Philip Seymour Hoffman is undoubtedly one of the finest actors working today. Which of his notable performances is your favorite? I'm looking forward to Doubt, and I'm going to try to catch Synecdoche, New York as well, as it seems like a film best appreciated on the big screen. My personal favorite performance of his is in The Talented Mr. Ripley - he's just so wonderfully smug and slimy. The scene where he's smirking at Damon's unabashed ogling of Law and Paltrow is priceless: "Tommy. How's the peeping? Tommy, how's the peeping? Tommy. Tommy. Tommy. Tommy. Tommy." I had to leave a few notable appearances off, such as The Big Lebowski and his two most recent films mentioned at the top.

Charlie Wilson's War
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
The Savages
Capote
25th Hour
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Magnolia
Happiness
Boogie Nights
Other - please specify

There are entirely too many great PSH performances to choose from. I gotta go with Boogie Nights though, his pudgy, pathetic Scotty was just a brilliant creation (for a supporting role).

"Who is this man, dude?"

I love how he makes one last-ditch effort for Dirk's affections, even after being rejected emphatically: "Do you want to kiss me, or....?"

What a brilliant scene. Funny, awkward, pathetic, and heartbreaking all at once. And as awesome as PSH was, I gotta give credit to Marky Mark as well for pulling off a believable disgusted (but not homophobically enraged) response.

I liked him in 'Owning Mahowny'.

He owned that film.

His performances are excellent as a norm.

His reactions to Bunny's oral sex offer are priceless:

Bunny Lebowski: "I'll suck your cock for a thousand dollars."
Brandt: "Ah ha ha ha ha ha! Wonderful woman. We're all, we're all very fond of her. Very free-spirited."
Bunny Lebowski: "Brandt can't watch, though, or he has to pay a hundred."
Brandt: "Ah ha ha. That's marvelous."

No mention of Along Came Polly? The basketball scenes in that film with him and Stiller have me laughing just thinking about them.

No mention of Mission Impossible 3? He made that movie as the main bad guy.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Echoed here as well. He has had some great performances and chooses his roles wisely. At the end of the day though, Scotty from Boogie Nights is my favorite.

Phil Parma: I'd like to get an order of peanut butter, umm, uh, cigarettes, Camel Light, uhh, water...
Girl: Bottled water?
Phil Parma: No. You know what, forget the water. Just give me a loaf of bread. White bread.
Girl: Okay.
Phil Parma: And, umm, do you have Playboy magazine?
Girl: Yeah.
Phil Parma: Okay, one of those, and uh, Penthouse? The magazine?
Girl: Yeah.
Phil Parma: You have that? Okay uh, one of those, and umm... Hustler?
Girl: Yeah.
Phil Parma: You have that?
Girl: Yeah, I said. That it?
Phil Parma: Yeah that's it.
Girl: Still want the peanut butter, bread, and cigarettes?
Phil Parma: Yeah. What?

Twister.

Since it said "favorite" rather than "best" this was an easy one for me- Boogie Nights. Just such a flawless character he created and almost unrecognizable from anything else he's done.

I would also mention his hilarious part in Lebowski, and a simply beautiful few minutes in Hard Eight. This motherfucker can act in his sleep.

While, as I mentioned, my favorite performance of his is Freddy Miles in Ripley, his finest performance is definitely Capote. Absolute perfection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8ZAr9yeqwM

Other(s):

Almost Famous-Lester Bangs
Love,Liza-Painful but brilliant performance.

Great actor! I really love him in anything but I think his performance in Capote is my favorite. Total immersion and a flawless film.

Love Liza, a fantastic performance and an excellent film.

Owning Mahowny is a close second. Happiness would be third.

Such a talented actor. I have enjoyed each and every one of his films.

Also him falling on the floor in the beginning is classic, not to mention him "sharting"!

I also liked him in Twister.

I'm going to go with Boogie Nights as well. He was also great in Happiness and his matress king comercial where he fell off the roof in Punch-Drunk Love has me laughing just thinking about it.

no Almost Famous?

Don't forget Punch-Drunk Love. That is my 2nd to Ripley.

So hard to pick a favorite. I don't think I've ever seen him just walk through a movie. Take Almost Famous: even in the Untitled Cut he barely has any screen time and Crowe does not even begin to examine the depths of Bangs' personalty (good thing too, can you imagine delving into Lester Bands in such an upbeat film?) PSH practically makes the movie. Shit, he (and, to a lesser extent, Tom Cruise) gave me something worth my time when I was watching that shitheap Magnolia. I guess I'll go with Boogie Nights because he runs through so many emotions and often at once, but MI3, Almost Famous, Capote, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead also have some killer performances.

And I hope he gets nominated for Synecdoche, even though Mickey Rourke or, God forbid, Eastwood will win.

Boogie Nights, baby.