I have a much easier time picking out men over woman because I'm harsher on women. I actually was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to come up with any...seriously. But I decided that that wasn't fair to my sex and that I needed to delve deep. I may like their abilities, but that doesn't mean that I like all their movies or all their roles. These are listed alphabetically by first name. It would be too hard to figure out who I like over another. Some of my favorites that didn't make the cut were Sally Fields, Meg Ryan(don't like her recent stuff), Glen Close, Natalie Portman, and Helen Mirren...to name a couple. My favorite actors are in the post before this one.
Amy Adams - I didn't like Enchanted when it came out. I thought it was just too "over the top", but every time I've watched it since...I like it more and more each time. She's been in some okay and some not okay movies, but she's very talented. I could see her playing in a good drama or even an action movie and still being awesome.
Bryce Dallas Howard - She first showed up in The Village and I thought she did awesome. She also did Lady in the Water and did well. I wasn't crazy about her in Spiderman 3, but I didn't really like the role she was given. She was great in Terminator Salvation. I was a little surprised that she was taking the role of Victoria for Eclipse, but I think that she is talented and can step into it very well. Side note...I am not a die hard Twilight fan...just to be clear.
Drew Barrymore - Wasn't sure about her for a long time. She won me over softly. I think that what first peaked my interest was seeing her in Ever After. Not the best acting she's ever done, but I thought she did good. I was pretty sure she was talented when I saw 50 First Dates, but was positive with Music and Lyrics. She's consistent and fun to watch.
Emma Thompson - Again slowly. In fact, I don't think that I can say that it is any particular movie that did it for me. She has just played in a lot of movies and executes her roles beautifully. She just has a way and is flawless as she does it.
Gwyneth Paltrow - I've always liked some of her movies, but never felt like I had to see her, but she blew me away with Iron Man. It was a good role for her and she did it well. She's not the greatest of actresses, but I was impressed and am excited to see what else she brings.
Hattie Morahan - Who is this? She played on the new BBC version of Sense and Sensibility as Eleanor Dashwood and she was amazing. This is the only thing that I have seen her in and nearly the only thing she has ever done, but wow. I was really impressed with her performance.
Joan Allen - She's someone that I kept seeing and liking without even knowing it. I think I finally realized how good she was when I started seeing her in the Bourne movies. She's very believable and likable.
Joan Cusack - She's just awesome. Always brings it. Consistent and talented. Not my favorite, by any means, but she is a top performer. It's just a natural talent for her.
Julie Andrews - Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music. Hello? She's just got skills both in music and in acting. She's just so sweet and you can't help but love her.
Kate Beckinsale - I have to say that I can't stand a lot of the movies that she has been in, but I've always liked her. I love some of her older stuff as well. She was a great Emma and Much Ado About Nothing and I loved her in Serendipity.
Kate Winslet - If you have never seen Hamlet you are missing a great performance from her. She struck me in that movie. No matter what anyone else thinks, she was great in titanic...I didn't like her hair color or some of the lines they gave her, but she was good. I think that when I saw The Holiday is when I was smitten with her as an actress. She's simple and sweet and very real...although I think that this picture of her doesn't look very real.
Kirsten Dunst - I couldn't stand her for the LONGEST time. In fact, I'm still a little surprised that she's on this list. But when I saw Wimbledon, I was shocked at how much I enjoyed her. She was perfect for the role. She's been given some annoying roles, but she's always played them as best as she could. I would like to she her in more of an action film. Spiderman doesn't count...I mean REAL action!
Mary Steenburgen - She played in Parenthood and Back to the Future III, but she kind of dropped of the map for a while. When I saw her in Elf and The Proposal, I realized that I missed her and liked watching her. I can't wait to see her in Did You Hear About The Morgans.
Meryl Streep - Can't stand a lot of her movies, but she is an amazing actress. I remember that the first thing I saw her in was River Wild. This must sound stupid to you, but I love that movie. Gavin makes fun of me, but I could tell she was good. She's been in some yuck movies, but she's definitely got talent.
Michelle Monaghan - I liked her in Mission Impossible III, but I was impressed at her performance in Eagle Eye. Not the best of actresses, but I really enjoy watching her.
Michelle Pfeiffer - She's a very consistent actress. I loved her in One Fine Day...so cute. She's also done some great work with Up Close and Personal and I Am Sam, but what brought her to my attention was Stardust...such a great movie and she was good in it. She looked really hot for her age, too.
Reese Witherspoon - Sweet Home Alabama was cute, but I loved her in Just Like Heaven and especially in Walk the Line. She's very likable and easy to watch. I would love to see her in more roles like Walk the Line, deeper roles.
Sandra Bullock - She's always been good, but recently she's shown how good. She's someone who has gotten better with age. She still looks amazing and is always funny and charming in her movies. I can't wait to see the Blind Side.
Toni Colette - One day I had an "ah ha" moment. I realized that I was always impressed by certain characters in a movie and that they were all her. She played the mom on The Sixth Sense, Harriet Smith in Emma, and The mom in About a Boy. I've seen her in some other roles and she always does well...even if I hate the movie.
