Top 10 Indie Queens & Foreign Femme Fatales of 04

Though not everyone can be a Bridget Bardot, Sophia Lauren and/or a Raquel Welch – that said, won’t prevent many cinephiles of appreciating the mädchen that make it on today’s silver screen. Not exclusively based on their talents as an actress (which certainly does help), but a star quality that is not easily definable – without being too macho, IONCINEMA has compiled a top 10 list (actually 11 this year) of the top screen vixens to appear on film in 2004 and where we will see them in 2005. These leading ladies have a certain “je ne sais quoi” quality about them, bravura, a female machismo that magnetizes the viewer. While we don’t have Monica Bellucci on the list, or Natalie Portman’s new look thanks to Closer, all the same this is what we came up with.

11. Margot Stilley

2004:Cute as a pie, her instant fame came as an accident – this model’s first splash in film came with an X-rated performance in Winterbottom’s 9 Songs, where many asked who is this beautiful eye-candy wonder.

2005: Don’t expect to here from her soon, her acting experience is limited.

10. Zhang Ziyi

2004:Many got a double dose from her in Zhang Yimou’s action ballet’s Hero and House of Flying Daggers. Also on her slate was Purple Butterfly.

2005: English-speaking audiences will soon get to know the “it” girl of Asia with three films on the slate – Miramax’s late release of 2001’s Zu Warriors, Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046 and finally, Memoirs of a Geisha.

9. Sara Foster

2005: Look for her to be in another delicious role in the upcoming D.E.B.S

8. Virginia Madsen

2004: Part former girl next door and desperate housewife-ish, her smashing rebirth in Sideways showed the beautiful layers that this face could give to a character.

2005:Her agent probably got a big raise – next up for her is The Wrong Element

7. Chloë Sevigny

2004: The new Parker Posey of the biz was busy in recent time in secondary roles with films such as Shattered Glass, Dogville and the controversial Brown Bunny.

2005: First up is Melinda and Melinda, with the 2nd installment with Lars von Trier in Manderlay, and the projects of Untitled Jim Jarmusch project, Mrs.Harris and 3 Needles.

6. Samantha Morton

2004: She raised her personal performance bar with 2003’s In America and then gave us Code 46 and Enduring Love.

2005: Coming out in 05 and a little further into 06 are The Libertine, River Queen, Farmers on E and Fur.

5. Julie Delpy

2004: One of the best of class of 93 to 95, Delpy came back starring in, singing in and writing Before Sunset.

2005: Up next is the Untitled Jim Jarmusch project and The Legend of Lucy Keyes.

4. Nicole Kidman

2004: Excluding her take on The Stepford Wives, she made some interesting performances out of Dogville and Birth.

2005: Next up is the thriller The Interpreter and Bewitched with The Lady From Shanghai and the troubled Eucalyptus on the horizon.

3. Eva Green

2005: Next up is her big shot at glory in Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven.

2. Cate Blanchett

2004: A bit “double” piece with Coffee & Cigarettes added to The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and her perfect ten take of Katherine Hepburn with the The Aviator was Oscar-worthy.

2005: Next film is Little Fish.

1.Uma Thurman

2005: But we get a quaduruple dose of her in 05 with The Producers: The Movie Musical, Accidental Husband,
Prime and the upcoming Be Cool…unfortunately for us no cool yellow jumpsuit, ass-kicking gymnastics.