Eric Bana’s Closet Picks

The actor and producer praises Anthony Hopkins’s performance in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, shares why BADLANDS has one of cinema’s best car chases, and celebrates an Australian favorite, BREAKER MORANT.

[@yamatheintercom2972]

Dude is honestly such an underrated actor

[@marks2997]

Lol what are you talking about? He was a leading actor in Hollywood for years and has a bunch of terrific titles under his belt. It is safe to say he is highly rated.

[@yamatheintercom2972]

@ Oh no that’s not to take away from his any of his accolades, I just felt like he deserved more time to shine is all.

[@Cadinho93]

One of the most underrated actors of the last 25 years. Great to see him getting love on here and also being able to see him talk about the films he loves.

[@SlartiMarvinbartfast]

I fully agree, a great actor who sadly doesn't get the prominent roles that he deserves.

[@starwarsroo2448]

​@SlartiMarvinbartfast he does though

[@starwarsroo2448]

Hes not underrated. Highly rated

[@sonicgrub]

Chopper and Munich. Mic drop.

[@starwarsroo2448]

@@sonicgrub Hanna

[@pizzadahutt5607]

"If you haven't blobbed before, you gotta blob" - that's going in the Criterion Closet quotes list

[@blueplanet9917]

I don't care what people say, Eric Banas Hulk movie was really great.

[@Lbow.3]

Agreed!

[@filmmaker610]

You’re correct.

[@paulrichardson9843]

Yes it was. Has a lot more emotional depth than many super hero movies and think Ang Lee is a great director.

[@el_mal_de_ojo]

Yes, agreed. I believe it has aged incredibly well. I actually think Ang Lee, would he have released it 20 years later, would've been much better received.

[@mishtaromaniello8295]

The editing alone is sick as hell. Actually feels like a “comic book movie”

[@mericastrata]

met this fine gentleman and Andrew Dominik at Sundance after a screening of Chopper. His transformation was stunning, hard to believe the friendly, handsome man was the same guy who portrayed the thuggish brute in the film. Keep up the good work Mr. Bana! "Fire Everything!'

[@erectopatronum6750]

WE NEED CHOPPER IN THE COLLECTION

[@M_Sonata]

I have rewatched Munich far too many times. Bana's acting was precise and I believe the film to be very overlooked.

[@EscapeCondition]

He was incredible but the last five minutes are awful. It'd be nice if Spielberg could stop finishing his movies with speeches that recap the movie we just watched.

[@M_Sonata]

@@EscapeCondition I really enjoyed the ending. I agree with you in regards to unnecessarily redundant exposition in endings, but I found the conversation between Avner and Ephraim to be a refreshing finale that introduced a strong dialogue of cynicism vs patriotic duty("Why cut my nails?" In response to Avner's demands for an answer to purpose and futility within Mossad). Ephraim unwilling to break bread was a bittersweet and tragic metaphor affirming Avner's cynicism that was not affirmed through just his paranoia.

[@eu_lucasfer]

Munich is criminally underrated

[@mrakl3]

Totally agree. Good comment.

[@Druffmaul]

@TheNarrowPathIsQuietAndCalm Yes, everyone knows Arab Islamists have the market cornered on facts.

[@michaelstuart341]

So nice seeing a fellow Aussie in one of these! More Aussie talents, please.

[@Jeremy-f3s]

Who would've thought Poida from Full Frontal would now be known to Americans, life is funny.

[@lstevens_youtube]

One of the finest Australian actors - loved seeing him light up when he saw Breaker Morant on DVD, an Aussie classic.

[@SleepFan771]

Munich, Hanna, Troy, & Black Hawk Down are all amazing. Eric Bana is a grand actor

[@RootVegetabIe]

Don't forget Chopper!

[@HalfJapMarine]

Now that you mention it, he has done a lot of US Imperialist propaganda

[@likearollingstone007]

@@HalfJapMarineA man’s gotta eat

[@BubblesTheBard]

his joy over cinema is infectious

[@pbjelly9082]

Eric Bana! Gotta watch. Love him.

