He was in What?

I was flipping through the channels yesterday on a rather weak Sunday afternoon for television viewing. I was pretty hungover from the day before, so I just really wanted some background noise to hopefully nap to.

I came across the Baseball movie "Angels in the Outfield". I think it's actually a remake of an older film, but this was the one starring Tony Danza, Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd, That Guy Taylor Negron and a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt of "10 Things I Hate About You fame".

What amazed me about this wonderful piece of trash movie...was that there was not one...but TWO oscar winners in the cast. Playing the role of the Foster Mother who cared for young Levitt was Brenda Fricker, who won her Oscar for Supporting Actress in "My Left Foot". Also, making an appearance was a young Adrian Brody who played young ballplayer Danny Hemmerling. Brody of course won his best actor oscar for his role in the movie "The Piano".

So Fricker actually starred in this film, after her oscar. Maybe she thought that this would help her with the American Audience...I don't know. Brody was much more understandable, he was a young actor trying to make a name. He has since been much more selective with his choices of roles since winning an oscar. Actually come to think of it...I don't even think he's made a movie since he won...maybe he is like George Costanza, he knows when to call it a day.

So when I was watching this, I started to come up with a list of movies that I couldn't believe had Oscar winning actors in it.

We'll start at the top...

Ishtar...Perhaps Dustin Hoffman (wins for Kramer vs. Kramer and Rain Man) and Warren Beatty (never won for actor but did win for Director for Reds) thought that this one looked good on paper, but obviously that didn't translate to the screen.

Every Tom Hanks film until Big.

The Next Karate Kid. Hillary Swank has been in three films that I remember...and won two oscars. One was with Mr. Miyagi...and was pretty awful.

Boat Trip, Snow Dogs, Rat Race and Chill Factor...Cuba Gooding Junior.

Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion...Mira Sorvino.

Rocky Horror Picture Show...Susan Sarandon

Return of the Killer Tomatoes...George Clooney

Satisfaction...Julia Roberts

Toys...Jamie Foxx and Robin Williams and was written and Directed by Oscar Winner Barry Levinson!

Career Opportunities...Jennifer Connelly

And Finally, the classic of all classics...Jury Duty, starring Pauly Shore and Tia Carrerre, also starred two time Oscar award winning Actress Shelly Winters.

Which just goes to prove, that no matter how bad a movie appears to be, you maybe, just maybe may catch either a future oscar winner on the way up...or a former oscar winner who is crashing down, down, down.