The Best of Helen Mirren

-If there's ever been a female performer that encompasses class and grace, it has to be Helen Mirren. With her offbeat looks and chameleon-like talents, Mirren's instincts have allowed her to equip herself well in almost any genre of film. Even in the most lurid of films (Caligula, anyone?), this actress can provide an air of dignity to the proceedings; giving life to whatever character she takes on and elevating whatever film she is in to higher levels. Its only fitting though that Mirren should find herself with her fourth Oscar nomination (her second as Best Actress) for playing author Leo Tolstoy's wife in the period drama The Last Station. Her work in the film will undoubtedly (if it hasn't already) bring her the attention of a slew of new fans who have yet to discover her. But for those who already know of Mirren's talent, here is an appreciation of some of her finer roles.

1. The Comfort of Strangers (1990)
-In this creepy and disturbing tale from Ian McEwan, a young British couple vacationing in Venice become associated with a dark and deeply eccentric husband and wife. Mirren plays Caroline; a woman who, along with her husband Robert, takes pleasure in the perverseness of life. Her views on obsession, danger, and sex are strong just on the written page, but Mirren brings to them a haunting quality of a woman who is both a tranquil romantic and a silent manipulator. It is truly one of the actress' more offbeat performances.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JYxhS9bQhw

2. Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)
-While a collaboration between the writer of Scream and one of Britain's finest actresses seems improbable to say the least, the matching was a winning one as Mirren takes on the role of the monstrous Eve Tingle; a history teacher who, after years of tormenting students, finds herself held captive in her own home by three pupils in this dark comedy/light thriller. While most other actresses would have overplayed the character's sinister qualities, Mirren instead administers Mrs. Tingle's evil with such careful precision to make sure we take her seriously. Through this method, Mirren also makes sure the audience knows that even though she's the victim, she's also calling the shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mXbszOPC0g

3. Calendar Girls (2003)
-Even though one might not think of Mirren as a comedic actress, she proved her versatility in this true-life story about a group of British women who pose nude for a charity calendar. Mirren is many things throughout the film; she's zany, foolish, driven, charming, and delightful. It may be one her least flashy roles to date, but it still contains the same amount of passion and commitment that makes up a Helen Mirren performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cr2dR6-wZ4

4. The Clearing (2004)
-In the criminally underappreciated film, Mirren plays the wife of a successful businessman who is kidnapped by a disgruntled former employee. Mirren's performance in this film is one of her best as far as transformations go. The character of Eileen goes from content to bitter, to worried, to desperate, to fierce, to finally brave all within the course of the film. It takes a high level of skill to bring the aformentioned elements to the table, which Mirren does almost effortlessly. At times her work is so good that she manages to steal the spotlight from both Redford and Defoe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwrK0fyDgro&feature=related

5. State of Play (2009)
-There is so much going on in this thriller, which deals with the mysterious death of the aide of a congressman; not least of which is a surplus of characters all vying for the chance to stand out against leading men Crowe and Affleck. Yet the only one who succeeds is Mirren as a tough newspaper editor. Though its a supporting role (Mirren is onscreen for no more than 20 minutes) she literally has the power to stop the film whenever she comes on screen like any good performer can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ME87tEX9Qw

Congratulations Helen Mirren!!