addict who looks cool and with no scars of drug addiction(wolf of wall street).

Joaquin Phoenix is the greatest working actor. There, hope i've settled this argument.

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yes..i think he is better than most working today. His just doesn't have star power..but even with that handicap he is picking some good movies that he gets purely because of his talent and nothing else...until her i thought he can only play slightly negative characters but after her he can play any role..

He's no longer working.






plus Joaquin>DDL

Couldn't care less about star power. He's picking the exact sort of roles i want him too working with PTA, Jonze, Ramsay, etc.

True...but i would rather want a movie be an instant classic or well received than a movie be underrated or cult classic or forgotten gem or misunderstood masterpiece. More people watch and remember Jaws than the thing...look how blade runner 2049 turned out..it now has to live with the distinction of being one of the biggest bombs of 2017 which means enough people didn't care about it. I am not saying its bad but its better to be well received at the time of release and lauded at awards than be a cult classic.

Why do you care so much about what others think? Just like what you like, geez. Plus The Master is possibly the most acclaimed film this Decade, Her isn't far behind it and You Were Never Really Here has been very well received. Joaquin is doing okay.

For a single project ? i would say you are right..but if almost every movie he's made since 2000 has a degree of "risk" and it almost always made its money back then it feels an awful lot like a strategy he using..a checklist if you will...if you had gone through those sony leaks of 2014/2015...you can see how sony agents are literally trying to bait Dicaprio with the thing he cares about the most - oscar recognition.I will help you with a link to that article.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-st...-the-sony-hack

This actually gives you an insight into the breadth and the volume of people who want Dicaprio to win oscar. Its not just people who like his performance.Its the agents whose clients are benefited by being cast in his movies. Its a whole range of people who care about anything but the depth of his performance. They care about satisfying the movie star that helps them to put food on their table and pay for luxuries and bills.

The script of it was horrible. Any actor would have noticed it. Its impossible to make a good movie from a bad script. I think Colin farrell made a poor choice and was swayed by wanting to work with oliver stone. Even martin scorsese cant make a good movie from script of battlefield earth.

Its not about who he works with...its about who he doesnt work with. Its just all too obvious.

I'd rather have Blade Runner 2049 in my library than Transformers. IMO, one made an effort to be more than box office numbers and that ranks higher for me.

I really don't understand the length of this thread. You make subjective claims (which is absolutely fine, btw!), but argue as if they were obvious fact. You cite very specific comparisons that support your view but when someone counters with a broader example for contextual perspective you dismiss it or slightly alter the premise, then cite another very specific comparison for the new, altered argument.

Honestly, what is the point? Are you trying to convert other readers to your view? I don't mean that aggressively. I am genuinely curious as to what your specific intent is and the motivation behind the last 6 pages of argument.

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I will believe it in half a dozen years. In my head right now he is off learning how to bake the perfect pie or some $hit for a PTA project I didn't know I had to have until it gets here.


And you are the king of wrongness. DDL rules all.

Love DDL too so have no problem with anyone preferring him/thinking he's better. To me though Joaquin in The Master is the best performance this Century then Her and You Were Never Really Here are up there too. DDL works much less of course but still i prefer Joaquin.

My theaters still haven't gotten YWNRH. Looks like I will be waiting for VOD.

Damn, that's too bad was incredible in the Theatre. It's my favourite from last year (not including Twin Peaks ) and second from Ramsay after Ratcatcher. It's just gorgeous and gutwrenching, Joaquin is so intimidating yet vulnerable, i dunno everything works basically hope you like it.

Same. So frustrating.

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Since my favorite film of all time is the epitome of the cult classic, I must disagree!

If not for having a fun evening chatting with MoFos in the Oscars chat, I wouldn't watch the awards at all. Awards are pretty much last on my list of why I watch a film.

Say, is there anyone on this site that thinks Leo is best actor of all time? Seems like there would be at least one if the issue was so widespread.

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You know what, after watching Phoenix in a number of movies, I agree with you. Watched him in The Yards, very impressed with him in that.

It has to do with herd mentality. Take a look at this image.
https://ibb.co/if302S

More specifically take a look at this image.
https://ibb.co/fdQoNS
I don't even know this person. The snap shot is of a youtube comment on a video about DiCaprio and Django unchained. This guy must be around my age. 14-22 yrs. This is him describing that scene about DiCaprio accidentally cutting his hand. Look at how he is bragging about DiCaprio rubbing his hand on some actresses face. What must be going on in his head..when he is writing this comment. "You are the greatest..Leonardo dicaprio...you are the man"... "DiCaprio is such a great actor"..firstly this person doesnt even know what acting is..or filmmaking is..he might not even know how clever marketing works...but all he knows is this movie made him feel something and since Dicaprios character looks badass and does some misogynistic stuff "he is cool"..you can see this guy idolizing DiCaprio with that one sentence..."he went off script" "he improvised"..he is almost selling his performance for him...do you know how many movies have improvisations/Acting getting hurt but still keeps going on....I can think of one...JACKASS.

This comment is not just one persons opinion..its the opinion of sizable amount of movie fans..sizable enough to make 400 million $ for a movie...this fandom is only found in star wars or chris nolan or MCU. Those people earn it and don't over do it...something like Dunkirk or Inception will not work if not for Chris Nolan...so if fans of those movies are supporting him then so be it...he deserves the respect...Star wars and MCU get the exact praise they deserve. The problem with someone like Dicaprio getting the same intense fandom as those other entities i mentioned above is that film is directors medium not actors medium and actor can't be a brand. There are lot of factors that just dont add up...for an actor to be a brand you have to not take certain risks(I have already told it).He is an actor and for him to maintain such a brand he needs to be PICKED. Directors need not..they are the boss and moreover his campaign for oscars 2016 is one the most blatant desperate pathetic attempt at getting oscar. Whatever happened to performance should speak for itself.

My intention is to just make a case against herd mentality especially when the case against the perceived truth is so strong..someone had to make it. I am just interrogating this whole "greatest actor ever" notion that so many people claim him to be. I am not particularly interested in changing opinions. The fact that there is concrete specific evidence to back my claims hold some water.

If you are scouring video comment sections of actors you don't care for looking for positive comments to rally against then you know you have an unhealthy obsession with the subject. Just let it go dude.