Filmography: Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore is one of her generation's greatest actresses. Time and again she blasts onscreen and shocks the world with her talent and presence.

Moore got her start in small film roles and on daytime television, but soon was taking cinema by storm in a number of critically-acclaimed films that have so far earned her four Academy Award nominations.

She's starred in comedies, dramas, period romances, cult favorites, and thrillers. This season she'll likely find herself in the thick of awards season once more for her supporting turn in Tom Ford's A Single Man, which debuted in Venice and is already drawing raves.

1988 sLaughtrhouse II (Julie)
1990 Tales from the Dark Side: The Movie (Susan)
1991 Cast a Deadly Spell (Connie Stone)
1992 The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (Marlene Craven), The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag (Elinor)
1993 Body of Evidence (Sharon Dulaney), Benny & Joon (Ruthie), The Fugitive (Dr. Anne Eastman), Short Cuts (Marian Wyman)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Moore got her first role in a prestigious ensemble movie in Robert Altman's The Player. The film took home the Golden Lion and the Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast at the Venice Film Festival, and was a great primer for her subsequent work with Paul Thomas Anderson, a brilliant ensemble director who takes more than a few cues from Altman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1994 Vanya on 42nd Street (Yelena)
1995 Roommates (Beth Holzcek), Safe (Carol White), Nine Months (Rebecca Taylor), Assassins (Electra)
1996 Surviving Picasso (Dora Maar)
1997 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Dr. Sarah Harding), The Myth of Fingerprints (Mia), Boogie Nights (Amber Waves)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In her best role yet, Moore was Amber Waves, the matriarch in a close circle of porn stars that have formed a sort of family in Paul Thomas Anderson's exuberant Hollywood epic. It's a sad and tender performance that easily places as the one of the greatest of the 90s. Plus there's the automatic comedy gold that is a great actress acting like a bad actress. Julianne nails every moment on screen and landed her first Oscar nomination for a beautiful yet alarming performance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1998 The Big Lebowski (Maude Lebowski), Psycho (Lila Crane)
1999 Cookie's Fortune (Cora Duvall), An Ideal Husband (Mrs. Laura Cheveley), A Map of the World (Theresa Collins), The End of the Affair (Sarah Miles), Magnolia (Linda Partridge)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Julianne landed her second Oscar nomination for The End of the Affair, a romantic drama set in war-torn England. It's a mediocre and rather dull movie but it's elevated by solid lead performances from Ralph Fiennes and Moore, who speaks in an impressive and convincing British accent and fits right in with the top-notch English cast.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2000 The Ladies Man (Audrey)
2001 Hannibal (Agent Clarice Starling), Evolution (Dr. Allison Reed), The Shipping News (Wavey Prowse)
2002 Far from Heaven (Cathy Whitaker), The Hours (Laura Brown)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Julianne Moore had a great year in 2002, becoming the ninth person to be nominated for two Academy Awards in one year. First in Far from Heaven, as a 50s Connecticut housewife who discovers her husband is gay and falls in love with her black gardener. It's designed, filmed, and acted like a 50s movie, but is more brazen in its themes and attitude. Moore's performance is pure poetry, conveying feelings too forbidden to be expressed and bringing the soul of old Hollywood back to life. In The Hours, she again played a dissatisfied housewife, this time reading and relating to Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2004 Marie and Bruce (Marie), Laws of Attraction (Audrey Woods), The Forgotten (Telly Paretta)
2005 The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (Evelyn Ryan)
2006 Freedomland (Brenda Martin), Trust the Man (Rebecca), Children of Men (Julian)
2007 Next (Callie Ferris), I'm Not There (Alice)
2008 Savage Grace (Barbara Daly Baekeland), Blindness (Doctor's Wife)
2009 Shelter (Cara), The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (Kat), A Single Man (Charlotte)

