A comedy. Beer Battered Bedmates
A horror flick. The Warehouse
An action flick. Forty Second Fuse
A science fiction flick. Beyond Pluto
This is the fourth round of choices, followed by the comments by the drafter:
#1 Uma Thurman
No Commentary Yet. – Justin Clark
#2 Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman has accomplished two of the hardest things to do as an actor.
A) He had a career revival in his thirties after being a succesful child actor and
B) Mastered the oh so elusive art of being an incredibly gifted comedic straight man.
Is there a harder role in comedy than that of the straight man? It’s so easy to overplay it and yet Bateman makes it look like a walk in the park. On Arrested Development the rest of the cast had the showier, more outrageous moments but it was Bateman who stealthily got some of the biggest laughs while proving to be the gel the held the show together. He can be funnier with an expression or an inflection in a line reading than a barrel full of Ferrels at their wackiest. He can simultaneously be the pompous jerk you hope to see fail and the sympathetic guy you identify with and root for.
Unfortunately, Bateman seems to be getting a lot of stuffy, uptight roles thrown on him since his brilliant turn as Michael Bluth, but when he gets his chance to show what else he can do, Bateman makes the most of it. Even when his screen time is limited. Take his brief role in Dodgeball as an utterly moronic to the point of being brain dead sportscaster on The Ocho. Even more impressive, was his completely out there one man show of a performance in Smoking Aces. It was so unlike anything else Bateman has done and such a scene stealing five minutes in an otherwise lousy movie, he completely overshadowed everything else on screen. I would gladly pay to see a Smoking Aces sequel if it centered around Rupert “Rip” Reed.
Even more promising were his roles in The Kingdom and Juno that show Bateman has truly blossomed and is ready to branch out to other types of films besides comedy. His performance in Juno is especially layered and full of nuance. The anger and onset of midlife crisis are always bubbling just below the surface even before his character begins to express it. Bateman takes what is essentially a smarmy prick of a character and makes his midlife crisis somewhat sympathetic.
Jason Bateman has proven to be an actor who’s potential has only been tapped and I’m happy to have him as a cornerstone of the Socially Inept Review. – Sacrelicious Supersucker
#3 Emile Hirsch
I am aware that Emile Hirsch, despite his age, is something of a seasoned performer at this point. I know that he appeared in some movies that some people liked, such as The Girl Next Door and Alpha Dog, but I haven’t seen those movies. Looking back on hsi resume, I realized I have seen him in Lord of Dogtown, although I don’t think he was Heath Ledger, so I don’t really remember him much. I also saw The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, but the truth is I have zero recollection of it. I think they sat around reading Cummings poems to each other. Then someone died. Whatever.
None of those mean a goddamn thing though. I drafted Emile Hirsch entirely because of Into the Wild, possibly the best film released this decade. I can’t recall seeing a star making performance of that calibre since Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. Now granted, the material is top notch. But Hirsch doesn’t just succeed, he excels. His performance resonates so well because the script requires him to make such a deep impression on everyone else in the film, and the audience as well. If Chris McCandless isn’t perfect, the whole thing comes crashing down, and the protagonist looks like a completely selfish stupid asshole. Instead, Hirsch taps into an ineffable primitive wanderlust that human beings have carried around inside, often deeply hidden, since ancient times and lets it rule. I’m still angry he didn’t win an oscar, or even get nominated (Eddie Vedder too, by the way).
And he was good in Speed Racer, so he can do frivolous.
He’s going to play two leads, in the comedy and the horror films. Both are tricky, and require the audience to sympathize with a character that has some unusual shortcomings, just like McCandless. – Arjen Rudd
#4 Julianne Moore
I couldn’t pass up pairing Julianne Moore with Laura Linney. These two sparring together will be magic. Plus they are both hot and sexy.
