Top 10 Actors of the Half-Decade Countdown

Hey guys this is Rob Paulson and you're listening

to the Geekcast Radio Network. All right welcome

to episode 75 of The Cinema Geeks. That's right

because I don't know how to count. And last episode

I called it 73, which in fact it was 74, which

means we're now at 75. If anybody can keep that

straight, you're smarter than I am. But we are

on episode 75 of The Cinema Geeks. And today

we have another special episode where we continue

our half decade countdown list. You've heard

us do a whole bunch of different genre lists.

Last month we brought you the top 10 actresses

of the half decade. And now we are finally at

the top 10 actors of the half decade, which means

there's only one more list to go through, which

will be our actual top movies of the half decade,

which will be coming later on this... month.

Joining me today, as always, is our whole group

of cinema geeks. I am Optimus Solo. We also have

movie revolt Dan. Hello. Hey, how's it going?

Not too bad. And the one and only Hard Candy

Mandy. Hello. What's up? Not much. And as we

have done with every single one of these half

decade countdown lists, we've reached out to

try to find someone special to bring along that

knows movies. well if not more than the three

of us and has definitely seen more movies than

us probably in the last year for sure and that

is from the in session film podcast Brendan hello

greetings gentlemen and lady and it's good to

finally have you on Brendan appreciate the invite

man Yeah, and it should be fun We're gonna be

counting down like I said the top ten actors

and how we define half decade is 2010 to 2014

I don't know why some people find that confusing,

but it's five years, so that's what we're looking

at so not necessarily counting 2015 that much

I mean we might mention some movies that people

have been in but wasn't a huge factor in us coming

up with our rankings Pretty straightforward.

We'll just bounce back and forth giving you guys

our picks And then towards the end, we'll have

a little bit of discussion of some honorable

mentions in the way of maybe some people that

are just on the brink possibly could join the

countdown or the conversation as we end the decade.

Maybe if we did an actual decade list in another

couple years, we might join the ranks or at least

be in the conversation. So that's how we'll end

it. Dan, anything we want to say before we get

this thing rolling? No, I mean, I guess the way

I kind of... When we did the... Actors list I

mentioned like I try to get actor actresses that

kind of became their own or really became famous

within the last four or five years I did it similar

with this one though I think a little bit more

of just really people who have really been rocking

it the last four or five years Yeah, I think

that's something that kind of came up a little

bit when we were doing the last one as far as

some listener feedback and comments Obviously

there are those like standard actors or actresses

that have just been killing it for a long time

They might not though in this last five years

time span have had the same type of resume as

maybe some of the other ones that might come

up. So that might be why you don't hear maybe

some of the more iconic names or maybe some of

the more standard names that you would think

of because we're strictly looking at the five

-year period. I don't know how... Brenda, did

you have any criteria or things that you kind

of considered as you were coming up with your

list to help you narrow it down to ten? No, yeah.

I kind of did that exact same thing. I'm kind

of glad you guys are bringing this up right now

because it was actually kind of difficult trying

to be as objective as... possible but also trying

to look at you know who I think are my favorite

performers at least had a hell of a representation

of this half decade so far because you're right

a lot of these actors could have been around

for quite a long time even way before this half

decade that we're focusing on but which ones

have had more of a prevalent stamp within that

half decade that we're focusing this episode

on which is really what I wanted to try and focus

on so they could have been around for a while

but where did that resurgence come, that representation

and does it show and that's kind of what I focus

mine on too. Yeah and it's interesting as you

kind of get your list and you start to narrow

it down because you think like certain people

are probably like automatic or you probably go

into a project like this thinking you kind of

have an idea of who you're going to pick but

as you start looking at those five years it's

like Can't really put that person in yeah, it

just doesn't stack up It becomes an interesting

thing where even myself like I thought I knew

You know the majority of what would show up on

my list and ended up not quite being the case

There's probably three or four people that I

wouldn't have expected that when I really looked

at that five -year period I could not ignore

Amanda, what about you? This is a different list

for you. Do you have just all of your Hollywood

crushes on here, or what are we going to see

here? You're going to see some of that. Yeah,

but I did my best to keep guys I thought were

just hunky and didn't really do much as far as

performances go. Put them lower on my list, then

rather than higher. There was a couple disappointments,

people that I just couldn't put. Make it on my

list because of the the time period I find that

there wasn't as many good selections of movies

to to include them But might be a little on the

personal side for my list Dan one last question

before we get this thing rolling Top ten actors

of the half decade harder or easier than when

we did the top ten actresses Hmm, I guess it

depends. I felt I had I guess with this it was

harder because I felt like I had more that missed

the cut than with the actresses, which I don't

know if that's because it is showing my own prejudice

with when rating performances, but I felt doing

the actors list I had, I have more honorable

mentions this time around than last. I feel the

exact same way. I think it was a little bit wider

of a field. Obviously the... The gender conversation

when it comes to Hollywood is obvious. We don't

need to get into it too much, but there's so

many more male performers that have at least

seems like been given the greater characters

to play or the or more, you know. performances

and obviously as we talk about 2015 seems like

maybe it's swinging a little bit the other way

or at least for the time being but yeah it just

seems like there's a lot more to kind of whittle

down when we talk about the actors list I'm not

gonna get too far into it because I don't want

people coming after me but we'll leave it at

that so let's kick this thing off and Brendan

I'll start with you the honored guest here what

is your number 10 top actor of the half decade.

So for my number 10, I'm going with someone,

he's kind of more of a supporting face. He's

kind of, I guess what you can call, I guess one

of those quote unquote character actors. You

see his face pop around. He plays a lot of similar

characters, but he's, I think his stamp is really

this decade so far. And I'm going with Ben Mendelson.

I think this guy is a great actor. He's made

some appearances in films like The Dark Knight

Rises, Killing Them Softly, even The Place Beyond

the Pines, and even recently, if we want to branch

off into television, he was just recently nominated

for a Golden Globe for the show Bloodline, which

is a Netflix original that's streaming, and he

was also in Slow West earlier this year. I think

what really sealed the deal though is that he

plays a lot of the similar types of quote -unquote

bad guys. but recently he was in a film called

Mississippi Grind, a film I didn't quite love

but it was nice to see him kind of change it

up and play like a heartbroken man that shows

that this guy's got some notes and I think he's

on an upward incline which is why I feel like

I had to include him. I think this guy's a great

kind of overlooked actor in many ways. I think

he's very good. I think he was really good in

Mississippi Grind, especially, you know, regardless

of the movie, I'm probably the same with your

viewpoint on the actual movie. But I think he

did show a different side that we weren't used

to seeing in him and showed that he did have,

like you said, more notes and kind of a more

diversified toolbox to pull from. I agree. I'm

in complete agreement. This would be my number

12. So I'm not far off from you. And I think

the other one too would be his performance in

Start Up. Yes, great choice. Was really good.

So I am a hundred percent with you. He just missed

my cut but it was very hard for me to leave him

off the list. Great to hear. I will hold off

until later. I think he's a great pick. I just

have learned to hate him so much from all the

bad guy roles he used to play. He's so good at

it though. Yeah, he's even in Game of Thrones

and he's a jackass. Yeah, and he was a complete

lunatic in Black Sea earlier this year. late

last year whenever you saw that film so all right

good pick way to start us off here Amanda let's

have you go next what is your number 10 pick

shenanigans started off with Ryan Reynolds as

my number 10 I think that he I think the part

of my list is me seeing a potential in like an

upswing or something that I just I see in somebody

and I want to see more of them. I know that maybe

some of the things that I've seen recently with

Ryan Reynolds like we said Mrs. B. Grind has

kind of pulled me back to him but I've always

really liked him and he might not have had a

whole lot of great stuff but say what you will.

I had fun with R .I .P .D. just saying. I'm sorry

what? I had so much fun with that movie. Plus

he was in the captive safe house Green Lantern

I thought was not the best. But he did it justice

I would say. And then his voice work here also

does He's done Turbo and The Croods, just some

big names, and I think that he's a hunky funny

and kind of dynamic guy. I think he can do both

serious roles and definitely the comedic stuff.

Yeah, he's just so darn likeable. I mean, I actually

almost considered him, believe it or not, but

what really held it off for me was, you know,

let's wait until I see Deadpool first, and yeah,

and that was really my big thing, but I guess

I can just come out and say he was a pretty good

honorable mention for me, though. I think he

gets the label unfairly a lot of, like, he plays

the same role over and over again, which I don't

think that's the case. Nah. I think he has much

more range, especially this year, like, he's

had, like, selfless and voices, and he's... definitely

is trying to expand his repertoire, but I'm super

excited to see him in the Deadpool role. It's

been, you know, the role he was born to play

really. So I have, I've always enjoyed him since

I remember seeing him on like two guys are girl

on the pizza place. So. Yeah. And I think even

his role in Mississippi grind, I think again,

bringing up the same movie, it wasn't a great

movie, but him and Ben Mendelsohn really are

the best two parts of that movie. And the only,

only reason to watch that film for. all intents

and purposes. So I can see, I think, like Dan,

he gets a little bit of an unfair wrap. I think

he hasn't always had the best selection as far

as which films he's decided to be in and which

ones he hasn't. He worked with Sandy B.? Is that

good or bad? He worked with my girl Sandy B.

Proposal. Anyway. But yeah, I just think he's

made some bad choices along the way and people

kind of have latched onto that and don't... Aren't

able to see the actor and what he's capable of

beyond that. So Interesting choice. All right.

I will go next my number 10 pick is going to

be Donald Gleason and Almost more so for the

entire body. I mean he has done a ton of films

in the last five years and I don't know, there's

not many people that I was considering that had

as large of a filmography. Obviously, as far

as last year, we had Calvary, Frank, we had Unbroken,

back a few, a little bit longer, About Time,

True Grit, obviously his roles in the Harry Potter

films, which I think one of them does fall into

that five -year window. So it's just someone

that I think fits the - Did you say Donald Gleason

or Brendan Gleason? Donald. He was not in Harry

Potter, that's Brendan. No. Yeah, both of them

were. Both of them were. Yeah, Doma was Bill

Weasley, I think it was. Oh my gosh. I just shattered

your mind. I just blew my shit. All British actors

were required to be in Harry Potter. That's the

requirement for being a British actor. Right.

But what I was saying before is I think it fits

Dan's criteria of someone who basically emerged

onto the scene in that five -year period. I don't

think anybody really knew who he was too much

prior to 2010. So I think it definitely fits

that criteria, and I think he's just beginning,

and we're going to see a lot more from him in

the upcoming three, four, five years. So for

me, I didn't expect him to be on my list when

I started this project, but after looking at

the resume and kind of narrowing things down,

I couldn't keep him off, so he's my number 10.

Nice. I honestly forgot all about him. I almost

put his father as an honorable mention to me,

but yeah, he's certainly... I think he's really

coming into his own recently, too. Like, he's

in a lot of stuff. Like, Calvary last year, he

really, really freaked me out in the best ways

possible. One of the best scenes in that movie.

And I haven't seen a couple of his films, so

maybe that's why it's not even higher, but I

haven't seen Anna Grenina or his performance

in Never Let Me Go, or there's a film called

Shadow Dancer. I'm not familiar with those, so...

I don't know if that would sway me one way or

the other on him. I really wanted to put him

on my list. I just didn't realize... If you would

have remembered he was in Harry Potter, you would

have put him on there. I'm really excited to

see more from him. I recently saw About Time

and absolutely loved that movie. Seriously fell

in love with everything about it and him. He

was so great in that. And then what did we see

recently? Oh, Brooklyn. He was just in Brooklyn.

