It’s human nature for people to let you down. There’s no way that all your friends and family can please you all the time; that someone could be there for you when you need them, every time. And we must resign ourselves to this fact, so that we can begin to care for and about them, despite their shortcomings. The beauty of entertainment, however, is that certain talents can always entertain you. Whether it be through their personality, or charisma, or beauty, some actors transcend to become the people that never let you down and are always there for you (Though your friends and family are no less important just because Morgan Freeman is always there for me, while my best friend is not. In other words, you suck A-Train. Why aren’t you more like Morgan Freeman? You’ve never once offered to narrate my life.).

There are cities of good actors. And there are boatloads of actors that have turned in a good or fun performance here or there. But only a select group of people are good all the time, and turn in a good performance, every time. They rise above bad material, they raise their game in the company of greatness, and they always seem to make you laugh, or smile, or cry, no matter what the project is. More specifically, they are the group of actors that you are always willing to spend your hard earned money for. They make up something I like to call “The $10 Buck List”.

In coming up with my list I realized that I needed to be put a few ground rules in to ensure that I had the right actors. I mean just because I think a particular actor is fantastic, doesn’t mean I’ll see everything he/ she does (Gary Oldman). And just because I’ve seen everything they’ve done, doesn’t mean I think they were good in all of it (Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller are both good examples.). So here are the rules for being on “The $10 Buck List”.

Rule #1: They can not have been bad in any movie you remember seeing them in, especially their bad movies.

For example, Ashley Judd is in a ton of bad movies, but she’s usually the best thing in it. And then came Twisted, and BAM, she was off the list.

Rule #2: You would willingly see them in any movie they are in, just because they are in it.

What I’m talking about here is that you see a trailer and it looks unimpressive. Then, say, Jack Nicholson shows up and immediately you sit up in your seat. You’re starting to smile, you got some good adrenaline pumping through you, and when it’s over, you turn to your friend and go “I am so there!” Unless the mere sight of them inspires good will in the movie, then this rule does not apply.

Rule #3: No one hit wonders. Automatic four movie minimum to make the list.

Zach Braff is a perfect example of this. He was fantastic in Garden State, and I do plan to see his next few movies, but it’s too early to tell if he’ll keep my loyalty.

Rule #4: You can’t look at their IMDB page and be surprised.

This was a late addition to the rules after I made up a rough list and then had to throw the majority of them off because I couldn’t remember or hadn’t seen half the movies they’ve been in since the start of the millennium (i.e. Robert Duvall, Sarah Polley, Halle Berry, Eddie Murphy, Bruce Willis, Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, et al.).

So after several drafts, several actors, and a few surprises (Where did #13 come from?), I have finally compiled my treasured group. The keepers of my ten spots. In other words, the exclusive members of The Hamilton Club (He’s on the ten dollar bill. Try to keep up).

The $10 Buck List a.k.a. The Hamilton’s

1. Morgan Freeman – Obviously the top of the list. He earned his goodwill with The Shawshank Redemption, Glory, Bruce Almighty (Rule #1), Kiss the Girls (Rule #2), Sum of all Fears, and about 30 other movies I’ve seen just because he’s in it. Not to mention he’s the best movie narrator in the history of cinema. He could narrate a Paris Hilton movie and make it a sure-fire Oscar contender. He’s that good. Morgan Freeman has my money until he retires.

2. Gene Hackman – A surprise number two that lofted to the top because of Rule #4. I’ve always liked him, but when I looked at his IMDB page I realized that I had seen eight of his last ten movies, and loved him in each one (I even saw Runaway Jury just so I could see his scene with Dustin Hoffman).

3. Jack Nicholson – An obvious Rule #2’er. Would you ever skip a movie that Jack Nicholson was in? I mean, ever?

4. Jeff Bridges – The Dude has my good will from a string of solid performances, capped by his transcendent role in The Big Lebowski. I’ll put it to you like this, I sat through the god awful Seabiscuit just for him, and I HATE Tobey Maguire.

5. Cate Blanchett – She’s not my favorite actress, she hasn’t made classic films, and she hasn’t accrued a tremendous amount of goodwill yet. But damn if she’s not fantastic in every single movie she’s in (The Aviator, The Gift, Pushing Tin - Rule #1, The Missing – Rule #2).

