The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1984

1984

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Sissy Spacek in The River

Sissy Spacek is just wasted in The River. Her character has no depth, very few juicy scenes and Sissy deserves so much more than this. It's not really her fault, it has more to do with the fact that the movie doesn't seem to care about her character and forces her into the background. While she shines in a few scenes, it's just not enough to make up for everything else (which is nothing). 

4. Sally Field in Places in the Heart

I can conclude that while Sally Field does nothing spectacular or really significant with her character, she still gives a proper and likeable performance as Edna in Places in the Heart. The screenplay and the movie is seriously working against her and she wasn't given enough opportunities to fight against it and maybe she didn't even have the strength as an actress in the first place. Still, her performance works just like Places in the Heart does: it relaxes you, entertains you. 

3. Jessica Lange in Country

It may not be her strongest work, but Jessica's able to play with my heartstrings even with a limited screenplay and cheesy lines, thanks to her emotional intelligence and enormous talent. She's able to make a scene unforgettable with only one look or a few tears. She's able to make a lasting impression without huge breakdowns and screaming and her dedication for the film is indeed admirable.

2. Judy Davis in A Passage to India

Judy Davis gives a wonderful, unforgettable performance as Adela Quested. She staunchly keeps herself to her very own way and she never surrenders to the temptations of going the shorter, easier way just like the rest of the movie does. Although the movie doesn't give her much time or even credit (which is the reason why she doesn't leave you breathless like she does in Husbands and Wives), she's the one who leaves the strongest impression.

1. Vanessa Redgrave in The Bostonians

I can say that Vanessa is nothing short of fantastic  in The Bostonians. The screentime may not be on her side, she does a mighty fine job with her role, making her character a really inrtiguing and complex woman. Thanks to her beauty, radiant presence and fascinating personality, (just as Katharine Hepburn said) Vanessa is just a thrill to look at and listen to. An interesting, wonderful portrayal full of layers and mysteries.

 So I can proudly announce

that the winner is...

Vanessa Redgrave

in 
The Bostonians

A very close one. :)

Final thoughts: Wow, it took ages to finish this year. I've already explained why, not going to do it once again. Anyway, this year was quite weak, but not as much as I expected. The winner was almost a coin toss,  though unfortunately it wasn't because of the embarassment of the riches. In the end, my winner was obvious #4 and #5 were easy. I don't want to waste much time on explaining why this year was that weak. I was just glad to see three movies that are quite hard to find and actually, this year was exciting as I had only seen Sally previously. :)

Omissions (I have one pick but I want to pick them all, they are so brilliant):

• Mia Farrow in Broadway Danny Rose
• Helena Ruzicková in Sun, Straw, Strawberry (undecided if she's supporting or leading)
• Maggie Smith in A Private Function
• Dorottya Udvaros - You bloody life! *MY PICK* 

The next year: 

• I"ll be going on with my two postponed years. :) One of them you remember, one of them you may not.

What do you think? Any thoughts on your mind?

Sissy Spacek in The River

Sissy Spacek received her fourth Oscar nomination for playing Mae Garvey, another woman who's determined to survive hardships on a farm. Although The River received four nominations, I don't think that Sissy was ever a real contender for the Best Actress Oscar. She may have gotten ahead of Vanessa, but that's just because the movie got more nominations. I suppose Sally Field's second win was inevitable after Peggy Aschcroft turned out to be supporting, wasn't it. We'll never know, especially with such a weak field. 

I'm (sort of) grateful that I watched The River so long after Country as I would seriously mix up the two of them in my mind. They are so incredibly alike in many ways, I even think that guy at the auction was played by the same person in both movies. However, The River doesn't have that devastating, depressing edge, which made Country so memorable. I can conclude that The River is a more watered and lighter version of Country. I guess that had a lot to do with Mark Rydell who tends to go this way. On Golden Pond worked because it was very sentimental material in the first place but The River shouldn't have been approached this way. Still, I have to acknowledge Vilmos Zsigmond's great (as always) cinematography, which makes the movie memorable visually, at the very least. 

Sissy Spacek is no stranger to this blog and having already reviewed five of her six nominated performances, I can say I wasn't worried about what this performance would turn out to be. Even in her weaker efforts (Missing or Crimes of the Heart), there's her glowing, radiant personality that makes her a thrill to look at, not to mention her incredible performance in Coal Miner's Daughter, Carrie or In the Bedroom. All in all, Sissy is a wonderful actress who can turn the weakest, most underwritten parts into something extraordinary or at least intriguing. 

