10. Maria Bello- Being blonde and beautiful makes her a dime a dozen, but being blonde, beautiful, talented and amazingly vulnerable puts in a very small class of women. Maria opens up on screen in a way that makes me nervous because I really feel for her every time she does it. She has a way of crying that makes an audience feel her tears with her. She is not afraid to be raw and real in any aspect of film, as evidenced by the brutally raw sex in A History of Violence, but she also has a softness to her. When she smiles you smile and when she cries, you cry. What more could one ask for from an actress. The two films that best show why she is on this list- The Cooler and A History of Violence.
9. Kirsten Dunst- For a while she was much higher on this list because I have seen her do comedy, romance and drama, but as of late she has not done anything noteworthy. In Bring it on she was spunky and fun, but if you watch The Virgin suicides you would see a totally different version of who she is and that is the Kirsten Dunst I loved. Of course she is also Mary Jane Watson and she does it very well, giving M.J. that tragic warmth from the M.J. of my childhood. As a young actress she held her own in Interview with a vampire and she is still a good actress, she just can't find good material. The two films that best show why she is on this list- The Virgin Suicides and Crazy/Beautiful.
8. Jennifer Connelly- With that stunning face and those sadly expressive eyes, Connelly has been a favorite sad girl of mine for a long time. She gets more out of an emotional breakdown than most people do and it works, especially in movies like The House of Sand and Fog. She has been a round for a long time and has always done good work, but as of late she seems to be picking only the right roles. It started with the hard to watch Requiem for a dream and continues into this year with Reservation Road. Often playing the wife of some big name actor, she can steal movies right from them, just ask Russell Crowe about A Beautiful Mind. Her earnest warmth held that movie together. The two movies that best show why she is on this list- Requiem for a dream and Blood Diamond.
7. Naomi Watts- From the moment I saw her in Mulholland Dr. I knew I was going to love her. Her smile radiates, her body language always in sync with her character and she was not afraid of doing very tough moments on screen, while making them seem easy. Mulholland Dr. was full of uncomfortable moments but she didn't make them seem like they were uncomfortable. She is a gorgeous woman, but she is not afraid to get dirty either and just live inside each character she is playing. She can do physical comedy pretty well as evidenced by King Kong, but she is in her wheel house doing something deep and dark and emotional. It is in those movies where she can reach her full potential and continue to do amazing work. The two movies that best show why she is on this list- Mulholland Dr. and 21 grams.
6. Scarlett Johansen- The sexy sultry voice. The gorgeous curves and those pouty lips. This girl basically has it all going for her. Oh and she is very talented as well. For all intents and purposes she burst onto the scene in Lost in Translation, holding her own with Bill Murray as the two actors and characters spent the entire movie just learning about each other and themselves. I love her line reading and in movies like Ghost World she has the perfect sarcasm that makes her even more appealing. Her movies have not always been huge hits, but her work in those movies is always worth watching. She plays morose about as well as it can be played and has become quite the muse for Woody Allen in his elder age. She has played with the big boys in many movies and done very well for herself and with 8 projects int he next few years, we will have no shortage of that raspy sexiness that is Scarlett Johannson. the two movies that best show why she is on this list- Love song for Bobby Long and Lost in Translation.
5. Julianne Moore- It is hard to pick only two movies to showcase this talented woman because she has an incredible knack for picking amazing projects. Granted she doesn't get it right every time, but more often than not, she only does great work. From the single mother porn star in Boogie Nights to an unhappy housewife in Far From Heaven, this woman can do it all. Check out her comedy in The Big Lebowski and of course her supporting turn in Children of Men(SEE THIS DAMN MOVIE!) proves she can do a lot with a smaller role. Her ever expressive eyes provide for some great quiet melt downs and she takes roles that could be boring and makes them interesting with just a look or a slight gesture. The two movies that best show why she is on this list- Far From Heaven and Magnolia
4. Angelina Jolie- Considering she rarely makes movies worth watching these days, it may be odd for her to be this high on the list, but even in fluff, I find her a joy to watch. Yes, some of it is due to those lips, oh those sweet plump lips, but there is something more. If you look at the Tomb Raider movies or Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you can tell she is having fun and her snarls better than most. However, she is also incredibly talented when she gets the chance to find the meat in a story. Check out her introduction to the world as a self destructive model in Gia, or more recently her quiet resolve in A Mighty Heart. A girl with a wild streak, she is not afraid of examining that to find a role as evidenced in Girl, Interrupted. Granted she is now more famous for being a tabloid headline, but this woman can straight up act and that is what matters to me. The two movies that best show why she is on this list- A Mighty Heart and Girl, Interrupted.
3. Natalie Portman- Beyond adorable, Natalie Portman has been doing great work since she was 12. Don't believe me check out Leon (The professional) and tell me she doesn't show depth in that character, even so young. Portman has always been willing to take risks in acting, from shaving her head or going somewhere dark in movies, just because she believes in the projects. That is not to say she is always aligned with the dark forces because she makes the absolute perfect muse in Garden State, exuding a joyful ball of cuteness without making it seems cheesy or manufactured. I have always enjoyed her but watching her in Closer, I gained a whole new level of respect for her. In a movie focused on the star power, her young presence stole the movie with an absolute stunning performance. Her subtle unhappiness that closes the movie was powerful and moving. The two movies that best show why she is on this list- Closer and Garden State.
2. Cate Blanchett- Strikingly beautiful this wonderful talent burst onto the scene with an Oscar winning performance in Elizabeth. Since then she is continues to rack up amazing performances in every kind of genre. I wouldn't think she could do comedy, but in an otherwise bad movie, Bandits, Blanchett shows impeccable comic timing and provides some very good physical comedy. However, she is in her wheelhouse when getting something deep to chew on. Last year's Notes on a Scandal gave her a chance to do all kinds of acting and she was mesmerizing all the way through. Watching do things she wanted to do, but knew she shouldn't do turned into a heart breaking thing to watch. Her Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator was about the only true entertaining thing about that movie and proved she can be boisterous on screen as well as quiet, without reaching overboard. The two movies that best show why she is on this list- Elizabeth and Note son a Scandal.
Kate Winslet- It is no coincidence that she is the youngest person to get to 5 Oscar nominations. The girl can just flat out act. She can do overt comedy(The Holiday), subtle comedy(Eternal Sunshine of the spotless Mind) romance(Titanic) and of course drama. She has been doing amazing work since before Titanic but really got the notice first with that movie. It seems like she only does 1 or 2 movies every year so she is not spreading herself thin and is saving herself for those great roles. She has acted amongst the biggest names in Hollywood, both male and female and she always comes out on top. No female does it like she does these days. Watching her be an unhappy and horny housewife in Little Children was beyond mesmerizing. I seriously do not have enough superlatives to describe how much I enjoy her on screen. She is a beautiful woman who is not afraid of getting a little dirty if she needs to and she doesn't shy away from those intimate moments on film. Hell she found a way to bring tears out of me in a romantic comedy for gods sake. The two movies that best show why she is on this list- Heavenly Creatures and Little Children
I am not going to lie, this was a tougher list to finish than the male list, which is not a knock on the female talent, it is merely a statement that women still do not get enough chances to really strut their stuff. I know these best actress lists usually contain Laura Linney, but I for one am not at all a fan of hers and think she can ruin movies(Mystic River).
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