Julianne Moore’se wheelhouse is the heartbreaking drama but she can add alot to action and comedies. She has the comedic timing that would have her paired with Cary Grant back in the day and is perfect for the Altman comedies like Cookie’s Fortune which she was in. While not the typical action heroine she can hold her own in anything fast paced like in the Jurrasic Par series. But I see her more in her zone in action thrillers like Children of Men. Action movies are best when they aren’t dumed down. – Anyawatchin Angel
#5 Gary Oldman
What does Sid Vicious, Lee Harvey Oswald and Beethoven have all in common? Theirs lives have all been made all the much better by being impersonated by Gary Oldman. Also one of the top character actors, he’s seriously mesmerizing to watch. It would be too easy to relegate him to the role of a villain, which he does so very well , but he clearly demonstrated his acting chops as a leading man in some very diverse movies. And to those that says that he’s over-the-top, comments that fuses over his most villainy roles such as in Leon: The Professional, go watch Immortal Beloved or Sid & Nancy. Or Dracula, which he was the only good part of. He can be as quirky as needed, or be the performance that glue the rest of the cast.
He’s one of the best. – Martin Savage
#6 Ewan McGregor
No Commentary Yet. – Jonathan Strickland
#7 Mos Def
Mos Def – representing Hip Hop
Where does Mos Def fit in as a SCAB? This wasn’t my original genre-representing selection for this draft, but I’m glad I went with the better fit for my group rather than a “bigger” star. Mos Def is, of course, a huge star in his own right: Grammy nominated recording artist, with an Obie (off broadway) award and a ever growing filmography filled with projects under such directors as Richard Donner, Spike Lee and Michel Gondry – the man conquers any field he applies himself to. Best of all, he doesn’t limit himself to gritty, urban-esque movies like most hip hop/rappers turned actors; he’s shown his ability to work in a wide range of genres and always delivers a solid performance that feels very true to his character. His newest project, Cadillac Records, sees Def taking on the role of legendary rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry, and hopefully will skyrocket his public recognition and fandom closer to where it deserves to be. Of course, his work sofar has been in more of a supporting fashion, and he does have experience working in ensemble projects such as The Italian Job, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Monster’s Ball so his spot in my company is well earned. With his multitude of talents and hard work to get to where he is, he deserves all the success that finds him; his work with THE SCABS will ensure he achieves that success.
What he brings to the table? I’d be lying if I said I planned it this way, but Mos is the beating heart behind the current faces (and mouths) of my repertory company. It’s funny, the thing he was known for bringing to the hip hop game is exactly what he brings to his performances – insight and introspect. I’ve never seen a performance of Def’s where I thought ‘Oh, here’s Mos Def playing so-and-so’; he has an innate ability to take a collection of dialoge and actions on paper and really turn it into a believable character, a person. I think it’s really impressive for a hip hopper with no acting background. In 16 Blocks, he IS Eddie Bunker. The way he delivers lines, the speech impediment he gives the character – he really disappears in the role and brings something extra to a walking stereotype. That effort matched with a better script and you have yourself some dynamite. Obviously some projects like the Italian Job ask a little less of his acting ability, with only enough time to make quick caricatures of most the (many) characters, but Def always does the most with what he has. He also brings experience in a wide variety of genres: action/thrillers, dramas, science fiction (he DID play an alien in Hitchhiker’s Guide), and most recently comedy with films like Be Kind, Rewind, though he was more of the straight man to Black’s typical wacky persona in that. Out of everyone I have in my company so far, there is no one I am more confident in the ability to take on any role in any genre and deliver a great performance than Mos Def, making this a total no-brainer draft choice. Mos’ Definitely. – Jesse Giles
#8 Rachel McAdams
No Commentary Yet. – RathBandu
#9 James Franco
No Commentary Yet. – Eric Cordo
#10 Channing Tatum
This round, I go for my first supporting actor. Channing Tatum hasn’t been in very good movies up to this point, but has been the best thing about those he has appeared in. She’s the Man actually had two very talented stars and Tatum proved in that as well as in Step Up that he has a load of charisma and talent. His next film is G.I. Joe, so if he’s gonna break out, that’s when it should happen. Either way, he is a great young actor and will work well as a supporting actor, whether it is alongside LeBeouf as a friend or an adversary, he should be just the right man for the job. I don’t draft based on their previous film choices, I draft based on talent. He’ll be starring in my movies, so his taste has nothing to do with my choice. – Starving Dog
#11 Illeana Douglas
Illeana Douglas is an actress that can take any role, no matter the size, and make it memorable. From her first appearance in Goodfellas to her role as rape victim in Cape Fear, she becomes an integral part of the larger picture. My favorite was in the film To Die For. As the vengeful sister with a small but important part she steals the movie and becomes the star. She is a believable everywoman whether drama or comedy and I can’t wait to pair her up with William H. Macy.
