#talking to myself while finally watching the woody interview <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[just-slightly-chayotic]

yes, jeff, we do love you in every possible angle. and, actually, the pictures where you're being a dork are my favourite ones.

[manadude-blog1]

The Wise Dudes

Since becoming a Dudeist in,like, what was it? 2015 or something, who fucking knows man...i’ve noticed a lack of material reference that was a bit beyond the usual “Dudeists” who would only ever quote the movie non-stop; every post, every meme, every comment quotes. It gets a bit exhausting after a while. So I wanted to use this blog thing as a platform to point other Dudeists in the direction of other cool characters that abide in their own way. 

In my quest to live my best life I’ve come across a handful of people, who, after studying their character for some time, have dubbed them the “Wise Dudes”, they aren’t bearing gifts of Mir, but they are sagely no doubt. True abiders, people, but mostly characters these people play who really tie those archetypal aspects together in one holy, far out Dude. 

The Dude Himself - Jeff Bridges

The Holy Dude himself. Jeff Bridges.  It seems since his role as the Dude in The Coen Brothers The Big Lebowski, Jeff has himself adopted and nurtured what it means to be a Dude in his real life.  When he isn’t doin’ the whole acting this, he is out there doin’ his part for starving kids, or the environment. 

He even produced the Sleeping Tapes, which is a massive trip, ASMR, guided meditation hybrid of strangeness, but even stranger it makes sense. 

Which you can find here on Youtube: https://youtu.be/y3_Evj0iPDk

And he also co-wrote a uniquely awesome book with his own Zen Master buddy Bernie Glassman Titled “The Dude and the Zen Master”, which is a collection of in-depth jams discussing the ins-and-outs and Zen messages hidden inside the film, and the character of the Dude. 

But above all these things, Jeff Bridges really just displays all the virtues of a true dude, from every single interview he takes part in, he spreads a real chill, and riffs with anybody and everybody like they are close friends. Thats what makes him the Wisest Dude of the lot, because he is the same off-screen as he is on-screen in the role that started it all. One of my favourite interviews is this one where he groks with another Wise Dude in this list: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmqtyVE290Y

Don Stark - Gerry “with a G” - Maron Season 3. 

In Season 3 (episode 6) of IFC’s Maron; Mark finds himself attending Narcotics Anonymous Meetings and in need of a sponsor (after meeting two very Donny characters) meets Gerry “with a G”.  I instantly loved this character played by Don Stark (from That 70′s Show fame).  From his first words, mumbled out between gulps of food, explaining to Maron he shouldn’t eat the birthday cake because it’s covered in “junkie Germs” and that he is immune.  And just his look; which resonated with me alot personally, as we dress almost identically (even to the point of me buying the exact same ringed necklace shown in the above picture), loose tshirts, oversized un-buttoned overshirts and a rugged demeanour. Gerry has all the markings of a true Wise Dude. 

Gerry has alot of cool lines in the few episodes he’s in. He not only helps Maron find an awkward living situation, which is what any fellow dude would do, reflected in Gerry saying: “One Addict helping another, that’s what it’s all about”. He is genuinely just living his best life and helping out others in the process, with his own dude style all his own. 

Mark Boone Junior - Jerry - Flaked

You might know this next dude from Sons of Anarchy fame.  In Flaked, which stars Wil Arnett, Jerry is the main character, Chips, ex Father-in-law.  A self made millionaire, but you wouldn’t know it at first. His house is pretty chill, actually, i downplayed that, I fucking love this dudes abode. 

Which, like our previous Dude, reflects something in my own life and Dudeness; all the dream catchers and aesthetics that come with the lifestyle; a chair out the front with a native-american looking throw, nick nacks, overgrowth, ambient lighting etc.  When we first meet Jerry, he is a bit tanked on red wine and possibly stoned, waking up from a dream he’s not quite sure he was asleep for. he is talking in metaphors and seems to be in some kind of evening stupor, which i can relate too, because when the sun sets, I just wanna chill out, hang with my dog, smoke a J and watch the light fade, anyone rocking up to my place unannounced would totally throw me off. And although he doesn’t particularly like Chip, he still lets him in to chat. 

Although Jerry loses his chill, later on, it shows, like The Dude himself, that none of us are immune to life, but at least we aren’t fake, we tend to it, we get back to whoever we are when the shit passes. As long as we abide, where we are, that’s the goal line. 