[@michaelheintz1349]

One of my top 10 favorite actors, Thanks Criterion!

[@Elassyahmed]

Man, imagine starting your career with a performance like 'Chopper'. Absolutely incredible

[@tbwatch88]

Breaker Morant beyond epic masterpiece. Seen it twenty times now. Badlands thumbs way up, mate.

[@Carlos-nx4gr]

"The Dry" is an underrated, hidden gem. More people should seek it out.

[@paulrichardson9843]

It's good, but check out the book if you haven't read it which is even better.

[@r5bxy]

Great film

[@RamonIRL]

Got to say it as a fellow country man I love this dude. You rock Eric Bana❤

[@Zed-fq3lj]

Best choices I've seen in a while, no bull**** and pretentiousness from this guy 👍 👏

[@mmayer1558]

You might say he chose the least pretentious Terence Malick movie 😆...or the only one that isn't? I don't know his entire filmography

[@Zed-fq3lj]

@@mmayer1558 exactly - Badlands is not pretentious 🙂 (Thin Red Line is also ok)

[@anilles2001]

Eric Bana, damn fine actor. Thanks for stopping into the Criterion Closet!

[@blakemeads9225]

I just love the pure joy he had when he spotted a copy of The Blob. Literally the same reaction I had when I came across it at a Barnes & Noble. 🤣

[@NeoclassicalRadagast]

I think Eric is extremely underrated as an actor, and seems cool as shit in real life. Cheers from Canada Eric!

[@lachlangarrard6759]

I fucken love this man. Out of all the Aussies that have made it in Hollywood I root for this bloke the most.

[@_alifeallmine_]

I don’t need to hear about your rooting.* *Aussies will understand. 😂

[@Jowi_C]

His voice is soooo relaxing!

[@warnerg80]

Love the Beast is my all time favorite documentary. After he crashes his beloved car during a race he has to fly to America for a movie premiere and the look on his face during the premiere is just like he lost someone he truly loves. As a car guy and someone who has his beloved car since 2000, I could finally relate to someone. A+

[@atomcraft4067]

I'm from New Zealand and know Eric Bana more for his earlier comedic chops from the sketch series Full Frontal and the movie The Castle. Very versatile actor.

[@stable-shadow]

I'll uncle bully ya! EeeOooWw!

[@RolandDeschain1]

Poida!!

[@bacarandii]

What Sissy Spacek does OFFSCREEN (voiceover) in "Badlands" is as haunting and funny and tragic as what she does when she's onscreen. Also in that unforgettable movie: the great Warren Oates as her father. Spacek and Linda Manz (in "Days of Heaven") are the ideal dreamy, deadpan Malick narrators. He never used the technique more effectively than he did in those two '70s films.

[@svicciarelli]

Nice. Always loved Eric Bana. Great actor.

[@larsklevberg1127]

Eric Bana talks the bloAb. I'm sold. great pick

[@freedom_rock18]

It’s a goood One

[@adamschneider868]

I have never seen an Eric Bana movie I didn't like. Hulk was actually great, my uncle got it for me as a gag gift and the joke was on him. I loved it. Someone out this man in a creature feature ASAP! Something tells me deep in his soul he wants to be the smart guy in a creature feature.

[@tiergas98]

Hope to see chopper in the collection one day. It's a great film and he was great in it

[@manzanamandinga]

That would be such a treat wouldn’t it.

[@evanhayes5891]

​@manzanamandinga I remember being struck by how crappy the look of it was. Might rewatch though.

[@Levipaulsen]

"I wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings"

[@esoteric_1]

Only 4 Aussie films in the Collection 😢 2 by Peter Weir, 1 Gillian Armstrong and Bruce Beresford. No Romper Stomper, The Castle, Gallipoli, High Tide, The Year of Living Dangerously, Lantana, Strictly Ballroom ?

