Link here. Like I said, in general I'm a lot less opinionated about the under-30 guys than the under-30 girls, so whatev. Though, of course, there are some actors that I'm foaming at the mouth are on here over my brilliant JKras (if they could fill the women's list with TV actresses, why not this one?) and, like, say, Topher Grace. And yes, it's true - we really lost something very special with Heath Ledger.
Michael Cera - He's totally cute and endearing, and I really liked him in Juno, Superbad, and what I've seen of Arrested Development. But what kind of order are these lists in? They're not in age or alphabetical order. Are they in numerical order? There's no way he should be #1. He really needs to stretch himself, and quick. Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist definitely doesn't look like a film that's going to do that...
Elijah Wood - I've never liked him in anything, not even Eternal Sunshine. Unworthy. And good lord, does he creep me out (and this was before Sin City, thanks).
Chris Evans - Super ridiculously hot? YES. Great or even good actor? NO. Though I guess the fact that he's going to be in The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond is pretty promising.
Channing Tatum - See above.
Paul Dano - He was so great in There Will Be Blood, but so shitty in Little Miss Sunshine. He was good in L.I.E., but I don't remember him from anything else. I'm still trying to make up my mind on him, but There Will Be Blood is a tremendous step forward.
Joseph Gordon Levitt - He's fine. He was quite great in Mysterious Skin and good in Brick, but he doesn't excite me at all. But he is young. He definitely shows promise.
Gael Garcia Bernal - Ugh. Am I the only one that doesn't like him at all? Look at the picture Entertainment Weekly has of him, he looks so friggin' smug and gross. He was great in Bad Education but I can't see his hype otherwise at all - not in Amores perros, not in Y tu mama tambien, not in The Crime of Father Amaro, not in The Motorcycle Diaries, not in The King, not in The Science of Sleep, not in Babel. He's okay in each, but far from great and not anywhere near award-worthy. One of the most overrated working actors today. Oh, and he's ugly. Just had to say it.
Jake Gyllenhaal - Yes, I do think he's overrated at times simply because he's so fucking hot, but that doesn't mean he's not extremely talented. Between Brokeback Mountain, Donnie Darko (he's the only reason to see that mess of a movie), Zodiac, and Jarhead, he's already given four fantastic performances in not terribly many movies, and shown tremendous range. In my mind, he should quite blatantly be #1 on this list. I mean, Michael Cera over him? Just because Cera happens to be the flavor of the moment? Come on. Channing Tatum? CHRIS EVANS? No.
Michael Pitt - I CAN'T STAND HIM. I thought he was so terrible in The Dreamers and Last Days. I don't remember him from his other movies. Though, it must be said that he looks terrifying and fantastic in Funny Games, but quite frankly I'm not planning on seeing that movie until it's out on DVD at least. I have my...major problems with the original. I don't feel the need to revisit that movie. And oh lord, his IMDb picture is funny.
Taylor Kitsch - I don't watch Friday Night Lights, so I have nothing to say about him. Judging from Entertainment Weekly's picture, though, he really needs to cut his hair.
Hayden Christensen - I'm the only one that still likes him, if only because of one performance: Shattered Glass. Dear lord, he is GREAT in that. In fact, I will not see Jumper because I don't want it to destroy my memories of that. I'm the only one still waving the flag of "Hayden Christensen can totally act, no really he can!" Though, yes, he is terrrrrrrible in the Star Wars movies.
Jesse Eisenberg - I only saw him in The Squid and the Whale (and The Village, where I don't remember him), where he was great. He needs to do more work, obviously, but he certainly shows potential.
Jason Schwartzman - He kind of sucks. I really liked him in Rushmore, but that's the last time I did. I Heart Huckabees, Shopgirl, Marie-Antoinette - all awful performances. His performance in The Darjeeling Limited isn't awful, but it isn't any good either and he gets outdone by Brody and Wilson, neither of whom are very good actors. Recently, I gotta say he did crack me up in Walk Hard. But I still don't like him as an actor at all.
Lee Pace - I haven't seen Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day yet and I don't watch Pushing Daisies (I totally should, what with RAUL ESPARZA!!!! being on it apparently, but I don't), so I can't comment on him. Yeah, he's pretty hot, though...
Jim Sturgess - He was fine if not great or award-worthy in any way in Across the Universe and The Other Boleyn Girl. I like how he's being marketed as a "name" for 21; does anyone know who he is besides us weird movie people?
Ben Foster - Yes, like everyone else, he creeps me out. But he appears to be having fun in his roles, and not trying excessively hard (I mean that in a good way!). I want to see what he does next.
