What actor = "bad movie" to you?

KaterinLHC wrote:

Ben Stiller. I've only ever liked two of his many, many endeavors: the original Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum. If only he'd give up the zany voices and goofy facial expressions and just play straight men, he'd be a LOT funnier.

Mystery Men and Zoolander. Love those movies. Basically hate almost everything else he's been in.

Shia LaBeouf

I was channel surfing and on HBO there was some movie that was looking pretty interesting, after a couple scenes Shia LaBeouf showed up on screen and I then changed the channel. I've seen him in two movies, Transformers and Indiana Jones 4, two of the worst movies I've ever seen.

Rob Schneider.

Adam Sandler

Nicholas Cage had at least one good movie: Lord of War

Lucky Wilbury wrote:
KaterinLHC wrote:

Ben Stiller. I've only ever liked two of his many, many endeavors: the original Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum. If only he'd give up the zany voices and goofy facial expressions and just play straight men, he'd be a LOT funnier.

Owen Wilson. Never seen a movie of his I've thought was even remotely funny, and that includes Cars.

So did you explode when you saw the reboot of Starsky & Hutch?

I wasn't a fan.

Jonman wrote:

Get ready with your beating sticks, GWJ...

Tom Hanks.

before the flames start -- I agree with your assessment. he's a good actor with terrible choice in scripts. He and Kevin Costner must go to "crappy movies that suck" camp every summer and fight over the options.

Mark Dacascos. My wife fancied him, and went through this straight-to-DVD/VHS catalogue a few years ago. Not a decent film in the lot.

Tom Cruise is a problem for me. I can't stand the bloke, but he has a tendency to be in films that I like.

NSMike wrote:

Jake Gyllenhal. That might be more due to the fact that I can't stand him.

But Donnie Darko is in my list of favorite movies ever. Zodiac, Jarhead, and Brokeback Mountain are all great films. I'd say he is the reason I will probably check out his new film, Brothers.

This is probably the second most surprising choice in the thread. Samuel L. Jackson is the number most surprising choice.

There os a big difference between an actor that chooses some really bad films to be a part of, and not liking an actor personally. Nicole Kidman really rubs me the wrong way. But damn she is a great actress, and generally finds great films to be a part of.

My number one actor to predict a bomb would be Ben Affleck.

Oh, and Adrian Brody.

Lucky Wilbury wrote:

Rob Schneider.

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

spider_j wrote:

Mark Dacascos. My wife fancied him, and went through this straight-to-DVD/VHS catalogue a few years ago. Not a decent film in the lot.

You didn't like Drive? It had everything - kerazy kung-fu nonsense, a wisecracking black guy sidekick, and Brittany Murphy playing a batsh*t insane hot teenager.

Chumpy_McChump wrote:
KaterinLHC wrote:

Ben Stiller. I've only ever liked two of his many, many endeavors: the original Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum. If only he'd give up the zany voices and goofy facial expressions and just play straight men, he'd be a LOT funnier.

Try Keeping the Faith. Good flick, and he plays it straight. Also, it has Ed Norton, which makes it worth seeing.

I think you mean, "Also, it has Jenna Elfman as a quasi-nymphomaniac, which makes it worth seeing."

For me it would be Adam Sandler (though I was mostly amused by the one where he got punched by Bob Barker, I can't stand him in anything else), Will Farrell (exception: Elf and his bit part in Zoolander), Drew Barrymore.

I haven't liked anything Nicolas Cage has done in... like 2 decades, but he cracks me up so badly in Raising Arizona that I just pretend that was the only movie he ever made.

Ben Stiller... I don't know why but I just like him. Not every movie he's done, but in general I enjoy his comedy. Same with Owen Wilson. And the two together - come on, the fashion model walk off in Zoolander with the two of them was hilarious! (though I agree Starsky and Hutch was a turd). I love Owen Wilson: loved Bottle Rocket, loved him with Jackie Chan in Shanghai Noon and Knights.

In general I love Jack Black, but I hated his character in Tropic Thunder. Everything else in that movie was so hilarious, including Tom Cruise and Matthew McConagh...whatever. In fact, those two guys just barely made it off my list because of their bit parts in that movie!

I was actually going to start a thread on how I love all the actors most people hate:

Tom Cruise
Ben Stiller
Kevin Costner
Nicholas Cage
Keanu Reeves
Will Ferrell
Jim Carrey
Ben Affleck

etc

I despise Cruise's ridiculous belief system, but I am a big fan of his work on-screen.

This doesn't mean that I think that every movie these guys do is great, just that I like them as actors. Some of their movies truly suck (Carrey's "23", Ferrell's Anchorman, etc) but I'll always give these guys a chance.

I think most (not all) of the hatred for them is irrational, but some people just rub others the wrong way I guess. I mean, John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, and Don Cheadle were named in this thread, which shows that even great ones can be hated. Movies are like music, it's very subjective, and there's probably not much point trying to prove anything.

Jayhawker wrote:

My number one actor to predict a bomb would be Ben Affleck.

But he was the bomb in Phantoms, yo.

Honestly, just about anyone that I've learned to avoid has wound up being in something that made me really like them again. Jesus, even McG somehow did Chuck, and I don't think there was anyone short of Uwe Boll that I hated more than that guy.

