Great Film Performances of the 1990's

[El Vez]

Sight & Sound magazine would always do these cool end-of-decade lists where they summed up not only the best films of that decade but its most noteworthy performers. Here's my humble stab at it. I'm sticking to english-language performances on this one.

Top 10 Actors of the 1990's

1. Denzel Washington: Malcolm X, Philadelphia, Courage Under Fire and The Hurricane.
2. Kevin Spacey: Glengarry Glen Ross, The Ref, The Usual Suspects, Se7en, L.A. Confidential and American Beauty.
3. Sean Penn: Carlito's Way, Dead Man Walking, She's So Lovely, The Thin Red Line and Sweet & Lowdown.
4. Bill Murray: Quick Change, Groundhog Day, Ed Wood, Rushmore and Cradle Will Rock
5. Tom Hanks: A League of Their Own, Philadelphia, Apollo 13 and Saving Private Ryan.
6. Samuel L. Jackson: Jungle Fever, Pulp Fiction, A Time To Kill, Eve's Bayou and Jackie Brown.
7. Johnny Depp: Edward Scissorhands, What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, Ed Wood and Donnie Brasco.
8. Jeff Bridges: Fearless, American Heart, Wild Bill and The Big Lebowski.
9. Anthony Hopkins: The Silence of The Lambs, Howards End, Shadowlands, The Remains of The Day and Nixon.
10. Philip Seymour Hoffman: Boogie Nights, Happiness, Magnolia and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Top 10 Actresses of the 1990's

1. Julianne Moore: Vanya on 42nd Street, Safe, Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, Magnolia, The End of The Affair and A Map of The World.
2. Emma Thompson: The Tall Guy, Howards End, The Remains of The Day and Sense & Sensibility.
3. Laura Dern: Wild At Heart, Rambling Rose and Citizen Ruth.
4. Emily Watson: Breaking The Waves, The Boxer, Hilary & Jackie and Cradle Will Rock.
5. Meryl Streep: Postcards From The Edge and One True Thing.
6. Kathy Bates: Misery, Fried Green Tomatoes, Dolores Claiborne and Primary Colors.
7. Jodie Foster: The Silence of The Lambs, Little Man Tate, Nell and Contact.
8. Angela Bassett: Boyz In The Hood, Malcolm X, What's Love Got To Do With It? and Waiting To Exhale.
9. Susan Sarandon: Thelma & Louise, Little Women and Dead Man Walking.
10. Lili Taylor: Dogfight, Household Saints and I Shot Andy Warhol.

[BlueChair]

I'll post here later, but I really don't like Denzel Washington. Something about most of his performances give off this really arrogant tone. But then, he was good in Philadelphia.

[Copenhagen Fan]

Denzel was a god in that Civil War film glory...gotta admit that Blue....

[BlueChair]

I don't have time to make a full-fledged Top 10 now, but I'd like to mention:

Tim Robbins (Hudsucker Proxy, The Shawshank Redemption, The Player, Short Cuts)

John Turturro (Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, Quiz Show, The Big Lebowski, Cradle Will Rock)

[Copenhagen Fan]

I'll throw Steve Buscemi in the mix....(Fargo, and Resvoir Dogs, Lebowski and a bunch of others....) He shows up all the time.

and Tim Roth is also another guy that kicks ass.

[Poppet]

oooh! love steve buscemi!!!

if only i actually had TIME to watch movies, i'd be more familiar w/ his work. but i know i like it.

[HungupStrungup]

John Malkovich - his work in the 90s included Queens Logic, Of Mice and Men, In the Line of Fire, Con Air and of course his most daring performance, Being John Malkovich. He's one of the very best.

[oily slick]

Robert Duvall--The Apostle, A Family Thing, Lonesome Dove, Rambling Rose, Falling Down, Sling Blade
Nicolas Cage--Red Rock West, Honeymoon in Vegas, Leaving Las Vegas, Bringing Out the Dead, Guarding Tess

[bobster]

I'm gonna stay away from this one -- too many folks to even deal with.

Gotta speak up for Denzel, though. A truly great old fashioned movie star. For some reason, I always think of Spencer Tracy. I guess it's the simplicity of their performances.

Also, good choice in putting Julianne Moore no 1 -- I've been in love/in awe of her since the too little seen "Vanya on 42nd Second Street."

And, what, no Keanu?

[Copenhagen Fan]

I actually think Tom Cruise is pretty cool.....Magnolia, Vanilla Sky, Eyes Wide Shut and Minority Report...