Side by Side by Side Comparisons
Each "Best of the Year" designee is classified according to the year of her film's U.S. theatrical release.
Preferences are, of course, subject to change, especially as I see more movies and re-watch older ones.
Clickable titles lead to a full review or, less often, to a blog post (which will open in a new window).
Look around, too, for a hidden link to enjoy on your grouchier days...
| Year | Oscar Winner | Worthiest Nominee | Best of the Year |
| 2010 |
Natalie Portman Black Swan |
Michelle Williams Blue Valentine |
Birgit Minichmayr Everyone Else |
| 2009 |
Sandra Bullock The Blind Side |
Gabourey Sidibe Precious |
Tilda Swinton Julia |
| 2008 |
Kate Winslet The Reader |
Anne Hathaway Rachel Getting Married |
Juliette Binoche Flight of the Red Balloon |
| 2007 |
Marion Cotillard La Vie en rose |
Marion Cotillard La Vie en rose |
Tang Wei Lust, Caution |
| 2006 |
Helen Mirren The Queen |
Penélope Cruz Volver |
Luminita Gheorghiu The Death of Mr. Lazarescu |
| 2005 |
Reese Witherspoon Walk the Line |
Felicity Huffman Transamerica |
Joan Allen The Upside of Anger |
| 2004 |
Hilary Swank Million Dollar Baby |
Kate Winslet Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind |
Kate Winslet Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind |
| 2003 |
Charlize Theron Monster |
Charlize Theron Monster |
Charlize Theron Monster |
| 2002 |
Nicole Kidman The Hours |
Julianne Moore Far from Heaven |
Isabelle Huppert The Piano Teacher |
| 2001 |
Halle Berry Monster's Ball |
Judi Dench Iris |
Maggie Cheung In the Mood for Love |
| 2000 |
Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich |
Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich |
Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich |
| 1999 |
Hilary Swank Boys Don't Cry |
Hilary Swank Boys Don't Cry |
Hilary Swank Boys Don't Cry |
| 1998 |
Gwyneth Paltrow Shakespeare in Love |
Emily Watson Hilary and Jackie |
Ally Sheedy High Art |
| 1997 |
Helen Hunt As Good As It Gets |
Helena Bonham Carter The Wings of the Dove |
Tilda Swinton Female Perversions |
| 1996 |
Frances McDormand Fargo |
Frances McDormand Fargo |
Frances McDormand Fargo |
| 1995 |
Susan Sarandon Dead Man Walking |
Meryl Streep The Bridges of Madison County |
Julianne Moore Safe |
| 1994 |
Jessica Lange Blue Sky |
Winona Ryder Little Women |
Julianne Moore Vanya on 42nd Street |
| 1993 |
Holly Hunter The Piano |
Holly Hunter The Piano |
Holly Hunter The Piano |
| 1992 |
Emma Thompson Howards End |
Emma Thompson Howards End |
Emma Thompson Howards End |
| 1991 |
Jodie Foster The Silence of the Lambs |
Jodie Foster The Silence of the Lambs |
Michelle Pfeiffer Frankie & Johnny |
| 1990 |
Kathy Bates Misery |
Meryl Streep Postcards from the Edge |
Sandra Bernhard Without You I'm Nothing |
| 1989 |
Jessica Tandy Driving Miss Daisy |
Michelle Pfeiffer The Fabulous Baker Boys |
Meg Ryan When Harry Met Sally... |
| 1988 |
Jodie Foster The Accused |
Jodie Foster The Accused |
Gena Rowlands Another Woman |
| 1987 |
Cher Moonstruck |
Glenn Close Fatal Attraction |
Glenn Close Fatal Attraction |
| 1986 |
Marlee Matlin Children of a Lesser God |
Sigourney Weaver Aliens |
Marie Rivière The Green Ray |
| 1985 |
Geraldine Page The Trip to Bountiful |
Whoopi Goldberg The Color Purple |
Mia Farrow The Purple Rose of Cairo |
| 1984 |
Sally Field Places in the Heart |
Jessica Lange Country |
Kathleen Turner Romancing the Stone |
| 1983 |
Shirley MacLaine Terms of Endearment |
Meryl Streep Silkwood |
Meryl Streep Silkwood |
| 1982 |
Meryl Streep Sophie's Choice |
