Directors Best Contemporary Actress Tournament (1 Viewer)

[Kristian]

Mary McDonell (if only for Battlestar Galactica)

Jennifer Connelly

 

[Lew Crippen]

Nicole Kidman

Samantha Morton

 

[Marc Fedderman]

Nicole Kidman

I love Sigourney Weaver and I would have voted for her in the other match-up. But I love Nicole. I endured Bewitched because of her.

Jennifer Connelly

 

[Brook K]

Nicole Kidman

Jennifer Connelly, I can't believe you didn't mention Inventing the Abbots Steve.

 

[JohnRice]

Don't forget Mulholland Falls.

 

[Elizabeth S]

Sigourney Weaver
Jennifer Connelly

 

[Justin_S]

Sigourney Weaver
Jennifer Connelly

 

[JohnRice]

Mary McDonnell - Not too surprised by the lack of votes for Mary. Even though I think she is a fabulous actress, she is so low key and rarely has leading roles, she's easy to overlook. Besides, she's up against two extremely high profile actresses.

Nicole Kidman - A rare case of a super celebrity who actually has genuine talent. Nicole comes in a close second to Mary. There is no doubting, there are few actresses more pleasant to look at than Nicole.

Sigourney Weaver - What a tough matchup. Weaver is also definitely wonderful. She would win against many others. Unfortunately, she comes in third among this group.


Samantha Morton - Once again, I'm surprised by Morton's lack of votes. I thought for sure Brook would vote for her. He must be following a lower power. her performances run from good to amazing great (Sweet and Lowdown, for example). Once again, she is so low key, she doesn't draw a lot of attention.

Jennifer Connelly - Another wonderful actress, and one who would win over most, just not Morton. I can't even imagine Once Upon a Time in America without Connelly's loveable Debra.

Drew Barrymore - She's cute and from a huge acting family, but give me a break. Ironically, probably my favorite performance from her is Donny Darko which a lot of people think was awful.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I thought that it was close between McDonnel and Kidman in the first match. A little more than a coin flip and I agree with you that Weaver had a tough draw.

It is hard for me to think that anyone who saw her (Morton's) performance in Morvern Callar would have voted for either of the other two noms. An easier bracket than the first.

 

[JohnRice]

I'm sure Morton was wonderful in Morvern Callar, I mean, she's always great. It's been a while since I saw it, plus the movie absolutely bored me to tears. I probably need to give it a second chance, which I will some time when I am feeling extremely awake.

 

[Bill McA]

Nicole Kidman - terrific actress who makes brave choices, and don't forget her superb perfomance in the film Birth

Samantha Morton - Connelly is a close second, but I much prefer the pre-teen/teenage Connelly over the adult Connelly. Connelly was amazing in Once Upon a Time in America and it was a huge disappointment when she grows up into the stiff Elizabeth McGovern...the film barely recovers after that shock


I've met Drew Barrymore

 

[george kaplan]

Sigourney Weaver

Drew Barrymore

 

[SteveGon]

I'll go with Mary McDonnell and Samantha Morton.

Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Connelly advance.

Next matchups in a few...

 

[SteveGon]

Round 1 - Bracket 11

International showdown!

Emmanuelle Beart

Born in 1963, this voluptuous, pouty-faced French actress first got noticed in Manon of the Spring. She has also appeared in Mission Impossible, A Heart in Winter and 8 Women. You can see all of her in La Belle Noiseuse.

vs.

Charlotte Rampling

Born in 1946, this sultry English actress has starred in The Damned, The Night Porter, Swimming Pool and Woody Allen's Stardust Memories.

vs.

Monica Bellucci (wildcard)

Born in 1964, this stunning Italian actress/model can be seen in The Apartment (not that one, George), The Brotherhood of the Wolf, Malena and Irreversible.


Round 1 - Bracket 12

Indie queen three-way!

Catherine Keener

Born in 1960, this appealing gal starred opposite Brad Pitt in Johnny Suede. She's also been in Your Friends & Neighbors, Being John Malkovich, Capote and The 40 Year Old Virgin.

vs.

Laura Linney

Born in 1964, this big-sisterish actress first got noticed for battling murderous gorillas in Congo. She went on to star in The Truman Show, You Can Count On Me, Mystic River, The Squid and the Whale and that piece of shit The Exorcism of Emily Rose (but I won't hold that against her).

vs.

Judy Davis (wildcard)

Born in 1955, this respected Aussie actress likes to play neurotic women, which may explain why she likes to work with Woody Allen. She first received acclaim for starring in My Brilliant Career (a film she now disdains). You can also check her out in Barton Fink, Naked Lunch, A Passage to India, Alice and Husbands and Wives.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Judy Davis

 

[Kristian]

Charlotte Rampling

Laura Linney

 

[JohnRice]

 

[Brook K]

Yes John, sex always enters into it (as Claudette Colbert says in The Palm Beach Story ) but while I've liked Samantha Morton's performances, she hasn't wowed me in the way she has you or others here. And in addition to the performances of Connelly's youth like Once Upon, Phenomena, and Labyrinth, she gave strong performances in Requiem and House of Sand and Fog and even made small portions of Dark Water watchable.

Charlotte Rampling (Under the Sand)

Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich, Your Friends & Neighbors, Capote)

 

[SteveGon]

What, no votes for Emmy? I hate you guys.

 

[JohnRice]

I was just joking with you Brook, so don't go all Kaplan on me.


Round 1
I have gone back and forth and was originally inclined to go with Rampling, but this time I am following the lower power and going with the smoldering Monica Bellucci.


Round 2
Big-sisterish? No. No. Hell no. Why I do believe someone would get his ass kicked saying that. Not only do I sincerely enjoy her acting, she is also downright smoking, so, Laura Linney. I may even watch Congo just to see her first big role.