Best Best Worst Best Actress

Here's a fun topic for those of y'all out there (and you know who you are!) that love lists and discussing Actresses and the Oscars: Matt Zoller Seitz at The House Next Door lists his 5 Best and Worst Best Actress winners (thx Sean).

I cannot agree with the dissing of Kathy Bates in Misery, though; while I think the film goes a step or two too far at the end with turning Annie into some supernaturally-resilient, blood-crazed hellion, I think the performance is great fun, and one of my most favorite Oscar winners ever. I'm not gonna disagree with his claims of misogyny levelled at the film, but, well, I'd just argue that I accept horror films as the right place to play out our baser feelings. So the character of Annie Wilkes is essentially rendered grotesque by a meanspirited caricature of the "unlovable fat chick"? Bates more than sears that rage into our psyches. And that scene pictured above, where Annie talks about how the rain depresses her, goes a long way towards finding some level of audience identification with her. Or it did for me.

But also listed, on the list of Best Best Actress winners is my absolute favorite, Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson in Fargo. Seriously in my top five female performances ever, so no problems with that one. Genius. Also, Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner's Daughter is fan-freaking-tastic.

And I've still got the scars from all the cutting I did after Julia Roberts STOLE Ellen Burstyn's Oscar. GRUMBLE.
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