Plus, with some directing under her belt, she will useful behind the camera as well. – jay f
#12 Paul Newman
Not that anything I could write could possibly do this fucking treasure of a man any justice, but I don’t think it’s too tough to see why I picked him. Paul Newman is one of our greatest remaining actors of such a long history in the business. At every stage of his life he has been captivating, entertaining, and capable of power like no other. Aging like wine, he has developed a face and a voice so affectingly serene and wise, it’s intimidating just to witness a scene with him. He is of course now in worsening health and de facto retirement, but it is within easy memory that we have gotten both powerful drama (Road To Perdition) and levity-filled fun (Cars) from him. His most memorable roles are of team ups (Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid) and large ensembles (Cool Hand Luke), so he’ll slide right in as another excellent entry of the troupe. Another classic (and Coen-veteran!) actor I am pleased to have.– Renn Brown
#13 Nathan Fillion
So why did I pick Nathan Fillion for my company?
I needed a charisma factory. Someone with perfect comedic timing and charm. Fillion has been cursed at birth, destined to star in countless quite good TV shows that no one watches. I never liked Firefly, but I watched the show and Serenity mostly because of him. He was the best suitable candidate for the Indiana Jones/Han Solo type of hero. He has proven that he can handle action and Sci Fi well, he was born and raised in comedy and even has a few dramas up his sleeve. He did horror with a straight to dvd sensation White Noise 2: Whitey!. So really, how can someone not one such a versatile actor to fuel your team? He’s the engine that just keeps giving, sparring with every other actor to create great chemistry. Having already worked with Chiwetel Ejiofor in the past, they really look forward to recapturing that great magic back. They’ll be confronted directly in 2 of the movies they’ll do. But I won’t disclose all of his roles just yet. – Tati
#14 Edward Norton
It’s appropriate that Norton can currently be seen as Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk, since one of his strengths is in playing characters who belie his seemingly benign outward appearance. Did we really expect Derek Vinyard to pop out of this guy? Or suspect that Tyler Durden (despite being a dead ringer for Brad Pitt) lurked inside? Norton can easily move from charming easy-going guy to seething intensity, and it’s all the more effective because you don’t see it coming from him. He just looks like a nice guy, and then he’s curb stomping you.
We look forward to Norton bringing his unpredictability to these roles:
Aqueduct of Tears: Norton is Componus Secundus, the assistant to Hoffman’s Gravis Edificius in Gravis’ quest to build his aqueduct; but Componus’ silently jealousy of his mentor may bring the whole project crashing down.
Beer-Battered Bedmates: Here, Norton pairs up with Bana as Mark Cuccio, the hot-tempered friend of Tony Romero.
The Warehouse: As Robert Simms, Norton is one of the five sent to pick up a package, yet he seems to not be all that surprised when things begin to go wrong.
Forty-Second Fuse: Norton plays Hermes Sullivan, the brains behind the boom in Bana’s gang of dynamite-slinging outlaws.
Beyond Pluto: Finally, Norton takes on the role of Erasmus Jennings, a reporter looking to root out the secret of Pioneer 10’s improbably turn.