[@jessediaz1293]

It was put out by Shout Factory already.

[@eggsarnie5132]

Been a fan of Bana ever since Chopper, savage, hilarious film and incredible performance. I also think Troy is magnificent, extremely underrated film.

[@SorenRingholm]

A lot of people outside Australia don't realize before Eric was a serious actor he was a first class comedian, watch him in the australian sketch show Full Frontal. He did impressions of Columbo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise in the 90s. His charity work shows what a good bloke he is; ambassador for Father Chris Riley's charity for homeless young people, Youth Off The Streets, an advocate for the Mental Illness Fellowship. The Motorcycle Riders Association Toy Run in Melbourne. Also Chopper & Monterey Jack.

[@peterquinn7878]

He’ll always be Poida to me! 🤣

[@adamcammack3534]

Loved him in Chopper he's scary good.

[@mikescorpio13]

was going through the comments and wondering did anybody else watch Chopper.... scary good is the right word.

[@bratchny82]

POIDA! Love you Eric! So happy you're thriving and have been able to explore your natural comedic prowess, and also your mainstream Hollywood roles.

[@radiowatcher]

These aren't the selections of an academic; they're the picks of a film lover. He didn't pick them because they were important, made advances technically or opened new avenues for storytelling or any of that. He picked them because he enjoyed watching them. Love it.

[@hpoonis2010]

I have seen Breaker Morant a few times. Well worth the watch.

[@Javier_Flores4]

THE HULK’S CLOSET PICKS!! 🙌🔥

[@thyjhtgrfed]

Munich is such a good fucking movie, Eric Bana needs more great films

[@agentcooper4627]

Eric's portrayal of Norm Hooten in Blackhawk Down is one of the great bad ass performances.

[@arthurlevine1840]

Bana: "I don't need no stinkin' French film! I don't need no stinkin' Japanese cinema!"

[@shootinputin6332]

Love to see Eric give a shout out to Bryan Brown - just an absolute legend of Aussie cinema. Love Two Hands (1999).

[@Salman-Zaki]

God, debut feature film of Heath Ledger...

[@mftmss7086]

I love Mr. Hands

[@Grendel2403]

Whoa, I had no idea he was in Memoir of a Snail! I've been wondering for the longest time whatever happened to Eric Bana, I love him as an actor, I'm very glad to see him again. Gonna have to give it a watch!

[@M_Sonata]

oh wow! no idea either, more reason to see it!

[@Exodus18]

The Castle better be in there. 🙂My favourite film of all time.

[@Jeremy-f3s]

Good to see another Steve McQueen fan and props to him for picking the lesser known original Blob and not the more pop culturally recognised 80s version.

[@kdcndw1]

"Silence" is a perfect film. I like Manhunter more because it's one of the first hard-R movie I saw and a young teen. But Silence is just perfect. A masterclass in editing as well.

[@SuperMrBlaze]

You should watch "The making of Silence of the Lambs" in the 2 dvd special edition. One of the best "Making ofs" I have ever seen...

[@sydbarrett7579]

What a beautiful human bean ❤

[@medmondsr]

Eric Bana is one of my favorite actors of all time! I can see him making a big comeback into the hollywood mainstream sometime soon.

[@rowox]

Darryl and Dale are going to love this story when he gets back to Melbourne "...and they had this tiny closet like you wouldn't believe."

[@misterjj]

Good on you Poida!!!

[@TommaKeen]

Great actor, great guy, great picks. Great.

[@serendipityguy]

Eric is Legendary !!! such a treat to see him here on KZbin Criterion Closet!!!

[@JeewanthaBandara]

I am a huge fan of his. It's kind of hard to describe to Gen Zers how big of a name he was during the mid 2000s. Troy, Hulk, Black Hawk Down, Munich are such good performances.

