In honor of Let Him Go coming out this week, we are gonna rank the Best Ever Kevin Costner Movies. Let us know @Siftpop what your ranking is!
The beginning of the DCEU, doesn’t it just seem like long ago? Doesn’t it seem like we (ironically enough) had hope for where it could go? They certainly didn’t start with an easy one, that’s for sure. Telling the origin story of the original superhero, Superman, Zack Snyder’s first entry into the DC cinematic universe tells the story of Clark Kent as he comes to accept his abilities and use them for the greater good. Overall, this is such a fun film. You get a well-told origin story, some interesting internal struggles and moral quandaries at play and, of course, a honed performance by terminal dad Kevin Costner. Playing Mr. Kent, Costner’s role is pivotal in cementing who Clark Kent is, and how vital his need is to hide his identity. Most importantly, it cements what it is for Clark to be not just a superhero, but a good man. This is what has always set Superman apart in his universe – that he always strives to make good choices based on his human upbringing, not just based on what his abilities can do. A great watch for any superhero fan, Man of Steel is one of the good ones! (Alice Micheli)
Kevin Costner’s Roy McAvoy walks a very thin line. Costner plays a former pro who now manages a driving range and decides to try to qualify for the U.S. Open. A protagonist this stubborn and cocky could potentially get on your nerves. Somehow, Costner manages to make his flaws endearing. You side with his frustrated caddie (Cheech Marin) as his ego gets him into trouble time and time again, but you just can’t help to root for Roy anyway. The ending here is an absolute classic. There aren’t a ton of entries in the golf film catalogue, but there’s a reason this one is still in the pop culture lexicon. (Jake Bourgeois)
Aaron Sorkin has been criticized for overly-preachy scripts and it’s a widely-held position that his scripts are best executed when he has a director to reign him in, such as with The Social Network or A Few Good Men. And sure, Molly’s Game, Sorkin’s directorial debut, isn’t as good as the films I mentioned, or a number of other films he’s written, but it’s still a darn good movie. Kevin Costner plays Larry Bloom, the father of Jessica Chastain’s Molly Bloom, and while his role isn’t huge, it turns out to be the emotional core of the whole movie. The entire film is filled with Sorkin’s signature fast-paced dialogue between lots of characters, but it’s a scene towards the end between Chastain and Costner which is the film’s real heart, and it gets its true emotional punch due to these actors’ performances. With Molly’s Game, you can come for Sorkin, but you’ll stay because of the heart and the performances. (Robert Bouffard)
Who doesn’t love a good western movie? Open Range isn’t one that gets talked about much when it comes to the western genre, but this is an unfortunate case of a great movie that is forgotten. It stars Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall as cowhands who must seek vengeance after their friend/co-worker is murdered in cold blood by a landowner in a smaller town. What makes this film so special is that while on its surface it’s got all the things you would expect from a western, it also has something you don’t always get from other films in the genre: vulnerability. Its exploration of how people can hold in feelings and emotions and how we shouldn’t hold on to feelings and should speak our truths is something I really admire about this movie. Kevin Costner also gives a steady hand in the director’s chair by doing a wonderful job of capturing the west in all its glory. This movie also has one of the best ending shoot outs ever. If you love the western genre, give this one a watch. (Ben Davis)
What a great feel-good film about triumphing over racial barriers Hidden Figures is! With a trio of incredible and inspired performances from Tajiri P Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae, you might be wondering…was Kevin Costner even in this film? I guarantee you he is in the film and his performance is a great supporting turn. Obviously, this film is all about three incredible Black women who make great leaps at NASA. They break down barriers and prove that not only white men can get us to new heights. One such man along the way is their gruff and intense boss. Costner brings all of the gruffness he can and throws it into this role. His role might be small, but one scene with some property destruction makes him really standout. His supporting performance fits in well behind the charismatic and moving performances of the leads. (Shane Conto)
In the 80’s-90’s, Kevin Costner was the brightest star in all of Hollywood. One film that catapulted him into the stratosphere was Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991). While an odd casting choice for the titular character, the movie was wildly successful and overall entertaining. While Costner was charismatic as Robin of Locksley, it was Alan Rickman who stole the show. His take on the Sheriff of Nottingham is hammy and over the top in the best ways humanly possible. Another excellent addition to the cast was Morgan Freeman as Azeem, who had great chemistry with Costner. They worked really well together and it was a joy to see the two form a strong bond over the course of the runtime. I can’t even mention this film without thinking about the Bryan Adams smash hit, “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)”. As a child I couldn’t get enough of this song and likely the reason I have fond memories of the film. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves stole the hearts of many people upon its release and is still one of Kevin Costner’s greatest hits. (Joe Vargas)
