“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career
highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's
new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography
of “The Meg” star Rainn Wilson.
Films starring Rainn Wilson that I've seen:
Galaxy Quest
Almost Famous
House of 1000 Corpses
Juno
The Rocker
Monsters vs. Aliens
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Super
Hesher
Best Performance: Super (2011)
Dwight Schrute's film career hasn't been full of gems or hits, but he's quietly turned in some quality performances in several under-the-radar indie flicks. My favorite big screen turn of his to-date came in James Gunn's brutal dark comedy Super. Wilson is bitter, hilarious and surprisingly empathetic as Frank Darbo-a depressed short-order cook who is inspired to become a costumed vigilante known as the Crimson Bolt after conversing with God in a vision.
Worst Performance: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Wilson's extended cameo as a horndog college professor in the most infamous entry of Michael Bay's Transformers franchise is an atrocious attempt at humor that is significantly more creepy than funny.
Best Film: Almost Famous (2000)
In a filmography that I can only describe as erratic in terms of quality, I'd say that this is easily my favorite movie from Cameron Crowe. Almost Famous is a loose, engrossing and incredibly well-acted labor of love from Crowe that beautifully displays why the 70's rock scene holds such a special place in his heart.
Worst Film: Juno (2007)
While her more recent projects (Young Adult, Tully) have been semi-tolerable thanks to excellent lead performances from Charlize Theron, writer Diablo Cody's knack for creating obnoxious characters that seem like they emerged from some kind of quirky douchebag nightmare realm has prevented me from enjoying any project she's penned. Cody achieved her peak level of insufferability early on with Juno. This all-out assault of quips, forced sentimentality and behavior that I would be stunned to see a living, breathing human being engage in broke my mind and ability to feel any emotion besides seething rage for several hours after I had completed watching it.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst
of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Crazy Rich Asians” star Ken Jeong.
Showing posts with label the best and worst. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the best and worst. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Monday, October 23, 2017
The Best and Worst of Julianne Moore
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Suburbicon" star Julianne Moore.
Films starring Julianne Moore that I've seen:
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Boogie Nights
The Big Lebowski
The Ladies Man
Evolution
Freedomland
Children of Men
Eagle Eye
The Kids Are Alright
Crazy, Stupid, Love
What Maisie Knew
What Maisie Knew
Don Jon
Non-Stop
Still Alice
Maps to the Stars
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Best Performance: Boogie Nights (1997)
As overrated as I find Paul Thomas Anderson's work on the whole, he has a gift for getting the most of every actor he collaborates with. Of the half-dozen or so exceptional performances in Anderson's breakout film Boogie Nights, Moore's layered turn as veteran porn star Amber Waves ended up leaving the biggest impression on me. The effectiveness of the juxtaposition between the kind-hearted mentor she is in her professional life and the neglectful, reckless individual she is in her personal life makes Waves the most fascinating character in this dark rise-and-fall story.
As overrated as I find Paul Thomas Anderson's work on the whole, he has a gift for getting the most of every actor he collaborates with. Of the half-dozen or so exceptional performances in Anderson's breakout film Boogie Nights, Moore's layered turn as veteran porn star Amber Waves ended up leaving the biggest impression on me. The effectiveness of the juxtaposition between the kind-hearted mentor she is in her professional life and the neglectful, reckless individual she is in her personal life makes Waves the most fascinating character in this dark rise-and-fall story.
Worst Performance: The Kids Are Alright (2010)
Unlike a lot of her similarly lauded peers, the five-time Oscar nominee and one-time winner Moore isn't overly picky with her projects. Her filmography is loaded with horror (6 Souls, The Forgotten), action (Seventh Son, Next) and comedy (Laws of Attraction, Evolution) flicks that got eviscerated by critics. However, her performance in the widely-acclaimed, quirky indie dramedy The Kids Are Alright grated on me far more than her any of her roles in the aforementioned "shit" movies. Like everyone else in this obnoxious, Wes Anderson-wannabe indie dramedy, Moore's character is a boring, selfish asshole that deserved every awful thing that happened to her.
Unlike a lot of her similarly lauded peers, the five-time Oscar nominee and one-time winner Moore isn't overly picky with her projects. Her filmography is loaded with horror (6 Souls, The Forgotten), action (Seventh Son, Next) and comedy (Laws of Attraction, Evolution) flicks that got eviscerated by critics. However, her performance in the widely-acclaimed, quirky indie dramedy The Kids Are Alright grated on me far more than her any of her roles in the aforementioned "shit" movies. Like everyone else in this obnoxious, Wes Anderson-wannabe indie dramedy, Moore's character is a boring, selfish asshole that deserved every awful thing that happened to her.
Best Film: The Big Lebowski (1998)
How a film about a bowling-obsessed, White Russian-sipping hippie that inadvertently gets involved in an elaborate kidnapping plot went onto become a cultural phenomenon is an unsolvable mystery that I'm completely cool with. With its deep arsenal of quotable lines and lively characters, The Big Lebowski is the Coen Brothers at their weirdest, wittiest and flat-out funniest.
How a film about a bowling-obsessed, White Russian-sipping hippie that inadvertently gets involved in an elaborate kidnapping plot went onto become a cultural phenomenon is an unsolvable mystery that I'm completely cool with. With its deep arsenal of quotable lines and lively characters, The Big Lebowski is the Coen Brothers at their weirdest, wittiest and flat-out funniest.
