10.) Diane Kruger as Bridget von Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds (2009) - With all of the talk of Christoph Waltz's performance in "Basterds" (and rightfully so), I went in to the film with high hopes.  I was completely blown away, not by just one performance but by everyone.  I don't think there was a stale actor in the bunch.  I was a tad conflicted though on whether to include Kruger (as I have) or French actress Mélanie Laurent.  But in the end, I feel like Laurent was a lead and Kruger supporting.  She plays the role so sexy and ultimately she's a traitor for all the right reasons.  I really love Kruger in this, she should never do a "National Treasure" movie again.

9.) Jennifer Connelly as Marion Silver in Requiem for a Dream (2000) - I've always loved Connelly, I feel like she's in the same league as Weisz or Blanchett, but she doesn't seem to do enough work to keep up.  I think she first hit my radar with "Labyrinth" or "The Rocketeer", but she completely changed her image with "Requiem".  Her tragic portrayal of Marion is when everyone that loves movies stood at attention and saw her potential.

8.) Naomi Watts as Dawn Campbell in I ♥ Huckabees (2004) - In arguably her funniest/saddest role to date, Watts does this great transitional performance.  I think we're all drawn to characters that go through some sort of large change.  That's exactly what happens to Dawn who goes from the face of Huckabees to questioning her place.

7.) Natalie Portman as Mathilda in Léon: The Professional (1994) - This is my one-two punch of kids in spectacular roles.  I think Portman first came on most people's radars with this or "Episode 1".  Obviously, this is the better of those two.  She has such innocence yet she plays her so wise in an odd way.  Every since I saw this, I've waited on films with Natalie with anticipation.  I think that means she did something so right in this first film that I'm still reeling from it in a way.

6.) Saoirse Ronan as Briony Tallis in Atonement (2007) - For the past couple years, I've seen all 5 Best Picture nominees before the Academy Awards.  Two years ago, I had an interest in all of the films except for "Atonement".  All the others had an aspect or cast member that interested me in the least.  Not this one.  But after seeing all 5, "Juno" completely dropped off my radar & "Clayton" was good, but not great for me.  And Atonement ended up being one of my favorites.  Saoirse isn't in the whole film (her part divided into three as she grows older), but Ronan makes the biggest impact.  She's a cute kid but doesn't fully understand the world and possibly ruins two other's lves for it.

5.) Claudia Cardinale as Jill McBain in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) - Quite possibly the sexiest western woman of all time, Cardinale plays McBain with such gusto and strength that it's hard to forget her.  I first saw "West" in a film as literature class in high school.  It was over a 3 day period and I was captivated by the whole film.  To me, it's the ultimate independent/speghetti western.  It's the "Citizen Kane" of westerns for me (while "Rio Bravo" is the Hollywood "Casablanca" of westerns).  And the two performances that stand out are Fonda as the blue-eyed villain and Cardinale.

4.) Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White in Clue (1985) - I couldn't do this list without putting in an amazing turn by Madeline Kahn.  In my favorite of her many roles, Mrs. White is sexy yet deadly.  Hillariously performed in a movie where you could get lost along performers such as Tim Curry, Martin Mull, even Christopher Lloyd.  Her lines are so well timed and crafted.  "Clue" is an amazing comedy that's elevated by the actors in it, especially the late great Madeline Kahn.

3.) Kang Hye-jeong as Mi-do in Oldboy (2003) - Oh man, this seems to be a film that's loved by all film students (along with "Fight Club" & "Pulp Fiction").  But I never hear anyone talk about the amazing performances strewn throughout the film, my favorite being Hye-jeong's.  She has this innocence that's needed for this role.  I'll stop here without ruining anything, the film is great and I think she's amazing.

2.) Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch of the West/Miss Gulch in Wizard of Oz, The (1939) - I was a child and I was deathly scared of this Witch.  I mean, she's green, she has a shrill voice, and owns way too many flying monkeys.  Hamilton is part of damn near everyone's life because of this film.  For a lot of us, she's the first flesh and bone villain we see (all others being animated).  She's fantastic, a bit over the top but that's part of what makes this a classic role.

1.) Thelma Ritter as Stella in Rear Window (1954) - You've got James Stewart and Grace Kelly starring in an Alfred Hitchcock film and Thelma Ritter damn-near steals the show.  She's sassy but old-fashioned, willing to humor Stewart's slight obsession but won't go too far.  Ritter even says the title in a way that doesn't seem forced or written.  She is such a fantastic actor that becomes this role in a way I can't full describe.  I love the movie and love all of the actors, that's why Thelma Ritter is my favorite female supporting actor.

