YES. Judi Dench was outstanding in that. I believe it to be her best performance. Cate Blanchett is wonderful in this as well (you can really sense her character's lack of centre and balance, her mutual nature, a weakness Dench's character cleverly takes advantage of). The only drawback is that they both outshine the overall film.
Finally Glenn Close has an Oscar! I was actually pleasantly surprised to see Kristen Dunst on your list. Such a great actress that unfortunately doesn't get the recognition she deserves for her work. Also I was trying to remember the name of the last song for a week now so thank you for reminding me. Great work!❤
So glad that every time I see one of these lists Sigourney Weaver is picked for Aliens! People do not understand the depth of that character. It is not just a sci-fi action flick: her daughter died while she was in hypersleep (directors cut), she finds a new daughter in Newt and has to protect her, she has PTSD but is going back to face her fears, she has to take over as leader, is given a semi-romance with Hicks that cant be flushed out on screen, shes in every scene and carries a 2+ hour movie! Sigourney EARNED that Oscar!!! 😢
Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley is one of the finest acting achievements the action and science fiction genre would ever produce. Weaver in Aliens is badass, gritty, strong and resilient, and at the same time vulnerable and protective. Ripley is a three-dimensional character and Weaver's is a physical performance, reliant on the way she carries herself, oozing confidence and determination but caution, simultaneously, only revealing her fear and unease through her soulful eyes. She truly deserved it that year.
That role is iconic. Watching it as a little boy with my big brother, it reminded me how amazing my mother is bc only she could protect us from the monsters. Watching the power strength and passionate determination by Ripley .I thought that yes...of course a female can save and protect us from the monsters and save the planet.
The performance of Sigourney Weaver as Ripley is role that is unforgettable. Watching it as a little boy with my big brother, it reminded me how amazing my mother is bc only she could protect us from the monsters. Watching the power strength and passionate determination by Ripley .I thought that yes...of course a female can save and protect us from the monsters and save the planet.
My choice for Best Actress Oscar: 1930 (1): Maria Falconetti (The Passion of Joan of Arc) (not nominated), instead of Mary Pickford (Coquette) 1930 (2): Louise Brooks (Pandora's Box) (not nominated), instead of Norma Shearer (The Divorcee) 1931: Marlene Dietrich (The Blue Angel) (not nominated), instead of Marie Dressler (Min and Bill) 1932: Marlene Dietrich (Shanghai Express) (not nominated) and/or Greta Garbo (Grand Hotel) (not nominated), instead of Helen Hayes (The Sin of Madelon Claudet) 1934: Greta Garbo (Queen Christina), instead of Katharine Hepburn (Morning Glory) 1936: Ginger Rogers (Top Hat) (not nominated), instead of Bette Davis (Dangerous) 1937: Carole Lombard (My Man Godfrey), instead of Luise Rainer (The Great Ziegfeld) 1938: Barbara Stanwyck (Stella Dallas) and/or Greta Garbo (Camille) and/or Irene Dunne (The Awful Truth), instead of Luise Rainer (The Good Earth) 1941: Katharine Hepburn (The Philadelphia Story) and/or Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday) (not nominated) and/or Margaret Sullavan (The Shop Around the Corner) (not nominated), instead of Ginger Rogers (Kitty Foyle) 1943: Bette Davis (Now, Voyager), instead of Greer Garson (Mrs. Miniver) 1944: Jean Arthur (The More the Merrier) and/or Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca) (not nominated), instead of Jennifer Jones (The Song of Bernadette) 1945: Barbara Stanwyck (Double Indemnity), instead of Ingrid Bergman (Gaslight) 1947: Ingrid Bergman (Notorious) (not nominated) and/or Donna Reed (It's a Wonderful Life) (not nominated), instead of Olivia de Havilland (To Each His Own) 1948: Deborah Kerr (Black Narcissus) (not nominated), instead of Loretta Young (The Farmer's Daughter) 1951: Bette Davis (All About Eve) and/or Gloria Swanson (Sunset Blvd.), instead of Judy Holliday (Born Yesterday) 1953: Joan Crawford (Sudden Fear), instead of Shirley Booth (Come Back, Little Sheba) 1955: Judy Garland (A Star Is Born) and/or Audrey Hepburn (Sabrina), instead of Grace Kelly (The Country Girl) 1956: Shelley Winters (The Night of the Hunter) (not nominated) and/or Marilyn Monroe (The Seven Year Itch) (not nominated), instead of Anna Magnani (The Rose Tattoo) 1957: Deborah Kerr (The King and I) and/or Carroll Baker (Baby Doll), instead of Ingrid Bergman (Anastasia) 1958: Deborah Kerr (Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison), instead of Joanne Woodward (The Three Faces of Eve) 1959: Elizabeth Taylor (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and/or Rosalind Russell (Auntie Mame), instead of Susan Hayward (I Want to Live!) 1960: Audrey Hepburn (The Nun's Story) and/or Marilyn Monroe (Some Like It Hot) (not nominated), instead of Simone Signoret (Room at the Top) 1961: Shirley MacLaine (The Apartment), instead of Elizabeth Taylor (Disque Butterfield 😎 1962: Audrey Hepburn (Breakfast at Tiffany's) and/or Natalie Wood (Splendor in the Grass) and/or Piper Laurie (The Hustler), instead of Sophia Loren (Two Women) 1963: Bette Davis (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?), instead of Anne Bancroft (The Miracle Worker) 1964: Natalie Wood (Love with the Proper Stranger), instead of Patricia Neal (Hud) 1966: Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music), instead of Julie Christie (Darling) 1968: Faye Dunaway (Bonnie and Clyde) and/or Anne Bancroft (The Graduate), instead of Katharine Hepburn (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner) 1971: Sarah Miles (Ryan's Daughter), instead of Glenda Jackson (Women in Love) 1974: Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist), instead of Glenda Jackson (A Touch of Class) 1986: Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple), instead of Geraldine Page (The Trip to Bountiful) 1987: Sigourney Weaver (Aliens), instead of Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God) 1988: Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) and/or Holly Hunter (Broadcast News), instead of Cher (Moonstruck) 1989: Glenn Close (Dangerous Liaisons), instead of Jodie Foster (The Accused) 1995: Winona Ryder (Little Women), instead of Jessica Lange (Blue Sky) 1998: Kate Winslet (Titanic) and/or Judi Dench (Mrs Brown) and/or Helena Bonham Carter (The Wings of the Dove), instead of Helen Hunt (As Good as It Gets) 1999: Fernanda Montenegro (Central Station) and/or Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth), instead of Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love) 2000: Annette Bening (American Beauty), instead of Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry) 2001: Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream), instead of Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich) 2002: Sissy Spacek (In the Bedroom) and/or Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!, The Others (not nominated)) and/or Naomi Watts (Mulholland Dr.) (not nominated), instead of Halle Berry (Monster's Ball) 2006: Felicity Huffman (Transamerica) and/or Keira Knightley (Pride & Prejudice), instead of Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line) 2010: Carey Mulligan (An Education), instead of Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side) 2012: Viola Davis (The Help) and/or Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and/or Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn), instead of Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) 2019: Glenn Close (The Wife), instead of Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
Fantastic picks!! Loved so many of these outstanding performances! Katharine Hepburn in Little Women, Teresa Wright in Shadow of a doubt, Anna Magnani in Rome Open City, Ingrid Bergman in Notorious and in Autumn Sonata, Setsuko Hara in Tokyo Story, Emmanuelle Riva in Hiroshima mon amour, Gena Rowlands in A woman under the influence, Fernanda Montenegro in Central Station, Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha, Emma Stone in La la land, Joanna Kulig in Cold War… Just to name a few from this nearly perfect group!
Thank you for recognising the unforgettable, outstanding role of Valentine (Irene Jacob) in the sublime film Three Colours Red because not many have. 1994 was an awful choice of lead actress nominees, won by the ever excellent Jessica Lange but in forgettable film, Blue Sky. Toni Collette and Ruth Cracknell were also overlooked for deserved nominations but Jacob should have won.
O vídeo ficou incrível. Por favor faça uma versão completa das suas escolhas (com as atrizes indicadas em cada ano). Tenho certeza que seria bastante complexo fazer isso mas suas escolhas são muito sólidas e seria muito bom ver quais as quatro atuações femininas principais mais se aproximaram de ser a melhor do ano (tipo a Bette Davis em 1950, que disputou pela vaga de melhor da Gloria Swanson ou em 2000 com a Ellen Burstyn fenomenal porém com a atuação invencível da Meggie Cheung).
I cannot even express with words how much I LOVE this video. I think it's my favorite video ever of personal choices of Best Actresses. Love everything, the shots, the music, the choices... incredible. My favorite picks are Liv Ullman for Whispers and Cries, Mary Taylor Moore for Ordinary People, Holly Hunter for Broadcast News, Judi Dench for Notes on an Scandal, Greta Gerwig for Frances Ha and Charlize Theron for Mad Max Fury Road, I literally screamed when I saw this last one. Thank also for including truly overlooked performances like Florence Pugh's. Are you planning on more videos?
Thank you very much for your kind words. I have also seen your videos, and you honour your choices in a special and artful manner. Your own video with your picks for Best Actress is a wonderful one and it comes highly recommended! We have some common ground, and a similar music taste I've noticed. What you did in your own video, in the transition from Annette Bening in American Beauty to Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth (you know what you did) is GENIUS. So, Charlize Theron in Mad Max is indeed wonderful. Her soulful eyes, filled with so much pain, and yet bravery and determination all the same, speak louder than any words could. She is modern day Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. Liv Ullmann could have received an Oscar for practically any of her performances to be honest. I actually believe her two best to be Persona and Scenes from a Marriage, and you could make a case for her being the deserving recepient both in 1966 and in 1973. She was breath-taking in Cries and Whispers and there is a real twist to her character - playing a shallow, wasteful, vacant woman. All that being said, I'm working on a Best Actor project, but I haven't seen all the films I've listed to make a well-informed selection, so it will be a tediously long time before that one is ready. I am not certain of whether or not I intend to keep working on tributes like these, so I will let time show me the way. The Best Actor one needs a few months' time for sure though.
@@georg_couch Thank you so so much! I wanted you to know that your video has inspired me to get back to my channel and start working again on a complete video of Best Actress in a Leading Role. Seriously, I owe you that: I never thought I would see Kinuyo Tanaka or Julie Christie for Darling in one of this videos, you're choices are really inspired. And yes, you could easily make the case for Liv Ullman winning 4 or 5 times with Face to Face, Shame, Scenes from a Marriage, Persona, The Immigrants and Cries and Whispers. She's alongside Ingrid Bergman my favorite actress in the entire story and obviously she's my second pick for the win after Bergman in Autumn Sonata. That movie was an experience of perfect acting. And as for Cries and Whispers, it fascinates me how she adds depth to that shallow woman and her last scene with her sister, where she delivers such a subtle despair for hair through a smile, it's the cherry on top for me. Perfect performance.
@@PalmurcioWorld Liv Ullmann is absolutely wonderful. I'd love to be able to have her twice here. Cries and Whispers is a beast of a film! I'll surely be waiting to see what your picks will be!
@@georg_couch hahaha I don't think we're going to differ a lot but you'll see. I've been meaning to ask how: I've been having problems with my editing software so I wanted to ask you what program did you use to create this video, the ending result its stunning!
@@PalmurcioWorld I use DaVinci Resolve 17. Not the studio version to be honest, because it is not needed for this kind of editing. The interface isn't too complicated, but you will probably need to navigate it a bit yourself to learn how to work it out (if you haven't been using that already). I didn't add the labels underneath from the editor though. I made them manually on Microsoft Word and saved them as .png file images, added them on afterwards (I don't think DaVinci provides an overly sophisticated variety of text bits). If it isn't working very well (I did the editing on a laptop and the video files were high quality so it would often have a hard time displaying them properly - in the beginning I was working blindly), give it some time. For me it didn't display the video properly for the first couple of days, then it worked itself out and all became much easier. I really don't know why.
Absolutely. Her performance in “Monster” was everything that acting is. She embodied the character (someone who people were familiar with as well)completely. It’s one of the most deserving Oscar wins ever.
@@gauravw6947 Are we going to ignore her change in gait, voice, mannerisms and voice as well? Not to mention the amount of complexity in the character. To say it was only a good performance because of the makeup team is insanity.
I loved this video.it’s good that you mentioned rosamund pike in this list,as well as michelle williams ,glenn close and greta in the place of jennifer lawrence .♥️🙏 (I think Natalie portman is the most Oscar-deserving actress for her outstanding role in Black Swan ♥️)
I believe Meryl should have 4 or more wins in this category alone. I love Frances, but her recent win is undeserved :( Glenn Close instead of Cher, Isabelle Hupert instead of Emma Stone, Felicity instead of Reese ... so many changes
@@106andie you could make a case for Oscar worthy performances in the Deer Hunter, the French Lieutenant's Woman, even Out of Africa perhaps... More recently, Adaptation. The Hours is a wonderful performance on her part. Other than those mentioned and her actual wins, I don't think the rest of her nominated work is as Oscar worthy. She definitely did not deserve the award for the Iron Lady.
even though we have different sight of the deserved winners, I appreciate your effort for this video and all the time you have spent to watch those movies I only watch around 1960-2022
Hey there! Would just like to say that this is probably my favorite video on UA-cam right now. I have watched this video over probably a hundred times and after each rewatch I find a new movie that catches my attention. Thank you for putting this list out there.
@@georg_couch You're welcome! I grew up watching mostly watching mainstream films so checking these films out is like jumping into unknown territory for me. It has been a pleasant experience and I'm glad I enjoyed most of them.
@@capybara2747 I'm so happy for you! Cinema is a wonderful and rich medium of art, and getting people to further discover it was primarily the point of this endeavour anyway. The best advice I can give is searching by director. The ones you loved the most - check who directed them, then dive deeper into their oeuvre. You'll be obsessed in no time.
@@georg_couch Hey there! Sorry for always bothering you, but I'm curious as to your opinion on Judy Holliday's win for Born Yesterday (1950) and your rankings for that year. I personally don't really feel like Judy did anything particularly remarkable or memorable in that film except for a few scenes to be honest, although I'm still not upset over her win.
@@capybara2747 haha no bother at all, how could I refuse to the prospect of such a discussion. Anyhow, I don't want to be one of those people who say "Judy Holliday didn't deserve it" but to be honest she kind of didn't. She was very funny and somehow effective, but that's about it. I'm still flip flopping Gloria Swanson and Bette Davis for the win. Either one will do. Bette Davis delivers her signature performance and single greatest acting achievement in All About Eve. It's a bold performance, striking balance between the tragedy of a fading star and the trademark Bette Davis bad bitch. A lot of people would prefer Gloria Swanson for Sunset Boulevard, and that's what I went for here (I need a rewatch to make up my mind on that). Swanson (also portraying a fading, or faded, star) delivers a ballsy, brilliantly over the top performance for the ages. Larger than life and it does work remarkably well. No matter how one slices it, those two deliver the performances of 1950. I also feel that Anne Baxter as Eve trails them quite closely behind, in a tastefully manipulative turn. As far as #4 goes, I think I'd take Ingrid Bergman for Stromboli, her first collaboration with Rossellini (though the film isn't all that). I have yet to watch Caged, so I haven't a fully formed opinion on all the nominees that year. That being said the rankings as far as this video is concerned are: 1. Gloria Swanson, Sunset Boulevard 2. Bette Davis, All About Eve 3. Anne Baxter, All About Eve 4. Ingrid Bergman, Stromboli Judy Holliday could have skipped the mention all together, honestly, but in the absence of a 5th nominee, you could place her in that slot. Who would you pick?
I've never seen such a brilliant, intelligent list of great performances by actresses on screen. Certainly Joan Fontaine (Letter From an Unknown Woman), Deborah Kerr, Jeanne Moreau all deserved to win the oscar.