6. Tom Hanks – He never takes a day off, he has career-making hair, he never slums in bad movies (Even The Ladykillers was directed by the Coen Brothers, how was he to know it would be a disappointment?), he’s often great (Catch Me If You Can) and he’s occasionally brilliant (Saving Private Ryan, Castaway). Like Morgan, Tom will have my money until he retires (Unless I see a few too many Terminals and a few too few Road To Perditions, then I may reconsider.).

7. Owen Wilson – I can’t believe he beat out Vince Vaughn for this spot, but then I looked at Vince’s resume and realized why (Has anyone ever seen Blackball, Domestic Disturbance or The Prime Gig? Yeah, me neither). Even though Owen has the IQ of a career stoner, he’s always enjoyable, he’s always having fun and he works with other Hamilton’s, which helps his cause (Freeman in The Big Bounce, Hackman in The Royal Tenenbaums and Behind Enemy Lines).

8. Rachel McAdams – Like I wasn’t gonna have her on the list. She’s got my money for as long as she wants it. Hell, she might be the only charter member of The Jackson Club (He’s on the twenty dollar bill. Just making sure you’re all paying attention.).

9. Edward Norton – Superb actor, and a pretty good director (Keeping the Faith). After Fight Club and 25th Hour, I’d follow him anywhere. Even to Kingdom of Heaven, where I couldn’t even see his face! Talk about loyalty.

10. Kate Winslet – She had me on the ropes with Titanic, and she knocked me out with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And even though I didn’t see Finding Neverland (Because of my unjustified apathy towards Johnny Depp), I wanted to because she was in it, a clear case of Rule #2 if there ever was one.

11. Daniel Day-Lewis – He only makes a movie like once in a blue moon, but it’s an event every time, and he’s always the best thing in it (Gangs of New York).

12. Julianne Moore – I’ve loved her since Safe, and that love has brought me with her throughout the years, up through 2004 when I sat through the crapfest The Forgotten just because she starred in it. And if her excellent work in The Hours wasn’t enough, she went ahead and ruled in Far From Heaven. Count me in to see her new movie Freedomland, despite the presence of the anti-Hamilton Samuel L. Jackson.

13. Seann William Scott – Where did this one come from? Oh yeah, that’s right, I’ve seen all his movies, and liked him in all of them. He’s the best part of the terrible Dukes of Hazzard. He’s the only good thing in all the American Pie movies that isn’t Shannon Elizabeth’s breasts. And he made me laugh in The Rundown, Old School, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Road Trip and Evolution. We’ll just forget about Bulletproof Monk, so I can stay right about him.

Honorary Addition: Keanu Reeves – I can’t in good conscience leave my man Keanu off the list. I would go to war for the one-time Ted “Theodore” Logan, and have in the past, as I’ve seemingly fought with every one of my friends over the merits of Neo himself. I have said it before and I will say it again, loud and proud: I will see any movie that Keanu Reeves is in, no matter what.

The IOU List a.k.a. The Aaron Burrs

Like good has evil, like light has dark, so do the Hamilton’s have their Burr’s (Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton. Thus endeth the lesson). These five people give me so much grief from their film choices to their acting choices that I have vowed not to see a movie if they are in it. Heck, I won’t see it just because they are in it. In short, they have screwed me too many times to ever get the right to see my money ever again.

1. John Travolta – How far the mighty do fall. Be Cool was the final straw for Johnny T; I would have forgiven him Basic, Lucky Numbers and Battlefield Earth, if only he had just pulled through with the sequel to Get Shorty. But he had to go and fumble and fuck it up, and now the man that I so revered in Pulp Fiction will never make a movie that I will pay for, for the rest of his years (Unless a Hamilton is in it, then I have to see it).

2. Ashton Kutcher – Do you know how you lose all your goodwill from the underrated The Butterfly Effect, Ashton? You go and remake a Sidney Poitier movie (With yourself in the Poitier role. The arrogance of this guy!), and then you stoop to do an Amanda Peet romcom and thereby solidifying yourself as an actor I have officially given up on. You suck.

3. Jennifer Lopez – Even five years ago I would have thought that J.Lo was on her way to an Oscar. Now, you couldn’t pay me to see Monster-in-Law (But I did. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!).

4. Kate Hudson – Stop making movies. Nobody likes you. Give me my two hours back from that P.O.S. The Skeleton Key.

5. Jimmy Fallon – One word: Taxi.

So that’s the list of the good and the list of the bad. I urge you to come up with your lists and present them to me so that I can tell you you’re wrong. Because after all, this site isn’t called EveryoneElseIsRight.com, it’s called TheJay.com. Respect.

Bangarang!