Favorite Keanu Movie

Happy 2012!

My favorite movies of Keanu Reeves are Matrix and Point Break. I think Keanu's best performances are given in Thumbsucker and Street Kings, and Constantine.

What is your favorite Keanu movie? What's your favorite performance by Keanu?

"What's your favorite performance by Keanu? "

Constantine. Definitely. ;):)
Then Ludlow in Street Kings. Donnie Barksdale in The Gift. Dr.Perry in Thumbsucker. Have to mention Harry in The Last Time... I also liked his Henry in Henry's Crime, but am aware that it wasn't everyone's cup of... anything. on the contrary ;)

Favorite movies... that would depend on the day/mood. I do have some issues with Constantine the movie, especially regarding the story (someone took too much liberty in adapting the comics, plus Constantine's past is not properly explained) but it's the only movie I watched four times in 24 hours. Yeah, I know how this sounds ;) Another favorite is A Scanner Darkly, because it tells a story written by one of my favorite writers, it's directed by one of my favorite film directors, and it features my favorite actor. What could I ask for more? It's my own private Christmas, sort of.
But there's something about each of Keanu's films. Watching his filmography is like attending film school.

I left aside The Matrix Trilogy because that's my favorite movie of all times. The singular is used on purpose; I see it as one movie seven hours long :) eight, with The Animatrix ;) It's got so many layers to it that each viewing brings something new; a detail, a nuance I haven't noticed before. And Keanu as Neo... he was something else. To live with that particular character for so long... a character who found his true voice after five years and only in the last ten minutes of the last film... that's quite a feature. It doesn't compare with anything.

imo, of course ;)

Wow, Luca. You have so much depth. It's embarrassing following your post. I can only speak from a 'movie goer's' point of view.

I'm going to sound like my daughter. "Mom, remember when you were a little girl in the 1900's?" LOLOL...

I noticed KR in Point Break. Point Break will always be a favourite action movie.

The best comedy movie for me would be The Replacements. My brother would argue and say "I Love You To Death" but I have never seen it so I cannot compare (and it's not available for rent where I can).

The best "current" movie for me would be Street Kings.

What's old is new again so I am looking forward to Ronin (Kung Fu). I enjoyed Bruce Lee in the 70's (we lived on a Radar base and had to have a "permission slip" to see Five Fingers of Death" otherwise I never would have seen it on the silver screen anywhere else.) Additionally, I enjoyed Jean Claude Van Damme movies back in the 80's.(Seriously!) So I will be seeing Ronin on the big screen. Looking forward to it.

I usually do not watch a movie over and over, but I was glad I watched Matrix a couple of times. Each time I rewarded it, I caught something I missed the first time around. I really enjoyed watching his face and body language in Matrix (not just because he's so handsome). I tried explaining this to my husband and he looks at me like just fast forward to the fight scenes, but Keanu has a way of expressing emotion on his face while keeping his body so still. He doesn't need to explode into anger to convey that the character is angry. Hope this makes sense, I think I may still be on vacation. Thanks to my husband I am hooked on his action movies. I don't have any one favorite movie, but I though his small role in Something's Gotta Give was cute.

Darn autocorrect "rewatched".

Artemismoon wrote:

I tried explaining this to my husband and he looks at me like just fast forward to the fight scenes, but Keanu has a way of expressing emotion on his face while keeping his body so still. He doesn't need to explode into anger to convey that the character is angry.

I totally get what you are saying Artemismoon! In "A Walk in The Clouds", when Paul comes upon Victoria and they talk about her situation. She talks about a man coming and staying one night and then leaving in the morning. Paul interjects that the man puts a note in the mail and Victoria finishes by saying the note would say he abandoned her. When Paul looks at her, the look is so real when he says.."It happens"! The best I can do is give you this beautiful creation, asking that you pay close attention to 0:12-0:21 on the time line. THAT is the expression, so real, so genuine.

My kids and I happened upon "The Replacements" the other night. It was cool to explain to my boy how Keanu had taken a cut in pay to allow the project to bring on another big time star. He is so much a team player! Anyway..I think that was cool! And it is always a pleasure to turn on the tube and find one of his movies showing. He is everywhere...lol!

Artemismoon wrote:

... Keanu has a way of expressing emotion on his face while keeping his body so still. He doesn't need to explode into anger to convey that the character is angry.

THAT.

I have seen all of KR's movies and I am in agreement with Luca. I still say Constantine is one of his best. For me it is the combo of sarcasim and a jaded view of the world, while still having some sense of altruism left. Kinda like a battle worn soldier of some kind - seen too much sort of. And I just love that look you mentioned - seething with anger.

If you can catch it maybe youtube, love you to death is really worth watching, although it will add to the rumor mill. He plays the character so convincingly, some may speculate that he was stoned. I don't think so because later movies show the same process - self containment. Kinda like a method actor does - the camera is just observing what is happening not the other way around. Kinda like he isn't even aware of the camera he is so into character - you can even see the wheels turning. Besides if you do catch this film the entire cast is amazing.

