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Posted: 1 year, 10 months ago at Jul 29 9:51

Posted: 1 year, 9 months ago at Aug 17 0:49

It's interesting how you create this list to remind people that sometimes it needs TIMES and EFFORT before you finally achieve success. I always hate it when people only aim for instant fame, money and success without even paying attention to the process to get there. Especially in this era of "instant" reality shows. Most people today think it's enough just to win or participate in American Idol to be considered a real singer. Oh please!

Many great icons of music in the last few decades get to their level after years of hard work and crafting/perfecting their music/musicianship throughout the times. The Beatles had to perform live hundreds of time from one stage to another for many years before finally grabbing the attention of the music company which later signed them in and made them the international superstar like we know them now. Or how about the black opera singer, Leontyne Price, who had to endure years of racism in the deep America south before finally proving that she has what it takes to become the first black opera singer to sing a leading role at the prestigious Metropolitan Opera in the early '60s (and with that she broke barriers and made history). For these people, their music is not just about the melody and rhythm but also the fire and passion they bring to their performance that stems from the salt of their life experience and struggle. That's what makes them so genuine as opposed to all these overrated superficial artists nowadays who have been polished massively by their music labels to sell records.

And that's also applies to REAL actors too as you have mentioned in your list (and I mean "real" actors as in actors who truly ACT and put ART above anything else instead of crappy actors of mediocre talent who is more infallible as a red carpet personality every time awards seasons near the corner so they will have their pics appear in best dressed - or even worst dressed - list the next morning).

Sorry I'm ranting here LOL, but you get my point.

Posted: 1 year, 9 months ago at Aug 17 1:10

Speaking about the Oscars, I remember when I was a little kid and teenager, I really looked up to Oscars. I thought it was the BEST award show in the world and EVERY person that has ever brought home the little golden statuette is truly the best in their field. I was really naive at that time. But as I grow older, my understanding about the Oscars (and the movie industry as a whole) has increased and now my eyes are open. I still think Oscar is a great award show but now I don't look at it with much awe as I did a few years back, because now I realize that Oscar has a lot to do with who you are and who you know in Hollywood. It's basically just a show about movie industry celebrating itself where the people involved within give one another a pat in the back. There are many instances where truly great performances are overlooked or didn't win due to some silly politics rather than the artistry merit. And sometimes, those who do win (esp for acting prizes) are being awarded more for sentimental reasons, personal popularity, atonement for past mistakes, or presented as a "career honor" to recognize a distinguished nominee's entire body of work. The Oscar definitely has its share of good and bad moments.

That being said, I want to ask you (or anyone here), do you have a favourite actor/actress who has won an Oscar before yet your most favourite performance from him/her is from another movie?

Like me, I have always admired Meryl Streep and yes she gave a hair-rising performance in "Sophie's Choice" and pretty much deserves the Oscar she received for it. But I actually like her acting much more in "A Cry in the Dark", "The Devil Wears Prada" and "The Manchurian Candidate", two of the latter films were made long after she has passed her prime (well I still think she's superb even until now, she's like a fine wine - she gets better with age - but it's not like the '70s or '80s where she dominated the screen).

Or Nicole Kidman who, despite giving an Oscar-worthy performance in "The Hours", actually intrigues me more as an actress in "To Die For" and "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus".

Or Jodie Foster with "The Silence of the Lambs", yet my most favorite performance from her is in "Nell".

Or how about Al Pacino who won for "Scent of a Woman" when he should've won earlier for "The Godfather" either Part 1 or 2 - which IMO is still THE BEST movie ever. I guess this is one classic case of "atonement" where the Oscar committee tried to make up the past mistake they have made when they passed his performance for other actors by making him win this time even when it doesn't have the same level of quality of his previous performance.

And many examples like that.

Posted: 1 year, 3 months ago at Feb 11 10:12

terrific list, bud..a few too many explanation marks for my liking, but that's just me being petty..you've got my vote

Posted: 1 year, 2 months ago at Mar 17 20:22

Christian Bale too

Posted: 1 year, 2 months ago at Mar 17 21:24

A very nice List! Congrats for the work!

Posted: 1 year, 2 months ago at Mar 18 0:02

@Mike: Thanks a lot!

@Darko Z: Yea, him too but I don't think I will ever finish the list... been WIP for a long time now!