I'm not sure how I got a reputation as a Leo fanboy. But the dude is criminally underrated by this board.

Is there a Leo movie you don't like?

That Ridley Scott movie he did kinda sucked. And never saw J Edgar.

But you'd be hard pressed to name an actor that's done a better job of choosing his projects.

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That Ridley Scott movie he did kinda sucked. And never saw J Edgar.

But you'd be hard pressed to name an actor that's done a better job of choosing his projects.

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Doesn't make him a great actor. He usually picks great projects, but virtually every role he has ever done, I've walked away thinking I could have filled his role with someone else and it'd be better. He rarely dominates a role. He takes on strong roles no doubt, but the role still controls him, not the other way around.

I'd put him in the a- category and say he's a b+ actor who chooses a+ roles.

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That Ridley Scott movie he did kinda sucked. And never saw J Edgar.

But you'd be hard pressed to name an actor that's done a better job of choosing his projects.

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Daniel Day Lewis

Fanboy. Is there a DDL movie you don't like?

There Will Be Blood and Nine

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He takes on strong roles no doubt, but the role still controls him, not the other way around.

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Can you give an example? Trying to get what you mean with this.

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He takes on strong roles no doubt, but the role still controls him, not the other way around.

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Can you give an example? Trying to get what you mean with this.

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Howard Hughes. He never got me to believe in him. The role was too big for him.

That's the first that comes to mind. People laud his acting in that but imo it was the role that was epic, and he didn't live up to it.

Hm. Haven't seen that movie in over ten years so I don't remember his performance that specifically, but I thought he was great in the last half of the movie where he really starts losing it.

It's all preference. In this "era" (say Tom Hanks is oldest allowed and call the era 25 years), I'd put him around 10ish. I just think he really is benefits from taking good roles more thank knock out acting. That's not to say he can't act though.

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It's all preference. In this "era" (say Tom Hanks is oldest allowed and call the era 25 years), I'd put him around 10ish. I just think he really is benefits from taking good roles more thank knock out acting. That's not to say he can't act though.

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So you consider him a top 10 actor over the past 25 years, yet mocked me for saying he is up there with the best of the best on page 1...interesting logic Bunk.

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It's all preference. In this "era" (say Tom Hanks is oldest allowed and call the era 25 years), I'd put him around 10ish. I just think he really is benefits from taking good roles more thank knock out acting. That's not to say he can't act though.

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Whi are your top 10?

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It's all preference. In this "era" (say Tom Hanks is oldest allowed and call the era 25 years), I'd put him around 10ish. I just think he really is benefits from taking good roles more thank knock out acting. That's not to say he can't act though.

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So you consider him a top 10 actor over the past 25 years, yet mocked me for saying he is up there with the best of the best on page 1...interesting logic Bunk.

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in the grand scheme of actors, there aren't many great ones. I don't think being 10 in this era is great. And again, he's only 10 because he picks great roles. That gives him a boost.

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I'm not sure how I got a reputation as a Leo fanboy. But the dude is criminally underrated by this board.

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I like Leo. Just giving you a hard time.

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It's all preference. In this "era" (say Tom Hanks is oldest allowed and call the era 25 years), I'd put him around 10ish. I just think he really is benefits from taking good roles more thank knock out acting. That's not to say he can't act though.

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Who are your top 10?

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I'll rank my top 3, and then put in other guys that I'd put ahead of Leo, but in no particular order over the last 25 years or so. Then I'll throw him with a group of others that could go any way. Mind you this is my personal list of acting chops, not necessarily shiniest and brightest hollywood star.

1) Daniel Day Lewis
2) Christian Bale
3) Gary Oldham
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Tom Hanks
Johnny Depp
Phillip Seymour-Hoffman
Ed Norton
Paul Giamatti
Kevin Spacey
Russell Crowe
Hugh Jackman
Michael Fassbender
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Clive Owen
Brad Pitt
George Clooney
Leo
Tom Hardy(trending UP)
Daniel Craig
Mel Gibson
Robert Downey Jr
Denzel
Heath Ledger(I'd put him higher but he left the earth with too thin of a resume overall)
Matt Damon
Ben Affleck
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That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure I forgot someone in probably each grouping that I'd go back and add if a name was brought up.

I'll go see a movie if he's in it 99% of the time (J Edgar is the exception), and I can't think of many other current actors I'd put in that same category. Maybe Hanks, and to a lesser extent, Fassbender. (That reminds me, still need to watch 12 Years a Slave.)

Bunk, are you open to the idea that he makes some roles great? Wolf of Wall Street could've been a pretty big failure with a lesser actor. Of course, that whole movie was pretty much his baby to begin with, but I digress.

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Bunk, are you open to the idea that he makes some roles great? Wolf of Wall Street could've been a pretty big failure with a lesser actor. Of course, that whole movie was pretty much his baby to begin with, but I digress.

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Absolutely. I'm not trying to say he's bad by any means. He's a very solid actor who takes on great roles and almost always has a massive production team and big time director in place for every project he does. Good on him. He basically takes roles that no matter what the final outcome of the film is(epic, great, just missed, good, meh, etc.), his fantasy "ranking" will never be lower than an 8 out of 10.

I happen to think Wolf of Wall Street was a major missed opportunity as a film, and was really just sloppily done by Marty. Just too much nonsense, disjointed, and a real missed opportunity.

