Now I Get It!

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Hayden Christensen was picked to play Anakin because he actually looks like he could be Mark Hamill's father (or son, I'm not sure which is more appropriate). I didn't see it in Attack of the Clones, but watching the Return of Darth Vader featurette on the DVD it became more obvious to me. With longer hair, a couple of scars and a few more years on him there is almost a family resemblence between Anakin and Luke.

I knew there had to be a reason why Christensen was cast! It obviously couldn't be because of his acting ability, but now we know it was because he looked the part all along!

[Nathan]

I'm glad you found a reason for it.

[Worm of Despite]

Okay, we have the reason for that, now. What's the reason for the prequels?

[The Dreaming]

Whenever I see him I see no resemblence to anyone but James Dean. He has the look, the voice, and in Anakin, the attitude too. It is kind of weird to imagine James Dean as Darth Vader.

[dlbpharmd]

Could someone please explain to me what the hell "acting ability" is?

Is good acting anything that Jack Nicholson has done in the past 10 years? Sure, he wins awards, but he's absolutely the same character in every frikkin' movie. The only time he's ever "acted" is when he played Joker in Batman.

To me, good acting is when an actor totally loses himself in the character and becomes that character in such a way that we forget that it is an actor at all.

Here are examples of what I consider "good acting":

1) Andy Serkis as Gollum
2) Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles (based so far on the previews, which look outstanding)
3) Michael Clark Duncan as John Coffey
4) Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump
5) Morgan Freeman as Hoke

So as to Hayden's poor acting - what do you expect? How could he possibly do any better? Is it his fault that the dialogue is not the best in the world?

[The Dreaming]

You seen One Flew? That is considered Jack's best role.

[Worm of Despite]

Is good acting anything that Jack Nicholson has done in the past 10 years? Sure, he wins awards, but he's absolutely the same character in every frikkin' movie. The only time he's ever "acted" is when he played Joker in Batman.

Hey, go easy on The Jack! Did you expect him to top such greats as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Chinatown", "The Shining", etc.? Pacino and De Niro didn't do much better. Every actor has a peak. Or at least a lot of them do. Anyway, I'm very, very glad you said in the past 10 years.

Also, even when Jack is being Jack in a role, he's amazing to watch. At least for me. I loved him in "As Good as It Gets", when thinking of his most recent roles.

To me, good acting is when an actor totally loses himself in the character and becomes that character in such a way that we forget that it is an actor at all.

Same.

And for good measure, here's my great acting list, since I'm addicted to lists:

1) Malcolm McDowell as Alex in "A Clockwork Orange"
2) Toshiro Mifune as Kikuchiyo in "Seven Samurai" or just about any Kurosawa-directed film
3) John Cazale in anything he ever did

Eh, that's it for now.

[The Dreaming]

Too bad McDowell's career pretty much ends with Clockwork Orange. He hasn't really done anything close to the manitude of that performance since. (though I suppose Time After Time and Cat People were decent)

[dlbpharmd]

You seen One Flew? That is considered Jack's best role.

Yes I have - and to me, he's the same in every movie since, with the exception of Batman. C'mon, Jack, show me something different!

[Roland of Gilead]

My problem with Hayden Christensen is he doesn't do "angry" well. He sounds like a petulant child, not a man whose frustrated rage will drive him to the dark side of the Force. And that part of Anakin's personality is key to the story.

Suspension of disbelief - without this in a work of speculation, you got nothin'.

Great acting performances:

Dustin Hoffman as Rainman

Ian McKellen as Gandalf

Michael Douglas as Remington in The Ghost and the Darkness

Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York

Johnny Depp as Captain Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean

Everybody in The Green Mile.

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Okay, we have the reason for that, now. What's the reason for the prequels?

See 'Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money'