MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > Best 10 performances of all time.

Best 10 performances of all time.

posted 2 years ago by Hatate (82)
36 replies | jump to latest

This is a hard question, because there is so many great performances, but what are the top 10?.

1.Daniel Day Lewis - My left foot
2.Daniel Day Lewis - Gangs of New York
3. Al Pacino - Dog day afternoon
4. Robert De Niro - Taxi driver
5. Denzel Washington - Malcolm X
6. Al Pacino - The Godfather, Part 2
7. Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
8.Heath Ledger- The dark Knight
9. Marlon Brando - The Godfather
10. Jack Nicholson - One flew over the cuckoo's nest

[–] Kowalski (75520) 2 years ago

THAT'S A GOOD LIST...IT CANNOT BE THE RIGHT LIST WITHOUT PAUL NEWMAN THOUGH.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77360) 2 years ago

Cool Hand Luke was a masterpiece, it would have been very good with a John Voight or a Jeff Bridges sort but it would not have been as good. Newman was a pretty special guy👍

[–] Kowalski (75520) 2 years ago

COOL HAND LUKE,THE HUSTLER,HOMBRE,HUD,THE VERDICT,ROAD TO PERDITION,BUTCH CASSIDY,HARPER,SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION,POCKET MONEY,THE STING,TOWERING INFERNO,SLAPSHOT,THE COLOR OF MONEY,NODODY'S FOOL.

YEAH HE WAS SPECIAL...FROM THE MOMENT I SAW HIM HE BECAME MY FAVORITE...30 YEARS AND THOUSANDS OF FILMS LATER AND PAUL NEWMAN IS STILL A MAN ALONE AT THE TOP OF MY MOVIE MOUNTAIN.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77360) 2 years ago

I couldn’t say it better.

[–] AndrewDavies (95) 2 years ago

Gena Rowlands- A Woman Under the Influence
Isabelle Adjani- The Story of Adele H.
Peter O’Toole- Lawrence of Arabia
Marlon Brando- On the Waterfront
Joaquin Phoenix- The Master
Kathy Bates- Misery
Emily Watson- Breaking the Waves
Denzel Washington- Malcolm X
Robert De Niro- Taxi Driver
Ingrid Bergman- Stromboli

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

I'll add

Vivien Leigh - Gone With the Wind
Jack Nicholson - The Shining
Paul Scofield - A Man for All Seasons
Humphrey Bogart - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Orson Wells - Citizen Kane
Patty Duke - The Miracle Worker
Robert De Niro - Goodfellas
Joe Pesci - Goodfellas
Dustin Hoffman - Midnight Cowboy
Anthony Perkins - Psycho

[–] Hatate (82) 2 years ago

Good lists.Deniro and Joe Pesci in Goodfellas in particular are great answers. It is the best film ever made, but I think Joe Pesci is better in Raging bull

[–] beantown23 (1438) 2 years ago

Not even 1 comedy? I take Pesci in My Cousin Vinny.

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

Good point.

Eddie Murphy - Trading Places
Chevy Chase - Vacation
Sacha Baron Cohen - Borat
Mike Myers - Austin Powers
Fred Willard - Christopher Guest movies

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77360) 2 years ago

A lot of great performances have already been mentioned so I will just add Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren in The Long Good Friday (80)

An up and coming London Mob Boss sees his entire empire fall apart over the course of a long holiday weekend…Mirren gives a great performance but Hoskins is on a whole different level!

A very young Pierce Brosnan shows up in what may have been his first role…he looked like a kid!

[–] Hatate (82) 2 years ago

In my opinion Daniel Day Lewis in There will be blood and Lincoln would also make my top 10, but I just didn't want to put the same man in too many times

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77360) 2 years ago

It’s tough to top DDL…I heard he retired which is a bummer.

[–] Kowalski (75520) 2 years ago

YES!...BOB HOSKINS IS A LESSER SPOKEN OF LEGEND...THE MAN WAS AMAZING...EVEN SOMETHING LIKE WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT...DUDE WAS EXCEPTIONAL.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77360) 2 years ago

I Totally agree…that Long Good Friday performance in the final minutes is one for the ages.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (21452) 2 years ago

Thanks for recommending this film to me a couple years back.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77360) 2 years ago

You are welcome Amigo, It’s pretty great👍

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77360) 2 years ago

Hey Mojo, Do you get TUBI streaming?

I just found Massacre Mafia Style (74) on there, it’s by that guy Duke Mitchell that made Gone With The Pope which we’ve discussed before…‘We’re gonna kidnap the Pope and the ransom will be one dollar from every Catholic in the world’😆

I’m watching Massacre Mafia Style right now and it’s right up your alley!

[–] Mrmojo4700 (21452) 2 years ago

I actually have that one on Blu-ray. 👍 not many people can pull of what Duke Mitchell did and make an enjoyable film.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (21452) 2 years ago

This actor would never be a contender for a best performance of all time, in fact I wouldn’t rate many of his movies above 8/10, but I did want to mention him. I’ve watched many Peter Cushing films recently and I’ve been so impressed at how he seems to always give 110 % to his performances. He just seemed like one of those actors who could bring life to even the most mediocre of films.

[–] capuchin (3182) 2 years ago

Here's ten of my all-time favourite performances. No particular order though. (And I've deliberately not used any of yours, OP, even though you have -- of course -- listed some excellent performances.)

Sheryl Lee -- Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Emily Watson -- Breaking the Waves
Gene Wilder -- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Ingrid Bergman -- Stromboli
Victor Sjostrom -- Wild Strawberries
Samantha Morton -- Morvern Callar
Anthony Perkins -- Psycho
Christoph Waltz -- Inglourious Basterds
Ana Torrent -- The Spirit of the Beehive
Moira Shearer -- The Red Shoes

[–] samoanjoes (56642) 2 years ago

Mine changes, but I'll try.

Dustin Hoffman - Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Kate Winslet - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Frances McDormand - Fargo (1996)
Mahershala Ali - Moonlight (2016)
Daniel Day-Lewis - Gangs of New York (2002)
Tom Wilkinson - In the Bedroom (2001)
Sigourney Weaver - Aliens (1986)
Kim Hye-ja - Mother (2009)
Kevin Spacey - American Beauty (1999)
Al Pacino - Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

[–] capuchin (3182) 2 years ago

Damn it, I should've thought of McDormand in Fargo. She's so good she stands out in a film of top drawer performances all round.

[–] samoanjoes (56642) 2 years ago

Oh, you betcha, yah.

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

Agree!

[–] Hatate (82) 2 years ago

She does, absolutely superb actor. Her performance in Three billboards is just amazing, and was very close to my top 10

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

Tom Wilkinson - one of my favorite actors.

[–] samoanjoes (56642) 2 years ago

Underrated. Top 10 actor for me.

[–] StoneKeeper (26644) 2 years ago

Hard indeed. I respect your list.

Here are the ones that come to mind for me:

Edward Norton: Primal fear
Leonardo DiCaprio: Basketball diaries
Brad Pitt: Fight Club
Billy Bob Thornton: Sling Blade
Dustin Hoffman: Midnight cowboy
Ellen Burstyn: Requiem for a dream
Al Pacino: Scarface
Val Kilmer: The doors
Chris Tucker: Friday
Johnny Depp: Fear and loathing in Las Vegas

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

Al Pacino in Scarface. 100%

[–] Kazak (2187) 2 years ago

Ellen Burstyn was the first one that came to my mind.