Top 50 Performances of the Decade (Female)

This list has more repeat offenders than the male list yesterday. Please give these 45 talented women one last round of applause before we take a break from the decade stuff to embark on the 2009 awards. As with the male list, I didn't include any 2009 performances (let the year settle first) though there is at least one that would obviously (x 50) be here if I did...

"And it's time my luck changed. And it's time something went right for me!"

-"Julia" makes a plea for a surprise Tilda Swinton nomination this year.

PLEASE NOTE: This list should not be mistaken for an updated 'Actresses of the Aughts' chart. [editors note: I may attempt to return to that massive project in a definitive way after this year's Oscar race is complete]. How you feel about someone's entire career can be markedly different than how you feel about individual turns and an actress whose skill you may admire might not hit you as hard emotionally as she hits others. Then there are actresses I prefer to some of the ones who show up here who don't appear at all! Etcetera. These lists were made quickly and are obviously personal. Try to make one yourself and you'll be surprised who you have to leave out. That's the subjective nature of listmaking. Here's the top 50 alphabetically (the dozen best/favorite hastily marked in red and are highly subject to change).

• Amy Adams, Junebug (2005)
• Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married (2008)
  
• Annette Bening, Being Julia (2004)
• Björk, Dancer in the Dark (2000) *
  
• Cate Blanchett, The Aviator (2004)
• Catherine Deneuve, Dancer in the Dark (2000) *
  
• Catherine O'Hara, A Mighty Wind (2003) *
  
  "♫ ...more precious than a pot of gold"
  
  
• Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago (2002)
• Charlotte Rampling, Under the Sand (2001) *
  
• Daryl Hannah, Kill Bill (2003/2004) *
  
• Diane Lane, Unfaithful (2002)
  
• Ellen Burstyn, Requiem for a Dream (2000)
• Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada (2006) *
  
• Emmanuelle Devos, Kings & Queen (2005) *
  
• Holly Hunter, thirteen (2003)
• Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake (2004)
• Isabelle Huppert, The Piano Teacher (2002) *
  
• Jeon do-Yeon, Secret Sunshine (2007) *
  
• Joan Allen, The Upside of Anger (2005) *
  
• Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal (2006)
• Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich (2000)
• Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven (2002)
• Julie Christie, Away From Her (2007)
• Julie Delpy, Before Sunset (2004) *
  
  
"what does that mean: the 'right' man, the 'love of your life'? The concept is absurd!"


• Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
• Laura Dern, INLAND EMPIRE (2006) *
  
• Laura Linney, The Savages (2007)
  
• Laura Linney, You Can Count On Me (2000)
• Maggie Cheung, In the Mood For Love (2001) *
  
• Maggie Gyllenhaal, Happy Endings (2005) *
  
• Maria Bello, A History of Violence (2005) *
  
• Michelle Pfeiffer, White Oleander (2002) *
  
• Miranda Richardson, Spider (2002/2003) *
  
• Meryl Streep, Adaptation (2002)
• Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
• Naomi Watts, Mulholland Dr (2001) *
  
• Nicole Kidman, Birth (2004) *
  
  
"Don't bother me again."


• Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge! (2001)
• Nicole Kidman, The Others (2001) *
  
• Patricia Clarkson, Far From Heaven (2002) *
  
• Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
• Penélope Cruz, Volver (2006)
• Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener (2005)
• Rosemary DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married (2008) *
  
• Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) *
  
• Samantha Morton, Morvern Callar (2002) *
  
• Tang Wei, Lust Caution (2007) *
  
• Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton (2007)
• Uma Thurman, Kill Bill (2003/2004) *
  
• Virginia Madsen, Sideways (2004)
  
  

Which performances do you hold most dear from the past 10 years? And which are you "off consensus" on? In regards to the latter, do you often feel beat up by friends & strangers for not genuflecting as expected? I know I do! Finally -- and I think this question is most interesting -- which performances have continued to surprise, grow on you, or play games with your memory over the years?

Update Summer 2010: These 2009 performances, now that they've settled in as "cinema of the past," would have to be included in this top 50. Who to drop to make room for them?

• Gabourey Sidibe, Precious (2009)
• Mo'Nique, Precious (2009)
• Tilda Swinton, Julia (2009)
  

See also: male performances and top 100 films...

an * indicates a performance that was snubbed by Oscar. I consulted only my own "best" lists and not Oscar charts while composing the list. A surprisingly robust 52% of these performances were not Oscar nominated.
*