That way, The River was an incredible challenge for her. Mae Garvey's character is (not even) paper thin. I was actually really stunned, why an actress, at the peak of her wonderful career, took on such a nothing character. Mae seems to be a mere accessory for Mel Gibson's character. The thing that really bothered me was how many opportunities in Mae's character were ignored by the writer and the director. She could have been a constantly fascinating personality, very much like Jessica Lange's Jewell, who is a simple woman but a complex character in the film (or Sally Field for that matter who didn't get much to work with either and yet had some kind of an impact). With these basics, not even a brilliant actress like Sissy could have worked miracles with Mae. 

As I said, Sissy's radiant presence makes up for lots of things. Well, certainly not for not having a complete character who was lost somewhere in the beginning. I couldn't quite make it out what she was doing there. I guess her character was intended to be support. In fact, a less well-known would have been campaigned in supporting (but a less well-known actress never would have had any recognition for this, let's be honest). Since she's reduced to be an accessory to men in this film, Sissy's performance works the best when she's around Mel Gibson and Scott Glenn, especially the latter. Whenever they share a scene, its atmosphere changes and the whole movie begins to work, thanks to their wonderful chemistry. 

The highlight of Sissy's performance is also connected to Glenn, after his character takes Mae home after her injury (following a clumsily directed scene, which wasn't nearly as exciting and intense as it could have been), when she refuses to think about cheating her husband. Sissy elevated another potentially clumsy scene with the way she portrayed the emotions of this woman. It was the only time the movie had some real depth and was indeed real. 

With Mel Gibson, Sissy is much less outstanding and their chemistry is not nearly as strong as the one with Glenn. Still, they share some tender, nice scenes but it's just all too familiar and clichéd with the moody, sometimes agressive husband and the calm, loving wife. However, The River even fails to use clichés for its own good and makes it all so boring. I would have even forgiven fake drama in exchange for some real story. 

I wish to be lenient and forgiving with Sissy about this performance but I'm just unable too feel anything about this movie and her performance. I just wasn't intrigued for a momen, except for that surprisingly tender, life-saving scene with Scott Glenn. It's really a real challange to even think something about this movie and character. 

To sum up, Sissy Spacek is just wasted in The River. Her character has no depth, very few juicy scenes and Sissy deserves so much more than this. It's not really her fault, it has more to do with the fact that the movie doesn't seem to care about her character and forces her into the background. While she shines in a few scenes, it's just not enough to make up for everything else (which is nothing). I'm very sad that I had to finish my journey with Sissy on a bit sour note. 

What do you think? 

Yes, I'm back, finished with my exams, ready to focus on more important things. I wish it happened with some wonderful performance. I'll be posting regularly until July then I'm going on a trip and won't have Internet access but I'll write some posts in advance and time them. You just won't get repliest to your comments. I hope you missed me. :)))

The Next Year

1984

So the nominees were:

• Judy Davis in A Passage to India
• Sally Field in Places in the Heart 
• Jessica Lange in Country
• Vanessa Redgrave in The Bostonians
• Sissy Spacek in The River

Sorry for postponing 1988 (I hate doing it and I do things like this in emergency cases, which this is; it's going to be the next year and I'm saving the entry with the comments so you won't have to make new predictions) but a chance came to do 1984 and I instantly knew it's a now or never moment for me. :) Plus I'm positive that you're getting a Great Glenn and Meryl Streep overload on this blog. :)

What do you think? Who's your pick? What's your prediction for my ranking? :)  

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1982

1982

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Julie Andrews in Victor Victoria

I'm not saying that Julie Andrews gives a bad performance in Victor Victoria. Although I was very amused by her occasionally, she didn't make her character as a fake drag queen very believable or interesting. It's not even really her fault, the part is just not right for her. She solves the comedy parts quite well, but she was not able to give a really layered performance. 

4. Sissy Spacek in Missing

Sissy Spacek was able to get something out of her one-dimensional character. While her performance is far from dreary, she's not able to reveal as many layers of this character as she can with other roles. Although I appreciate the massive amount of talent and effort that she put into this part, I'm simply not impressed by her work in this movie. Something is really missing. 

3. Debra Winger in An Officer and a Gentleman

Debra Winger is incredibly great in An Officer and a Gentleman, giving a deeply layered, very emotional and haunting performance that didn' cease to amaze me. She gets so much out of this seemingly one-dimensional character with the help of her wonderful, beautiful presence. She's just wonderful all around.

2. Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice

To say that Meryl Streep is great in Sophie's Choice would be a major understatement. She goes beyond the boundaries of acting and completely becomes Sophie Zawistowska. While the technical part of this performance is brutally perfect, it also strikes you emotionally. Nothing can compare to the horror and pain that Meryl displays on the screen. 

1. Jessica Lange in Frances

Jessica Lange is downright brilliant as Frances Farmer. Everything about her is just sheer perfection: her turbulent presence, her very emotional and passionate acting and her ability to keep control of her character. I'm not willing to say yet that this is her best work (I need to see more), but it's definitely a front-runner for that prize. Chilling, marvelous, terrifying, brutally amazing job from a great, great actress.

So I can proudly announce

that the winner is...

Jessica Lange

in 

Frances

A really tough one.

Final thoughts: Overall, a good year, with two brilliant performances. First I thought the choice would be a real Sophie's choice but in the end and it was and eventually, it's Jessica, which was surprising considering how long I had been championing Meryl's performance (I still do). I really loved Debra though she didn't even come close. The other two were pretty much forgettable. 

And now the clues: 

• Cowardice. Cowardice. 
• But what if you don't like what I got to say? :)

What do you think? 

Sissy Spacek in Missing

Fresh off her Oscar win two years earlier, Sissy Spacek got another nomination in the Best Actress category for her performance as Beth Horman, the wife of a missing young man in the controversial Costa-Gavras film, Missing. I suppose in the gigantic fight between Jessica Lange and Meryl Streep for the Oscar gold made all of their fellow nominees spectators in their own race. On Inside the Actor's Studio, Sissy admitted voting for Meryl so I suppose she didn't have high expectations. I suppose she was fourth, based on the fact that her  movie nominated for Best Picture (only one in the bunch) and she might have had some leftover love (though that could have been the reason for why she was last).

While I recognise how ambitious piece of work Missing is, I'm just not willing to consider it a great movie. It has some really harrowing and heart-breaking moments but the overall effect of it wasn't that strong on me at all. It just didn't attract my attention, especially in the scenes without Sissy Spacek and Jack Lemmon. Jack Lemmon gives a devastating, extremely heart-breaking performance, which tells us so much about the inner self of that desperate man. His famous speech in the stadium is actually much shorter than I remember but it's just spot-on: it really hits you hard with its emotional honesty and rawness. I also can't go by the fantastic score of Vangelis who had a great deal to do with making this movie as intense as it is sometimes.

I always considered Sissy Spacek to be an actress blessed with huge talent and great beauty. She's not beautiful in a very traditional sense (but, boy am I furious when people say she's ugly!), she has a very radiant presence and her face wonderfully expresses her emotions. I can only compare her to Michelle Williams from nowadays' actresses: both of them are like some magical pixies and have a wonderful, shining personality (it's just interesting how similar their careers are). 

In Missing, Sissy gets to play the co-lead part of Beth Horman, a real-life person. She has a missing husband  in Chile during Pinochet's coup and has to deal with her arch conservative father-in-law. This could have been a very meaty and showy role but Sissy's not given a truly interesting character so it's up to her knowledge and talent bring something memorable out of this sort of one-dimensional character. Also, Jack Lemmon gets a really deep multi-layered character and he uses every opportunity to shine in his part, leaving Sissy far behind. Honestly, the movie could be titled Missing: A Good Character for Sissy Spacek. 

However, Sissy's talent and wonderful never lets her down as their's something about her performance that keeps resonating with me. She's fantastic at showing the idealism of this woman and her willingness to find out what happened to her husband. As I said she doesn't get any showy breakdowns or monologues unlike Jack Lemmon and it was a very brave decision from her to avoid the clichés of the suffering wife, yet it fell a little bit flat for me, for several reasons. 

First of all, I never saw that Beth had a very complete development from the almost naive young woman to a more experienced but still idealistic person. Although the movie is constantly standing in her way, she could have shown more. It might be fact that I just can't stand performances with obvious highlights (that's true in a way), but I don't think, either that Sissy was creating something special here. There are impressive moments, like the one where we can see her fear after hiding at night or her small breakdown when she recognises the corpse of a good friend. These are memorable scenes, though I wouldn't exactly say that they are unforgettable.

Sissy and Jack Lemmon make up a very odd couple, to say the least but interesting enough, it all works. The only way in which this performance is almost spot-on, is the relationship of these two people: Sissy's Beth starts as the loyal opposition and eventually they turn out to be the most faithfully allies you can ever see. I felt the connection of two opposite generations with very different views of the world they live in (more precisely, they live in different worlds). Beth is the more progressive, idealistic and naive of the two, while Jack's Ed is the more down-to-earth, conventional man who likes facts but there's a special bond between them: their goal of finding a missing person. I was especially appreciative of the fact that the filmmakers were serious enough not write some one-liners in their fight scenes. 