I thought he was really... Underused almost I

mean he wasn't used that much. I guess he was

a smaller Yeah, you know I now want to say like

an afterthought character because he was a bigger

role than that, but I'm really excited to see

more of him. I think he's great Yeah, he's got

a lot of range too He put his characters that

he plays are kind of very unique in their own

ways in all the films that he plays There's a

lot. There's a very good differentiation that

he brings to all of his roles, which I really

appreciate So he's also a great honorable mention

for me that almost made the top ten. He's a great

pick All right Dan, let's keep this train rolling.

What's your number 10? My number 10 is an actor

who was around for a while, but he was mostly

in TV. And I think I really got to really recognize

him or take notice of him in 2010 in the movie

Winter's Bone. I think he's kind of similar to

that of Ben Mendelsohn being a strong character

actor. And he's done a lot in the last five years,

four or five years. That is John Hawkes. He,

you know, like I mentioned with Winter's Bone,

his performance in that is just phenomenal. And

then he did something like The Sessions a few

years ago, which is the complete opposite of

this guy. More of a lovable character, being

able to portray a character that cannot move.

And that's always a challenge for an actor. And

I think he's got a range of talent. He's been

in a lot of small parts, too, from Lincoln and

as well as... The session as I mentioned the

such as contagion like he's a guy who can kind

of steal the moment is in he only has like a

a really brief moment in contagion but it's one

of my favorite moments in the movie and I think

he has a load of talent and they think he can

really you know really take on anything and Any

time you see his name in a movie I get excited

because I think like he tends to pick rather

rather good films I mean he's been in like he

was in Deadwood 2 and I didn't watch that when

I came out but watching it now you get to see

this guy He said he has the ability to really

fit any time period which is a kind of a hard

thing for some actors I think with that pick

that's just somebody that I didn't even, it didn't

even dawn on me to look at his resume and to

consider him so that's my fault. He kind of flew

under my radar on that one. I think the first

thing I ever saw him in was, what was it, Blue

Streak with Martin Lawrence? I think he died

very early on but I always remember that face

and he was wonderful in Winter's Bone and I've

seen ever since then he has been making a lot

of great imprint on a lot of great films this

decade at what was the other one i think and

i hope you mentioned the stand the other sessions

i think he was in with helen hunt yeah i think

i think he should have gotten a best actor nomination

for only i think he did that was not a trap see

that you know that was a performance yeah he

that was probably his best role today leading

role wise he was in Martha Martha Marcy May and

Marlene as well but yeah I think the sessions

was probably his best shot of getting a nomination

a lot of people thought he was going to but it

ended up not happening but I do think hopefully

in the future he'll get something because I think

he is has given the performances he just you

know he's non -cause recognition Alright, Brennan

that means it's back to you for your number 9

pick. My number 9 might be a bit of a cliched

choice and I think, you know, you talk to anyone

about actors and their representation in this

half decade so far, a lot of people will talk

about this person, but I gotta talk about Bradley

Cooper. You know, obviously he kind of gets,

at first I feel like he was kind of typecast

as like this... goofy asshole that you just saw

in a bunch of comedies, you know, with wedding

crashers, the hangover, wet hot American summer.

But since then, he just does such a good job

at playing, like, a likable asshole. That's even

possible. But you look at a lot of the work that

he's done with David O 'Russell. You know, I

like a lot of David O 'Russell's films. Some

of them I'm a bit hit or miss on, but... But

Bradley Cooper always gives a very distinctive

performance in those films, whether it be American

Hustle or even Silver Linings Playbook where

I think he does a great job balancing likeability.

a jerk but someone that has a lot of torment

and a lot of problems he's just he's so relatable

and and he's almost like a great representation

of the everyday man so that makes him kind of

easy for someone like me to latch onto when I

see him on screen I just instantly gratified

towards him and I think he does a good job of

playing that he plays to those strengths and

he represents it very well and but I do think

he's got some very interesting notes in some

of his other films that I think will continue

to carry forth throughout the rest of this decade

so far that I'm really excited to see. So I got

to talk about Bradley Cooper. I think he's great.

And I got to talk about Bradley Cooper, too,

but not yet. Yeah, I think he's kind of an actor.

I never took all that seriously until this half

decade. He's a guy who's like, oh, he's fine.

But with Silver Linings Playbook, he's really

been knocking it out of the park, for sure. He

was an honorable mention for me. But certainly,

he's been nominated for best actor, what, three

years in a row now? Yeah. So not many actors

can claim that. has been having a really great

partnership with David R. Russell, at least,

you know, kind of coming into his own and really

showing that he's more than just like a romantic

comedy actor. He's actually a legit actor. I'm

also going to abstain myself. Oh, spoilers galore.

Well, you can refrain from that one, but let

us know what your thoughts are on who you have

at number 9. My number 9, I don't know how much

flack I'm going to get for this one, is Mark

Wahlberg. I think that he really, he might be

another one of those that's come to be in a certain

kind of movie. I think he's moved away from the

more serious stuff and gotten pretty heavily

into the comedy, but I think he just works for

me. Two guns, pain and gain, death. Definitely

the other guy. It's probably one of the most

quotable movies for me. Even Ted. I had a lot

of fun with Ted. And I think that his, he's another

one that's, he's like the likable jerk, just

like Brendan was alluding to with Bradley Cooper.

And I think, you know, he has done some really

awesome, you know, serious dramatic roles. And

I think in the last half decade, he was in The

Fighter too, with Christian Bale. And I just

don't see him going anywhere. Yeah, and also

Lone Survivor and Date Night also. I like Mark

Wahlberg Transformers not with standing that's

not really his fault But yeah, I think he's a

I think he's way better than people ever expected

him to be he had a third nipple Okay I like there

was an awkward silence when you said that. I

don't know how to respond to that. That's just

a little Mark Wahlberg from Fact, just for the

day. Okay, you know too much about Mark Wahlberg.

You can see it in Fear. Okay. Like literally,

like you see it and you get fearful? Yeah. No,

the movie Fear, that he's in with Reese Witherspoon.

Alright, next time I'm watching that film, I'll

take a gander. Yes, you will. I gotta go right

to Fear to see, yeah. Right. For my number nine,

I'm going to get in trouble because people are

going to say I don't have this individual high

enough, so I apologize right up front, but my

number nine is the Batch, Benedict Cumberbatch.

So again, I expect that we'll hear from him at

least on one or two other people's lists a bit

higher, but he has a pretty impressive resume

with The Imitation Game, August Osage County,

12 Years a Slave, even Star Trek Into Darkness.

His I guess you could say his voice work in the

Hobbit films He did some motion capture for that

too if you ever see the video hilarious Tinker

Taylor soldier spy another one maybe that you

would consider but I think again someone that

Really burst onto the scene within the last five

six years. He's he fits that criteria of someone

that didn't just come onto the scene but like

I said burst onto the scene and all of a sudden

has become you know everybody's favorite guy

especially in different geek circles that we

sometimes run around with so Benedict Cumberbatch

I don't think you can deny his worthiness of

being on the list I think most people will probably

say he should be higher than number nine but

for me he's number nine well if you think you're

gonna get flack for having him at number nine

maybe I'll get flack by saying he's only an honorable

mention for me There you go. You're gonna take

the heat off. I'll take the heat off for you.

But that's not anything negative on Benedict

Cumberbatch because I agree with everything you're

saying. I guess just for me personally, I think

I feel like I still need to see a little bit

more from him to really consider him for a top

10 material for a decade like this because he's

very good at kind of, I guess recycling is not

the right word, but he does a lot of this like

I guess Sherlockian narcissism that he has with

this He has a certain tone that he likes to repeat

a little bit every now and then. Not that that's

a bad thing. He's very good at it. He has a charm

and he uses it. I want to see a little bit more

more heavily, but he's phenomenal at what he

does and he's so likeable. And I can definitely

see that argument as well. Yeah, I agree completely

with you Brendan. I have him at number 11. I

think that I have seen some really cool stuff

with him in it, but I definitely just want to

see more to see what else he's got. Yeah, because

even like in the imitation game, I feel like

he had a lot of those, a lot of that tonality

still, but what, but I mean like the ending of

that film, I feel like there are some notes there

that I haven't seen out of him yet. So he's slowly

growing though. Yeah, I think if I was considering

just actors and considering like his work in

TV as well I probably would have maybe decided

putting on the list but similar he I guess Kevin

you won't get any black if people are yelling

at us for having The only one that has them so

all right, I'll get points for that I think I

guess he barely made us a list in the first place

all honorable mentions for three and just at

the number nine spot for me, so direct your hate

mail to all of us, I guess, on that one. Dan,

what do you have at number nine? Number nine,

I have a similar to Brendan. I think it's an

actor that people began taking seriously within

the last few years. He was around for a long

time. He was, you know, a mascoteer. He was within

movies like Remembered Our Titans, but then he

did a movie like Drive, and I think people started

to look at him a little differently, and that,

of course, is Ryan Gosling. He may be the only

one on my list that can compete with the apps

that are on Amanda's list app in the moment in

time. Looks like he's photoshopped. Exactly.

Hold on, I'll take it. But yeah, I really started

similar, like I mentioned, with Bradley Cooper.

Taking him seriously as an actor when he did

things like his partnership with Nicholas winning

rough and I like only fog God forgives and almost

people don't His working place beyond the pines

eyes of March, which is not a great movie, but

I think he's pretty solid in it Even something

like crazy stupid love. I think he's phenomenal

in that showing he can be comedic as well and

be kind of that romantic lead and even blue Valentine

as a movie I'm hitting a wrist on but I think

too he does act he acts the hell out of it as

much as he can so I think he has been taking,

he can be like that stoic kind of almost like

Clint Eastwood type character in Drive that doesn't

talk much, just action, but then be funny and

charming and crazy, stupid love. So he does tend

to have the same type of voice he's been using

a lot. Like you see it in the gangster squad,

but I don't know. I've always, I think Ryan Gosling

is trying to become more and more of an actor.

And I think that's why I placed him at number

nine on my list. I don't think I've ever seen

a performance of his that I didn't like, though.

You know what I mean? I don't think I've ever

seen something from him and been like, oh, he

was terrible in that. Maybe I haven't seen all

of his films. But again, someone that when they're

showing up, I'm like, OK, I'm going to at least

enjoy his performance, regardless of, like you

said, some of the movies that maybe aren't super

great, but he's good in them. And I think that's

a sign of a good actor, obviously, that can kind

of... vault over the material at times and still

perform. So I like that pick. It's not on my

list, but I am a big fan of Ryan Gosling. And

Amanda's shocked that he's not on my list, apparently.

She just gave me the weirdest eyes. Alright,

so that means it's time for everybody's number

eights, and we'll start with you again, Brennan.

So my number eight, I am going with Joel Edgerton.

I think this guy's great. Obviously, he's shown

signs as a director now with the movie The GIF

that came out, which I also thought he was great.

He also gave a great performance in that film.

He really creeped the hell out of me, but...

When you look at films like, you know, Warrior

and even recently Black Mass, you know, I wasn't

a huge fan of Black Mass itself, but I obviously

I love Joel in that film on its own. But I think

he's making a very unique stamp for himself this

year. And again, even if you look at a film like

Exodus, Gods and Kings, which was such a chore

to get through for me. But he gave it his all.

This is someone that shows the type of dedication

and he's going to try and bring something to

a film. Even if the film itself is maybe mediocre

at best like I mean actually mediocre might be

a generous thing to say about a movie like Exodus

Gods and Kings but I can definitely see the passion

that he was at least attempting and trying to

give something worthwhile in that film and he

really takes his his job seriously and when you

see it behind the camera now and even him as

a screenwriter I think is also quite marvelous

I guess maybe I'm kind of cheating by looking

at him and how great he is behind the camera

as well but I think even on screen this guy makes

a very unique presence in every single one of

his films and he's very good at what he does.

