Tues Top Ten: Best Performance of the Decade (Thus Far)?

Today's top ten was inspired by Robert MacFarlane who asked what the greatest performance of the decade was on twitter to a quick flurry of responses involving some usual suspects: Phoenix, Hoffman, Cotillard, Blanchett and some unusual suspects: O'Connell, Culkin, Pitt. But the question naturally lingered because who doesn't love ranking such unrankables?

Let's do this!

BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE DECADE (THUS FAR)
Ranking likely to change tomorrow. Oscar nominated roles marked with asterisk. Oscar winning roles with double asterisk 

Honorable Mentions (No Particular Order): Binoche in Certified Copy, * Keaton & Norton in Birdman, * Riva in Amour, ** Day-Lewis in Lincoln, ** Bale in The Fighter, * Rampling in 45 Years, and many others...

10 James Franco, Spring Breakers (2013) --look at his shittttttttt
09 * Marion Cotillard, Two Days One Night (2014) --transcendent
08 * Cate Blanchett, Carol (2015) --daringly stylized, mesmerizing
07 * Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom (2010) --she did a great thing, sweetie
06 Charlize Theron, Young Adult (2011) --the layers. the layers
05 * Viola Davis, The Help (2011) --smart. kind. important. (and other wonderful adjectives)
04 Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike (2012) --lawbreaker in the house
03 Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy (2012) --Bless Charlotte Bless
02 ** Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine (2013) --from airplane to park bench, perfection
01 Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

What are yours? 

Comments

[Honeybee]

1. Viola Davis (The Help) - My introduction. My inspiration.
2. Charlize Theron (Young Adult) - Mavis is who I aspire to on my worst days. And best.
3. Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust & Bone) - Ready to give up these legs this instance if I can get him in the exchange.
4. Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids/Neighbors/Spy) - A comedienne touched by genius. May she never play another lawyer again. (I thought she was awful on "Damages.")
5. Chiwetel Ejiofer (12 Years A Slave)
6. Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike) - The creep I always imagined him to be. The performance I always dreamed he'd give. Not often my perverse fantasies gyrate into the multiplex.
7. Zac Efron (Neighbors) - Efron giving me a delicious sneak peek at what's to come when the time is ready.
8. Michael Fassbender (Fish Tank) - Pedophiles and statutory rapists shouldn't come in a Fassbender package. It's not supposed to look fun.
9. Mila Kunis (Black Swan)
10. Armie Hammer (The Social Network) - "I'm 6-5, 220 and there's two of me" One of him hasn't been enough since.

[Roger]

Actually scratch that: have to include Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin.

[NATHANIEL R]

Honeybeee -- love the list. especially #1-3.. Agreed on Rose Byrne too. So one note on Damages! So brilliant in comedies

[Steven]

OK...

Actresses

1. Scarlett Johansson-Her/Under the Skin
2. Tilda Swinton-We Need to Talk About Kevin/Snowpiercer
3. Marion Cotillard-Rust & Bone/Two Days, One Night/The Immigrant
4. Rosamund Pike-Gone Girl
5. Elle Fanning-Somewhere
6. Jessica Chastain-The Tree of Life
7. Zhang Ziyi-The Grandmaster
8. Michelle Williams-Meek's Cutoff
9. Brie Larson-Room/Short Term 12
10. Kirsten Dunst-Melancholia

Actors

1. Denis Lavant-Holy Motors
2. Michael Fassbender-Shame
3. Joaquin Phoenix-Her/The Master/Inherent Vice
4. Mark Ruffalo-Spotlight/Foxcatcher/The Avengers
5. Ryan Gosling-Drive/The Place Beyond the Pines
6. Jake Gyllenhaal-Nightcrawler
7. J.K. Simmons-Whiplash
8. Ralph Fiennes-The Grand Budapest Hotel
9. Philip Seymour Hoffman-The Master
10. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai-The Grandmaster

[Evan]

I always love a good "Best of the Decade" list! Mine:

1. Joaquin Phoenix, The Master (2012)
2. Michael Shannon, Take Shelter (2011)
3. Adele Exarchopoulos, Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
4. Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids (2010)
5. Julianne Moore, Maps to the Stars (2014)
6. Sam Elliott, Grandma (2015)
7. Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine (2010)
8. Joaquin Phoenix, Her (2013)
9. Blythe Danner, I’ll See You in My Dreams (2015)
10. Kim Hye-Ja, Mother (2010)

[eurocheese]

As of this moment (cracking up that I only have one guy):

10. Cynthia Nixon, James White
9. Marion Cotillard, Inception
8. Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
7. Christian Bale, The Fighter
6. Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
5. Julianne Moore, Still Alice
4. Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life (but her 2011... holy hell)
2. (tie) Amy Adams, American Hustle and Sandra Bullock, Gravity
1. Natalie Portman, Black Swan

[Philip H.]

I have the terrible feeling that there's someone I'm forgetting... twenty because I don't have the strength for only ten right now.

