FIREPROOF - The new film from Sherwood Pictures

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Huh? Who have I blamed? I simply said he hasn't directed well. I didn't blame anyone specifically. Show me where I did. Honestly none of the movies he's done (including Left Behind) were from any noteable directors but I do believe he could be directed better.

Your quote...

Kirk suffers from bad roles and questionable direction.

-Nate

Kirk chose the role, blame him. Or the casting agent, the director works with what he has. Didn't Kirk foot the bill for some of this project? Not 100% sure on that.

Either way, he has been around long enough to prove himself to be a great actor. He is not. Nobody's fault but his own limited talent.

Mike

 

[CallaghanFilms]

Now that I think about it,
what about "Boner"?

He could have been big.

 

[Nathyn]

Your quote...

This is no different from what I just said. Didn't you just read it?

Kirk chose the role, blame him. Or the casting agent, the director works with what he has. Didn't Kirk foot the bill for some of this project? Not 100% sure on that.

This is what I'm saying, this seems to be personal. (Meaning a personal dislike of Kirk). Why does it matter who miscast him, he's miscast. Period.

Either way, he has been around long enough to prove himself to be a great actor. He is not. Nobody's fault but his own limited talent.

Mike

You're serious? Dude, up until now Cameron's boldest Hollywood work has been "Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers". The Left Behind stuff aside (where he was again miscast as a gruff reporter, but as a person whose seen enough of Cloud Ten's films Cameron's wife and the main lead were the best fit. The badguy was awesome too).

Honestly, Christian films suffer from choosing actors based on faith than talent for some roles, and maybe there's roles Kirk won't take. But his talent or supposed lack of seems to be an issue for people looking for something to have against the film. Ironically lot of people have said Kirk was actually good for the part.

-Nate

 

[jls4]

Honestly, Christian films suffer from choosing actors based on faith than talent for some roles,

This is what I think is the biggest problem is most Christian and really any genre based movie. People want to get those who are more into/ or are more like the audience they are selling to, instead of focusing on good people.

 

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

You're serious? Dude, up until now Cameron's boldest Hollywood work has been "Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers". The Left Behind stuff aside (where he was again miscast as a gruff reporter, but as a person whose seen enough of Cloud Ten's films Cameron's wife and the main lead were the best fit. The badguy was awesome too).


-Nate

If he was brimming with talent he would be all over the big screen. There's a reason he's not. He's not a really great actor, as Brandon already pointed out. Is he biased too?

I'm done debating his talent or lack thereof.

Don't expect any nominations for this one. :beer:

Mike

 

[J.R. Hudson]

Fox was a great actor...I don't think it's a fair comparison to Cameron.
I'd compare him (Kirk) to the kid from Alf or Mr. Belvedere first...

MJF is a superb talent. No question. A fine actor and a master of comedic flair (not the Jim Carrey kind, but the understated art)

Casualties of War is a fine performance. I agree, mentioning Cameron in the same breath is an insult to acting.

We all admit Kirk isn't great. But why pretend he's so bad? Maybe you really believe he is. If so, what exactly is Kirk doing so wrong in his acting? If you were directing Kirk what would you tell him? Judging from roles I'm seen him in he was okay.

-Nate

I don't think he's bad but really not great.

 

[Brandon Rice]

He is not a leading man in a drama... that's all I have to say... comedies maybe, drama no.

and again, it's just my subjective opinion

 

[Nathyn]

If he was brimming with talent he would be all over the big screen. There's a reason he's not. He's not a really great actor, as Brandon already pointed out. Is he biased too?

Hm? I also pointed out he wasn't great. As for him not being all over Hollywood, that's his choice. He could've been and was popular enough at one time to be. As I just wrote to someone else there's several very easy formula's for a successful Kirk Cameron film if cast right. One is quite simple. For $200,000 I could make a PG-13 horror film that would blow Kirk up. Formula: Kirk + cute chick (could be his wife if need be) + monsters/killers/zombies + scared teens + religious message = hit. This stuff's not hard. Play to his strengths. Wow, it's not rocket science.

