Again, top ten lists are all relative and preferential. These are the actresses that we're really in to right now. When you're done reading, check out our Top 10 Actors We Really Dig list also.
10. Rebecca Hall - Hall hasn't been around for that long, but she's churning out great movie after great movie. If you don't know who she is yet, you soon will. Check her out in Affleck's movie The Town or in last week's release, Closed Circuit. She hasn't fully arrived yet but she soon will and all eyes will be affixed on her unique beauty and talent.
9. Scarlett Johansson - A pretty face? Yes. A good actress. Definitely. While some might dismiss her as just a good looking girl that got lucky, we beg to differ. Match Point is one of the most emotionally draining movies of the last ten years. If not for her performance, we may not have fallen in love with her to begin with. Now we have to kill her because she's pregnant. Scarlett rocks every movie she's in. She's easy on the eyes and can compete with all the other big names out there. Plus, she has no problem kicking the crap out of invading interplanetary forces. What's not to love?
8. Rooney Mara - Rooney (the second Lisbeth Salander), took the slow paced Side Effects and made it one of the year's best with her performance as Emily Taylor. Mara also took on the role of Lisbeth in Fincher's Girl With A Dragon Tattoo and offered a different take on the character. It was different in both presentation and character from the original, but she did a bang up job breaking away from her predecessor.
7. Noomi Rapace - Noomi (the original Lisbeth Salander), has taken the scene by storm the past couple years. She's put out some great performances in Prometheus (you didn't like it) and this year's Dead Man Down starring alongside Colin Farrell. She hasn't done much in the U.S. but she's gonna be one to watch. Either way, we really dig her and the work she does. Taking on the role of Lisbeth was a great step in the right direction and put her right in the cross hairs for a starving domestic audience.
6. Charlize Theron - In our actor's list we mentioned that Sam Rockwell is a chameleon like actor. Well, Theron is the female version of that. This woman has done things that most other actresses would turn their noses up at. In Monster, she hid that beautiful face under heavy makeup to become serial killer Aileen Wuornos. And she owned the role with an engaging performance like nothing else that year. Then she did Aeon Flux. Oh well, we give her a pass.
5. Kate Winslet - Beautiful. Check. Talented. Check. Tasteful. Check. Winslet can do it all. She's the epitome of what all actresses should strive for. She picks good parts and she can alter her personality and voice to fit any character. Winslet is one of the rare actresses that can hide her accent without a speck of evidence that she's a Brit. I've never seen her in a movie I didn't like. That says a lot. See The Reader. If that movie doesn't effect you, you're probably not human.
4. Nicole Kidman - Kidman has stumbled a bit lately, but she still puts out good stuff. Stoker was one of her better performances of late. But, her turn as the sleazebag whore in The Paperboy was the envelope pushing moment that convinced me that she can still act. She undoubtedly killed that part in all its well lubricated glory. Despite a shoddy story, Kidman rocked that role without hesitation.
3. Naomi Watts - Watts is fearless. She will turn out role after role without ever flinching at an uncomfortable situation. In the U.S. version of Funny Games she plays a captive mother that has just seen her son murdered in front of her. Many actresses would shy away from anything this harsh. Watts seems to revel in it. Time and time again, Naomi Watts breaks herself emotionally and physically to deliver a realistic portrayal for her audience. She's never failed yet. If you want to see her do it again, check out her new movie Adore. It's a sexually charged drama in which Watts is absolutely amazing. She's got big shoes to fill this year in the Princess Dianna biopic. But, as usual, she's fearless.
2. Jessica Lange - Lange has been acting for nearly 40 years. To leave her off this list would not only be disrespectful, but would be an embarrassment. This woman went from a successful cinematic career to taking on two seasons of American Horror Story with ease. She can play creepy. She can play straight evil. And she does it all while never selling herself short of being one of best actresses around. See The Postman Always Rings Twice. You'll be glad you did.
1. Cate Blanchett - Let's keep this simple and to the point. Blanchett owns. The woman has never failed a director and has been extremely picky about the roles she chooses. Everything she does is artistically sound and she never takes a breather from delivering with her absolute full potential. She is the definition of dramatic perfection while always being selective in her choices. Yes, we know. The Crystal Skull? She gets a pass. Blanchett is the best around. Deal with it.