I refuse to believe that Sissy didn't give 100% to the role. It's not like watching a stage diva performing to students on a Thursday night. I actually saw her caring about her character, it's really just the nature and the obvious limitations of the part that prevent her from completely impressing me. However, as much as I'm trying to be impressed by her, I just can't be, which is especially weird, considering the fact that I was watching Sissy Spacek, one of my absolute favorite actresses. 

Still, Sissy Spacek was able to get something out of her one-dimensional character. While her performance is far from dreary, she's not able to reveal as many layers of this character as she can with other roles. Although I appreciate the massive amount of talent and effort that she put into this part, I'm simply not impressed by her work in this movie. Something is really missing. 

What do you think?

Who should be next: Debra or Julie? 

The Next Year

1982

So the nominees were:

• Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria
• Jessica Lange in Frances
• Sissy Spacek in Missing
• Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice
• Debra Winger in An Officer and a Gentleman

So after all, I did this year, which was really trending this time last year. There are many reasons why I'm doing it but it needs a long explanation. 

What do you think? Who's your pick? What's your prediction for my ranking? :) 

And with these five ladies, I wish you a very happy, succesful new year! Thanks a lot for your attention so far, writing for you is a real delight!

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1976

1976

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Talia Shire in Rocky

I didn't exactly hate Talia Shire in Rocky, I was just never impressed by her work. She doesn't do much except for standing and being silent and she doesn't even do that in an expressive way. Apart from the nice, moving ending, there's nothing in her performance that's really memorable.

4. Marie-Chirstine Barrault in Cousin Cousine

I still ask myself the question: was this performance much of a strech? Probably not. Marthe's not a very complicated character but Marie-Christine Barrault did a great job playing her. Although she's far from amazing, there are no flaws in this performance and it serves its purpuse perfectly. It's very enjoyable work that I would love to rewatch any time.

3. Faye Dunaway in Network

Faye Dunaway is just fantastic as Diana Christensen, in my opinion. Although I would be a little bit hesitant to call her amazing, her greatness is undeniable. She nailed all the aspects of Diana, she turned this incredibly difficult character into gold. Truly memorable work by a great actress at her peak.

2. Liv Ullmann in Face to Face

Liv Ullmann, in short, is astonishing as Jenny Isaksson in Face to Face. Liv shows such depths of this character that it becomes a very disturbing, frightening experience for the viewer. Although it might be too much for some, nothing can stop me from saying that Liv is just unbelievable as Jenny. Truly unforgettable work by a brilliant actress.

 

1. Sissy Spacek in Carrie

I can confidently say that Sissy Spacek's performance as Carrie White is worthy of its iconic status. Not only is it creepy horror acting but something much more frightening. We get to experience so much frustration and fear and Sissy displays these emotions perfectly. Chilling, wonderful, beautiful performance.

So I can proudly announce

the winner is...

Sissy Spacek

in

Carrie

What's the problem?
 

Final thoughts: A very enjoyable year. I'm not saying it's the best ever but it offered some really great performances. The Top 3 is masterclass, Barrault is very good, Shire is the weakest link for me. She just didn't belong to this category. Choosing between the fantastic Liv and the wonderful Sissy was just so difficult. I noticed a certain pattern: whenever Sissy is close to being my pick, she fights a fierce battle with another actress (that was with 1980 and 2001) for my vote. I mean does it count that a performance is more iconic and popular than the other? Does screentime matter? In the end it came down to which performance I liked more and who sticks in my memory more (what a surprise).

Congrats to Fritz and Anonymous (who said good things about my design, next time please leave a name :D)! You can pick an available year both (or any other where you can give me access to all of the movies): 1933, 1953, 1956, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008

Omission: Mari Törőcsik in Mrs. Dery, Where Are You? *My pick*

About the next year: Since this one is going to be my 40th year, I want to make it special so it's going to be a total surprise. After that it's 1995 as Louis requested.

What do you think? Any thoughts on your mind?

Sissy Spacek in Carrie

Sissy Spacek received her first Best Actress nomination for playing the title role of Carrie, a young abused girl who possesses very strange and terrifying powers. Although this is a classic performance, I don't think that Sissy's nomination was that easy. She wasn't nominated for a Golden Globe, she was too young and not big enough for an Oscar win. However, talent does get recognised every once in a while even at the Oscars and thank God they nominated Sissy. Without this, there would be no Coal Miner's Daughter, Missing, In the Bedroom and so on. It's great that she finally got the recognition that not many others deserve more. I feel the Academy must have been fond of this work and she was probably third that year after Liv Ullmann.