I don't think he's bad but really not great.

This is my only point. People are trying to make him out to be such a horrible actor when even some critics liked him in this. Many Hollywood actors aren't GREAT but we like to see them onscreen for whatever reason, so why can we not apply this same "good feeling" to Kirk. Because people feel like he's a has been.

He is not a leading man in a drama... that's all I have to say... comedies maybe, drama no.

I think everyone's in agreement here, but then again there are people who liked him in this role so aren't they allowed to be right too? Personally I would love to see what would happen if a not so great A-list actor was discovered to have a Christian ministry. I wonder how people would feel about his acting? Suddenly all the focus would be on his beliefs which would connect to people's personal feelings suddenly he'd be an unfit actor to some.

-Nate

 

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

As I just wrote to someone else there's several very easy formula's for a successful Kirk Cameron film if cast right. For $200,000 I could make a PG-13 horror film that would blow Kirk up. Formula: Kirk + cute chick (could be his wife if need be)

It would have to be. He won't kiss another woman but his wife! Even if just "acting".

 

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

He is not a leading man in a drama... that's all I have to say... comedies maybe, drama no.

and again, it's just my subjective opinion

And it's a good one. :beer:

 

[Nathyn]

It would have to be. He won't kiss another woman but his wife! Even if just "acting".

Makes me want to work with him all the more. I personally don't like kissing married actresses. I did in my film but certainly not passionately. Maybe I'll take that stance too when I marry. There's also the possibility of a characters NOT having a romantic relationship at all with the female lead. They could be brother and sister or simply not even like one another (which the script would actually call for). I have a great idea for a horror film for him. He could be lead and I'd switch off and be the evil creature.

-Nate

 

[Batutta]

I wouldn't call Kirk a bad actor, but he has about as much edge as a nerf ball. He was not ever destined to be any kind of movie star. I mean, another former teen beat actor like Leo DiCaprio, who was also on Growing Pains if I'm not mistaken, at least has SOME edge. Could you picture Kirk Cameron pulling off The Departed? I think it's safe to say without the Christian film industry we would have forgotten about him a long time ago.

 

[J.R. Hudson]

I have to agree with that assessment Batutta

I also still have some disdain for his choice of not kissing another girl and being an actor. Too weird for me.

 

[KyleProhaska]

Just to dive in here, besides the few things he's been in since then...he strayed away from acting on purpose to begin the ministries he now runs and or is apart of. Becoming the next Paul Newman was never really in his future plans (from what he's said)...not that it would be possible for him to do that lol.

 

[J.R. Hudson]

They all say that when it's not a possible reality

ha ha

 

[jls4]

Makes me want to work with him all the more. I personally don't like kissing married actresses. I did in my film but certainly not passionately. Maybe I'll take that stance too when I marry. There's also the possibility of a characters NOT having a romantic relationship at all with the female lead. They could be brother and sister or simply not even like one another (which the script would actually call for). I have a great idea for a horror film for him. He could be lead and I'd switch off and be the evil creature.

-Nate

First time that we've bumped heads Nate. Actors are what they are. They Act. Many Asian Films don't allow the leads to kiss. They hug alot and sometimes put lips close together like old movies. A good actor will not be "attracted" to their co-stars so easily. I make my actors do everything, from strip down to "swimming suit" type of undergarments (bra, panties, boxer briefs) to kiss with tougne, to neck, etc. They are actors, that's their job. I don't feel sorry about it, I'm not afriad of it.

That being said, I DO have a problem with actors not kissing, etc. It's not a love scene, it's not "the real deal". I'm not into nudity or anything, so I'd never push my actors "too" far. But if I want them to kiss, I'm not even giving them a warm up. It's in the script, it's what's natural so do it. If I was working with Kirk then he wouldn't be in a role where he's romantically involved with anyone. To me it's like a Cinematographer saying I only do 5600K light, I don't do Tungsten it hurts my eyes.