Jessica Lange Frances |
Jessica Lange Frances |
| 1981 |
Katharine Hepburn On Golden Pond |
Diane Keaton Reds |
Diane Keaton Reds |
| 1980 |
Sissy Spacek Coal Miner's Daughter |
Sissy Spacek Coal Miner's Daughter |
Shelley Duvall The Shining |
| 1979 |
Sally Field Norma Rae |
Jane Fonda The China Syndrome |
Jane Fonda The China Syndrome |
| 1978 |
Jane Fonda Coming Home |
Ingrid Bergman Autumn Sonata |
Ingrid Bergman Autumn Sonata |
| 1977 |
Diane Keaton Annie Hall |
Diane Keaton Annie Hall |
Liza Minnelli New York, New York |
| 1976 |
Faye Dunaway Network |
Sissy Spacek Carrie |
Sissy Spacek Carrie |
| 1975 |
Louise Fletcher One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest |
Isabelle Adjani The Story of Adèle H. |
Ronee Blakley Nashville |
| 1974 |
Ellen Burstyn Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore |
Gena Rowlands A Woman under the Influence |
Gena Rowlands A Woman under the Influence |
| 1973 |
Glenda Jackson A Touch of Class |
Barbra Streisand The Way We Were |
Barbra Streisand The Way We Were |
| 1972 |
Liza Minnelli Cabaret |
Cicely Tyson Sounder |
Cicely Tyson Sounder |
| 1971 |
Jane Fonda Klute |
Julie Christie McCabe & Mrs. Miller |
Julie Christie McCabe & Mrs. Miller |
| 1970 |
Glenda Jackson Women in Love |
Glenda Jackson Women in Love |
Glenda Jackson Women in Love |
| 1969 |
Maggie Smith The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie |
Jane Fonda They Shoot Horses, Don't They? |
Jane Fonda They Shoot Horses, Don't They? |
| 1968 |
Katharine Hepburn The Lion in Winter (tie) Barbra Streisand Funny Girl (tie) |
Barbra Streisand Funny Girl |
Barbra Streisand Funny Girl |
| 1967 |
Katharine Hepburn Guess Who's Coming to Dinner |
Edith Evans The Whisperers |
Bibi Andersson Persona |
| 1966 |
Elizabeth Taylor Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? |
Elizabeth Taylor Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? |
Elizabeth Taylor Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? |
| 1965 |
Julie Christie Darling |
Julie Andrews The Sound of Music |
Julie Andrews The Sound of Music |
| 1964 |
Julie Andrews Mary Poppins |
Julie Andrews Mary Poppins |
Julie Andrews Mary Poppins |
| 1963 |
Patricia Neal Hud |
Patricia Neal Hud |
Anna Karina Vivre sa vie (My Life to Live) |
| 1962 |
Anne Bancroft The Miracle Worker |
Katharine Hepburn Long Day's Journey into Night |
Katharine Hepburn Long Day's Journey into Night |
| 1961 |
Sophia Loren Two Women |
Natalie Wood Splendor in the Grass |
Monica Vitti L'Avventura |
| 1960 |
Elizabeth Taylor BUtterfield 8 |
Deborah Kerr The Sundowners |
Janet Leigh Psycho (nominated as Supporting) |
| 1959 |
Simone Signoret Room at the Top |
Audrey Hepburn The Nun's Story |
Marilyn Monroe Some Like It Hot |
| 1958 |
Susan Hayward I Want to Live! |
Shirley MacLaine Some Came Running |
Kim Novak Vertigo |
| 1957 |
Joanne Woodward The Three Faces of Eve |
Anna Magnani Wild Is the Wind |
Eva Dahlbeck Smiles of a Summer Night |
| 1956 |
Ingrid Bergman Anastasia |
Carroll Baker Baby Doll |
Carroll Baker Baby Doll |
| 1955 |
Anna Magnani The Rose Tattoo |
Susan Hayward I'll Cry Tomorrow |
Susan Hayward I'll Cry Tomorrow |
| 1954 |
Grace Kelly The Country Girl |
Judy Garland A Star Is Born |
Judy Garland A Star Is Born |
| 1953 |
Audrey Hepburn Roman Holiday |
Ava Gardner Mogambo |
Barbara Stanwyck All I Desire |
| 1952 |
Shirley Booth Come Back, Little Sheba |
Julie Harris The Member of the Wedding |
Debbie Reynolds Singin' in the Rain |
| 1951 |
Vivien Leigh A Streetcar Named Desire |
Vivien Leigh A Streetcar Named Desire |
