20.

Julianne Moore

Favorite Performance: Maude Lebowski, The Big Lebowski

She’s good by default; she’s let her roles go for the past decade, but late 90’s Julianne will never be matched.

Films Seen: 9

19.

Tina Fey

Favorite Performance: Liz Lemon, ‘30 Rock’

The best actress on television at the moment. But don’t forget Baby Mama and Mean Girls.

Films Seen: 2

18.

Vera Farmiga

Favorite Performance: Erica Van Doren, Nothing But The Truth

I feel I haven’t touted Nothing But The Truth enough, so here’s my chance. Madolyn from The Departed is a close second, and getting eaten-out on a washing machine in Running Scared is near-and-dear to my heart. Next, she’ll tear it up in Reitman’s Up In The Air (which is a great book so far).

Films Seen: 4

17.

Kate Beckinsale

Favorite Performance: Rachel Armstrong, Nothing But The Truth

The best part of Click. An awesome wreck in Snow Angels. Endlessly gorgeous.

Films Seen: 5

16.

Franka Potente

Favorite Performance: Lola, Lola Rentt

Got love watchin’ that bitch run. She’s does other things, too.

Films Seen: 5

15.

Laura Linney

Favorite Performance: Meryl Burbank / Hannah Gill, The Truman Show

Best when playing a wreck, which is always. Gotta love that smile, too.

Films Seen: 6

14.

Holly Hunter

Favorite Performance: Melanie Freeland, Thirteen

Southern accents always bother me so much, but not when I hear her. A off-and-on Coen brothers staple, though she was on top trying to control out-of-control Evan Rachel Wood in the underrated Thirteen. Too bad she’s given up her soul to TNT.

Films Seen: 6

13.

Marisa Tomei

“Do you realize, that I’ve been having an affair?”

She will never age. Nor will she ever sell out. A quick dip with Anger Management, then nothing but the best. She sort of got overshadowed by Mickey this fall, but look out for her in the Duplass brothers’ Safety Man soon.

Favorite Performance: Gina, Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead

Films Seen: 7

12.

Emily Mortimer

Favorite Performance: Karin, Lars And The Real Girl

I can’t wait for Shutter Island, mostly because of her and her role as Rachel Solando. I’ll never forget her as Phoebe the ‘brittle-boned’ socialite on ‘30 Rock.’

Films Seen: 2

11.

Kathy Bates

“Now, you listen to me, Mr. Grand High Poobah of Upper Buttcrack,
I’m just about half-past give a shit with your fun and games.”

“The last time you were sorry was when you had to use
the pay toilet and the string on your pet dime broke.”

Favorite Performance: Dolores Claiborne, Dolores Claiborne

Also good by default. Really not much to say.

Films Seen: 8

10.

Patricia Clarkson

Favorite Performance: Elvira, All The Real Girls

The best part of the horrid Good Night And Good Luck; can’t wait to see how she does in Whatever Works this summer.

Films Seen: 7

9.

Catherine O’Hara

Favorite Performance: Cindy, Orange County

Again, good at playing a wreck. A Christopher Guest staple, although she was thrown to the wolves for For Your Consideration. I hate that that was bad.

Films Seen: 6

8.

Naomi Watts

Favorite Performance: Dawn Campbell, I <3 Huckabees

The good Nicole Kidman.

Films Seen: 10 1/2

7.

Virginia Madsen

Favorite Performance: Maya, Sideways

Always playing quiet, reserved roles, Virginia likes to stay in the shadows of cinema. I love her semi-raspy voice. Don’t forget her as Ray Liotta’s wife on ‘Smith.’ Would’ve worked out great for her.

Films Seen: 5 1/2

6.

Amanda Peet

Favorite Performance: Jordan McDeere, ‘Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip’

She always effortless in her execution, and never goes over the top. Honorable mention for Identity. Rumors circulated about a ‘Studio 60’ centering around her Jordan character; probably would’ve sucked, but good thought.

Films Seen: 7

5.

Jodie Foster

Favorite Performance: Clarice Starling, The Silence Of The Lambs

She’s a powerhouse of a bitch in Inside Man; let’s hope her role is expanded in the forthcoming sequel. A bar-setter for female heroes like Frances, always played rough and tough without getting dirty. Honorable mention to Flightplan; she knew she wasn’t crazy!

Films seen: 5

4.

Frances McDormand

Favorite Performance: Marge Gunderson, Fargo

Another on/off Coen brothers staple, partly because she’s Joel’s wife (I think). Her role as Marge Gunderson has since set the bar for female heroes, and her roles since always try to bring back that prowess. The best part of North Country. I will seek out any movie she’s in. Period. Honorable mention to her breakout, sexy, and inspired role in Blood Simple.

Films seen: 10

3.

Faye Dunaway

Favorite Performance: Bonnie Parker, Bonnie & Clyde

The most beautiful and best actress to come out the 70s. She’s 68 now, just completing a guest-spot on ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ She’s gone completely downhill role wise, but her 15-year glory stretch will never be forgotten. Don’t watch her acceptance speech for Network, though; probably the worst speech ever.

Films seen: 4

2.

Catherine Keener

Favorite Performance: Maxine, Being John Malkovich

Another one of those ‘gotta catch ‘em all,’ which means I’ll probably have to go see The Soloist. Cannot wait for her pairing with Mark Ruffalo in WTWTA this fall. Nothing beats her playing Boggle in Charlie Kaufman’s house in Adaptation. “Catherine Keener’s in my house?”

Seen: 10 films, Her 1 episode of ‘Seinfeld’

1.

Evan Rachel Wood

Favorite Performance: Kimberly Joyce, Pretty Persuasion

“You know what, I don’t care. I don’t hate you. I don’t love you. I don’t even like you. And I was stupid to think that you could change.” The Wrestler

Though Pretty Persuasion was deeply flawed, it’s a delicious guilty pleasure of mine, and ERW’s performance is no-holds-barred. After her Golden-Globe nod for Thirteen, she knew she was gold, and never sold out. She didn’t get started in a DCOM or a crappy sitcom, but she did get to kiss Mischa Barton on ‘Once & Again’ multiple times. Loved her PG sex scene in the terrible Down In The Valley. Nobody can have so much emotional impact in a film in three scenes like she did in The Wrestler. And the outcome is heartwrenching. She’ll play Mary Jane is Spiderman: The Musical. And rumors are flying that Dunst is dropping out of 4 & 5, and people want Evan to step in. Ehh. This summer, she’ll tear it up as a Southern belle in Whatever Works, and guest as a vampire queen on ‘True Blood.’ At least she had the sense to drop out of Zach Snyder’s Sucker Punch.

Films seen: 8