10.) Tom Hanks as Mr. White in That Thing You Do! (1996) - Written and Directed by himself, Hanks puts in probably the coolest performance of his career.  A great homage to Brain Epstein, the manager of The Beatles, every one of his lines are delivered with a sliver of dishonesty.  You never know if he really loves the band or he's just trying to get his pound of flesh out of them.  I love the movie and Mr. White.

9.) Billy Bob Thornton as Vic in Ice Harvest, The (2005) - This is one of the few movies in the past 10 years I've seen multiple times in the theatres.  I first saw it at Ronnie's and the second time at the Galleria with the director Harold Ramis in a special screening.  Both times I was struck by Billy Bob's performance.  It's a small part that he completely chews up.  Very mysterious and darkly funny, Thornton really makes this one of my favorites.

8.) Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito in Goodfellas (1990) - Pesci could've got an Oscar just for the tight-rope/high-wire "Am I Like a Clown" scene.  "Goodfellas", as a film, is completely elevated by his performance. He definitely poured everything he's ever had into the role and I think it's possibly one of the best supporting performances of all time, not just my favorite.

7.) Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth in Schindler's List (1993) - Pure evil.  I kind of hate the fact that a generation of people will know Fiennes as the antithesis of evil...from the "Harry Potter" films.  Voldemort is very theatrical and well acted, but Goeth is chilling and real.  It's just an amazing performance that will go down in celluloid history.  It pains me to know that Tommy Lee Jones' role in "The Fugitive" beat him at the Academy Awards.

6.) Simon Pegg as Paul in Good Night, The (2007) - I love Simon Pegg, he hasn't performed a wrong note in my book.  This is his only real reach into dramatic acting.  His character is a cheating, vulgar, narcissistic person that I love to watch and laugh with.  Pegg has the ability to make anyone likable and amusing to watch.  I can't wait to see where Pegg's career moves on to.

5.) Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown in Back to the Future (1985) - A brilliant character, I mean, I'm really curious how much of him was on the page and how much of him was built by Lloyd.  I was reading about how John Lithgow and Jeff Goldblum were considered for the role, and I think it's a testament to Lloyd's performance that I can't see anyone else in the role.

4.) Burgess Meredith as Mickey Goldmill in Rocky (1976) - I grew up on Burgess playing The Penguin in the old '60s Batman series.  I remember my dad telling me that the Rocky's trainer and the Batman foe were one in the same.  As a child, I thought he was talking complete rubbish.  That's one of my first memories of a chameleon performance.  Great work over all 3 films he appears.

3.) Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown in Singin' in the Rain (1952) - A favorite film of mine when I was a younger lad, the "Make 'Em Laugh" sequence was always a pleaser for me.  O'Connor played a simple man that could make me laugh.  Of all of the people on these lists, O'Connor is the only one I've met.  A great kind man and an awesome performance.

2.) Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter in Silence of the Lambs (1991) - One of the few characters that I've obsessed over, Hannibal Lecter might be my favorite fictional character ever created.  Yes, he's been muddled with the addition of too much material (i.e. "Hannibal Rising").  The reason for all of my personal interest is Hopkins performance, pure and simple.  It's one of the few times in my childhood I realized there are some actors that hit a certain stratosphere and others that fall shy.

1.) Claude Rains as Captain Renault in Casablanca (1942) - It might not only be my favorite supporting role, but it could be the best ever.  It's just one of those things where Rains is Renault.  I don't know if it gets much better then this.  In my mind, I think Rains is as swarmy, witty, poetic, and (ultimately) good as the Captain is.  I can't fully separate the two, not a line misplaced and not a wrong choice in the bunch.

10.) Meryl Streep as Julia in Defending Your Life (1991) - Albert Brooks is a great writer/director. My only grief with the man is that he doesn't do more work. In, what I consider his masterpiece, a film that delves into the supernatural and even reincarnation you need someone to stake it to the ground. You need a powerful enough actor to keep everything rooted in reality, no matter how preposterous the plot really is. Meryl Streep has fascinated me as a performer ever since I saw her in "Kramer vs. Kramer". But in this role, I realized the reason she is so loved and revered. She makes the afterlife-limbo the characters inhabit feel real. A fascinating film and an even more interesting performance. In a word - calming.