1. Adele Exarchopoulos, Blue is the Warmest Color
2. Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
3. Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
4. Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
5. Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
6. Viola Davis, The Help
7. Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
8. Michelle Williams/Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
9. Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
10. Ewan McGregor, Beginners
11. Jean Dujardin, The Artist
12. Marion Cotillard, Two Days One Night/Rust and Bone
13. Julianne Moore, Maps to the Stars
14. Charlize Theron, Young Adult
15. Adepero Oduye, Pariah
16. Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
17. Scarlet Johanson, Under the Skin
18. Natalie Portman/Mila Kunis, Black Swan

[choog]

Oh lord, this is a hard list to narrow down. Wish I had room for
Uma Thurman - Nymphomaniac, Cameron Diaz - Bad Teacher, Andrea Riseborough - Shadow Dancer, W.E, Saorise Ronan -Brooklyn, Jenny Slate - Obvious Child
Julia Louis Dreyfus & James Gandolfini - Enough Said, Jackie Weaver - Animal Kingdom, Essie Davis - The Babadook, Rooney Mara - Carol
Ewan McGregor & Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Lupita Nyong'o & Sarah Paulson - 12 Years a Slave
Julianne Nicholson - August: Osage County

And my list - in no particular order

Michael Fassbender - Shame
Julianne Moore - Maps to the Stars,
Rachael Harris - Natural Selection,
Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids,
Marion Cotillard - Rust & Bone,
Judy Dench - Philomena,
Oscar Isaac - inside Llewlyn Davis,
Adele Exarchopoulos - Blue is The Warmest Colour
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
Scarlett Johansson - Under The Skin

[choog]

& Ralph Fiennes of course!

[craver]

can't help myself lol. Although it is more like a top ten best of the last 5 years right? it's not a whole decade yet!
More honorable mentions:
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
Emily Blunt - Sicario
Tilda Swinton - Snowpiercer
Jack Gylenhaal - Nightcrawler
Meryl Streep - August: Osage County (her most delicious turn this decade imo)

[cal roth]

I am so glad that Cotillard is included in most lists, and, most important, for The Immigrant. I am still sorry Weinstein ruined that release and campaign.

[Samson]

1. Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
2. Ralph Fiennes, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
3. Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler"
4. Tilda Swinton, "Snowpiercer"
5. Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"
6. Michael Fassbender, "Shame"
7. Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"
8. Marion Cotillard, "The Immigrant"
9. Jacki Weaver, "Animal Kingdom"
10. Idris Elba, "Beasts of No Nation"

[Dell]

Byrne should have both of Close's Emmys for "Damages." That's how brilliant that bitch was on the show. One-note? Bye, Felicia!

[Paul]

WTF is JK Simmons for Whiplash?!?!?

[Volvagia]

Paul: I think he's been cited, in some capacity, on three or four of the comment lists. Read EVERY list offered before saying things like that.

[Meghan]

(In no order)

Christian Bale-The Fighter
Claire Danes-Temple Grandin
Paul Giamatti-Barney's Version
Viola Davis-The Help
Michael Fassbender-Shame
Anne Hathaway-Les Miserables
James Franco-Spring Breakers
Anne Dorval-Mommy
Jake Gyllenhaal-Nightcrawlers
Julianne Moore-Still Alice

[Patryk]

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Tilda Swinton - I Am Love
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln
Emmanuelle Riva - Amour
Matthias Schoenaerts - Bullhead
Rooney Mara - Carol
Edward Norton - Birdman
Tom Cullen - Weekend

[Elizabeth]

I don't know if anyone is still reading this thread, but i need to add some more honorable mentions. Emily Blunt - Sicario, Jenny Slate - Obvious Child, Abraham Attah - Beasts of No Nation.

[Nick]

I had to break my list into 10 males and 10 females...
1. Emmanuelle Riva - Amour
2. Rooney Mara - Carol
3. Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
4. Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
5. Natalie Portman - Black Swan
6. Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
7. Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
8. Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn
9. Julianne Moore - The Kids are All Right
10. Emma Stone - Birdman

Honorable mention: Viola Davis - The Help; Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine; Marion Cotillard - Rust and Bone/The Immigrant; Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl; Qu'venzhane Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild;

1. Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
2. Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips
3. Joaquin Phoenix - The Master
4. Brad Pitt - Moneyball
5. Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs
6. Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis
7. Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln
8. Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
9. Edward Norton - Birdman
10. Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables

Honorable Mention: Leo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street; David Oyelowo - Selma; Michael Keaton - Birdman; Matthew McConaughey - Magic Mike; Jeff Bridges - True Grit

[melbornboy]

1. cate in carol & blue jasmine
2. adele in blue is the warmest color

the rest:

tilda swinton in I am love
jacqui weaver in animal kingdom
gary oldman in tinker, tailor, soldier, spy
joaquin phoenix in the master
philip seymour hoffman in the master
suzanne clement in laurence anyways
marion cottillard in rust and bone
jake gyllenhaal in nightcrawler