list-o-mania
from the cluttered wishing to be categorized brain of Nathaniel R
Compiled in September 2005 using a complex mathematical formula [snort] involving number of films, clarity of obsession, quality of work, and other *undefinables* (such as previous films, awards show appearances, publicity, tv, & stagework) that influence me even though the list is meant to be about 2000 through summer 2005 only for more on the workings of this list -check out the introduction
Actresses of the "Aughts" 100-91 |
100 Juliet Stevenson
She captured major deserved attention 15 years ago in Truly, Madly, Deeply in which she was sensational as a grieving single woman haunted by her dead lover Alan Rickman, but for reasons unfathomable to me a major film career never developed. She spent the rest of the 90s mostly on British television. Still, I perk up when I see her onscreen. Ms. Stevenson seems to be most frequently cast as hateful cartoony women (Mrs Squeers in Nicholas Nickelbyand that homophobic mom in Bend it Like Beckham in 2003) or as sympathetic "help", as in 2004's Annette Bening showcase, Being Julia.99 Juliette Lewis
I know that I probably have no business putting this once ascending actress on this list. Her glory days (the early to mid 90s) are long since past. But I still hold the torch. Too bad Hollywood and Juliette herself aren't interested in stoking its fire. She is more interested in rock and roll these days. Hollywood only seems to cast her in throwaway bits in bawdy comedies like Old School (2003) & Starsky & Hutch (2004). Her best moments in the past 5 years have been mostly in television films like Hysterical Blindness (2002). The only vivid reminder in the past few years of how great she can be onscreen? That riveting elevator scene in The Way of the Gun (2000).98 Carla Gugino
I have never seen any of the Spy Kids movies. I have never been interested. The reason Gugino is on this list is threefold: First is her ballsy slutty scenery chewing in 2001's The Center of the World (where she macked on Molly Parker, #75), Second is her pitch-black comic hysteria in 2005's Sin City (you know the bit w/ Mickey Rourke and her missing hands). Lastly, i'm pleased when I see actors who haven't made it big on film working their craft everywhere. She also does TV and Broadway --she was last seen to great acclaim as the Marilyn Monroe figure in Arthur Miller's After the Fall.
97 Angela Bassett
If you want me to get angry one of the surefire ways of heating me up is to talk about what's become of Angela Bassett's career. Here is a screen actress with EVERYTHING: Beauty, fire, intelligence, charisma, talent. How on earth is her career so wimpy after that string of hits in the 90s? This decade has brought her only thankless roles like the ones in Supernova (2000's bad sci-fi), The Score (2001) & Mr 3000 (2004, love interest). The only bright spots have been scattered critical acclaim for the almost totally unseen Boesman & Lena (2000, has anyone seen that?) and a fairly good role in the ensemble drama Sunshine State (2002).96 Mary Louise Parker
Joe always raves about her. He isn't the only member of the fan club. In truth her stage and television work are way more impressive than her filmography. But I'm always interested when she's onscreen. I'm in denial that I no longer get Showtime and am currently missing her starring role in Weeds. It's common knowledge that she rocks as Harper in HBO's version of Angels in America (2003) but her best cinematic work lately was as the romantically confused pastry chef in the 1999 Canadian film The Five Senses which briefly hit the arthouses in 2000 in the USA.95 Marylouise Burke
For those of you going "who?" that would be the woman who plays the murderous nurse in 2001's Series 7: The Contender (a best villain nominee in the FiLMBiTCH awards) and Miles' oblivious birthday girl mom in Sideways (2004) among other films. She's also frequently seen on-stage here in New York.94
Sissy Spacek
In the past few years I've been catching up on a lot of 70s pictures that I had never seen and. damn. Sissy Spacek was a great actress. I say "was" only because her work as of late seems comparatively uninspired. That said she was quite good (many said Oscar-win worthy) in In the Bedroom as a volcanically angry grieving mother. The famous plate smashing scene in that 2001 film aside, it's a really subdued well examined performance. She was also winningly warm as the sympathetic mother in A Home at the End of the World (2004). Please ignore that embarrassing cameo in The Ring 2 (2005).93 Alicia Witt
If you had asked me in 2000 who I expected would become a popular star I woulda told you "Alicia Witt!" She was so hilarious and memorable in John Waters otherwise kinda lame Cecil B. Demented (as porn star "Cherish O Lordy") that I thought for sure that big things were ahead. It was not to be. At least not yet. There's still time I guess as she's only just turned 30.Trivia Alert: Witt lost the "Mary Jane" role in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy to Kirsten Dunst. Now, don't get me wrong. I absolutely love me my Kirsten Dunst (#4) but her career would've been fine without Spidey. Witt kind of needed it. She hasn't been so lucky since. Will the second half of the decade be more fortuitous?
92 Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis does not appear on this list because of Christmas with the Kranks (ouch) or frequent returns to the Halloween franchise. She appears because of Freaky Friday and Freaky Friday alone. Too bad an Oscar nomination didn't happen because she certainly deserved it. It's not the first time she's been slighted come awards season (see also her great comic turn in A Fish Called Wanda in the 80s).
Trivia Alert: Jamie Lee Curtis is married to the genius comic director/writer/actor Christopher Guest. I know it doesn't always work for married couples to work together but Jamie Lee is a terrific comedienne and Guest gives such great roles to other really talented comic actresses (like Parker Posey #31, Jennifer Coolidge and Catherine O Hara #43 and #41) in his movies like Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman that I keep hoping she'll join his troupe. God knows she does not deserve to be stuck in crap like the Kranks.
91 Brooke Smith
The girl in the pit (Silence of the Lambs) is still, quite improbably, alive. This unlikely screen actress keeps on ticking. She nailed her one and only lead role in the prescient reality-tv satire Series 7: The Contender (2001) and though in interviews she suggests that she's always ready to quit acting I'm always hoping she doesn't. I enjoy those quick climpses of Brooke that we get in films like The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) or Woody Allen's Melinda & Melinda (2005). Still, I'm hoping that sometime in the next few years she lands another role as juicy as Bloody Mama in Series 7 or as her challenging as her 1994 role opposite the great Julianne Moore in Vanya on 42nd Street.
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Top 100 Actresses of the Aughts So Far
(Compiled in Sept & October 2005)
100 -91 / 90-81 / 80-71/ 70-61 / 60-51 / 50-41 /
40-31 / 30-21 / 20-11 / 10-6 / 5-1
In Anticipation of Best of the Decade Lists in 2010
