-
"I take no pleasure in taking a life if it's from a person who doesn't care about it."
Though we may never get to see Gary Oldman play Commissioner Gordon again now that Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy has ended — that is, unless the recent rumor that Warner Bros. is planning to use the Justice League movie as "a vehicle for Christian Bale to reprise his role as Batman" is true, in which case a cameo by Gotham’s top cop wouldn’t be out of the question — we will get to see him play a former police commissioner in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Add his stint as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter movies and his recently completed work as Norton in MGM's Robocop remake and that makes four major tentpole franchises for Oldman.
Long before Oldman became a staple of summer popcorn movies, he had already developed a strong cult following for playing deliciously dark (Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula), terrifyingly sadistic (Warden Glenn in Murder in the First) and mesmerizingly maniacal (Norman Stansfield in Léon: The Professional) villains. The man once dubbed "psycho deluxe" for his over-the-top bad guy roles plays the hero more often than not these days, but when he funnels the same energy and intensity into quieter performances they simmer, as in his Oscar-winning role as disgraced spy George Smiley in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Punk rocker, vampire, drug dealer, corrupt cop, good cop, shapeshifting wizard, spy — Oldman masterfully played each character with zeal, but which roles were his best?
Rate the Top 10 Best Gary Oldman Movies >>
Posted 03.12.13 by BrentJS -
"You can lie, you can cheat, you can start a war, you can bankrupt the country, but you can't f*** the interns."
One of the most important and divisive presidential elections in the history of our country is only days away, but we're movie people so we can't help but compare the candidates to our favorite movie presidents and the actors who played them. Hit the link below to see which presidents (and one presidential candidate) got our vote and to "write in" your own favorites. Then, tune in to The Countdown for our comprehensive look at movie presidents.
Best Movie Presidents >>
movies and moreFriday 12:00p ET / 9:00a PT
Posted 11.03.12 by BrentJS -
Leonard Maltin Says:
On a recent episode of Secret's Out, we spotlighted films featuring the stars of the new Batman movie The Dark Knight. One of those stars is the gifted actor Gary Oldman, who has the ability to transform himself, almost chameleon-like, into a wide variety of characters. In Rod Lurie's The Contender, the British-born performer becomes a calculated American congressman who's out to find dirt on Vice Presidential nominee Joan Allen.
The current VP's death enables president Jeff Bridges to nominate senator Allen to fill the vacancy, and make history in the bargain. But Oldman, from the opposing party, takes a certain glee in dredging up any embarrassments he can find in Allen's past, and doesn't mind putting ethics aside in the process. The Contender is a solid political thriller with a strong cast, well-drawn characters, and plenty of surprises.
Posted 07.11.08 by Dack