9.) Cate Blanchette as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator (2004) - Ok, I have something to admit.  I can't really stand Katharine Hepburn.  I have something else to say.  I have a huge professional crush on Ms. Blanchette.  So, when I heard about her playing "The Other Hepburn" (in my eyes), I was quite torn.  I put her role in at no. 9 if not just for the fact that she made Katharine an interesting and tolerable person for me.

8.) Julia Roberts as Anna Scott in Notting Hill (1999) - I'm not a glutton for punishment or pain for that matter, but Anna Scott is a bitch and a half.  She's a moron that doesn't understand how the real works.  She's "just a girl, asking a boy" -- bullshit.  And this is where my interest comes from.  I can't stand her and she's supposed to be the girl the audience falls in love with as well as Hugh Grant.  I mean, she's played by Julia Roberts.  But the character is so rude and stupid.  It's like a car wreck for me on this one.  A very interesting take for me.

7.) Penélope Cruz as Anna / Melodia in The Good Night (2007) - A smaller film made by Gwyneth Paltrow's brother, Jake, "The Good Night" is a film about dreams.  So, I'm already interested.  It stars Martin Freeman (great), Ms. Paltrow (cool), Danny DeVito (sweet) and Cruz.  Wait, what?  She already did a film like this, two actually (Abres Los Ojos & Vanilla Sky).  Why do this seemingly "same" film?  Penélope has this way about her.  She can play wise-beyond her years or childlike at the drop of a hat.  In this film, she's Freeman's dream woman.  It's a subtle, dual performance that leaves me wanting her character and scratching my head at the same time.

6.) Diane Keaton as Annie Hall in Annie Hall (1977) - She is what every modern actress emulates in a romance, comedy, or romantic comedy.  I fell in love with Annie Hall, the girl, the moment she says that wonderful Rockwellian phrase "La-di-da, la-di-da, la-la".  Allen & Keaton created this fantastic and new way of doing those kinds of films.  Deserving of the Best Picture and Best Actress Academy awards it received, I know that every film I do, I want my lead female to have a little Annie Hall in her.

5.) Rachel Weisz as Isabel / Izzi Creo in The Fountain (2006) - Wow, just wow.  She plays in two timelines (a feat only surpassed by Jackman in the film, who has to play three timelines).  In one, she plays the Queen.  In the other, she plays a dying wife who isn't afraid anymore.  She pulls both of them off flawlessly.  The film itself is much underrated, but Weisz's performance is epic.  The look in her eyes is that of knowing and asking for trust.  In the present day scenes, she looks like an angel whenever she's in the snow.  Just a classic part that I will never forget me.  The film and Rachel Weisz shook me to my core.

4.) Grace Kelly as Frances Stevens in To Catch a Thief (1955) - I love Grace Kelly, my perfect woman would have a healthy serving of Grace Kelly in the mix.  Her career, all-too-short, came to a peak in this film.  The best work she did was with Hitchcock and, while Rear Window she is remarkable, the chemistry she develops with Cary Grant is undeniable.  In the scene featured above, she drips sexuality and class so effortlessly.  I love Grace Kelly.

3.) Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - In one of her very first films, Faye Dunaway does a forever memorable job immortalizing Bonnie Parker.  I'd watch the film if the lens was just fixed onto her eyes.  They are so expressive and deep, alluring yet distant.  She is an amazing actor that just hit it big so early, very astounding.

2.) Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life (1946) - A hate the fact that "It's A Wonderful Life" is a Christmas movie.  I mean, it relegates it to only be watched during one month during the year.  Bull.  Why must we fall in love only once during the year.  I still remember watching it for the first time and hearing the perfection that was Jimmy Stewart talk about giving the moon to Mary.  I already had a strong connection with Stewart, but didn't really know who Donna Reed was.  That was until I heard her say this phrase, "I'll take it!"  That was it.  That's all it took, I fell in love just as George Bailey did.  The film will never be forgotten, and thank God for that.

1.) Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golighly in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) - Several words come to mind in regards to this performance:  iconic, legendary, perfect.  Audrey Hepburn is so beautiful to look at and watch.  Then she begins to act, like a feather in the wind, just so easy and great.  I can watch her just walk and I'd be watching with all of my attention.  She draws you in and never let's go until she wants to.  An amazing actor that will always be remembered for this work.

10.) Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham in American Beauty (1999) - I have this love of actors that remind me of one of my closer friends and former teacher of mine, Jonathan Anders.  Now mind you, I said actors not characters.  Kevin Spacey falls into that category (so does Stanley Tucci).  And Spacey's best performance is in this film.  Not just a physical transformation occurs but so does this ridiculously difficult emotional arc.  Kevin Spacey does, in fact, rule.

