Any fans of Sigourney Weaver out there?

Jondalar · #1 08-31-2012, 06:42 PM

I love Meryl Streep. I think she is great. Everyone talks about Meryl, sometimes Cate Blanchett who never seems to get the role to do her justice.

However, I have to say that my favorite actress is Sigourney Weaver. She is not perfect. I think that sometimes she overacts—Gorillas in the Midst, Copycat...

Sometimes she is perfect, the Alien movies, the Ice Storm, Snow White, A Map of the World... Lets face it, no one but her had the presence to pull of Ellen Ripley. She nailed that role.

But when it comes to screen presence, coupled with talent I think she is hard to beat. And she definitely tops Streep and Blanchett when it comes to comedy—Working Girl, Ghostbusters, Galaxy Quest, the overlooked Heartbreakers, Dave, Jeffrey.... I don't know how you can beat that. Everytime she walks on screen, it's magic.

Like I said, she is not perfect, however, I always look forward to seeing her onscreen.

TrueFaith77 · #2 08-31-2012, 08:33 PM

I very much like her. I wouldn't rank her among my very best movie actresses (Gish, Magnani, Hepburn, Garbo, Bergman are the top 5).

However, her Ripley is a genuine achievement in modern screen portraiture. Even in those Alien films for which I am not so hot (1 & 4 are great, 2 & 3 problematic), she is always riveting and powerful. You didn't mention what is probably my second fav Weaver performance: Death and the Maiden. It's one of the better Roman Polanski films.

I recommend that people check her out on the short-lived series Political Animals. It is full of contrivances, but she has scenes that are so powerful. I was especially moved by a scene, which is utterly contrived to make the audience side with her and to give her the opportunity to really grandstand, and she does, but it is more than just satisfying--she displays personal political conviction but also genuine maternal responses. But I'm easily moved by the protective love of mothers for their gay sons.

RE: comparisons to Streep and Blanchett. For me, there is not a phonier, more cliche, more ridiculous actress than Cate Blanchett. My favorite Blanchett movie is the one where she sleeps with her student. She is so riotously bad. Judi Dench, who is a total sell-out but at least can act, gives her best performance in that movie, however. She is INTENTIONALLY hilarious. And it is beautifully photographed by Neil Jordan's d.p. Check it out if you need a laugh, whatever it was called.

As for Streep, she is the superior commedianne to Weaver. She-Devil, Death Becomes Her, Stuck On You, Mamma Mia, the GREAT Prairie Home Companion (in my top 2 fav meryl performances). Her breathless comedic style is what I originally found winning about her. She was way over-the-top as an actress in the 80s, but she has hit her stride this century. SOY, PHC, Lions for Lambs, Dark Matter, MM, The Iron Lady and her greatest-performance-ever The Manchurian Candidate are glorious. Only Diane Keaton is better (best actress of the 80s and the 00s).

Another actress recommendation: Giovanna Mezzogiorno in Vincere gives the best performance by actress THIS decade in the best movie so far this decade. It has EVERYTHING I look for in movies--including Filippo Timi!

Macfanforever · #3 08-31-2012, 08:53 PM

I think shes great.Actora and music artists of today are blah.I love these older entertainers.It must be my age.

Jondalar · #4 08-31-2012, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

I very much like her. I wouldn't rank her among my very best movie actresses (Gish, Magnani, Hepburn, Garbo, Bergman are the top 5).

However, her Ripley is a genuine achievement in modern screen portraiture. Even in those Alien films for which I am not so hot (1 & 4 are great, 2 & 3 problematic), she is always riveting and powerful. You didn't mention what is probably my second fav Weaver performance: Death and the Maiden. It's one of the better Roman Polanski films.

I recommend that people check her out on the short-lived series Political Animals. It is full of contrivances, but she has scenes that are so powerful. I was especially moved by a scene, which is utterly contrived to make the audience side with her and to give her the opportunity to really grandstand, and she does, but it is more than just satisfying--she displays personal political conviction but also genuine maternal responses. But I'm easily moved by the protective love of mothers for their gay sons.

RE: comparisons to Streep and Blanchett. For me, there is not a phonier, more cliche, more ridiculous actress than Cate Blanchett. My favorite Blanchett movie is the one where she sleeps with her student. She is so riotously bad. Judi Dench, who is a total sell-out but at least can act, gives her best performance in that movie, however. She is INTENTIONALLY hilarious. And it is beautifully photographed by Neil Jordan's d.p. Check it out if you need a laugh, whatever it was called.