Thank you so much. Joan Fontaine was much better than most people give her credit for. I do however believe Olivia de Havilland to have been the superior actor, though Fontaine starred in far better films. Deborah Kerr is just brilliant, she is spectacular. Kerr is by and large my favourite actress of that era (I mean all I can really say is Black Narcissus, From Here to Eternity and The Innocents, I rest my case). Jeanne Moreau is one of my favourite actresses, full stop. Film history wouldn't be the same without her - she literally turnt walking into art.
Hi Georg, wonderful video!) I'm curious are you planning to make the same video for actors and if so would you wait for 96th oscars or just make the list until 2022? Also what are your favourites for 2023 at the moment?
I've been promising the Best Actor video for two years now and I still haven't gotten around to it. So, I intend to have it finished at some point, but I haven't made it a priority for a long time now, so I wouldn't wait for it adamantly if I were you. However, I will be releasing an update of the Best Actress video soon, years 1927-2023, with a few changes as well (I've changed through this time, and so have some of my choices - or music). As far as 2023 goes, I haven't watched much if I'm perfectly honest. I did watch Barbie, though I am not a big admirer of that film (Margot Robbie however may deliver her finest performance to date in it). Poor Things looks very promising. I adore the book by Alasdair Gray, and I do love Lanthimos so I have high expectations here.
That's an interesting question. I didn't like Sandra Bullock at all. Reese Witherspoon wasn't a valid enough choice (she was really good though, performance wise). I didn't like Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady AT ALL. It was a very mediocre film, and not Streep's best performance. I didn't like Renée Zellweger. Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovitch was horrible. I don't think Jennifer Lawrence was a good choice, but I don't hate her performance as much as most people - I think she was really good, just not Oscar worthy. Those are pretty much the most underwhelming ones I can recall. Would you like me to go even further back down the line? How about you?
I’ve watched 16 Bedt Actress winners so far and my least favorite are: -Jessica Lange (she is a fantastic actress but her performance in this film was forgettable for me. Blue Sky was also my least favorite film out of those 16) -Nicole Kidman (her performance was ok but she didn’t have a chance to fully shine with very limited screen time) -Helen Hunt (not an Oscar-worthy performance imo) -Frances McDormand (it was a supporting role for me. Fargo deserved the award for screenplay but Frances’ acting wasn’t the most memorable thing in this film) From the films that you mentioned I watched Erin Brockovich and I think that it was a very solid performance by Julia Roberts. Ellen Burstyn could have been slightly more deserving but that win was far from the worst imo. If you would like to go further I will be very happy to know your opinion. Ps. I’ll probably watch The Blind Side in a few days so I can give you an update on that one
@@piotrserwicki531 you will hate the Blind Side, as most people. Well, truth be told, I loved Frances McDormand in Fargo - it was a tone perfect, pitch black comedic performance. Her timing was impeccable and there were moments of crisis and palpable sensitivity that gave the film more texture. Nicole Kidman was mesmerising as Virginia Wolf, but there was stronger competition that same year (or even perhaps in that same film). I really liked both Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets, though neither of those performances were Oscar worthy by any account. Jessica Lange in Blue Sky was horrendous, the only reason she won was because 1994 was one of the weakest years in Academy history as far as Best Leading Actress goes, and most notable performances were not nominated (Three Colours: Red, Chungking Express, The Queen Margot, Heavenly Creatures).
I haven’t watched The Blind Side yet, but I’ve recently seen “Judy”. The film was nothing special- typical biopic. However, Zellweger’s performance was the best thing about it imo- she seemed to really commit to that role and I found it believable. I liked it better than e.g. Emma Stone in La La Land
God, I love this video. Katharine Hepburn for Little Women is a performance I've never seen picked for one of these videos but now that I think about it, it feels so right.
@@georg_couch Annie Giradot is also a spectacular and bold choice, but I'm a little ambivalent about whether that's lead or supporting. I feel like I could go with Greer Garson or Shirley Maclaine.
@@benharpen4019 The division between lead or supporting has more to do with impact than with screentime in my view, and I often cite Anthony Hopkins in the Silence of the Lambs as a prime example of an actor and role who, despite the significant lack of screentime, warrants consideration in the leading category purely because of their presence. Girardot feels a little like that. Shirley MacLaine is an excellent choice for 1960 and I think I was two seconds (or a single rewatch) away from picking her. Her performance in the Apartment is career-defining; precisely what she does best, walking a fine line between drama and comedy and excelling at both. I have not watched Greer Garson's film. I appreciate Garson a lot and she was simply wonderful as Mrs. Miniver, but I tend to imagine her as somewhat limited. I have yet to watch most of her work though.
Hey! Wonderful video, it has been said already but: Thank you for the experience, truly amazing! The only one that I would change is Ellen Burstyn for "Requiem for a Dream" in 2000. On another note, as a spaniard myself, what makes you love Penélope Cruz's performance to consider it the best in 2009?
Ellen Burstyn delivers her finest performance in Requiem for a Dream (and in her case, that is quite something). I was very frustrated with the realisation that she wasn't ever my choice - that being said, Maggie Cheung in In the Mood for Love is a timeless take, I couldn't resist it. As far as Penélope Cruz goes, I thought she was mesmerising. Her role in the film is somewhat of a femme fatale with a reality check. Having said that, I'm no longer certain I would still choose her. It's been some time since I worked on this project, and in hindsight I think I prefer her in Volver - she was simply magical in that. My 2009 choice would probably change if I were to update this video. I'm generally an admirer of Cruz's work, though I do think her Spanish-language career is far more prolific and multilayered than her work in English. That isn't her fault. I think there are very very few fully fledged and three-dimensional roles for Latinas in Hollywood (even her Oscar win was a bit on the nose, though she was great in that film).
Agree with 90% of your choices. Some choices on here that I never expected to show up on one of these videos, like Michelle Williams and Rosalind Russell! Truly excellent picks. If I was to change this, I'd have Ellen Burstyn win for 1973 and 2000, and I'd let Kathy Bates and Jodie Foster keep their 90s wins.
1991 is a very tough one for me. There's 3 or 4 performers that could have won and I'd be satisfied. Though I have to go with Jodie Foster, you can never go wrong with her.
In my opinion for 2016, the award should’ve gone to Viola Davis for Fences because I think we can all agree that Viola Davis was the female lead in this film. When she played Rose Maxson on stage she won the Tony for best leading actress in a play, she should’ve also win best leading NOT SUPPORTING actress at the Oscars. I’m glad she won the oscar she deserved it for her work in Fences, but her win was clear category fraud, she should’ve won for LEADING ACTRESS!!
I've pretty much disagreed with 90% of the Academy's choices, and yet I picked Vivien Leigh for both of her Oscar winning performances. That says something in and of itself - her work aged like a fine wine, much better than most of her peers'. The characters she played, they align with a very postmodern idea of feminity and womanhood, one that defies morality, purity and pathos as the core elements of the female experience (if I'm allowed to use that term). She played flawed, unlikeable, controversial characters and ingrained such life in them. Her heroines are conflicting, evasive, vulnerable, real. Dare I say even more so than the quintessential Bette Davis bad bitch (and I love Bette Davis). I think in Streetcar she is superior to Marlon Brando (even if his performance is more significant historically speaking). Should you think of it, she has cemented her place in cinematic history with, in fact, no more than two performances. I can't bring myself to choose, but one of those masterclasses deserves a place in the top ten of all time.
Oh man from Marlene, to Greta, to Rosalind and Barbara, I adore this list. But also you make me want to watch foreign performances I have never seen before
I could probably only do 1990 onwards, so here'd be mine: 1990: Kathy Bates in Misery 1991: Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs 1992: Michelle Pfeifer in Batman Returns 1993: Holly Hunter in The Piano 1994: Melanie Lynskey in Heavenly Creatures 1995: Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise 1996: Frances McDormand in Fargo 1997: Helena Bonham Carter in The Wings of the Dove 1998: Franke Potente in Run Lola Run 1999: Reese Witherspoon in Election 2000: Laure Linney in You Can Count on Me 2001: Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive 2002: Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl 2003: Nicole Kidman in Dogville 2004: Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2005: Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice 2006: Maggie Gyllenhaal in Sherrybaby 2007: Tang Wei in Lust, Caution 2008: Meryl Streep in Doubt 2009: Carey Mulligan in An Education 2010: Emma Stone in Easy A 2011: Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2012: Marion Cotillard in Rust and Bone 2013: Care Blanchett in Blue Jasmine 2014: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night 2015: Daisy Ridley in The Force Awakens (I can explain myself, I swear) 2016: Natalie Portman in Jackie 2017: Marogt Robbie in I, Tonya (though I'm increasingly unsure about this one) 2018: Charlize Theron in Tully 2019: Saoirse Ronan in Little Women 2020: Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman 2021: Penelope Cruz in Parallel Mothers 2022: Cate Blanchett in Tár
AHAHA please do explain yourself. Ok so I disagree with some of these, particularly I would like some sort of explanation with regards to Michelle Pfeiffer (iconic, of course, but I'm not sure if that's enough) and the one you promised. My instinct was to ask more about the Jennifer Aniston pick HOWEVER I haven't seen that film, so you may as well be right. Besides these minor disagreements, I love your choice of Franke Potente in Run Lola Run, I seriously considered her as well. I'm a big admirer of Dogville and Kidman's work in it, and of course Tung Wei in Lust, Caution, PLEASE that film is mesmerising, I adore it. And the duelling performances are absolutely hypnotic.
@@georg_couch In regards to Pfeifer, I think it's an incredible balancing act of character and tone shifts. She goes through drastic changes throughout her arc, and manages to walk the fine line between camp and pathos. As for Ridley, my appreciation for her work stems from how much she adds to what little she was given. I love charismatic "star" performances, and for me she was able to bring a lot in terms of pure screen presence. (A shame Abrams screwed her over for a good arc-closer because he was scared of fanboys.) Okay, admittedly I haven't seen Aniston in over a decade, but I remember being shocked at a what a lived-in, nuanced performance it was from an actress I usually don't think either of those things about. I admit, I like to boost a lot of performances that aren't considered "Oscar-y" for one reason or another, like comedic roles or start-turns, genre movies, or something wildly against type. Hell, I have a few voice performances I've given wins and nominations to (Ride or die on Eartha Kitt as Yzma for 2000 Supporting Actress). I'm also super adverse to most biopic performances. (Portman in Jackie was baffling for to experience, I usually don't like her that much and thought she sounded like Eric Cartman in the trailers. Granted, I could switch to Arrival!Adams or Bening that year) As for disagreements: Believe me, I raised an eyebrow or two at some of yours, but I love how many foreign language performances you have. Obviously mine is lacking there, and I'm trying to remedy it. I just love reading people's lists and tastes. Yours is great because of how much thought was put into it beyond stan-mentality and "Well, let's just pick one of the nominees". If you want weirder, just ask me about my Best Actor picks. I have at least 5 "WTF are you thinking?" choices there.
@@koook160 ok I get that. Pfeiffer was really great indeed, and I am rather surprised that I didn't notice the tone shifts before. And she did her own stunts, which is a plus. I think I get what you're saying. This is precisely the appeal of Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge! It's an excellent performance thanks to balancing out musicality and technique, dancing, romance, heavy dramatic moments and some screwball comedy. It's very similar to what Pfeiffer does. I love Michelle Pfeiffer as an actor, mainly for her esoteric qualities. And despite all that, I didn't even consider her as a runner up for 1992. My mind just never went there. So thank you for opening my eyes to this new perspective, I really appreciate it. Eartha Kitt is a great case study and there is an interesting video essay on her career. I adore her as Yzma, I think she's up there with Robin Williams, Jeremy Irons and the rest of all the great voice work in animated films. I've watched that Starwars film when it came out and then never went back to it. I agree, Ridley has a star quality that quite beguiling and particularly modern. But I don't remember the film or the performance very well - imagine, I haven't watched any of the Star Wars films apart from this one, and I don't even hang out with the guy I watched it with anymore. So it's been some time. I'm seriously considering Lust, Caution, especially because I intend to update this video. But before that, I will need to finish the Best Actor video I have been working on over the past year, so that will take a while. So, please feel free to share your Best Actor picks, because I am actively hunting for suggestions. Research is a very big part of my work with these videos, this is why I picked a lot of foreign performances. So I would love your Best Actor input. Besides that, if you're into niche performances, I can't recommend Julie Walters in Personal Services highly enough. That being said, I await your response.
@@georg_couch I wish UA-cam hadn’t nixed DM’s, I’d have an easier time explaining myself. To summarize my Actor picks, I tend to go with more co-leads than I do with Actress. With Actress my choices are usually front in center in their own movies, whereas with Actor I somehow tend to choose performances that share the limelight and might even be secondary leads instead of primary (Carl Anderson in Jesus Christ Superstar and Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges for example). I have bizarre hangups on the Lead/Supporting debate, and a good chunk of my wins were actually nominated or campaigned in Supporting (Timothy Hutton in 1980, Samuel L. Jackson in 1994, William H. Macey in 1996, Casey Affleck in 2007, Michael Keaton in 2015). As for bizarre, outside-the-box picks, here’s one example: 1983, Keith Gordon in Christine. Sort of because how accidentally well the character aged (eerily predictive of incel behaviors), but I was shocked at what a showcase it was for him. His transformation is less dramatic than I had been led to believe, with the implication from both how plays it and John Carpenter’s framing of him being that his sudden obsession with the car just unlocked something toxic that was always there. I’ve championed this performance with straight face ever since seeing it. I’d give you a more thorough explanation of my tastes and more examples, but I’ll just leave you with the last few years what my choices were: 2010: Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network 2011: Michael Shannon in Take Shelter 2012: Joaquin Phoenix in The Master 2013: Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis 2014: Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year 2015: Michael Keaton in Spotlight 2016: Andrew Garfield in Silence 2017: Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out 2018: John C. Reilly in The Sisters Brothers 2019: Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory 2020: Anthony Hopkins in The Father (by a HAIR over Delroy Lindo) 2021: Hidetoshi Nishijima in Drive My Car 2022: Paul Mescal in Aftersun
@@koook160 I have a very similar take on the Supporting/Leading distinction. Usually, what I tend to go with is "if the performance feels like that of a lead/supporting, then it is." The prime example being Anthony Hopkins of course, but surely some of my picks are a bit short on screen time as well. I'll check out the recommendation. I have a knack for performances that play on the thin line separating comedy from drama. Thank you for sharing your picks with me. I definitely agree with Oscar Isaac, especially as Llewyn Davis, and with Hidetoshi Nishijima for Drive My Car, which was one of last year's best films - it's dripping Wim Wenders influence, and I'm always supportive of that.
I decided I would take the year the film premiered as the standard one. Binoche was nominated at the Globes for Best Actress 1993, so that was that. And Casablanca was indeed released in 1943, but here's what gives; e.g. Isuzu Yamada did Osaka Elegy in 1936 but the film was released in the US in the 70's. Due to such cases, I obviously couldn't really take the year of commercial release in the US into account. So, I nominated each film for the year of its premier, the only exception being Glenda Jackson, for Women in Love (originally premiered in 1969), because she actually won the award for 1970 and I thought it would be too out of place to have her into consideration for 1969.
Very nice choices! What do you think of Emma Thompson in Howards End (1992) and Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)? Those are two of my all-time favourite performances.
Thank you for watching! I haven't watched Happy-Go-Lucky, though I gather that's a worthwhile film and performance (it's also from Mike Leigh if I'm not wrong and he is simply a spectacular director). As far as Emma Thompson goes, she was terrific in Howards End. She is my second choice for 1992. Her performance was unexpectedly physical, perfectly tuned and with a kind of quiet, dignified vulnerability. She is a wonderful actress. Evidently, I loved her in the Winter Guest, directed by Alan Rickman, a film that I highly recommend.