I feel like Kevin Costner is at his best and shows true passion as a performer when in a film that concerns America’s Favorite Pastime, Baseball. The golden example of this is 1988’ Bull Durham directed by Ron Shelton. Crash Davis is a Minor League Ballplayer at the twilight of his career and is brought in to groom a young, up and coming pitcher. Tim Robbins plays the baby faced, hot prospect pitcher named Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke’ LaLoosh. To toss more combustible elements into the film and a source of conflict, enter Susan Sarandon as baseball enthusiast Annie Savoy. She has this golden rule where she only sleeps with one ball player every season and this builds strong contention between the aging ball player and the hotshot rookie. Crash has to try his best throughout the film to contain a professional front despite having strong animosity towards Nuke. This is largely due to his brash ignorance as well as garnering the attention of the sultry Annie. Don’t be a lollygagger and drop the ball on this baseball classic, Bull Durham is full of laughs and has a little something for everyone. (Joe Vargas)
So, I haven’t seen Dances with Wolves since high school, maybe a scene here or there on TV, but anytime i think about it, I think about it very fondly. The story is about a Civil War soldier who is posted to a fort where he comes to build a relationship with the native americans. The film is downright gorgeous and Kevin Costner is wonderful not only in acting, but in directing. That’s right, this is his directorial premiere and he really nails it. The feel, the pacing, It’s really easy to fall into this film and enjoy all it has to offer. Films like Avatar take so much from this film (along with others), but this is an original story that is worth every minute. This is one that after thinking about it, I really want to revisit it as soon as possible. You should seek it out as well. (Evan Lucken)
When you think of prohibition films, what ones come to mind? Honestly, only one comes to my mind…Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables. Kevin Costner stars as the straight-as-an-arrow Treasury Officer, Elliot Ness, who plans to take down legendary gangster, Al Capone. Costner is a charismatic and intense lead as the rest of the film is filled out by fantastic supporting performances. The late great Sean Connery won his only Oscar for his memorable and powerful performance as veteran beat cop, Malone. Robert DeNiro gives a mountain of a performance as Capone with so many quotable lines. Costner might be the star but so is De Palma with his incredible style and suspense as a director. Oh yeah…that Ennio Morricone score is incredible too. What is there not to love about this film? (Shane Conto)
In what has become a common theme for me in the Best Ever Challenges, once more I come to you with a movie I had not seen before this week: Field of Dreams. And honestly, it’s one I wish I had gotten to sooner. Starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, and Ray Liotta, among others, it’s a story about a man who, after a voice speaks to him, builds a baseball field in his corn field. However, it’s about more than that. It’s about lost dreams, deep regrets, and long lost opportunities, but also it’s about finding your purpose in life. Most of all, it’s about forgiveness, as Ray Kinsella (Costner) gets a chance to set things right while the people he meets along the way learn to keep their hopes and dreams alive. I doubt I have to tell you this film is good, but if you have not taken the opportunity, then grab a hotdog and get yourself a seat along the baseline. (Joseph Davis)
Honorable Mentions
Mr. Brooks
I don’t enjoy killing, Mr. Smith. I do it because I’m addicted to it. Mr. Brooks is a movie that came and went; I don’t remember hearing about it until one day my older brother came home with the DVD simply because he saw a movie about a serial killer and that was enough for him. But I’m so happy he did because that exposed me to this excellent movie. Kevin Costner plays Mr. Brooks, a successful businessman who happens to be a serial killer on the side. But he is a reluctant killer and is trying to rid his urge, but one night after two years clean kills again. But this time a photographer happens to catch him in the act and is blackmailing him to teach him how to be a successful serial killer. And the story goes from there, but this is an excellent film that has a great crime story, excellent characters, a remorseful antagonist as the main character, and makes an effort to show how his compulsion affects the rest of his life. If you haven’t checked it out yet, give in to Mr. Brooks. (Aaron Schweitzer)
The Highwaymen
Sometimes, there’s just something immensely comforting about a competently made film. Enter The Highwaymen. The Netflix film follows former Texas Rangers, played by Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson, as they attempt to bring Bonnie and Clyde to justice. Costner paired with Harrelson works like a charm and both characters are more than just one-dimensional heroes. Costner brings the weight necessary to the role to make it work. Directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side and Saving Mr. Banks), the film also looks great. While attacking stories from the villain’s perspective has become a recent trend, this one takes the opposite approach. Bonnie and Clyde are who have stuck in the public consciousness and getting to see the perspective of law enforcement in the chase is fascinating. (Jake Bourgeois)
Also see: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Draft Day, JFK, Message in a Bottle, No Way Out, Rumor Has It, Swing Vote, The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Bodyguard, The Guardian, Waterworld, Wyatt Earp