Joel Edgerton by number eight. He's someone that

is definitely growing on me. I think maybe for

the same reason that you were talking about Benedict

Cumberbatch though, for me I just need to see

a little bit more before I'm ready to put him

on a list like this, but I can definitely see,

you know, especially if someone has seen all

of his work and is behind him, I could see that

argument because he is definitely someone that

I've been impressed with recently. Yeah, and

you do make a great point. I guess like for me

personally, what I have seen, even though there

is some repetition in the tonality of his performances,

I just, I have such a bias as to what he brings

to it. I think it's, I just personally really

love it, but you do make a great point. I think

that he's a super good choice. He flew a little

bit under my radar, but the things that you brought

up or the stuff that he's done. there's no denying

that he's been really awesome in that in that

aspect even you know writing directing his performances

and everything that he does I think I'm really

excited to see more more of him and the gift

super got me into him I think he just sucked

me in and creeped me the hell out so I believe

everything that he does and then we were when

we were watching Star Wars the day he is in that

He's Uncle Owen. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I just

had to think about the space for a second. I

was like, oh, yeah Those are the prequels. I

forgot those. Okay those. Oh, yeah. Yeah, we're

talking about Star Wars Star Wars. I'm like he

was not in the All right, Amanda your number

eight I've got the Coups Bradley Cooper. I think

we talked quite a bit about him and I'm a little

sad that he had to come in solo, but I think

his work in American Sniper kind of showed a

different side of him for me to the most recent.

I didn't see Silverlining's playbook until last

month, and I was really unsure about how I felt

about it the whole time, and I think he did a

really awesome job. Even his voice work in Guardians

and the place beyond the pines has, I saw that...

pre -recently too, and that movie blew me away.

I was in complete love with that movie too, so

coming in at number eight. I'm gonna bounce off

you because he's also my number eight, so I'll

agree with just about everything you said there.

I even liked him in the words, which I know a

lot of people aren't very high on that film,

but I liked him in that. Like you said, Guardians

of the Galaxy, American Hustle, even his work

in the hangover films, take them for what they

are, but... you know he still shows another side

between that something like that and something

like silver linings playbook to something like

limitless than having just like the fun character

that he is even if the movie's bad and something

like a team he just shows that he can do a bunch

of different things and and do it well and he's

definitely someone that has uh... really made

a name for himself in the last five to uh...

probably five eight years uh... and i haven't

seen much that he can't do i mean i'm not saying

he's given that Outside of maybe I guess what

you would say in Silver Linings playbook. That's

the closest he's come to just giving that like

trademark performance I'd like to see something

else like that again or something that even elevates

a little bit higher than that But even like Aloha

from this year I think he did really awesome

and a lot of people weren't very high on that

But I still think he kind of elevated past the

material on that one, too So I think it's a great

pick from all of us. So I'll just pat all of

ourselves on the back there for having nine and

eight and eight, so I guess we're in agreement

with that one. I'll kick myself in the butt for

never even mentioning Guardians of the Galaxy

and American Sniper during my initial thoughts

of his. I mean, even American Sniper, while I

wasn't blown away by that film, I loved his performance

in that film. I thought it was wonderful. Really

good. Alright, Dan, that means it's your turn

for your number eight pick. My number eight pick

is... Usually when I went for people, I went

for people who had at least a number of good

performances, and for my number eight, he doesn't

have a number, but it's really a couple performances

that really put him on the list here, and it's

Michael Shannon, and mostly for his work in Take

Shelter, Mud, and Iceman to even Man of Steel.

Really, really Take Shelter, though, is kind

of... where I think I really started to appreciate

him as an actor. He just can do unhinged so well.

And if you want to bring in TV, his work in Boardwalk

Empire, he can just be like a really ominous

presence, a really kind of threatening force

when he needs to be, which kind of made me sad

that he was so misused and man of steel. He could

have been so better than he was. But yeah, I

just, I... Now we're going to get hate mail from

the true bromance guy. But yes, I'm a huge Michael

Shannon fan, especially anything he does with

Michael Nichols. Looking forward to, you know,

his more partnership with that. And even something

like Mud, where he's only in there for, I don't

know, maybe 10, 15 minutes, but it's such a difference

compared to what his character in something like

Take Shelter, where it's more of a likeable kind

of, you know, uncle type of figure. So I think

he's legitimately, if you're just going based

upon acting talent, one of the best working today.

All I'll say is this. I agree with you. Yeah,

I mean, I definitely see that as a good choice.

He's not going to be on my list, but if I was

expanding this to maybe like top 20, he would

probably come in and that's more for like what

you were saying. I don't doubt or question his

acting ability. When I'm looking at his resume,

I guess maybe that's why I bumped him down a

little bit, just because he didn't quite have

the number of films that I'm seeing from some

of the other people that did make my list. But

like you said, if you're going just on pure acting

ability, which maybe is how you should look at

it, then he definitely deserves a spot in the

top ten. All right, Brendan, that means it's

your turn for number seven. Number seven, I am

gonna go with Oscar Isaac. So we talked about

Donald Gleason a little bit before, who was also

in a movie this year called Ex Machina. And also

in that film, he shared the screen with Oscar

Isaac, who I thought in many ways kind of sold

a show. This guy, you know, we talk about versatility,

and we talked about a lot of the actors already

prior on the bottom of our list so far, mostly

with Bradley Cooper already. But Oscar Isaac,

I think, is someone that does a great job showing

that kind of versatility. He's someone that knows

how to have fun. on screen but he also knows

how to balance that kind of joy you know you

look at a film like Ex Machina with some kind

of inner torment that's going on and you look

at a film like Inside Lewin Davis which I know

is kind of a polarizing film for some it's a

film that I really love I'm a big fan of that

film but he's he's someone that is such a He's

such a jerk in that film, but you kind of find

a certain relatability to him. And he's someone

that knows how to treat subtlety when it's needed,

but then go over the top and have fun when it's

needed. He knows how to make the right choices

when it's right. So he's a very smart actor.

I don't think he gets a lot of credit in that

regard, at least. Yeah, I'm a big fan of - You

talk about them dance moves. Oh, gosh. That's

one of my favorite scenes of the year. I love

that song, too. Yeah. But I'm a big fan of Oscar

Isaac. He's my number seven. Yeah, I definitely

think I guess I'll call out a technicality and

say because I consider it depends on if I'm gonna

consider a history of violence 2015 or 2014 if

I consider it 2014 then he probably would have

made my list But yeah, I've only seen a couple

things from him, you know in the 2010 to 2014

time frame Inside Lewin Davis, I think it's actually

one of the only films I saw before history of

violence and ex -Macken and some of the stuff

from this year or so. I just couldn't put them

on a list just based on numeric value, I guess.

But I think for sure, especially towards the

end when we're talking about people that will

join the conversation, especially towards the

end of the decade. I think, you know, when you

do this list in four years for the whole decade,

he is almost a shoo -in based on the diversity

and the chameleon aspect that he has. Yeah, and

especially after this apparently some independent

film comes out next week and that he's also in

might help skyrocket him. I'm not exactly sure

if that'll happen, but I'm talking about Star

Wars. I mean, I think someone would have to see

that film in order for it to... Yeah, who's going

to see that film? Geez. It's only 140 hours away.

Yeah. Oh, Lord. That'll be an untrue statement

by the time this airs, so I'll look silly then.

Oscar Isaac was my number 12. I think he's another

one of those that, like I said, you just need

to see a little bit more. He just didn't have

enough out for me that I've seen to be able to

put him on my top, but he's definitely got the

potential to do some good and to stick around

for a while. Alright. Go ahead, Dan. Yeah, similar

to Michael Shannon. I almost thought putting

him on simply because of his performance in Inside

Lou and Davis, which I think is great. I'm right

there with you, Brendan. I truly love that movie

and own that soundtrack and still listen to it

on repeat today. So yeah, I think he's certainly

talented. And similar, if I was considering,

it was more so... I had two performances for

him. Even though I like him in something like

Sucker Punch, I didn't necessarily would count

that as a great performance just because, you

know, there's not much for him to do there. But

I think as like an actor, there's no doubt he's

shown that like he's gone from being someone

I knew nothing about to someone I really look

forward to anything he's doing. All right, Amanda,

that means it's your turn to reveal your number

seven pick. Oh, the big reveal. It's going to

be JGL, Joseph Gordon -Levitt. I think that some

of some really awesome stuff has come out of

him. Really, I don't know about this year with

the walk and all that. I'm disregarding everything

that's happened this year because I haven't seen

much of it. I think what really brought me on

to the JGL train was Inception. His suits were

so spot on. He was so classy and really... Really

was like a silent badass almost he didn't have

to say much, but you just knew that he was gonna

take care of business I think plus like looper

super fun sci -fi flick Flick even Sin City when

did that come out this year? Is that not? Yeah,

maybe last year Okay And then Don John I think

that he getting into the romantic comedies and

stuff like that. I didn't see 50 -50 I think

that There's a ton maybe that I haven't seen

of his but I just have fun with everything He's

in and if I see him involved in something I'm

at least intrigued and I think that he he's another

one was that has that staying power and I don't

think he I don't think he's gonna quit doing

good stuff. I'd love 50 -50 I really suggest

putting that on your list. I'm a big fan of that

film That's what Seth Rogen, right? Yes. Yeah,

and we own it and you will watch it. We own it.

Yeah That was my number one film that year, so

we will definitely be checking that out. We will

watch that. For my next pick, I'm actually going

to go with a different J name and that would

be Jake Gyllenhaal as my next pick. I don't think

there's any... I don't even need to say anything,

I don't think for this, but Source Code, Prisoners,

End of Watch, Nightcrawler, Enemy, obviously

last year was a huge year for him and I think

he's, again, he's just getting started too. It's

like he already had an impressive decade and

he's just getting warmed up, it feels like. So

just the way he can completely transform himself

and his body and his acting, I mean look at going

from the performance that he gives in something

like Nightcrawler to how much he had to transform

then to pull off the role in Southpaw, regardless

of how you feel about that movie. Just a completely

different person from a physical standpoint,

from everything, just completely changed himself.

And he's someone that, he gets a role, he holds

nothing back. He dives into that role, he...

dissects it and spits out something that you

wouldn't think would be the same person that's

spitting out something that you saw just a year

or six months prior, so I find him amazing, so

that's why he's not next on my list. I find him

amazing. He is. He's quickly becoming one of

my favorite actors. I think he's one that I refell

in love with, like this year, like Southpaw and

things like that kind of really brought him back

for me, so I didn't find a spot for him on my

list, but definitely a good choice. I'm not saying

anything. All right, I might have more to say

that's all I'm gonna say about that. Sounds good

Dan, what do you got? My number seven is Tom

Hilton the guy who was only Basically Marvel's

only good villain until this year with the Netflix

series Not only that. I mean, he's done all of

his Avengers stuff, but he's done other legit

acting as well I love him in deep blue sea even

his small bit in Warhorse like it's such a relief

when he comes onto the scene he's so charming

and just like the brief amount of time he has

in that movie is like the type of like old style

hollywood the kind of presence that you really

don't see many actors today. He's an actor I

think he could exist in any era. He could have

existed back in the 50s and the 60s. He has that.