I watched 'Letter From An Unknown Woman' again a few weeks ago. It's definitely Joan Fontaine's best performance, and deserved an Award. I think it's interesting that 2 sisters deserved the award in consecutive years, because Olivia in 'The Heiress' is perfect.
I've thought occasionally about those two. At the end of the day, I think Olivia de Havilland was the superior actor. Comparing isn't much help, but I do believe that her wide, expressive eyes and her tendency to play darker, more morally gray characters set her apart; the final cut in the Heiress is spine-chilling. Joan Fontaine, however, played in overall better films. She is great as well, just more limited in what she can or cannot do. She had the luck to work with Hitchcock and Opüls. De Havilland has Gone with the Wind as a feather in her cap, but her most memorable performances are in unfortunately less memorable films (often the case with Meryl Streep, one of the best actresses of all time). *That being said, I rewatched the Hours recently and there is a case to be made of Streep's performance in the film being much too underrated.
Yes Winslet was definitely the winner for Eternal Sunshine, her acting was by far superior. Glad to also see Sigourney Weaver, Glenn Close and Kirsten Dunst. Don’t agree with Emma for Lala Land or Scarlet. Charlize Theron WAS the best back then, and one of the best performances of cinema history
I loved her in the Silence of the Lambs. I think she plays off of Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter perfectly well. Her presence, her Clarice actually carries the film. She makes for a canning protagonist, tortured by guilt and a severe case of saviour complex, hanging on a by a thread (that thread being her moral compass, thoroughly challenged by Lecter). The performance works in a very intuitive way and Foster's ability to communicate so much with a simple gaze is nothing short of fascinating. Unfortunately, 1991 is in my mind the strongest year in Oscar history as far as performances by women go (a bit like 2001 and 1962); you have Gong Li, who remains my top pick, Juliette Binoche in Les Amants du Pont Neuf, Irène Jacob in the Double Life of Veronique, Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in Thelma and Louise. You could really pick any of those six actresses and you'd have made a wonderful choice. That particular year more or less boils down to taste. As far as 1988 goes, I think she was very good in the Accused. There are a lot of nuances in the way she plays the character and she comes across very well for this type of film - a victim, but not as such. I think the film, as tragic a story as it may be, made a very fleeting impression on me to seriously consider Foster. I do admire Glenn Close's performance more, and it has aged like fine wine - she is a beast in Dangerous Liaisons. That's some of the best acting of 1988. Foster isn't undeserving of the win, but I tend to think of it as one of the more forgettable best actress winning performances. You also have Carmen Maura for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, who'd be my second option for 1988. The film is objectively a much lighter watch, but it is leagues above the Accused stylistically and Maura's performance is a lot more layered and all encompassing. Overall I'd stick with the Silence of the Lambs as Foster's best performance and of course a well deserved, iconic Oscar winning turn.
You're right to an extent. I thought about it, but eventually I didn't opt for it because I thought it would take away from the video's aesthetic value. I'm sorry if you felt lost somehow.
@@DiogenesLantern it should be noted, I cannot benefit financially from ad revenue, due to the related laws over here. I'm afraid UA-cam is the only one gaining from ads in my video.
I absolutely love that you let Diane Keaton keep her '77 win. It's such a wonderful performance, but I feel like a lot of people downplay it in regards to the fact that its not dramatic or serious.
It's Diane Keaton all day, every day. She delivers what should be considered as a top 5 of all time comedic performance and sets the tone for every other Woody Allen actor to follow her lead. Her Annie is naïve and quirky, funny and awkward, and a very complicated, multilayered character. She clearly goes through a kind of metamorphosis over the course of the picture and Diane Keaton makes it appear hardly noticeable, and yet it's there, and persistently so.
@@georg_couch I think she's a lot more diverse and talented actress than she gets credit for. To think she gave that performance 3 years after such a dramatic turn in the Godfather movies. As much as I hate Woody Allen, he has led several actors to the best performances of their career imo - Diane K, Dianne Wiest, Cate Blanchett, Geraldine Page
the problem is that it was literally the ONLY non-dramatic performance recognised on this list. And I thought the oscars were bad about recognising the work of actresses like Keaton or Hepburn, or Goldie Hawn in lighter roles.
Bro, KNOCKOUT selection of films and performances. Of the one's I've seen, there's not a single one I disagree with, and that NEVER happens! All the other ones ostensibly look great and I will definitely be checking these movies out. I had a real recognizes real moment when I saw Isabelle Huppert come onscreen for The Piano Teacher. One of my favorite performances in one of my favorite movies, and an all-timer for me. And my other favorites are here, too: Maria Falconetti in The Passion of Joan of Arc, HELL yes to Isabelle Adjani in Possession, Juliette Binoche in Three Colors: Blue, Florence Pugh in Midsommar And along with Gena Rowlands - which, along with Meryl in Sophie's Choice is maybe the greatest female performance of all-time - I want to give a special mention to Faye Dunaway in Chinatown for 1974, as that's my favorite performance of hers. (Gena Rowlands takes the cake for 1974, though). Shout out for mentioning The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover, too. Well-done (y)
THANK YOU so much for your recognition! I'm very happy you felt that this selection highlighted some underseen performances and films - that was precisely its purpose. Faye Dunaway was mesmerising in Chinatown, she's my #2 choice for that year, of course.
I love this list. But I do have two disagreements: Marilyn Monroe is my pick for 1959 and Carrie Snodgress is my pick for 1970. I assume these were your runner-ups for those two years.
Those are very valid choices. As far as 1959 goes, Emmanuelle Riva is absolutely astounding in Hiroshima Mon Amour. Resnais' film has cemented its place as not only a cinematic masterpiece, but a piece of history as well, that should be seen regardless of one's interest in film. She's devastating, forlorn and damaged, a shell of her former self, loss and trauma incarnate. All is apparent through her vacant stares. She delivers Marguerite Duras' demanding, yet deeply poetic words with poise and beautifully outlines her character. Behind her, I think I'd pick Simone Signoret for Room at the Top. Signoret is definitely deserving of her Oscar win and her talent for fatalism and melancholy has never been put to better use. This is to me her finest performance. My third choice is the beautiful and outrageously funny Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot. Monroe always was a richly talented comedienne and here it is more than apparent - her performance would win her top honours most other years around 1959. As far as 1970 goes, Women in Love is a film I was really impressed by, on a cinematic and intellectual level, considering the way it handles its psychosexual themes. It's simply such a sensual piece of cinema and Glenda Jackson is absolutely hypnotic in it. Lustful, poetic and mesmerising, she dominates every scene she's in. It's like there is an inner drive about her. The scene with her dancing and seducing the highland cattle is oozing eroticism and I absolutely love that they picked her here. Number two is Carrie Snodgress for Diary of a Mad Housewife, in a low key performance that poignantly and quietly captured the zeitgeist, the inner struggle and identity crisis of women on the crest of second wave feminism. My #3 is Barbara Loden in Wanda. That film hit me hard, and I do think it's more of a directorial achievement for her than an acting accomplishment. It's neorealism and independent cinema at its heights and it echoes of Cassavettes' best work. She's really good in the part and knows this character well. So these are more or less my views on both these years. Notice I didn't even mention Ali MacGraw in Love Story. I don't think you would either.
I don't think it's her best to be honest. It is, however, pitch perfect in its tone, timing and delicious twists. I'd definitely rank it within her top five best performances. What I find funny is how this "turn-of-the-screw" portrayal of the plastic blonde archetype actually precedes its predominance in popular culture and media during the early 2000's (Clueless, Legally Blonde etc). It's as if the deconstruction of the trope came before the trope's wider spread (however, I'll admit Legally Blonde et al are deconstructive in their own way - not genre wise though).
Kidman was great but I would have gone with Kathy Bates in Dolores Claiborne. And of the nominees, I think it should have gone to Streep over Susan Sarandon.
I do. It's Georg on the Couch, like the name of the channel. I write a lot of reviews and in the olden days I would post them on Letterboxd but I later realised that the full blown reviews are probably better suited to different platforms. That's why I no longer post my write ups there. But if you search for my older reviews you may find some texts, if you're interested in hearing me rant about my favourite films. I suppose you are probably active on Letterboxd too, and I would love to take a look at your page.
Great choices. Inspired choices. 1948 Joan Fontaine Yes Yes Yes but my 1952 Best Actress Oscar will always belong to Ethel Waters for The Member of the Wedding
I'm glad Barbra won too. But look at it this way...if she had just one less vote, she wouldn't have won and we'd never know how close it was. Of course the same can be said if Hepburn lost. Overall I'm good with it being a tie that year.
Fletcher wasn't exactly a supporting role in my book to be honest, because I do not categorise the performances based on screen time but impact and presence. Hannibal Lecter is a supporting role, theoretically speaking, but nearly nobody makes a fuss about Anthony Hopkins winning Best Actor. That being said, when I update the video, I might instead go for Romy Schneider in That Most Important Thing: Love. She is a tour de force in that film, delivering a performance of fierce vulnerability, carefully outlining a very fragile soul. My rankings for 1975 are as follows: 1. Louise Fletcher, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 2. Romy Schneider, That Most Important Thing: Love 3. Delphine Seyrig, Jeanne Dielman 4. Isabelle Adjani, The Story of Adele H. In some ways I agree with you, in the sense that there are valid arguments to be made in favour of Romy Schneider or Delphine Seyrig for 1975, and ultimately by the time I have updated the video, my pick for that year is very likely to have changed.
To be honest, I wasn't head over hills for neither of those performances. In their own way, they were both wonderful pieces of acting. I think Cate Blanchett was heavily promoted for Tar, and from a distance.. I think she was more deserving for Carol. I'm seriously thinking of picking her for 2015 when I update this video. If I'm perfectly honest, I preferred Michelle Yeoh, even though I didn't adore Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, the same way many movie goers did. I wasn't particularly rooting for any film this year, if anything I loved Aftersun. For now, and unless there comes a performance I get really smitten with, my choice would be (for once) the same as the Academy's - Michelle Yeoh.
@@georg_couch I see. I think the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actor were deserved but the Supporting Actress win feels so off to me. My favourite supporting actress of the year was Carey Mulligan in 'She Said', but she didn't even get nominated.
@@danlippershey380 I do believe Jaimee Lee Curtis was good, but not that good. I don't get why she won. If anything, they should have given it to the actress who played Michelle Yeoh's daughter.
Not yet. 2021 is a tricky year. I have some thoughts. I will come to it when I update this (I would have done so sooner, but I try to discipline myself into completing the Best Actor project, which is a challenge). What are your thoughts?
@@danlippershey380 OH YES. You're the one I had discussed that with. I'm also interested in checking out the performance of the leading actress in the Underground Railroad.
Mary Pickford was charming and had a lot of glamour I suppose. I would not in my right mind choose a performance like this when you have Falconetti in the same year. And Gwyneth Paltrow - I don't hate the performance, I thought she was good. But not Oscar worthy, that much has been said countless times before. Paltrow herself has delivered about three performances much superior to her turn in Shakespeare in Love.
@@georg_couch Didn't like Pickford at all. I read somewhere that she basically bought that oscar. I agree with you about Gwyneth - I thought she was good but not oscar-worthy. My ranking for that year would be: 1. Susan Sarandon, 'Stepmom' 2. Fernanda Montenegro, 'Central Station' 3. Cate Blanchett, 'Elizabeth' 4. Emily Watson, 'Hilary and Jackie' 5. Meg Ryan, 'You've got Mail' 6. Meryl Streep, 'One True Thing' 7. Renée Zellweger, 'One True Thing' 8. Gwyneth Paltrow, 'Shakespeare in Love' That being said I'd love to hear your opinion on Renée Zellweger's win in 2020. I thought she was good but I've seen a lot of people say she only won because she picked a bait-y role. I wonder where she falls on your ranking.
@@nerevarposting9411 I thought Susan Sarandon was wonderful in Stepmom but somehow I didn't like that film. I thought.. I suppose I thought it could have been better and it felt like your average tear jerker. Now I believe Renée Zellweger to be a capable actress, and she always pulls it off, in one way or another. She was very good as Judy Garland but it's as if I watched her in that film and then immediately forgot about it. She didn't resonate with me at all. It just felt as if I was doing my duty to the intellectual rightness of things by giving time to a film and performance that did justice to Judy Garland, and in pretty much the same vein, I felt that the Oscars were doing their own duty by giving Zellweger an award. I don't say it to sound mean spirited but I honestly think that this win will soon fade into oblivion. Besides Zellweger was no doubt really good, but Florence Pugh was transcendent in Midsommar. And I could name a few more performances I would pick before I thought about Zellweger (think Little Women, Marriage Story, Portrait of a Lady on Fire). It was a great year and the win fell short.
@@georg_couch I'm happy to hear that you think 2019 was a good year for performances in this category. I agree, however I've seen a lot of people say that it was a disappointing year, that the performances fell short, even going as far as to compare it to 1994 - though I have to say, I think 1994 only gets the bad rep because of the nominees, not the actual performances that year - I hope the two leads in Heavenly Creatures came across your mind when making this video, though I can't say you didn't pick a legendary performance.
@@nerevarposting9411 I did think of Heavenly Creatures for 1994. The rankings are as follows: 1. Irène Jacob, Three Colours: Red 2. Faye Wong, Chungking Express 3. Kate Winslet, Heavenly Creatures 4. Melanie Lynskey, Heavenly Creatures 5. Isabelle Adjani, Queen Margot
Definitely. I'm currently flip-flopping her between 2nd and 3rd place (with Bjork for Dancer in the Dark). Burstyn is an odd case, because I can certainly see the argument that she is the rightful winner in both 1973 and 2000. It just didn't come down to that in my viewing. But had she delivered that performance on a different year, say 1999, she'd be my pick.
@@georg_couch Twas a very tough year. Any 3 of them (or even Joan Allen) could have won and it would have been satisfying in my book. I'm also curious about your ranking placements for Julie Andrews and Liza Minnelli for 1965 and 1972, respectively. I think this is the first one of these videos I've seen that didn't pick there 2 ladies for those years. Can't say I disagree with who you picked instead, though.
@@toddharpen2544 Alright, so I think the gist of it is: 1965 1. Catherine Deneuve, Repulsion 2. Giulietta Masina, Juliet of the Spirits 3. Julie Christie, Darling and/or Doctor Zhivago 4. Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music 5. Ida Kaminska, The Shop on Main Street I love me some Julie Andrews, but I never thought of the Sound of Music as requiring anything in particular from her. That doesn't make her unworthy at all, it just makes her a weaker contender. Catherine Deneuve is our vehicle through Polanski's Repulsion and conveys her character's repression, obsession and descent into madness in a precise, physical performance. PS: My favourite Julie Andrews performance was Victor/Victoria, I adore that film (easy #3 for 1982, if it weren't for, you know, Meryl). 1972 1. Liv Ullmann, Cries and Whispers and/or The Emigrants 2. Liza Minelli, Cabaret 3. Ingrid Thulin, Cries and Whispers 4. Harriet Andersson, Cries and Whispers 5. Cicely Tyson, Sounder Truth time, if this world were a fair place, Cicely Tyson would have an Oscar. That being said, 1972 can go in about 5 ways and I'm happy with it. It's a tough year by all standards. I think one could find the year's three best performances in Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers. If I had to pick just one, I'd go with Liv Ullmann, who is atypically cast here, as a woman of no depth or substance, in a performance as dark, quietly disturbing and subversive as it is immersive. You couldn't go wrong picking Ingrid Thulin for her more stern and austere rendition or Harriet Andersson excelling at madness once again, a decade after Through a Glass Darkly. But actually my runner-up is Liza Minelli in Cabaret. Sally Bowles is an incredible character, one of the best of the entire 70's decade. She is larger than life here, singing, dancing, endearing everyone around her, falling in love with every exciting little thing and captivating us all the more for it. She flies off from moment to moment, adventure to adventure, since "life is a cabaret, old champs", the female counterpart to Zorba the Greek. She'd be a wonderful choice here as well.
