This could have been a pretty disastrous moviegoing summer, but if you saw any of the following 10 performers in the multiplex this summer, they made your time worth what you spent on tickets and popcorn. None of them is a name you would have expected to steal moviegoing thunder from the likes of Tom Cruise, Will Ferrell, or Russell Crowe, but that’s what they did. Here are the 10 MVPs of the recent movie season, as rounded up in the forthcoming issue of EW.
In no particular order, they are:
-Terrence Howard, for his starmaking role as pimp-turned-rapper DJay in Hustle & Flow, as well as his supporting roles in Four Brothers and Crash
-Matt Dillon, who pulled off the trickiest role in Crash and a comic villain part in Herbie: Fully Loaded
-Cillian Murphy, extra-creepy in Batman Begins and Red Eye
-Angelina Jolie, who rescued herself from box office poison status in Mr. & Mrs. Smith
-Vince Vaughn (above), who took his aggressive motormouth act to new comic heights in Smith and Wedding Crashers
-Dakota Fanning, who stole War of the Worlds from Cruise and Steven Spielberg
-indie queen Amy Adams (Junebug)
-Miranda July (Me and You and Everyone We Know)
-Star Wars: Episode III emperor Ian McDiarmid
-MVP Hall of Famer Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)
Are there any summer movie MVPs you think we left off the list?
Comments (1-30) of 35 Add your comment
What about Christian Bale, an extremely talented actor who proved he could also be a bankable leading man in Batman Begins?
that’s a fine list. i would include the entire cast of entourage…they’ve certainly made my summer sizzle.
My vote goes to Jessica Alba.
What…No mention of handsome, young Canadian actor Hayden Christiansen, who portrayed the tragic fall of heroic Anakin Skywalker into the cold-hearted, nefarious Darth Vader so poignantly in *Star Wars: Episode III*?
How could you forget the Marching Penguins? They kicked Michael Bay’s ass. A fake Bay editorial in the Onion says it all – http://www.theonion.com/opinion/index.php?issue=4133
Ewan MacGregor. Okay, so “The Island” didn’t do so great at the box office, but I thought it was a good movie and Ewan is a great actor. His scenes with himself in that movie and his work in “Star Wars: Episode III” should put him on the MVP list for sure!
Oops! McGregor, not MacGregor.
I second the Christian Bale nomination. And I would also nominate the entire cast of Sky High (especially Bruce Campbell), who were all wonderful in a really fun, clever movie that is doing better at the Box Office than movies with more “glamorous” stars like Stealth and The Island. Quality counts.
Has everyone forgotten that this is a summer MOVIE list? Yes, that means you, the person that voted for the cast of entourage (although that show is HOT). As for Jessica Alba, she is certainly not homely, but as far as talent…was she really in any movie this summer that is going to leave any sort of impression other than ‘ohhh, look at those special effects.’ I’m glad Christian Bale is getting his due (although not on this particular list). Cillian Murphy is an amazing young actor and Amy Adams is really great too. Ewan McGregor is one of my favorites, but he hardly lit up my summer (a few misses, but nothing to ruin his career-thank god). And let’s all ignore the scary star wars fan. Hayden Christiansen was much better in shattered glass 2 years ago than any of the stars wars movies. March of the Penguins might be a good choice, it’s definately done better business than many hollywood blockbusters but i prefer to keep my list strictly human. All in all, i think this list is pretty god. It’s void of Hilary Duff and Ashton Kutcher, could we really ask for more?
I meant pretty good…lol
Rachel McAdams! She’s adorable and is quickly becoming a star.
lisa kudrow (happy endings and the comeback (even though the latter is tv))
Tim Robbins in gth4e basement scene in War of the Worlds, Brad Pitt’s underwear in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the Penguins (hey, why keep it to just humans?), and the remarkable cast of CRASH.
Bill Murray and Jeffrey Wright in Broken Flowers.
How can you single out Brad Pitt. Prasing only Angelina Jolie for the success of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” is laughable. She may still be box office poison if the movie were called “Mrs. Smith.” Give some respect where it’s due.
What about the penguins? They provided more ups and downs, more emotion and more entertainment than all of the people on your list!
I would have to include the cast of Mad Hot Ballroom. I particularly enjoyed Wilson, Cyrus and the two teachers at the school in Washington Heights.
Gilbert Gottfried in “The Aristocrats”. The funniest part of the movie…by far!
I only have three names that are worthy
1) Cillian Murphy
2) Christian Bale
3) Penguins
The cast of Murderball. A movie about people who really play for the “love of the game.” And, of course, the Penguins.
I agree with Christian Bale, he made Batman Begins what it was. And would someone please stop complementing Dakota Fanning for her annoying screaming in Worlds.
you forgot rachel mcadams
and lets ignore the scary Batman fan Danielle as well. Episode III was the best movie of the summer by far (and also by far the most successful), and Hayden Christiansen and Ewan McGregor gave great performances, along with Ian McDiarmid.
Christian Bale is a great actor, but Batman is so tired, and was nowhere near the biggest movie of the summer.
face it: adiences connected with Sith way more than Batsy.
I would actually like to commend Jar-Jar Binks for his understated, subtle performance in Episode III. We barely knew he was there. And let’s face it, didn’t that make our summer?
I cannot understand why Christian Bale isn’t on here. He was the star in the best Batman movie ever made and perhaps the best comic book movie ever made. Gripe as I may about his absence, I am very happy to see Ian McDiarmid on here for his role as Emperor Palpatine in the fantastic “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”. Some people will say that Hayden Christensen should have been on here, and I would agree, but this is the movie that belongs to the Emperor. Darth Vader had his chance to shine in “The Empire Strikes Back”, and now we get to see Palpatine in all his glorious evil. I’m incredibly happy with this list. That is, except for the ommission of Christian Bale, a man who is sure to be a star for a long time.
I third, fourth (?), the nom for Christian Bale, although after watching Cillian Murphy in “Intermission,” I’ll have to say he’s pretty darn cool and creepy at the same time. It’s the eyes, I say, the eyes!
Christian Bale. Most definitely Christian Bale. He is an amazing actor and I am looking foward to seeing more of him in the future (As long as he continues to do his more obscure roles) I’d also have to say the collaberation of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. They are always good together
Apparently eye-candy doesn’t count for anything…but I don’t care what anyone says, Natalie Portman is “it”. Closer and Garden State should have had an Acedemy Award handed to this brilliant actress on a silver platter. Hollywood should be changed to Nataliewood. Anyone who can look THAT good without hair deserves more then an oscar.
I can’t remember her last name, but her first name is Isla….Vince Vaughn’s redhead girl from the Wedding Crashers. Absolutely hilarious. She deserves as much credit as he does. I loved her.
* Rachael McAdams (beautiful and electrifying)
* “Crash” (everyone involved will get more calls from casting agents)
* Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise (their movies were bigger then the hype)
* And those penguins
Whats not hot?
* Will Ferrel (last years funny man needs a quick Hollywood lesson)
* “Mr and Mrs Smith” (not worth the hype)
* SEQUELS AND REMAKES GO AWAY!!! You arent worth us leaving our homes, burning precious gas and spending hard earned money
* Miramax for releasing a patriotic war movie only on 800 screens with no press behind it and making it impossible for red state america to watch the movie. (Once again the disconnect from middle America and I laughed when they quoted the CEO of Fox News. Wow, Harvey! Couldnt get Limbaugh or Drudge?)