I also love him in something like Midnight in

Paris. He can be funny. He can be kind of this

crazy villain in the Avengers films. I think

he's a guy who just likes performing. Again,

I think he is... Shown just a huge range and

I think he can take on a blockbuster film or

like a small and independent project So he is

my number Seven yeah That's a great pick. That's

actually my number 11 He was on my list and off

my list and on my list and off my list. I just

couldn't quite you know when I was talking about

that my number 10 with Don Hubleason and his

Filmography there's nobody that competes with

how many films Tom Hiddleston has somehow been

in the last five years I don't even know how

someone can physically do that like he has been

in a ton of movies a bunch that I haven't seen

but he has just been in a ton of films so I Agree,

I think like you said he's one of the only good

Marvel villains that we've gotten but just everything

else that he's done is just He's always someone

to kind of keep your eye on and someone that

kind of draws you into the film So I think that's

a great pick. I was really intrigued to see him

in Only lovers left alive that I checked out

this year and I think that might be One of the

things that Got me even more excited about Crimson

Peak, but just Crimson Peak super turned me off

of him and Anything I've ever seen him in really

I think that they really did in bogus Yeah, I

was so upset with that movie that I I just can't

look at him in the same way anymore Del Toro's

fault then So they they burned me they burn me

a little bad All right, so not a big fan apparently

of Tom Hiddleston all of a sudden so that means

it's time for Brendan's number six number six

This is I hope I don't get too much hate for

having him this quote -unquote low because this

is someone that could easily top Someone's list,

but I'm gonna go with Matthew McConaughey I think

when you talk about actors that have been around

for a while that have really had such a quote

-unquote resurgence especially within this past

decade I mean this guy basically is the definition

of that you look in the dictionary that's you're

gonna see his name to talk about that and even

you know someone like me maybe I'm a bit maybe

kind of a guilty pleasure in many ways you know

movies like how to lose a guy in ten days failure

to launch all those terrible movies I kind of

like watching because he is just so freaking

charming. I don't know what it is about him,

but somehow he was able to finally start utilizing

that charm in a way to bring really, I guess,

well -grounded and heartbreaking performances

within this half decade so far. Really kind of

started, in my opinion, it started with the Lincoln

Lawyer, maybe even a little bit before. I forget

if there was anything before that that kind of

helped to start kind of trigger that. But the

Lincoln Lawyer he was great in, then you had

Dallas Buyers Club. He was fantastic in Mud.

That's a very underrated film and you know, obviously

Interstellar as many as much while I enjoy the

film Interstellar, I do have some problems with

it. I can't deny that McConaughey is so good

at representing, you know, the father figure

of that film and he sells it beautifully and

really helps. Basically is the main reason why

that film ever feels kind of well grounded in

its in its emotional resonance and within its

deep sci -fi setting and that merriment really

comes together because of his performance and

he does a great job at that. Yeah, definitely.

You define someone that's having such a comeback

and really a great representation of an actor

this decade so far. Matthew Conahay defines that.

He's wonderful. I agree. I kind of figured I

was going to get a lot of silence. Like, yeah,

we have more space later. Amanda? All right,

all right, all right. What is your number six?

I had to. I had to be the one. My what? Number

six. Number six? I thought you said seven. I'm

gonna go with Leo DiCaprio. Maybe a little low?

I don't know. But there's another Inception actor.

I think that movie kind of is on my list a few

times maybe here. The Great Gatsby, Django, Wolf

of Wall Street. There's no denying the... What

is that face, Kevin? Nothing. Jesus, he's got

these pursed lips. I don't get it. I think that

he's been around for a while, he's had a couple

stinkers, but I think he's kind of one of those

that are on the resurgent end too. And Revenant,

let's see how that goes. He looks like he's gonna

put some power behind that performance, but I

think he's had a couple really fun roles, even

as outrageous as... Most your candy in the game

go I think that he He was one of my favorite

characters as much as you want to hate him in

that and I think that he is a good Pick for my

number six lot. I don't know where else I could

put him I had him originally a little lower and

changed my mind and bumped him up at the end

Yeah, nothing I Guess I'll jump in I I didn't

even consider him, but that's not to say I didn't

think of him I did think of him, but I personally.

With DiCaprio, I think he's a great actor, but

if I'm really focusing my criteria on actors

that I feel like had a better representation

of this half decade, I feel like DiCaprio's presence

was really more of the past decade for me, which

is why I felt like I had a harder time including

him. I loved him in Django Unchained, even though,

I guess, hate me now. I was not a fan of that

film, like, at all. But I thought he was great

in that film. I thought he was great in... In

fact, I think one of his best performances was

Shutter Island, which came out in 2010. I loved

him in that. But I think he did have some stinkers

this year, such as J. Edgar. God, I hated that

film. Just me personally, I think as much as

I love him, I think his representation was more

ecstatic in the past decade, so it wasn't as

fair for me to include for me. Again, direct

your hate tweets to Optimus Solo because he's

not going to be on my list either. I just personally

don't like Leonardo DiCaprio. Bro, Titanic? I've

been on board since the ship. I've been on board

for that. He's a good actor, but for me, every

time I see a role of his, I see every single

character he's ever played in that performance.

It just is the same... Not the same note. I don't

want to say that because he does give different

performances and there is some diversity there.

But certain things about the way he does things

are identical in every single character of his.

And I don't know how you can escape that because

that's just his per - that's just who he is.

But for some reason that just turns me off. I

agree though. If you're just judging it on maybe

the - he was in - arguably three of the better

movies as Hiro informed me on Twitter of the

decade if you take Django and Inception and Wolf

of Wall Street. That's a pretty good trio of

films to be in, but then if I balance that out

with Great Gatsby, J. Edgar, and some of the

other stuff that is not coming to my mind right

away, it's just, it almost, I guess, cancels

it out for me. I think he will get his first

Oscar for The Revenant, maybe, or at least get

one more time where he gets nominated and doesn't

win. And I am looking forward to that film, regardless

of what people might think. But, I don't know,

I just can never quite get on board with Leonardo

DiCaprio, even though I know I am way in the

minority on that one. Well, thanks for shooting

all of it. I guess I'll be with you, man. I don't

have it on my list, but I do think... I don't

see what you do, Kevin, because, like, as much...

Because I'm surprised by that because I know

you're a huge Denzel fan I feel he's far more

guilty of playing similar roles and Leo is I

think it is I think they're very similar in that

respect but for some reason I like the one that

Denzel's giving it and I don't like the Get angry

yell thing that he does in almost every single

one of his films Yeah, I don't just like Denzel

does the gum chewing thing. Yeah for some reason

that doesn't bother me I don't know why like

I said, it's completely a personal bias that

is not logical But it's something that hurts

my interpretation of his acting I guess you know

what hurts me when you shit The only reason I

didn't include him because like I said I was

going for more people that Kind of came into

their own within the last five years and he's

been such a presence for like since the 90s really

so I mean I guess what one performance where

you can say like if you even go back to something

like what's he eating Gilbert grape like from

that to something like you know, we we talked

about Django or even like Revolutionary Road,

which is probably the him I think his issue hopefully

is once he gets his Oscar he can stop trying

to get his Oscar Yeah. And I guess when I'm saying

his range, I'm not necessarily talking about

the stuff that he did prior. I'm talking about

especially what I'm seeing in this last half

decade. I think his character in The Great Gatsby

is so similar to his character in J. Edgar, which

is similar to his character in Wolf of Wall Street,

which is similar to his character in Django and

Shane. So I'm strictly talking about his five

years that we're considering in this one. I think

there have been performances prior to that, which

I don't think are the same note and I really

like. It's just more when you take those four

performances, there's so many similarities between

all of them. I can see that. I think there was

some, like, internet meme or something that was,

like, literally saying, like... I put that up.

Yeah, you put that up. There was one of him as

Jack toasting with champagne in Titanic, and

then him as Gatsby toasting with champagne. Yeah.

But... I will just say this. He should have won

his Oscar already, and that was for What's Eating

Gilbert Grape. I thought he was phenomenal in

that, so... Yeah, I think he's had a couple that

could have won. He is, like... Yeah, yeah. Oh,

well. And Inception could be one of those, too.

And I just really love Inception. I think that's

probably going to be pretty evident with my list.

All right. For my next pick, I am going to talk

about one that's already been talked about a

little bit, and that will be JGL. So we'll talk

about Joseph Gordon -Levitt a little bit more,

because that is my next pick on the list, and

everything that Amanda said, and then... Show

her 50 -50, and I think he elevates a couple

more spots because like I said that was my favorite

film of that year I think he is amazing in that

I think it's great in inception looper Don John

You know I just think Again going back to what

I said the criteria was for me and what a couple

of you other guys have said Someone that really

came on to the scene and not just he was someone

that you knew before obviously But as far as

legitimizing himself as a film Actor in a serious

way. I think this last five years has really

done that for him So I think that's why he he

climbed up a little bit more on my list because

I just really think he's owned these last four

or five years to a certain extent and Again has

a lot of stuff that he could do here in the next

four five six years and that baby face though

Yeah, cuz he's what like 35 now, I think he doesn't

even look at 20 he looks like he Dan, I think

that leaves us with you. I can't talk. My number

six is someone who, it's not even talked about,

but it's someone I'm a huge fan of and that is

Ben Mendelsohn. Like, pretty much everything

Brendan was saying and what I love about Brendan

Mendelsohn, yeah, he does tend to play kind of

evil characters, but he does even have within

that a huge range. If you look like something,

like start up where he is this, though he's like

five foot five, like he can... Walk around with

an aura around him where like you can see why

people would be scared of him or then something

like killing me softly where he's just this grimy

Like lowdown like just disgusting human being

and he's just so good at playing that type of

role You know would place me on the pines as

well. I just I don't know I find him such Captivate

kind of captivating figure as an actor from when

similar to Joel Edgerton like I've met him in

uh ben milson and animal kingdom are phenomenal

like that like that movie is just you realize

the acting talent and that is insane so yeah

like i think i really gain new respect with him

last year and start up. And I was just like,

wow, this guy can do much more than I ever really

realized. And ever since then, I have yet to

see Mississippi grind. I'll probably check that

out as well. But I'm a huge fan of him and everything

he's done within the last few years, because

before 2010, I never even knew who he was. But

right now I think he's he's really showing up

and even like Dark Knight Rises. I forgot he

was even in that till it was like on TNT today.

I'm like, oh, yeah, he plays. He's in like he.

He's one of those actors that's gonna be in,

like, everything. I still don't know who he played

in Dark Knight. He was... I forget his role,

but he worked with... not Ra's al Ghul, but Bane's

people. He was, like, the guy in Gotham that

helped him out. He was one of the people that

was really kind of infiltrating, what was it,

Wayne Enterprises and trying to get Bruce Wayne

out of the CEO board of directors or something

like that. He was more on the economic side.

It's been a while. And I haven't even seen his

role in Killer Elite or Trespass. I don't know

if those are good or bad films or if his roles

are good. But I've already said, like I said,

he was my number 12. So I completely agree with

both of you guys putting him on your list. All

right. That means we're on to the second half

here. So starting the second half, that means

we're into our top five. Brennan, where do we

start? We start at my number five being what

Dan had talked about already. Michael Shannon.

So this is where I have Michael Shannon at. You

know, he kind of made a stamp with, I think,

yeah, when we were talking about DiCaprio, we

were talking about Revolutionary Road, and that

film was getting such a lot of hype that it was,

oh my God, it's DiCaprio and Winslet on screen

together again. This is joyous. And the performer

that no one ever knew of got nominated for that

film, and rightfully so. He was so great in that.

I mean, that's 2008, so that's the previous decade,

but ever since then, I just... Every time this

guy is on screen, he just electrifies something.