Carrie is a good, quite creepy horror. I've seen scarier movies but it's quite good anyway. Brian de Palma's direction is quite great and the technical part of the movie is also excellent. Some of the performances are quite weak (Carrie's schoolmates for example) but there are two standout achievements here. One of them is Piper Laurie as Carrie's religious fanatic mother. Her performance is really frightening but I'm not sure if I would give her the Oscar win (I still can't decide with this field).

As I have said many times, Sissy Spacek is a damn brilliant actress who (as I've seen more of her) has a steady place in my Top 10. She is a real chameleon and could play anything, in my humble opinion. I'm really hoping that she will get a fantastic leading role in which she can shine as much as she deserves to (Why the hell are they giving Meryl August: Osage Country? Sissy would be way better!!!). Although she showed her undeniable talent alongside Martin Sheen in Badlands, it was Carrie that brought her the recognition. At the age of 27 (very much like in Badlands) she played a younger character and yet she just seems to be the perfect choice for both role.

When Mo'Nique was talking about her big confrontation scene in Precious, she mentioned feeling unloveable and being at dark places which helped her create that intense scene. With Sissy Spacek, Carrie is a very long such sequence. In each and every frame of Carrie, we can feel Carrie's desperation and insecurity. We get to see things that we ourselves lived, too but hopefully to a lesser extent. Everybody feels an outsider sometimes and that's what Sissy showed us in her Carrie performance: how traumatizing it is not to be able to fit in.

Carrie opens with a scene where the girls are playing volleyball and Carrie is just standing there, being clumsy and not being able play well (or play at all). The sheer frustration and shame on her face when she's being shouted at is just unforgettable and brilliantly played by Sissy Spacek.

However, Carrie's life gets even worse and worse. During the opening titles, we see her having a shower. Everything seems to be perfect and pleasant and yet, gradually, things become much more sinister. We get to see Carrie bleeding and being terrified and hyterical about it. Moreover, even her stupid classmates keep bullying her. You just want to help Carrie and make her feel better.

Sissy's scenes with Piper Laurie are simply amazing, especially the one with the famous line "Eve was weak". Carrie only wants to be just like everyone else and her mother is the ultimate obstacle. Even if her schoolmates accepted her, her mother wouldn't let her live such a "sinful" life. The scene where Carrie is invited to the prom after all is brilliantly acted by Sissy: you can see so much happiness and yet she's so scared. And the way she fights her mother is just so great.

Although for me these are the best scenes, Sissy solves the horror part excellently, too. She can be incredibly frightening, especially when we get to see what power she has. First, it's nothing really serious but it becomes something much more shocking that brings us to the famous ending where Sissy is just unbelievable. Somehow I felt incredibly sorry for Carrie while she was killing those people. Her devastation which turns into anger is so incredibly rel that one can almost touch it. Again we get back to bullying: Sissy also underlines the horrible sufferinf and torture of Carrie but she's never too much in your face. She makes you put the pieces together after thinking everything over.

I can confidently say that Sissy Spacek's performance as Carrie White is worthy of its iconic status. Not only is it creepy horror acting but something much more frightening. We get to experience so much frustration and fear and Sissy displays these emotions perfectly. Chilling, wonderful, beautiful performance.

What do you think?

The Next Year

1976

So the nominees were:

• Marie-Christine Barrault in Cousin Cousine
• Faye Dunaway in Network
• Talia Shire in Rocky
• Sissy Spacek in Carrie
• Liv Ullmann in Face to Face

A three-way race to many, we'll see how these ladies will do with me. :)

What do you think? What's your ranking? What's your prediction for my ranking?

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 2001

2001

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Judi Dench in Iris

Judi Dench gives an unspectacular but great performance as Iris Murdoch. Although this is definitely not her best work, there's nothing wrong about it. I liked it very much and I was quite moved occasionally, it's just that I feel that the part didn't require a talent like Dench's. As I said, there are no serious problems, I still feel slightly disappointed.

4. Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!

This is a great performance. Although it lacks real depth or emotion, the wrapping is still beautiful and wonderful. If I look at that, I am fascinated. However, if I look inside, I can't find much there. She sings, she dances, she dies but forgets to create a truly deep and layered character. Still, very good job.

3. Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary

All in all, this gal, Renée Zellweger is really great as Bridget Jones, this crazy, pathetic and loveable spinster. This is not Sex and the City style "acting", she's truly great as Bridget and she gives a heart-warming portrayal of this lovely character. No wonder that she was nominated for an Oscar.

2. Sissy Spacek in In the Bedroom

Sissy Spacek is just amazing as Ruth Fowler and she shows how much tension her grief causes in her life. Her performance is not huge, she doesn't sing, she doesn't dance, she doesn't die, we just see her being totally fantastic and unbelievable. This is an incredibly haunting and unforgettable peformance. Those small movements of hers, the outbursts, the tears. Everything is so real and haunting.

1. Halle Berry in Monster's Ball

There's nothing more appropriate word to describe Halle Berry's performance in Monster's Ball than mindblowing. She's saw raw and so incredible as Leticia Musgorve and she shows Leticia's inner demons so amazingly. She's unbelievably effective and although I might understand why some don't like her, I think that she's just fantastic and shows the mood swings and breakdowns of Leticia incredibly. Brutally raw, amazing work.

So I can proudly announce

the winner is...

Halle Berry

in

Monster's Ball

Oh my Goooood! XD

Final thoughts: A really great year, in my humble opinion. It's WAY better than some say. All of the performances seemed very interesting to me. Two of them didn't impress me that much and they were leaning towards 3,5 but my leninent heart stepped in. I'm always much stricter when I get a weak year (1975, but I don't want to remember). Renée was just fantastic as Bridget Jones and I loved her. Halle's win was a really worthy one and I am happy that it became an even more special one for her. Sissy is always brilliant and I feel sooooooooo bad about not choosing her. But I would feel even worse if I didn't pick Halle. It's possible that once I'll change my mind, not now. If I could, I would make this one a tie.

Omissions: 

• Nicole Kidman in The Others 
• Audrey Tautou in Amelie

About the next year: I don't have any idea. I'll be away next week, so I'll take my time. :) You'll know it next Saturday. :) Make some suggestions, I might like some of the ideas. :)

Note: I've just found the perfect year but I'll say nothing for sure, yet. :)

What do you think? Any thoughts on your mind?

Sissy Spacek in In the Bedroom

Sissy Spacek received her sixth Best Actress nomination for playing Ruth Fowler, a grief-stricken, repressed mother and wife in the Best Picture nominated movie, In the Bedroom. Sissy Spacek is one of Oscar's favorite actresses. And there's a reason for that. After winning the majority of the awards (including the Golden Globe), people must have been sure that she would win her second Academy Award. I guess the fact that she had already won an Oscar must have been the biggest setback and in the end, Halle Berry made history and became the first African American actress to win the Best Actress Oscar.

In the Bedroom is an incredibly small independant movie. You can see such films among the Best Picture nominees every year nowadays but they almost never win (I can only think of The Hurt Locker at the moment). Why? I don't really know, it might be that the Academy still prefers soappy biographical movies like A Beautiful Mind or The King's Speech. In the Bedroom is very quiet and it's seemingly unspectacular but contrary to Moulin Rouge!, it's a movie that has more inside and less outside. In my opinion, Tom Wilkinson should have won the Oscar in a weak field where he was far and away the most deserving nominee. Marisa Tomei's nomination was deserved but I wouldn't vote for her over Maggie Smith and (especially) Helen Mirren.

Sissy Spacek is such a brilliant actress, a true chameleon and she seems to be such a decent, kind person. Preparing for this review I watched her interview on Inside Actor's Studio and that interview made me love her even more. It could seem quite useless to mention it here but that interview made me realise what a wonderful, prepared and dedicated performer she is. The movie In the Bedroom was sort of a comeback role for her, after mostly concentrating on her family. And it's very important and it has a lot to do with this role. Sissy Spacek shows Ruth Fowler as a mother first. We can get to know her as a dedicated, hard-working, kind woman who's very helpful and careful with everyone around her. Her relationship with her son is seemingly tense and she seems to be a bit cold and distant. Although she's not Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People, she still comes across as distant.

Sissy's performance as Ruth Fowler is very hard to describe as there are so many layers that you cannot see together. It's too complex and too lifelike. Many have said this before and will say it, too. It's so interesting that two ladies were competing in one category and they both played grieving mothers. I think comparing the two performances is incredibly hard because of the different choices that the actresses made. However, I don't see the two performances as polar opposites. In fact, they are quite similar. Both characters have their ups and downs. The main difference is really in their personalities. Sissy showed Ruth as a repressed, depressed woman, Halle showed Leticia as a total wreck with some calm periods.