@@georg_couch Interesting... I've seen three of the best actress oscar nominees of 1969 (referring to the year Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn won), and I am pretty curious as to your rankings of that year.
@@capybara2747 oof, 1968 is one of the hardest years to talk about, mainly because I'm not certain of my own pick for this video. I feel like I could easily change to Mia Farrow for Rosemary's Baby. I do feel that I might, but that's when I'll be working on the update, if that ever comes to be. So the rankings, as far as what you see on the video is concerned are as follows: 1. Katharine Hepburn, The Lion in Winter 2. Mia Farrow, Rosemary's Baby 3. Liv Ullmann, Shame 4. Claudia Cardinale, Once Upon a Time in the West 5. Jeanne Moreau, The Bride Wore Black So I understand that Barbra Streisand actually shines in Funny Girl, I totally see it. We witness a star being born in that film. But. I just don't connect with it. I don't know why, but I don't connect with Funny Girl as a film and even though I think Streisand is a beast in it, I still don't feel like this is it. She is far more impressive to me in The Way We Were, but that's a conversation for another time. I'd consider the aforementioned ladies before her based on personal preference. That being said, Moreau is not at her finest in The Bride Wore Black, but I can't help but adore Truffaut so there's that. Bottom line is: #1 and #2 for me are Hepburn and Farrow, no matter how you slice it. Ullmann is definitely my #3, and everyone who is familiar with her work understands why. So at best Streisand gets to #4, at worst to #7 (because I do like Joanne Woodward in Rachel, Rachel - I haven't watched Redgrave in Isadora). When it comes down to a Hepburn/Streisand sort of situation, I definitely prefer Hepburn; The Lion in Winter is arguably her best performance, and one of the most deserving Best Actress Oscars of all time in my book.
I think Carey Mulligan should have two. One for lead for 'Promising Young Woman' and one for supporting for 'She Said' (a movie and a performance that I feel award shows didn't appreciate enough). I love Frances Mcdormand but I didn't find Nomadland to demand too much from her. I detest JLC'S win for EEAAO, even though I do love her as an actress. I wonder where Carey sits on your rankings for those categories in those years.
I agree on JLC, though I did love Frances McDormand in Nomadland. As far as Carey Mulligan goes, I consider her one of the best actresses of her generation and I seriously considered a lot of her performances; I regard her performance in Promising Young Woman highly, though I was a tiny bit disappointed by the film itself. She may be placing #2 ion that year. I think she is my choice for supporting in 2011, for both Shame (phenomenal performance) and Drive (though Jessica Chastain in Tree of Life offers some competition). An Education was a glowing break-out, star turn from her, but 2009 had some other performances I would prioritise (e.g. Charlotte Gainsbourg in Antichrist). I haven't watched She Said, so I don't really know where I would rank that performance. I generally intend to update that video when I manage to begin working on these projects again, so I will rewatch some of her films to make sure.
I agree with most of your selections. You are so gay with a woman' s sensibil6. This is not a negative statement. I am that person. These choices all reach and touch that feminine sensibility. My only disagreement is 1950. Bette Davis hands down bested Gloria Swanson. I did enjoy Sunset and was my #3 behind Bette and Judy Holiday. Great presentation.
I do believe the masculine and the feminine as elements exist within all of us, so I will take this as a compliment. Bette Davis delivers her signature performance and single greatest acting achievement in All About Eve. It's a bold performance, striking balance between the tragedy of a fading star and the trademark Bette Davis bad bitch. It's a pretty close call between her and Swanson. Davis could have walked away with that Oscar any day, and I'd be content.
Great list, one i feel is sadly not mentioned is Sharon Stone, she really elevated Basic Instinct and her performance is underlooked because of the nudity, she gave a phenomenal take on a sociopath, a performance i put on the same level as Hopkins's Lecter, it's a travesty she wasn't even nominated that year, she was great in Cassino, but what she gave to Catherine Tramell was insane, she went back and forward with pure charisma and glacial coldness in one of the most underlooked and underrated acting performances ever. Shockingly it's that the same happened 2 decades later with Shame, Fassbender and Mulligan gave great performances again underlooked because of the nudity factor. The only one i really disagree on your list is Emma Stone, she is a solid actress, but she didn't earn it. I do feel the performances nominated that year were mostly very forgettable and unimpressive (except Negga's), but Amy Adams deserved a nom and a win for Arrival.
I loved Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. The performance oozes iconography and sensuality of course. She is ice cold, cruel, fierce and magnetic all the same. I do think she did more with a character that could have come across pretty one dimensional. But, I would still prefer Tilda Swinton for Orlando and Emma Thompson for Howards End, before she came to mind. I thought Emma Stone's achievement was rather major in La La Land. Of course Amy Adams is a wonderful pick though, as is Isabelle Huppert.
@@georg_couch Yeah that year was definitely a strong one with Tilda and Emma giving great performances, but it would actually still give it to Sharon. I didn't see any new ground broken by Emma Stone, Hollywood loves Ingénues, but often it feels like they award promising acting than actual slam dunks. Stone's performance was solid, but she wasn't the best one that year even tho i do feel all performances (including Amy's) are kinda overrated, i feel people overreact, it's not that those performances are bad, they're not, but there was nothing really spectacular. J Law's win was also undeserving in my book, she won for the wrong performance, she was spectacular in Mother, i didn't like the movie, but her performance was amazing and she deserved a nom and a win for that. By the way, i found out rewatching your video another major disagreement, i feel Theron's win for Monster is one of the most deserved in Oscar history, Johansson was great, but Theron broke me at the end of Monster. Johansson was robbed tho for Marriage Story, it's a memorable performance and she actually TOPS Driver's performance in my opnion. I strongly agree with the Dench one for the marvelous gem Notes on a Scandal, but i do feel that year was kinda messed up, Blanchett (also phenomenal in the movie) was clearly lead and Dench was supporting, therefore i would have corrected the injustice by giving Dench supporting actress (both she and Blanchett acted levels above Jennifer Hudson's overrated performance, but she was particularly stunning). Dench was also hurt by her previous Oscar win, she didn't deserve it for Shakespeare in Love (neither did Gwyneth) and her previous win lessened her chances of taking Notes From a Scandal. As for my dear Glenn Close, i'm with you on the Dangerous Lliasions thing, she was just phenomenal, way better than she was in Fatal Attraction and that's saying something.
@@caiolucas8257 wow, that's a lot haha. Well anyhow. As I said, I believe Emma Stone was quite deserving for La La Land, though I do not consider her a slam dunk pick that year. Jennifer Lawrence did not deserve it for the Silver Linings Playbook; she was a real dynamo on that film, but, honestly, I agree, I liked her more in Mother! and besides that, Silver Linings didn't age very well as a film, and I don't think quite highly of it. Other 2012 films and performances would have held up as better choices. Theron was phenomenal in Monster and she could be (and would be) anyone's choice for that year. But, I do have to admit, I consider Lost in Translation an absolute masterpiece with one of the most iconic and befitting finales in film history. Johansson not only is a part of that, but she also excels, delivering an internalised, quiet, emotive performance of surprising resonance, considering how young she was when she made this. I also liked Nicole Kidman for Dogville in 2003, and Naomi Watts in 21 Grams. I loved Johansson in Marriage Story, and I would indeed prefer her to Zellweger for 2019. I have to disagree for Notes on a Scandal though - Dench is clearly lead here, she even narrates the thing, whereas Blanchett doesn't even show up for much of the film's last half hour or so. You could have them both as leading performances, but if one should be the supporting one, it's definitely Blanchett.
Honestly I think Joanne Woodward deserved it for 1957. That's one of the best performances of the 50s. I hope you had her in second place. I'd also go with Nicole Kidman for Eyes Wide Shut in 1999 as opposed to Hilary Swank, thought I think I agree with all of your other picks (ESPECIALLY Delphine Seyrig and Isabelle Huppert)
Thank you for watching! Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut is one of the best performances of 1999 overall. My only inhibition was whether or not I was to classify her as leading or supporting, though the lines are very blurred in my mind when it comes to these kinds of distinctions, so she may as well be the choice. As for 1957, my choice is Tatyana Samoylova for the Cranes are Flying. If you were to ask me to point to five films that are most poignant in depicting war, or more accurately, its impact, the Cranes is amongst them. Kalatozov was a genius artist and the Cranes a beautifully shot masterpiece. It's a truly beautiful film and Samoylova is luminous in it, our vehicle throughout and fascinating to watch. Some of her scenes are immensely powerful and her work quite resonant. Behind her, I think Isuzu Yamada manages to steal the show from Toshiro Mifune when she's on screen as the Machiavellian version of Lady Macbeth in Kurasawa's Throne of Blood (again, something of a supporting role and performance). Joanne Woodward is really good in the Three Faces of Eve. It's a raw performance and film for the standards of its time, and Woodward's work ages relatively well, even if the film may seem a bit on the nose nowadays. In this line-up, Woodward ends up at #2 or #3 (if you like her work, I highly recommend The Effect of Gamma Rays in Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, 1972, she's wonderful). Marlene Dietrich may be slightly uneven when it comes to her more overtly emotional scenes in Witness for the Prosecution, but her eyes don't lie. Her work is very powerful and she's my fourth choice. Loved to hear you admire Huppert and Seyrig!
So- you agreed with the Academy 22 times... well, 21.5 because Hepburn tied Streisand in 68.... 23 if you count Hepburn's 33 win- you had her same year/different film (you chose the right one- Kate agreed with you, too. She always felt she deserved it for Little Women that year and not Morning Glory.)
Katharine Hepburn was probably the best Jo March, though I do think Saoirse Ronan did a hell of a job in the role. One could have an interesting debate as to which performance makes for the definitive rendition of the character. Sidenote: I'm thinking of giving the 1968 award to Mia Farrow for Rosemary's Baby next time, so that semi-alignment with the Academy is still on the cards.
@@aagold76 HAHAHA I appreciate your passion, but I'll need to rewatch both films to make a decision. We'll see, but it'll probably be a long time before any change happens at all. I watched Long Day's Journey Into Night and she was wonderfully nuanced in it. Sadly, she would be my 5th choice for 1962, following Jeanne Moreau (as you probably noticed), Monica Vitti (L' Eclisse), Anna Karina (Vivre Sa Vie) and Anna Magnani (Mamma Roma). Hepburn is definitely one of the greats though.
@@bensondunwoody4785 I can't say I loved it but it isn't because I thought of it as too controversial. You know, there is indeed coded rape in the film that seems to slip under the radar, and of course we talk of an exceptionally racist cinematic world (and real world as well),. So all those things do not sit well with modern viewers. I understand that. But the film remains objectively stunning, and filled with incredible performances throughout. So, I didn't hate Gone With the Wind, I didn't love it either, but I will mainly amount that to a matter of taste.
@@georg_couch As prevalent as the racism and stereotyping towards the black community is in Gone With the Wind, I'm still happy that Hattie Mcdaniel won for her wonderful performance as Mammy.
@@georg_couch I enjoyed Gone With The Wind but I think The Wizard of Oz would have been a better pick for Best Picture. Judy Garland would definitely be my pick after Vivien for best actress of 1939.
1988 was a tough year. Besides Jodie and Glenn, Meryl's performance in A Cry In The Dark was phenomenal and one of her best. I really don't know who I would have voted for. Any one of those 3 was deserving imo.
Thanks for the "experience".
I love this comment.
Emma Stone was UNDESERVING of lala land oscar
Great job! Thank you❤
Honestly, one of my favorite yt vids. Discovered many great films thanks to you and this inspired me to start my own channel.
"Notes on a Scandal" was deliciously wicked, and Judy Dench's outstanding performance was more frightening than any slasher movie killer could ever be
YES. Judi Dench was outstanding in that. I believe it to be her best performance. Cate Blanchett is wonderful in this as well (you can really sense her character's lack of centre and balance, her mutual nature, a weakness Dench's character cleverly takes advantage of). The only drawback is that they both outshine the overall film.
Finally Glenn Close has an Oscar!
I was actually pleasantly surprised to see Kristen Dunst on your list. Such a great actress that unfortunately doesn't get the recognition she deserves for her work. Also I was trying to remember the name of the last song for a week now so thank you for reminding me. Great work!❤
So glad that every time I see one of these lists Sigourney Weaver is picked for Aliens! People do not understand the depth of that character. It is not just a sci-fi action flick: her daughter died while she was in hypersleep (directors cut), she finds a new daughter in Newt and has to protect her, she has PTSD but is going back to face her fears, she has to take over as leader, is given a semi-romance with Hicks that cant be flushed out on screen, shes in every scene and carries a 2+ hour movie! Sigourney EARNED that Oscar!!! 😢
Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley is one of the finest acting achievements the action and science fiction genre would ever produce. Weaver in Aliens is badass, gritty, strong and resilient, and at the same time vulnerable and protective. Ripley is a three-dimensional character and Weaver's is a physical performance, reliant on the way she carries herself, oozing confidence and determination but caution, simultaneously, only revealing her fear and unease through her soulful eyes. She truly deserved it that year.
That role is iconic. Watching it as a little boy with my big brother, it reminded me how amazing my mother is bc only she could protect us from the monsters. Watching the power strength and passionate determination by Ripley .I thought that yes...of course a female can save and protect us from the monsters and save the planet.
The performance of Sigourney Weaver as Ripley is role that is unforgettable. Watching it as a little boy with my big brother, it reminded me how amazing my mother is bc only she could protect us from the monsters. Watching the power strength and passionate determination by Ripley .I thought that yes...of course a female can save and protect us from the monsters and save the planet.
Fernanda Montenegro ha debido ganar el Oscar por su extraordinaria actuación en Estación Central.
My choice for Best Actress Oscar:
1930 (1): Maria Falconetti (The Passion of Joan of Arc) (not nominated), instead of Mary Pickford (Coquette)
1930 (2): Louise Brooks (Pandora's Box) (not nominated), instead of Norma Shearer (The Divorcee)
1931: Marlene Dietrich (The Blue Angel) (not nominated), instead of Marie Dressler (Min and Bill)
1932: Marlene Dietrich (Shanghai Express) (not nominated) and/or Greta Garbo (Grand Hotel) (not nominated), instead of Helen Hayes (The Sin of Madelon Claudet)
1934: Greta Garbo (Queen Christina), instead of Katharine Hepburn (Morning Glory)
1936: Ginger Rogers (Top Hat) (not nominated), instead of Bette Davis (Dangerous)
1937: Carole Lombard (My Man Godfrey), instead of Luise Rainer (The Great Ziegfeld)
1938: Barbara Stanwyck (Stella Dallas) and/or Greta Garbo (Camille) and/or Irene Dunne (The Awful Truth), instead of Luise Rainer (The Good Earth)
1941: Katharine Hepburn (The Philadelphia Story) and/or Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday) (not nominated) and/or Margaret Sullavan (The Shop Around the Corner) (not nominated), instead of Ginger Rogers (Kitty Foyle)
1943: Bette Davis (Now, Voyager), instead of Greer Garson (Mrs. Miniver)
1944: Jean Arthur (The More the Merrier) and/or Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca) (not nominated), instead of Jennifer Jones (The Song of Bernadette)
1945: Barbara Stanwyck (Double Indemnity), instead of Ingrid Bergman (Gaslight)
1947: Ingrid Bergman (Notorious) (not nominated) and/or Donna Reed (It's a Wonderful Life) (not nominated), instead of Olivia de Havilland (To Each His Own)
1948: Deborah Kerr (Black Narcissus) (not nominated), instead of Loretta Young (The Farmer's Daughter)
1951: Bette Davis (All About Eve) and/or Gloria Swanson (Sunset Blvd.), instead of Judy Holliday (Born Yesterday)
1953: Joan Crawford (Sudden Fear), instead of Shirley Booth (Come Back, Little Sheba)
1955: Judy Garland (A Star Is Born) and/or Audrey Hepburn (Sabrina), instead of Grace Kelly (The Country Girl)
1956: Shelley Winters (The Night of the Hunter) (not nominated) and/or Marilyn Monroe (The Seven Year Itch) (not nominated), instead of Anna Magnani (The Rose Tattoo)
1957: Deborah Kerr (The King and I) and/or Carroll Baker (Baby Doll), instead of Ingrid Bergman (Anastasia)
1958: Deborah Kerr (Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison), instead of Joanne Woodward (The Three Faces of Eve)
1959: Elizabeth Taylor (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and/or Rosalind Russell (Auntie Mame), instead of Susan Hayward (I Want to Live!)
