Directors Best Contemporary Actress Tournament (1 Viewer)

[Justin_S]

Joan Allen easily.
Helena Bonham Carter - don't care for either of them, but Jones is incredibly bland.

 

[Kristian]

Emma Thompson

Helena Bonham Carter

 

[Marc Fedderman]

Joan Allen

Helena Bonham Carter

 

[SteveGon]

I'll go with Joan Allen and Helena Bonham Carter, both of whom advance.

Next matchups in a few...

 

[SteveGon]

Round 1 - Bracket 5

Liv Ullman

Born in 1938 and known best for her work with Ingmar Bergman. Appeared in Persona, Scenes from a Marriage and its sequel Saraband. A fine actress indeed.

vs.

Isabelle Huppert

Born in 1953, this alluring French actress starred in Entre Nous and The Piano Teacher. Has also done work in English films, notably The Bedroom Window and I Heart Huckabees.

vs.

Susan Sarandon (wildcard)

Born in 1946, this respected leading lady has been seen in Bull Durham and Atlantic City. Won an Oscar for Dead Man Walking. Had a memorable scene in The Hunger. Married to Tim Robbins. Yep, she's a damn liberal.



Round 1 - Bracket 6

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Born in 1977, this supremely cute actress starred opposite little brother Jake in Donnie Darko. Has also appeared in Casa de los babys and Mona Lisa Smile. Got naked (full frontal goodness) in Secretary.

vs.

Renee Zellweger

Born in 1969, this perky gal (some would say annoying) first got noticed in Jerry Maguire. Also starred in Bridget Jones's Diary, White Oleander and Chicago. Won an Oscar for her role in Cold Mountain.

vs.

Hillary Swank (wildcard)

Born in 1974, this rising star first received acclaim for playing a girl playing a guy in Boys Don't Cry. Can also be seen in The Gift (though not so much as Katie - oops! - Kate Holmes) and The Core (if you want to hold that against her). Won an Oscar for dying in Million Dollar Baby. Married to Chad Lowe of all people.


Added Bridget Fonda and Chloe Sevigny to the wildcard list.

 

[JohnRice]

Liv Ullman

Maggie Gyllenhaal

 

[Brook K]

Liv Ullman (Sorry Isabelle)

Maggie Gyllenhaal

 

[Chris Gerhard]

I am sure this is a worthless post and I don't understand how this tournament works even but the best actress of the last twenty years is Juliette Lewis.

Chris

 

[Lew Crippen]

Liv Ullman

Renée Zellweger

 

[SteveGon]

Forgot about Juliette - if I have room I'll add her to the wildcard list.

Go Maggie!

 

[Lew Crippen]

It is pretty easy Christopher—just reply in this thread with your vote for the best (your criteria) actress. Steve posts new match-ups (usually daily) frequently and gives us the results of each one.

As in any tourney, winners advance to the next round, losers go home.

Feel free to add your comments as you vote

 

[Bill McA]

Liv Ullman
Hillary Swank

I've seen both Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hillary Swank in person!

 

[JohnRice]

I don't like the whole thing of just voting and not saying anything, so I guess I'll elaborate a bit on my votes...

Liv Ullman - I have a fondness for actors who work especially well in silence (aka Audrey Tautou) and I expect that is my main reason for selecting Liv.

Isabelle Huppert - I probably haven't seen enough of her work to make this matchup completely fair, but so it goes. Definitely an admirable actor, just not enough to knock off Liv.

Susan Sarandon - Seen plenty of her work and she is most definitely talented, but still the least of these three.


Maggie Gyllenhaal - Like most people, thhe first time I saw Maggie was in Donnie Darko, which she did well enough, but it's the bold choices she has made since, not to mention the wide variety of characters she has done so well.

Renée Zellweger - No, I am not one who finds her annoying, well, except for Cold Mountain, but I suspect that is more the fault of the director than her. I otherwise always enjoy watching her, but she seems more interested in being a star than Maggie, resulting is consistently less interersting roles and performances. Still, her fabulous performance as Claire in White Oleander is one of the best so far this decade and better then most give in a lifetime of trying.

Hilary Swank - Able enough, but I have never seen any range from her. Her role, and for that matter, the entire movie in Million Dollar Baby is the most highly calculated I have seen until Crash. Hmm... I wonder if there is a connection there. Could it be the writing? her best performance was probably Boys Don't Cry but it's been so long since I've seen it, plus I don't have much affection for the overtly politically correct stuff.

 

[Kristian]

abstain (not very familiar with Ullman or Huppert and I'm not a fan of Sarandon)

Hillary Swank

 

[JohnRice]

Damn! Is there room Steve? Sissy Spacek...

 

[Elizabeth S]

abstain (have not seen enough of Liv, though I think Isabelle Huppert is terrific)
Hillary Swank

 

[Justin_S]

Liv Ullman
Maggie Gyllenhaal

 

[george kaplan]

Susan Sarandon

Hilary Swank (a coin toss between the two who aren't Renee Zellwegger - who gets my vote as the Worst Contemporary Actress bar none)

 

[SteveGon]

Adding Monica Bellucci and Kathleen Turner to the wildcard list, which should just about seal it up.

 

[JohnRice]

No kidding!!! Anna Nicole Smith, not as bad as Renée. Jenny McCarthy, not as bad as Renée. :rolleyes