Welcome aboard, Mr. Norton!
. – Richard Dickson
#15 Ben Foster
Sure to be the most controversial addition to this company, Foster embodies our group’s title, The Secret Weapons. It’s not enough to have large recognition. One must be able to be the shining star in truly awful films. Foster has done that repeatedly with his performances in 30 Days of Night, Alpha Dog, and The Punisher. But he’s not just a diamond in the shit. He’s a scene-stealer, receiving the critical acclaim while starring alongside Bruce Willis in Hostage and Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in 3:10 to Yuma. He’s the under-appreciated actor who deserves to be recognized and I proudly do that now as I welcome him to The Secret Weapons. – Matt Goldberg
#16 Elizabeth Banks
Eilzabeth’s resume is relatively short compared to others in the company, but she excels at making big impressions in smaller roles.
In the Spider-Man franchise, she’s the girl you want Peter to chase after instead of the snaggletoothed redhead. In Slither she proved she can be appealing a lead role and not fade into a roomful of special effects. She’s been nominated for a SAG award for Seabiscuit. She played in Catch Me If You Can, so she’s good enough to impress Spielberg. She can do drama if given the chance, clearly.
But comedy is her forte. As Beth the Bookstore girl in Forty Year Old Virgin, she is fearless in playing against Steve Carell. That boldness I plan on tapping for the Company’s projects in both lead and supporting roles. I’m really looking forward to the drama with her. I think she’s going to have a fantastic career, and we’ll be happy to help her pad her filmography. – Scott Christy
#17 Famke Janssen
She’s diversely talented, has good taste in material, beautiful but capable of great darkness, and great in ensembles. Welcome, you wonderful broad. – Nick Nunziata
#18 Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan has been one of those actors that’s been working since the early 90s but only in the past few years has been getting noticed, mainly in the form of two roles. That of Port Authority Officer Beadie Russell in The Wire and her Oscar nominated role as Boston white trash mother Helene McCready in Gone Baby Gone. In these two contrasing roles, Ryan plays characters that have their world’s completely shaken due to outside forces and shows a different potrait for each character.
Now, it’s pretty clear that Ryan is a great actress in terms of drama but only until recently had we found that she can also do comedy as viewed in her role as the new HR rep of the Dunder-Mifflin Scranton branch of The Office. Yes, we’ve only seen one episode in a role that’ll probably last only a few more episodes. But even then, there’s a clear niceness and sweetness to someone who appears to have an interest in Michael Scott (Only time will tell). Clearly this is a shift from the other two chracters mentioned but from what’s been seen, Ryan is clearly able to handle the challenge without appearing wooden or being out of her element.
Hopefully, unlike other best supporting winners and nominees, she won’t disappear as she definitely has a place on the screen. – Amy Ryan
#19 Maggie Gyllenhaal
Since this is fantasy, I haven’t worried too much about who likes who and who would or would not be able to act in five movies in quick succession. But once I decided on Maggie for obvious reasons — young, talented, and despite this not being a babe draft, still gorgeous — I noticed that she’s a furious worker. She won’t have much of a problem handling the tonal shifts that our five fantasy films require, and she won’t buckle under the pressure either. Again, that’s not really a requirement for my draft — after all, I’ve got Daniel Day-Lewis in the company — but it’s something I was marveling at earlier. Among other things. – flyarz
#20 Michelle Williams
While many of her peers concerned themselves with becoming stars, Michelle Williams was busy becoming an actor. I’ll be honest; she wasn’t on my radar for a long time. I never watched Dawson’s Creek, but I have it on good authority (women) that she was pretty good, and a lot of the films on her resume are completely unfamiliar to me. However, what I have seen I’ve really liked, and I think she’s a talent that’s only just beginning to gear up—unlike a lot of young actors, her best work is clearly ahead of her.
