1988-1997 Best Actress Winners

[Okri]

Favourite performance: Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (just rewatched it too)
Most Deserving: Emma Thompson (the gap between her and the field)...
Most satisfying: Susan Sarandon (in terms of the year's narrative and all that).

[Sabin]

I'm having a very difficult time choosing one of these options. I think it's because many of these were winners from my film adolescence and were generally considered to be very worthy choices who won at "the right time." I'm thinking of Jodie Foster who was beloved by the industry for her second win, Emma Thompson whose presence brought an unmatched air of prestige and intelligence to her projects, Holly Hunter whose performance was probably the most internationally venerated, Susan Sarandon whose victory felt like it was at the perfect moment for her career (and never quite hit again), and Frances McDormand for an instantly iconic character. I'm sure similar cases could be made for Tandy and Bates.

If nobody's honored Holly Hunter yet then I'm fine with doing so now.

[HarryGoldfarb]

1. Thompson
2. Hunter (I can not believe she hasn’t got any votes so far).
3. Foster (TSOTL)
4. Sarandon
5. Tandy
6. Bates
7. McDormand
8. Hunt
9. Lange
10. Foster (TA)

I was torned between Thompson and Hunter, but gave Thompson the edge considering she did wonders with such a restrained, though immensely rich, character. Hunter’s character allowed for a more showy display of talent, but having said this it is evident to me that these two actresses are among the best/finest winners ever. Agree that the 90-93 stretch offered a perfect sequence of winners (I’ll add 89 for that matter).

I’m not a fan of Lange’s performance. And yes, Close should have won over Foster in 88.

[Reza]

Jessica Lange easily gets my vote.

1988: Glenn Close should have won that year and Gena Rowlands (Another Woman) nominated. Both magnificent performances.

1989: Michelle Pfeiffer just wins this over Jessica Tandy. And Andie MacDowell (Sex, Lies and Videotape) and Kathleen Turner (The War of the Roses) should have been nominated.

1990-94: Bates, Foster, Thompson, Hunter and Lange all deserved their wins.

1995: Susan Sarandon finally won her Oscar but my personal choice that year was Isabelle Huppert (La cerémonie).

1996: McDormand was good but my personal choice that year was Maria Conchito Alonso (Caught).

1997: Hunt's win was a headscratcher as all the other nominees - Bonham-Carter, Christie, Dench and Winslet - were better. My choice for that year was Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy).

[Big Magilla]

This one's easy for me. Emma Thompson in Howards End, followed by Jessica Tandy in Driving Miss Daisy, Susan Sarandon in Dead Man Walking, Frances McDormand in Fargo, Jodie Foster in both The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, and Jessica Lange in Blue Sky.

Kathy Bates should have lost to Joanne Woodward in Mr. & Mrs. Bridge, Holly Hunter to Angela Bassett in What's Love Got to do with It and Helen Hunt to Helena Bonham carter albeit for Margaret's Museum rather than The Wings of the Dove.

[mlrg]

Foster, Silence of the lambs

[Big Magilla]

I know who I'm voting for, what about you?