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tam1MI
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
558 Posts |
 Posted - 02/26/2006 : 12:31:39 AM
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This topic is an outgrowth of a response I gave over at Jabootu's Bad Blogging Dimension about the movie flops starring folks who not too long ago were box office gold. the response is as follows:
"I think it's ... that Hollywood is in one of those fallow periods it occasionally hits, where the big stars are fading and don't have the box office draw they once had, and the new stars haven't gotten big enough yet to fill their shoes. Wait a couple of years, and all of a sudden you'll wake up one day to discover that Orlando Bloom or Heath Ledger is the hottest thing on the planet, or that Ben Affleck has staged a stunning comeback, or some guy we only know of now as "that guy who was over on the left in that one scene" is the king of the world."
Which leads to the question I would like to pose here - just who are the actors and actresses that are poised on the cusp of becoming the next stars so big they ensure a profitable opening weekend of any movie they are in?
I think the actor most likely to follow in Harrison Ford's footsteps as the guy who hits it big only after he's knocked around the business for a decent amount of years is Viggo Mortenson. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was his breakout movie in the same that star Wars put Ford on the map. And he has established his solid acting chops, and shown he can carry a movie, in A History of Violence. I think all he needs is a Raiders of the Lost Ark-type hit movie to put him over the top.
The other guy I see as on the cusp of being a big star is Colin Farrell, Alexander notwithstanding. this is because Farrell is just about the only actor out there right now who is willing to work on a regular basis in the big, blockbuster, "tentpole"-type movies that are Hollywood's bread and butter. He's already got SWAT under his belt as a potential franchise, and Miami Vice lined up right behind it. Myguess is he'll follow the career path laid out by Arnold Schwarzenegger nad become an action movie star.
The guy I see as filling the "Tom Cruise" slot in the Hollywood pantheon (i.e., the smashingly good looking guy who other guys hate but somehow he ends up being a huge star anyway, go fig) is Orlando Bloom. He's already got one hit franchise going (Pirates of the Carribean), and, more importantly the girls swoon over him. Even more importantly, Bloom can actually act (see him in the Aussie outlaw flick Ned Kelly to see what I mean). Grit your teeth, guys - I have a feeling Bloom's going to be around for a good long time.
Finally: Johnny Depp. The dude's due. |
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Dirk
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2006 : 1:17:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by tam1MI
I think all he needs is a Raiders of the Lost Ark-type hit movie to put him over the top.
Like "Hidalgo"? I'm not so sure about Mortenson. Audiences just might discover that he's got basically one mode: the "wide-eyed-intense-looks-while-speaking-in-a-husky-whisper" mode. It's very similar to Harrison Ford's "grumpy-frowning-while-muttering-and-growling" mode. His best roles - in "GI Jane" and "LOTR" - usually have him playing second bananna, and I think that's where he's strongest. There's a much better Mortenson out there anyway, and that's Josh Holloway from "Lost".
I do agree on Johnny Depp. Hopefully he'll break out of his "I'm in every single friggin' Tim Burton movie!" phase.
As much as I hate to admit it, Orlando Bloom could be on the horizon. I'm not sure he's the next Cruise, however; guys hated Tom, but for a while there they all wanted to be him. No guy wants to be Orlando Bloom - who'd want to be an elf? Fortunately his David Bowie-esque looks and his artificial-sounding accent have trapped him in Period Picture Hell for the time being. The moment he can successfully play a macho playboy Air Force pilot who looks like he could hit someone using a closed fist, he'll be gold.
I for one would really like to see Topher Grace make it big. I thought he was steller in "In Good Company." I'd like to see Julia Stiles get some bigger roles. Joaquin Phoenix also seems to be on the rise. There's a lot of good talent out there. Let's hope it doesn't get squashed by flavor-of-the-month hacks.
People who WON'T be the "next big thing": The Rock (pick better scripts, man). Hugh Jackman. Will Ferrell (You've got "Elf" and "Anchorman" - you're God on Earth! Whoops, now you've also got "Kicking and Screaming" and "Bewitched". And an extremely unfunny cameo in "Wedding Crashers". Now you're just kind of pathetic). Matthew McConaughey (no one can spell your name, and "Sahara" and "Two for the Money" were abysmal). |
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tam1MI
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
558 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2006 : 1:27:15 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Dirk
I'm not so sure about Mortenson. Audiences just might discover that he's got basically one mode: the "wide-eyed-intense-looks-while-speaking-in-a-husky-whisper" mode. It's very similar to Harrison Ford's "grumpy-frowning-while-muttering-and-growling" mode.
Well, Ford's "grumpy-frowning" mode kept him on top of the box office for a decade or so. If Mortenson can work his one mode they way Ford did his...
quote:
Joaquin Phoenix also seems to be on the rise. There's a lot of good talent out there.
Dang! How could I forget Joaquin? Yeah, he's good. what he needs now is a franchise.
An actress I have high hopes for is Anne Hathaway. This girl can do it all - comedy (see The Princess diaries movies), PHYSICAL comedy (see Ella Enchanted), singing and dancing (see Ella Enchanted again), and drama (see Brokeback Mountain). If she had been around during the heyday of the studio system she'd be a major, major star by now. Today, we just have to cross our fingers and hope... |
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Dirk
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2006 : 2:52:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by tam1MI
Well, Ford's "grumpy-frowning" mode kept him on top of the box office for a decade or so. If Mortenson can work his one mode they way Ford did his...
Good point. If it works, it works. I also forgot about his turn as Satan in "The Prophesy," in which he was quite sinister and menacing. |
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twitterpate
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Canada
1026 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2006 : 1:12:58 PM
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I don't think there WILL be any new stars - at least, in the "remember them 30 years later" sense.
Pop culture has decided that mankind's biggest, most appalling horror is boredom, and to save us from that will give any performer now from, say 6:07 pm on Wednesday night to 11:32 am on Friday to be The Biggest Thing Evahhh! Then, they must move over for the next one. It's Andy Warholitis.
For someone to actually be able to spend a career at the top, like John Wayne or Bette Davis, is nowadays unthinkable. Why, we'd be bored! |
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Terrahawk
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
644 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2006 : 2:49:30 PM
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Actually, I'll give Joaquin Phoenix the nod. One thing a star needs is a distinctive look. When the star has the square jawed hero look, it's too easy to get lost in the crowd.
The ROPe gives you three options, convert, submit, or die. There is a fourth, resist. |
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tam1MI
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
558 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2006 : 12:01:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Terrahawk
Actually, I'll give Joaquin Phoenix the nod.
And I'd nod right along with you. Good call.
The other actor I think is on the cusp of a breakout is Christian Bale. BATMAN BEGINS caused a lot of people who weren't otherwise "Baleheads" to sit up and take notice, and the next few films he has on deck seem to have solid box office prospects.
The big problem with a lot of these actors (Bale excepted), is that not of them will touch a franchise with a ten foot pole, or has been offered a franchise and nowadays the only way to the top is to get your self a franchise. |
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