Filmography: Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver is kind of a big deal. Besides being an celebrated dramatic and comedic actress, she's also an iconic presence in the science fiction community and an important part of cinema history.
xx
Weaver attended the Yale School of Drama and in the past 30 years has built one of the most diverse and successful resumes in the business. She shines in every genre - drama, comedy, sci-fi, family films, voice roles - and has also found success in stage and televison parts.
xx
Though her career has slowed considerably in the past five years or so - mostly cameos and voice work lately - Sigourney is still an exciting part of any cast and continues to prove there's a place for women in sci-fi.
xx
1979 Alien (Ellen Ripley)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Weaver's first film role was Ellen Ripley, a crew member aboard the Nostromo, in Ridley Scott's science fiction classic, Alien. Her role is considered a milestone in challenging gender stereotypes in cinema. Ripley is a woman in control and a force against the corrupt Company and the otherworldly menace after her crew. She is not defined by the men around her or her relationships to them. Weaver's fearless stoicism as Ripley made her as impressive and imposing as any man.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1981 Eyewitness (Tony Sokolow)
1982 The Year of Living Dangerously (Jilly Bryant)
1983 Deal of the Century (Catherine DeVoto)
1984 Ghostbusters (Dana Barrett)
1985 Une Femme ou Deux (Jessica Fitzgerald)
1986 Half Moon Street (Dr. Lauren Slaughter), Aliens (Ellen Ripley)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In her second outing as intergalactic badass Ellen Ripley, Sigourney Weaver accomplished what had long been seen as impossible: a Best Actress nomination for a performance in a science fiction film. James Cameron's spectacular follow-up to Alien is one of the greatest sequels ever made, and it owes much to Weaver's solid and sympathetic turn as the intelligently intense Ripley, fighting the mother of all aliens while discovering the mother inside herself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1988 Gorillas in the Mist (Dian Fossey), Working Girl (Katharine Parker)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Weaver scored double in 1988, with two Oscar nominations for her work in Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl. The former is a biographical film about zoologist Dian Fossey, who studied primates in the mountain forests for eighteen years. She gives a strong yet tender performance and has beautiful moments with the animals in the film. In Working Girl, she tackles a completely different character, Melanie Griffith's bitch of a boss. She plays it perfect and subtle, and becomes the kind of villainous wretch we love to hate. We couldn't root for the main character without positively despising her antagonist, and Weaver lets us do that, but also gives us plenty of laughs along the way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1989 Ghostbusters II (Dana Barrett)
1992 Alien 3 (Ellen Ripley), 1492: Conquest of Paradise (Queen Isabella)
1993 Dave (Ellen Mitchell)
1994 Death and the Maiden (Pauline Escobar)
1995 Copycat (Helen Hudson), Jeffrey (Debra Moorhouse)
1997 The Ice Storm (Janey Carver), Alien Resurrection (Ellen Ripley Clone)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Ang Lee's underrated ensemble film The Ice Storm, Weaver gives one of several brilliant performances as Janey Carver, an adulterous housewife in 1970s Connecticut. A smartly satirical look at sexual experimentation and suburban secrets in upper-middle class America, The Ice Storm is a must-see and one of Weaver's most memorable films.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1999 A Map of the World (Alice Goodwin), Galaxy Quest (Gwen DeMarco/Lieutenant Tawny Madison)
2000 Company Man (Daisy Quimp)
2001 Heartbreakers (Max Conners/Angela)
2002 Tadpole (Eve Grubman), The Guys (Joan)
2003 Holes (Warden Walker)
2004 Imaginary Heroes (Sandy Travis), The Village (Alice Hunt)
2006 Snow Cake (Linda Freeman), The TV Set (Lenny), Infamous (Babe Paley)
2007 The Girl in the Park (Julia Sandburg)
2008 Vantage Point (Rex Brooks), Be Kind Rewind (Ms. Lawson), Baby Mama (Chaffee Bicknell), WALL-E (Computer, voice)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In one of the coolest cameos ever, Weaver voiced the Axiom's computer in Andrew Stanton's animated masterpiece WALL-E. An obvious reference to her legendary sci-fi queen status, and "Mother", the computer aboard the Nostromo in Alien.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2009 Avatar (Dr. Grace Augustine)

Filmography: Greg Kinnear

Greg Kinnear got his degree from the University of Arizona, where he majored in broadcast journalism. He started his career as a television reporter and talk show host, but soon he was landing televison and film roles.

Kinnear is another actor best known for his supporting work. He's comfortable in both dramas and comedies, and is almost always the standout performer in any cast. In his fifteen-year career in cinema, he's proved again and again that he is a screen presence to be reckoned with.