Emile Hirsch - Well, I really liked him in Into the Wild, and I was pretty sad he didn't get that Oscar nod. I guess I like him, but I haven't seen him in anything else.
James McAvoy - He's quite overrated, yeah, but he's certainly one of the most talented on this list. He's just the Ryan Gosling of 2007 (as in, "OH MY GOD. HE IS THE MOST AMAZING ACTOR EVER. AND HE IS SOOOOO HOT.")...but Ryan Gosling was the James McAvoy of post-Oscar-nominations 2006, so I suppose that's fitting (let me explain. So everyone freaked out over McAvoy in Last King of Scotland, in a performance that's not much more than "well, he is pretty good, but damn Forest Whitaker takes this movie right out from under him."I actually read some blog that said "James is better than Forest in Last King of Scotland because he is better-looking." Honest to blog. HAHA I MADE A FUNNY JOKE or not. Then, when Ryan Gosling got the Oscar nomination, everyone started being like OH MY GOD I LOVE RYAN GOSLING HE IS SOOOO HOT DID YOU SEE The Believer? ME NEITHER BUT I BET HE IS AMAZING IN IT.)
Jamie Bell - He has Billy Elliot and then...nothing. He needs to do more before I declare him a great actor.
Seth Rogen - I actually like him a lot. I think he's really funny. And I'm gonna admit something embarassing here... he's really cute. I know! I am supposed to think he's a schlub! But I just think he's really cute. Dammit! Look at that Entertainment Weekly picture of him, he's adorable.
Jonah Hill - Wow, he's only a year younger than Seth Rogen? I thought he was like 16. Anyway, I really don't like him. Like I've said multiple times, I think Jonah Hill is who you get when you can't get Seth Rogen or to play backup to Seth Rogen when Seth Rogen is playing lead because he's wayyyy more talented. He's annoying and abrasive and never very funny.
Zachary Levi - Don't watch Chuck (which I always confuse with Dexter. Doesn't Dexter sound like a name for a guy that would download spy secrets, and Chuck sound like a serial killer?). Gosh, he's cute, though...
Ryan Gosling - Haha (considering what I wrote about him with McAvoy). Though, yeah, I do think he is overrated overall, he was stunning in Half Nelson and has my personal Oscar for it. He's never stood out in anything else, though, and I thought he was bad in Fracture (to be fair, his role consisted of pointing finger guns at people and going "heeeeyyy!" in the first half and looking all mopey in the second) and especially in Lars and the Real Girl (I'm thrilled he didn't get the Oscar nomination, as it would have been a mockery of his work the year before). He's definitely amazing in Half Nelson, however. That one performance alone makes him way more worthy than most guys on this list. And yes, look how cute.
Shia LaBeouf - I do think he has a great screen presence and he was way better than Disturbia or Transformers deserved. But he's no great actor (yet, anyway). And his hype last summer was a little strangling.
Justin Long - GROSS. NO. Is there anyone that actually likes Justin Long? Except for like Drew Barrymore.
Zac Efron - Wellllll... I really liked him in Hairspray. And I like that he's trying to get away from the world of High School Musical. But he's just soooo bad in High School Musical, both of them. And yeah, he's majorly overexposed. He's pretty cute, though, I've gotta say, when he's not wearing like 75 pounds of makeup. Like, when I saw Hairspray, I was like "OH MY GOD I'M ATTRACTED TO HIM. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DOOOOO???"
Chris Pine - I don't remember him from Smokin' Aces. So...I guess he's gonna be in Star Trek. Yay?
Justin Timberlake - I think Justin is actually a surprisingly good actor. I loved him in Smokin' Aces and really liked him in Southland Tales. I've never seen him be awful. But he better not dare give up his music career. And I don't think The Love Guru is the way to go. IMDb has some great pictures sometimes...
Daniel Radcliffe - As the Harry Potter movies go on, he definitely gets better and better. I think Equus was simply a fantastic choice to make, and based on what I've heard about his performance in it, he deserved all the hype he got. He's definitely a "shows promise" person. Though, yes, I don't see why all these girls think he's hot.
Elijah Kelly - Well, I really liked him in Hairspray, but has he even been in anything else...?
Oh, JKras. You were so robbed. Quite frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing him take the place of most of these other guys... also, geez, when they do these lists, you start to realize how few really talented actors and actresses under 30 there are. It's a shame, but I understand if actors and actresses want to spend time cultivating their talents. Still, when lists like this have to rely on, like, Miley Cyrus and Justin Long...