Worst Film: Freedomland (2006)
Joe Roth's dramatic thriller Freedomland is a classic case of when good intentions go horribly wrong. The film's attempts to address the perpetually underexplored societal issues of systematic racism and classism are undone by a reliance on cheap melodrama and overblown plot twists.
Joe Roth's dramatic thriller Freedomland is a classic case of when good intentions go horribly wrong. The film's attempts to address the perpetually underexplored societal issues of systematic racism and classism are undone by a reliance on cheap melodrama and overblown plot twists.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Last Flag Flying" star Laurence Fishburne.
Monday, April 11, 2016
The Best and Worst of Bill Murray
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "The Jungle Book" star Bill Murray.
Film starring Bill Murray that I've seen:
Caddyshack
Ghostbusters
Little Shop of Horrors
Ghostbusters II
Kingpin
Larger Than Life
Space Jam
Rushmore
Charlie's Angels
Osmosis Jones
The Royal Tennenbaums
Moonrise Kingdom
The Monuments Men
The Grand Budapest Hotel
St. Vincent
Aloha
Best Performance: Caddyshack (1980)
Murray has become one of the most iconic comedians of the past 50 years in large part due to his ability to play zany, manic characters that steal every scene they're in. Caddyshack may not have marked the moment where that persona was born, but it was the project where he perfected it. Despite the fact he was sharing the screen with a who's who of comedy juggernauts (Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight), Murray managed to run away with the movie as Carl Spackler, a dim-witted greenskeeper at an upscale golf course tasked with stopping a gopher infestation during a major tournament.
Worst Performance: Aloha (2015)
One of the many reasons Murray has become one of the most universally beloved fixtures in Hollywood is due to his remarkable consistency. While most of the biggest comics from his generation have tailed off (Chase, Steve Martin, Dan Aykroyd), Murray has remained a reliable powerhouse in the industry that can inject life into even the most cringe-inducing projects (Larger Than Life, Charlie's Angels). This reputation of perpetual reliability made his god awful turn in Cameron Crowe's Aloha that much more surprising. Like basically every other actor in the film, Murray completely phoned in it as the film's "antagonist" and appeared to be visibly embarrassed to be involved with this project.
Best Film: Space Jam (1996)
When you consider all of the comedy classics and beloved indie films Murray has starred in over the years, this pick might seem really strange and borderline insane. That being said, I have no shame for my immense love of Space Jam.This movie basically defined my childhood and I highly doubt there will be ever be a point in my life where I don't love this film with every fiber of my being. Even as I've grown older and more cynical in my attitude towards life, this film still manages to put a huge smile on my face every single I watch it.
Worst Film: Aloha (2015)
It's been said countless times before and it'll be said countless more times until the end of time: How in the sweet fuck did a film written and directed by Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) with an ensemble cast led by Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Murray, Rachel McAdams and Alec Baldwin end up being this bad? What should've been a heartwarming and beautiful romantic comedy/drama ended up being a cliched pile of manure full of lifeless characters, terrible acting and a plot that makes little-to-no sense. If this isn't the biggest waste of an abundance of top-end talent in recent cinematic history, I don't know what is.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "The Huntsman: Winter's War" star Jessica Chastain.
Film starring Bill Murray that I've seen:
Caddyshack
Ghostbusters
Little Shop of Horrors
Ghostbusters II
Kingpin
Larger Than Life
Space Jam
Rushmore
Charlie's Angels
Osmosis Jones
The Royal Tennenbaums
Moonrise Kingdom
The Monuments Men
The Grand Budapest Hotel
St. Vincent
Aloha
Best Performance: Caddyshack (1980)
Murray has become one of the most iconic comedians of the past 50 years in large part due to his ability to play zany, manic characters that steal every scene they're in. Caddyshack may not have marked the moment where that persona was born, but it was the project where he perfected it. Despite the fact he was sharing the screen with a who's who of comedy juggernauts (Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight), Murray managed to run away with the movie as Carl Spackler, a dim-witted greenskeeper at an upscale golf course tasked with stopping a gopher infestation during a major tournament.
Worst Performance: Aloha (2015)
One of the many reasons Murray has become one of the most universally beloved fixtures in Hollywood is due to his remarkable consistency. While most of the biggest comics from his generation have tailed off (Chase, Steve Martin, Dan Aykroyd), Murray has remained a reliable powerhouse in the industry that can inject life into even the most cringe-inducing projects (Larger Than Life, Charlie's Angels). This reputation of perpetual reliability made his god awful turn in Cameron Crowe's Aloha that much more surprising. Like basically every other actor in the film, Murray completely phoned in it as the film's "antagonist" and appeared to be visibly embarrassed to be involved with this project.
Best Film: Space Jam (1996)
When you consider all of the comedy classics and beloved indie films Murray has starred in over the years, this pick might seem really strange and borderline insane. That being said, I have no shame for my immense love of Space Jam.This movie basically defined my childhood and I highly doubt there will be ever be a point in my life where I don't love this film with every fiber of my being. Even as I've grown older and more cynical in my attitude towards life, this film still manages to put a huge smile on my face every single I watch it.
Worst Film: Aloha (2015)
It's been said countless times before and it'll be said countless more times until the end of time: How in the sweet fuck did a film written and directed by Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) with an ensemble cast led by Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Murray, Rachel McAdams and Alec Baldwin end up being this bad? What should've been a heartwarming and beautiful romantic comedy/drama ended up being a cliched pile of manure full of lifeless characters, terrible acting and a plot that makes little-to-no sense. If this isn't the biggest waste of an abundance of top-end talent in recent cinematic history, I don't know what is.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "The Huntsman: Winter's War" star Jessica Chastain.
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