Joaquin Phoenix - Larry "Doc" Sportello - Inherent Vice

I admit, I had to watch Inherent Vice more than once to actually “get it”, aside from the story which really throws you through the ringer, and leaves you feeling like your coming down of some massive LSD binge journey, the main character of Doc, a private investigator high as a kite, bumbling his way from one location to the next dazed and confused is pretty dudely and his demeanour and dress code and way of life got him an esteemed place in my Wise Dude Pantheon.  Not much I can about him, check out the movie and see for yourself. But you might wanna smoke a joint before hand AND during, I had to to really get what was going on, it’s a wild ride man. 

Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson - Steve Addington & Jack Mayweather - Surfer, Dude!

 This one is a double feature. The movie Surfer, Dude! is pretty cool, i watch it occasionally for a refresher course in taking it easy when the waves of life die off and I need to reset.  Steve, McConaughey’s character, is a surfer bum. Travelling from surf to surf living his best life until a media mogul attempts to lock him into a contract that starts chipping away at his Dude-ness! fuck, media mogul or not, we’ve all been there right?  His friends and fans abandon him, he gets set up looking like a douche bag poser, and the surf stops coming leaving him lost in life.  In the end, everything turns out alright for Steve, but go watch the film, it’s pretty cool.  It even co-stars Willie Nelson as a pot-growing goat shepherd.

Jeff Dowd - The Original Inspiration for The Dude

This ones a tricky one, when i first came across Jeff Dowd, i thought “oh hell yeah, the original Dude, what a trip” but as i started to discover more and more about him, watching videos and interviews etc. It really dawned on me that although this guy is a DUDE, he’s not as chill as i first thought. 

But that was a very Dudeist message for me at that time and place, because alot of Dudeists out there, the poser ones, the perpetual movie-quoters and posters of very undudely things, think the message and archetype of The Dude, is to be chill all the time, to abide with no worries in the world. But after many viewings of the Big Lebowski i’ve found that the real message of the movie isn’t about that at all, neither is the Dudes character; It’s about bending with shit that comes up moment-to-moment, dealing with it, and coming back to yourself, a place you can abide in, and although Jeff Dowd is very chill, sometimes incoherent and sloppy, he’s passionate about life, and doing what he wants to do, dealing with the shit as it arises. And that’s what it’s all about. So maybe that’s where the inspiration mostly came from.  As Bruce Lee Said: “Be like Bamboo, strong yet supple, bending with the pressures of life, and snapping back to form when it passes” or something like that. 

FINALLY, ME - Rick Boland 

Man if there was ever a person who felt like someone pissed on his rug it’s me.  Life has it’s Strikes and Gutters, no doubt.  But at the end of the day, after i’ve been out doin’ my thing; mentoring and working with young people and the community in whatever aspect that is, I come home, I have a shower, I listen to some tunes, light some incense, hang with my wife and canine pal, and abide.  Have I put myself on this list because I consider myself some Wise Dude? Nah, not at all, I’m just a simple Dude, living his best life, or trying too, helping who I can, and remembering at the end of the day, even when life punches you straight in the mouth, that getting back that place where it all ties together and makes sense is what it’s all about.  Bob Dylan once said “A man is considered a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and inbetween he does what he needs to do”.  That is something I can certainly Abide with. Peace Out Dudes 

[thesiteofstyle]

ALEXA SANTORY 

The Site of Style’s Editor in Chief shares her curly hair secrets, bomb beauty products, and how not to fall victim to fast fashion.

“My name’s Alexa (@iconicsoul__) , I’m 23 and I was born and raised in New York City. Let me start this interview by saying that I'm so grateful for each and every one of the readers on the site. I came to Kara with the idea for this series while going through a lot in my personal life and it's been a dream come true for me to work on this and have it be everything I envisioned and more. I love talking about beauty and I love to hear others talk about it, too. Thank you for giving us the space to do so. Growing up in New York has taught me everything I know about about fashion and beauty and how to appreciate it. There’s a lot to look at and take in in New York; you’re always getting inspiration from somewhere. I like to think I’ve mastered the ubiquitous beauty routine. It’s become a personal joy of mine to talk about and try different things with makeup and skincare. I’m wearing a face mask as I write this.

