The 25 Best Movie Performances of the Decade

I'm floored that Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight was ignored. What gives?

We decided to only do one performance per actor, and Heath's turn in Brokeback got the nod. His Dark Knight performance was amazing and surely would have been on here otherwise.

Um, even if Ray Charles hadn't died, he wouldn't have been able to "see" Jamie Foxx's portrayal. Cause, you know, he's blind.

Very good list... the one that is tragically neglected is Leonardo DiCaprio in the Aviator, best performance of the decade in my book... (damn, i swore i would never comment on one of these...)

This is a great list but the fact that Heath Ledger's last hurrah as the chilling Joker in "The Dark Knight" (one of the greatest films ever made) didn't make the list is absurd! I would put it at number one even.

That's a very, very good point, Mark. Fixed now.

Why would you choose Heath's turn in Brokeback over The Dark Knight? Brokeback, over time, will probably be forgotten - but his portrayal of the Joker will be forever burned into cinema history and be undoubtedly used constantly as a touchpoint for all actors in similair roles.

Two terrible oversights:

Ellen Burstyn - Requiem for A Dream

and

Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men

Javier Bardem should indeed be on the list. Even at third, Daniel Day Lewis as Daniel Plainview is too low. I think that was one of the best performances ever. It definitely topped Hoffman and I've never seen Monster.

Notable exclusions include Tom Hanks in Castaway, Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind, Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There, and Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line. I'm especially surprised you passed over a few of the musical ones.

Such a good list, but Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild gets my vote as the best.

I really think Elijah Wood embodied Frodo and will always be Frodo. I think he deserved to be on this list. I'm sure he will go back to the shire and veg out on lembas out of disappointment.

All of these were great choices, but I feel like you could easily lose Ellen Page (who to be frank, played herself, like she does in every movie) and put in Marion Cotillard. That woman made you believe that she was Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose, and don't forget she won the Oscar that year over Page and Julie Christie (both of which were on your list!)

Cate Blanchett
in 'The Aviator'

The first thing that i thought when i saw this list is how Heath L will be on here for the Joker. I agree with everyone commenting that this list chose the wrong performance by him to place on the list. The joker top five performances of all time in my opinion.

Penn, Day-Lewis, Whitaker: too much scenery chewing. Overcooked if you ask me.

Page, Berry: IMO totally average performances overshadowed by the supporting cast.

Foxx, Huffman, Hoffman: stunt performances.

Totally agree about Ledger. Way better in Brokeback. It's amazing people still buy into the hype of his Joker performance. "forever burned into cinema history"? Really??

One last complaint: this list is far too America-centric.

I have to agree with Javier Bardem as a criminal oversight. That was one of the greatest villainous performances of all time.

Fuck Dark knight, Heath was not the joker, he was heath leger as joker. but Jackie Earl Hailey WAS Rorschach. He was directly pulled out of the comic book and played a psychopath that was scarily believable. all of you dark knight fags GTFO

Yeah, Ellen Page...really? That movie received so much credit just because it didn't suck as much as people expected, not because of Page's performance. What about Audrey Tautou in Amelie? Jim Carey in Eternal Sunshine? Nicolas Cage in Adaptation? This list is a crock of shit.

So much hate!

It was a decent list and I enjoyed it for its worth, of course there will be differing opinions, lets try to not lose our heads over it.

My personal addition is Sharlto Copley in District 9 as Wikus. Though i have no baseline of his acting ability, all his documentary scenes where improvised, and the character he stepped into was incredible in my opinion.

Thanks for the article Josh.

I agree with most of the comments and other performances which have been mentioned, I might as well throw one out there that I think deserves a spot; Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson.

How on earth did you chose Heath Ledger's performance in Brokeback Mountain over the Dark Knight? Seriously, that's crazy.

Ledger as the joker won this competition. Hands down.

I'd have to agree about Javier Bardem and possibly Audrey Tatou. But more than anything, I'd go with John C. Reilly in Magnolia. I checked and it qualifies - came out January 7, 2000.

Hillary Swank in "Million Dollar Baby?"

Catalina Sandino Moreno in "Maria Full of Grace?"

Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon?"

Elle Fanning in "Phoebe in Wonderland?"

While I appreciate the inclusion of Daniel Day-Lewis, and I agree that his portrayal of Daniel Plainview is hypnotic, it's a stratch to say that "There Will Be Blood" "could only be a faint shadow of itself" without him. As P.T. Anderson has proven time and again, his films are absolute gems - buoyed by the likes of Day-Lewis, sure, but gems nonetheless. Particularly "There Will Be Blood."

