With three new films out within a three month span is this a resurgence of Kevin Costner’s career. The first is the fourth installment of the Jack Ryan franchise, Jack Ryan:Shadow Recruit. He plays (William Harper) a CIA operative who recruits (Chris Pine) Jack Ryan. When things get a little rough they ask Kiera Knightly (Kathy Ryan) to help them thwart Kennith Branagh ( Victor Cherevin) a Russian business man.The second is 3 Days to Kill where he once again portrays a spy (Ethan Runner) who has three days to live unless he does a job for Amber Heard. She has a drug that can save his life. The only thing is he has to take care of his daughter as well. His daughter is played by Hailee Steinfeld. The third film he is in is Draft Day. In which he plays a NFL football General Manager ( Sonny Weaver Jr) for the Cleveland Browns. Where he struggles to get the first pick in the draft for his team. Also starring Jennifer Garner (Ali), Denis Leary (Vince Penn) Ellen Burstyn (Barb Weaver) and a host of others from ESPN and beyond.
Last year Kevin was in Man of Steel the reboot of the Superman franchise. Where he played (Pa Kent) the earthly father of Clark Kent/Superman. That was just the latest film he was in. His career spans three decades. From historical bio-pics to baseball players Kevin has had a great career. With that in mind I’m gonna go down my list of my favorite Kevin Costner Movies.
10. In The Up Side of Anger Kevin plays (Danny Davies the boyfriend of (Terry Wolfmire) played by Joan Allen. This is a romantic comedy about family and there struggles.
9. It seems like Kevin loves him some baseball. He has been in three baseball movies. The first was Bull Durham. Where he plays Crash Davis an aging minor-league catcher. He has to help a new young up and coming pitcher Nuke LaLoosh played by (Tim Robbin). They both end up having affections for a team fan Annie Savoy played by (Susan Sarandon). The second was Field of Dreams. He plays a man, Ray Kinsella who when walking in his corn field hears a voice saying “If you build it, he will come”. So he builds a baseball field where his corn field once was. Eventually Shoeless Joe Jackson played by (Ray Liotta) and a slew of other ghosts of baseball past come out on the field to play baseball with him and his family. The third baseball film he was in was called For Love of the Game. Where in he played an aging fictional pitcher for the Detroit Tigers Billy Chapel. With his career about over Billy has to pitch his final game in the majors. He ends up pitching a no-hitter.
8.The Company Men is about a group of older men who get outsourced from there jobs. Kevin plays (Jack Dolan) the brother in-law of Ben Affleck”s (Bobby Walker). When he lose his job he asked him to help with his carpentry business. Its also stars Chris Cooper (Phil Woodward) and Tommy Lee Jones (Gene McLary)
7. Mr. Brooks is a about a Portland business man (Earl Brooks) who also moonlights as a murderer.
6. In the Untouchables Kevin play famous FBI Agent (Eliott Ness). The story is about Ness’s mission to take down gangster (Al Capone) played by Robert DeNiro.
5. The Bodyguard is about a man whose job it is to protect a famous singer. Kevin plays (Frank Farmer) a bodyguard for hire. He is hired to protect (Rachel Marron) played by Whitney Houston, from a stalker.
4. In Robin Hood Prince of Thieves Kevin Portrays famous literary character (Robin Hood) . This is probably the best film about this great British character of folklore. The film also stars Morgan Freeman (Azeem), Christian Slater as (Will Scarlett) and Alan Rickman as (The Sheriff of Nottingham.
3.Kevin has been in two movies about John F. Kennedy. In Oliver Stones JFK he plays (Jim Garrison) an attorney in Louisiana who is investigating the assassination and subsequent cover up by the US government of President John F. Kennedy. In Thirteen Days he plays (Kenny O’Donnell) a cabinet menber of John F. Kennedy who helps JFK find a solution during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
2. A popular genre Costner likes is the Western. He has starred in a few westerns over his career. One of them is Wyatt Earp, where he plays the title character. About the famous law man. The other is Open Range where he plays (Charlie Waite) a man who tries to stop men from stealing his cattle/horses.
1.In Dances With Wolves Kevin Costner Directed,Produced and stars in The Academy Award winning Best Picture of 1909. He plays (Lieutenant Dunbar) a Calvary man for the north during the Civil War. He ended up getting hurt and left behind but, gets nursed back to health by an half native women (Stands With Fist) played by Mary McDonnell. This is definitely Costner’s best film to date. One I could watch over and over again.
Dan Skip Allen
From the Fourth Row! 