My Favorite Actors & Actresses.....

It's Oscar's night. Everyone will be tuning in to see the stars and find out who' s "wearing" who.  I'll be on the couch wearing a flannel shirt by Kohls. But it usually is the stars that make a movie a success. People are drawn to movies initially because of who is in it. Then they find out if it's a good story or not.

I have my own favorites too. For example, I usually like Kevin Costner movies. But I don't necessarily think he's a great actor. I just usually like the movies he is in. But I also have a number of people that I really enjoy their acting ability. So here's a list of them that I will give the HWR Lifetime Achievement Award.

To be on this list, I think you are consistently good, not just a one-hit wonder. Now Al Pacino was the main character in Godfather I & II, maybe the greatest movies ever made. But outside of Scarface, I wasn't a fan of anything else he's made. So Al doesn't make my list. So here's some people that do.

Males - 

Jack is a very cool guy.

• Jack Nicholson - His portrayal of Marine Col. Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men was classic. "You can't handle the truth!" is a phrase that's part of our American culture. A career that includes The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Chinatown, Somethings Gotta Give. I could go on and on.
• Denzel Washington - I like Denzel because he often plays a flawed character. The movie Flight is a good example. He's an airline pilot who's an alcoholic, but he saves peoples lives in a crash. His characters have problems. Just like real people. Some of my favorites include He Got Game, Crimson Tide, Philadelphia, Remember the Titans, and Unstoppable.
• Tom Hanks - How could you not like Tom Hanks? "Run Forrest, run!" He plays good guys in about all of his movies. That's sort of the opposite of Denzel. But if you do it good, then run with it.



DeNiro - good roles for decades.

• Robert DeNiro - Another career that has spanned decades. His portrayal of Vito Corleone in the Godfather II was one of the best ever. But then watch Deer Hunter, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Casino earlier in his career. As he aged he was in good films like Stone, Meet The Parents, and Silver Linings Playbook.

In the future I may add some younger guys like Bradley Cooper and Matt Damon. Let's see how they age.




Females - 

Still "that white gold" at 58.

• Michelle Pfeiffer - She's "that white gold" you hear about in the song. Stunningly beautiful. She's 58 now and still making good movies. Of course her looks don't hurt. But sometimes good looks can be a curse without talent. Scarface, Fabulous Baker Boys, Witches of Eastwick, Love Field, White Oleander, and People Like Us include some of her credits.
• Susan Sarandon - She can pick great movies. An excellent example of aging gracefully in the films. From Thelma and Louise, Dead Man Walking  to Bull Durham and Irresistible.
• Sandra Bullock - She seems to have the quality of being the good looking girl next door. Beautiful, but also down to earth. Credits include Miss Congeniality, The Blind Side, The Proposal and Gravity.
• Viola Davis - You might be surprised that she's on this list. Her resume isn't as long as some others. But she can flat out act and bring the emotion to her role. Credits include The Help, Antwone Fisher, and Get On Up.She has been nominated for Supporting Actress in Fences.

So right now you're saying how come Meryl Streep isn't on this list? No question she belongs. One of the best of our time. But I think the best she ever did was Sophie's Choice. That was back in 1982. Wish she would do more powerful roles like that.

Younger ladies like Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lawrence, and the beautiful Kiera Knightly could be on the list some day.

So enjoy the show tonight. Don't trip on the red carpet!