And even most recently, the film 99 Homes that

he co -starred with Andrew Garfield. A film that

I definitely enjoyed, but I didn't quite love,

mostly because of the final act. But he was just

nominated for Golden Globe for Best Supporting

Actor for that film. And I think rightfully so.

I think he gives one of the better supporting

acting performances of the year so far. This

guy just scares the living shit out of me. Every

time he opens his mouth, it's like, oh my god,

it shivers down my spine. He's so condescending,

but in the best acting way possible, you believe

everything that comes out of this guy's mouth.

And also, major kudos to him because... His hometown

is Lexington, Kentucky, and I used to live there

for a year and a half, so I guess I have some

biases in that regard. But everything that, Dan,

everything that you already talked about about

Michael Shannon, I completely agree with, so

I won't echo too many of those thoughts. But

I think this guy just really knows how to electrify

the screen in the best way possible, but in the

scariest way possible. I think he's fantastic.

He's a really good angry face. He looks mad.

I'm not pissing that guy off. Just imagine if

he had a boss like that. Oh my goodness. Not

good. You'd never be late. I quit in the first

week. Alright Amanda, what is your number five?

Number five, Ryan Gosling. That's where I'm putting

this bad boy. I have been in love with him since

the Disney days. Even Murder by Numbers was saying

to be, again. That was one of my favorites that

he's put out up until... Some things that I've

seen of him lately, like I said, the place beyond

the pines really blew me away. That movie was

outrageous. It was amazing. There was so much

that happened that I did not see coming. Some

really great performances. Only God forgives.

I have not seen Crazy Stupid Love, either. What?

What? That's where you're out! I also own that!

I'm just really not huge on the ch - No, you're

watching that. It has chick flick elements, but

it's much better than that. Don't worry, it's

a perfect double feature of 50 -50 and crazy

stupid love. Oh, help me. It kind of works. I

mean, he's such a beautiful man. I've seen him

in so much. I've never not liked him in anything.

He was in a movie that I really liked, too, Fracture.

I think that might have been 2009 or 2008. I'm

not really sure. I think that happens. Yeah,

yeah. He's done some really awesome stuff and

I think he can be funny. He's charming. He's

got the serious scary side to him too. I think

he's just a dynamic and amazing person and I'm

just, yeah. That's my number five. Alright. before

you go too far into your crush on Ryan Gosling,

my number five has already been talked about,

and that is Matthew McConaughey as well. Brendan

already said most of what needs to be said. Interstellar,

Dallas Byers Club, Mudd, even Wolf of Wall Street

for those two seconds. I haven't seen the original

Magic Mike, but he was in that, so I know, Amanda,

you saw that. He was the most distracting part

of that movie. Gotcha. But even like what Brendan

said early on, Lincoln Lawyer, that's something

I liked him in. So he just has completely, again,

for someone to be known for a certain type of

film for so long, and then successfully be able

to break away from that, and not just for one

film, but break away from that. in film after

film here in this last half decade or so. I am

a huge fan of Matthew McConaughey. Anytime he

is involved with a project, like even leading

up to Interstellar, I think that's one of the

reasons why I was so excited for that film was

because of his, pardon, it was because of his

voiceover. And his car commercials, notwithstanding,

I think. Well, you don't want to drive a Lincoln?

I think he's easily one of my favorite actors,

but also one of the best actors in... the business

right now, so Matthew McConaughey is my number

five. Also ripped out of his mind, like Jesus.

Ripped like Jesus. I didn't know that was a thing.

That is a total thing. Are those crickets I hear?

I don't know how to respond to that. Dan, take

us to your number five. My number five someone's

also already been talked about, and it's Jake

Gyllenhaal. Honestly, like his performance in

Nightcrawler might be my favorite performance

in the last five years, period. Just... His transformation

in that like I don't think he blinks that entire

movie. He just looks It's like watching. I'm

like an alien trying to come down to earth and

wear human skin and interact I don't know. It's

such an amazing character that makes me enjoy

that movie so much and then you add things like

prisoners Which you know, he's really solid and

enemy which again playing himself and playing

against himself, which is a challenge. You see

a lot of people try and fail, but I think it

works well enough and his characters are different

enough that you do feel like they're separate

people. Like you mentioned already, Kevin, he's

just an actor that has really kind of grown into

his own. He's done some other stuff that he did,

of course. like Jarhead and Brokeback Mountain,

but I think he's becoming into his own leading

man now and really, really kind of going all

out. Like he similar to that of like a Leonardo

DiCaprio in the sense of just really going for

it and everything he's doing. So I've been just

majorly impressed. And it's even something like

End of Watch, which is a movie I had little much

like I thought, oh, this will be an interesting

cop movie, but I was like. movie overall that

I thought was great, but I really enjoyed him

in that as well, so Yeah, that was a movie. That

was just like yeah exactly like you said Oh,

this will maybe be fun cop film or whatever and

then him and Michael Pena just like BAM Wow,

it's the chemistry Yeah, but I obviously agree

since he was on my list as well, so That means

it is time for our number four starting with

Brendan my number four also already been mentioned

very recently But that's this is where I put

Ryan Gosling Ahead of mine? What? Yeah, yeah,

seriously. Believe it or not. And I think maybe,

again, might be some biasness here because a

couple months ago when myself and JD, we did

our Best of the Decade show where we talked about

our favorite movies of the decade, at number

one, I put Drive. And that's still holding pretty

strong as my favorite movie of the decade so

far. And a lot of that comes down to Ryan Gosling's

performance. You know, it's kind of interesting

with Ryan Gosling. The tonality of his performance

and the kind of performance he gives, they're

not terribly different, but somehow they are

so different within the world of the film. And

I think it's because he is one of those actors

that is such a great gift in knowing how to act

with his eyes. And he knows how to act with facial

expressions. And he knows how to let that facial

expression basically tell you everything that

that character is going through, which I think

he did. tremendously well in a movie like Drive

because he has little dialogue, but he's a very

complex character in that film, I feel. And I

think a lot of that comes to just what he visually

gives us just as far as facial expressions and

eye contact and little simple things like that

that are able to tell you a lot. It's riveting

and I think he's very good at that and other

films who mention like he's he's very charming

and crazy stupid love and other movies like that.

He's wonderful in a film like Blue Valentine,

which I a film I really like but will never ever

watch again because it made me feel like complete

shit. But but but a great film in its own right.

But yeah, he's he's wonderful for all the reasons

we already talked about. So I'll say no more

Ryan Gosling. And he can beat the crap out of

some dudes in an elevator. That's also true.

Alright well I'm the only idiot that didn't have

Ryan Gosling on my list so I'm gonna go back

and redo my list and I'll be with you guys in

a couple minutes. Amanda, what is your next pick?

Some more initials. RDJ, Robert Downey Jr. I

mean Marvel stuff aside, The Judge. absolutely

amazing film. He was even in due date, and of

course the Sherlock Holmes movies, the ones that

fit in this time period would be The Game of

Shadows. I think that he really is another one

of those resurgence guys. He's been around now

for a little while. I don't think that... He

puts out a ton of stuff. He might be a little

bit choosy basically I've only got you know a

few films here, but Every time I see his name

attached to anything, I am immediately on board.

I don't care what it is. I want to see it. And

I think he's shown us a few different sides of

him. I mean, he's always that sarcastic, lovable

asshole, which seems to be a theme of our list.

But I think he definitely can do the drama. He

can do the comedy. And I think that he can be

serviceable. I like RDJ, I guess similar to some

of the actors we've talked about. I like him,

but I feel like he's just been doing Tony Stark

since 2008 for the most part. I would like to

see him kind of maybe expand his repertoire a

little bit more or kind of do something that

is beyond his career overall. He's done a lot.

Remember we played Charlie Chaplin or something

like that. I'd like to see him do something like

that again, but there's no doubt as a person

I think he's... rather fun and enjoyable and

I love him as Tony Stark. He doesn't break character

until the DVD commentary is done. He really doesn't.

I mean, I love RDJ. I think he's a lot of fun.

If he's attached to something, I am going to

be interested in it. That's why I wanted to see

The Judge in the first place. I know a lot of

people kind of hated on The Judge. For me, it

just hit a personal chord because it was something

that I somewhat experienced for myself in a way.

So it was the closest movie, the closest a movie

has come to making me cry in a long, long, long,

long time. So that's just a personal bias with

how that started to chord with me. Yeah, I think

he's a lot of fun and a great person and a great

character that he plays, but I too would like

to see just a little bit more from him and maybe

a little bit more diversity like Dan was talking

about, which I think he has it in him, but at

this point he doesn't need to because he's made

eight billion dollars so far. He's banking on

the formula right now, yeah. Yeah. No love for

my number four. Sorry, that's why I was afraid

to talk. I was like, I hope I'm not the only

one that thinks he's just doing the same performance.

It just works for me, I just have a lot of fun

with it. He's very good at it, I'll give you

that, yeah. He definitely has a formula and he

sticks with it, and obviously it sells a lot

of movie tickets because he's very bankable at

this point, but he's very likable, like you're

talking about. I have to give him credit for

that too. Yeah. Alright, for my number four,

I'm not sure if anybody will have this on their

list or not. I know some people are not big fans

of his, so maybe I will get some rude remarks

towards me, but I am a huge fan of his, and I

think too. diversity is something that this guy

has in spades and my number four is Jonah Hill

uh... i think from his comedic aspect in something

like this is the end or the you know the jump

street films he's been able to do voice work

in how to train your dragon in the lego movie

uh... and then when you see his character in

wolf of wall street There's a couple scenes involving

Jonah Hill and Wolf of Wall Street that may be

some of the funniest scenes of the last five

years. I absolutely was dying during those scenes.

Django Unchained has seen as hilarious and then

you get a more serious side in something like

Moneyball. I don't know if there's something

that this guy can't do besides maybe be taken

serious by some of the public out there or some

cinephiles because I think he definitely deserves

to be taken more seriously because he can do...

just about any type of role so far and make it

something that is enjoyable to watch and believable.

So I am a huge fan of Jonah Hill. I don't know

where you guys sit on him, but I think he's definitely

deserving to be in the conversation. Within this

criteria, if I were really, if I were going down

to maybe like a top 15, I... would have more

consideration for him. I guess it's really just

in this point the people I would have put above

him I just maybe have more of a personal preference

for. I think that's really the only thing that

separates him from my top ten more than anything

else. But I do agree with you and I did heavily

consider him and he was actually my, I would

argue he was actually my favorite performance

out of the Wolf of Wall Street. I thought he

was an absolute riot. in that film. And I think

he does also a great job in a movie like This

is the End, a movie like that, yeah, I'm giving

an acting performance credit for a film like

that, where they did such a great job of making

mockeries of themselves, and I think he did a

great job at that as well, so he's got a lot

of guts, so I'll give him that too. I gained

new respect for him for him in Moneyball. I remember

seeing them like oh wow he can be more than just

the super bad guy and then in Like we mentioned

with Wolf of Wall Street. I guess I don't know

Maybe the one thing keeping him from my list

is would be just that really like almost like

completely dynamic performance or something that

was just I Feel like he's like something that

that was the next level. It's hard to really

quantify but looking at something like Jake Gyllenhaal,

like Nightcrawler, not to put that as the requirement,

just something where I feel like I'm not seeing

Jonah Hill anymore, or somewhere I can see him

really go all out. I think he's come close, and

I think he has more range than people gave him

credit for, but I definitely don't disagree that

he belongs in a conversation. What about True

Story? Was that from this year? That was okay.

That was just a weird... film altogether. I don't

know. There was really not much there. The issues

with that movie had nothing to do with him. Right.

Dan, that means it's time for your next pick.

