The Best of the Best Actress nominees, 1989 – 2009

Eternal Satisfaction of the Solipsistic List. Never gets old, does it? Unlike more than half of the Best Actress performances of the past 20 years which, in my view, have not aged well at all. Here’s a list of my personal favorite Oscar-nominated performances of the past 20 years.

1. 2007 – Marion Cotillard – La Vie en Rose
2. 1996 – Frances McDormand – Fargo
3. 1998 – Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth
4. 2002 – Julianne Moore – Far from Heaven
5. 2004 – Kate Winslet – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
6. 2008 – Meryl Streep – Doubt
7. 1991 – Jodie Foster – The Silence of the Lambs
8. 1999 – Hilary Swank – Boys Don’t Cry
9. 2008 РKate Winslet – The Reader
10. 1995 – Susan Sarandon – Dead Man Walking
11. 1993 – Holly Hunter – The Piano
12. 1998 – Meryl Streep – One True Thing
13. 2006 – Helen Mirren – The Queen
14. 2000 – Ellen Burstyn – Requiem for a Dream
15. 2003 – Charlize Theron – Monster
16. 2002 – Salma Hayek – Frida
17. 1995 – Sharon Stone – Casino
18. 2005 – Keira Knightley – Pride & Prejudice
19. 2006 – Meryl Streep – The Devil Wears Prada
20. 2006 РPenélope Cruz РVolver
21. 1990 – Anjelica Huston – The Grifters
22. 1993 – Emma Thompson – The Remains of the Day
23. 2008 – Melissa Leo – Frozen River
24. 1994 – Jodie Foster – Nell
25. 1997 – Kate Winslet – Titanic

I could’ve easily added another 10 great performances by actresses who sadly never even got nominated, but that’s not the game we’re playing today. Sadder still, take a look at the actual Best Actress winners of the past 2 decades, after the cut. Ranked again, according to my own personal preference.

20 years of Oscar-winning actresses, from best to… huh?

1. 2007 РMarion Cotillard – La Vie en Rose
2. 1996 – Frances McDormand – Fargo
3. 1991 – Jodie Foster – The Silence of the Lambs
4. 1999 – Hilary Swank – Boys Don’t Cry
5. 1995 – Susan Sarandon – Dead Man Walking
6. 2008 РKate Winslet – The Reader
7. 1993 – Holly Hunter – The Piano
8. 2006 – Helen Mirren – The Queen
9. 2003 – Charlize Theron – Monster
10. 1998 – Gwyneth Paltrow – Shakespeare in Love
11. 1994 – Jessica Lange – Blue Sky
12. 1989 – Jessica Tandy – Driving Miss Daisy
13. 1990 – Kathy Bates – Misery
14. 1992 – Emma Thompson – Howards End
15. 2001 – Halle Berry – Monster’s Ball
16. 2002 – Nicole Kidman – The Hours
17. 2000 – Julia Roberts – Erin Brockovich
18. 2004 – Hilary Swank – Million Dollar Baby
19. 2005 – Reese Witherspoon – Walk the Line
20. 1997 – Helen Hunt – As Good as It Gets

You’ll each have your own ideas about these rankings, so please chime in.

It might be an interesting exercise to weigh the value of this year’s Best Actress frontrunners against 20 years of recent nominees, to decide where you’d insert An Education, Bright Star, Precious, Julie & Julia… and the other Julia. (Or any other titles that have slipped my mind).