9.) Clark Gable as Peter Warne in It Happened One Night (1934) - In a role he didn't want, in a movie no one wanted to do, Clark Gable puts in his most charming and lucrative performance.  Supposedly the inspiration of Bugs Bunny, Gable puts in this offering that is free and funny.  Perhaps the reason for such a liberating performance is his complete disinterest in the film.  Maybe more actors should distance themselves from wanting everything and they'll get the Oscar like Gable did.

8.) Tom Cruise as David Aames in Vanilla Sky (2001) - What a bad rap Tom Cruise has endured these past few years.  While opinions of Tom Cruise as a person may have been wavering, his acting skills should not be put under the same microscope.  In my favorite performance of his, Cruise plays a slutty millionaire, a very charming and charismatic one to be precise.  Slowly losing his mind after a difiguring car accident, Cruise almost reverts back to his adolecence.  Without his looks or confidence, Cruise has to rely more on pure charm.  A scene where he calls the girl of his dreams cements this as an amazing job by both Cameron Crowe and Tom Cruise.

7.) Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960) - What is there to say?  A role that is daunting and confusing, especially for the time period.  Two geniuses are at play here with this film.  Hitchcock kills off his main actor, Janet Leigh, with in the first 1/3 of the film.  The audience, scattered and bewildered, heap all of their understanding and vision into Norman.  Hitchcock realized that having the audience see through the killer's eyes would be a smart move.  All of this would be moot if the role wasn't played to perfection by Perkins.  I mean, it's just brilliant.

6.) Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) - It's my childhood.  I will never forget the opening credits of flowing chocolate.  Then I'd want to fast-forward to the entrance of Mr. Wonka.  Wait a second, he's got a limp and needs a cane.  That's sad.  Is he gonna fall ove....Oh my God he was joking?!  Guess I can't trust him.  Gene Wilder came up with that stunt for the first day of filming and the director wasn't a huge fan.  Wilder demanded to do it or he wouldn't film anymore.  The rest is celluloid history.

5.) Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank in The Truman Show (1998) - The 1999 Academy Awards were my first foray into the Oscars.  I remember rooting for "The Truman Show" in every category it was nominated in.  But here's the kicker, in a year where the likes of Nick Nolte were nominated, Carrey didn't even get a nod.  A performance that changed his career, Jim Carrey forever switched from the comedy guy to the drama guy.  In one fatal role.  He plays such an odd part, it's just magnificent.

4.) Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in Casablanca (1942) - I want to be Rick.  There it is.  I'll take the heart ache, the pain, the criminality; I just want to be Rick Blaine.  Bogart puts in such a calculated effort into the film.  You feel his despair instantly that night after Ilsa shows up.  He's drinking and pounding the table in agony.  He brings such an earthiness to the romantic film.  Suave and grounded, Bogart made it impossible for anyone to even try to play Blaine again.  Bogart is Blaine.

3.) Woody Allen as Alvy Singer in Annie Hall (1977) - Some people say Woody Allen plays himself in every movie he stars.  From what I've read, that's not true at all.  I'll agree, that there's a Woody Allen character he's created.  Whether it is him or a creation, this is where everything clicked.  Only his 8th film (in a league of now 45) with the emerging character, he perfects it.  We know this guy, he talks to us throughout the film, we're buddies.  It's very much like Diane Keaton in the film, I'd argue most modern rom-coms take most of their cues from this film.  Woody Allen plays his character perfectly: neurotic, death-obsessed, Jewish, and funny.  Above all, hilarious.

2.) Jimmy Stewart as Det. John 'Scottie' Ferguson in Vertigo (1958) - Argued at the time that Stewart was too old to play the part, Scottie Ferguson will go down as his most interesting, and possibly his best, role.  In a career that spanned 7 decades, his performance as the phobic then obsessed detective is deep and riveting.  You go into the film expecting what you usually get from Stewart, a great performance that you can relate to on several levels.  Instead, you get this twisted amalgam of the usual "aww shucks" and Hitchcockian touch.  I'm not sure if Stewart was alive to hear the scholars rave about this one, but he was the best.

1.) Jack Nicholson as Randall P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) - It's hard to whittle down your favorite performances, especially the males.  The reason being my love of films and being able to connect easier with the XYs of film.  My mind always comes back to one golden piece of cinematic excellence.  It was before Jack was hired to play Jack.  He plays this maniacal but sane mental patient, who slowly loses his mind with the rest of the ward.  But Jack doesn't make the role dark, no; he's laughing the entire way.  I love this movie, but I love Jack Nicholson's performance even more.  Perfection on screen.