KaterinLHC wrote:

Ben Stiller. I've only ever liked two of his many, many endeavors: the original Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum. If only he'd give up the zany voices and goofy facial expressions and just play straight men, he'd be a LOT funnier.

Owen Wilson. Never seen a movie of his I've thought was even remotely funny, and that includes Cars.

They were both great in Royal Tenenbaums (which was Owen Wilson's last cowriting credit with Wes Anderson and also Wes Anderson's best movie to date.)

Andy wrote:

Adam Sandler

Nicholas Cage had at least one good movie: Lord of War

I take it you didn't see Spanglish. That was quite good.

I'm ashamed of all of you, not a single mention of the all time greatest horrible movie actor?

Seriously nobody mentioned his name, despite the fact that he can't act at all, and nearly ruined at least one popular franchise?

Mr. Lundgren I shall never forgive you, even thoguh I sort of liked Showdown in Little Tokyo

Eddie Murphy.

Why has nobody said Eddie Murphy?

Eddie Murphy.

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

Floomi wrote:

Eddie Murphy.

Why has nobody said Eddie Murphy?

Eddie Murphy.

Eddie Murphy

Keanu Reeves is an actor I really try to like but he just won't let me. He's kind of like an updated version of Mark Hamill for me. I want Keanu to be good because I really, really like the first Matrix movie and I wanted Mark Hamill to have some good roles because I liked (read as worship) Star Wars. At least with Hamill I've still got the Joker role to fall back on. With Keanu I've just got the impending doom which is Cowboy Bebop to look forward to.

There is a great list of exceptions that prove the rules.

For Mila Jovovich, there is Dazed and Confused which is the great American Film masquerading as a stoner comedy.

For Ben Stiller there is Flirting with Disaster. Writer/director David O. Russell really made this one funny in a cringing sort of uncomfortable way that is Russell's genius.

Nicholas Cage did Red Rock West one of John Dahl's neo-noir masterpieces.

Brendan Frazier did Gods & Monsters & The Quiet American

Gary Sinise is an archetype for *some* on this list. He does his art on the stage and uses the screen to get paid. Most of the time you'll find him in blockbuster-type movies that want to appear "dramatic" which is usually a recipe for trite and saccarhine pap. Brendann Frazier is a really good actor who has made a career out of starring in bad movies. If you asked me if I wanted to live in an apartment and make arthouse movies or live on the beach and make Monkey Bone, I think I'd go with Brendan's choice.

Jack Black and Will Ferrell are the comic equivalent of this. Both can be genuinely funny, but most often are called on to perform bad parodies of their good work. I agree with folks who don't go see their movies, but when they are good, both are very, very good.

Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

She was great in Wag the Dog.

Jayhawker wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

She was great in Wag the Dog.

I've never seen that, so maybe it'll change my opinion.

Bonus_Eruptus wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

She was great in Wag the Dog.

I've never seen that, so maybe it'll change my opinion.

She has a non-speaking, walk-on part, as I recall.

adam.greenbrier wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

She was great in Wag the Dog.

I've never seen that, so maybe it'll change my opinion.

She has a non-speaking, walk-on part, as I recall.

He's talking about Anne Heche.

Switchbreak wrote:
KaterinLHC wrote:

Ben Stiller. I've only ever liked two of his many, many endeavors: the original Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum. If only he'd give up the zany voices and goofy facial expressions and just play straight men, he'd be a LOT funnier.

Owen Wilson. Never seen a movie of his I've thought was even remotely funny, and that includes Cars.

They were both great in Royal Tenenbaums (which was Owen Wilson's last cowriting credit with Wes Anderson and also Wes Anderson's best movie to date.)

I'm no fan of Wilson or Stiller, but this bears repeating.

Also, what's not to like about Tropic Thunder?

Switchbreak wrote:
adam.greenbrier wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

She was great in Wag the Dog.

I've never seen that, so maybe it'll change my opinion.

She has a non-speaking, walk-on part, as I recall.

He's talking about Anne Heche.

You're right. I was mixing Scarlett Johansson up with someone else (Kirsten Dunst? Who played the refugee?).

adam.greenbrier wrote:
Switchbreak wrote:
adam.greenbrier wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

She was great in Wag the Dog.

I've never seen that, so maybe it'll change my opinion.

She has a non-speaking, walk-on part, as I recall.

He's talking about Anne Heche.

You're right. I was mixing Scarlett Johansson up with someone else (Kirsten Dunst? Who played the refugee?).

Good point though. Kirsten Dunst is a simpering bag of mediocrity.

Bonus_Eruptus wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:
Bonus_Eruptus wrote:

If we can include television as well, I'll go with Anne Heche, though Hung is a good show in spite of her. Has she ever been even remotely likable?

I also don't get Scarlett Johansson.

She was great in Wag the Dog.

I've never seen that, so maybe it'll change my opinion.

Great, great satirical look at the news cycle featuring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro.

Good timing on this. N'Gai Croal actually posted an article that defends Nick Cage's movie career:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/mo...

IRT topic, Nicole Kidman. And NOW, Robert Deniro. Oh Bobby, how ye have fallen...