To McAvoy, DiCaprio and Hoffman(x2), with Love

Just about everyone has a short list of actors they simply adore. Regardless of the movie's quality, they will make you pay the $10 theater ticket on opening weekend. You'll defend even their weakest performances to the death ("The script was just a mess," "He/she was sick throughout filming, you know," "Shut up, you're jealous!") and often smile at the mere mention of their names. You're probably also seen stalking their mansions every Tuesday around midnight.  

Oh, is that just me? Damn.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make here is that we're all absolute fanatics when it comes to some select stars. Since I'm obviously no exception, I decided to make my following post a virtual love letter to certain celebrities. I'll be suggesting a movie of theirs to check out as well, with YouTube snippets for support. Hopefully, I'll have some converts...  

1.  Dustin Hoffman

I thought it only appropriate to begin with my all-time favorite actor. The way I see it, not only is Dustin Hoffman probably the most versatile actor in Hollywood history, he's also one of the most endearing, insightful and just plain respectable celebrities out there. Consider his 1980 Oscar speech in which he delivered the sincerest commendations to the losing nominees the Academy has ever heard, or an interview concerning Tootsie in which he tearfully lamented the fact that he had never given girls like Tootsie the time of day. Any other actor saying these things would sound nauseatingly cheesy, yet somehow it's not the least bit coming from Dustin.

Really though, the best thing about him is his boundless acting ability. Which is why it's so tough to pick just one performance to recommend. If I must though, it would have to be his iconic role in The Graduate. While I have yet to see Midnight Cowboy, Ben Braddock is just so hilariously awkward and hopelessly unsure of his life's direction in a way we can all relate to, making him truly memorable (though calling a Hoffman character "memorable" seems like a bit of an oxymoron). Enjoy the movie's most quoted scene here:

2.  James McAvoy

If there's anyone on this list who I'm also kind of in love with, it's James McAvoy. Honestly, is there anyone more charming than this guy? Pathetic crush aside, I think he is one of the few actors out there who makes any movie he's in infinitely better. Think about it: we probably wouldn't have cared half as much about Atonement's Robbie Turner if someone else had played him, and Lord knows he's the only reason I made it through Penelope. So what exactly is it that makes him fascinating onscreen? There are plenty of answers to that question, but what it all comes down to, if you ask me, are the facts that he's so wonderfully subtle, and you just know he's putting all he has into his roles, no matter their weight. 

I feel like it's my patriotic duty as a movie lover to urge everyone to see him in The Last King of Scotland. It's insane how underrated his performance is, as much as Forest Whitaker's terrifyingly good acting merits discussion. Unfortunately, YouTube seems to have forgotten his fantastic role in it as well, so hopefully this trailer will be convincing enough.

3. Philip Seymour Hoffman

There must be something about the name Hoffman, because it's attached to two absolutely phenomenal actors. This precise connection is actually the sole reason I was introduced to PSH. Back in 2005, I was reading early Oscar buzz and came across predictions of "Hoffman" winning Best Actor. I obviously flipped out and scrambled to find the latest Dustin Hoffman project only to discover my, in the end, marvelous mistake. After getting over my initial disappointment, I found myself somewhat intrigued by the premise of Capote. Once I finally got around to seeing it, well past the Oscar season's end, I could not have been more grateful to that rather unclear entertainment reporter.  

PSH, like Dustin, is just such an actor. Sure, he can knock it out of the park with a carefully crafted dramatic character (i.e. Capote, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead) but he can also play comedic characters exceptionally well (i.e. Charlie Wilson's War, Along Came Polly - yes, he was in it and no, nothing about that movie other than him is worthwhile).  

I know I've already sung my praises for The Savages, but I think it might be my favorite performance of his. As Jon Savage, a middle-aged drama professor whose long-term relationship is crumbling and estranged father is dying, he creates one of those great flawed yet deeply sympathetic figures. Watch what I believe is his best scene here:

4. Leonardo DiCaprio

As much as I love Leo now, there was a dark and distant time in my past when I despised him. I guess the fact that I really only saw 20 minutes of Titanic when it first came out, thanks to my hyper-concerned mom, and that every irritating girl in my grade was so enamored with him really worked against the poor guy. Then, on one fateful day in the fall of '07, I saw The Departed and was completely blown away. After watching a few more of his movies, I came to the realization that, not only is he one of the strongest actors of his generation, but, contrary to popular belief, his talent didn't just emerge in the past few years; he's had it all along. (To all you nay-sayers: I dare you to watch What's Eating Gilbert Grape and not be baffled by the fact that Tommy Lee Jones won the Oscar that year instead of Leo.)

My pick, since most people have seen The Departed by now, goes to another Scorsese project,The Aviator. (Get excited, all you Scorsese-DiCaprio fans: their next project, Shutter Island, will premiere in October of 2009.) Leo brings his trademark intensity to the complex (to say the least) role with fantastic results, and, in an even more impressive feat, is not completely outshone by the fast-talking, remarkable Cate Blanchett.

I'm also giving honorable mentions to Jack Lemmon and Robert Downey, Jr. I'd love to give them a real spot, but I need to see more of their movies first. Since I mentioned him though, I have to briefly express my absolute joy at the news that Downey will play Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie's upcoming project. It almost takes away the sting of that Will Ferrell atrocity. Almost. 

(Look out next week for my companion list of favorite leading ladies.)