Uma Thurman - This has only been a recent development, within the last couple of years. She's a great actress not only because she's a good actress, but because she's gutsy. She can play, and has played, just about any role you can think of. She's extremely versatile. I never really like her until I saw Paycheck and Kill Bill 1 & 2 (edited but still gruesome).
Amy Adams - I didn't like Enchanted when it came out. I thought it was just too "over the top", but every time I've watched it since...I like it more and more each time. She's been in some okay and some not okay movies, but she's very talented. I could see her playing in a good drama or even an action movie and still being awesome.
Bryce Dallas Howard - She first showed up in The Village and I thought she did awesome. She also did Lady in the Water and did well. I wasn't crazy about her in Spiderman 3, but I didn't really like the role she was given. She was great in Terminator Salvation. I was a little surprised that she was taking the role of Victoria for Eclipse, but I think that she is talented and can step into it very well. Side note...I am not a die hard Twilight fan...just to be clear.
Drew Barrymore - Wasn't sure about her for a long time. She won me over softly. I think that what first peaked my interest was seeing her in Ever After. Not the best acting she's ever done, but I thought she did good. I was pretty sure she was talented when I saw 50 First Dates, but was positive with Music and Lyrics. She's consistent and fun to watch.
Emma Thompson - Again slowly. In fact, I don't think that I can say that it is any particular movie that did it for me. She has just played in a lot of movies and executes her roles beautifully. She just has a way and is flawless as she does it.
Gwyneth Paltrow - I've always liked some of her movies, but never felt like I had to see her, but she blew me away with Iron Man. It was a good role for her and she did it well. She's not the greatest of actresses, but I was impressed and am excited to see what else she brings.
Hattie Morahan - Who is this? She played on the new BBC version of Sense and Sensibility as Eleanor Dashwood and she was amazing. This is the only thing that I have seen her in and nearly the only thing she has ever done, but wow. I was really impressed with her performance.
Joan Allen - She's someone that I kept seeing and liking without even knowing it. I think I finally realized how good she was when I started seeing her in the Bourne movies. She's very believable and likable.
Joan Cusack - She's just awesome. Always brings it. Consistent and talented. Not my favorite, by any means, but she is a top performer. It's just a natural talent for her.
Julie Andrews - Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music. Hello? She's just got skills both in music and in acting. She's just so sweet and you can't help but love her.
Kate Beckinsale - I have to say that I can't stand a lot of the movies that she has been in, but I've always liked her. I love some of her older stuff as well. She was a great Emma and Much Ado About Nothing and I loved her in Serendipity.
Kate Winslet - If you have never seen Hamlet you are missing a great performance from her. She struck me in that movie. No matter what anyone else thinks, she was great in titanic...I didn't like her hair color or some of the lines they gave her, but she was good. I think that when I saw The Holiday is when I was smitten with her as an actress. She's simple and sweet and very real...although I think that this picture of her doesn't look very real.
Kirsten Dunst - I couldn't stand her for the LONGEST time. In fact, I'm still a little surprised that she's on this list. But when I saw Wimbledon, I was shocked at how much I enjoyed her. She was perfect for the role. She's been given some annoying roles, but she's always played them as best as she could. I would like to she her in more of an action film. Spiderman doesn't count...I mean REAL action!
Mary Steenburgen - She played in Parenthood and Back to the Future III, but she kind of dropped of the map for a while. When I saw her in Elf and The Proposal, I realized that I missed her and liked watching her. I can't wait to see her in Did You Hear About The Morgans.
Meryl Streep - Can't stand a lot of her movies, but she is an amazing actress. I remember that the first thing I saw her in was River Wild. This must sound stupid to you, but I love that movie. Gavin makes fun of me, but I could tell she was good. She's been in some yuck movies, but she's definitely got talent.
Michelle Monaghan - I liked her in Mission Impossible III, but I was impressed at her performance in Eagle Eye. Not the best of actresses, but I really enjoy watching her.
Michelle Pfeiffer - She's a very consistent actress. I loved her in One Fine Day...so cute. She's also done some great work with Up Close and Personal and I Am Sam, but what brought her to my attention was Stardust...such a great movie and she was good in it. She looked really hot for her age, too.
Reese Witherspoon - Sweet Home Alabama was cute, but I loved her in Just Like Heaven and especially in Walk the Line. She's very likable and easy to watch. I would love to see her in more roles like Walk the Line, deeper roles.
Sandra Bullock - She's always been good, but recently she's shown how good. She's someone who has gotten better with age. She still looks amazing and is always funny and charming in her movies. I can't wait to see the Blind Side.
Toni Colette - One day I had an "ah ha" moment. I realized that I was always impressed by certain characters in a movie and that they were all her. She played the mom on The Sixth Sense, Harriet Smith in Emma, and The mom in About a Boy. I've seen her in some other roles and she always does well...even if I hate the movie.
Uma Thurman - This has only been a recent development, within the last couple of years. She's a great actress not only because she's a good actress, but because she's gutsy. She can play, and has played, just about any role you can think of. She's extremely versatile. I never really like her until I saw Paycheck and Kill Bill 1 & 2 (edited but still gruesome).