1960: Audrey Hepburn (The Nun's Story) and/or Marilyn Monroe (Some Like It Hot) (not nominated), instead of Simone Signoret (Room at the Top)
1961: Shirley MacLaine (The Apartment), instead of Elizabeth Taylor (Disque Butterfield 😎
1962: Audrey Hepburn (Breakfast at Tiffany's) and/or Natalie Wood (Splendor in the Grass) and/or Piper Laurie (The Hustler), instead of Sophia Loren (Two Women)
1963: Bette Davis (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?), instead of Anne Bancroft (The Miracle Worker)
1964: Natalie Wood (Love with the Proper Stranger), instead of Patricia Neal (Hud)
1966: Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music), instead of Julie Christie (Darling)
1968: Faye Dunaway (Bonnie and Clyde) and/or Anne Bancroft (The Graduate), instead of Katharine Hepburn (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner)
1971: Sarah Miles (Ryan's Daughter), instead of Glenda Jackson (Women in Love)
1974: Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist), instead of Glenda Jackson (A Touch of Class)
1986: Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple), instead of Geraldine Page (The Trip to Bountiful)
1987: Sigourney Weaver (Aliens), instead of Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God)
1988: Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) and/or Holly Hunter (Broadcast News), instead of Cher (Moonstruck)
1989: Glenn Close (Dangerous Liaisons), instead of Jodie Foster (The Accused)
1995: Winona Ryder (Little Women), instead of Jessica Lange (Blue Sky)
1998: Kate Winslet (Titanic) and/or Judi Dench (Mrs Brown) and/or Helena Bonham Carter (The Wings of the Dove), instead of Helen Hunt (As Good as It Gets)
1999: Fernanda Montenegro (Central Station) and/or Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth), instead of Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love)
2000: Annette Bening (American Beauty), instead of Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry)
2001: Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream), instead of Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich)
2002: Sissy Spacek (In the Bedroom) and/or Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!, The Others (not nominated)) and/or Naomi Watts (Mulholland Dr.) (not nominated), instead of Halle Berry (Monster's Ball)
2006: Felicity Huffman (Transamerica) and/or Keira Knightley (Pride & Prejudice), instead of Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
2010: Carey Mulligan (An Education), instead of Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
2012: Viola Davis (The Help) and/or Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and/or Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn), instead of Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
2019: Glenn Close (The Wife), instead of Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
Can't say I agree, obviously, but I like some of your choices and thank you for your input! Thanks for watching the video.
I love that you picked Carole Lombard and Sarah Miles
Fantastic picks!! Loved so many of these outstanding performances! Katharine Hepburn in Little Women, Teresa Wright in Shadow of a doubt, Anna Magnani in Rome Open City, Ingrid Bergman in Notorious and in Autumn Sonata, Setsuko Hara in Tokyo Story, Emmanuelle Riva in Hiroshima mon amour, Gena Rowlands in A woman under the influence, Fernanda Montenegro in Central Station, Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha, Emma Stone in La la land, Joanna Kulig in Cold War… Just to name a few from this nearly perfect group!
Thank you for recognising the unforgettable, outstanding role of Valentine (Irene Jacob) in the sublime film Three Colours Red because not many have. 1994 was an awful choice of lead actress nominees, won by the ever excellent Jessica Lange but in forgettable film, Blue Sky. Toni Collette and Ruth Cracknell were also overlooked for deserved nominations but Jacob should have won.
O vídeo ficou incrível. Por favor faça uma versão completa das suas escolhas (com as atrizes indicadas em cada ano). Tenho certeza que seria bastante complexo fazer isso mas suas escolhas são muito sólidas e seria muito bom ver quais as quatro atuações femininas principais mais se aproximaram de ser a melhor do ano (tipo a Bette Davis em 1950, que disputou pela vaga de melhor da Gloria Swanson ou em 2000 com a Ellen Burstyn fenomenal porém com a atuação invencível da Meggie Cheung).
This was so interesting and informative. I've just added several movies to my watchlist. Thanks for making this!
I cannot even express with words how much I LOVE this video. I think it's my favorite video ever of personal choices of Best Actresses. Love everything, the shots, the music, the choices... incredible. My favorite picks are Liv Ullman for Whispers and Cries, Mary Taylor Moore for Ordinary People, Holly Hunter for Broadcast News, Judi Dench for Notes on an Scandal, Greta Gerwig for Frances Ha and Charlize Theron for Mad Max Fury Road, I literally screamed when I saw this last one. Thank also for including truly overlooked performances like Florence Pugh's.
Are you planning on more videos?
Thank you very much for your kind words. I have also seen your videos, and you honour your choices in a special and artful manner. Your own video with your picks for Best Actress is a wonderful one and it comes highly recommended! We have some common ground, and a similar music taste I've noticed. What you did in your own video, in the transition from Annette Bening in American Beauty to Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth (you know what you did) is GENIUS. So, Charlize Theron in Mad Max is indeed wonderful. Her soulful eyes, filled with so much pain, and yet bravery and determination all the same, speak louder than any words could. She is modern day Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. Liv Ullmann could have received an Oscar for practically any of her performances to be honest. I actually believe her two best to be Persona and Scenes from a Marriage, and you could make a case for her being the deserving recepient both in 1966 and in 1973. She was breath-taking in Cries and Whispers and there is a real twist to her character - playing a shallow, wasteful, vacant woman. All that being said, I'm working on a Best Actor project, but I haven't seen all the films I've listed to make a well-informed selection, so it will be a tediously long time before that one is ready. I am not certain of whether or not I intend to keep working on tributes like these, so I will let time show me the way. The Best Actor one needs a few months' time for sure though.
@@georg_couch Thank you so so much! I wanted you to know that your video has inspired me to get back to my channel and start working again on a complete video of Best Actress in a Leading Role. Seriously, I owe you that: I never thought I would see Kinuyo Tanaka or Julie Christie for Darling in one of this videos, you're choices are really inspired. And yes, you could easily make the case for Liv Ullman winning 4 or 5 times with Face to Face, Shame, Scenes from a Marriage, Persona, The Immigrants and Cries and Whispers. She's alongside Ingrid Bergman my favorite actress in the entire story and obviously she's my second pick for the win after Bergman in Autumn Sonata. That movie was an experience of perfect acting. And as for Cries and Whispers, it fascinates me how she adds depth to that shallow woman and her last scene with her sister, where she delivers such a subtle despair for hair through a smile, it's the cherry on top for me. Perfect performance.
@@PalmurcioWorld Liv Ullmann is absolutely wonderful. I'd love to be able to have her twice here. Cries and Whispers is a beast of a film! I'll surely be waiting to see what your picks will be!
@@georg_couch hahaha I don't think we're going to differ a lot but you'll see. I've been meaning to ask how: I've been having problems with my editing software so I wanted to ask you what program did you use to create this video, the ending result its stunning!
@@PalmurcioWorld I use DaVinci Resolve 17. Not the studio version to be honest, because it is not needed for this kind of editing. The interface isn't too complicated, but you will probably need to navigate it a bit yourself to learn how to work it out (if you haven't been using that already). I didn't add the labels underneath from the editor though. I made them manually on Microsoft Word and saved them as .png file images, added them on afterwards (I don't think DaVinci provides an overly sophisticated variety of text bits). If it isn't working very well (I did the editing on a laptop and the video files were high quality so it would often have a hard time displaying them properly - in the beginning I was working blindly), give it some time. For me it didn't display the video properly for the first couple of days, then it worked itself out and all became much easier. I really don't know why.
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing- I have so many movies to watch now!
I disagree with your 2003 pick, Charlize Theron deserved it better
Absolutely. Her performance in “Monster” was everything that acting is. She embodied the character (someone who people were familiar with as well)completely. It’s one of the most deserving Oscar wins ever.
Me too. I consider it in the top 5 greatest performances of all time (man or woman). Simply an all time great performance
I feel most of her performance was prosthetics and physical transformation, as in it was more extrinsic…
@@gauravw6947 Are we going to ignore her change in gait, voice, mannerisms and voice as well? Not to mention the amount of complexity in the character. To say it was only a good performance because of the makeup team is insanity.
Love that you gave the award to Kirsten Dunst for 'Melancholia.' Totally agree. That she wasn't even nominated is an absolute travesty.
I loved this video.it’s good that you mentioned rosamund pike in this list,as well as michelle williams ,glenn close and greta in the place of jennifer lawrence .♥️🙏
(I think Natalie portman is the most Oscar-deserving actress for her outstanding role in Black Swan ♥️)
I believe Meryl should have 4 or more wins in this category alone. I love Frances, but her recent win is undeserved :( Glenn Close instead of Cher, Isabelle Hupert instead of Emma Stone, Felicity instead of Reese ... so many changes
Thank you for your time, though I feel that 5 Meryl Streep wins is a little far fetched.
I felt Meryl Streep didn’t deserve her 3rd Oscar for The Iron Lady, there are definitely several other of her performances that she deserved to win.
@@106andie you could make a case for Oscar worthy performances in the Deer Hunter, the French Lieutenant's Woman, even Out of Africa perhaps... More recently, Adaptation. The Hours is a wonderful performance on her part. Other than those mentioned and her actual wins, I don't think the rest of her nominated work is as Oscar worthy. She definitely did not deserve the award for the Iron Lady.
Such inspiring choices!! Thanks for this vid
Amazing video. I love how almost everyone got the justice. And what I love even more, is that there were no ties. 😂😂. Made it more fun.
even though we have different sight of the deserved winners, I appreciate your effort for this video and all the time you have spent to watch those movies
I only watch around 1960-2022
Thanks a lot for watching! Feel free to share your opinion on certain years. I'm always interested.
Hey there! Would just like to say that this is probably my favorite video on UA-cam right now. I have watched this video over probably a hundred times and after each rewatch I find a new movie that catches my attention. Thank you for putting this list out there.
Thank you so much, that is such a wonderful thing to say!
@@georg_couch You're welcome! I grew up watching mostly watching mainstream films so checking these films out is like jumping into unknown territory for me. It has been a pleasant experience and I'm glad I enjoyed most of them.
@@capybara2747 I'm so happy for you! Cinema is a wonderful and rich medium of art, and getting people to further discover it was primarily the point of this endeavour anyway. The best advice I can give is searching by director. The ones you loved the most - check who directed them, then dive deeper into their oeuvre. You'll be obsessed in no time.
@@georg_couch Hey there! Sorry for always bothering you, but I'm curious as to your opinion on Judy Holliday's win for Born Yesterday (1950) and your rankings for that year. I personally don't really feel like Judy did anything particularly remarkable or memorable in that film except for a few scenes to be honest, although I'm still not upset over her win.
@@capybara2747 haha no bother at all, how could I refuse to the prospect of such a discussion. Anyhow, I don't want to be one of those people who say "Judy Holliday didn't deserve it" but to be honest she kind of didn't. She was very funny and somehow effective, but that's about it. I'm still flip flopping Gloria Swanson and Bette Davis for the win. Either one will do. Bette Davis delivers her signature performance and single greatest acting achievement in All About Eve. It's a bold performance, striking balance between the tragedy of a fading star and the trademark Bette Davis bad bitch. A lot of people would prefer Gloria Swanson for Sunset Boulevard, and that's what I went for here (I need a rewatch to make up my mind on that). Swanson (also portraying a fading, or faded, star) delivers a ballsy, brilliantly over the top performance for the ages. Larger than life and it does work remarkably well. No matter how one slices it, those two deliver the performances of 1950. I also feel that Anne Baxter as Eve trails them quite closely behind, in a tastefully manipulative turn. As far as #4 goes, I think I'd take Ingrid Bergman for Stromboli, her first collaboration with Rossellini (though the film isn't all that). I have yet to watch Caged, so I haven't a fully formed opinion on all the nominees that year. That being said the rankings as far as this video is concerned are:
1. Gloria Swanson, Sunset Boulevard
2. Bette Davis, All About Eve
3. Anne Baxter, All About Eve
4. Ingrid Bergman, Stromboli
Judy Holliday could have skipped the mention all together, honestly, but in the absence of a 5th nominee, you could place her in that slot. Who would you pick?
Oh my God, your *choices* ! Just superb! An inspired list.
Thank you very much dear!
This is a great list movies. Some I’ve never seen but can’t wait to see
What a great list! I will recommend this video to my friends since they are interested in the film industry!
Thank you very much for the promotion haha
I've never seen such a brilliant, intelligent list of great performances by actresses on screen. Certainly Joan Fontaine (Letter From an Unknown Woman), Deborah Kerr, Jeanne Moreau all deserved to win the oscar.
Thank you so much. Joan Fontaine was much better than most people give her credit for. I do however believe Olivia de Havilland to have been the superior actor, though Fontaine starred in far better films. Deborah Kerr is just brilliant, she is spectacular. Kerr is by and large my favourite actress of that era (I mean all I can really say is Black Narcissus, From Here to Eternity and The Innocents, I rest my case). Jeanne Moreau is one of my favourite actresses, full stop. Film history wouldn't be the same without her - she literally turnt walking into art.
Really great selections.
Hi Georg, wonderful video!)
I'm curious are you planning to make the same video for actors and if so would you wait for 96th oscars or just make the list until 2022?
Also what are your favourites for 2023 at the moment?
I've been promising the Best Actor video for two years now and I still haven't gotten around to it. So, I intend to have it finished at some point, but I haven't made it a priority for a long time now, so I wouldn't wait for it adamantly if I were you. However, I will be releasing an update of the Best Actress video soon, years 1927-2023, with a few changes as well (I've changed through this time, and so have some of my choices - or music). As far as 2023 goes, I haven't watched much if I'm perfectly honest. I did watch Barbie, though I am not a big admirer of that film (Margot Robbie however may deliver her finest performance to date in it). Poor Things looks very promising. I adore the book by Alasdair Gray, and I do love Lanthimos so I have high expectations here.
Giving Holly Hunter the Oscar for "Broadcast News" but not for "The Piano" would have been INSANE !
As a Pole I was very surprised to see Joanna Kulig here:) What do you think were the most undeserved Oscars in this cathegory in last few decades?
That's an interesting question. I didn't like Sandra Bullock at all. Reese Witherspoon wasn't a valid enough choice (she was really good though, performance wise). I didn't like Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady AT ALL. It was a very mediocre film, and not Streep's best performance. I didn't like Renée Zellweger. Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovitch was horrible. I don't think Jennifer Lawrence was a good choice, but I don't hate her performance as much as most people - I think she was really good, just not Oscar worthy. Those are pretty much the most underwhelming ones I can recall. Would you like me to go even further back down the line? How about you?