 

[Nathyn]

I disagree. It was his choice to leave the industry from what I understand. Kirk Cameron had tons of fans and could've went on to other things. And maybe the fact Kirk has no edge to him makes him perfect for what he's doing now. Why does everything and everyone have to have an "edge" now days. And what makes you think Cameron couldn't be a comedic actor? One more thing I find amusing, if not for the "Action Film" industry Arnold, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and a host of others would've been forgotten about, if not for the "comedic film industry" Jim Carrey and Will Ferrel would've been forgotten about, etc. Why is it Christians aren't allowed to have movies we like in America 2008? Every industry or genre or type of film has it's stars and such. Why should it be any different with us? We like Kirk. He not used very well because this is a new thing to many of us. It's teaching old dogs new trick. There's are some sects of Christianity that believe movies are evil period. It's not Biblical but it's what they believe. The sad irony is no one would be talking smack about Kirk if this film hadn't been successful. Had this film not been number #4 in the top ten (or in the top ten) no one would care about this. Now everyone has an opinion about how bad this hit film (that majority of viewers seem to like) is. Normally when people have a hit film that the majority of the audience liked that's considered a successful film. Interesting.

I also still have some disdain for his choice of not kissing another girl and being an actor. Too weird for me.

But that's his level of commitment to his wife. James Caviezel wouldn't do a scene with JLo for the same reason. We all see where that got him - oh wait, didn't James Caviezel play Jesus in a small indy Passion of the Christ? I don't think it did to well at the box office though.

-Nate

 

[Brandon Rice]

Nate... dude

I honestly wouldn't say Arnold, Jet Li, or Jackie Chan are good dramatic actors... nor Will Ferrel... Jim Carrey has done some good drama stuff, he's the exception... just because someone works for a certain genre doesn't make them a good dramatic actor

 

[Nathyn]

Nate... dude

I honestly wouldn't say Arnold, Jet Li, or Jackie Chan are good dramatic actors... nor Will Ferrel... Jim Carrey has done some good drama stuff, he's the exception... just because someone works for a certain genre doesn't make them a good dramatic actor

I didn't say they were. Simply every genre has it's stars. Reread my post. Each genre, action, comedy, drama, etc has the people it likes the most so why not us. And again, I'm not saying Cameron is a great actor. Simply not as bad as he's being said to be. Simply cast him in the right role and he'll shine. That's all I'm saying.

First time that we've bumped heads Nate. Actors are what they are. They Act. Many Asian Films don't allow the leads to kiss. They hug alot and sometimes put lips close together like old movies. A good actor will not be "attracted" to their co-stars so easily.

No but attraction also aids in driving a scene sometimes.

I make my actors do everything, from strip down to "swimming suit" type of undergarments (bra, panties, boxer briefs) to kiss with tougne, to neck, etc. They are actors, that's their job. I don't feel sorry about it, I'm not afriad of it.

I understand this but HE obviously feels it's a violation to HIS marriage. My marriage versus kissing some broad I don't know from eve - if the wife says no or I feel it's too much - then no. Sorry. The marriage is more important. You may not, I don't really but again I do keep kissing of married women to a minimum and if I were married I would probably either keep it to a minimum or take it out.

Certainly it's something I would talk to my wife about. I respect him for that more than anything. There's are plenty of good and even fun films where the lead never kisses the girl and never has to. And can we admit sometimes getting to close to a co-star has destroyed marriages? Or am I the only one who sees this?

Edit: Actor or not, is it odd to anyone we're on a man's case for NOT kissing other women while married?

-Nate

 

[Brandon Rice]

my comments are in no way saying you should not like Kirk Cameron, or his performance for that matter... I'm just saying I do not think he's a strong dramatic lead

And maybe he would work in some kind of horror-thriller... that's not a drama