Greatest Screen Performances per Film Actors

[ManPerson]

More FUN:

Nic Cage (another challenging one you guys might disagree with):

1. Leaving Las Vegas
2. Adaptation
3. Pig
4. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
5. Raising Arizona
6. Wild at Heart
7. Mandy
8. Moonstruck
9. Vampire’s Kiss
10. Bringing Out the Dead

(alternates: Honeymoon in Vegas, Con Air, The Rock, Face/Off, Peggy Sue Got Married, Gone in 60 Seconds, National Treasure, Ghost Rider, Longlegs)


Matt Damon:

1. The Talented Mr. Ripley
2. The Martian
3. Good Will Hunting
4. The Departed
5. The Bourne Identity
6. The Informant!
7. Behind the Candelabra
8. Invictus
9. True Grit
10. The Rainmaker

(alternates: Air, All the Pretty Horses, Oppenheimer, Ocean’s Eleven, The Bourne Ultimatum)


Kevin Spacey:

1. American Beauty
2. The Usual Suspects
3. Se7en
4. House of Cards
5. L.A. Confidential
6. Glengarry Glen Ross
7. The Shipping News
8. Beyond the Sea
9. Recount
10. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

(alternates: A Bug’s Life, Baby Driver, Casino Jack, The Life of David Gale, Moon, 21)


Bill Murray (unsure whether or not “Saturday Night Live” counts):

1. Lost in Translation
2. Groundhog Day
3. Ghostbusters
4. Rushmore
5. Broken Flowers
6. Caddyshack
7. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
8. What About Bob?
9. Scrooged
10. Tootsie

(alternates: Get Low, St. Vincent, On the Rocks, Stripes, Zombieland, Hyde Park on Hudson)



*I realized I completely overlooked “The Negotiator" when assembling Sam Jackson’s list - so maybe that should be somewhere?

I'd have Vampire's Kiss higher.

I'd say Groundhog Day is more iconic than Lost in Translation with similar acclaim. Maybe Caddyshack at 4 or 5 as well. I also think SNL might as well be included.

I'd have House of Cards at 2 or 3 for Spacey.

[Sherick]

1. American Psycho (2000)
2. The Fighter (2010)
3. Vice (2018)
4. American Hustle (2013)
5. Empire of the Sun (1987)
6. The Machinist (2004)
7. The Prestige (2006)
8. The Big Short (2015)
9. Batman Begins (2005)
10. Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Was Batman Begins really that acclaimed as a performance? I would naturally assume Rescue Dawn or 3:10 to Yuma or even I'm Not There would be more suited.

Agree with ManPerson about Spacey too.

[ManPerson]

Charles Laughton (1899-1962)
1. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
2. The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
3. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
4. The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)
5. Ruggles of Red Gap (1935)
6. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
7. The Sign of the Cross (1932)
8. Rembrandt (1936)
9. Vessel of Wrath (1938)
10. Advise & Consent (1962)

Michel Simon (1895-1975)
1. L'Atalante (1934)
2. Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932)
3. La Chienne (1931)
4. Port of Shadows (1938)
5. Beauty and the Devil (1950)
6. The Two of Us (1967)
7. The End of the Day (1939)
8. The Head (1959)
9. The Train (1964)
10. Bizarre, Bizarre (1937)

Jean-Louis Trintignant (1930-2022)
1. Amour (2012)
2. The Conformist (1970)
3. Z (1969)
4. Three Colours: Red (1994)
5. My Night at Maud's (1969)
6. The Man Who Lies (1968)
7. A Man and a Woman (1966)
8. And God Created Woman (1956)
9. The Great Silence (1968)
10. Il Sorpasso (1962)

Bill Murray (1950-) (Beaten to the punch by Dubrow)
1. Lost in Translation (2003)
2. Groundhog Day (1993)
3. Ghostbusters (1984)
4. Rushmore (1998)
5. Broken Flowers (2005)
6. Scrooged (1988)
7. On the Rocks (2020)
8. Get Low (2010)
9. St. Vincent (2014)
10. What About Bob? (1991)

Ben Kingsley (1943-)
1. Gandhi (1982)
2. Sexy Beast (2000)
3. House of Sand and Fog (2003)
4. Schindler's List (1993)
5. Bugsy (1991)
6. Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001)
7. Mrs. Harris (2006)
8. Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story (1989)
9. You Kill Me (2007)
10. Elegy (2008)

On first glance I like Dubrow's list for Murray a bit better. Other than that, I like these lists a lot.

