TobiasFunke82's Blog

3:10 to Yuma

 

 

 

 

A couple of years ago I insisted to all that would listen that Christian Bale, Russell Crowe and Johnny Depp are the three best actors in Hollywood. I still stand by this statement today, and feel that the torch has been passed from cinema greats like Robert Redford, Paul Newman and Robert Deniro onto this new group of fantastic actors.

 

 

 

Apparently someone out there was listening because 3:10 to Yuma pairs Bale and Crowe together and the outcome is beyond quality acting. These two foreigners ditch their accents and come across as more American than apple pie, and consequently breathe new life into a dying genre in Hollywood – The Western.

 

 

 

Bale and Crowe have a unique bond that keeps the viewer guessing are they friend or foe? Their brilliant acting, combined with an authentic depiction of the lifestyles and hardships of the late 1800’s will certainly make 3:10 to Yuma a contender this Oscar season.

 

 

 

Bale is so dedicated to his acting craft I often wonder if he is able to separate his intensity in real life scenarios. To me, he is the best of the best right now and I hope that the academy finally recognizes his talent. His career is full of legendary characters. Check him out as an adolescent boy in Empire of The Sun and you will be blown away by the fact a kid upstages everyone else in the film, even John Malkovich. However, my favorite Bale film and coincidentally my favorite male performance of all time is Bale’s depiction of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. After reading the book by Bret Easton Ellis, I cannot even picture anyone else in the role. It’s insane that he did not even receive a nomination for best actor for his role in American Psycho.

 

 

 

 

 

Bale and Crowe both have awesome projects to look forward to in the future – Crowe in American Gangster and Bale in The Dark Knight. With leading men like Bale and Crowe, instant classics are still a possibility in a movie industry plagued by run of the mill, cliché garbage.

Fun Fact:

Bale dropped an amazing 63 pounds for his role as the emaciated insomniac Trevor Reznik in the film Maquinista, El (2004) with only a single vitamin consultation with a nutritionist to guide him. For the most part, he only ate salads and apples, chewed gum, smoked cigarettes, and drank nonfat lattes. Gained it all back for Batman Begins, but could not even do a single push up when he first starting training.