Spotlight On: Johnny Depp

He's been mentioned in a lot of my other blog posts, so now I thought that it was time to give Johnny Depp his own spotlight. He is one of my all-time favorite actors and has appeared in several of my favorite films. I just love the different types of roles that he has played. I love how he can play super serious roles, but also ones that are completely goofy. Say what you will about Johnny Depp, but one thing you could never say is that he is boring. He is an actor who, when I see his name attached to a project, makes me instantly want to go see it. He is also incredibly handsome, so that is a definite plus. Here are some of my favorite Johnny Depp films.

Nightmare on Elm Street

Depp's very first films role was in the classic Freddy Krueger film. While he is basically just playing the love interest role to the main character, he does have one of the most memorable NOES deaths...



Cry-Baby

This is a John Waters film, so naturally it is going to be over the top and cheesy as hell. But...that is why I like it I guess. Depp also looks mighty fine in that 50s bad boy look!



Edward Scissorhands

I love this movie! This was Depp's first film directed by Tim Burton, and is also one of my favorite movies. It is a sort of Beauty and the Beast type story, except here the beast has scissors for hands and is really sweet and softspoken.



Benny and Joon

This is a really cute movie where he plays a really eccentric guy who does sort of Charlie Chaplin/ Buster Keaton type routines. The scene at the park and the scene at the diner where he does the Charlie Chaplin roll dance are really cute scenes, but my favorite was always the part where he swings by Joon's window.



Ed Wood

This is another Burton/ Depp film that is also one of my personal favorites. It is about B-movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. and all of the shitty movies he made. I have never seen any of Wood's movies, but if they are anything like they are portrayed in this film, then I know that they are pretty bad.

Donnie Brasco

I don't think that I've seen this entire movie, but there is always a scene that sticks in my mind. It is the scene where Depp's character is explaining what "forget about it" means.



Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

My favorite thing about this movie is hearing Depp's inner monologue. His character is a paranoid, drugged out journalist, so everything he thinks is just twisted and funny. This is probably my favorite of Depp's not-Tim Burton films. It is just really odd and hilarious, and there aren't really any other films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.



Sleepy Hollow

"It was a horseman, a dead one...headless!" I love Johnny Depp's portrayal of Icabod Crane. Apparently he wanted to add prosthetics to his face because Icabod is supposed to be ugly, but I am really glad that they didn't...



Blow

This is another movie where I have only seen bits and pieces when it was on TV, but I always remember the ending. The part where he gets arrested and can't pick up his daughter always makes me sad. Another really good scene is when he is making the recording for his father.



Pirates of the Caribbean

You don't see too many people getting Oscar nominations for playing pirates. I love Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow! I remember that I was so excited to see this movie when I was 13 that I read the novilization of the movie, and showed up to the theatre while the previous showing was still playing. And I wasn't disappointed! (With the first one anyway...)



Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Although noone will ever been Gene Wilder's portrayal of Willy Wonka, I still think that this one is worth mentioning. This is my least favorite of all the Depp/ Burton films, but I do think that its still a fun movie that has its good parts here and there.



Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

I love musicals and I love gore, so when you mix them up and add Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter you know I'm gonna love it! While he didn't do his own singing in Cry-Baby, he does do his own singing here, and I must say that he's pretty good!



Public Enemies

While this film wasn't my favorite as a whole, I did love Depp's performance as John Dillinger. My favorite scenes were the ones with him and Marion Cotillard.



Alice in Wonderland

It came as no surprise to me (or to anyone else I'd imagine) when I read that Depp was cast as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. He was the obvious choice really...

Upcoming:
He has two movies coming out within a year that I am really excited about. The first is The Rum Diary, which is another film version of a Hunter S. Thompson novel. The one that I am REALLY excited for, however, is Dark Shadows. It is directed by Tim Burton, and Depp plays a vampire! It also has greatest cast. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, and more! It is going to be awesome!