As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

I don’t rate actresses by the same standards as I do actors. For some reason I never associate actresses with gravitas. Perhaps it is the nature of male roles versus female roles. Many years ago, about the time of WWII, there were a number of actresses who were considered powerful, such as Katherine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, and Barbara Stanwyck. There were great roles for women. Then, somewhere around the ‘50s during a moment of peace, the cute housewife appeared. We got Doris Day and Donna Reed. Then Vietnam came along and the roles became more intense. Since then, movies have been varied. Anything goes.


Grand Dames

Meryl Streep
I know everyone thinks she is the best actress in the US, but I find her cold and clinical. Yes, she nails the accents, and yes, she appears to nail the character, but I see little humanity, little warmth, and little humor (even when she is in a comedy). I did like her in Doubt. Her lack of warmth was perfect for the role.

Susan Sarandon
She is a good actress, but I think of her as a frump. She seems to have no sense of style, even when someone else dresses her. And, the roles she plays don’t necessarily call for dowdiness. Although she was in dozens of forgettable films, she was outstanding in The Client, Atlantic City, Bob Roberts and Dead Man Walking.

Jane Fonda
She has been starring in movies since she was a teenager. Her stand on political issues hurt her popularity. Her lack of humor is evident in every character she plays. I liked her better before she took the DeNiro approach to aging and acting. She was cute as a young actress (Tall Story), and very good in Klute, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They, Coming Home, Julia, and On Golden Pond.

Annette Benning
She is a very competent and intelligent actress. I loved her in Becoming Julia (Oscar nomination). She has the warmth that Streep lacks, she has style that Sarandon lacks, and she has the humor that Fonda lacks. See her also in American Beauty, Grifters (Oscar nomination), and The Kids Are All Right (Oscar nomination).



Ladies-in-waiting

Charlize Theron
She has proved herself to be a great actress. Monster was a tour de force and she deservedly won a Best Actress at the Oscars. Some of her other films include North Country (Oscar nomination), Cider House Rules, and The Road. I see her getting better and better, especially if she can avoid being just a fashion icon.

Maggie Gyllenhaall
Here’s another actress I see growing and lasting. She won an Oscar nomination for Crazy Heart. She won Golden Globe nominations for Sherrybaby and Secretary. Her stage experience shows in her movie portrayals.

Drew Barrymore
Okay, she has made quite a few clunkers, but she’s a Barrymore. Wait until she matures some more and you will see her shine. For a glimpse of that, see Grey Gardens, for which she received a Golden Globe award.

Natalie Portman
She just won an Oscar for Black Swan. She won an Academy nomination for Closer. Some of her other good roles were in Star Wars and Cold Mountain. As a child, she was great in The Professional. Another actress I see getting better.



Annoyingly Trite
There are so many in this category that I had to pick the most annoying. These are the actresses you see too often. Some of them think they are just too, too. That smugness is off-putting. There is a difference between confidence and arrogance. These ladies should learn that.

Renee Zellwegner. Way too smug. And that smirk does Bruce Willis proud.

Jennifer Anniston. When is Hollywood going to realize that Jennifer Anniston can’t act?

Cameron Diaz. She is just plain spooky.

Sandra Bullock. She seems nice, but her ingénue roles don’t seem viable anymore. Move on.

Angelina Jolie. Her acting is just barely okay. Her cat-just-ate-the canary smirk is really annoying.

Julia Roberts. The queen of trite. She smiles that irritating smile a lot, but I don’t see any evidence of acting.

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