1994 Blankman (Talk Show Host)
1995 Sabrina (David Larrabee)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the remake of Billy Wilder's 1954 romantic comedy, Kinnear took the role originated by William Holden. The movie may have been less than stellar, but the Chicago Film Critics Association named him the Most Promising Actor of 1995, and his film career was off to a great start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1996 Dear God (Tom Turner)
1997 A Smile Like Yours (Danny Robertson), As Good As It Gets (Simon Bishop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kinnear scored a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as Jack Nicholson's neighbor in the critically-acclaimed success As Good As It Gets. The performances are the great triumph of the film, and Kinnear's turn as gay artist Simon Bishop is a major catalyst for the change in the obsessive-compulsive SOB Melvin Udall. His is the most emotionally effective work on display.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1998 You've Got Mail (Frank Navasky)
1999 Mystery Men (Captain Amazing/Lance Hunt)
2000 What Planet Are You From? (Perry Gordon), Nurse Betty (Dr. David Ravell/George McCord), Loser (Professor Edward Alcott), The Gift (Wayne Collins)
2001 Someone Like You (Ray Brown)
2002 We Were Soldiers (Major Bruce "Snake" Crandall), Auto Focus (Bob Crane)
2003 Stuck on You (Walt Tenor)
2004 Godsend (Paul Duncan)
2005 The Matador (Danny Wright), Bad News Bears (Roy Bullock)
2006 Fast Food Nation (Don Anderson), Little Miss Sunshine (Richard Hoover), Invincible (Dick Vermeil), Unknown (Broken Nose)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The cast of the indie comedy Little Miss Sunshine took home the SAG Award for oustanding cast in a motion picture, and it was well-deserved. Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin both scored Oscar nods for their work, but it was Greg Kinnear's turn as the husband and father obsessed with winning that made the dysfunctional Hoover family so believable. He's a riot as a pathetic control-freak and failed motivational speaker trying to hold his family together on the way to his daughter's beauty pageant. "Sarcasm is the refuge of losers."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2007 Feast of Love (Bradley Smith)
2008 Baby Mama (Rob Ackerman), Ghost Town (Frank Herlihy), Flash of Genius (Bob Kearns)

Filmography: Marcia Gay Harden

Marcia Gay Harden is one of those actresses that pops up in small roles in tons of movies, but never snags a leading role. That's a shame, because when you give this lady a scene to chew, she tears it apart, in the best way imaginable.

Harden got her start on television in the 1980s, but soon moved on to stage work and film roles. She's been nominated twice each at the Emmys, the Tonys and the Oscars.

She's made a name for herself in small but effective roles onscreen. You can catch her in theaters now as stage mother to Ellen Page in Whip It.

1990 Miller's Crossing (Verma Bernbaum)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harden made her film debut as a femme fatale of sorts in the Coen brothers gangster movie, Miller's Crossing. She's a genuinely perfect fit in the Coens' quirky world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1992 Crush (Lane), Used People (Norma)
1994 Safe Passage (Cynthia)
1996 The Spitfire Grill (Shelby Goddard), The Daytrippers (Libby), The First Wives Club (Dr. Leslie Rosen), Spy Hard (Miss Cheevus)
1997 Flubber (Dr. Sara Jean Reynolds)
1998 Desperate Measures (Dr. Samantha Hawkins), Meet Joe Black (Allison Parrish)
2000 Space Cowboys (Sara Holland), Pollock (Lee Krasner)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was a shocker when Harden upset projected favorite Kate Hudson for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2000, but maybe it shouldn't have been. As Jackson Pollock's long-suffering but patient wife, she evokes great sympathy and knocks a supporting performance out of the park. When Harden screams passionately to her husband, "I want you to paaaaaaaaint!", we're right there with her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2001 Gaudi Afternoon (Frankie Stevens)
2003 Mystic River (Celeste Boyle), Mona Lisa Smile (Nancy Abbey)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Mystic River, Harden is Celeste, the suspicious wife of the troubled Dave Boyle. Her character slowly goes from blind faith in her husband to overwhelming doubt and mistrust. Harden courageously shows us every stage of a wife's deteriorating confidence in her husband's character, and she earned her second Academy Award nomination for her efforts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2004 Welcome to Mooseport (Grace Sutherland), P.S. (Missy Goldberg)
2005 Bad News Bears (Liz Whitewood), American Gun (Janet Huttenson)
2006 American Dreamz (First Lady), The Dead Girl (Melora), The Hoax (Edith Irving), Canvas (Mary Marino)
2007 The Invisible (Diane Powell), The Mist (Mrs. Carmody), Into the Wild (Billie McCandless), Rails & Ties (Megan Stark)
2009 The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (Janina Sendler, TV), The Maiden Heist (Rose), Whip It (Brooke Cavender)

Filmography: Samantha Morton

English actress Samantha Morton is one of the greatest of our time. Each performance she turns in is wholly original and inspired.

