The Best Actresses Working Today

I have enjoyed everything that I have seen Ms. Winslet in from Heavenly Creatures to The Holiday. She has an ability to move me and relate to me that no other actress working today has. She is by far my favorite. My favorite films of hers are Hamlet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Finding Neverland, and The Reader.

Jodie is always a class act. Her roles in The Accused and Silence of the Lambs have always been praised and are wonderful, but my favorite has to be The Brave One. However, she is brilliant in everything she does.

Meryl Streep is not only one of the few actresses that continues to do significant work after fifty and sixty, but in my opinion her work has gotten better. With the exception of Kramer vs. Kramer I had never been the biggest fan of her work, until movies like Music of the Heart, The Devil Wears Prada, Julie and Julia, and Mama Mia. I have also heard excellent things about Doubt. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses.

I was never that big a fan of Nicole Kidman's early work, but starting with Moulin Rouge I have loved everything I have seen her in. The Others, The Golden Compass, and the Hours are my favorites. Maybe all she needed was to shake Tom Cruise? Should Katie Holmes do the same? :) [Update: Congrats Katie! Looking forward to possibly adding you to this list!]

I've always loved Drew. From her adorable performance in E.T. onward she has always been a favorite of mine. What I like most about her is she is not afraid to have fun with her work, but she can be just as artistic as the rest of them. Case in point, her films Ever After and Home Fries are truly interesting and Music and Lyrics and Never Been Kissed are a lot of fun. I also thought her directorial debut Whip It was incredibly interesting.

Julia Roberts has been a favorite of mine for years. Though she has had slumps at various times in her career, she still manages to do excellent work and always ends up back in Hollywood's graces. Her recent films Eat, Pray, Love and Larry Crowne were a joy.

Although often thought of only as an actress of romantic comedies, Sandra has done a great job in many wonderful dramas, such as Crash and The Blindside. But it should be noted that her excellent comedic timing should not be underrated. And I really love her personality which is always a plus for me.

When I first saw her in The Princess Diaries I thought her performance was entertaining, but from The Devil Wears Prada on her work really skyrocketed for me. I thought Alice in Wonderland and Love and Other Drugs were excellent and she made me cry in Les Miserables. The Oscar was well deserved

After seeing both Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Bling Ring, I think it is time to move Miss Watson from actors to watch to The Best Actresses. She is truly wonderful.

Although many people I know think her strange, I think that Ms. Carter is a fascinating character actress who is able to play both the bizarre and the more commonplace. Her work is always interesting and she is great fun to watch.

Silver Linings Playbook. Need I say more?

From the first time I saw her in The Mummy I thought Ms. Weisz was extremely charming and talented. As time went on I saw her in other roles in which she was just as wonderful, my favorite being All About a Boy.