It's again one that's already been talked about

so I won't say month. Number five for me is the

McConaissance Matthew McConaughey. And I mentioned

with Jonah Hill, I gained new respect for him

with Moneyball with McConaughey seeing him in

Killer Joe and just like oh, yeah the infamous

chicken scene Like that was just like wow He

has gone a long way since his days and you know

failure to launch and all those great movies

from back in the day But yeah, there's not many

people who can accomplish what he did really

kind of restarting over and Becoming who he is

now doing something like Killer Joe doing something

like Bernie, which he's pretty good and and kind

of really kind of reestablishes himself and if

you add in TV true detective so but of course

we've been talking about him forever but he's

really becoming from a joke actor putting him

a name on it on a post used to be a joke it's

like oh it's Matthew McConaughey now it's like

oh wow it's Matthew McConaughey his movie's gonna

be good so kudos to him yeah absolutely agree

That means it's time to start the nitty -gritty

getting into our top three choices. Brendan,

what do you got at your number three? I won't

spend too much time talking about this person

because I feel like he's going to pop up a lot.

I think we're at the point now where we're going

to start seeing a lot of repetition in our list,

and that's good. That's great. Gives me less

to talk about when I mention my number three

is Tom Hardy. What else can you say about this

guy? This guy. This guy. I mean, we talk about

transformations and someone that really, you

know, goes knee deep into his roles, but somehow

you know it's him. But there are little nuances

that he brings that brings a certain uniqueness

to every performance, even whether it be a film

like, you know, you look at Tinker Tailor Soldier

Spy, you look at a film where you can't understand

a single word he says in The Dark Knight Rises.

You have a film where like, you know, in Inception

where he's... so goddamn charming in that film

and and then recently Mad Max Fury Road which

I know a lot of people might argue he wasn't

very much utilized in that film uh that it was

really more Furiosa's story than his and I can

definitely see that argument but I think he does

a good job creating or using subtlety to show

a very broken man and he has a lot of range and

he really takes commitment in his roles and if

any of you here have not seen the movie Bronson

oh what a performance is that and what a riot

that is and this guy's got notes tom hardy what

else can be said i'm sure we'll hear more about

him in a little bit so i'll rest my case Amanda,

what is your, I'm not even giving anybody a chance

to react. So Amanda, what's your number three?

Oh, go ahead. He's my number three as well. So

I'll just basically, yeah. So he's my, I have

him at three. Pretty much everything you're saying.

He can do no wrong really. I mean, he can do

anything that you put him in from the warrior

to being this just kind of say nothing, just

man of action to something where, you know, he's

just in a car. For an hour and a half and then

that's the movie, but he makes it work. So it's

just You know, it's just I'm always impressed

with his capabilities as an actor. I love actors

that challenge themselves and certainly try to

go for new and different things. It does seem

like he's the type of actor that does that. He's

always looking for something. It's like, okay,

the next time I do a movie, I'm going to be playing

identical twins because I'm Tom Hardy and that's

what I want to do. Why not? I can do it. I'm

glad you bring up Warrior and Locke, though,

where those are two movies where your heart kind

of breaks for his character and he does a great

job making you believe that. even more range

in that regard too. Yeah definitely even something

like Lawless where he's more of a kind of like

it's hard to there's almost like a comedic side

just like the to his character just in how little

he speaks and just he becomes a legend within

just the the framework of that character, so

yeah. I mean, again. You guys aren't leaving

any films for me to talk about later on. He was

also in, I can go for now. Amanda, what's your

number three? I've got Christoph Waltz coming

in at number three. I think that he's one that

definitely broke onto the scene and made a name

for himself in this last half decade. Another

one that if I see his name attached to it, I

am definitely on board right away. Of course,

Django, but even like Green Hornet. where he

kind of dabbled into becoming a villain. And

Horrible Bosses 2, too. He was pretty funny in

that. I think that I'm excited to see a lot more

of what he has. I know he's got a ton of stuff

that's gonna be coming out. He's even another

one that's done voice work. He did voice stuff

for the movie Epic that came out a few years

ago. His... being so wildly underused in Spectre

aside, I think that he definitely is one of those

big name players now. He's one of my favorite

actors going to and I think his performance in

Django is probably if we were doing top performances

of the half -decade that probably would be on

there, so I love it. It's not quite on my list,

but I love Christoph Waltz, so I'm not going

to say anything bad about him. You don't have

Christoph Waltz on your list, Ava? No. If Inglouious

Basterds was 2010, he'd probably be number one

on my list, but yeah, I mean, I love him. The

fact that one of those doesn't fit in the decade

and one does hurts my ability to put him on my

list. He's a great actor, no doubt. I love him

in Django. I guess, like, similar, I just looked

for... He didn't have... Like another if he had

one more performance like that within the last

five years. I probably would have Put in here

someplace, but I think for the most part the

key was in carnage, which was okay It was a much

different movie, but I there's no doubt the dude

is that guy is legit when it comes to acting

Super legit super legit. All right, that means

I guess it's my turn for number three and I'm

gonna say right up front that I think my number

three is probably gonna get the most questioning

from people that Might say it's not warranted

or maybe it's too much of just the Hollywood

movie star type thing but I think when you actually

break down the films that he has been in in the

last five years and the diversity that he's had

he's again someone that always makes me interested

in the film even if he has had quite a bit of

Quite a few doozies amongst them as well, but

my number three is actually Brad Pitt and Before

everybody rolls their eyes too much at me picking

Brad Pitt Fury, absolutely phenomenal. I think

in World War Z, he single -handedly pulled that

whole movie off, which might not have worked

with some other people involved in that. Twelve

Years a Slave, Killing Them Softly, Tree of Life,

Moneyball, and that's just to name a few of the

films he's been in. There's probably another

six I could rattle off. So I think Brad Pitt

legit is one of the best actors of the last five

years. I don't know how everybody else feels

about him, but I... personally loved his performance

in just about every single movie I named so I

Think money ball in tree of life might be the

best two performances of his career I wasn't

the biggest fan of him in 12 years to say it

to be honest Maybe the one reason I didn't consider

him for my top ten, but the tree life in money

ball for sure I think he he really got to another

level as an actor with those movies and I would

put honestly even put his performance in Fury

up there too. Maybe I like that movie more than

most people, but I thought he was fantastic in

that. Brad Pitt is my number three, which means

we only have two more spots. I know a few people

that we're gonna hear about, but I'm still interested

in a few spots that I don't know where they're

going yet. Brendan, help me out. What's your

number two? Okay, hopefully I can help you out

a little bit. I won't spend too much time talking

about this one because I think it was you, Dan,

that was already talking about this individual,

but number two for me is Jake Gyllenhaal. When

we talk about people that can transform, that

are willingly and willingly transform into their

roles. I mean, no one does it better and more

convincingly and more obviously than Gyllenhaal

does, the level of commitment he shows, even

in a film like, you know, like a movie like Southpaw,

like we talked about briefly, a film that, you

know, I thought it was fine. It's a fine boxing

movie. But what he, the dedication he brings

to that, it's like, this guy goes all out, even

for a film like this, but... He transforms himself

so much. I'm not even going to talk about Nightcrawler

because, Dan, I might even agree with you, it's

probably one of the best performances of this

entire decade so far. The fact that they didn't

even nominate him, I think, is one of the biggest

Oscar crimes of the past, like, 30 years. I think

it's that bad. But I think he's so good in that

and just... I don't think I need to say no more.

Just the fact that he transforms himself so much

and the career that he's had... And the kind

of roles that he balances and what he brings

to it and how much diversity he has to all these

films is just, it's so uncanny. It's so uncanny.

And Jake Gyllenhaal, my number two. I've never

seen anyone take the time to transform themselves

in their roles like this. And I think he's great

at it. I agree. 100%. Amanda, your number two.

Um, I don't think I need to spend too much time

on my number two Tom Hardys. I mean, Lawless,

Dark Knight, Warrior, Inception. He's... I think

it's become a rule that to be on this list you

had to appear in Inception. On mine, yes. I said

that. I already said that. It was a qualification.

But he's just a powerhouse. I'm really excited

to see Legend. I'm sad it's not playing close

to us yet. I think that... His role in Inception

definitely it was an eye -opener for me to how

awesome he was he was in a Guy Ritchie film that

I saw I think my first rock and roll one rock

and roll the real rock Bob Yeah, handsome Bob.

Yeah gay Bob and I think that he was super cool

in that too and and I'm excited to see Some stuff

he's got coming out That is also my number two,

so I will just continue the conversation. Everything

that everybody else has already said and talking

about his performance and looking forward to

seeing Legend, regardless of the mixed reviews

that it's getting, I think also that's one of

the main reasons why I'm looking forward to The

Revenant is to see Tom Hardy in that as well.

So this guy is just, he doesn't have a lot of

bad performances out there. I fucking hated Locke

though. I hated that movie with the passion.

Did you hate his performance? I didn't give a

shit about his performance. I just wanted it

to be over. I'm like, is he there yet? Is he

there yet? So sick of it. Alright, well I did

not have that same reaction to Locke, and I haven't

disliked a single performance that I've seen

of it. Amanda, I think you should say those words

to JD, because he put that as number one of his

favorite films from last year, so he'd love to

hear you say that. Mother of Pearl! God, why?

I could not get through that. It was like, literally,

my body hurt from trying to get through this.

I think that I got up like a thousand times in

the middle of it. I think we just... We just

on -demanded it, and I, god, I knew that it was

gonna be him in the car the whole time, so I

was already going into what pissed off. Like,

it was gonna be super shady, and it definitely

lived up to Eshies. You are wrong. And Kevin

was like, oh, it's so great, and blah, blah,

blah. I'm like, I just... I have no idea about

that. I'm dying of heartburn right now. We'll

grant you your moment of insanity. Nobody's arguing

about Tom Hardy, though. You guys both had him

at number three. We both had him at number two.

Honestly, my top three is kind of interchangeable,

to be honest with you. If I did this again, I

could rearrange them and be OK with that. Well,

then what is your number two? My number two is

on here really I when I said Nightcrawler or

Jake Gyllenhaal Nightcrawler might be my favorite

performance this guy made me have given the only

performances that I would Put up to that and

that's while King Phoenix mainly for his work

in her and the master If you look at those two

performances like next to one another just how

vastly different they are. You know, in the master,

he's just this unhanded force of nature, just

basically like it personified where in her, he's

just kind of this, you know, just guy, really

sweet -minded, just with this idea of what he

is trying to get out of a relationship and the

chemistry he's able to get out. Someone he's

not even there. We're not really even talking

to and then also add in, you know performances

inherent vice and the immigrant as well So but

really it is though two performances that's making

me put him up here this high And if he I know

he's an actor that's not and he's also something

I'm still here, which is I guess technically

a documentary. I don't know But I didn't I was

not a biggest fan of that, but it was an experiment

that to do something different but again he's

I I completely expected to have him on my list

when I did when I thought of the fact that we

were doing this like I was like well he's obviously

gonna be on my list and you know the immigrant

her the master but I guess it was just a quantity

factor for me I couldn't come up with enough

films to warrant it even if those are really

good performances and obviously I love her Dan

and I have talked about her in depth at one of

our early episodes and I love Walking Phoenix,

but for some reason I just couldn't I couldn't

put him there because of the number of films

that I had seen in that five -year period. Yeah,

it's not my own role, but it's mainly because

I love those performances so much. It was almost

for me the Daniel Day -Lewis rule. Yeah And I'm

kind of in that same boat with you, Keva, with

Walking Phoenix. If I was really doing a full

-on 100 % true list, Walking Phoenix could actually

have been almost in conversation to be my number

one on a list like this. But that's most like

his performance in The Master I think is one

of the best performances of this past decade

so far. I think one of the main reasons why I

didn't include him is mostly because I wanted

to focus on actors that really showed their presence

in this past decade, in this current half decade

so far. And an actor like Joaquin Phoenix really

started to show that stride very early on in

the previous decade with Gladiator and even in

films like Signs and other things like that,

people really looked out for this guy very early

on. He just had to use a fake documentary to

try and get his stride back up again. So I guess

it's kind of reasons like that, but if it was

a true list without anything backing that up

in that regard, I probably would have put him

at number one because I love this guy. Those

things kind of like what you said kind of hindered

it for me. You know, I wasn't quite sure how

much crossover we would have or how much crossover

maybe we wouldn't have in this list, but I find

it interesting what I think is about to happen.