I’ve watched 16 Bedt Actress winners so far and my least favorite are:
-Jessica Lange (she is a fantastic actress but her performance in this film was forgettable for me. Blue Sky was also my least favorite film out of those 16)
-Nicole Kidman (her performance was ok but she didn’t have a chance to fully shine with very limited screen time)
-Helen Hunt (not an Oscar-worthy performance imo)
-Frances McDormand (it was a supporting role for me. Fargo deserved the award for screenplay but Frances’ acting wasn’t the most memorable thing in this film)
From the films that you mentioned I watched Erin Brockovich and I think that it was a very solid performance by Julia Roberts. Ellen Burstyn could have been slightly more deserving but that win was far from the worst imo.
If you would like to go further I will be very happy to know your opinion.
Ps. I’ll probably watch The Blind Side in a few days so I can give you an update on that one
@@piotrserwicki531 you will hate the Blind Side, as most people. Well, truth be told, I loved Frances McDormand in Fargo - it was a tone perfect, pitch black comedic performance. Her timing was impeccable and there were moments of crisis and palpable sensitivity that gave the film more texture. Nicole Kidman was mesmerising as Virginia Wolf, but there was stronger competition that same year (or even perhaps in that same film). I really liked both Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets, though neither of those performances were Oscar worthy by any account. Jessica Lange in Blue Sky was horrendous, the only reason she won was because 1994 was one of the weakest years in Academy history as far as Best Leading Actress goes, and most notable performances were not nominated (Three Colours: Red, Chungking Express, The Queen Margot, Heavenly Creatures).
I haven’t watched The Blind Side yet, but I’ve recently seen “Judy”. The film was nothing special- typical biopic. However, Zellweger’s performance was the best thing about it imo- she seemed to really commit to that role and I found it believable. I liked it better than e.g. Emma Stone in La La Land
God, I love this video. Katharine Hepburn for Little Women is a performance I've never seen picked for one of these videos but now that I think about it, it feels so right.
Thank you very much! She was sublime in that role and in some ways defined it for years to come.
@@georg_couch Annie Giradot is also a spectacular and bold choice, but I'm a little ambivalent about whether that's lead or supporting. I feel like I could go with Greer Garson or Shirley Maclaine.
@@benharpen4019 The division between lead or supporting has more to do with impact than with screentime in my view, and I often cite Anthony Hopkins in the Silence of the Lambs as a prime example of an actor and role who, despite the significant lack of screentime, warrants consideration in the leading category purely because of their presence. Girardot feels a little like that. Shirley MacLaine is an excellent choice for 1960 and I think I was two seconds (or a single rewatch) away from picking her. Her performance in the Apartment is career-defining; precisely what she does best, walking a fine line between drama and comedy and excelling at both. I have not watched Greer Garson's film. I appreciate Garson a lot and she was simply wonderful as Mrs. Miniver, but I tend to imagine her as somewhat limited. I have yet to watch most of her work though.
Hey! Wonderful video, it has been said already but: Thank you for the experience, truly amazing! The only one that I would change is Ellen Burstyn for "Requiem for a Dream" in 2000. On another note, as a spaniard myself, what makes you love Penélope Cruz's performance to consider it the best in 2009?
Ellen Burstyn delivers her finest performance in Requiem for a Dream (and in her case, that is quite something). I was very frustrated with the realisation that she wasn't ever my choice - that being said, Maggie Cheung in In the Mood for Love is a timeless take, I couldn't resist it. As far as Penélope Cruz goes, I thought she was mesmerising. Her role in the film is somewhat of a femme fatale with a reality check. Having said that, I'm no longer certain I would still choose her. It's been some time since I worked on this project, and in hindsight I think I prefer her in Volver - she was simply magical in that. My 2009 choice would probably change if I were to update this video. I'm generally an admirer of Cruz's work, though I do think her Spanish-language career is far more prolific and multilayered than her work in English. That isn't her fault. I think there are very very few fully fledged and three-dimensional roles for Latinas in Hollywood (even her Oscar win was a bit on the nose, though she was great in that film).
Agree with 90% of your choices. Some choices on here that I never expected to show up on one of these videos, like Michelle Williams and Rosalind Russell! Truly excellent picks.
If I was to change this, I'd have Ellen Burstyn win for 1973 and 2000, and I'd let Kathy Bates and Jodie Foster keep their 90s wins.
1991 is a very tough one for me. There's 3 or 4 performers that could have won and I'd be satisfied. Though I have to go with Jodie Foster, you can never go wrong with her.
I will never forget Silence of the Lambs or Misery. I was only 10/11 when they came out but they started my love of film ❤
Some mistakes
1934 - Bette Davis
1935 - Katharine Hepburn
1961 - Sophia Loren
What mistakes??? This is their choice.... make ur own video
Muy originales y excelentes !! Like !
98 Fernanda for sure
15 Rosamund Pyke no doubt
20 Scarlett Johansson for me
Nomadland is from 2021
In my opinion for 2016, the award should’ve gone to Viola Davis for Fences because I think we can all agree that Viola Davis was the female lead in this film. When she played Rose Maxson on stage she won the Tony for best leading actress in a play, she should’ve also win best leading NOT SUPPORTING actress at the Oscars. I’m glad she won the oscar she deserved it for her work in Fences, but her win was clear category fraud, she should’ve won for LEADING ACTRESS!!
I can totally see that argument, though I feel there is something lacking in Fences as a film (albeit the performances are excellent).
How do you feel about Vivien Leigh'a wins? Imo the two of them are arguably in the top 10 performances of all time
I've pretty much disagreed with 90% of the Academy's choices, and yet I picked Vivien Leigh for both of her Oscar winning performances. That says something in and of itself - her work aged like a fine wine, much better than most of her peers'. The characters she played, they align with a very postmodern idea of feminity and womanhood, one that defies morality, purity and pathos as the core elements of the female experience (if I'm allowed to use that term). She played flawed, unlikeable, controversial characters and ingrained such life in them. Her heroines are conflicting, evasive, vulnerable, real. Dare I say even more so than the quintessential Bette Davis bad bitch (and I love Bette Davis). I think in Streetcar she is superior to Marlon Brando (even if his performance is more significant historically speaking). Should you think of it, she has cemented her place in cinematic history with, in fact, no more than two performances. I can't bring myself to choose, but one of those masterclasses deserves a place in the top ten of all time.
Oh man from Marlene, to Greta, to Rosalind and Barbara, I adore this list. But also you make me want to watch foreign performances I have never seen before
Thank you! Well, recommending great underappreciated performances to people around the world is in fact the purpose of the video, isn't it?
Barbara?
@@danlippershey380 Stanwyck
@georgonthecouch
Who’s your pick for best actress from 2021 to 2024
Glad you chose Julianne Moore for “Far From Heaven “! Brilliant
I could probably only do 1990 onwards, so here'd be mine:
1990: Kathy Bates in Misery
1991: Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs
1992: Michelle Pfeifer in Batman Returns
1993: Holly Hunter in The Piano
1994: Melanie Lynskey in Heavenly Creatures
1995: Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise
1996: Frances McDormand in Fargo
1997: Helena Bonham Carter in The Wings of the Dove
1998: Franke Potente in Run Lola Run
1999: Reese Witherspoon in Election
2000: Laure Linney in You Can Count on Me
2001: Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive
2002: Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl
2003: Nicole Kidman in Dogville
2004: Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2005: Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice
2006: Maggie Gyllenhaal in Sherrybaby
2007: Tang Wei in Lust, Caution
2008: Meryl Streep in Doubt
2009: Carey Mulligan in An Education
2010: Emma Stone in Easy A
2011: Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
2012: Marion Cotillard in Rust and Bone
2013: Care Blanchett in Blue Jasmine
2014: Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
2015: Daisy Ridley in The Force Awakens (I can explain myself, I swear)
2016: Natalie Portman in Jackie
2017: Marogt Robbie in I, Tonya (though I'm increasingly unsure about this one)
2018: Charlize Theron in Tully
2019: Saoirse Ronan in Little Women
2020: Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman
2021: Penelope Cruz in Parallel Mothers
2022: Cate Blanchett in Tár
AHAHA please do explain yourself. Ok so I disagree with some of these, particularly I would like some sort of explanation with regards to Michelle Pfeiffer (iconic, of course, but I'm not sure if that's enough) and the one you promised. My instinct was to ask more about the Jennifer Aniston pick HOWEVER I haven't seen that film, so you may as well be right. Besides these minor disagreements, I love your choice of Franke Potente in Run Lola Run, I seriously considered her as well. I'm a big admirer of Dogville and Kidman's work in it, and of course Tung Wei in Lust, Caution, PLEASE that film is mesmerising, I adore it. And the duelling performances are absolutely hypnotic.
@@georg_couch In regards to Pfeifer, I think it's an incredible balancing act of character and tone shifts. She goes through drastic changes throughout her arc, and manages to walk the fine line between camp and pathos.
As for Ridley, my appreciation for her work stems from how much she adds to what little she was given. I love charismatic "star" performances, and for me she was able to bring a lot in terms of pure screen presence. (A shame Abrams screwed her over for a good arc-closer because he was scared of fanboys.)
Okay, admittedly I haven't seen Aniston in over a decade, but I remember being shocked at a what a lived-in, nuanced performance it was from an actress I usually don't think either of those things about.
I admit, I like to boost a lot of performances that aren't considered "Oscar-y" for one reason or another, like comedic roles or start-turns, genre movies, or something wildly against type. Hell, I have a few voice performances I've given wins and nominations to (Ride or die on Eartha Kitt as Yzma for 2000 Supporting Actress). I'm also super adverse to most biopic performances. (Portman in Jackie was baffling for to experience, I usually don't like her that much and thought she sounded like Eric Cartman in the trailers. Granted, I could switch to Arrival!Adams or Bening that year)
As for disagreements: Believe me, I raised an eyebrow or two at some of yours, but I love how many foreign language performances you have. Obviously mine is lacking there, and I'm trying to remedy it. I just love reading people's lists and tastes. Yours is great because of how much thought was put into it beyond stan-mentality and "Well, let's just pick one of the nominees".
If you want weirder, just ask me about my Best Actor picks. I have at least 5 "WTF are you thinking?" choices there.
@@koook160 ok I get that. Pfeiffer was really great indeed, and I am rather surprised that I didn't notice the tone shifts before. And she did her own stunts, which is a plus. I think I get what you're saying. This is precisely the appeal of Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge! It's an excellent performance thanks to balancing out musicality and technique, dancing, romance, heavy dramatic moments and some screwball comedy. It's very similar to what Pfeiffer does. I love Michelle Pfeiffer as an actor, mainly for her esoteric qualities. And despite all that, I didn't even consider her as a runner up for 1992. My mind just never went there. So thank you for opening my eyes to this new perspective, I really appreciate it.
Eartha Kitt is a great case study and there is an interesting video essay on her career. I adore her as Yzma, I think she's up there with Robin Williams, Jeremy Irons and the rest of all the great voice work in animated films.
I've watched that Starwars film when it came out and then never went back to it. I agree, Ridley has a star quality that quite beguiling and particularly modern. But I don't remember the film or the performance very well - imagine, I haven't watched any of the Star Wars films apart from this one, and I don't even hang out with the guy I watched it with anymore. So it's been some time.
I'm seriously considering Lust, Caution, especially because I intend to update this video. But before that, I will need to finish the Best Actor video I have been working on over the past year, so that will take a while. So, please feel free to share your Best Actor picks, because I am actively hunting for suggestions.
Research is a very big part of my work with these videos, this is why I picked a lot of foreign performances. So I would love your Best Actor input. Besides that, if you're into niche performances, I can't recommend Julie Walters in Personal Services highly enough. That being said, I await your response.
@@georg_couch I wish UA-cam hadn’t nixed DM’s, I’d have an easier time explaining myself. To summarize my Actor picks, I tend to go with more co-leads than I do with Actress. With Actress my choices are usually front in center in their own movies, whereas with Actor I somehow tend to choose performances that share the limelight and might even be secondary leads instead of primary (Carl Anderson in Jesus Christ Superstar and Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges for example). I have bizarre hangups on the Lead/Supporting debate, and a good chunk of my wins were actually nominated or campaigned in Supporting (Timothy Hutton in 1980, Samuel L. Jackson in 1994, William H. Macey in 1996, Casey Affleck in 2007, Michael Keaton in 2015).
As for bizarre, outside-the-box picks, here’s one example: 1983, Keith Gordon in Christine. Sort of because how accidentally well the character aged (eerily predictive of incel behaviors), but I was shocked at what a showcase it was for him. His transformation is less dramatic than I had been led to believe, with the implication from both how plays it and John Carpenter’s framing of him being that his sudden obsession with the car just unlocked something toxic that was always there. I’ve championed this performance with straight face ever since seeing it.
I’d give you a more thorough explanation of my tastes and more examples, but I’ll just leave you with the last few years what my choices were:
2010: Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network
2011: Michael Shannon in Take Shelter
2012: Joaquin Phoenix in The Master
2013: Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis
2014: Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year
2015: Michael Keaton in Spotlight
2016: Andrew Garfield in Silence
2017: Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out
2018: John C. Reilly in The Sisters Brothers
2019: Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory
2020: Anthony Hopkins in The Father (by a HAIR over Delroy Lindo)
2021: Hidetoshi Nishijima in Drive My Car
2022: Paul Mescal in Aftersun
@@koook160 I have a very similar take on the Supporting/Leading distinction. Usually, what I tend to go with is "if the performance feels like that of a lead/supporting, then it is." The prime example being Anthony Hopkins of course, but surely some of my picks are a bit short on screen time as well.
I'll check out the recommendation. I have a knack for performances that play on the thin line separating comedy from drama. Thank you for sharing your picks with me. I definitely agree with Oscar Isaac, especially as Llewyn Davis, and with Hidetoshi Nishijima for Drive My Car, which was one of last year's best films - it's dripping Wim Wenders influence, and I'm always supportive of that.
Where is STREISAND. 1968 ?
Definitely Mary Taylor Moore should have won that Oscar! She was so robbed ;(
Still waiting for the same list but for an actors :)
Haha love you for keeping me in check
Also I'm curious to know what's your opinion on Natalie Portman's performance in León
@@gachimaster7316 believe it or not, I haven't watched Leon the Professional.
Please updated 😢
Didn't Casablanca release in 1943? And Three Colours: Blue in 1994?
I decided I would take the year the film premiered as the standard one. Binoche was nominated at the Globes for Best Actress 1993, so that was that. And Casablanca was indeed released in 1943, but here's what gives; e.g. Isuzu Yamada did Osaka Elegy in 1936 but the film was released in the US in the 70's. Due to such cases, I obviously couldn't really take the year of commercial release in the US into account. So, I nominated each film for the year of its premier, the only exception being Glenda Jackson, for Women in Love (originally premiered in 1969), because she actually won the award for 1970 and I thought it would be too out of place to have her into consideration for 1969.
@@georg_couch Ah, that actually makes a lot of sense. Great picks.
I super love the list❤❤❤❤
Deserves way more views
Thank you so much for your kind words! It really means a lot.
Charlize theron definitely deserved for monster 2003
That performance was spectacular. My only issue is that I am a little ambivalent about the film, and that factored in my decision-making.
@@georg_couchWell, it shouldn't. Look at Meryl Streep's Oscar win for "The Iron Lady" Crappy movie but convincing acting won the day for the actress.
Very nice choices! What do you think of Emma Thompson in Howards End (1992) and Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)? Those are two of my all-time favourite performances.
Thank you for watching! I haven't watched Happy-Go-Lucky, though I gather that's a worthwhile film and performance (it's also from Mike Leigh if I'm not wrong and he is simply a spectacular director). As far as Emma Thompson goes, she was terrific in Howards End. She is my second choice for 1992. Her performance was unexpectedly physical, perfectly tuned and with a kind of quiet, dignified vulnerability. She is a wonderful actress. Evidently, I loved her in the Winter Guest, directed by Alan Rickman, a film that I highly recommend.
@@georg_couch I also love Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. 1992 was a great year.