Sissy is incredibly haunting and disturbing in her quietness. We really don't see her doing anything and the scenes are almost unspectacular and yet there's some underlying tension that Sissy showed so brilliantly. Sometimes the character seems to be boring (especially at the beginning) and Sissy doesn't have a lot to do technically but we can still feel that Ruth is like an atomic bomb that almost explodes. Although Leticia Musgrove exploded, Ruth didn't though she was quite close to it. The scene where she's faced with her own mistakes by her husband is incredible. All the emotion and tension we see there is just amazing. It's a really electrifying moment and I was blown away by the performance of both actors. They were incredibly real and totally believable. The tears, everything is perfect about that scene. I mean that should be taught at acting classes.

There are other haunting moments that are unforgettable despite their simplicity. For example the one where Ruth is talking to the priest. Sissy makes Ruth look both calm and nervous. The combination of the two is so dazzlinh and brilliant. The small nervous ticks, the way she holds and smokes her cigarette. Brilliant. But I could also mention her last moments in the end of the movie where she's talking to her husband. Again, on the outside, that scene is nothing and yet Sissy fills it with so much emotional power. However, I don't have to mention her big moments as her shorts sequences when we see her smoking or watching TV are just as brilliant.

Sissy Spacek is just amazing as Ruth Fowler and she shows how much tension her grief causes in her life. Her performance is not huge, she doesn't sing, she doesn't dance, she doesn't die, we just see her being totally fantastic and unbelievable. This is an incredibly haunting and unforgettable peformance. Those small movements of hers, the outbursts, the tears. Everything is so real and haunting. Brilliant.

What do you think?

The Next Year

2001

So the nominees were:

• Halle Berry in Monster's Ball
• Judi Dench in Iris
• Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!
• Sissy Spacek in In the Bedroom
• Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary

A requested year and a great one, I think. Any normal, usual year would be a relief after 1975.

What do you think? What's your ranking? What do you predict for my ranking?

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1986

1986

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Kathleen Turner in Peggy Sue Got Married

I thought I'd like her more and yet I feel quite disappointed. When I started writing, I thought I was impressed but after taking a closer look at this performance, I found Kathleen Turner less than satisfying in Peggy Sue Got Married. This works looks really good on the outside but there are big problems that cannot be overlooked. Still, an enjoyable performance.

4. Sissy Spacek in Crimes of the Heart

Although I feel that Spacek is really great as Babe Magrath, I think that this is not a fantastic or mindblowing performance and it's not one of Sissy's best. I really liked it and enjoyed all of the scenes but I feel that Sissy could do way better. She got everything out of this character that she could, it's just that I felt that she had way better works. Still, she's great.

3. Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God

This is great work by Marlee Matlin who didn't make Sarah the "ordinary disabled character" but she played her as a real human being instead. She beautifully portrayed all of Sarah's emotions and this was really a beautiful performance. Excellent, thought-provoking work. A bit incoherent, but otherwise great.

2. Jane Fonda in The Morning After

This is a fantastic performance by the amazing Jane Fonda. I know I'm not supposed to like this work that much and I might be biased but I was really blown away by Jane's work as Alex Sternbergen. This character is over-the-top and she's almost like an animal and yet Jane made me care about her and think about her.

1. Sigourney Weaver in Aliens

Sigourney Weaver is astonishing in Aliens giving not only the best action performances but also one of the most memorable performances evers. She's a real treat not only for Oscar maniacs but also for film buffs and everyone else on this planet. Sigourney created a beautiful, wonderful, strong character that is for the ages. It's really fantastic work by an amazing actress.

So I can proudly announce

that the winner is...

Sigourney Weaver

in

Aliens

Get away from my Oscar, you BITCH! :)

Congrats to Fritz on his great predictions! :)

The prize: Fritz can pick the next year that I'll do after the next one. :)

Final thoughts: Not a great, but a VERY interesting year. I truly-truly loved doing it. Siggy Weaver had an easy win and I expected it. I LOVED Jane as always, I think if The Morning After had been better, she could have rivalled Siggy. I liked the others very much, too, especially Marlee even though I feel I overrated her initially. Sissy was very good but somehow I didn't like her as much as I usually do. Still, I liked her. As expected, Kathleen Turner was the weakest link. It's not that I didn't give her a chance, she was just the weakest one, that's all. But what I loved the most is that you seemed to be really interested in this year and I was incredibly happy that we could discuss so much. Thanks, again.

About the next year: You seemingly like less discussed years, so the next two ones will be two of them. I know I solemnly promised to do 2003 but I'll still have to wait for In America. I won't make any more promises about when I'll do that year. I'll do my best. However, there are clues about our next year:

• This is one nutty hospital.