As for Streep, she is the superior commedianne to Weaver. She-Devil, Death Becomes Her, Stuck On You, Mamma Mia, the GREAT Prairie Home Companion (in my top 2 fav meryl performances). Her breathless comedic style is what I originally found winning about her. She was way over-the-top as an actress in the 80s, but she has hit her stride this century. SOY, PHC, Lions for Lambs, Dark Matter, MM, The Iron Lady and her greatest-performance-ever The Manchurian Candidate are glorious. Only Diane Keaton is better (best actress of the 80s and the 00s).

Another actress recommendation: Giovanna Mezzogiorno in Vincere gives the best performance by actress THIS decade in the best movie so far this decade. It has EVERYTHING I look for in movies--including Filippo Timi!

Meryl does a good job at comedy, but Weaver is great! I mean, watch Heartbreakers, Ghostbusters, Working Girl.... Meryl is superior at drama, however, she doesn't have the screen presence that Weaver has to pull off Ellen Ripley. Have you ever seen Jeffrey, where Weaver plays a reverand. She just has it. She got the look to go with the timing.

Jondalar · #5 08-31-2012, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

I think shes great.Actora and music artists of today are blah.I love these older entertainers.It must be my age.

Cate Blanchett is the real deal, however, where is her Out of Africa, Sophia's Choice, Bridges of Madison County... She is ever bit as good as Meryl Streep but she doesn't have the roles to back it up.

Macfanforever · #6 08-31-2012, 09:25 PM

I love Sissy Spacek.Awesome acting in Coal Miners Daugther.She's a kind of a actress you need to play Stevie in her bio movie.Sissy got right into Loretta's body and mind and act her out in the movie.

Jondalar · #7 08-31-2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

I love Sissy Spacek.Awesome acting in Coal Miners Daugther.She's a kind of a actress you need to play Stevie in her bio movie.Sissy got right into Loretta's body and mind and act her out in the movie.

I love Sissy too, especially in Night Mother and Three women and Carrie....

Macfanforever · #8 08-31-2012, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jondalar

I love Sissy too, especially in Night Mother and Three women and Carrie....

Oh Carrie.How I forgot to add that movie.I missed those old scary movies.Thank goodness for DVD's.

Jondalar · #9 08-31-2012, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

Oh Carrie.How I forgot to add that movie.I missed those old scary movies.Thank goodness for DVD's.

Totally, and thank god for the 70's. She would of never made it any other decade.

Macfanforever · #10 08-31-2012, 09:57 PM

Aliens was a great movie .I like most of Sigourney 's movies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigourney_Weaver

Jondalar · #11 08-31-2012, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

Aliens was a great movie .I like most of Sigourney 's movies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigourney_Weaver

I'm not sure if people are familiar with Working Girl but Sigourney knock it out of the park with her stuck-up roll.

**mylittledemon** · #12 08-31-2012, 11:05 PM

Love her. Ghostbusters, Aliens, Galaxy Quest, The ice Storm, and Snow Cake... awesome!

She was pretty good in that one where she was trying to scam Gene Hackman into marrying her too (can't think of the title)

Jondalar · #13 08-31-2012, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

Love her. Ghostbusters, Aliens, Galaxy Quest, The ice Storm, and Snow Cake... awesome!

She was pretty good in that one where she was trying to scam Gene Hackman into marrying her too (can't think of the title)

The title is Heartbreakers and she was excellent. Her career is soo unique.

NoFear♥OnlyLove · #14 09-02-2012, 02:59 AM

I quite like Sigourney, though no one tops Meryl for me.

One of my recent faves is Snow Cake. I thought she was amazing in this movie, plus she acts alongside Alan Rickman, and it doesn't get much better than him. If you haven't seen it, I'd definitely recommend watching it.

Richard B · #15 09-03-2012, 05:34 PM

Love Sigourney, even if she plays a minor role.

I know she was nominated the same year for an Oscar for both Working Girl and Gorillas In The Mist...which she didn't win for either. I've seen a lot of Diane Fossey footage and she really nailed that role.

Highlights for me are Galaxy Quest, Working Girl, The Year Of Living Dangerously, Death and The Maiden, Heartbreakers, Holes, All the Alien movies, Ice Storm, Snow White: A Tale Of Terror and The TV Set.