Weird obsessions with random actors or actresses: Part I

Posted by Tyler McCane on November 19, 2011 · 4 Comments 

I don’t know whether obsession’s the word I’m looking for here. Let me explain. I don’t mean randomly picking an actress or actor, and becoming completely obsessed with them, head over heels in love with them, stalking them around the city, taking pictures of them. What I do mean is: Has there ever been a movie or show you watched, and you liked a supporting or lead actor in the movie or show so much that you IMDb stalked that person to find every film they’ve been a part of? I know you have, everyone has at least once.

So that’s what brought me to this idea. A running series of a list of my top actors and actresses that I have been introduced to, and instantly wanted more of.

Number one on the list for me would be: Clive Owens.

The first movie I recall watching that starred Clive Owens was Children of Men (2006) directed by Alfonso Cuarón. The film is set in a future world where humankind has become unable to produce offspring. In 2027, an inexplicably pregnant woman must be safely accompanied to a sanctuary where scientists can begin research on a way to save the human race. A job, of course, that falls into the hands of Clive Owens, resident badass.

(4/5)

I remember back in 2006, I had been in a heavy british actor phase, as well as a big action movie phase. I don’t remember where I first heard of Children of Men, but after I looked up a little about it, I decided to watch it for the fact that it was supposed to be a good movie, and I heard Clive Owen was a good british actor. I ended up really enjoying the movie, in fact for a while I considered it one of my favorite movies. Moments after I had finished Children of Men I was on Clive Owen’s IMDb page, seeing what other movies he had been in that I had missed out on. I began making a mental list of the movies I needed to snatch up (this was before I had a Netflix account, mind you).

Coincidentally, within a week or two of watching Children of Men, my dad came home from work one night with a rental movie. The movie was none other than Inside Man directed by Spike Lee, also starring Clive Owen. Lucky me! Inside Man, starring Clive Owen alongside Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster, is a magnificent heist movie focused on slight of hand trickery, plot twists, unexpected happenings and a wonderful cast. Clive Owen’s nice, but forceful attitude as hostage taker, and yet the intelligent and professional way he addresses Washington’s character in the film is a perfect thumbnail image to capture Clive Owen as most characters he has played (or in movies I have seen at least). Professional, intelligent, badass, willing to do what it takes. That would be my description of Owen if someone were to ask for it.

(4/5)

Shortly after Inside Man, my acknowledgment of Owen’s talent led me to begin an even more rapid approach to watching his movies than before. This is where even more IMDb stalking took place, in order to find out what I could get my hands on and what’s coming up in the future, etc. etc. This is when I learned that a few years previously I had watched a movie that Owen had been in with a group of my relatives that they had rented, called Gosford Park.

Admittedly, it has been several years since I have seen Gosford Park. I haven’t watched it since the initial time I saw it with my family years ago. From what I remember (with a little help from IMDb) the premise is a dinner party murder mystery. I remember as a kid, actually quite liking Gosford Park, because it reminded me a lot of the board game Clue. There’s a murder and the sole purpose is to find out whodunit. I also remember when watching it, halfway in my uncle called the rest of the movie, stretched out on the couch and fell asleep (he never can finish a full movie). The point is, as much as I can’t remember about the movie, I do remember from my uncle’s perspective it was obvious where the movie was going, and it must’ve been quite boring to put Clayton down that early in a movie.

Moving on down the list, some other movies I must mention are Sin City (4/5) and Shoot ‘Em Up (3/5). Frank Miller’s 2005 masterpiece, Sin City showed once again how much of a badass Clive Owen is. This time, extreme badass. Shoot ‘Em Up did a similar job, but with a slight humorous twist really. The way I think of Shoot ‘Em Up is basically Children of Men, but more of a black humor action movie with Paul Giamatti. And speaking of strange obsessions (ahem! title) what’s with Owen’s character’s obsession with carrots in Shoot ‘Em Up. Also, honorable mention, Clive Owen’s short but sweet part in Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon. The Professor, with the sniper, in the cornfield. Once again, badass and professional (are we getting this pattern yet).

Overall, I tend to thoroughly enjoy Clive Owen’s performance in each of his movies, making his way on my extensive list of “favourite actors.” He’s got a knack for making being an action star look easy enough for the common man to do. And I mean, objectively speaking, he’s a good looking man, right?

Future viewings of Owen films: Duplicity, Killer Elite, Intruders

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Next time, I’ll take a look at another one of those actors/actresses that grabbed my attention and reeled me in.

Filed under Film · Tagged with children of men, clive owen, film, gosford park, inside man, obsession, shoot em up, sin city