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Best Actress Performances of 2014

2014 was an incredible year for movies and the same goes for acting. The ladies had it better than the men this year as evidenced by this list, which is populated by powerhouse performances through and through. These actresses delivered some of the best work of their respective characters and some even created instantly iconic characters.

5. Sarah Snook – Predestination

Predestination gave us the breakthrough role of Sarah Snook, years before ‘Succession’ premiered. Her performance in this underrated SF gem is quite complex and layered as she basically got to play a person in two different genders, succeeding in both. This was the type of complex, devoted performance that the Academy should recognize, but they sadly snubbed her this year. Snook gave one of the best and most underappreciated performances of the year and instantly established herself as talent with so much potential.

4. Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl

2014 was a great year for movie villains as evidenced by Gyllenhaal’s Louis Bloom from Nightcrawler and Rosamund Pike’s Amy Dunne from Gone Girl. A cold-blooded, calculating psychopath, she remains one of the best villains in Fincher’s canon and Pike was deliciously conniving and deranged in the role. Her scenes stole the show from Affleck and she is the main reason why the movie is so memorable and engaging. Pike was so incredible here that I find her eventual diminished career in Hollywood quite frustrating.

3. Julianne Moore – Still Alice

Now we come to the Oscar winner herself. Julianne Moore won for her emotionally charged turn in Still Alice and it’s difficult to argue with the Academy’s decision in this instance. Her performance is layered, devastating and constantly riveting to watch as so many emotions are present on her face at all times. It was a brilliant performance and possibly her career highlight. These types of dramas always hinge on the main performance to carry them through the finish line, which is exactly what happened here.

2. Reese Witherspoon – Wild

Reese Witherspoon was just superb as Cheryl Strayed in the fantastic drama Wild. This was perfect casting as she looks and acts the part while being consistently believable and powerful in all of her emotional scenes. This is a subtle, nuanced performance that was very much grounded in reality. She felt like a real person and I could not see acting at any time from her. Thus, you can easily make the case for her winning the Oscar this year as this is one of the most grounded and realistic performances of the year.

1. Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

It’s rare for me to put a supporting performance on the top of these lists, but I had to do it for this particular year. There is no question about it, Patricia Arquette won my heart the most out of all these actresses. She naturally stole the show, especially in that one amazing, heartbreaking speech scene, and her Oscar win is thus one of the most deserving of the century. Her performance is so raw and so natural that hopefully she will inspire other performers to follow suit. This is what a supporting player should do – get the most out of the little screen time that they get. Arquette is the heart and soul of this masterful movie.

Honorable Mentions:

Marion Cotillard – The Immigrant – Cotillard was nominated this year, but for a lesser film. She should have been nominated for her masterful turn in The Immigrant as she imbued silent cinema’s expressionist qualities so effortlessly.

Essie Davis – The Babadook – Horror movies rarely get the recognition when it comes to acting, but Essie Davis should have been noticed for giving such a moving, powerful turn in The Babadook.

Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game – Keira Knightley has never appealed to me much as an actress, but in this biopic she was wonderful and so well cast. She was surprisingly believable.

Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything – Contrary to popular belief, Felicity Jones arguably stole this movie from Eddie Redmayne. This is an internal, nuanced performance and she killed it.

Reese Witherspoon – The Good Lie – Although seemingly not a good casting choice for this role, Witherspoon ultimately really grew on me in such an inspirational, beautiful role. She had truly a phenomenal year.