+1
Al Pacino is my all-time favorite actor, with Jack Nicholson as a close second. I do love De Niro as well, just not as much. He deserves all respect he gets though, I like him most in dramatic roles.
Al Pacino - Almost impossible to pick... You're seriously asking me to pick what I think is the best performance from him?! I can't do it. I just can't do it. But I do want to give a shout-out to one of his absolutely most underrated movies:
Two Bits
Two Bits really blew me away by what an emotional punch it was. Pacino is astonishing in a very quiet, sympathetic role, and is one of two times where he touched me so much that he made me cry.
Jack Nicholson - The Crossing Guard
This is unlike any other character he's played... I was left speechless with him in this movie. His depiction of long-term hurt, confused anger, sadness... How the hell he didn't get at least nominated is beyond me.
Robert De Niro - King Of Comedy
"Hello. My name is Rupert Pupkin."
He excelled in both areas he's most known for: his powerhouse dramatic acting and his quirky and unique comedic charisma. This is my favorite character that he's played as well, he's just endlessly entertaining and really pathetically tragic at the same time. It's kind of a dark satire of the common phrase "Shoot for the stars". To what prize is it worth it? Is there a point where you are forced to lower your expectations? Why do some get so lucky but other people fade into obscurity? It's a fascinating cynical look into the comedy industry and will always continue to be just as relevant.