Heirs to the throne?

[PhilaYank36]

Obviously, this is a difficult question for two reasons: 1) Bobby & Al have been in the business since, what, the early 70s, while none of these guys didn't really become top flight ACTORS (not just movie stars) until the mid-90s; and 2) you're talking about the Ruth and Cobb of the acting world. They might be so high up and left such an impact that it will be a long time until someone can truly approach them. It also seems like the majority of these guys come off too much like "pretty boys," a phrase that would NEVER describe the Big Two.

That being said, I throw my votes to Leo and Mark Wahlberg. Leo b/c he's in good with Scorcese and he's definitely evolved from his Titanic/teeny-bopper days. Wahlberg has the most explosiveness out of these seven and would definitely come across to me as the most intimidating.

 

[Chi City 81]

Who's Leo DiCarprio?

 

[Write-brained]

How do you forget Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise?

I chose Depp and Dicaprio. I liked Dicaprio long before he made the Titanic and still do despite that movie. Depp makes weird movies at times but he can play anybody he wants. Same with Pitt. It's easy to call him a pretty boy but he's done some good stuff.

And as annoying as he is now, Cruise is in a league all his own. His resume is unbelievable. Maybe Tom Hanks is up there as well, but they're two different actors.

 

[PhilaYank36]

Trust me, I didn't forget Cruise, Pitt or Hanks. I left off Cruise mostly b/c of his idiocy, so I'm biased there. I can't really call to mind a commanding, "holy ****, that was good" performance like Pacino in Scarface or DeNiro in Godfather II. Pitt, I can't see him in a truly dramatic role. I don't think his acting ability is all that great to begin with and a lot of his success has come from his looks. Has either of them played a truly wretched or deranged character like Tony Montana or Travis Bickle? Can't really remember.

Hanks is a superb actor, without question. My bugaboo with him is his range. I can't imagine, for the life of me, see him in a truly evil, despicable role. But then again, how easily can we see Pacino pulling off a successful comedy?

 

[sportschick]

Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July was a damned commanding performance.

My issue with Leo, whom I love as an actor, is that I can't see him doing a comedy. He takes himself way too seriously.

Guess Depp would be my choice as the actor of this generation.

 

[Riddick]

I really have to toss my vote toward Cruise.
He was evil in Collateral, a different role for him. Then you have movies I consider classics, like Top Gun and Riskey Business.
And, he's done some humor, spoofing himself in Austin Powers and showed Rod Tidwell the quawn in Jerry Maguire.

 

[slappy4428]

Of that group, I'd say Damon and Ed Norton, but I dont see any of them having that range.

 

[Write-brained]

I really, really like Norton but he's just not in enough movies. I wish he'd take more roles.

And where the hell is Denzel? This thread is racist! Racist, man! ;D

Seriously, where is Denzel? And Jamie Foxx, though in my opinion Foxx is a poor man's Denzel ...

 

[PhilaYank36]

Wow, I seriously don't know how I left Denzel off this list. The man is a damn fine actor with a lot of range. Let's give Mr. Foxx a little more time, though.

PS - I reset the vote after adding Denzel and Psycho Tom.

 

[Write-brained]

My feeling about Denzel is there are just not enough good movies out there for him. I'm sure much of it has to do with fewer roles for black men.

He's been in some stupid thrillers but almost out of necessity. Training Day was just OK but damn was he good in that movie.

 

[Batman]

Trust me, I didn't forget Cruise, Pitt or Hanks. I left off Cruise mostly b/c of his idiocy, so I'm biased there. I can't really call to mind a commanding, "holy ****, that was good" performance like Pacino in Scarface or DeNiro in Godfather II. Pitt, I can't see him in a truly dramatic role. I don't think his acting ability is all that great to begin with and a lot of his success has come from his looks. Has either of them played a truly wretched or deranged character like Tony Montana or Travis Bickle? Can't really remember.

I went with Damon among the choices there, and will throw another vote toward Brad Pitt.
I used to think Pitt was a pretty boy, too, but the range of characters he's played over the years is just amazing. I don't think he' ever really played the same type of character twice. And as for his deranged roles, check out "Kalifornia," a film from the early 90s. He plays a ****ed-up, hillbilly serial killer on a cross country trip with David Duchovny, Juliette Lewis and another actress I can't recall. Not only was he quite creepy, he gave us one of the great lines of all time...
"Put your titty up, Adell!"

 

[imjustagirl2]

I went with Norton and "other" for Don Cheadle.

 

[Write-brained]

Trust me, I didn't forget Cruise, Pitt or Hanks. I left off Cruise mostly b/c of his idiocy, so I'm biased there. I can't really call to mind a commanding, "holy ****, that was good" performance like Pacino in Scarface or DeNiro in Godfather II. Pitt, I can't see him in a truly dramatic role. I don't think his acting ability is all that great to begin with and a lot of his success has come from his looks. Has either of them played a truly wretched or deranged character like Tony Montana or Travis Bickle? Can't really remember.

I went with Damon among the choices there, and will throw another vote toward Brad Pitt.
I used to think Pitt was a pretty boy, too, but the range of characters he's played over the years is just amazing. I don't think he' ever really played the same type of character twice. And as for his deranged roles, check out "Kalifornia," a film from the early 90s. He plays a ****ed-up, hillbilly serial killer on a cross country trip with David Duchovny, Juliette Lewis and another actress I can't recall. Not only was he quite creepy, he gave us one of the great lines of all time...
"Put your titty up, Adell!"

Kalifornia is exactly the role when I realized the guy could act. Also pretty funny in Snatch. He's got a lot of range.

 

[EStreetJoe]

Of that group I went with Sean Penn and Denzel Washington.

 

[boots]

Obviously, this is a difficult question for two reasons: 1) Bobby & Al have been in the business since, what, the early 70s, while none of these guys didn't really become top flight ACTORS (not just movie stars) until the mid-90s; and 2) you're talking about the Ruth and Cobb of the acting world. They might be so high up and left such an impact that it will be a long time until someone can truly approach them. It also seems like the majority of these guys come off too much like "pretty boys," a phrase that would NEVER describe the Big Two.

That being said, I throw my votes to Leo and Mark Wahlberg. Leo b/c he's in good with Scorcese and he's definitely evolved from his Titanic/teeny-bopper days. Wahlberg has the most explosiveness out of these seven and would definitely come across to me as the most intimidating.

As you are quick to say on my threads, this is a d_b

 

[sportschick]

I've got some issues with the group on this thread. You've got guys in their late 40s, early 50s (Penn, Denzel, Clooney). Guys in their late 30s, early 40s (Depp, Cruise) and guys in their early 30s (DiCaprio, Damon). I think of Sean Penn and Denzel as the guys DiCaprio and Damon look up to and try to emulate. It seems like we're asking who's the best of the next generation, but asking it of several different generations.

 

[Matt Foley]

Bruce Campbell has more acting chops than any two guys on that list, and its not even close

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I'd toss Daniel Day-Lewis in there too, if he wasn't off making shoes now.
And for pure acting chops, Spacey's gotta be on the list. The guy's the artistic director of the Old Vic, for god's sake.

 

[slappy4428]

It could be somewhat of a stretch, but Vince Vaughn.
While, he doesn't often display the depth in his characters, he's got a good range of character and can play serious and comedy...

OK< it's a stretch.

 

[PhilaYank36]

I don't think it's that much of a stretch. He did an admirable job in the Psycho remake. If I knew how his career would turn out back then, I would have never believed it for a moment.