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Matt's Favourite Actors: 2012 Edition
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- Written by Matthew Toomey
This week’s blog is the last of my three week series on my favourite directors (see here), actresses (see here) and actors.
In assessing each actor, I have only considered films they have starred in since 2002. To use a sporting term, I’m only looking at those who are “in form”. The two questions I ask myself are (1) how excited would I be if this actor appeared in a new movie? and (2) how many great films have they appeared in over the past decade?
Those just missing the top 10 were Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Ryan Phillippe, Paul Giamatti, Tommy Lee Jones, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Spacey, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Cooper, William H. Macy, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Johnny Depp, Jeff Bridges, Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Sean Penn, Jim Broadbent and Mark Whalberg.
Here then are my top 10…
 | 10. Josh Hutcherson Best Recent Performance: Bridge To Terabithia (2007) Other Great Performances: The Hunger Games (2012), The Kids Are All Right (2010), Winged Creatures (2008), Zathura (2005), Little Manhattan (2005) |
 | 9. Clive Owen Best Recent Performance: Closer (2004) Other Great Performances: Duplicity (2009), The International (2009), Children Of Men (2006), Inside Man (2006), Sin City (2005), The Bourne Identity (2002) |
 | 8. Robert Downey Jr Best Recent Performance: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005) Other Great Performances: Due Date (2010), Sherlock Holmes (2009), Tropic Thunder (2008), Iron Man (2008), Zodiac (2007), A Scanner Darkly (2006), Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) |
 | 7. Joseph Gordon-Levitt Best Recent Performance: 50/50 (2011) Other Great Performances: Inception (2010), 500 Days Of Summer (2009), Stop-Loss (2008), Brick (2005), Mysterious Skin (2004) |
 | 6. Brad Pitt Best Recent Performance: Burn After Reading (2008) Other Great Performances: Moneyball (2011), The Tree Of Life (2011), Inglourious Basterds (2009), The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008), Ocean's Thirteen (2007), Babel (2006) |
 | 5. Russell Crowe Best Recent Performance: A Beautiful Mind (2001) Other Great Performances: The Next Three Days (2010), State Of Play (2009), Body Of Lies (2008), American Gangster (2007), 3:10 To Yuma (2007), Cinderella Man (2005), Master & Commander (2003) |
 | 4. Leonardo DiCaprio Best Recent Performance: Catch Me If You Can (2002) Other Great Performances: J Edgar (2011), Inception (2010), Shutter Island (2010), Revolutionary Road (2008), Body Of Lies (2008), Blood Diamond (2006), The Departed (2006), The Aviator (2004), Gangs Of New York (2002) |
 | 3. Ryan Gosling Best Recent Performance: Drive (2011) Other Great Performances: The Ides Of March (2011), Blue Valentine (2010), Lars And The Real Girl (2007), Half Nelson (2006), The Notebook (2004) |
 | 2. Philip Seymour Hoffman Best Recent Performance: Capote (2006) Other Great Performances: The Ides Of March (2011), Moneyball (2011), Doubt (2008), Charlie Wilson’s War (2008), Before The Devil Knows Your Dead (2007), The Savages (2007), Cold Mountain (2003), Owning Mahowny (2003), 25th Hour (2002), Red Dragon (2002), Punch-Drunk Love (2002) |
 | 1. George Clooney Best Recent Performance: Michael Clayton (2007) Other Great Performances: The Descendants (2011), Fantastic Mr Fox (2009), Up In The Air (2009), Burn After Reading (2008), Leatherheads (2008), Syriana (2005), Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (2002) |
Matt's Favourite Actresses: 2012 Edition
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- Written by Matthew Toomey
In last week’s blog, I covered my favourite directors working today. This week, I’m turning my attention to my favourite actresses.
I always enjoy putting lists like this together. They tend to generate debate amongst some of my film-going friends.
In assessing each actress, I have only considered films they have starred in since 2002. To use a sporting term, I’m only looking at those who are “in form”. The two questions I ask myself are (1) how excited would I be if this actress appeared in a new movie? and (2) how many great films have they appeared in over the past decade?
Honourable mentions go to Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, Emily Watson, Marisa Tomei, Mia Wasikowska, Rosamund Pike, Viola Davis and Charlize Theron.