Another personal favorite is Prince of Pennsylvania. I had a friend watch this movie and she thought he was cute. I guess that is my point. On the whole many people pigeon hole his performances into "one" category. My take was that there was some very subtle work going on here that even now we are only beginning to see. In this film there are tiny blips that you have to watch for that do give a great deal of depth. One scene is were he is cleaning up at the mine (takes place in a coal mine) in the staff worker room and his stance is very definative - pure rebellion, anger, and pride. No way you could break that spirit.

Many films that he has done comfort me because they contain a "sweetness" that is not often found in films these days. Take the Lake House for one. I knew the whole story from the beginning before I saw the film yet I still wanted to believe - besides seeing the guy on the ground in the beginning after being hit by the bus - I knew whose butt that was. But yet I still wanted to believe - even though there were flaws in the time line. One of Sandra's better performances by the way - very convincing portrayal of a young doctor.(I kinda perfer her in drama).Same to be said for Walk in the clouds and others.

In similar circustances are Hardball and the Replacements, both being characters down on their luck yet good at heart. In hardball the charcter is developed a bit more, and he is a bit gritter or coarser. Both requires the charcter to make a mental transistion to become something better and to move forward in their lives. Of course with The Replacements you have the contribution of many notable actors that provide humour and drive.

The Matrix Trilogy is a stand alone for me. It is in my top 10 of all time, but as to Keanu I can't really say a lot. His performance was so well intregated with the plot/characters that for me it is not his alone - it is a collected work that could not have worked without each and every piece involved. The subject appealed to me from the get go, the slickness, the design even the original website was so highly creative and original that it just worked on every level. The down side is that this combination is so very rare that I keep hoping for a film that will impress me that much and none has met that mark since. Guess that is why I too keep watching The Matrix - put it this way I got an extra box set so that if something happens to the first box, I got backup.:)

Some of his darker characters (Donnie Barksdale, Jack Traven) have been very interesting to watch. I know Donnie - I think I dated him in High School. Big Compliment there - when you can create a fictional charcater that reminds you of a real life character that is pretty impressive. As to Jack I know him as well - it was the "singlemindedness" of Jack that reminds me of someone I know and yes it can be dangerous to be like that. As to Street Kings I would have been more impressed if they kept the deleted scenes in - it gave a stronger insight into Jack's character. Watch them if you get the chance, it may change your take on Jack. I personally found his choices to be sad, considering how he turns his back on his lady. And yea that really happens that way especially when someone has blinders on.

As to smaller films he has done, Thumbsucker, Private Lives of Pippa Lee, even a Scanner Darkly I am always impressed by his contribution to the film. Some big some small but I always look forward to his part. Thats because I never know what to expect so it is interesting to watch, and to figure out where he is coming from. It involves me, and the performance has never been transparent for me. The subtlies are always there.

As always my performance is the one he hasn't done yet. I hope in future he can take on more charcters that are mature, good and most definately bad(he really is good at the bad ones) and challenge himself with a role that has more words. Most of things he has done do not require long speeches but I bet he could do that very well. Especially in something that was "cerebral" like a really good dark mystery. And yes I am still one of the ones still holding out hope for Jekyll.

Lizaird wrote:

And yes I am still one of the ones still holding out hope for Jekyll.

... you and me both ;):)

Lizaird wrote:

- besides seeing the guy on the ground in the beginning after being hit by the bus - I knew whose butt that was.

... the (only) downside of being a fan ;)

I think when Keanu is playing the role of a hero/savior he plays the character as a reluctant hero. That's what caught my attention about his acting. I like watching the actors that are very subtle. I like keeping watch for an expression or a small part that defines the character.

I am really looking forward to Ronin.

Favourite Keanu movie? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.....Unfortunately I have not seen them all, so any good hints are welcome. And as Luca said, it always depends on the mood. So I can't (as usual) make up my mind. I do like them all for different reasons.

I think Phillip K Dick would be proud of Keanu's performance in 'A Scanner Darkly'. I'm a huge PKD fan, and I have to say that the cast for ASD was perfect, a group of all my favorite actors and actress. If you haven't seen this movie, light up and enjoy.

It was possibly my favorite Keanu film. Probably because I really like Harrelson, Downey and Ryder.

Thanks for all the great responses!

I'm pleased that so many others enjoyed Keanu's performance in Constantine. I haven't yet seen some of the movies commenters mentioned - new (to ME at least) KR movies to see.

Excellent!

He was perfect as Dr. Julian! And I loved him in The Devil’s Advocate and Point Break. Never saw Matrix, Constantine .... because I don't like these sort of films.
You wonder why I got here? I saw him and I fell in love with him.....:-)