Request: Oscar Nominated Performances of the Aughts, Ranked

Friday, August 26, 2016 at 8:21PM
NATHANIEL R in Best Actor, Best Actress, List-Mania, Oscars (00s), Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, reader requests

by Nathaniel R

This list was requested by Carlos recently in the comments. Perhaps in light of the Oscar Nominated Performances ranked of the past six years... so why not. It's a perfect weekend activity and will help you get in the mood for the possibly turbulent Oscar season ahead. So let's do this crazy...

ALL THE OSCAR NOMINATED PERFORMANCES RANKED (2000-2009)

First a terrible confession for one such as I: Two Oscar nominated performances in the Aughts slipped right past my movie devouring eyeballs (the shame. the shame.) I never got around to Tommy Lee Jones In the Valley of Elah or Cooler Alec Baldwin. I accept your judgment and will choose my favorite of whatever punishments are recommended.

So let's rank the whole other 198 lot of 'em, with the caveats that this is silly (apples & oranges) and had you asked me on a different day the order might have been different though the general truth of the groupings below would stay the same. 

 

1. Mo'Nique, Precious (2009) *
2. Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
3. Johnny Depp, The Pirates of the Caribbean (2003)
4. Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain (2005)
5. Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood (2007) *
6. Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal (2006)
7. Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds (2009) *
8. Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton (2007) *
9. Ellen Burstyn, Requiem for a Dream (2000)
10. Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises (2007)
11. Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge! (2001)
12. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler (2008)
13. Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven (2002)
14. Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake (2004)
15. Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine (2004)
16. Chris Cooper, Adaptation (2002) *
17. Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me (2000)
18. Ian McKellen, Lord of the Rings (2001)
    
    🔺 so amazing. I can't even...
    also spectacular... 🔻
    
    
     
19. Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson (2006)
20. Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich (2000) *
21. Sean Penn, Milk (2008) *
22. Julie Christie, Away From Her (2007)
23. Clive Owen, Closer (2004)
24. Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married (2008)
25. Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) *
26. Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men (2007)*
27. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (2008) *
28. Adrien Brody, The Pianist (2002) *
29. Bill Murray, Lost in Translation (2003)
30. Holly Hunter, Thirteen (2003)
31. Laura Linney, The Savages (2007)
32. Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton (2007)
33. Catherine Zeta Jones, Chicago (2002) *
34. Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt (2002)
35. Meryl Streep, Adaptation (2002)
36. Penelope Cruz, Volver (2006)
37. Colin Firth, A Single Man (2009)
38. Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast (2001)
    
    terrific choices Oscar, well done... 
    
    
     
39. Sissy Spacek, In the Bedroom (2001)
40. Benicio Del Toro, Traffic (2000) *
41. Willem Dafoe, Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
42. Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James (2007)
43. Diane Lane, Unfaithful (2002)
44. Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air (2009)
45. Virginia Madsen, Sideways (2004)
46. Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There (2007)
47. Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart (2009) *
48. Annette Bening, Being Julia (2004)
49. Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild (2007)
50. Javier Bardem, Before Night Falls (2000)
51. Denzel Washington, Training Day (2001)*
52. Tom Wilkinson, In the Bedroom (2001)
53. Renée Zellweger, Bridge Jones Diary (2001)
54. Marcia Gay Harden, Pollock (2009) *
55. Viola Davis, Doubt (2008)
56. Albert Finney, Erin Brockovich (2000)
57. Forrest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland (2006) *
58. Nicole Kidman, The Hours (2002) *
59. Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener (2005) *
60. Amy Adams, Junebug (2005)
61. Gabby Sidibe, Precious (2009)
62. Cate Blanchett, The Aviator (2004) *
63. Ellen Page, Juno (2007)
64. Carey Mulligan, An Education (2009)
65. Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain (2005)
66. David Straithairn, Good Night and Good Luck (2005)
67. Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls (2006)
68. Jude Law, Cold Mountain (2003)
69. Diane Keaton, Something's Gotta Give (2003)
70. Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler (2008)
71. Melissa Leo, Frozen River (2008)
72. Tom Hanks, Castaway (2000)
73. Nicolas Cage, Adaptation (2002)
74. Charlize Theron, Monster (2003)*
75. Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker (2009)
76. Benicio Del Toro, 21 Grams (2003)
77. Robert Downey Jr, Tropic Thunder (2008)
78. Natalie Portman, Closer (2004)
79. Paul Newman, Road to Perdition (2002)
80. Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog (2003)
81. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote (2005) *
82. Terence Howard, Hustle & Flow (2005)
83. Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain (2005)
84. Adriana Barazza, Babel (2006)
85. George Clooney, Michael Clayton (2007)
    
    definitely worthy of praise even though in some cases maybe people got a little carried away with the superlatives...
    
