[Folsom]

Anyone else reading this? I just watched like every trailer for upcoming movies.

The guys are either violent killers, or total doofs. It is like they are dominate demoralized killers (be it police officer, criminal, what ever), or they are boy toys / idiots / subservient doofs, etc. 

The movie Biutiful could be considered a counter example, but that is only one film.

[jimdgoulding]

I've seen Biutiful and thought it was, well, biutiful.  Cheers.

[S Clark]

Check out "Tender Mercies" for a sensitive guy type flick. 

[S Clark]

Ryan's Daughter is a classic with Robert Mitchum in a great role.

[Folsom]

Men having humility is good. But I am largely commenting on contemporary movies; and their patterns.

Plus why does a man have to be muscle-bound to play characteristics of strengths. Men are actually incredible at taking on responsibilities. They tend to be amazing at being empathetical towards all. There is a lot to men aside from muscles, violence, and being a lovable joke or boy toy.

[jimdgoulding]

Check out "Tender Mercies" for a sensitive guy type flick.

And for Robert Duval's Oscar winning acting.  Saw a movie last night with he and Robert De Niro, True Confessions, and it's a brilliant  one.  He plays a hardened and cynical detective in 1940's LA and is loosely written around the Black Dahlia murder.

[Folsom]

There are actors that can't play a doof. No one would ever believe it. But movies about people are sort of on the wane except in the indie genre but they are always kind of depressed/sickly in nature. I like a lot of them, but they are just...  weird.

Actors I can name that don't have to be action heroes or doofs:

Javier Bardem
Oliver Reed
Bruce Willis
Robert Duvall
Josh Brolin
Robert De Niro
Liam Neeson
Viggo Mortensen (very under-utilized actor)

Even when they try to play a doof it is only funny because you can't believe it. It isn't that other guys can't play the roles they can; you just don't believe they got strengths that define greater depths beyond humor, muscle, and lust. They have to prove to you in the movie that they exhibit strong character. Even then intelligence isn't entirely reassured.

Contemporary action / doof actors. (a younger crowd)

The Rock (not a bad actor, surprisingly)
Twilight Characters
Bradley Cooper
Paul Dano (good actor, very roll limited)
Jason Statham
Kevin James
Hugh Jackman
Tom Cruise
Sam Rockwell
Terry Crews
Jean-Claude Van Damme (despite his amazing role in JCVD)
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Seth Rogan
Vince Vaughn
Jonah Hill
Channing Tatum (not as bad of an actor as he looks)
Paul Rudd
Jay Baruchel
Michael Cera
Christopher Mintz-Plasse

[JerryM]

Then you have doofs that can't play doofs. Nicholas Cage comes to mind. 

Sean Connery could play a doof. But then he'd kill everybody. 

[Tyson]

This is because he best/most interesting work in cinema is being done on TV nowadays - Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Boss; hell, even Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead are more about character development and group dynamics than just about anything you will see on the Cinema screen nowadays. 

[jimdgoulding]

This is because he best/most interesting work in cinema is being done on TV nowadays - Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Boss; hell, even Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead are more about character development and group dynamics than just about anything you will see on the Cinema screen nowadays.

Nice, T.  The big studios rely too much on formula.  There are exceptions, of course, every now and then.  Director James Cameron is a shining example of the former.  His ex old lady makes better movies for some of us.  I guess we have to remember the age bracket of who is spending money at the box office.  The big studios do, for sure.

[Folsom]

This is because he best/most interesting work in cinema is being done on TV nowadays - Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Boss; hell, even Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead are more about character development and group dynamics than just about anything you will see on the Cinema screen nowadays.

Good point Tyson. Mad Men is a great example that reveals the complexity behind men. Never seen The Wire. Love Breaking Bad.

The Walking Dead is interesting because it is about character despite the violence. Game of Thrones is one of the most amazing things ever but the character stuff is more archaic-detachment from us, which gives a lot of appeal to a world we don't understand well. Any time when the written word was less valuable than the spoken word isn't an easy thing to understand for us these days...

[Tyson]

Now, if you are tired of the Violent of Doofus dichotomy on the big screen, I suggest watching Archer - it combines a doofus secret agent that is super violent.  And a freaking great satire.  I'm not normally a big fan of animation, but Archer rocks.

[Folsom]

Yes I enjoy it too. There have been a few great cartoon. Sealab was very funny, but I've seen it too many times. The first season of Venture Bros was good. But alas I don't think I judge cartoons the same as I expect a vast detachment from reality with them. Sci-Fi movies are also good at subverting character as they offer not the ridiculous humor of cartoons, but the complex world of science fiction as entertainment; the shit just looks cool!

[wushuliu]

Anyone else reading this? I just watched like every trailer for upcoming movies.

The guys are either violent killers, or total doofs. It is like they are dominate demoralized killers (be it police officer, criminal, what ever), or they are boy toys / idiots / subservient doofs, etc. 

The movie Biutiful could be considered a counter example, but that is only one film.

Because actors are no longer the main attraction at the box office. It's about franchises, special fx, and 3-D. AND on the other hand women are becoming a more important demographic when it comes to movies - so there is now a niche for lower budget films with female leads. If you notice many of the better male actors are now in these 'chick flicks'.

So that leaves out A list actors who are also talented. Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, Willis etc., there's no longer a place for them and their films are bombing. Same w/ Tom Cruise who is fighting tooth and nail to remain relevant and earn top billing (have to admit he's done a good job so far). But there is ONE male actor who still commands top billing, top salary, and still pulls in big box office with no sign of being on the way out: Denzel.

He's the last of the Titans.

[Folsom]

I didn't realize Denzel commanded such higher salary. That is interesting. Personally I think he is well fit for a lot of roles, but stuck in them too!

[jimdgoulding]

Denzel is as versatile an actor as anyone.  Gotta disagree.