Shockingly, Morton applied to several London drama schools as a teen and was not accepted to any of them. She has next-to-no formal training as an actress, and yet she is consistently a part of fantastic ensemble casts in great projects, and the variety in her choices is astounding. In only a decade of work, she's been nominated for seven British Independent Film Awards and two Oscars. Morton is a hardworking, fearless actress who just keeps getting better and better.

1997 Under the Skin (Iris Kelly), This Is the Sea (Hazel Stokes)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I saw Under the Skin earlier this month, and Samantha Morton blew me away. She plays a troubled young woman, Iris Kelly, trying to deal with her mother's sudden death. Iris loses herself in sexual oblivion, sleeping with a number of strange men in an effort to drown her pain. A less capable actress could not have gained the audience's sympathy playing such a lost woman, but Morton does so with ease, creating a character in unimaginable pain and turmoil. It's an intimidating role, but Morton tackles it with veracity, turning in one of the bravest and most moving first performances I can recall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1999 The Last Yellow (Jackie), Sweet and Lowdown (Hattie), Jesus' Son (Michelle), Dreaming of Joseph Lees (Eva)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morton earned a nod for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown. The film itself was a bit bland, but as a mute flapper in love with 30s jazz guitarist Emmett Ray and his music, Morton shines. Her Hattie sweetly and unconditionally loves and admires Emmett, despite his crudeness, but we love her more than the self-centered musician ever does. She brought warmth and humor to what could have been a thankless role. Morton reportedly studied the films of Harpo Marx to play the part, to great effect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2000 Pandaemonium (Sara Coleridge)
2002 Minority Report (Agatha), Morvern Callar (Morvern)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 2002, Steven Spielberg cast Morton in his perfect futuristic action thriller, Minority Report. She plays Agatha, the most important of three Pre-Cogs, prophetic beings used by the government to foresee and prevent criminal activity. Agatha, frightened, exhausted, and with few words, uses her clairvoyance to help John Anderton (Tom Cruise) escape conviction for a crime he won't commit. In an unfamiliar reality, Morton is 100% believable. It's an ambitious, tricky thing to pull off an assured performance in a strange time and place, but she does it, wonderfully.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2003 In America (Sarah), Code 46 (Maria Gonzalez)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Her second Oscar nomination came for her portrayal of Sarah, an Irish wife and mother who immigrates to America with her family to start a difficult new life, in Jim Sheridan's In America. Her presense is undeniably powerful as the struggling mother holding her family together in a strange new city. Her performance was a sensitive, emotional work worthy of the acclaim.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2004 Enduring Love (Claire)
2005 River Queen (Sarah O'Brien), The Libertine (Elizabeth Barry), Lassie (Sarah Carraclough)
2006 Free Jimmy (Sonia), Longford (Myra Hindley)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morton won a Golden Globe for her work opposite Jim Broadbent in Longford, a television miniseries about a devout Catholic who tries to rehabilitate a woman serving a life sentence for murdering children. Morton gave a chilling performance as serial killer Myra Hindley, a challenging role that would have had plenty of other actresses running for the hills. Again, she makes a difficult part - an immoral and despised murderer - look easy, but we know better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2007 Expired (Claire), Control (Deborah Curtis), Mister Lonely (Marilyn Monroe impersonator), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Mary Queen of Scots)
2008 Synecdoche, New York (Hazel)
2009 The Messenger (Olivia Pitterson), The Unloved (writer and director)

Filmography: Colin Firth

Colin Firth is earning raves left and right for his portrayal of a gay man who loses the love of his life in A Single Man.

Amazingly enough, an Oscar nomination for this performance would be the first of his career. Firth has spent decades as an accomplished and impressive character actor who usually takes a backseat to the leads. One could argue, though, that without his solid supporting work, his costars would have had much harder jobs.

Firth turned in outstanding performances in The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love, and Bridget Jones's Diary and saw seven of his costars go on to Academy Award nominations. Hopefully this year it's his turn for a bit of Oscar glory.

