Actors who just OWN the movies they're in...

After starting the Bulworth thread, I got to thinking about actors who are so far-and-away better than the rest of the cast that it's unfair...Add on to the list

Oliver Platt, Bulworth
Paul Giammatti, Private Parts or just about anything
Paul Rudd, 40-year old Virgin
The Brother (what's his name?), Little Miss Sunshine
Hank Azaria, The Birdcage
Grandpa Joe, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (first one, not shitty remake)
Forrest Whitaker, Phenomenon
Ed Norton, the People vs. Larry Flynt
The football coach (what's his name?), Mr. Holland's Opus

 

Paul Rudd was better than Steve Carell in 40-Year-Old-Virgin?

Edit: Actually, I disgree with almost all of your examples.

 

Hank Azaria the Birdcage?

 

James Woods in just about anything but especially Against All Odds
Kevin Kline in Fish Called Wanda
Gene Hackman


gotta agree on Platt though - he makes anything he's in watchable

 

Joe Pesci in JFK.

 

Shirley MacLaine ... in damn near anything.

 

Christian Bale in American Psycho

 

Three immediately come to mind:

Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugitive
Gene Hackman, Unforgiven
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine

I suppose that's why those guys all won Oscars for their supporting roles.

 

If you're talking about actors who own everything they're in?

I recently saw Sophie's Choice again for the first time in years... and by coincidence, the next day, I caught The Devil Wears Prada for the second time.

Meryl Streep is the only actor who owns absolutely everything she's in.

I tried to think of a male actor - couldn't really think of one. Maybe Paul Newman.

 

Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes, Schindler's List. Their performances blew me away.

Tom Hanks, Philadephia

 

I just had a flashback to Susan Sarandon's guest appearance on Friends, when she's coaching Joey.

 

Just what I was thinking.

John Cusack in Say Anything, High Fidelity, Grosse Pointe Blank.
Chris Cooper in American Beauty, Lone Star
Gene Hackman, French Connection
Anthony Hopkins, Silence of the Lambs.
John Wayne, The Searchers and The Quiet Man
Ben Affleck, Gigli. Well, maybe not