Vivien Leigh A Streetcar Named Desire |
| 1950 |
Judy Holliday Born Yesterday |
Gloria Swanson Sunset Boulevard |
Gloria Swanson Sunset Boulevard |
| 1949 |
Olivia de Havilland The Heiress |
Olivia de Havilland The Heiress |
Ginger Rogers The Barkleys of Broadway |
| 1948 |
Jane Wyman Johnny Belinda |
Olivia de Havilland The Snake Pit |
Joan Fontaine Letter from an Unknown Woman |
| 1947 |
Loretta Young The Farmer's Daughter |
Susan Hayward Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman |
Deborah Kerr Black Narcissus |
| 1946 |
Olivia de Havilland To Each His Own |
Celia Johnson Brief Encounter |
Ingrid Bergman Notorious |
| 1945 |
Joan Crawford Mildred Pierce |
Joan Crawford Mildred Pierce |
Peggy Ann Garner A Tree Grows in Brooklyn |
| 1944 |
Ingrid Bergman Gaslight |
Barbara Stanwyck Double Indemnity |
Barbara Stanwyck Double Indemnity |
| 1943 |
Jennifer Jones The Song of Bernadette |
Jean Arthur The More the Merrier |
Jean Arthur The More the Merrier |
| 1942 |
Greer Garson Mrs. Miniver |
Bette Davis Now, Voyager |
Agnes Moorehead The Magnificent Ambersons (nominated as Supporting) |
| 1941 |
Joan Fontaine Suspicion |
Barbara Stanwyck Ball of Fire |
Barbara Stanwyck The Lady Eve |
| 1940 |
Ginger Rogers Kitty Foyle |
Bette Davis The Letter |
Rosalind Russell His Girl Friday |
| 1939 |
Vivien Leigh Gone with the Wind |
Vivien Leigh Gone with the Wind |
Vivien Leigh Gone with the Wind |
| 1938 |
Bette Davis Jezebel |
Norma Shearer Marie Antoinette |
Katharine Hepburn Holiday |
| 1937 |
Luise Rainer The Good Earth |
Greta Garbo Camille |
Greta Garbo Camille |
| 1936 |
Luise Rainer The Great Ziegfeld |
Carole Lombard My Man Godfrey |
Ruth Chatterton Dodsworth |
| 1935 |
Bette Davis Dangerous |
Katharine Hepburn Alice Adams |
Katharine Hepburn Alice Adams |
| 1934 |
Claudette Colbert It Happened One Night |
Claudette Colbert It Happened One Night |
Claudette Colbert Imitation of Life |
| 1932-33 |
Katharine Hepburn Morning Glory |
Katharine Hepburn Morning Glory |
Kay Francis Trouble in Paradise |
| 1931-32 |
Helen Hayes The Sin of Madelon Claudet |
Lynn Fontanne The Guardsman |
Joan Crawford Grand Hotel |
| 1930-31 |
Marie Dressler Min and Bill |
Marie Dressler Min and Bill |
Marie Dressler Min and Bill |
| 1929-30 |
Norma Shearer The Divorcée |
Nancy Carroll The Devil's Holiday |
Louise Brooks Pandora's Box |
| 1928-29 |
Mary Pickford Coquette |
Jeanne Eagels The Letter |
Renée Falconetti The Passion of Joan of Arc |
| 1927-28 |
Janet Gaynor 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise |
Janet Gaynor 7th Heaven |
Janet Gaynor 7th Heaven |
| Multiple Winners |
Luise Rainer (36, 37) Katharine Hepburn (33, 67, 68, 81) Bette Davis (35, 38) Vivien Leigh (39, 51) Ingrid Bergman (44, 56) Elizabeth Taylor (60, 66) Glenda Jackson (70, 73) Jane Fonda (71, 78) Sally Field (79, 84) Jodie Foster (88, 91) Hilary Swank (99, 04) |
Katharine Hepburn (33, 35, 62) Vivien Leigh (39, 51) Bette Davis (40, 42) Barbara Stanwyck (41, 44) Olivia de Havilland (48, 49) Susan Hayward (47, 55) Shirley MacLaine (58, 60) Julie Andrews (64, 65) Barbra Streisand (68, 73) Jane Fonda (69, 79) Sissy Spacek (76, 80) Diane Keaton (77, 81) Jessica Lange (82, 84) Meryl Streep (83, 90, 95) Jodie Foster (88, 91) |
Katharine Hepburn (35, 38, 62) Barbara Stanwyck (41, 44, 53) Vivien Leigh (39, 51) Julie Andrews (64, 65) Barbra Streisand (68, 73) Ingrid Bergman (46, 78) Jane Fonda (69, 79) Gena Rowlands (74, 88) Julianne Moore (94, 95) Tilda Swinton (97, 09) |
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