[ManPerson]

1. American Psycho (2000)
2. The Fighter (2010)
3. Vice (2018)
4. American Hustle (2013)
5. Empire of the Sun (1987)
6. The Machinist (2004)
7. The Prestige (2006)
8. The Big Short (2015)
9. Batman Begins (2005)
10. Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Was Batman Begins really that acclaimed as a performance? I would naturally assume Rescue Dawn or 3:10 to Yuma or even I'm Not There would be more suited.

Agree with ManPerson about Spacey too.

I think Batman having some representation on Bale's list makes since, even if it may not be one of his most acclaimed performances.

[ManPerson]

Kinda wish there wasn't so much being posted at once

1. Half Nelson (2006)
2. Drive (2011)
3. Barbie (2023)
4. Blue Valentine (2010)
5. La La Land (2016)
6. Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
7. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
8. The Believer (2001)
9. The Notebook (2004)
10. The Nice Guys (2016)

I know it got the nod, but I don't think La La Land should be higher than 7. Rest is about perfect.

Willem Dafoe (1955-)
1. Platoon (1986)
2. Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
3. At Eternity's Gate (2018)
4. The Lighthouse (2019)
5. The Florida Project (2017)
6. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
7. Antichrist (2009)
8. Wild at Heart (1991)
9. Spider-Man (2002)
10. Poor Things (2024)

I had Shadow and The Lighthouse as the top 2. Platoon I'll grant is iconic, but I'd still have Shadow at the top. I also think No Way Home > Spider-Man, but either one is fine.

For whatever it's worth I think I may have underrated The Lighthouse a bit on the 2010s list I made. It seems more acclaimed these days than At Eternity's Gate at least.

[Tim]

My takes on Cage, Damon, Spacey before looking at comments.

Nicolas Cage (1964-)
1. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
2. Adaptation. (2002)
3. Pig (2021)
4. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
5. Mandy (2018)
6. Moonstruck (1987)
7. Raising Arizona (1987)
8. Dream Scenario (2023)
9. Vampire's Kiss (1989)
10. Face/Off (1997)

Matt Damon (1970-)
1. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
2. The Martian (2015)
3. Good Will Hunting (1997)
4. Invictus (2009)
5. Behind the Candelabra (2013)
6. The Informant! (2009)
7. The Bourne Identity (2002)
8. The Departed (2006)
9. True Grit (2010)
10. The Rainmaker (1997)

Kevin Spacey (1959-)
1. American Beauty (1999)
2. The Usual Suspects (1995)
3. L.A. Confidential (1997)
4. House of Cards (2013-2017)
5. Se7en (1995)
6. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
7. Beyond the Sea (2004)
8. K-PAX (2001)
9. Casino Jack (2010)
10. The Shipping News (2001)

[Dubrow555]

My apologies for contributing to the fast pacedness of this forum, I will slow down

I'm very on board with just about everything - very much agree that I underrated Vampire's Kiss (as it is VERY influential in meme culture)

[Tim]

1. Half Nelson (2006)
2. Drive (2011)
3. Barbie (2023)
4. Blue Valentine (2010)
5. La La Land (2016)
6. Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
7. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
8. The Believer (2001)
9. The Notebook (2004)
10. The Nice Guys (2016)

I know it got the nod, but I don't think La La Land should be higher than 7. Rest is about perfect.

I had a hunch I lowballed Blade Runner a bit. On the other hand, kinda hard to argue against La La Land's popularity and formal award recognition.

Willem Dafoe (1955-)
1. Platoon (1986)
2. Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
3. At Eternity's Gate (2018)
4. The Lighthouse (2019)
5. The Florida Project (2017)
6. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
7. Antichrist (2009)
8. Wild at Heart (1991)
9. Spider-Man (2002)
10. Poor Things (2024)

I had Shadow and The Lighthouse as the top 2. Platoon I'll grant is iconic, but I'd still have Shadow at the top. I also think No Way Home > Spider-Man, but either one is fine.