I’ve been lucky enough to have had pretty okay skin for most of my life. My mom really only dealt with adult acne and my dad has never had a pimple a day in his life, so thanks guys!! I personally deal with hormonal breakouts or stress breakouts, which I’ve (kind of) learned to control. I’m obsessed with Lush’s Coalface cleanser; I use it morning and night. Then I tone with Witch Hazel, followed by a nice layer of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel moisturizer. If I’m wearing makeup, I apply a thin layer of Priming Moisturizer Rich as a primer. It looks really beautiful under makeup. I tone with Pixi Glow Tonic at night maybe twice a week, to help fade scarring and to brighten my complexion. It has glycolic acid, which is great for hyper pigmentation, anti-aging, and brightening overall. It burns a little, but I kinda like it. I use the Hydro Boost serum for extra hydration (lots of hyaluronic acid; good for keeping your skin supple), then a thick sexy layer of Priming Moisturizer Rich. It’s everything. I love the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush, and Catastrophe Cosmetic. I’ve tried just about every sheet mask from The Face Shop; their “Solution” line is crazy. I have keratosis pilaris on my arms (aka KP, aka chicken skin; it’s not as serious as it sounds) so I’ve been using Lush’s Buffy bar. It’s a game changer. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter is and forever will be the only body lotion that matters to me.

Doing my makeup is almost as therapeutic as my skin routine. Even though it’s simple, I take it very seriously. I try to only do it in natural light because it’s the most realistic. I want to look as natural as possible, but still kind of extra. I start by mixing Glossier’s Perfecting Skin Tint in dark and deep, because that’s my actual skin tone but I live in a place with real weather. Then, I put a little Stretch Concealer under my eyes. Just a little, though, because trying to hide my dark circles is futile at this point so I’ve accepted them. They’re kind of sexy in a bedroom-y sort of way. I always wear a ton of mascara; I like gaudy lashes, what can I say? Better Than Sex is my go to, but I’m using Tarteist Lash Paint right now. I used to do eyeliner everyday; I love blue eyeliner because it enhances brown eyes really nicely. I use Boy Brow on my eyebrows. I don’t let anyone touch my eyebrows ever; I don’t even touch them that often. Their natural shape is perfect to me. Pink or coral blushes are my go to, like the Pixi Multi Balm or Cloud Paint. I love Colourpop highlighters; the formula is buttery and the pigment is really intense for only $8. Forget Me Not and Butterfly Beach are my two favorite shades. I'll put a little on my finger then spray my Pixi Glow Mist setting spray on it, then pop it on my cheekbones. It makes the highlight blinding. I never wore lipstick until college, which was where I tried my first dark lip, and I haven’t looked back since. I’ll try any color once, though; I wore purple lipstick (like purple purple) to a Beyonce concert (love you, Bey). Again, Colourpop because their lipsticks are fantastic too and also very inexpensive. Their greatest hits for me are: Love Bug, Toolips, Lost, and Stingraye (RIP). Cruella by Nars is my favorite red. I pretend to know a lot about makeup, but in reality, I know jack sh*t but fake it till you make it, right? Contouring, baking, all that, it’s a higher art form I don’t really have the patience for but I still admire watching others do it. That’s why I like to keep it as simple as possible and only wear eye shadow once a year.

My hair is, to put it lightly, a lot of f*cking work. I have a mass of curly hair that does what it wants when it wants. I’ve been doing braid outs since the beginning of summer and it’s honestly been a game changer. My hair has grown immensely, especially now after the haircut I gave myself. That and I’ve FINALLY found products that really work. I wash with Organix Extra Strength Argan Oil conditioner. Sulfate free shampoo and conditioner is so important, especially for curly hair. And because of my hair’s texture, it has the tendency to look and feel very dry, so I don’t want to use products that strip the oils away. I dry my hair with a cotton t-shirt to reduce frizz and then apply Organix Penetrating Argan Oil to my ends. I follow with a nice, even coating (code for: a sh*t ton) of Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk, then Curl Enhancing Smoothie, then I braid it. Deep conditioning is essential; their Jamaican Black Castor Oil masque has changed my hair for the better, as well as the serum. For slicked back styles, I use the Raw Shea Butter conditioner as a leave-in, some Queen Helene styling gel, a very old hairbrush that will forever be in my possession, and a lot of hope. When I straighten it, I make sure to deep condition before, because if I’m going to burn it between two extremely hot metal plates, I might as well give it some tender love and care first. I use L’Oreal Straightening Balm that acts as a heat protector and it also smells like candy, which is nice. My flat iron was all hype, but it’s by Remington. Once it’s straight, I wrap it into two low buns, put on a headband, and MOST IMPORTANTLY sleep with a satin bonnet. It lasts about 4 days.

