We all have our stories. Mine include blowing Phish bassist Mike Gordon's cover at some sandwich shop near Sugarbush, Vermont, stalking Carrot Top after he performed at my college, THEE University of Tampa, and standing behind Tony Dungy while trying to get through airport security without even realizing it was him due to being a little groggy for an AM flight.
Now, anyone wanting to read something about The Aviator should probably stop right now unless you want to dwell on my encounter with one of it's characters. In brief, it's a great movie, and probably Leonardo DiCaprio's best acting performance. The funniest line is when someone says, "he's as queer as a bedbug", which is the funniest gay slang I've heard since Kevin Spacey referenced someone being a "swish" in L.A.
K-Hep is probably the biggest celebrity I've ever met, you know aside from those times I partied with Dubya, Obama and Charlie Sheen while we ran a train on Paris Hilton. Recently, the K-Hep story was reviewed again with my mom because my whole family was part of it (I think), and we all remember it differently. I'll give a little back story, and then … Celebrity Encounters with Katherine Hepburn.
In the late 70s, early 80s, my mom was a secretary for the former mayor of West Hartford (my hometown), whom I always knew as Mr. Grant who lived on Steele road. This wasn't a relative of Cary Grant, or Ulysees S. Grant, or any famous Grants (at least I don't think), but his wife was the daughter of K-Hep. My mom ran into her numerous times and got a really bad impression because she apparently treated her help like shit (GET ME SOME WATER! OOOWOWOWOW OOOWOWOWOW OOOWOWOWOW). I didn't care because this was the woman in On Golden Pond and other than that …
Ya know what I just realized? I used up my Katherine Hepburn story when I wrote about The African Queen:
Man, my memory sucks.
Okay, let's go with what I do best …
Top 10 Leonardo DiCaprio Acting Performances … Not the best movies he's in, but the best he does …
10. "Growing Pains"
I gots to include the orphan Luke. Leo made a good unwanted child back in the day, probably because nobody wanted him.
9. This Boy's Life
In this, DeNiro is an overbearing step-father to Leo and abusive to him. I don't know why I haven't seen this one more often but the thought of DeNiro inflicting some strict discipline beatdowns on Luke from "Growing Pains" leads me to believe I need to see this again.
8. Inception
He was out of place in this one, but did well. This role should've been for Arnold
7. TIE: Blood Diamond & The Departed
Leo with an accent! Kinda doesn't work, but whatever.
6. Gangs of New York
He didn't have a chance going against Daniel Day Lewis in this one.
5. Catch Me If You Can
This is the perfect role for him, and he delivered well.
4. The Beach
This movie has aged very well. It's becoming one of those movies that if it's on TV, I'm probably going to watch as much of it as I can.
3. Titanic
I'M KING OF THE WORLD!!!! This movie made him. I know it's easy to hate this movie and his performance but I ask you haters this: Why would you not want to watch a movie about a ship of aristocrats sinking and Leo freezing to death?
2. The Basketball Diaries
I haven't seen this in a long time either. I'm probably due.
1. The Aviator
His only performance that comes close is The Basketball Diaries, well, and of course his role on "Growing Pains."
I think the Departed needs to rank higher...Basketball Diaries came on over the weekend and I used to love this movie, however it did not hold up well. I guess at the time drugs made this movie better than it was.
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