[@melnycreviews8791]

He still looks amazing 💞

[@paulvoorhies8821]

And is quite climbable at 6’4.

[@michaelroberts7959]

Great to see a St. Kilda fan picking winners! Malick, The Blob And Breaker Morant! The lad is eclectic to a fault. Go Saints!

[@stable-shadow]

Cool Guy! Great Actor! Love this Guy.... 🕊️

[@dankozuh]

Breaker Morant has the greatest final line in all of film.

[@miltontoro6594]

I concur!

[@Cookieboymonster1962]

Breaker Morant has one of the best lines in movie history which might not make any sense out of context. "We caught them, and we shot them, under Rule .303!"

[@miltontoro6594]

Breaker of hearts, perhaps no breaker of horses!

[@Iker122]

Great actor, and underrated.. Munich and Black Hawk Down are probably his best films

[@andrewattenboroughtwothumb4697]

What an Australian legend and actor Eric bana

[@danielmkubacki]

I have seen three of those movies. Eric Bana is a great actor. I loved him in The Dry, Force of Nature, Black Hawk Down and Munich.

[@kellyharrison5184]

Great film choices!

[@BraveSpy]

such a cool dude, his acting in Chopper is superb

[@ogto]

love eric bana, just a wonderful actor and bloke.

[@isaacmartinez6904]

Eric Bana knows his movies. Love his work in Black Hawk Down, Troy and Munich. He was also the actor who played Bruce Banner in the Hulk movie.

[@freedom_rock18]

One of the first films i saw in theaters especially with him in it

[@twittertwice]

Love love this actor… hope they can get him a series as a wealthy bad guy…. He looks so classy with his gray hair now and I have never seen him as a corporate bad guy dressed in fine suits, but can go out at night and kick butt. This just came to me seeing him here!

[@anthonybrett]

Breaker Morant is a brilliant film. Good choice. "Shoot straight ya bastards!" That ending gets me every time.

[@Redditfanboy-v2s]

Great video bro

[@SuperMrBlaze]

"The Grait Escaip"... 🤣🤣🤣 OMG it is the first time I have been hearing Eric Bana's native Australian accent... So far I have only seen two films with him "Munich" - in which he had American accent - and Troy.

[@rowox]

Chopper has to be seen to be believed, not for the faint of heart. Also The Castle is a great aussie comedy, but his role is fairly small tbf

[@Arthur-r7z]

He had a great role in Hanna. One among many.

[@jamesq5831]

I love Eric, very thoughtful observer. He’s a killer in Chopper

[@jeshkam]

"Munich" needs a 4K release, especially now, that we have same events from a different perspective ("September 5").

[@THEGlassIED]

Spielberg movies are slow to come out on 4K for some reason.

[@BlondeManNoName]

So many good Criterion closet guests recently!

[@sanddab]

Breaker Morant is soooo good.

[@dynamicvoltage9765]

Finally someone picks good movies and not just pretentious art films!

[@ComicBookGuy420]

From Full Frontal to the Castle, Chopper to Black Hawk Down Legend

[@lg1330]

Let us praise the wonderful character actor Ted Levine in Silence. He held his own in the circle of cinema freaks.

[@clintstewart5545]

Great actor !!!

[@99chrisohio]

He didn't mention The Castle (1997), probably because he was in it. One of my favorites.

[@margaretbuckley9309]

I LOVE THIS GUY AND HE PICKED SOME OF MY MOVIES BADLANDS THE GREAT ESCAPE THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS THE BLOB ❤❤❤❤

[@Babiel-x6s]

My hulk ❤❤

[@racheledwards2352]

Eric BANA is Australian? Neat!