CLOTHES!! Aw man, I love shopping, I always have; my grandma and I used to spend hours in Lord and Taylor and Macy’s and Century 21 when I was a kid. My family always let me take the lead on picking the clothes I want, which has definitely helped cultivate my champagne tastes on beer budgets. I’m sooooo picky when it comes to my clothes. I love anything easy, minimal, kind of lazy but still put together. When I shop, before I spend my money on anything, I always ask myself “will I see something like this on the rack next year? What about 5, 10 years from now?” If the answer is yes, I'll buy it. Fast fashion has sort of become this vortex of really corny fads, but if you look hard enough, you can find gems that can be timeless. I shop at Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo the most. Uniqlo’s jeans are the best jeans for me. I don’t wear a lot of color. That’s not to say I don’t like color, it’s just not what I gravitate towards. I’m very appreciative of the timelessness and simplicity of the t-shirt and jeans; so simple, yet so much can be done with it. It’s my uniform. High waisted anything is for me, especially jeans, and especially ones that hug my curves perfectly. Florals and stripes are the only patterns I really f*ck with. Give me ankle boots over any other type of shoe, or give me death tbh. I’m a shoe snob; I feel like Cher from Clueless when she says how picky she is about her shoes even though they only go on her feet. I’m a bag snob, too, unfortunately. I get it from my mom. Lately, I’ve been carrying a classic Coach backpack. My aunt gave it to my mom as a gift years ago, and now my mom has given it to me. I wrapped a vintage scarf from Spain around the top handle to add a personal touch.

My everyday jewelry is essential to my personal style; I feel naked if I go out without it. I wear: 5 rings (friendship knot, mermaid, arrow, snake, number 3), a Miansai screw cuff, a pastel stone bracelet (thanks Allyson!!!), a mal de ojo and red string (both blessed and given to me by my superstitious Cuban grandmother), a watch, earrings, and two necklaces. I mix gold and silver because I don’t follow the rules.

My Dolce Vita ankle boots from Urban that I found on a fluke visit. Kind of metallic, very pointy, just perfect.

I have a 100% silk robe my aunt bought in Hong Kong. It has a dragon embroidered on the back and two smaller dragons on the front. I wear it while I get ready; it makes me feel fucking fabulous.

Having a signature scent is very important; you don’t want to smell like everyone else. I’m hesitant to name the exact scent I wear, but it’s by Nest. It’s woody but floral, sweet but a little spicy. Overall very, very sexy. No one wears it like me.”

Alexa Santory interviewed by The Site of Style

[ordinaryhouseholdtoaster]

Spooky Maidment’s Top 25 Favourite Actresses

I had intended to write and publish this list (originally entitled “Spooky Maidment’s Top Ten Favourite Actresses) in time for International Woman’s Day, but it quickly became a far grander undertaking than I had first imagined. I love films and, as such, I love actresses and, boy, are there a lot of actresses that I love.

The first draft of this list, which was compiled over three days, contained a shortlist of 57 thespians, all of whom seemed just as worthy of making the list as the 56 other ladies that their name had been scribbled alongside. And so, for a while, I trifled with the idea of making it a list of 50 actresses that I loved - but that, of course, would mean five times more writing than I had originally intended on doing, and I’m nothing if not lazy and really, really good at procrastinating.

And so, almost a month later, I’ve finally manged to whittle my list down to twenty-five. Twenty-five wonderful and talented ladies, some of which are, in the eye of this beholder, also stunningly beautiful.

And there it is - the obvious flaw in my attempt to celebrate women by composing a list of women that I like to look at. 

I am, as I have noted in the past, a straight man. I am attracted to women. Hollywood, very much aware of this dynamic, has been casting symmetrical and visually pleasing women in their motion pictures since the dawn of motion pictures and using their sex appeal to get me to watch said motion pictures. Sex sells, after all, and, with that in mind, I have tried my utmost not to allow my penis too much sway in the forming of this list (which is why Kristen Stewart is rightfully absent). 