And to what you're speaking of, I think Leo carried that film through the muck. You are dead accurate that without him, that movie is a real disaster for Marty.

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It's all preference. In this "era" (say Tom Hanks is oldest allowed and call the era 25 years), I'd put him around 10ish. I just think he really is benefits from taking good roles more thank knock out acting. That's not to say he can't act though.

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Who are your top 10?

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I'll rank my top 3, and then put in other guys that I'd put ahead of Leo, but in no particular order over the last 25 years or so. Then I'll throw him with a group of others that could go any way. Mind you this is my personal list of acting chops, not necessarily shiniest and brightest hollywood star.

1) Daniel Day Lewis
2) Christian Bale
3) Gary Oldham
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Tom Hanks
Johnny Depp
Phillip Seymour-Hoffman
Ed Norton
Paul Giamatti
Kevin Spacey
Russell Crowe
Hugh Jackman
Michael Fassbender
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Clive Owen
Brad Pitt
George Clooney
Leo
Tom Hardy(trending UP)
Mel Gibson
Robert Downey Jr
Denzel
Heath Ledger(I'd put him higher but he left the earth with too thin of a resume overall)
Matt Damon
Ben Affleck
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That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure I forgot someone in probably each grouping that I'd go back and add if a name was brought up.

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I disagree with some of your rankings and would rank Leo higher than some. I think the main reason is that Leo is one of the few actors who plays the role, and not himself in that role. While I love Johnny Depp, he basically plays Johnny Depp in every movie he is in. Tom Hanks is similar in this regard. Leo adapts his acting to fit the role, which is one of the reasons that I would rank him much higher.

Oh, and never see J Edgar. It was the equivalent of taking a bath with your dad.

Yeah, and that's why I said personal preference.

For me, personally, I have rarely been able to fully buy in to Leo's character in his bigger projects. I do agree that he really goes for the "role," which I respect, and doesn't just chalk most roles up to "Hi I'm George Clooney as an art thief. Hi I'm George Clooney as a traveling consultant," etc.

However, the guys I put in the group above him were all guys that I have been able to buy in to in some of their bigger roles better than I ever have with Leo. I think my favorite role he has done was in Catch me If you Can.

Johnny Depp has taken a character over at times, and has shown range. He's not just the Pirates of the Caribbean dude. Hanks was masterful in his earlier times before he took on that "tom hanks as xyz" feel.

Jackman and Fassbender show more range, Crowe has had a legendary performance that I think is lacking from Leo's arsenal. Spacey as well. Norton and Giamatti are just great actors period.

Again, all personal preference, but I was asked what my list is...that is for the most part about how I separate them out. BTW, I basically go see every movie that any of those actors are in, so it's not like I'm saying I don't like any of them.

I think Leo is a very good actor but Wolf on Wall Street was one of his worst acting jobs.

ehh, I'm chalking that whole thing up to Marty. The movie just wasn't good.

It's a solid list, but I do take issue with putting Jackman and Fassbender that high.

Fassbender is an amazing actor, but he's been an A-lister for what, 5 years?

Jackman is also solid, but his filmography as a whole isn't anywhere near the level of DiCaprio's (or anyone else in that category you put him in). How many great roles has he had outside of X-Men? I'm sure Les Mis was great, but what else?

You gotta take into consideration that Leo has been doing this for 20+ years, and with a very high batting average. Fassbender would have to be around for another 10 years to be in the same conversation, which is crazy to think.

Of course, this is all subjective anyway, so I can't say you're wrong.

Jackman gets the Bunk bias, and I'll admit that. I originally had him down a rung, but his overall range as an actor got him there, and honestly, The Prestige happens to be IMO one of the most perfectly constructed movies of all time, and I actually think he out-dueled Bale in that film somehow. He was so tense and so great throughout.

That role alone probably make me put Jackman a rung too high. You're right on Fassbender, too. I need to keep him on the same level as Hardy, as both trending up and we'd expect to jump up after another 5 years or so.

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The Prestige is a great movie. I need to rewatch that.

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The Prestige is a great movie. I need to rewatch that.

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Yes it is. I can't find it on Netflix, AmazonPrime, nor HBO Go.

Would love to see it again.

It's worth owning on Bluray, imo. So easily re-watchable.

American Sniper. Wasn't as good as I expected but an okay movie. Don't know if another war type movie will be better than Lone Survivor (in my opinion).

The first remake of the Planet of the Apes from about 10 to 15 years ago. OK it really wasn't even good and damn it could have been better.

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It's all preference. In this "era" (say Tom Hanks is oldest allowed and call the era 25 years), I'd put him around 10ish. I just think he really is benefits from taking good roles more thank knock out acting. That's not to say he can't act though.

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Correct

Bunk you didn't even mention Gyllenhaal. That guy has become a phenomenal actor.

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Bunk you didn't even mention Gyllenhaal. That guy has become a phenomenal actor.

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Good call. I knew I'd forget someone. I was just running them down off the top of my head. You're right, he has really come in to his own.

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Bunk you didn't even mention Gyllenhaal. That guy has become a phenomenal actor.

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...and apparently he meant actors exclusively in the male gendered sense---which is fine. No women on the list. No Julianne Moore, Kate Winslett, Richard Gere, Jodie Foster, etc.

Good list.