1984 Another Country (Tommy Judd)
1987 A Month in the Country (Tom Birkin)
1989 Apartment Zero (Adrian LeDuc), Valmont (Valmont)
1993 The Advocate (Richard Courtois)
1994 Playmaker (Michael Condron/Ross Talbert)
1995 Circle of Friends (Simon Westward), Pride and Prejudice (Fitzwilliam Darcy)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To some, Firth is the definitive Mr. Darcy. The acclaimed TV miniseries version of Jane Austen's classic made him the thinking girl's pinup, launched him to stardom and had women everywhere wishing for a Mr. Darcy of their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1996 The English Patient (Geoffrey Clifton)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In Anthony Minghella's wondrous, Oscar-winning masterpiece, Firth plays the jilted husband of Count Almasy's beloved Katharine. Somehow we manage to relate to him, even as he stands in the way of the lovers and ultimately ruins their chance at happiness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1997 A Thousand Acres (Jess Clark), Fever Pitch (Paul Ashworth)
1998 Shakespeare in Love (Lord Wessex)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As another antagonist to a pair of star-crossed lovers, Colin Firth gives one of the films's funniest performances (the other being from Geoffrey Rush). One of his best moments as Lord Wessex is as he announces to Lady Viola that they are to be married. She is devastated, of course, as she loves Will Shakespeare, but Wessex is utterly oblivious and says callously, "You are allowed to show your pleasure." This is a villain you love to hate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1999 My Life So Far (Edward Pettigrew)
2000 Relative Values (Peter Ingleton)
2001 Bridget Jones's Diary (Mark Darcy)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bridget Jones's Diary is a loose adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and Firth again tackles the character of Mr. Darcy (this time a lawyer and a resident of modern-day London), perhaps as a bit of an inside joke. Firth is yet again pitch-perfect as the antithesis of Hugh Grant's smugly charming Daniel Cleaver, and he proves himself an actor who doesn't take himself too seriously to start an all-out brawl to the tune of "It's Rainin' Men".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2002 The Importance of Being Earnest (Jack Worthing)
2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring (Johannes Vermeer), Hope Springs (Colin Ware), Love Actually (Jamie Bennett), What a Girl Wants (Henry Dashwood)
2004 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (Mark Darcy), Trauma (Ben Slater)
2005 Nanny McPhee (Cedric Brown), Where the Truth Lies (Vince Collins)
2007 The Last Legion (Aurelius), And When Did You Last See Your Father? (Blake Morrison), Then She Found Me (Frank), St. Trinian's (Geoffrey Thwaites)
2008 The Accidental Husband (Richard Bratton), Mamma Mia! (Harry Bright), Easy Virtue (Jim Whittaker), Genova (Joe)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In perhaps the worst movie of 2008, Mamma Mia!, it's Firth, not Meryl Streep, who saves the day. His hysterical moments are the only ones in this musical disaster worth watching.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2009 A Christmas Carol (Fred), Dorian Gray (Lord Henry Wotton), A Single Man (George Falconer)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As a gay man who struggles to find value in his life after his lover dies, Colin Firth is said to be incredible. Snatching up the Best Actor prize from the Venice Film Festival and topping a list of best performances at Toronto over at indieWIRE, Firth's performance was described as "impeccable" and a "career-best" by EW's Oscar blogger, Dave Karger.

Filmography: Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger's career and life were tragically cut short on January 22, 2008, but his short filmography, full of brave choices and showcasing an unbelievable screen presence and range, will certainly be a testament to his talent and the performances he would have given for years had fate allowed.

Ledger's career started on Australian television, but soon he found a US audience when he starred in the 1999 teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You.

Nearly a decade of electrifying performances followed in a career likely to be studied and admired for years to come.