That said, at this point, having hit puberty approximately 17 years ago, it is rather difficult for me to know just what part of my brain is steering this dilapidated ship at any given moment, and I am sure that sexual attraction plays a much larger role in the forming of my tastes and opinions than I would be willing to admit.

With that in mind, I have actively tried to keep the objectification to an absolute minimum.

And on that cheerful note, here’s my fluffy list, which I’m now worried might be considered degrading, and which, I’ve just now noticed, features a complete and utter lack of ethic diversity. Well, there you go. I’m sexist and racist, apparently.

#25: Robin Tunney

Coming in at number 25, and repping every badass ‘90s chick who didn’t quite make the list (Including, but not limited to, Joey Lauren Adams, Neve Campbell, Clea DuVall, Shannen Doherty and Samatha Mathis), Robin Tunney will always be Deb from Empire Records in my heart, although her leading performance in The Craft (pictured) and her scene stealing brilliance in Encino Man are worth watching over and over and over again. 

24: Mia Farrow

The Rosemary in Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (pictured) and the Hannah in Woody Allen’s Hannah And Her Sisters, Mia Farrow is probably best known these days for being one of the major players at the center of her ex-husband’s various child abuse scandals, which is a damn shame because she was also in twelve of his movies, with her best performance being as Cecilia in the magical and often overlooked The Purple Rose of Cairo. If you can separate the art from the artists, you should watch any Farrow/Allen collaboration that you can lock your eyes on.   

#23: Sigourney Weaver

As if any justification were needed for her being on this list beyond stating the fact that she plays Ellen mother-fucking Ripley in the Alien films, Sigourney Weaver also stars opposite Bill Murray in my two favorite movies of all time, Ghostbusters (pictured) and Ghostbusters II, as well as having roles in Galaxy Guest, The Ice Storm and the criminally under-rated M. Night Shyamalan thriller The Village.

#22: Sissy Spacek

The original Carrie, Sissy Spacek’s almost otherworldly face, pale complexion, abundance of freckles and excellent acting chops are best admired in Robert Altman’s 3 Women and Terrence Malick’s Badlands.

#21: Juliette Lewis

There’s a stretch in the early to mid ‘90s where it feels like every cool film has a beautiful performance from Juliette Lewis in it. Cape Fear (pictured), Kalifornia, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Natural Born Killers, From Dust ‘Til Dawn... she’s smack bang in the middle of all of ‘em, playing a whole mess of innocent, crazy and broken young women. How can you not love Juliette Lewis?

#20:  Mira Sorvino

I love Mimic (pictured) and if you don’t like Mimic, we can’t be friends. Mira Sorvino is great in Mimic and she’s also great in Mighty Aphrodite, Romy And Michelle’s High School Reunion and Summer Of Sam. Fuck you, Del Toro is a genius and Mimic is great, and one of the main reason’s that Mimic is great is Mira Sorvino and you don’t know what you’re talking about... la, la, la, la, la...

#19: Ally Sheedy

The first of two brat pack members to make my list, Ally Sheedy may not be as iconic as the starlet at #16 but, boy, does she ever show up in a lot of my favourite ‘80s flicks - with starring roles in The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire, WarGames (pictured) and a little masterpiece called Short Circuit. Cute as a button, charming, hilarious, a fantastic actress... and did I mention that she’s in both The Breakfast Club and Short freaking Circuit?

#18: Kirsten Dunst

I’m pretty sure I could watch Kirsten Dunst eating soup for two hours, I love her so, but luckily she’s Lux in The Virgin Suicides (pictured), the lead in my number one guilty pleasure Bring It On, the cute and adorable child star of Little Women, Interview With A Vampire and Jumanji, Mary Jane Watson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and the star of countless other films, so, as of yet, I haven’t had to resort to setting up a camera in her dining room. 

#17: Linda Cardellini

In much the same way that Bob Hoskins would make his way onto a (as of yet) hypothetical list of my “Top 25 Favourite Actors” based solely on just two roles - in his case Mario Mario from Super Mario Brothers and Eddie Valiant from Who Framed Roger Rabbit - Linda Cardellini makes this list based solely on just two roles. The first is her portrayal of Velma Dinkley in the colossally under-rated Scooby-Doo films, and the second, and far more important, is her turn as Lindsay Weir in the cult classic TV show Freaks And Geeks (pictured), the cancellation of which still breaks my heart to this day.