But my 10 favourite actresses based on my current, fragile state of mind are as follows...
 | 10. Natalie Portman Best Recent Performance: Closer (2004) Other Great Performances: No Strings Attached (2011), Black Swan (2010), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), V For Vendetta (2005), Garden State (2004), Cold Mountain (2003) |
 | 9. Patricia Clarkson Best Recent Performance: Cairo Time (2009) Other Great Performances: Friends With Benefits (2011), Easy A (2010), Elegy (2008), Good Night And Good Luck (2005), Dogville (2003), The Station Agent (2003), Pieces Of April (2003), Far From Heaven (2002) |
 | 8. Kate Winslet Best Recent Performance: Revolutionary Road (2008) Other Great Performances: The Reader (2008), Little Children (2006), The Holiday (2006), Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004), Finding Neverland (2004) |
 | 7. Marion Cotillard Best Recent Performance: La Vie En Rose (2007) Other Great Performances: Midnight In Paris (2011), Little White Lies (2010), Inception (2010), Public Enemies (2009) |
 | 6. Michelle Williams Best Recent Performance: Take This Waltz (2011) Other Great Performances: My Week With Marilyn (2011), Meek's Cutoff (2010), Blue Valentine (2010), Wendy & Lucy (2008), Brokeback Mountain (2005) |
 | 5. Rachel McAdams Best Recent Performance: Mean Girls (2004) Other Great Performances: Midnight In Paris (2010), Morning Glory (2010), State Of Play (2009), Wedding Crashers (2005), The Notebook (2004) |
 | 4. Meryl Streep Best Recent Performance: Doubt (2008) Other Great Performances: Julie & Julia (2009), Mamma Mia! (2008), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), A Prairie Home Companion (2006), Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2004), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), The Hours (2002), Adaptation (2002) |
 | 3. Carey Mulligan Best Recent Performance: An Education (2009) Other Great Performances: Shame (2011), Drive (2011), Never Let Me Go (2010) |
 | 2. Cate Blanchett Best Recent Performance: Notes On A Scandal (2006) Other Great Performances: Hanna (2011), I’m Not There (2007), Babel (2006), The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004), The Aviator (2004), Veronica Guerin (2003) |
 | 1. Tilda Swinton Best Recent Performance: I Am Love (2010) Other Great Performances: We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011), Burn After Reading (2008), Michael Clayton (2007), The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (2005), Broken Flowers (2005), Adaptation (2002) |
Matt's Favourite Directors: 2012 Edition
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- Written by Matthew Toomey
Back in 2005, I compiled a list of my 10 favourite directors, actors and actresses (based on their works over the past decade).
It’s a list I’ve updated every year or so. The last time I covered my favourite directors was back in October 2010 so in this week’s blog, I thought it an opportune time to revisit the list.
It wasn’t easy narrowing it down to just 10. Honourable mentions go to Alexander Payne, Steve McQueen, Sam Mendes, Darren Aronofsky, Danny Boyle, Pedro Almodovar, George Clooney and Bennett Miller. They’re all incredibly talented but I believe the 10 directors listed below have put together a more significant body of work.
In assessing each director, I have only considered films made since 2002. I like keeping the list current. The two key questions I ask myself are (1) how excited would I be if this filmmaker made a new movie? and (2) how many great films have they made over the past decade?
On that note, here are my 10 directors working today…
 | 10. Woody Allen Best Film: Match Point (2005) Other Great Films: Midnight In Paris (2011), Whatever Works (2009), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Melinda & Melinda (2004) |
 | 9. Clint Eastwood Best Film: Million Dollar Baby (2004) Other Great Films: J Edgar (2011), Changeling (2008), Flags Of Our Fathers (2006), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006), Mystic River (2003) |
 | 8. Gus Van Sant Best Film: Elephant (2003) Other Great Films: Restless (2011), Milk (2008), Paranoid Park (2007), Last Days (2005) |
 | 7. Paul Thomas Anderson Best Film: There Will Be Blood (2007) Other Great Films: Punch Drunk Love (2002) |
 | 6. Jason Reitman Best Film: Juno (2007) Other Great Films: Young Adult (2011), Up In The Air (2009), Thank You For Smoking (2005) |
 | 5. David Fincher Best Film: Zodiac (2007) Other Great Films: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011), The Social Network (2010) |
 | 4. Mike Leigh Best Film: Another Year (2010) Other Great Films: Happy-Go-Lucky (2008), Vera Drake (2004), All Or Nothing (2002) |
 | 3. Paul Greengrass Best Film: United 93 (2006) Other Great Films: Green Zone (2009), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Bloody Sunday (2002) |
 | 2. Christopher Nolan Best Film: Inception (2010) Other Great Films: The Dark Knight (2008), The Prestige (2006), Batman Begins (2005), Insomnia (2002) |
 | 1. Ethan & Joel Coen Best Film: No Country For Old Men (2007) Other Great Films: A Serious Man (2009), Burn After Reading (2008), Intolerable Cruelty (2003) |
It's Official: I've Played With The Best Golfer In The World!
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- Written by Matthew Toomey
Occasionally, I depart from my normal film rambling to talk about another favourite topic of mine – golf.
Back in 2005, I played golf with a relaxed, easy-going 16 year-old. Today, he became the number 1 golfer in the world! Rory McIlroy’s win in the Honda Classic (by 2 over Tiger Woods) elevated him past Luke Donald in the Official World Golf Rankings. It is an amazing achievement for someone so young.
In honour of the moment, I thought I’d share my Film Pie blog from 22 November 2005 (which I wrote just after getting off a plane in Brisbane). It’s one of the best stories I have in my cluttered head. Just click here.