If we talking acclaim only, then Shadow at #1 makes sense but once we factor in popularity and influence, Platoon staying #1 also makes sense.

[Dubrow555]

Random, but I completely left of Dream Scenario for Cage - I agree with Tim it should be around 7-8

[Tim]

Hmm, my current thoughts on Cage's list:

We agree on the top 4 and I think these three are locks for top 10: Moonstruck, his mainstream breakthrough, his first Golden Globe nod; Vampire's Kiss, his first Nouveau Shamanic performance plus memes; Mandy, beginning of his current critical comeback. Then there's a bunch of performances that could be on there: Raising Arizona, Wild at Heart, The Rock, Con-Air, Face/Off, City of Angels, Bringing Out the Dead, Dream Scenario, Longlegs, maybe some others.

[Tim]

So, how all the contested lists stand atm.

Bill Murray (1950-)
1. Groundhog Day (1993)
2. Lost in Translation (2003)
3. Ghostbusters (1984)
4. Rushmore (1998)
5. Caddyshack (1980)
6. Broken Flowers (2005)
7. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
8. What About Bob? (1991)
9. Scrooged (1988)
10. Saturday Night Live (1977–1980)

Nicolas Cage (1964-)
1. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
2. Adaptation. (2002)
3. Pig (2021)
4. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
5. Moonstruck (1987)
6. Vampire's Kiss (1989)
7. Mandy (2018)
8. Raising Arizona (1987)
9. Wild at Heart (1990)
10. Face/Off (1997)

We can add Dream Scenario at #8 therefore kicking Face/Off off but maybe we do want some 90s action represented on Cage's list.

Matt Damon (1970-)
1. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
2. The Martian (2015)
3. Good Will Hunting (1997)
4. The Bourne Identity (2002)
5. The Departed (2006)
6. The Informant! (2009)
7. Behind the Candelabra (2013)
8. Invictus (2009)
9. True Grit (2010)
10. The Rainmaker (1997)/Saving Private Ryan (1998)/Ocean's Eleven (2001)

I know me and Dubrow both had Rainmaker at #10 but wonder if there are better picks for Damon such as Ocean's Eleven or Ryan?

Kevin Spacey (1959-)
1. American Beauty (1999)
2. House of Cards (2013-2017)
3. The Usual Suspects (1995)
4. L.A. Confidential (1997)
5. Se7en (1995)
6. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
7. Beyond the Sea (2004)
8. K-PAX (2001)
9. Casino Jack (2010)
10. The Shipping News (2001)

[Dubrow555]

Looks good to me - I think Saving Private Ryan wouldn't be a bad pick. And for Cage - maybe just take off Wild at Heart?

[Tim]

Well, you did have it as high as #6.

[Dubrow555]

Just leave off Dream Scenario maybe? I'm good either way.

[ManPerson]

Id have SNL at 8 for Murray.

Also I'd keep Wild At Heart > Face/Off

[Tim]

Bill Murray (1950-)
1. Groundhog Day (1993)
2. Lost in Translation (2003)
3. Ghostbusters (1984)
4. Rushmore (1998)
5. Caddyshack (1980)
6. Broken Flowers (2005)
7. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
8. Saturday Night Live (1977–1980)
9. What About Bob? (1991)
10. Scrooged (1988)

Nicolas Cage (1964-)
1. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
2. Adaptation. (2002)
3. Pig (2021)
4. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
5. Moonstruck (1987)
6. Vampire's Kiss (1989)
7. Mandy (2018)
8. Dream Scenario (2023)
9. Raising Arizona (1987)
10. Wild at Heart (1990)

[Tim]

Wonder if The Firm would be a better pick for Oldman than Prick Up Your Ears. Caught my attention that Man had it on his 1989 list.

[Sherick]

You altered Damon quite a bit from this:

Matt Damon (1970-)
1. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
2. The Martian (2015)
3. Good Will Hunting (1997)
4. Invictus (2009)
5. Behind the Candelabra (2013)
6. The Informant! (2009)
7. The Bourne Identity (2002)
8. The Departed (2006)
9. True Grit (2010)
10. The Rainmaker (1997)

I kind of like this^ one better.