What do you think?

Sissy Spacek in Crimes of the Heart

Sissy Spacek received her fifth Best Actress nomination for playing Babe Magrath, a mentally unstable woman shoting her husband in the movie Crimes of the Heart. Somewhere, I read that Sissy Spacek and Kathleen Turner were considered the front-runners of 1986. However, I don't think that Sissy got that many votes. She was a previous Oscar winner plus this wasn't the type of performance that the Academy usually goes for. I think she was either fourth or fifth though I must say it's incredibly hard to speculate about her chances of winning. She was the critics' favorite, she got the Globe and yet I don't think the Academy wanted her to win that much.

Crimes of the Heart is not a bad movie, on the contrary, it's actually quite entertaining and I really had fun watching it. It was quite good though I wouldn't say it's very deep. Very much like Bruce Beresford's later work, Driving Miss Daisy it touches emotions only on the surface and it's rather soappy, not truly emotional. Tess Harper's Oscar nomination is a real mystery. She plays the most annoying character of the movie in quite an over-the-top way and she's really not that great. However, the leading actresses are really fine, especially Diane Keaton who gives a really great performance and she was by far the most sympathetic person here. Jessica Lange is a bit too much occasionally but she's OK, too.

Sissy Spacek is such a great actress and I admire her so much. She's quite unusual and that's what I love about her the most. There's so much intelligence, beauty in her roles and I'm always impressed by her unique presence. There's something about her that cannot be described with words. All in all, she's just fantastic and I always love watching her on the screen.

Becky 'Babe' Magrath is a really complicated person and I think that Sissy Spacek really was the best choice to play her. Babe shot her husband and she doesn't even try to deny it. She did it and that's it. She doesn't say anything else about this. However, more and more secrets come to surface and Babe just cannot do anything about it.

As I said, Sissy was probably the best choice to play such a weird role. She doesn't overplay or underplay the weirdness of Babe and she always finds the right balance. I think an inexperienced actress would have been too much in this role and couldn't have found the right way to play this character. I felt that Sissy knew this character really well and understood her emotions.

We can see Crimes of the Heart as a lighter version of Three Sisters by Chekhov and I guess it would make us understand it much more easily. In Chekhov's classic, the youngest sister, Irina is full of uncertainty and she doesn't know what do do exactly. I felt that Sissy Spacek injected some of Irina into Babe. Babe is also clueless about what to do and she just cannot make any decisions. Irina always wants to go to work and Babe always wants to kill herself and yet neither of them really succeeds. There are tries that could be considered 'almost' but that's it. Sissy showed this hopelessness of Babe excellently.

It's always risky if you get three really fantastic actresses in a movie. They either try to outdo each other or they support each other really well. Fortunately, with Crimes of the Heart, the latter is true. The three ladies are excellent together and I felt that they are really supportive of each other. Whenever they are all on the screen, it's a really great moment. I couldn't decide if I picked Keaton or Spacek as my favorite (Lange was a bit weaker than them), though. Their performances can only be understood if we look at them together.

Sissy is also quite great on her own, especially her suicide scenes. They are quite weird and yet Sissy somehow hold them back and they became really great as a result. We see more and more layers of Babe and it's really interesting to get to know things about her affair with a black boy of the town.

Although I feel that Spacek is really great as Babe Magrath, I think that this is not a fantastic or mindblowing performance and it's not one of Sissy's best. I really liked it and enjoyed all of the scenes but I feel that Sissy could do way better. She got everything out of this character that she could, it's just that I felt that she had way better works. Still, she's great.

What do you think?

The Next Year

1986

So the nominees were:

• Jane Fonda in The Morning After
• Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God
• Sissy Spacek in Crimes of the Heart
• Kathleen Turner in Peggy Sue Got Married
• Sigourney Weaver in Aliens

This year is never talked about. OK, almost never. So it will be really interesting. I can barely wait.

What do you think? What's your ranking? What do you predict for my ranking?

Note: I know I posted 2003 already but it turned out that I have to wait a little bit more for In America, so I'm really sorry. I solemnly promise to do that year as soon as I can! I decided to pick 1986 because all the movies were readily available for right now. Sorry again.

The requested years that I've had: 1938, 1945, 1970, 1971, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008. From these, 1938, 1945 and 1970 fall into the almost impossible category (1970 is the most likely). 1981 and 1987 could happen but I have to get Anna and Only When I Laugh somehow. However, I'll probably have access to all of the movies of the other years.