Comments on Strange Culture: Top 10: Steven Spielberg's Undecorated Performers

While Drew's performance in E.T. was memorable, I ...

2009-01-15T17:16:17.444-07:00

While Drew's performance in E.T. was memorable, I thought Henry Thomas had to do the real heavy lifting for that movie to work ... and he did it brilliantly.

@ Art, it's crazy to think that Tommy Lee Jones wo...

2009-01-14T22:21:08.653-07:00

@ Art, it's crazy to think that Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for the fugitive over Ralph Fiennes...it sounds like there's some agreement that this was a great performance.

@superdave - I did consider Richard Dreyfuss...but he just barely missed the list...good call though...he's right there. And Robert Shaw was completly overshadowed by the mechanical shark.

@Will, I thought about Hounsou, but I like him better in Gladiator, Blood Diamond, and In America so didn't feel justified putting him down here. Walken, Damon, and Bale are all worthy. I enjoyed Hanks in the Terminal, but some how Hanks has a huge challenge of playing anyone other than Hanks in my mind.

@Jose, good call on Munich...I wasn't really sure if anyone stood out to be enough in that movie to make this list.

@Lifeofando, I'm with you on Ford. He too almost made the list, he played the part exactly like it's written...and probably better (as we can see in the way other actors, like Kate Capshaw interpreted her part)

@Lorna - thanks for supporting the smaller role of Morton! She was perfect in this role.

This was my favourite: 9. Samantha Morton as Agat...

2009-01-14T15:39:48.166-07:00

This was my favourite:

9. Samantha Morton as Agatha in Minority Report

Robert Shaw in Jaws for sure. Also, its not a typ...

2009-01-14T10:00:00.713-07:00

Robert Shaw in Jaws for sure. Also, its not a typical Oscar-type role, but can you imagine anyone other than Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, especially in Raiders? "Its not the years. Its the mileage.?

Never thought of him as an actor's director, but I...

2009-01-13T23:13:40.883-07:00

Never thought of him as an actor's director, but I'll have to join the Fiennes bandwagon. He was just phenomenal and I thought Mathieu Almaric and Daniel Craig were fantastic, if not too showy in "Munich".

I agree with the Goldberg mention. She was absolu...

2009-01-13T16:08:19.555-07:00

I agree with the Goldberg mention. She was absolute perfection in The Color Purple.

Loved, loved, loved Catch Me If You Can. The part ...

2009-01-13T10:36:38.852-07:00

Loved, loved, loved Catch Me If You Can. The part where DiCaprio is urging Walken to chastize him is heartbreaking.

Very interesting post here.I remember watching The...

2009-01-13T10:04:49.723-07:00

Very interesting post here.

I remember watching The Color Purple and thinking "what HAPPENED to this woman? Whoopi was wonderful way back here!" Unfortunately, I haven't really cared for her in anything since.

Fiennes, absolutely. Christopher Walken, who sadly didn't win for Catch Me If You Can even though he was nominated.
Possibly even Tom Hanks for The Terminal. Djimon Hounsou for Amistad. Christian Bale for Empire of the Sun. Matt Damon in Saving Private Ryan.

Has to be Goldberg for me.I never knew that! Amaz...

2009-01-13T09:51:44.612-07:00

Has to be Goldberg for me.

I never knew that! Amazing little fact, and rather shocking. Goldberg and Oprah all the way!

Didn't like the popcorn movies? Shoot, you had to ...

2009-01-13T04:57:11.818-07:00

Didn't like the popcorn movies? Shoot, you had to like Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters and Robert Shaw in Jaws.

Definitely Fiennes. That was an incredible perform...

2009-01-13T00:55:31.164-07:00

Definitely Fiennes. That was an incredible performance.