#16: Molly Ringwald

The second brat pack member to make my list, John Hughes described Molly Ringwald as his muse, casting her in leading roles in Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club (pictured) and Pretty In Pink. Although her career fizzled out shortly after that, Ringwald remains the face of the ‘80s for myself and countless others and although her star shined briefly, man, did it ever shine brightly. 

#15: Nicole Kidman

I watched Stoker the other day and whilst Mia Wasikowska was excellent in it, Nicole Kidman was absolutely mesmorising. Why do I keep forgetting how much I love Nicole Kidman? She’s great in Dogville (pictured), The Others, Margot At The Wedding, Cold Mountain and Birthday Girl... and she made me feel “all funny inside” whenever I watched Batman Forever as a child. I really should watch more films with Nicole Kidman in them. Is Days Of Thunder any good?

#14: Uma Thurman

Standing tall at the center of the Tarantino universe, Uma Thurman’s roles in Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol.1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2 (pictured) are probably the reason she’s on this list, but her endearing and beautiful turns in Jennifer 8, Beautiful Girls, Gattaca, Mad Dog and Glory and the 1998 version of Les Misérables are the reason she sits at the number 14 spot.

#13: Reese Witherspoon

From cool and angsty flicks like Election, Cruel Intentions, Freeway, Best Laid Plans, Pleasantville and S.F.W in the mid to late ‘90s, to Oscar-winning fare like Walk The Line (pictured) and Wild as she perfected her craft, Reese Witherspoon is always on form and always a treat to watch, whether she’s giving an Academy Award winning performance or goofing off in the likes of Legally Blonde. Also, just look how the light dances on her pointy little face!

#12: Amy Adams

I can’t remember if I first saw Amy Adams in Doubt (pictured) or in Sunshine Cleaning, but I do remember thinking, “Holy shit, this woman is amazing. She might even be the next [see number one on this list]”. Nine years later, Adams is one of the biggest names in Hollywood with an impressive five Academy Award nominations to her name and I’d happily unsee all of those performances to have Adams revise her role as Mary from The Muppets.

#11: Christina Ricci

I’m going to be perfectly honest with you right now, Christina Ricci is on this list (and at number 11, no less) because when I was child, I was totally in love with Kat Harvey from Casper (pictured). Ricci is also great as Wednesday Addams in both The Addams Family and The Addams Family Values, as well as in The Ice Storm and Black Snake Moan, but I’d be lying if I told you that this was anything more than eight year old me making demands of thirty year old me.

#10: Patricia Arquette

When Patricia Arquette won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, I wasn’t in the least bit surprised - even though, at that point, I hadn’t even seen the film yet. Criminally under-rated and not in nearly enough films for my liking, Particia Arquette is absolutely brilliant in True Romance (pictured), Lost Highway and as Kissing Kate in Holes. 

#9: Chloë Sevigny

Last year, I was watching the excellent David Fincher thriller Zodiac for the first time and when Chloë Sevigny arrived on screen, at what must have been at least the 60 minute mark, I cheered out loud as if I were watching a football match and my favourite player had finally been brought onto the field. Kids, Gummo, Boys Don’t Cry (pictured), American Psycho, Dogville, Broken Flowers, Antibirth... Chloë Sevigny has an utterly amazing screen presence and the ability to subtly elevate any film, regardless of how big or small a role she has to play in it.

#8: Sally Field

Sometimes I fantasize about Sally Field being my mother - à la Forrest Gump or the excellent ABC TV show Brothers and Sisters - and sometimes I dream about marrying Norma Rae (pictured) or running away with Carrie from Smokey And The Bandit. Either way, Sally Field is a treasure and 8th place almost seems like blasphemy.

#7: Winona Ryder

Beetlejuice, Heathers, Night On Earth (pictured), Reality Bites... no actress has ever been as cool as Winona Ryder was in the late eighties and early nineties. Little Women, The Crucible, Bram Stoker’s Dracula... no actress has ever tried so hard and failed so spectacularly to speak with an accent as Winona Ryder did in the mid-nineties. And then, I saw Girl, Interrupted and I realised that, unlike Johnny Depp’s very real tattoo, the tattoo in my heart would always read Winona Forever. 