10.) It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) - It's the perfect comedy for me.  The stars are amazing and the cameos are even better.  It does a great job of keeping several story lines running at the same time and they stay fresh.  I even love the opening credit sequence, all the things they do to the globe.  All the way up to the banana peel ending, it utilizes every form and type of comedy that was thinkable at that time.  Brilliant, funny, a masterpiece.

9.) Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) - First of all, it's directed by Frank Capra so I love it.  Secondly, it's written by the Epstein twins (of Casablanca fame).  Stars Cary Grant and even has Peter Lorre, this movie is hilarious.  It was quirky before quirky was cool.  Supposedly, Grant thought this was his worst performance.  I'll have to whole-heartedly disagree.  A great film and one of my favorites.

8.) 12 Angry Men (1957) - Wow, it's got so much going for it.  Directed by first timer Sydney Lumet and 95% of the film takes place in one room.  The surprising thing is that it holds your attention the entire time.  I notice law teachers using it in high school and college because it's a prime example of how the system can work.  Henry Fonda cements himself as the ultimate good guy, standing for truth and justice the best way he can.

7.) Rear Window (1954) - Hitchcock is fantastic.  And for me, this film encompasses his best work.  It's funny, shocking, weird, fetishistic, and interesting to look at.  All the performers are utilized perfectly.  I mean, whenever you see a movie or TV show involve someone being stuck at home and beginning to watch their neighbors it because of this bad boy (I'm talking to you Disturbia).  All shots originating from Stewart's apartment, it's a great film from Hitchcock's pristine repertoire.

6.) Casablanca (1942) - While it's only #6 on my list, I consider Casablanca the best film ever made.  Not a line of dialogue is wasted.  Everything just fuels the plot.  Maybe there's a problem with its blocking, I doubt it.  Everything in this movie screams art.  It and Citizen Kane always duke out the top spot it seems, but Casablanca is just so perfect.  I love it

5.) The Truman Show (1998) - Man, did Peter Weir call it or what.  Reality TV, in its infancy in '98, is now a mainstay of global television.  Maybe that's why "The Truman Show" didn't get the accolades it so rightly deserved.  It was made 2-4 years too early.  It struck a chord with me when I first watched it, and only gets better in repeated viewings.  A great concept supported by genius film direction and Jim Carrey puts in the performance of his life time.  It just totally called how entertainment was going to turn in to watching people too well.

4.) Red Dragon (2002) - Hannibal Lecter, a great literary character and film villain.  I enjoyed Silence of the Lambs but never truly connected to Clarice Starling.  I loved the set-up though, having one serial killer help you find another.  Then I found out that Thomas Harris, the novelist, wrote a book before Lambs called "Red Dragon".  Well, at the age of 13 I read the book and fell in love with it.  Hoping for a movie version, I had to wait until the stars aligned and gave me a film with an impeccable cast.  Norton, Hoffman, Hopkins, Fiennes, Watson, Keitel, amazing!  I went opening weekend and how to give props to Brett Ratner for being tested with such great source material and hitting it out of the park.

3.) Star Wars Series (1977-2005) - "A New Hope" is one of my first memories.  Seeing an upside-down Luke, while lying on my parents’ bed.  I've loved and hated Lucas for it and ultimately come to peace with it.  I love "Empire", "Hope", "Jedi".  I really like "Phantom".  I tolerate "Sith".  And wouldn't mind disowning "Clones".  But, it's one big mega piece of work no one has ever done before.  Star Wars is such a part of me, I can't imagine living without every bit of it.

2.) Vanilla Sky (2001) - Dream movies are the best.  I love 'em.  It's tragic and romantic, the two greatest themes in films for me.  Everyone is hitting on all cylinders.  It's a movie you have to watch again and again before you make up your mind on what actually happened.  Cruise and Cruz homophonic synergy comes across on screen like any romantic pair in cinema history.  The elongated tagline sums the movie up best, "LoveHateDreamsLifeWorkPlayFriendshipSex".  What else do you want from a movie?

1.) Harvey (1950) - It's just so good.  Most of it comes from Jimmy Stewart oozing wonderment.  I believe in him and his pooka friend.  Henry Koster does a fantastic job of making this old film feel timeless.  It's not that burst out funny kind of a comedy, it's a warm kind of humor that last through the entire film.  Harvey, to me, has always been like taking a warm shower on a cold day.  It changes your mood for the better and I think it's just fantastic.