2005’s Brokeback Mountain was a breakout performance for her—with good reason, it’s heartbreaking and beautiful work—but it was her performance that year in The Baxter that really made me pay attention. If you haven’t seen it you owe it to yourself to check it out (I did on the advice of this site); it’s a wonderful, charming, and funny movie, and watching Williams bring her character fully to life is one of the highlights.
So what does Michelle Williams add to the mix? Probably anything that’s needed. She’s a valuable part of any ensemble, a proven talent in supporting roles with the skills to easily handle a lead; she’s shown herself capable of covering huge tracts of emotional territory, always making interesting choices in her performance; and I think she’s a smart actor with a long and prestigious career ahead of her. – Mr. Mushnik
#21 Evan Rachel Wood
No Commentary Yet. – juddl
#22 Judy Greer
Judy Greer has a tough last name to say if you are eating crackers. And THAT’s what I look for in an actress, honestly. Well, that, and the ability to destroy audiences with a shitload of talent. Guess what? Greer’s got IT! That special something. You know what I’m talking about. Special enough to survive the horrific double dose of The Village and (gulp) Wes Craven’s Cursed. You can put her in any sitcom, funny or no, and she does great work. She managed to make Arrested Development funnier. How? Because God bestowed in her a gift. She gets a metric ton of best friend stuff, and she knocks it out like a half-dead tooth every single time. She’s fantasic. You’re jealous. I can see that. You’re Greern with envy. How did I trick her into becoming the fourth member of my amazing acting group? I made her a mix CD of all of my favorite songs. And since all of my favorite songs are by Puddle of Mudd, it was pretty easy for me to make. – Justin Waddell
#23 Franka Potente
Every good acting troupe needs a solid, talented actress that can bring the goods when necessary, and in the Fortis Company Players, Franka Potente is that actress. While she isn’t a conventional beauty by Hollywood standards, and she isn’t exactly what one could call a “star,” she can act up a storm, and offers up a quietly compelling presence that pretty much demands that an audience to watch her. Based on the first two Bourne films and Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run, Potente has demonstrated that she can handle action with ease, while Creep proved that she’s no stranger to the horror genre. Her turn on the powerful television program “The Shield,” along with her roles in films like Blow and Storytelling illustrate a natural knack for dramatic work, and while it’s true that she is unproven in the genres of science fiction and comedy, it’s not too much of a stretch to believe that she can put her considerable talents to good use in both types of films. In fact, I could easily see her serving as the best friend/comic foil of the female lead in a screwball comedy, or as the hero’s romantic interest in a cerebral science fiction epic. Franka Potente may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of agreat actress, and she may not be as desirable as international sex symbols such as Angelina Jolie or Scarlett Johansson, but she’s a confident, talented and above all dependable actress, and sometimes that’s enough. – Chris Olson
#24 Anne Hathaway
I fell for Anne Hathaway the first (and only) time I saw THE PRINCESS DIARIES. Here was a young actress who combined elegance with a goofy, likeable charm, and it didn’t hurt that she was, well, kinda stunning. And as she made her way through a handful of innocuous comedies, it was always clear that she was gearing up for something with a bit more substance.
She’s since delivered and then some: Streep, Tucci and Blunt got the plum parts in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA but Hathaway truly carried it; her supporting role in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN not only displayed off-the-charts sexiness (you know the scene I’m talking about) but an ability to convey a wide range of emotion (her phone conversation with Heath Ledger near the end of the film, where she sadly and wearily recounted the fate of her husband, was a small marvel); BECOMING JANE was a bit wet but it showed that Hathaway could handle period pieces in look and demeanour.
I’m sure her stunt double handled a fair portion of the butt-kickery in GET SMART but there are more than a few occasions when she shows a dynamic physical presence. And while she essentially has the straight-man role, she absolutely nails the one-liners she’s given and has a pleasingly combative/romantic rapport with Steve Carell.
She’s classy, she’s funny, she’s sexy, she’s talented. And now that she’s dumped her white-collar criminal boyfriend, she’s mine! You hear? Mine!. – tommy five tone
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