I'm curious about your definition of "overrated." What confuses me is that I don't think that Cameron Diaz' rating as an actress is anything but low. I happen to disagree. Is she overrated because her acting is rated unjustifiably high or is it because she can't even rise to the depths of her own rep as an actor? I may also be in the vast minority (or a vast sea of adolescent boys) when I say that Natalie Portman is an excellent, verging on great, actress cursed by her amazing looks.
As for Halle Berry: I agree, she couldn't see good acting from where she is if Laurence Olivier held the ladder.
That Cameron Diaz is known as an actress at all is an insult to the craft. As for Natalie Portman, she has stellar moments (Closer), but can suck the big one, too(Episodes I and II). I saw her in an interview in which she admitted that if she doesn't like the material, she won't try very hard to do a good job. I still haven't forgiven her. She had the opportunity to give stand out performances, be the bright spot in two dismal films, but chose the snobby route: "I'm too good for these movies, so I'll just throw these performances away." I don't think Hollywood is so desparate for fine actresses that it can't afford to do without her.
And yes; Halle stinks like moldy cheese.
I can think of only one-and-a-half roles where Cameron Diaz has been asked to be a craftsman... erm, craftsperson. When she's been asked to step up she has thrown down in a big way, you couldn't ask for anything better. For the rest of her roles she's... erm, thrown down (herself?) in a big way. In those "insult to the craft" roles she's done everything that has been asked of her. Which would be to look hot, act bitchy or sweet and get out of the way while Stiller & Dillon, Myers & Murphy, DiCaprio & Day-Lewis, Al Pacino, Ewan McGregor or Sir Jim Carrey chew up scenery like the Flowtron LE-900. It seems to me that Hollywood is the one hurling insults.
I do believe that this is making me angry at our entire capitalist-entertainment complex. I can't think of a single dramatic role for which Ms. Diaz could be appropriate even if she had Streep-like skills... and I'm thinking so hard that I'm grunting.
I'm sorry that you feel Natalie Portman should be turning in finely tuned performances in Star Wars: Episodes I & II. The directing maw of The Bearded Lord Lucas has swallowed up the talents of such thespians as Harrison Ford, Alec Guiness, Billy Dee Williams, Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson... everyone. The Bearded Lord Lucas' bad-acting event horizon is so large that I'm surprised when anyone who has been in his movies turns in a good performance anywhere else. On a less galactic note, I think that Ms. Portman is a spectacular actress. She is, in fact, handicapped by her looks. It's tough to believe that anyone so beautiful can act. Robert Redford used to suffer from this malady and now Brad Pitt has come down with it. Those are two more actors who, when given a role, perform admirably.
I don't think that Hollywood is "desperate for fine actresses." I think that they are desperate for fine women's roles... for any women's roles, period. Unngh, aggh... if anyone can think of another way for Cameron Diaz to have a fine career in Hollywood without waiting around to become Tarantino's muse, I'd love to avoid this oncoming hernia.
Harrison Ford and Alec Guiness gave poor performances under George Lucas? I hadn't noticed. I thought the Lucas supernova imploded with Episode I (Mark Hammill's performance is explained by an actual lack of acting talent).
I agree that the problem isn't a lack of great... actpersons, it's a lack of great roles - yes, especially for women. And when was the last time a non-white actress played the lead in a Hollywood film that didn't mock their ethnicity? (the Queen Latifah clause)
"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." ~Desiderius Gerhard Erasmus
"You can write this shit, George, but you can't say it." ~Harrison Ford
With the exception of Regarding Henry no director has gotten less life out of Harrison Ford than the Bearded Lord Lucas. (Remember: he did not direct Star Wars: Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back .) I feel that Alec Guiness was similarly ill-served to the point of being out-acted by a "green preachy oven mitt."
I can only think of Angela "A is for Awesome, B is for" Basset and a couple of her roles... even after fair amount of grunt work.
I'm curious about your definition of "overrated." What confuses me is that I don't think that Cameron Diaz' rating as an actress is anything but low. I happen to disagree. Is she overrated because her acting is rated unjustifiably high or is it because she can't even rise to the depths of her own rep as an actor? I may also be in the vast minority (or a vast sea of adolescent boys) when I say that Natalie Portman is an excellent, verging on great, actress cursed by her amazing looks.