Nick, Magnolia opened on December 17, 1999, on seven screens then expanded on January 7, 2000. Studios do this sort of thing when they think they have a film that may win awards, although now that's one reason this particular film won't be included in the various "best of decade" lists that are popping up here and elsewhere. It doesn't qualify.

Ellen Burstyn in "Requiem For A Dream" = Wow.

I know that this is newly released, but you omitted probably the best performance of the decade - Mo'nique as Mary in Precious.

I agree with Heath Ledger. Jack Black in School of Rock should get honorable mention.. hell even make the list.

Umm...Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt?

For an actor who has repeatedly played over-the-top his entire career, his portrayal of the quiet, common Midwesterner Warren Schmidt was the best of his entire career.

You have to be kidding me?! No Joker from the Dark Knight?! I could understand the argument that it want's the best (in my opinion by far it was) but not even in the top 25?! Insanity!!

no viggo mortenson in a history of violence, no russell crowe in gladiator??????????????

Amy Ryan was UNREAL in Gone Baby Gone. Maybe it's just cuz I'm from the Boston area but when I finished watching that movie I thought to myself that that may have been the best acting I have ever seen (Ledger in Dark Knight up there too). She nailed the role as the typical trashy Boston/Dorchester broad to a tee. Like, it did not seem like acting whatsoever. Also, there aren't many people that can pull off the Boston roles....even great actors like Nicholson and Martin Sheen just sounded terrible in The Departed ("micro-prosheshers"). Whatever, that's my two cents. Anyone agree/disagree about Amy Ryan?

Also, borderline shocked to see Sandler on there. All the man's movies are the same, aka terrible. And can't bring myself to see Brokeback (as a dude), but that's pretty shocking to hear that Ledger was better in that than as the Joker.

Wrong Ledger movie, his Joker needs to be top 5 at the very least.

Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson should be in the top five. Heath Ledger in Brokeback is far too low. No worse than second, perhaps behind Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood. And Penn in Milk should rank above Penn in Mystic River.

Amy Ryan was UNREAL in Gone Baby Gone. Maybe it's just cuz I'm from the Boston area but when I finished watching that movie I thought to myself that that may have been the best acting I have ever seen (Ledger in Dark Knight up there too). She nailed the role as the typical trashy Boston/Dorchester broad to a tee. Like, it did not seem like acting whatsoever. Also, there aren't many people that can pull off the Boston roles....even great actors like Nicholson and Martin Sheen just sounded terrible in The Departed ("micro-prosheshers"). Whatever, that's my two cents. Anyone agree/disagree about Amy Ryan?

Also, borderline shocked to see Sandler on there. All the man's movies are the same, aka terrible. And can't bring myself to see Brokeback (as a dude), but that's pretty shocking to hear that Ledger was better in that than as the Joker.

Not having Javier Bardem was a huge mistake, discredits the entire list :(

Kind of a narrow minded and nationally biased list, isn't it? I mean not one foreign, non-English speaking actor, ANYWHERE, had the moxy to put out a decent performance in your eyes, eh Paste? The Oscars aren't the one bloody superlative for all that is good. Plus... Ellen f**cking Page... seriously??? Suck

Overall, I think the list is fine and I agree with much of it. I must ask, however, what was involved in the decision to leave Hilary Swank's performance in "Million Dollar Baby" off the list. I don't understand.

I'm glad Ellen Page is on the list, but agree that Marion should be on there too. For anyone who says Ellen only plays herself in movies, do yourself a favor and rent Hard Candy or An American Crime. Now you just sound ignorant.

I agree about Javier and Ellen. Props for including Cruz for Volver (the only non-English performance??). Too many inclusions of scenery-chewing performances though. Missed a few from this year (Mo'Nique anyone?)

I'm surprised you didn't include Joaquim Phoenix portrayal of Johnny Cash in Ring of Fire I thought he was excellent in that role

You missed out on the greatest villain of the decade: Christoph Waltz' Hans Landa.

Heath Ledge?...Joker?...Ring any bells?

Very good list despite all the comments correcting the list. Bravo Paste

Lmao. Theron was so stinkingly overrated. She put on a few pounds and got ugly and everyone was duped. Including the author of this shitstain article.

Good job bud. Ledger > whole list. Me thinks the child who wrote this resents things as popular as his performance. That's the only time his Joker doesn't get it's just cred-when the artsy fartsy dingbats want to try and be different just for the hell of it.