So what I want to do is I just want to take a

chance here. All I'm going to do is say your

guys' name and one after the other, and I just

want you to say the name of your number one.

I kind of knew you were going to do this. I was

thinking the exact same thing. So, Brendan, what's

your number one? Michael Fassbender. Amanda?

Michael Fassbender. Dan? And that is my number

one as well. I did not expect that. I knew he

would be on all of our lists. I did not necessarily

expect him to actually end up at number one on

all of our lists. So Brendan, I'll let you start,

but why Michael Fassbender? Well, first thing

I thought you're going to do is have us all count

down three, two, one, and say it at the same

time and just see if it all came together, which

I thought would have been pretty interesting.

I kinda, you know, when we got to our number

five and number four picks, I was like, wow,

no one set him up. We might all have him at number

one, but ever since I saw this guy in Inglourious

Basterds, I was like, who is this guy? Who is

this guy? This guy's got, we talk about charming

when we look at a guy like Ryan Gosling. This

guy, Michael Fassbender really knows how to balance

charm. Heartbreak. Obsession. I think that's

really the biggest reason why, kind of going

into some of the thematic elements that an actor

can portray very well. Michael Fassbender is

so good at portraying obsession and, you know,

ridicule and just all these things from a negative

angle that just make me... Somehow he's able

to bring an essence of both. Heartbreak and anger

and just all intertwined together like even in

a movie like 12 years of slave who he arguably

plays one of the greatest villains of this decade

so far and Just somehow the way he plays it at

least me personally I kind of felt bad for that

guy because you almost felt a sense of pity for

how someone could just really be like that and

For an actor be able to get that balance like

that is It's absolutely astonishing. And the

last thing I'll say, because I don't want to

say too many films, because I'm sure you guys

will have some other examples you want to name,

but the fact he wasn't even nominated for the

film Shame that year, when I thought he gave

the best performance of that year, let alone

of this half decade so far, is another crime

of the Academy. I thought that was one of his

best performances. Probably my favorite performance

out of him so far. I thought he was wonderful

in that film. He's great. He's great. Yeah. Amanda,

why was it enough to make him number one on your

list? I think Brandon was definitely on the right

track with his charm factor. I don't even really

think he's that attractive of a person, but his

personality and everything that he puts out there

engages you so much that I feel like you completely

vest in his character no matter what it's in.

I mean, Slow West, like you said, in Glorious

Bastards, even though I guess we can't really...

Count that but he even in x -men. I think that

he blows me away as Magneto his fight scene in

haywire with what's Yes, I always forget her

name I thought that for a good reason that was

one of my favorite parts of that movie and I

was like wow, this is Such a cool scene. The

only thing that I've seen of his that I wasn't

a huge fan of came out this year, and that was

Steve Jobs. But I think as soon as I hear his

name, I want to know what's going on. I want

to be a part of it. And I think, too, like I

had mentioned with Don Hungleason and Tom Hiddleston,

he does so many films. And it's almost, I don't

know how I would have been able to see every

single film he's been in, but it's on my list

of things to do because there's like half the

films he did this last five years. I haven't

even seen yet. So like, if I'm already blown

away, I don't even know what's gonna happen when

I see the rest of these films, but I don't know

how many other people can go from playing in

a superhero film like X -Men Days of Future Past

or like a sci -fi flick like Prometheus, regardless

of if some people don't like that as much as

others. to then pulling off, I know it doesn't

count, but something like this year with a Shakespeare

film in Macbeth and then still give us like the

villain like you're talking about in 12 Years

a Slave. Which I have not seen either. I mean,

maybe Patrick Stewart could do all that too,

but outside of that, man, I don't know what he

can't do. So it was an easy pick for me. I thought

about Tom Hardy for a second and then I was like,

it's just got to be Michael Fassbender. So Dan,

I'll let you. talk the rest of the way, since

I know there's a few other films we could probably

throw out there, too. Oh, yeah, there's a lot.

I mean, the thing is with him, he can be great

in bad movies, like The Counselor, for example.

Oh, I didn't even write that up. Yeah, for good

reason. And the movie's not very good, but he

is giving it his all. So much so, you almost

feel bad for him. It's like, man, he's giving

this great performance in the movies, and it's

awful. Too bad for him. But like, I think, I

mean, I remember seeing him in Glorious Basterds,

but to be honest, the scene or the moment...

or the movie that really got me into Michael

Fassbender, or kind of just like, okay, this

guy is gonna be not just a great actor, but a

huge star, was in X -Men, not Days of Future

Past, but First Class. And his relationship with

James Mack, the voice, seeing this really great

actor, he's in a superhero film, I think really,

to me, is why that's still my favorite Marvel

movie. And he's just, he can be... good in almost

anything he does like in any type of film he'll

do he like you said he's doing a lot and he'll

do an x -men movie he'll do a shakespeare film

he'll do a western he'll kind of he doesn't really

seem to um be all that picky when it comes to

movies but he's picking legitimately good stuff

for the most part i mean he he wasn't he's been

in some bad stuff like he was in before he became

uh really who he is now but once he's becoming

michael fastbender that we know and love i think

he's really kind of showing just some huge amount

of gravitas in everything he's doing and I feel

like there's not many actors that have the ability

to have star power and be highly respected as

an actor as well and I think he's getting that.

like someone has Brad Pitt I think is known by

a lot of people but not necessarily respected

as an actor like Michael Fassbender is and I

think like hopefully in like Brendan Minter with

shame he was snowed as at the Oscars he luckily

luckily has gotten a nomination I have not seen

well I don't know how Well, he is in Macbeth,

but being who he is and knowing it's Shakespeare,

I can only assume that it's good. But he's got

so much pressure on him on everything he does,

and he doesn't disappoint as of yet. So him and

Hardy really have gone back and forth this last

five years or so and really kind of become really

the two actors that people respect the most.

And some movies that he's been in the last five

years that we haven't mentioned, most of them

I haven't seen actually, Frank from last year,

Fish Tank, Jane Eyre, Trance, A Dangerous Method,

just to name a few, I mean this dude... Oh, Jane

Eyre is actually a really underrated movie, I

think, it's quite good. Yeah, Cary Fukunaga,

another one of his films, another great director

too. Yeah, and I just don't know how it's physically

possible for some of these guys to do as many

films as they do, they just eat and breathe and,

you know, live films, so... He even sings in

Frank. He actually has a solid singing voice

in his own genre, if you will. Alright, well

real quickly before we get into some honorable

mention discussion, let's recap our top 10s.

Brendan, go ahead and name off your 10 through

1. Alright, so 10 through 1, Ben Mendelson, then

Bradley Cooper, Joel Edgerton, Oscar Isaac, Matthew

McConaughey, Michael Shannon, Ryan Gosling, Tom

Hardy. Jake Gyllenhaal, and number one, Michael

Fassbender. Amanda? I think I like Brendan Phillips.

Can I just... Oh, I love you, too. Number 10,

I've got Ryan Reynolds. Nine, Mark Wahlberg.

Eight, Bradley Cooper. Seven, Joseph Gordon -Levitt.

Six, Leonardo DiCaprio. Five, Ryan Gosling. Four,

Robert Downey Jr. Three, Christoph Waltz. Two,

Tom Hardy. And number one, The Fassbender Effect.

Number 10 for me was Domhnall Gleeson, number

9 Benedict Cumberbatch, number 8 Bradley Cooper,

7 Jake Gyllenhaal, 6 Joseph Gordon -Levitt, 5

Matthew McConaughey, 4 Jonah Hill, 3 Brad Pitt,

2 Tom Hardy, and 1 Michael Fassbender. Dan? Ah,

10 I had John Hawkes, 9 Ryan Gosling, 8 Michael

Shannon, 7 Tom Hiddleston, 6 Ben Mendelsohn,

5 Jake Gyllenhaals, 4 Matthew McConaughey, 3

Tom Hardys. two Joaquin Phoenix and a partridge

in a Michael Fassbender tree. I can make some

really awful jokes about that. Let's not go there.

So just getting into some closing discussion

here in a way of I guess you could use it as

maybe who was your honorable mention but you

could also say maybe who is on the brink who

is those actors that Three, four, or five years

from now when it comes to the end of the decade

might join these folks in part of the discussion.

Amanda, I'll let you go first this time. Who

are some people that you think are just about

ready to join this conversation and make a name

for themselves in the top ten of the decade when

it's over? I don't know about all that, but these

are some of my faves and a couple people that

I am really looking forward to seeing more. One

dumb old lease and I really wanted to put them

on my list and I didn't stop looking at my page.

Do not say that name that's written down on that

sheet of paper. I've got number 15. I've got

Dwayne the Rock John. That one's fine. Do not

say the next one. Number 14, Vin Diesel, my boy,

Vin Diesel. 13, strictly on looks and dance moves

alone, Channing Tatum. Number 12, Chris Hemsworth.

I think that he's definitely one of my faves,

but just hasn't put out enough quality stuff

for me to put him on here other than for looks.

And then I've got Oscar Isaac and Benedict Cumberbatch.

All right, we'll ignore the Vin Diesel part.

Bro, bro! I've never given up on him. Obviously

the ones that just missed my list were Tom Hiddleston,

like I mentioned, and Ben Mendelsohn, which both

came up in the countdown. I think the two closest

after that were actually Christian Bale and Chris

Pratt. I think if you included this year, Chris

Pratt's already in the conversation now for the

rest of the decade. But just take Moneyball,

her Zero Dark Thirty, the Lego movie Guardians

of the Galaxy, and now what he's done this year.

That guy is obviously one of the it men right

now in Hollywood, so I thought that. At first

I thought Christian Bail was a shoe -in. I didn't

quite put him in. I do like Out of the Furnace,

American Hustle, and The Fighter, and obviously

The Dark Knight Rises, but I just didn't think

he had quite as extensive enough of a resume

to put him in. As far as people that I think

are on the brink for me, that's when I get into

Oscar Isaac. I think he's definitely in the conversation

here within a year or two with those rest of

those guys. I think Miles Teller has a chance

of joining that. I agree with Walking Phoenix

being on the list. If he does a few more movies,

I'll put him in. All right? David O. Yello. I

think he's on the brink there. Even someone like

Bill Hader, maybe? Or like Anthony Mackey. Or

if someone would tell this kid how to pick the

right movie, it's like an Andrew Garfield. And

if anybody could give some love to motion capture,

can we get Andy Serkis some love here? Seriously.

So those are kind of the ones that I had. Brendan,

any that you were just missed or you think are

on the brink? Yeah, a lot of them have already

been mentioned. I'm glad you bring up Christian

Bale because I was kind of in that same point

there. I kind of feel like... his representation

was maybe more of like the late past decade,

I guess, that I didn't really feel qualified

as well as maybe some of the others. But I'm

with you on all the other ones you talk about.

I have both Gleeson's, and I'm with you on Miles...