As for Halle Berry: I agree, she couldn't see good acting from where she is if Laurence Olivier held the ladder.
When I need to insult someone, may I hire you to write it?
Knowing your taste and insight (I'm almost certain that you were the one to identify the thorn among roses by pointing out Dame Meryl's participation in She-Devil ... but I can't seem to find it anywhere.) I would do that gig for free... with a matinée on Sunday.
So I'm taking that as a most awesome compliment. Thank you. I feel proud and humble. (Which is a combo I'm not used to.)
You're too kind, and very funny.
That Cameron Diaz is known as an actress at all is an insult to the craft. As for Natalie Portman, she has stellar moments (Closer), but can suck the big one, too(Episodes I and II). I saw her in an interview in which she admitted that if she doesn't like the material, she won't try very hard to do a good job. I still haven't forgiven her. She had the opportunity to give stand out performances, be the bright spot in two dismal films, but chose the snobby route: "I'm too good for these movies, so I'll just throw these performances away." I don't think Hollywood is so desparate for fine actresses that it can't afford to do without her.
And yes; Halle stinks like moldy cheese.
I can think of only one-and-a-half roles where Cameron Diaz has been asked to be a craftsman... erm, craftsperson. When she's been asked to step up she has thrown down in a big way, you couldn't ask for anything better. For the rest of her roles she's... erm, thrown down (herself?) in a big way. In those "insult to the craft" roles she's done everything that has been asked of her. Which would be to look hot, act bitchy or sweet and get out of the way while Stiller & Dillon, Myers & Murphy, DiCaprio & Day-Lewis, Al Pacino, Ewan McGregor or Sir Jim Carrey chew up scenery like the Flowtron LE-900. It seems to me that Hollywood is the one hurling insults.
I do believe that this is making me angry at our entire capitalist-entertainment complex. I can't think of a single dramatic role for which Ms. Diaz could be appropriate even if she had Streep-like skills... and I'm thinking so hard that I'm grunting.
I'm sorry that you feel Natalie Portman should be turning in finely tuned performances in Star Wars: Episodes I & II. The directing maw of The Bearded Lord Lucas has swallowed up the talents of such thespians as Harrison Ford, Alec Guiness, Billy Dee Williams, Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson... everyone. The Bearded Lord Lucas' bad-acting event horizon is so large that I'm surprised when anyone who has been in his movies turns in a good performance anywhere else. On a less galactic note, I think that Ms. Portman is a spectacular actress. She is, in fact, handicapped by her looks. It's tough to believe that anyone so beautiful can act. Robert Redford used to suffer from this malady and now Brad Pitt has come down with it. Those are two more actors who, when given a role, perform admirably.
I don't think that Hollywood is "desperate for fine actresses." I think that they are desperate for fine women's roles... for any women's roles, period. Unngh, aggh... if anyone can think of another way for Cameron Diaz to have a fine career in Hollywood without waiting around to become Tarantino's muse, I'd love to avoid this oncoming hernia.
Um...have you seen Natalie Portman in anything but the Star Wars movies? Beautiful to look at, dramatic range of less than one inch.
The "capitalist-entertainment complex" is where Communists go to find work.
Harrison Ford and Alec Guiness gave poor performances under George Lucas? I hadn't noticed. I thought the Lucas supernova imploded with Episode I (Mark Hammill's performance is explained by an actual lack of acting talent).
I agree that the problem isn't a lack of great... actpersons, it's a lack of great roles - yes, especially for women. And when was the last time a non-white actress played the lead in a Hollywood film that didn't mock their ethnicity? (the Queen Latifah clause)
"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." ~Desiderius Gerhard Erasmus
"You can write this shit, George, but you can't say it." ~Harrison Ford
With the exception of Regarding Henry no director has gotten less life out of Harrison Ford than the Bearded Lord Lucas. (Remember: he did not direct Star Wars: Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back .) I feel that Alec Guiness was similarly ill-served to the point of being out-acted by a "green preachy oven mitt."
I can only think of Angela "A is for Awesome, B is for" Basset and a couple of her roles... even after fair amount of grunt work.