futuretrunks
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Post by futuretrunks on Feb 28, 2020 23:02:20 GMT
I haven't seen any of her stage work. I have seen her in Traffic, Far From Heaven, Antwone Fisher, Syriana, Disturbia, Doubt, State of Play, Knight and Day, The Help, Beautiful Creatures, Prisoners, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Blackhat, Suicide Squad, Fences, Widows, and two episodes of How to Get Away with Murder.
I'm not really sure I understand the acclaim. She's good at doing imperious, or run down, but her career has been largely tiny unmemorable roles. I'm not saying that's necessarily her fault, given the racial politics of the industry, but do her turns in Fences, Doubt, and The Help satisfy you guys as evidence of one of the great actresses of their generation, as she seems to be understood to be by people online?
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Post by pupdurcs on Feb 28, 2020 23:14:35 GMT
She's very similar to Frances McDormand. Both are proven in every medium, and had to make the most out of a lot of small roles, while waiting for the few big ones they could chew on. Neither could rely on their looks to reach the pinnacle of the acting profession. For women, in an industry like this, that counts for a lot.
They haven't neccesarily got the widest ranges, but what they are exceptional at, very few do better. Davis is a force of nature. She can stare down and go toe to toe with any actor, dead or alive (as she's done with both Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington).
So yeah, while her limitations are clear, I have no issue acknowledging she deserves to be recognised as one of the best actresses of her generation. She can generate raw emotion like few others. That's her speciality, but it's a great speciality to have.
I'd like to see a bit more humor and lightness of touch from her though, even if it's in a dramatic role. Her solemnity is at once her greatest strength, but something that maybe stops her from showing more sides to her talent.
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Post by pacinoyes on Feb 28, 2020 23:19:24 GMT
The night I saw her in Fences on stage she seemed off to me - it happens - people sometimes are sick or whatever but still I saw her on a weak night.
She was great in the movie and she's won an acting triple crown - the only African American actor male or female to EVER win it - and to me that's a big deal. People who think that means nothing are kidding themselves and it will one day be seen the way actors Oscar wins are now - if it isn't already.
She's not afraid to swing for the (no pun) fences every time out and she's not afraid to risk getting on peoples nerves which is a good thing. I like her - and I'd recommend her Law & Order Criminal Intent turn in the early 2000s (in the episode "Badge") where she and Vincent D'Onofrio have some fantastic scenes. Even that far back I like the way that she isn't a shrinking violet - she's not afraid to take center stage and all the comes with it - and it's paid off.
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futuretrunks
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Post by futuretrunks on Feb 28, 2020 23:30:07 GMT
How do you guys rate her against Angela Bassett?
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morton
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Post by morton on Feb 28, 2020 23:48:26 GMT
I haven't seen any of her stage work. I have seen her in Traffic, Far From Heaven, Antwone Fisher, Syriana, Disturbia, Doubt, State of Play, Knight and Day, The Help, Beautiful Creatures, Prisoners, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Blackhat, Suicide Squad, Fences, Widows, and two episodes of How to Get Away with Murder. I'm not really sure I understand the acclaim. She's good at doing imperious, or run down, but her career has been largely tiny unmemorable roles. I'm not saying that's necessarily her fault, given the racial politics of the industry, but do her turns in Fences, Doubt, and The Help satisfy you guys as evidence of one of the great actresses of their generation, as she seems to be understood to be by people online? I like her, but I can't say that I'm a huge fan. Maybe I just need to see her in more films or tv, or maybe she's better on stage, but I've never seen what her fans see. How do you guys rate her against Angela Bassett? Definitely Bassett. Even in small roles I always feel whatever is, is automatically better when she's onscreen. |
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Post by therealcomicman117 on Feb 29, 2020 0:07:32 GMT
She's very similar to Frances McDormand. Both are proven in every medium, and had to make the most out of a lot of small roles, while waiting for the few big ones they could chew on. Neither could rely on their looks to reach the pinnacle of the acting profession. For women, in an industry like this, that counts for a lot. They haven't neccesarily got the widest ranges, but what they are exceptional at, very few do better. Davis is a force of nature. She can stare down and go toe to toe with any actor, dead or alive (as she's done with both Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington).So yeah, while her limitations are clear, I have no issue acknowledging she deserves to be recognised as one of the best actresses of her generation. She can generate raw emotion like few others. That's her speciality, but it's a great speciality to have. I'd like to see a bit more humor and lightness of touch from her though, even if it's in a dramatic role. Her solemnity is at once her greatest strength, but something that maybe stops her from showing more sides to her talent. All great points. She was also limited by her roles for the longest time, due to the fact that she's not considered a "conventional beauty" in any traditional sense of the word. The fact that she has managed to get three Oscars to date especially as an AA women, is a testament to her skills, and hard work. She's actually been around for a long time (I remember her as Shia LaBeouf's adviser in Disturbia of all things), but didn't really catch on until she started picking up awards attention for Doubt, when she was 43. As an actress she's a real force of nature on screen, able to go tow to tow with some of the greats. She can get a bit melodramatic or OTT as a performer sometimes, but generally she's really great at pilling on the emotions without it coming off as non-sincere. I do agree that I'd like to see her try something lighthearted. I know there was that Camp Zero kids movie she just recently did with Amazon, but I'm more referring to a straight up comedic or funny role. It would be nice if she could or was able to mix things up a bit. |
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