Both Gleeson's. Yeah, both Gleeson's. I know,

right? But I'm definitely with you on Miles Teller,

and I'm glad you bring him up as someone that's

by the end of the decade definitely someone we're

going to be talking about. And also alongside

him... Michael B Jordan, I think we're definitely

going to be seeing more of. He definitely doesn't

have, he has Creed recently and then he had Fruitville

Station, but then he had a lot of kind of garbage

around that, but the guy is a movie star. What

do you guys call it? Fantastic? Yeah. We didn't

coin that. A lot of other, we've heard that from

other folks, but just the marketing of that.

film. It just makes it, it's fantastic. It just

makes no sense. But when you talk about Jonah

Hill on your list already, I think he's up and

coming. Even like some of the other ones within

that company, Seth Rogen, who is great, and Steve

Jobs. James Franco gave a wonderful performance

in 127 hours. I just wish I saw more of that

to really consider him, but I think he has it

in him. I agree with you on David Oyelowo. Hugh

Jackbins, another great actor. When you look

at a movie like Prisoners, I thought he gave

a wonderful performance there. I would love to

see some more of him. And you know what? Well,

Kevin, I know you weren't a huge fan of Birdman.

I do think Michael Keaton's definitely on a bit

of a resurgence as well, especially when you

look at a film like Spotlight. I think he's definitely

one to also consider and definitely one, even

at his age, one to take seriously now. Dang it.

I completely also missed two people that I should

have mentioned in my honorable mentions. Idris

Elba. How did you miss Idris Elba? I'm actually

shocked he's not on your fucking list. Yeah,

I don't even know how he's not on my list, actually.

Or he would've told you before, he's another

one I put in honorable. Yeah, absolutely. And

the other one that I have now lost. Yeah, I'll

let Dan say some stuff and maybe it'll come back

to me. So a lot of ones you already mentioned,

looking at ones I feel like have a potential

of kind of becoming huge stars or being making

a name for themselves. You guys mentioned Miles

Teller. One also comes to mind is Ty Sheridan,

who's been in... Yes. Yo, Tree of Life. It was

in Boy Scouts Against Zombies or something this

year. Hopefully he stops doing stuff like that

and gets back with bigger directors, but I think

he has a lot of raw talent. His first three films

are quite impressive when you just look at the

people he's been working with. Also Jason Clarke,

who I liked a lot in Zero Dark Thirty, and he

was also in Lawless. I think he has potential

there. Daniel Bruhl, who's been around for a

long time, but definitely with Rush and Mimic

Wanted, the Fifth State, he's... Hopefully we'll

get some more love. He was in Glorious Basterds

as well. We talked about Oscar Isaac. Jude Law,

I think, is also becoming a really great character

actor. He was there for a single time just trying

to be this leading man and it just wasn't working.

But he's finding a really great niche now with

really interesting characters from Dom Henningway

to, you know... to side effects. I think he's

really great in side effects as well. I thought

about James Franco, but he does a really great

movie, then he does something really stupid.

He didn't have the consistency for me. Also Mark

Ruffalo. I was just going to say him too. a lot

in fox catcher infinity pro polar bear earlier

this year and talk about christian bail already

but yeah those are my and if mark ruffle is not

on your radar after you watch spotlight you will

be absolutely agree yeah he's wonderful so amazing

oh i think another one i've had one more and

that's mads mickelson um oh yeah he you mean

he was a Hannibal which is this might be sacrilegious

but i think he's the best Hannibal actor period

beyonds with you and Mason also he's great in

the hunt and the whole rising and salvation so

the hunts a great movie another one another one

that if he picked the right roles maybe could

join the conversation that he's had it's almost

been to hit or miss for me based on the movies

he's been and not on his performances but Javier

Bardem I think is definitely capable of doing

it if you ignored Jupiter Ascending, I think

you could talk about Eddie Redmayne a little

bit more. I'm actually really excited to see

The Danish Girl. Yeah, and Paul Danow also was

one that just kind of popped into my head. And

Eddie Redmayne is definitely one to consider

as well, even though he doesn't have that many

films to back it up yet, but I think by the time

the end of the decade comes around, we'll definitely

talk about him and we'll forget about Jupiter

Ascending. Alright anybody that we didn't get

should we just keep naming actors or? We're on

that note I did just think of one and I guess

maybe this might be more of like a Maybe a heartbreaking

one to mention more like an in memory one But

you know, so maybe we got to talk a brief moment

about Philip Seymour Hoffman You know, he definitely

had more of his, you know, well -known stature

and resurgence in the previous decade, but a

lot of that greatness even still carried forth

in this, you know, this half decade of, you know,

whether or not you like the last chapters of

the Hungry Games films, I really enjoyed his

presence in those films. And, you know, we talked

about The Master with Joaquin Phoenix, but, you

know, Philip Seymour Hoffman was almost just

as good in that film and, you know, definitely

a talent we're going to miss. Yeah, I agree with

that and if there was one kind of a closing thought

if there was one person that was on your list

that you think is maybe has reached their peak

and you're not gonna see as much maybe for the

last five years. Is there someone that has a

possibility of dropping off of your list by the

time the decade ends? Give you guys a second

to look over your list. I guess mine would be

an easy one for me and I think that probably

would be Brad Pitt because I think he's capable

of just disappearing from a certain or just picking

the wrong movies or just putting out a bunch

of... kind of doozies out there, so I think there

would be a chance of him falling off of my list

personally. Outside of that, I have faith that

most of them will probably stay in the conversation.

I don't know. I mean, anybody on your list that

you think might fade away here? I'm a little

worried about RDJ. He's getting out there. A

little old. He's getting a little bit more picky.

He's got enough money. He's not going to probably

be doing as much. What if, like, Mark Wahlberg

or Ryan Gosling, like, are unable to maintain

their six -packs that affect their career. If

Ryan Gosling had a dad bod, I'd still be all

over that. All right, moving right along. Brendan,

anybody on your list that might be in jeopardy?

Yeah, I'd say even though he wasn't my number

10, because obviously the actual rankings of

where they were on my list really is kind of

meaningless here because some of them lower on

the list could end up I see moving up but I think

for me Bradley Cooper is probably the one that's

maybe most in jeopardy because even though I

really praise the kind of performances that he

gives I do maybe sometimes see a little bit of

consistency in a lot of his performances that

if I start continuing to see that consistency

I'll start to see less range in that that maybe

other actors will probably be able to demonstrate

a little better as they continue to grow in their

role so Again, no knock on Bradley Cooper. I

think he's fantastic, but maybe a little bit

too much consistency there that has him more

in jeopardy than the others. Alright. And Dan,

what about you? Anybody that you think might

be in jeopardy? Not necessarily in a talent -wise,

maybe just getting good... jobs basically with

something like John Hawks and Ben Mendelsohn.

My worry would be that they get typecast and

they find it difficult to get, you know, characters

that would, you know, can John Hawks get another

character that is like the Sessions or, you know,

get more roles of that nature. It's challenging

when you're not like an A -list actor that you

tend to get typecast relatively easily. Other

than that, nothing really comes to my mind. I

mean... If Matthew McConaughey starts making

bad decisions again, maybe? I don't know. All

right, all right, all right. Let's do how to

lose a guy in 11 days. God, that hurt just thinking

about it. But no, besides that, I think everyone

that I picked, I felt like their directory is

pointing up. So unless bad things happen, hopefully

not. Time will tell. Time will tell. Brendan,

I didn't give you a chance to do it up front

at the beginning of the show, so hopefully people

are still listening, but how can people hear

more about your opinions of films and actors

and performances? Well, you can follow me directly

on Twitter, at Brendan J. Cassidy, or if you

want to listen to what myself and Mr. JD Duran

have to offer, you can see us at, or listen to

us, at In Session Film. Our website is InSessionFilm

.com, or you can follow us on Twitter, at In

Session Film. You can also find us on all the

other social media plugs. Facebook, we have a

Google Plus page, Twitter as well as I mentioned.

We're also on the YouTubes. We try and upload

our shows there as well. So yeah, go check us

out. We like to talk about new movies and also,

man, I really appreciate you having me on to

keep on this great movie talk, even though you

and I don't really agree on everything. It's

fun that we finally got some crossover for once.

I appreciate you having me on, man. Eventually,

we'll converse about a movie that we disagree

in on an actual podcast, but that's never happened.

It hasn't. It's always on Twitter. It's always

on Twitter. Right. What other shows have you

guys got coming up on In Session Film? What movies

are you talking about, either in your most recent

episode or the episode that you have coming up?

This weekend, we'll be talking about the latest

from Ron Howard, In the Heart of the Sea. Obviously,

the film that stars Chris Hemsworth, which we

talked a little bit about in our actors list

as an honorable mention purpose. The story that

was obviously what inspired... Hermann Melville

to write Moby Dick. So looking forward to talk

about that film as well. We'll also be finishing

off our Star Wars movie series as we review Return

of the Jedi, all in preparation for what we're

going to be talking about. The following weekend,

which is some, I guess, small space independent

film that I guess some people might be excited

to see. I'm not 100 % sure what's really the

deal, but I'm really excited for The Force Awakens.

I mean, as you mentioned, Kev, it's like, probably

by the time this airs, maybe like 100 hours until

it comes out. I don't know how long it takes

to get this up. I'll be at a different level

of hysteria by then. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, God. How

are we so close to this already? This is insane.

Yeah, for sure and also if you want to hear more

Star Wars conversation We also on a different

feed at the cast radio network have been doing

a series of Star Wars related podcasts So we

did our top ten film characters. We've done our

top ten film moments We did our top ten film

lines or quotes and then the most recent one

that is airing about the same time that this

episode is airing is Dan and I went through and

did a what I thought was really interesting top

two top fives and our first one was were top

five rules that we wanted people to follow in

the Star Wars films going forward. So things

that we didn't want to see happen again. And

then we also did a top five ideas for stories

or films that we would like to see in the future.

So that should be live as you're listening to

this. So Dan, how can people follow you on Twitter?

I am at mooveravelts. And Amanda? Hard candy

man the eyes know why and mine it personal Twitter

is at optimus solo the show Twitter is at cinema

geek cast and I think that wraps it up Brendan

Thank you so much for being on we look forward

to another chance to talk to you again and obviously

for those that have liked our top ten half decade

list we still have the coup de grace I guess

still to come because Before the end of the year,

we will give you our top films of the half decade.

So be looking out for that. Thanks a lot, Brendan.

Thank you, man. Appreciate it. All right. Until

next week, we will talk to you guys later. I'll

forgive you this time. She's doing the media

for us. Yeah, I had to social media that shit.

Hey, you need a marketer. That's me. You know,

I am my own social media director. I didn't even

know she was taking pictures of us as we were

getting ready, so. You guys are lucky the camera's

not on because I have some curlers in my hair.

You and me both. Star Wars jammies. Dan, a new

look. That's adorable. I did not, I did not,

I did not wake up like this, so I have to...

Oh, she's dying. Oh man, Dan. Killing it. That

was savage. Straight savage. You're not dying

over there, are you? You okay? No, I am living.

I am living. I'm living. Good damn life. Well

now that we've figured out what we're all, uh,

what prep work we've done to get ourselves ready

fashion... Please tell me you were recording

all of that. I Instagrammed it. Please tell me

you were recording all of that. I Instagrammed

it. Please tell me you were recording all of

that. I Instagrammed it. She's Instagramming

my Star Wars pajama pants and now I need to take

a picture of her hair curlers and post it for

the world to see. Bro, it's in there. Coming

from the guy that took a picture of me half -sleeping,

falling off the couch, and it's become an internet

craze. Only a few people saw that, I'm sure.