I watched 'Letter From An Unknown Woman' again a few weeks ago. It's definitely Joan Fontaine's best performance, and deserved an Award. I think it's interesting that 2 sisters deserved the award in consecutive years, because Olivia in 'The Heiress' is perfect.
I've thought occasionally about those two. At the end of the day, I think Olivia de Havilland was the superior actor. Comparing isn't much help, but I do believe that her wide, expressive eyes and her tendency to play darker, more morally gray characters set her apart; the final cut in the Heiress is spine-chilling. Joan Fontaine, however, played in overall better films. She is great as well, just more limited in what she can or cannot do. She had the luck to work with Hitchcock and Opüls. De Havilland has Gone with the Wind as a feather in her cap, but her most memorable performances are in unfortunately less memorable films (often the case with Meryl Streep, one of the best actresses of all time).
*That being said, I rewatched the Hours recently and there is a case to be made of Streep's performance in the film being much too underrated.
Yes Winslet was definitely the winner for Eternal Sunshine, her acting was by far superior. Glad to also see Sigourney Weaver, Glenn Close and Kirsten Dunst. Don’t agree with Emma for Lala Land or Scarlet. Charlize Theron WAS the best back then, and one of the best performances of cinema history
I love ALL your choices. ALL 😊
Thank you for your seĺection
Correction - In 1985, the Best Actress Oscar was won by Sally Field for Places in the Heart, not by Whoopi Goldberg.
1942 should be Katharine Hepburn for "Women of The Year" as Bergman was not even nominated
This is their choice..... you can make ur own video and include that in it
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on Jodie Foster's wins.
I loved her in the Silence of the Lambs. I think she plays off of Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter perfectly well. Her presence, her Clarice actually carries the film. She makes for a canning protagonist, tortured by guilt and a severe case of saviour complex, hanging on a by a thread (that thread being her moral compass, thoroughly challenged by Lecter). The performance works in a very intuitive way and Foster's ability to communicate so much with a simple gaze is nothing short of fascinating. Unfortunately, 1991 is in my mind the strongest year in Oscar history as far as performances by women go (a bit like 2001 and 1962); you have Gong Li, who remains my top pick, Juliette Binoche in Les Amants du Pont Neuf, Irène Jacob in the Double Life of Veronique, Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in Thelma and Louise. You could really pick any of those six actresses and you'd have made a wonderful choice. That particular year more or less boils down to taste. As far as 1988 goes, I think she was very good in the Accused. There are a lot of nuances in the way she plays the character and she comes across very well for this type of film - a victim, but not as such. I think the film, as tragic a story as it may be, made a very fleeting impression on me to seriously consider Foster. I do admire Glenn Close's performance more, and it has aged like fine wine - she is a beast in Dangerous Liaisons. That's some of the best acting of 1988. Foster isn't undeserving of the win, but I tend to think of it as one of the more forgettable best actress winning performances. You also have Carmen Maura for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, who'd be my second option for 1988. The film is objectively a much lighter watch, but it is leagues above the Accused stylistically and Maura's performance is a lot more layered and all encompassing. Overall I'd stick with the Silence of the Lambs as Foster's best performance and of course a well deserved, iconic Oscar winning turn.
love it!
Wouldn’t these be better with (when necessary) the actual winner is noted? It would allow us to reflect on the two performances.
You're right to an extent. I thought about it, but eventually I didn't opt for it because I thought it would take away from the video's aesthetic value. I'm sorry if you felt lost somehow.
@@georg_couch I don’t feel lost, just shortchanged on some of them. You are the author, and the beneficiary of ad revenue, so I bow to you.
@@DiogenesLantern it should be noted, I cannot benefit financially from ad revenue, due to the related laws over here. I'm afraid UA-cam is the only one gaining from ads in my video.
Yes! I thought that too
I absolutely love that you let Diane Keaton keep her '77 win. It's such a wonderful performance, but I feel like a lot of people downplay it in regards to the fact that its not dramatic or serious.
It's Diane Keaton all day, every day. She delivers what should be considered as a top 5 of all time comedic performance and sets the tone for every other Woody Allen actor to follow her lead. Her Annie is naïve and quirky, funny and awkward, and a very complicated, multilayered character. She clearly goes through a kind of metamorphosis over the course of the picture and Diane Keaton makes it appear hardly noticeable, and yet it's there, and persistently so.
@@georg_couch I think she's a lot more diverse and talented actress than she gets credit for. To think she gave that performance 3 years after such a dramatic turn in the Godfather movies. As much as I hate Woody Allen, he has led several actors to the best performances of their career imo - Diane K, Dianne Wiest, Cate Blanchett, Geraldine Page
the problem is that it was literally the ONLY non-dramatic performance recognised on this list. And I thought the oscars were bad about recognising the work of actresses like Keaton or Hepburn, or Goldie Hawn in lighter roles.
Estoy esperando la de actores !! POr favor haslo !!
Thank you very much for your enthusiasm! I will do it for sure, but it'll take some time. I'm preparing it.
oh i loveeeee the diversity
we saw cate blanchett's hole fase at blue jasmine, but only her lips was seen in notes on a scandal.
That is so true actually.
Bro, KNOCKOUT selection of films and performances. Of the one's I've seen, there's not a single one I disagree with, and that NEVER happens! All the other ones ostensibly look great and I will definitely be checking these movies out. I had a real recognizes real moment when I saw Isabelle Huppert come onscreen for The Piano Teacher. One of my favorite performances in one of my favorite movies, and an all-timer for me.
And my other favorites are here, too: Maria Falconetti in The Passion of Joan of Arc, HELL yes to Isabelle Adjani in Possession, Juliette Binoche in Three Colors: Blue, Florence Pugh in Midsommar
And along with Gena Rowlands - which, along with Meryl in Sophie's Choice is maybe the greatest female performance of all-time - I want to give a special mention to Faye Dunaway in Chinatown for 1974, as that's my favorite performance of hers. (Gena Rowlands takes the cake for 1974, though).
Shout out for mentioning The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover, too. Well-done (y)
THANK YOU so much for your recognition! I'm very happy you felt that this selection highlighted some underseen performances and films - that was precisely its purpose. Faye Dunaway was mesmerising in Chinatown, she's my #2 choice for that year, of course.
I love this list. But I do have two disagreements: Marilyn Monroe is my pick for 1959 and Carrie Snodgress is my pick for 1970. I assume these were your runner-ups for those two years.
Those are very valid choices. As far as 1959 goes, Emmanuelle Riva is absolutely astounding in Hiroshima Mon Amour. Resnais' film has cemented its place as not only a cinematic masterpiece, but a piece of history as well, that should be seen regardless of one's interest in film. She's devastating, forlorn and damaged, a shell of her former self, loss and trauma incarnate. All is apparent through her vacant stares. She delivers Marguerite Duras' demanding, yet deeply poetic words with poise and beautifully outlines her character. Behind her, I think I'd pick Simone Signoret for Room at the Top. Signoret is definitely deserving of her Oscar win and her talent for fatalism and melancholy has never been put to better use. This is to me her finest performance. My third choice is the beautiful and outrageously funny Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot. Monroe always was a richly talented comedienne and here it is more than apparent - her performance would win her top honours most other years around 1959. As far as 1970 goes, Women in Love is a film I was really impressed by, on a cinematic and intellectual level, considering the way it handles its psychosexual themes. It's simply such a sensual piece of cinema and Glenda Jackson is absolutely hypnotic in it. Lustful, poetic and mesmerising, she dominates every scene she's in. It's like there is an inner drive about her. The scene with her dancing and seducing the highland cattle is oozing eroticism and I absolutely love that they picked her here. Number two is Carrie Snodgress for Diary of a Mad Housewife, in a low key performance that poignantly and quietly captured the zeitgeist, the inner struggle and identity crisis of women on the crest of second wave feminism. My #3 is Barbara Loden in Wanda. That film hit me hard, and I do think it's more of a directorial achievement for her than an acting accomplishment. It's neorealism and independent cinema at its heights and it echoes of Cassavettes' best work. She's really good in the part and knows this character well.
So these are more or less my views on both these years. Notice I didn't even mention Ali MacGraw in Love Story. I don't think you would either.
Nicole Kidman's To die for performance is still her best performance to date!
Criminal she was snubbed.....
I don't think it's her best to be honest. It is, however, pitch perfect in its tone, timing and delicious twists. I'd definitely rank it within her top five best performances. What I find funny is how this "turn-of-the-screw" portrayal of the plastic blonde archetype actually precedes its predominance in popular culture and media during the early 2000's (Clueless, Legally Blonde etc). It's as if the deconstruction of the trope came before the trope's wider spread (however, I'll admit Legally Blonde et al are deconstructive in their own way - not genre wise though).
Kidman was great but I would have gone with Kathy Bates in Dolores Claiborne. And of the nominees, I think it should have gone to Streep over Susan Sarandon.
Pls make a list for Best Actor as well.. Thanks..
I will definitely make one (I'm currently doing the research for it by watching the films). But don't expect it too soon! Lots of love
Definitely agree Moore should have won for "Ordinary People."
Do you have Letterboxd?
I do. It's Georg on the Couch, like the name of the channel. I write a lot of reviews and in the olden days I would post them on Letterboxd but I later realised that the full blown reviews are probably better suited to different platforms. That's why I no longer post my write ups there. But if you search for my older reviews you may find some texts, if you're interested in hearing me rant about my favourite films. I suppose you are probably active on Letterboxd too, and I would love to take a look at your page.
1968 Barbara Streisand shared Oscar with Katherine Hepburn
Great choices. Inspired choices. 1948 Joan Fontaine Yes Yes Yes but my 1952 Best Actress Oscar will always belong to Ethel Waters for The Member of the Wedding
Thank you for your kind words. I have never seen that film. Should probably check it out.
Fantastic picks...esp Felicity Huffman, Michelle Williams, Emily Watson and Fernanada Montenegro. So many movies to watch! ..thanks
I really like your choices
Streisand DESERVED her Oscar for Funny Girl! She displayed pretty much every EMOTION, and SHOULD have WON for TWWW!
It is evident that I disagree. Though Streisand is a pretty respectable actress
I'm glad Barbra won too. But look at it this way...if she had just one less vote, she wouldn't have won and we'd never know how close it was. Of course the same can be said if Hepburn lost. Overall I'm good with it being a tie that year.
Fletcher was a supporting role- you found all these Asian and European actresses, but not one that year?
Fletcher wasn't exactly a supporting role in my book to be honest, because I do not categorise the performances based on screen time but impact and presence. Hannibal Lecter is a supporting role, theoretically speaking, but nearly nobody makes a fuss about Anthony Hopkins winning Best Actor.
That being said, when I update the video, I might instead go for Romy Schneider in That Most Important Thing: Love. She is a tour de force in that film, delivering a performance of fierce vulnerability, carefully outlining a very fragile soul. My rankings for 1975 are as follows:
1. Louise Fletcher, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
2. Romy Schneider, That Most Important Thing: Love
3. Delphine Seyrig, Jeanne Dielman
4. Isabelle Adjani, The Story of Adele H.
In some ways I agree with you, in the sense that there are valid arguments to be made in favour of Romy Schneider or Delphine Seyrig for 1975, and ultimately by the time I have updated the video, my pick for that year is very likely to have changed.
2008, Kate Winslet's The Reader was all deserving too
I respect your opinion on 2003 and 2008, though I disagree with it.
It was a wonderful performance but its more of a supporting role.
@@davidkane4883 the performance was very touching and daring, but it was far from her best or most accomplished.
@@davidkane4883 Had she campaigned in supporting she'd be my pick for the trophy that year.
Did u prefer Cate Blanchett or Michelle Yeoh? I'm disappointed Cate didn't win but Michelle wasn't a bad pick
To be honest, I wasn't head over hills for neither of those performances. In their own way, they were both wonderful pieces of acting. I think Cate Blanchett was heavily promoted for Tar, and from a distance.. I think she was more deserving for Carol. I'm seriously thinking of picking her for 2015 when I update this video. If I'm perfectly honest, I preferred Michelle Yeoh, even though I didn't adore Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, the same way many movie goers did. I wasn't particularly rooting for any film this year, if anything I loved Aftersun. For now, and unless there comes a performance I get really smitten with, my choice would be (for once) the same as the Academy's - Michelle Yeoh.
@@georg_couch I see. I think the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actor were deserved but the Supporting Actress win feels so off to me. My favourite supporting actress of the year was Carey Mulligan in 'She Said', but she didn't even get nominated.
@@danlippershey380 I do believe Jaimee Lee Curtis was good, but not that good. I don't get why she won. If anything, they should have given it to the actress who played Michelle Yeoh's daughter.
Did you decide on 2021 yet?
Not yet. 2021 is a tricky year. I have some thoughts. I will come to it when I update this (I would have done so sooner, but I try to discipline myself into completing the Best Actor project, which is a challenge). What are your thoughts?
@@georg_couch Honestly, same as what you said before - either Kristen Stewart or Tilda Swinton. I also really liked the actress in Shiva Baby
@@danlippershey380 OH YES. You're the one I had discussed that with. I'm also interested in checking out the performance of the leading actress in the Underground Railroad.
yes, I totally agree w/ Maggie Cheung for ITMFL! That shld have given WKW best director too!
Not over ellen burstyn for rfad
@@Rash23215 Yes true! Cheung definitely deserved a nomination tho imo haha
I'd be interested to hear what you think of Mary Pickford and Gwyneth Paltrow's wins
Mary Pickford was charming and had a lot of glamour I suppose. I would not in my right mind choose a performance like this when you have Falconetti in the same year. And Gwyneth Paltrow - I don't hate the performance, I thought she was good. But not Oscar worthy, that much has been said countless times before. Paltrow herself has delivered about three performances much superior to her turn in Shakespeare in Love.
@@georg_couch Didn't like Pickford at all. I read somewhere that she basically bought that oscar. I agree with you about Gwyneth - I thought she was good but not oscar-worthy. My ranking for that year would be:
1. Susan Sarandon, 'Stepmom'
2. Fernanda Montenegro, 'Central Station'
3. Cate Blanchett, 'Elizabeth'
4. Emily Watson, 'Hilary and Jackie'
5. Meg Ryan, 'You've got Mail'
6. Meryl Streep, 'One True Thing'
7. Renée Zellweger, 'One True Thing'
8. Gwyneth Paltrow, 'Shakespeare in Love'
That being said I'd love to hear your opinion on Renée Zellweger's win in 2020. I thought she was good but I've seen a lot of people say she only won because she picked a bait-y role. I wonder where she falls on your ranking.
@@nerevarposting9411 I thought Susan Sarandon was wonderful in Stepmom but somehow I didn't like that film. I thought.. I suppose I thought it could have been better and it felt like your average tear jerker. Now I believe Renée Zellweger to be a capable actress, and she always pulls it off, in one way or another. She was very good as Judy Garland but it's as if I watched her in that film and then immediately forgot about it. She didn't resonate with me at all. It just felt as if I was doing my duty to the intellectual rightness of things by giving time to a film and performance that did justice to Judy Garland, and in pretty much the same vein, I felt that the Oscars were doing their own duty by giving Zellweger an award. I don't say it to sound mean spirited but I honestly think that this win will soon fade into oblivion. Besides Zellweger was no doubt really good, but Florence Pugh was transcendent in Midsommar. And I could name a few more performances I would pick before I thought about Zellweger (think Little Women, Marriage Story, Portrait of a Lady on Fire). It was a great year and the win fell short.
@@georg_couch I'm happy to hear that you think 2019 was a good year for performances in this category. I agree, however I've seen a lot of people say that it was a disappointing year, that the performances fell short, even going as far as to compare it to 1994 - though I have to say, I think 1994 only gets the bad rep because of the nominees, not the actual performances that year - I hope the two leads in Heavenly Creatures came across your mind when making this video, though I can't say you didn't pick a legendary performance.