#6: Scarlett Johansson

In much the same way that any list of ice cream flavours would be incomplete without vanilla, my list of favourite actresses would be incomplete without the totally obvious and predictable inclusion of America’s current sweetheart Scarlett Johansson. Forever in my heart for being the onscreen personification of Sofia Coppola in Lost In Translation (pictured), Scar Jo has since blown me away using only her voice in Her, by saying hardly anything at all in Under The Skin and by somehow beating out Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner to make Natasha Romanoff my favorite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

#5: Jodie Foster 

Bugsy Malone, The Little Girl Who Lived Down The Lane, Taxi Driver... in 1976, at the age of 13, Jodie Foster had a role in each of these films, each time playing overly sexualized children in adult situations and earning an Oscar nomination for Taxi Driver. Twelve years later, she picked up her first Academy Award for her portrayal of a rape victim in The Accused, before picking up her second Oscar in 1991 for playing Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (pictured), probably the best thriller ever made (with the possible exception of Se7en). In 1994, she would go on to make audiences laugh in Maverick and cry in Nell, the latter of which earned her her fourth and final Academy Award nomination. If you love cinema (which I do), it’s impossible not to love Jodie Foster (which I do). 

#4: Shirley MacLaine

Audrey Hepburn this, Audrey Hepburn that. Women wanted to be her and men wanted to be with her. Well, not me... of the two leading ladies in the 1961 drama The Children’s Hour, I was captivated by Shirley MacLaine. And what’s more, her comedic timing was (probably still is) second to none, making her the perfect lady to star opposite the late, great Jack Lemmon in The Apartment (pictured) and Irma La Douce. Throw in her beautifully fragile and oddly arousing performance as Eve Rand in Being There, and MacLaine is motherfucking Hollywood royalty, son. Long live the queen of the silver screen!

#3: Laura Linney

Primal Fear, The Truman Show, You Can Count On Me (pictured), Mystic River, Love Actually, Frasier, The Squid And The Whale... chances are, you’ve seen Laura Linney and thought, “Hey, I know that lady from x, y or z”. Me, I love Laura Linney. I can’t remember when that love began... or which film it was that suddenly made me realise that I loved her... or why exactly I love her as much as I do... or whether or not it’s a sexual thing... but I love her and I’ll watch anything she’s in, from now until the day one of the two of us dies.

#2: Melanie Lynskey

Although probably best known for her debut in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures - for which she was nominated for an Academy Award at just sixteen years old - or for her stint as Rose on the CBS sit-com Two And A Half Men, for me (and the peeps at Sundance, apparently), Melanie Lynskey is the queen of the indie scene, having ignited my passion for quiet, character-driven cinema with her roles in Hello I Must Be Going, The Intervention, Rainbow Time and, most recently, I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore.

#1: Julianne Moore

As hard as it was to whittle this list down to just 25 actresses, and as difficult as it was to then put those lovely ladies into something akin to a ranking order, the top spot was secure throughout, ‘cause ain’t nobody taking the crown from Julianne Moore. For me, growing up in the ‘90s, Moore was Sarah Harding, the apex-predator expert in Steven Spielberg’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park, the rough and ready redhead who refused to be eaten by dinosaurs and who stirred feelings within my ten year old self that I didn’t then fully understand. Throw in her turns in Short Cuts, The Big Lebowski, Magnolia, Evolution and her hilarious yet heartbreaking performance as Jules in The Kids Are Alright (pictured) - to name just my personal highlights - and Julianne Moore has made me laugh, cry and beam from ear to ear on more occasions than I can recall. Also, I’m pretty sure she’s the reason I have a predilection for redheads. I know, I know... I said I’d keep the objectification to a minimum, but, c’mon, I am but a man. 

So, number one with a bullet is Julianne Moore. Agree? Disagree? Don’t be daft, this is a list of my favourite actresses. Who are you to say I can’t rank Molly Ringwald higher than Ally Sheedy? 

Anyway, suck it, internet. I’ve got films to watch and other lists to spend months pouring over.

Spooky, out! 

SpookyMaidment has written many lists, some of them available to view, for free, in truck-stop restrooms up and down the Eastern Seaboard. He’s also a man - a goddamn, hairy-ass man and how dare he put a bunch of women in order of how much he likes them! What a fucking pig!