I was flipping around the TV last weekend and came upon Tim Burton's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, which I had never seen before. Apart from an unfortunate, tacked-on backstory, it was pretty goddamn great, and it got me to thinking that Johnny Depp may be the most underrated actor to have achieved star status in his generation. I mean, can you think of anyone else with Depp's box office success and marquee name who takes so many chances and so clearly delights in just being weird when the role calls for it? You probably can; that's why we have a comments section. But where's his Oscar? Anyway, he and Burton are teaming up again for a new version of Alice In Wonderland. USA Today has the first released images, and, whatever, I thought they were cool. Have a look.
Monday, June 22, 2009
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I was flipping around the TV not too long ago and came across Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd" film and thought the samt thing: Pretty goddamn great, and Depp is underrated. (I'd underrated him ... I didn't think he could pull that role off, and he nailed it.)
Agreed. I wasn't as hot on Helena Bonham Carter but as a giant fan of Angela Lansbury's I may be a teensy bit biased.
There should be a German painter for this.
The backstory annoyed the hell out of me in Charlie, the sentimentality ruined the cool bits of Big Fish, and Planet of the Apes sucked. Burton always has trouble overcoming a shitty script and I am very concerned about the Hook overtones of the plot summary of this one. but i will give it a chance! i mean, i saw fucking Big Fish!
But honestly I am still waiting on a Pee-Wee reboot.
Johnny Depp AS Pee-Wee would be the shit.
Wouldn't anyone have trouble overcoming a shitty script? You know, because a good movie generally requires a good story?
"better" directors fix or hire someone else to fix the scripts! or pick better scripts!
It's was rumored briefly he would play Freddie Mercury in a biopic. I'm still hoping that was true.
He doesn't have the pecs.
I really don't understand how this "underrated" mystique has come to be associated with Johnny Depp! Truly, is there anyone to whom you mention that name that doesn't immediately sigh and coo, "What an actor!" And dude's been nominated for an Oscar three times -- including for a preening, extravagantly fey pirate modeled after a hundred-and-ninety-seven-year-old guitarist. That right there is some rating.
So let's maybe call the Johnny Depp of 21 Jump Street underrated (I would not call the Johnny Depp of 21 Jump Street underrated), but I'm pretty sure you can't get away with that anymore. Dude's an effing icon now.
Marisa Tomei has been nominated for an Oscar three times â€" including for playing the most sitcomy stereotype of an Italian broad. She actually won that one. She started out on "A Different World." Your point was what?
That the name Marisa Tomei, no matter her relative merits as an actor (still haven't seen The Wrestler, sorry!), is never whispered in the same reverential tones as Johnny Depp's is, actor-merits-wise.
Therefore, Marisa Tomei = possibly actually "underrated" as an actor, if you think all those scoffing that Palance read the wrong name are out of their minds. Johnny Depp = "overlooked by the Academy," maybe.
Were you suggesting that "underrated" = "overlooked by the Academy"? 'Cause I guess that's the part I disagree with, then.
LOGIC!
Get back to me when Mairsa Tomei cashes a $20M paycheck.
Are we all agreed that Edward Scissorhands is one of the finest films ever? Yes? Good.
And Balk, Mantooth's point is a good one. Maybe as recently as ten years ago it would have been valid to say that Johnny Depp isn't given credit or that he doesn't get the acclaim he deserves. But that's no longer the case--everyone and their dog thinks he's brilliant and versatile and says so frequently and loudly.
The heat is making you cranky.
Ed Wood is a pretty fucking brilliant movie.
I LOVE Big Fish. In my mind that's Tim Burton's greatest film so far.