@@nerevarposting9411 I did think of Heavenly Creatures for 1994. The rankings are as follows:
1. Irène Jacob, Three Colours: Red
2. Faye Wong, Chungking Express
3. Kate Winslet, Heavenly Creatures
4. Melanie Lynskey, Heavenly Creatures
5. Isabelle Adjani, Queen Margot
No Ellen Burstyn? I assume you have her in 2nd place for 2000?
Definitely. I'm currently flip-flopping her between 2nd and 3rd place (with Bjork for Dancer in the Dark). Burstyn is an odd case, because I can certainly see the argument that she is the rightful winner in both 1973 and 2000. It just didn't come down to that in my viewing. But had she delivered that performance on a different year, say 1999, she'd be my pick.
@@georg_couch Twas a very tough year. Any 3 of them (or even Joan Allen) could have won and it would have been satisfying in my book.
I'm also curious about your ranking placements for Julie Andrews and Liza Minnelli for 1965 and 1972, respectively. I think this is the first one of these videos I've seen that didn't pick there 2 ladies for those years. Can't say I disagree with who you picked instead, though.
@@toddharpen2544 Alright, so I think the gist of it is:
1965
1. Catherine Deneuve, Repulsion
2. Giulietta Masina, Juliet of the Spirits
3. Julie Christie, Darling and/or Doctor Zhivago
4. Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music
5. Ida Kaminska, The Shop on Main Street
I love me some Julie Andrews, but I never thought of the Sound of Music as requiring anything in particular from her. That doesn't make her unworthy at all, it just makes her a weaker contender. Catherine Deneuve is our vehicle through Polanski's Repulsion and conveys her character's repression, obsession and descent into madness in a precise, physical performance. PS: My favourite Julie Andrews performance was Victor/Victoria, I adore that film (easy #3 for 1982, if it weren't for, you know, Meryl).
1972
1. Liv Ullmann, Cries and Whispers and/or The Emigrants
2. Liza Minelli, Cabaret
3. Ingrid Thulin, Cries and Whispers
4. Harriet Andersson, Cries and Whispers
5. Cicely Tyson, Sounder
Truth time, if this world were a fair place, Cicely Tyson would have an Oscar. That being said, 1972 can go in about 5 ways and I'm happy with it. It's a tough year by all standards. I think one could find the year's three best performances in Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers. If I had to pick just one, I'd go with Liv Ullmann, who is atypically cast here, as a woman of no depth or substance, in a performance as dark, quietly disturbing and subversive as it is immersive. You couldn't go wrong picking Ingrid Thulin for her more stern and austere rendition or Harriet Andersson excelling at madness once again, a decade after Through a Glass Darkly. But actually my runner-up is Liza Minelli in Cabaret. Sally Bowles is an incredible character, one of the best of the entire 70's decade. She is larger than life here, singing, dancing, endearing everyone around her, falling in love with every exciting little thing and captivating us all the more for it. She flies off from moment to moment, adventure to adventure, since "life is a cabaret, old champs", the female counterpart to Zorba the Greek. She'd be a wonderful choice here as well.
@@georg_couch Interesting... I've seen three of the best actress oscar nominees of 1969 (referring to the year Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn won), and I am pretty curious as to your rankings of that year.
@@capybara2747 oof, 1968 is one of the hardest years to talk about, mainly because I'm not certain of my own pick for this video. I feel like I could easily change to Mia Farrow for Rosemary's Baby. I do feel that I might, but that's when I'll be working on the update, if that ever comes to be. So the rankings, as far as what you see on the video is concerned are as follows:
1. Katharine Hepburn, The Lion in Winter
2. Mia Farrow, Rosemary's Baby
3. Liv Ullmann, Shame
4. Claudia Cardinale, Once Upon a Time in the West
5. Jeanne Moreau, The Bride Wore Black
So I understand that Barbra Streisand actually shines in Funny Girl, I totally see it. We witness a star being born in that film. But. I just don't connect with it. I don't know why, but I don't connect with Funny Girl as a film and even though I think Streisand is a beast in it, I still don't feel like this is it. She is far more impressive to me in The Way We Were, but that's a conversation for another time. I'd consider the aforementioned ladies before her based on personal preference. That being said, Moreau is not at her finest in The Bride Wore Black, but I can't help but adore Truffaut so there's that. Bottom line is: #1 and #2 for me are Hepburn and Farrow, no matter how you slice it. Ullmann is definitely my #3, and everyone who is familiar with her work understands why. So at best Streisand gets to #4, at worst to #7 (because I do like Joanne Woodward in Rachel, Rachel - I haven't watched Redgrave in Isadora). When it comes down to a Hepburn/Streisand sort of situation, I definitely prefer Hepburn; The Lion in Winter is arguably her best performance, and one of the most deserving Best Actress Oscars of all time in my book.
I think Carey Mulligan should have two. One for lead for 'Promising Young Woman' and one for supporting for 'She Said' (a movie and a performance that I feel award shows didn't appreciate enough). I love Frances Mcdormand but I didn't find Nomadland to demand too much from her. I detest JLC'S win for EEAAO, even though I do love her as an actress. I wonder where Carey sits on your rankings for those categories in those years.
I agree on JLC, though I did love Frances McDormand in Nomadland. As far as Carey Mulligan goes, I consider her one of the best actresses of her generation and I seriously considered a lot of her performances; I regard her performance in Promising Young Woman highly, though I was a tiny bit disappointed by the film itself. She may be placing #2 ion that year. I think she is my choice for supporting in 2011, for both Shame (phenomenal performance) and Drive (though Jessica Chastain in Tree of Life offers some competition). An Education was a glowing break-out, star turn from her, but 2009 had some other performances I would prioritise (e.g. Charlotte Gainsbourg in Antichrist). I haven't watched She Said, so I don't really know where I would rank that performance. I generally intend to update that video when I manage to begin working on these projects again, so I will rewatch some of her films to make sure.
Thanks for Mary Tyler Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Sigourney Weaver, and Glenn Close!
Nice video ❤
No dude, Renee Zellweger's performance was the best 2019. She's so underrated.
I agree with most of your selections. You are so gay with a woman' s sensibil6. This is not a negative statement. I am that person. These choices all reach and touch that feminine sensibility. My only disagreement is 1950. Bette Davis hands down bested Gloria Swanson. I did enjoy Sunset and was my #3 behind Bette and Judy Holiday. Great presentation.
I do believe the masculine and the feminine as elements exist within all of us, so I will take this as a compliment. Bette Davis delivers her signature performance and single greatest acting achievement in All About Eve. It's a bold performance, striking balance between the tragedy of a fading star and the trademark Bette Davis bad bitch. It's a pretty close call between her and Swanson. Davis could have walked away with that Oscar any day, and I'd be content.
Great list, one i feel is sadly not mentioned is Sharon Stone, she really elevated Basic Instinct and her performance is underlooked because of the nudity, she gave a phenomenal take on a sociopath, a performance i put on the same level as Hopkins's Lecter, it's a travesty she wasn't even nominated that year, she was great in Cassino, but what she gave to Catherine Tramell was insane, she went back and forward with pure charisma and glacial coldness in one of the most underlooked and underrated acting performances ever. Shockingly it's that the same happened 2 decades later with Shame, Fassbender and Mulligan gave great performances again underlooked because of the nudity factor.
The only one i really disagree on your list is Emma Stone, she is a solid actress, but she didn't earn it. I do feel the performances nominated that year were mostly very forgettable and unimpressive (except Negga's), but Amy Adams deserved a nom and a win for Arrival.
I loved Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. The performance oozes iconography and sensuality of course. She is ice cold, cruel, fierce and magnetic all the same. I do think she did more with a character that could have come across pretty one dimensional. But, I would still prefer Tilda Swinton for Orlando and Emma Thompson for Howards End, before she came to mind. I thought Emma Stone's achievement was rather major in La La Land. Of course Amy Adams is a wonderful pick though, as is Isabelle Huppert.
@@georg_couch Yeah that year was definitely a strong one with Tilda and Emma giving great performances, but it would actually still give it to Sharon. I didn't see any new ground broken by Emma Stone, Hollywood loves Ingénues, but often it feels like they award promising acting than actual slam dunks. Stone's performance was solid, but she wasn't the best one that year even tho i do feel all performances (including Amy's) are kinda overrated, i feel people overreact, it's not that those performances are bad, they're not, but there was nothing really spectacular. J Law's win was also undeserving in my book, she won for the wrong performance, she was spectacular in Mother, i didn't like the movie, but her performance was amazing and she deserved a nom and a win for that.
By the way, i found out rewatching your video another major disagreement, i feel Theron's win for Monster is one of the most deserved in Oscar history, Johansson was great, but Theron broke me at the end of Monster. Johansson was robbed tho for Marriage Story, it's a memorable performance and she actually TOPS Driver's performance in my opnion. I strongly agree with the Dench one for the marvelous gem Notes on a Scandal, but i do feel that year was kinda messed up, Blanchett (also phenomenal in the movie) was clearly lead and Dench was supporting, therefore i would have corrected the injustice by giving Dench supporting actress (both she and Blanchett acted levels above Jennifer Hudson's overrated performance, but she was particularly stunning). Dench was also hurt by her previous Oscar win, she didn't deserve it for Shakespeare in Love (neither did Gwyneth) and her previous win lessened her chances of taking Notes From a Scandal. As for my dear Glenn Close, i'm with you on the Dangerous Lliasions thing, she was just phenomenal, way better than she was in Fatal Attraction and that's saying something.
@@caiolucas8257 wow, that's a lot haha. Well anyhow. As I said, I believe Emma Stone was quite deserving for La La Land, though I do not consider her a slam dunk pick that year. Jennifer Lawrence did not deserve it for the Silver Linings Playbook; she was a real dynamo on that film, but, honestly, I agree, I liked her more in Mother! and besides that, Silver Linings didn't age very well as a film, and I don't think quite highly of it. Other 2012 films and performances would have held up as better choices. Theron was phenomenal in Monster and she could be (and would be) anyone's choice for that year. But, I do have to admit, I consider Lost in Translation an absolute masterpiece with one of the most iconic and befitting finales in film history. Johansson not only is a part of that, but she also excels, delivering an internalised, quiet, emotive performance of surprising resonance, considering how young she was when she made this. I also liked Nicole Kidman for Dogville in 2003, and Naomi Watts in 21 Grams. I loved Johansson in Marriage Story, and I would indeed prefer her to Zellweger for 2019. I have to disagree for Notes on a Scandal though - Dench is clearly lead here, she even narrates the thing, whereas Blanchett doesn't even show up for much of the film's last half hour or so. You could have them both as leading performances, but if one should be the supporting one, it's definitely Blanchett.
@caio lucas totally agree with you re Emma Stone, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence
In today's world more of the actresses you chose would have been frontrunners today.
Toni Collete for Hereditary!!!
Charlize Theron definitely deserved her Oscar for “Monster”
Julie Christie in Don't Look Now over Ellen Burstyn in The Exorcist?! Absolutely not! lol
Honestly I think Joanne Woodward deserved it for 1957. That's one of the best performances of the 50s. I hope you had her in second place. I'd also go with Nicole Kidman for Eyes Wide Shut in 1999 as opposed to Hilary Swank, thought I think I agree with all of your other picks (ESPECIALLY Delphine Seyrig and Isabelle Huppert)
Thank you for watching! Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut is one of the best performances of 1999 overall. My only inhibition was whether or not I was to classify her as leading or supporting, though the lines are very blurred in my mind when it comes to these kinds of distinctions, so she may as well be the choice. As for 1957, my choice is Tatyana Samoylova for the Cranes are Flying. If you were to ask me to point to five films that are most poignant in depicting war, or more accurately, its impact, the Cranes is amongst them. Kalatozov was a genius artist and the Cranes a beautifully shot masterpiece. It's a truly beautiful film and Samoylova is luminous in it, our vehicle throughout and fascinating to watch. Some of her scenes are immensely powerful and her work quite resonant. Behind her, I think Isuzu Yamada manages to steal the show from Toshiro Mifune when she's on screen as the Machiavellian version of Lady Macbeth in Kurasawa's Throne of Blood (again, something of a supporting role and performance). Joanne Woodward is really good in the Three Faces of Eve. It's a raw performance and film for the standards of its time, and Woodward's work ages relatively well, even if the film may seem a bit on the nose nowadays. In this line-up, Woodward ends up at #2 or #3 (if you like her work, I highly recommend The Effect of Gamma Rays in Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, 1972, she's wonderful). Marlene Dietrich may be slightly uneven when it comes to her more overtly emotional scenes in Witness for the Prosecution, but her eyes don't lie. Her work is very powerful and she's my fourth choice. Loved to hear you admire Huppert and Seyrig!
1967 is Better Davis definitely. The greatest rob of all time. Also 1950. But in 1950, she can tie with Gloria.
Other than Ingrid Bergman and Vivienne Leigh we have way fewer repeat winners.
So- you agreed with the Academy 22 times... well, 21.5 because Hepburn tied Streisand in 68.... 23 if you count Hepburn's 33 win- you had her same year/different film (you chose the right one- Kate agreed with you, too. She always felt she deserved it for Little Women that year and not Morning Glory.)
Katharine Hepburn was probably the best Jo March, though I do think Saoirse Ronan did a hell of a job in the role. One could have an interesting debate as to which performance makes for the definitive rendition of the character.
Sidenote: I'm thinking of giving the 1968 award to Mia Farrow for Rosemary's Baby next time, so that semi-alignment with the Academy is still on the cards.
@@georg_couch DON'T change Hepburn from 68- she was AMAZING in TLIW!!!! I'd also give her consideration for 1962- A Long Day's Journey Into Night.
@@aagold76 HAHAHA I appreciate your passion, but I'll need to rewatch both films to make a decision. We'll see, but it'll probably be a long time before any change happens at all. I watched Long Day's Journey Into Night and she was wonderfully nuanced in it. Sadly, she would be my 5th choice for 1962, following Jeanne Moreau (as you probably noticed), Monica Vitti (L' Eclisse), Anna Karina (Vivre Sa Vie) and Anna Magnani (Mamma Roma). Hepburn is definitely one of the greats though.
Beluah Bondi is an interesting pick, though for me the 1937 Oscar will always belong to Greta Garbo for Camille. She was transcendent
She was indeed good in that film, though I'd prefer her in Ninotchka any time. Unlucky for her to be up against Gone With the Wind that year.
@@georg_couch Did you like Gone With The Wind as a film? I've seen a lot of hate and controversy around it in the last few years
@@bensondunwoody4785 I can't say I loved it but it isn't because I thought of it as too controversial. You know, there is indeed coded rape in the film that seems to slip under the radar, and of course we talk of an exceptionally racist cinematic world (and real world as well),. So all those things do not sit well with modern viewers. I understand that. But the film remains objectively stunning, and filled with incredible performances throughout. So, I didn't hate Gone With the Wind, I didn't love it either, but I will mainly amount that to a matter of taste.
@@georg_couch As prevalent as the racism and stereotyping towards the black community is in Gone With the Wind, I'm still happy that Hattie Mcdaniel won for her wonderful performance as Mammy.
@@georg_couch I enjoyed Gone With The Wind but I think The Wizard of Oz would have been a better pick for Best Picture. Judy Garland would definitely be my pick after Vivien for best actress of 1939.
Nice
vanessa redgrave for the bostonians! Great pick!
How Glenn Close has never won an oscar is beyong me. Especially for Dangerous Liasons ❤
1988 was a tough year. Besides Jodie and Glenn, Meryl's performance in A Cry In The Dark was phenomenal and one of her best. I really don't know who I would have voted for. Any one of those 3 was deserving imo.
@@richardherdman2121 Yeah you are right. A Cry in the Dark was beyond amazing.
Marlene Dietrich?