James Woods

Hands down, my favorite actor on the planet!

The thing is, I haven't actually seen a huge chunk of his filmography
Even back when I watched John Q., I just knew he was someone special
But I really discovered him through this one movie—I can't for the life of me remember the title. He plays some kind of soldier; I'm not even sure if he's a prisoner or a guard, but there’s some sort of interrogation going on... anyone recognize it? It’s gotta be at least 20 years old.

Then there's Citizen Kane—he absolutely killed it in that role. I never actually sat through the whole thing, just bits and pieces... and for some reason, I haven't been able to track it down anywhere for years.

Is there anyone else out there who's a fan of his? 😁

goldentinker70 said:Hands down, he’s the finest actor on the planet!

To be honest, I can't say I've sat through much of his filmography.
John Q., I remember watching him back then and knowing exactly what kind of man he was.
I actually caught a glimpse of him in some movie—I can’t quite recall the title, though. He plays some sort of soldier; I’m not entirely sure if he’s the one being interrogated or the guard conducting the session, but there's definitely an interrogation scene involved. It feels like a classic from at least twenty years ago. Does anyone happen to recognize the film?

Perhaps this one... They say you can't have one without the other, and honestly, looking at the way things play out in both arenas, I’m starting to believe them. There is a certain structural similarity between a messy breakup and a tactical skirmish that most people tend to overlook because they’re too busy being blinded by emotion. In war, you prepare for the worst-case scenario. You build fortifications, you scout the terrain, and you try to anticipate every possible move your opponent might make. It’s all about defense and calculated strikes. Now, take romance—if you approach a relationship with that same level of defensive maneuvering, you’ve already lost. You spend so much energy building walls to protect your heart that there’s no room left for anyone to actually walk through the front door. But then, there’s the flip side. Once the conflict starts—whether it’s a legal battle over assets or just a heated argument in a kitchen in Chicago—the "rules" of engagement shift. Suddenly, the diplomacy is gone, and you’re left with raw, unvarnished friction. In war, once the peace treaty is signed, you move on. In love, even after the "treaty" is reached, the ghosts of the old battles tend to linger in the hallways, much like how a small town in the Midwest never quite forgets a local scandal. It’s a delicate balance. You want enough vulnerability to allow for connection, but enough strategy to ensure you aren't completely leveled when things go south. It's a bit like playing chess while someone is constantly trying to change the shape of the board. A tricky game, to say the least.?

I have to agree, he’s a solid actor. It’s just that I haven’t actually sat down to watch one of his films in quite a while.

slywolf45 said:Maybe that one In Love and War?

I think he’s a solid actor—even if it's been quite a while since I've actually sat down to watch one of his movies.

He was in something recent... totally gray-haired and just a small role. I can't recall the title... he played some college professor—maybe in Wolf?
I'm pretty sure it was actually Steve Jobs

slywolf45 said:Maybe this In Love and War one?

Yeah—I think that might be the 👍
one. I definitely need to check it out.
Thanks 🙂

I have a copy of Vampires if you haven't seen it yet

Once upon a time in the USA, via The Hard Way 😍

goldentinker70 said:He was in that one recent thing... just a brief cameo, really. I can't quite put my finger on the title... he plays some college professor, maybe in Wolf?
I think he's actually in Steve Jobs

Yeah, I see he's in Steve Jobs. Honestly though, I just can't bring myself to sit through that movie.

He was also in Casino, Once Upon a Time in America, and Nixon...

I mostly remember him from an old comedy with Michael J. Fox—it was ages ago. He played this incredibly high-strung detective, and if I recall correctly, he was pretty fantastic in it.

Ah, there it is: The Hard Way.

Best thing about Videodrome!
The Hard Way is a total riot too—plus that political vibe in El Salvador is spot on.

Look, there are still a few of us left who actually remember that movie. 😁

slywolf45 said:Look, there are still plenty of us who remember that flick. 😁

Duh. Pretty sure it’s the most aired movie on basically every cable channel out there—you know, those late-night filler slots like Dickless Tracy, Nick Lang's Smoking Gun, Party Crasher, or Frog Dog.

Casey Cox2 said:Fair point. That’s probably one of the most played movies on cable TV or satellite channels nowadays—you know, those endless loops of *Dick Tracy*, Nick Lang's *Smoking Gun*, *Party Crasher*, or *Frog Dog*.

Well, I don't really watch much TV, so I can't say for sure.

I only saw it once a long time ago, so my memory is a bit fuzzy on the details, but I do remember absolutely losing it laughing. 😁

goldentinker70 said:Then there’s the movie Citizen Cohn—he really stood out for me with that stellar performance.

My internal radar picked up on him immediately, and I was totally hooked from the jump. 😁
I actually enjoyed the film quite a bit.

> (even though Sharon was in a league of her own there, Woods completely overshadowed the rest of the genre regulars 😁), Once Upon a Time in America... oh, and El Salvador, plus I still remember The Boost (1988).

A while back, I caught him when he was just a kid in some mediocre flick I stumbled upon—maybe it was The Visitors? I can't say for sure since I missed a good chunk of it, but I'll double-check soon to see if my memory serves me right.

He looks scruffy and totally unpolished in that brilliant night moves small role.


*Killer: A Journal of Murder (1995) — basically his version of Videodrome. Totally forgot about that one.

Emily Patel64 said:My radar picked up on him immediately—suddenly, he was head over heels, just completely smitten. 😁

Well put—I'm with you on that one! 👍

He truly delivered his most compelling performance in El Salvador.

I honestly had this overwhelming urge to just strangle him while I was watching The Onion Field (1979). Since he’s playing such a spineless, absolutely repulsive villain, you have to admit he did a hell of a job portraying that level of sleaze.🙂

Casey Cox2 said:He’s just a scrawny, unpolished kid, even in that brilliant night moves—he's playing such a minor role there.


*Killer : a Journal of Murder (1995) — honestly, that's right up there with Videodrome for me. I forgot how much of a trip it was.

I haven't actually seen 🙈night moves
.
The Visitors and Night Moves are both total trash.

Great actor, really love him. He’s also pretty famous for being way smarter than your average guy.

Man, I don't think anyone even remembers him from that Kingov Cat's Eye flick back in '85—you know, the one where he plays that guy who’s freaking out because he has to quit smoking or else some horrible thing is gonna happen to his family..? 🙂

Such an incredible actor! He's easily one of my favorites... Wood's rules! 🙏