Kevin Kline - The Ice Storm Joan Allen - The Ice Storm Sigourney Weaver - The Ice Storm Joan Allen - The Upside of Anger Sigourney Weaver - Prayers For Bobby Joan Allen - The Contender Kathleen Turner - Peggy Sue Got Married Brad Pitt - A River Runs Through It Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook Whoopi Goldberg - The Color Purple Danny Glover - The Color Purple Whoopi Goldberg - Jumpin' Jack Flash Jodie Foster - Nell Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole Leonardo DiCaprio - What's Eating Gilbert Grape Dustin Hoffman - Tootsie
Anne Bancroft in THE MIRACLE WORKER, then there's everyone else Julie Andrews in THE SOUND OF MUSIC Olivia de Havilland in THE SNAKE PIT Rosalind Russell in AUNTIE MAME Vivian Leigh in GONE WITH THE WIND
Jimmy Stewart in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, then there's everyone else Anthony Perkins in PSYCHO John Travolta in BLOW OUT Richard Burton in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF Martin Stephens in VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED
I'm going to second Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake. I saw it when it originally came out, but when I saw it last night I fell in love with it in a whole new way. She truly is incredible.
Now, it may seem odd at first read but I thought Toni Collette was incredible in Muriel's Wedding. Hilariously awkward and funny but the scene where she's lying on the floor in the dress shop gets me everytime.
I'm going to add the shamefully underrated Dirk Bogarde for his work in Joseph Losey's masterpiece, The Servant. You never can figure out what is his next move.
Others: Also Emily Watson in Breaking The Waves Aleksei Kravchenko in Come and See Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront Robert Mitchum in The Friends of Eddie Coyle Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix in The Immigrant John Wayne in Red River and The Searchers Amy Adams in Junebug Thelma Ritter in Pickup on South Street Julianne Moroe in SAFE
"I'm going to second Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake."
I just think that scene when the police arrive is brilliant acting on her part. The director was so smart to leave the camera on her face for so long. There is so much non-verbal communication going on.
And I think Toni Collette is great as well. If you haven't watched Clockwatchers, it's worth a look. It's not the greatest movie out there, but she is really good in it despite Parker Posey doing her best to steal the movie. And I think that's what's so great about Toni. Parker can steal the movie but Toni holds her own.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
I am with Gothampc in this - it is certain scenes that I remember and stick with me. Here are just a few.
Melvil Poupaud - Time to Leave - the ending. He says nothing but everything is going on in his eyes. Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.
Meryl Streep - Marvin's Room - now I am not a huge fan of Meryl Streep but the scene in the bathroom as she fixes Diane Keaton's character's wig gets me everytime. I think she is great in this film.
Julianne Moore - The Hours - again a bathroom scene where she tells her husband she will be out shortly. Her performance throughout is great.
Audrey Tautou - Amelie - just wonderful throughout.
Lots and lots more that I can think of but will stop here.
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone Julianne Moore - Short Cuts, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, The Hours and Far From heaven Shirley MacLaine - The Trouble With Harry, Irma La Douce and Terms of Endearment Whoopi Goldberg - The Color Purple Christian Bale - Empire of the Sun Toni Collette - Muriel's Wedding Noomi Rapace - Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (entire trilogy) Franke Potente - Run, Lola, Run Leonardo DiCaprio - What's Eating Gilbert Grape? Emma Thompson - Sense and Sensibility Ellen Burstyn - Requiem for a Dream Brenda Blethyn - Secrets and Lies Dianne Wiest - Hannah and Her Sisters, Parenthood and Bullets Over Broadway Daniel Day Lewis - My Left Foot Jamie Lee Curis - A Fish Called Wanda and True Lies William Hurt - The Accidental Tourist Glenn Close - Dangerous Liaisons Sissy Spacek - Crimes of the Heart F. Murray Abraham - Amadeus Ben Kingsley - Gandhi Howard E. Rollins - Ragtime Al Pacino - The Godfather & The Godfather II Omar Sharif - Doctor Zhivago Peter O'Toole - Lawrence of Arabia Doris Day - Love Me or Leave Me and The Man Who Knew Too Much Gloria Swanson - Sunset Boulevard Bette Davis - All About Eve Jean Hagen - Singin' in the Rain Laurence Olivier - Rebecca and Wuthering Heights Katherine Hepburn, James Stewart and Cary Grant - The Philadelphia Story Olivia Hussy - Romeo and Juliet
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Emma Thompson in the bedroom scene in Love Actually
Sissy Spacek was In the Bedroom, not Thompson.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
Leads— James Stewart in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE/VERTIGO etc. Anton Walbrook in THE RED SHOES Marlon Brando in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE John Barrymore in TWENTIETH CENTURY Toshiro Mifune in assorted Kurosawa films Robert De Niro in RAGING BULL Daniel Day Lewis in THERE WILL BE BLOOD Johnny Depp in SWEENEY TODD Mel Blanc for his work in assorted Warner Bros. animated cartoons. Marcel Dalio in THE RULES OF THE GAME
Supporting— John Cazale in DOG DAY AFTERNOON, etc. Claude Rains in NOTORIOUS, CASABLANCA, etc. Bert Lahr in THE WIZARD OF OZ Heath Ledger in THE DARK KNIGHT Thomas Mitchell in STAGECOACH Walter Connolly in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, TWENTIETH CENTURY, etc. Minoru Chiaki in RASHOMON, SEVEN SAMURAI, etc. Robert De Niro in GODFATHER PART II Joe Pesci in GOODFELLAS Karl Malden in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Women
Leads— Bette Davis in ALL ABOUT EVE, etc. Margarita Terekhova in THE MIRROR Michelle Pfeiffer in BATMAN RETURNS Ingrid Bergman in NOTORIOUS, etc. Carole Lombard in MY MAN GODFREY Giuletta Masina in NIGHTS OF CABIRIA Christine Lahti in HOUSEKEEPING Vivien Leigh in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Marie Dressler in DINNER AT EIGHT Louise Brooks in PANDORA'S BOX
Supporting— Margaret Hamilton in THE WIZARD OF OZ Gwen Welles in NASHVILLE Madeline Kahn in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, WHAT’S UP DOC? etc. Sandra Milo in 8 1/2 Nicole Kidman in EYES WIDE SHUT Mieko Harada in RAN Kim Hunter in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Dianne Wiest in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, etc. Mary Steenburgen in MELVIN AND HOWARD Beulah Bondi in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick
My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
Everyone has great lists, and I love the addition of comedic performances. Russell in Auntie Mame deserves to be on any "best" list.
I'd add to Toni Collette's list, what I think is her best performance with just a two scenes..."The Hours".
Roscoe, thanks for remembering Harada.
"Carson has combined his passion for helping children with his love for one of Cincinnati's favorite past times - cornhole - to create a unique and exciting event perfect for a corporate outing, entertaining clients or family fun."