Underrated Performances from the New Avengers

On Saturday, I focused on our original Avengers and some of their underrated performances, but today I want to focus on the new Avengers who came along during phase two and after. These are the Avengers I expect to continue carrying the torch post Endgame.

1) Don Cheadle - Manic

This may have been the movie that Joseph Gordon-Levitt started being taken seriously as a dramatic actor but Don Cheadle as a doctor in the institution where this takes place is a very quiet, understated performance.

2) Anthony Mackie - Shelter


Paul Bettany directed his fellow Avenger about a homeless man in NYC. This is the most broken down I've even seen Mackie in a film. Easily his best performance.

3) Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene

I've talked about this film a lot on my blog, and I still stand by the fact that she should've gotten an Oscar nomination for this. 

4) Paul Bettany - The Da Vinci Code

Before y'all say ANYTHING about this movie, I actually liked it and Bettany was great. He was putting a lot into this performance.

5) Paul Rudd - The Oh! in Ohio


His character in this movie is kind of a sleaze, but it's really good all around and it's not something I hear discussed often when I hear people talk about Rudd.

6) Chadwick Boseman - Get On Up

Even though Boseman didn't do his own singing in this biopic, he did all the dancing and was convincing as hell. This film felt like it came and went pretty quickly. I didn't get to see it in theaters, but caught it on DVD after the fact.

7) Tom Holland - The Impossible

Holland's filmography is still growing but he made a great impression in this disaster movie. I'm still so glad I didn't see this in theaters, just to save myself the embarrassment of crying the ENTIRE TIME in front of other people

8) Benedict Cumberbatch - Wreckers


This is a little film he did with Claire Foy and they're both wonderful in it. It asks a lot of questions and keeps you guessing. It's something I'd like to watch again.

9) Evangeline Lilly - The Hurt Locker

Time for my cheat. Aside from her small part in The Hurt Locker I've only seen Lilly in Ant-Man, those dreadful Hobbit movies, and Lost. That's it. Nothing else.. I didn't want to leave her out completely, so I chose her in this since she was fine. I wouldn't call anything she did in Lost underrated since that put her on the map. 

10) Brie Larson - Short Term 12

All those "Brie can't act!" morons can take several seats and watch her in Short Term 12, a criminally underrated movie where she was tremendous along with the rest of the cast.

Comments

  1. Love the whole idea for this list. I instantly thought of Cheadle in "Devil in a Blue Dress". If you haven't seen it check it out!

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    1. I haven't, I'll have to put this on my list!

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    2. Oh definitely see it. I'm doing a Denzel series and have a review written for it. Hint, hint...I loved it.

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  2. HOLY SHIT THAT WAS TOM HOLLAND?????

    *dies*

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  3. Manic is such an underrated film. That scene of Don Cheadle getting very angry was great as you felt his pain and anger over what had happened and you sympathize with him.

    Elizabeth Olsen is already becoming an incredible actress as I think one of her best work so far is in Wind River. Anthony Mackie has a standout moment in Million Dollar Baby as the cocky fighter as I just love how funny he is.

    Paul Bettany I think is underrated and doesn't get enough love as I always cite A Knight's Tale as one of his great gems. I haven't seen much of Chadwick Boseman's work as an actor but he was great as Jackie Robinson in 42. I haven't seen much of what Evangeline Lilly has done either as I will cheat to with The Hurt Locker.

    What is there to say about Paul Rudd. The man is awesome. The only movie of his that I didn't like was How Do You Know? mainly because he didn't get much to do. I'll just stick with Wet Hot American Summer as the go-to performance.

    Benedict Cumberbatch is awesome as I will say his work in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is great while I'm still amazed in how much of a great actor Tom Holland has become from The Impossible to being Spider-Man. I did cry in that movie as I saw it in the theaters. Brie Larson... she's incredible. She is part of my SCU faction w/ Emma Stone, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Elizabeth Olsen so far...

    I'm going to go with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

    So the Guardians are next?

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    1. I didn't get time to write about the Guardians and honestly There's not much praise I could give Pratt, Diesel and Batista lol

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    2. You have a point. There is stuff that Vin Diesel and Dave Bautista they've done that is worth noting. Chris Pratt, not so much. He's kind of a chode.

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  4. Awesome post!! Some great movies to watch, I haven't seen any except two. I'm watching Manic first cos I like Cheadle and haven't seen enough of his stuff. But the best pick:

    "GET ON UP!! WOOO!"

    YES. Awesome, awesome pick.

    That isn't just Chadwick's best performance, its one of the best recreations of a musician I have ever seen. When I saw a photo of him without that makeup etc I couldn't believe it. And his voice in that flick! WOO!! Now I gotta see it again!!

    (note - I habven't seen walk the line yet, maybe Phoenix is better...:P)

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    1. I like Walk the Line better over all but I was more familiar with Johnny Cash than James Brown. If I hadn't been it would be closer.

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  5. YES for Short Term 12. It went on my watch list after I read your review and although it took me like 2 years to eventually watch it, ugh. Such an amazing and heart breaking movie!

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  6. Lily also had the honor of kissing Hugh Jackman in that robot movie :D I always forget THAT was Tom Holland

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  7. I watched Martha Marcy May Marlene because you suggested it and it was such a good movie, and Elizabeth was great in it.

    I haven't seen The Da Vinci Code in years but I remember liking it, especially Bettany's performance.

    I completely forgot Evangeline Lilly was in The Hurt Locker. When, if I have time I'll rewatch it.

    I still haven't seen Short Term 12 but I can't take anyone who says Brie can't act seriously. Have those people even watched her movies?

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    Replies
    1. No, they haven't. They don't get out of the basement enough.

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  8. This is great! I love The Impossible and had no idea the kid was Tom Holland. Don Cheadle is a great actor and I saw him in Hotel Rwanda where he was excellent. Those eyes of Benedict Cumberbatch makes me want to lick the screen..is that abnormal? Paul Betteny is excellent in the DaVinci Code and he is a fine character actor. I loved him in Master and Commander. I love Lost and would re-watch the trippy series again

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    1. Hotel Rwanda was excellent. I cried. I need to rewatch Master and Commander. I'd probably appreciate it more now.

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  9. Cool idea. I totally agree on Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, especially the later, I've been a fan of his for a long time, he deserves more credit.
    Get on up and Wreckers sound interesting

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    1. Bettany is super underrated. He's always turning in solid performances.

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