    
     
86. Daniel Day Lewis, Gangs of New York (2002)
87. Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line (2005) *
88. Kate Winslet, Iris (2000)
89. Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator (2004)
90. Keira Knightley, Pride & Prejudice (2005)
91. Josh Brolin, Milk (2008)
92. Meryl Streep, Julia & Julia (2009)
93. Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose (2007) *
94. Kate Winslet, The Reader (2008) *
95. Helen Mirren, Gosford Park (2000)
96. Saoirse Ronan, Atonement (2007)
97. Marisa Tomei, In the Bedroom (2001)
98. William Hurt, A History of Violence (2005)
99. Jim Broadbent, Iris (2001)
100. Shohreh Agdashloo, House of Sand and Fog (2003)
101. Thomas Hayden Church, Sideways (2004)
102. Maggie Smith, Gosford Park (2000)
103. Ed Harris, Pollock (2000)
104. Halle Berry, Monsters Ball (2001) *
105. Marcia Gay Harden, Mystic River (2003)
106. Catherine Keener, Capote (2005)
107. Will Smith, Ali (2001)
108. Richard Jenkins, The Visitor (2008)
109. Julianne Moore, The Hours (2002)
110. Frances McDormand, Almost Famous (2000)
     
     good stuff even if Oscar nominations or especially wins feel, let's say, a bit generous 
     
     
      
111. Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children (2006)
112. Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby (2004) *
113. Penelope Cruz, Nine (2009)
114. Kate Winslet, Little Children (2006)
115. Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace (2004)
116. Renee Zellweger, Chicago (2002)
117. Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal (2006)
118. Kate Hudson, Almost Famous (2000)
119. Woody Harrelson, The Messenger (2009)
120. Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can (2002)
121. Joan Allen, The Contender (2000)
122. Matt Dillon, Crash (2005)
123. Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby (2004) *
124. Jamie Foxx, Collateral (2004)
125. George Clooney, Up in the Air (2009)
126. Mark Wahlberg, The Departed (2006)
127. Helen Mirren, The Queen (2006) *
128. Julie Walters, Billy Elliott (2000)
     
     I get it but ... 
     
     
      
129. Samantha Morton, In America (2003)
130. Kathy Bates, About Schmidt (2003)
131. Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
132. Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby (2004)
133. Jamie Foxx, Ray (2004)*
134. Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air (2009)
135. Frances McDormand, North Country (2005)
136. Christopher Plummer, The Last Station (2009)
137. Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line (2005)
138. Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond (2006)
139. Ed Harris, The Hours (2002)
140. Ethan Hawke, Training Day (2001)
141. Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda (2004)
142. Geoffrey Rush, Quills (2000)
143. Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone (2007)
144. Keisha Castle Hughes, Whale Rider (2003)
145. Juliette Binoche, Chocolat (2000)
146. Patricia Clarkson, Pieces of April (2003)
147. Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road (2008)
148. Russell Crowe, Gladiator (2000)*
149. Sean Penn, Mystic River (2003)*
150. Meryl Streep, Doubt (2008) 
151. Judi Dench, Iris (2001)
152. Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls (2006) *
153. George Clooney, Syriana (2005) *
154. Jeff Bridges, The Contender (2000)
     
     These nominations are either head scratchers or totally fine but probably nothing one should name "BEST" of a year 
     
     
      
155. Angelina Jolie, Changeling (2008)
156. Ruby Dee, American Gangster (2007)
157. Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon (2008)
158. Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man (2005)
159. Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunchine (2006)
160. Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd (2007)
161. Michael Caine, The Quiet American (2002)
162. Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda (2004)
163. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt (2008)
164. Alan Alda, The Aviator (2004)
165. Djimon Hounsou, In America (2003)
166. Laura Linney, Kinsey (2004)
167. Jon C Reilly, Chicago (2002)
168. Taraji P Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
169. Judi Dench, Mrs Henderson Presents (2005)
170. Rinko Kikuchi, Babel (2006)
171. Helen Mirren, The Last Station (2009)
172. Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side (2009) *
173. Queen Latifah, Chicago (2002)
174. Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind (2000) *
175. Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine (2006) *
176. Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai (2003)
177. Amy Adams, Doubt (2008)
178. Morgan Freeman, Invictus (2009)
179. Peter O'Toole, Venus (2006)
180. Matt Damon, Invictus (2009)
181. Salma Hayek, Frida (2002)
182. Judi Dench, Chocolat (2000)
183. Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
184. Charlize Theron, North Country (2005)
     
     I think the rest are in their own unique ways, bad performances. Either the actor can't make sense of the character, or the performance is needlessly fussy or dull, or its over the top in an aggravating way
     
     
      
185. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart (2009)
186. Felicity Huffman, Transamerica (2005)
187. Joaquin Phoenix, Gladiator (2000)
188. Naomi Watts, 21 Grams (2003)
189. Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland (2004)
190. Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
191. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
192. Renee Zellwegger, Cold Mountain (2003) *
193. Jon Voight, Ali (2001)
194. Russell Crowe, A Beautiful Mind (2001)
195. Tim Robbins, Mystic River (2003) *
196. Sean Penn, I Am Sam (2001)
197. Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond (2006)
198. Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones (2009)

 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).