[@daviddelossantos6075]

I’m leaving a comment here for Eric and the folks at Criterion Closet SPECIFICALLY. I took a date to the movie Munich thinking I would win huge points for picking a hardcore political drama instead of a rom com. I had no idea what I was in for and neither did my date. We went out a couple times after that, but no movies. ✌🏽 ❤ Love you Eric

[@beccasneed7730]

I love Ted Levine’s performance as Buffalo Bill is top notch as well

[@SuperMrBlaze]

Precious, the doggie... 😥😥😥

[@gnalkhere]

love hearing his voice in Adam Elliot movies

[@rickherznersr8448]

dear Criterion, I've been collecting films from you guys for something of a year or 2 now and I thank you guys for giving at least some of these films-Lonesome, The Freshman, etc.-that I might never have seen without the collection, a chance to be seen and I thank God I found you guys. but that's not the main reason I write this to you. that would be to ask you if you could have-perhaps they're called this-the new Brat Pack: Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler [plus Tom Holland] come to the closet. I know Austin's seen a good bit of classic films and Timothee has seen Shoot the Piano Player. also some other ideas for people you could approach: Javier Bearden, Sophia Loren, Mia Tiffany from Movies with Mia, Moviewise, Patrick H Willems, James from James VS. Cinema, The Royale Ocean Film Society, Cinefix, Antonio Bandares, Barbra Streisand, the Coen brothers, Martin Scorsese, Alfonso Curon and Wes Anderson, etc. I know that you probably won't be able to get all of these people and some of them might not even like to come. but if you could get any of them,-specifically the first 5-I'd really like it. that and some recommendations for those crazy kids [I don't know if they'll like these, but I'm probably very fond of all these films]: The Princess Bride, The Complete Films of Jacques Tati, Pierre Etaix, Safety Last!, The Cameraman, The Great Dictator, City Lights, Monsieur Verdoux, Dragon Inn, Police Story parts 1 and 2, Stagecoach, Tokyo Olympiad [for the sheer grandeur of it], It Happened One Night, Seven Samurai, Swing Time [make sure to tell them about Bojangles of Harlem which I think might be-despite some of the content-[one of] the best part[s] of the film], Good Morning [It's great to stay up late. Good morning, good morning to you], The Roaring Twenties, High Sierra [perhaps a sort of Bogart/Walsh double feature], Yi Yi, Breathless, The 400 Blows, Bicycle Thieves, Paper Moon, Some Like it Hot, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Judex, The Lady Eve and Sullivan's Travels. Good luck and p.s. tell them who sent this/these films.

[@stevenlawson3263]

Fantastic choices...

[@hammadahmed942]

"if you haven't blobed before you gotta blob "

[@mikesilva3868]

Excellent 😊

[@mmayer1558]

GASP!! NOE! (night on earth) Yeah dawg

[@amarko52]

Idk that I've ever seen someone be as happy in the closet as Eric Bana finding The Blob lol

[@9Skiddlerip9]

I'm sure several people have made this comment but we really do NEED a Chopper Criterion release!

[@zantigar]

Eric Bana is such a sweet Aussie. I agree: BADLANDS IS Terrence Malick's best movie. Criterion scores again!

[@elichilton7031]

Eric Bana plays my favorite Bruce Banner/Hulk. And that's a partnership I would like to see, a Jim Jarmusch and Eric Bana picture.

[@filmfanaticryan156]

Was thinking about this guy the other day. What a coincidence.

[@sonicgrub]

Anthony Hopkins performance is really good as a villain, but Javier Bardem as Anton Shigurh in No Country For Old Men is the pinnacle of evil. So believable because of the acting. A notch above the master Hopkins. Now, Remains of The Day is another story. Sublime.

[@joliecide]

Munich was the shit. Loved Bana in Chopper and Black Hawk Down too.

[@freedom_rock18]

Munich is underrated

[@TartanTartare]

HECTOOOOOOR !!!!!!!!!!

[@llchapman1234]

I loved the blob, too 😂

[@whiteowl87]

I love Hulk.

[@r5bxy]

I'll watch anything with eric bana in it

[@IgnatiusThorogood]

Anyone who picks The Blob is a friend of mine.