- Article by Chris George
10. Rebecca Hall - Hall hasn't been around for that long, but she's churning out great movie after great movie. If you don't know who she is yet, you soon will. Check her out in Affleck's movie The Town or in last week's release, Closed Circuit. She hasn't fully arrived yet but she soon will and all eyes will be affixed on her unique beauty and talent.9. Scarlett Johansson - A pretty face? Yes. A good actress. Definitely. While some might dismiss her as just a good looking girl that got lucky, we beg to differ. Match Point is one of the most emotionally draining movies of the last ten years. If not for her performance, we may not have fallen in love with her to begin with. Now we have to kill her because she's pregnant. Scarlett rocks every movie she's in. She's easy on the eyes and can compete with all the other big names out there. Plus, she has no problem kicking the crap out of invading interplanetary forces. What's not to love?
8. Rooney Mara - Rooney (the second Lisbeth Salander), took the slow paced Side Effects and made it one of the year's best with her performance as Emily Taylor. Mara also took on the role of Lisbeth in Fincher's Girl With A Dragon Tattoo and offered a different take on the character. It was different in both presentation and character from the original, but she did a bang up job breaking away from her predecessor.
7. Noomi Rapace - Noomi (the original Lisbeth Salander), has taken the scene by storm the past couple years. She's put out some great performances in Prometheus (you didn't like it) and this year's Dead Man Down starring alongside Colin Farrell. She hasn't done much in the U.S. but she's gonna be one to watch. Either way, we really dig her and the work she does. Taking on the role of Lisbeth was a great step in the right direction and put her right in the cross hairs for a starving domestic audience. 6. Charlize Theron - In our actor's list we mentioned that Sam Rockwell is a chameleon like actor. Well, Theron is the female version of that. This woman has done things that most other actresses would turn their noses up at. In Monster, she hid that beautiful face under heavy makeup to become serial killer Aileen Wuornos. And she owned the role with an engaging performance like nothing else that year. Then she did Aeon Flux. Oh well, we give her a pass.
5. Kate Winslet - Beautiful. Check. Talented. Check. Tasteful. Check. Winslet can do it all. She's the epitome of what all actresses should strive for. She picks good parts and she can alter her personality and voice to fit any character. Winslet is one of the rare actresses that can hide her accent without a speck of evidence that she's a Brit. I've never seen her in a movie I didn't like. That says a lot. See The Reader. If that movie doesn't effect you, you're probably not human.
4. Nicole Kidman - Kidman has stumbled a bit lately, but she still puts out good stuff. Stoker was one of her better performances of late. But, her turn as the sleazebag whore in The Paperboy was the envelope pushing moment that convinced me that she can still act. She undoubtedly killed that part in all its well lubricated glory. Despite a shoddy story, Kidman rocked that role without hesitation.
3. Naomi Watts - Watts is fearless. She will turn out role after role without ever flinching at an uncomfortable situation. In the U.S. version of Funny Games she plays a captive mother that has just seen her son murdered in front of her. Many actresses would shy away from anything this harsh. Watts seems to revel in it. Time and time again, Naomi Watts breaks herself emotionally and physically to deliver a realistic portrayal for her audience. She's never failed yet. If you want to see her do it again, check out her new movie Adore. It's a sexually charged drama in which Watts is absolutely amazing. She's got big shoes to fill this year in the Princess Dianna biopic. But, as usual, she's fearless.2. Jessica Lange - Lange has been acting for nearly 40 years. To leave her off this list would not only be disrespectful, but would be an embarrassment. This woman went from a successful cinematic career to taking on two seasons of American Horror Story with ease. She can play creepy. She can play straight evil. And she does it all while never selling herself short of being one of best actresses around. See The Postman Always Rings Twice. You'll be glad you did.
1. Cate Blanchett - Let's keep this simple and to the point. Blanchett owns. The woman has never failed a director and has been extremely picky about the roles she chooses. Everything she does is artistically sound and she never takes a breather from delivering with her absolute full potential. She is the definition of dramatic perfection while always being selective in her choices. Yes, we know. The Crystal Skull? She gets a pass. Blanchett is the best around. Deal with it.- Article by Chris George