1999 Two Hands (Jimmy), 10 Things I Hate About You (Patrick Verona)
2000 The Patriot (Gabriel Martin)
2001 Monster's Ball (Sonny Grotowski), A Knight's Tale (Sir William Thatcher/Sir Ulrich von Litchenstein of Gelderland)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a film full of inspired performances, Ledger stood out as Sonny, the kind-hearted but troubled son of a racist executioner, in Monster's Ball. His short role in the film amplified the pain of the lead characters and exposed a side of the actor no one ever knew existed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2002 Four Feathers (Harry Faversham)
2003 The Order (Alex Bernier), Ned Kelly (Ned Kelly)
2005 Casanova (Giacomo Casanova), The Brothers Grimm (Jacob Grimm), Lords of Dogtown (Skip Engblom), Brokeback Mountain (Ennis Del Mar)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 2005, Ledger took on what would be the riskiest role of his life: Ennis Del Mar, a Wyoming ranch hand who falls in love with rodeo rider Jack Twist in Ang Lee's acclaimed Brokeback Mountain. He breathes life into one of the most complicated screen characters of the decade. Ennis was a quiet and conflicted man with dreams he never allowed himself to fulfill. Ledger plays the man of few words with astonishing maturity, depth and clarity. It was the part that showed the world what he was capable of and earned him his first Academy Award nomination.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2006 Candy (Dan)
2007 I'm Not There (Robbie Clark)
2008 The Dark Knight (The Joker)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's the role no one will dare to touch again. The Dark Knight had high expectations to live up to as it blazed into cinemas last summer. It was the sequel to the well-loved Batman Begins, featured the ultimate Batman baddie the Joker, and starred Heath Ledger in his last completed film role. It not only met expectations, it overwhelmingly exceeded them. Ledger's was the performance of the year, his definitive, diabolical Joker revealing deep wounds beneath a psychopathic surface. The performance earned Ledger numerous posthumous acting awards, including the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, which his family accepted on his behalf.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2009 The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Tony)

Filmography: Frances McDormand

In this first installment of what will hopefully be a regular feature here at Nitflicky, I'll be examining a selected filmography of the wonderful Frances McDormand who, in my opinion, is one of the best actresses around today.

McDormand graduated from the Yale University School of Drama, where she was roommates with the equally incredible Holly Hunter. Her first work was on stage, but she quickly landed her first film role in Blood Simple. Hunter, who shared a house with the Coen brothers, recommended her for the lead part. McDormand got the role and another, as Joel Coen's wife.

It was the start of a brilliant career full of inspired choices. McDormand is a four-time Academy Award nominee and a marvelous character actress who inhabits each role with assuredness and authority.

1984 Blood Simple (Abby)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ McDormand's film debut was also the directorial debut of the Coen brothers. It's considered one of the most successful debuts in film, and was enthusiastically praised for its visual style and cleverness. Roger Ebery gave the film four stars. Quite the entrance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1985 Crimewave (Nun)
1987 Raising Arizona (Dot)
1988 Mississippi Burning (Mrs. Pell)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In her third collaboration with the Coen brothers, McDormand earned her first Academy Award nomination for her role as a racist deputy's wife in 1964.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1989 Chattahoochee (Mae Foley)
1990 Darkman (Julie Hastings), Hidden Agenda (Ingrid Jessner)
1991 The Butcher's Wife (Grace)
1992 Passed Away (Nora Scanlan)
1993 Short Cuts (Betty Weathers)
1994 Bleeding Hearts (Woman on TV)
1995 Palookaville (June), Beyond Rangoon (Andy Bowma)
1996 Primal Fear (Dr. Molly Arrington), Fargo (Marge Gunderson), Lone Star (Bunny), Hidden in America (Gus)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1996 saw McDormand take on her most famous role, pregnant North Dakota policewoman Marge Gunderson, a cheerful, hardworking woman tracking down two killers with a sharp mind and thick Scandinavian accent. Her performance is both honest and slightly theatrical, and won McDormand the Oscar for lead actress. Roger Ebert said in his review, "Frances McDormand should have a lock on an Academy Award nomination with this performance, which is true in every individual moment, and yet slyly, quietly, over the top in its cumulative effect."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1997 Paradise Road (Dr. Verstak)
1998 Madeline (Miss Clavel), Talk of Angels (Conlon)
2000 Wonder Boys (Dean Sara Gaskell), Almost Famous (Elaine Miller)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ McDormand started out the aughts with two knockout supporting roles, both garnering critical acclaim and a slew of awards and nominations. Her role in Almost Famous as the over-protective mother of a young rock journalist earned her a third Academy Award nomination.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2001 The Man Who Wasn't There (Doris Crane)
2002 City by the Sea (Michelle), Laurel Canyon (Jane)
2003 Something's Gotta Give (Zoe Barry)
2005 North Country (Glory Dodge), Aeon Flux (The Handler)
2006 Friends with Money (Jane)
2008 Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day (Guinevere Pettigrew), Burn After Reading (Linda Litzke)