Happy Birthday to Jennifer Jason Leigh, who turns 54 tomorrow!
Leigh is of course up for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in The Hateful Eight at the end of this month so it seemed like a good time to do a top ten. BUT! I have not yet seen The Hateful Eight… I will at some point as I do like Tarantino and then I suppose I can update this list as I’m hoping it’ll easily make the top ten??
At the moment, I’ve seen exactly ten of Leigh’s films (the other one that I really want to see besides The Hateful Eight is Rush). So, right now, these are My Top Ten Jennifer Jason Leigh MOVIES (not roles), counting down to my favorite:
**Updated March 2018 to add The Hateful Eight, Good Time & Annihilation**
13. Single White Female (Guilty pleasure, though)
12. Backdraft
11. The Hateful Eight (Didn’t love it but Leigh was great)
TOP TEN:
10. Dolores Claiborne
8. Good Time
7. Annihilation
5. The Jacket
4. Road To Perdition
3. The Hitcher
2. eXistenZ
1. Fast Times At Ridgemont High
Cinema Parrot Disco 
The absolute best role JJ Leigh has ever played is that of Tralala in “The Last Exit To Brooklyn!” An absolutely stunning performance in a brutally stunning film!
She is the daughter of Vic Morrow, who was tragically killed in the making of the film “Twilight Zone……The Movie!”
Yeah, I knew that about her being Vic Morrow’s daughter but not until years after that happened. How sad. (And that TV show is my favorite show ever!) I’ve never seen Last Exit To Brooklyn. I suppose I should – she’s really grown on me in the past few years. 🙂
Nice picture tribute for JJ. I’m glad she’s been nominated. She’s had a quiet yet persistent career, hasn’t she?
Yes, she has! She’s really grown on me in the past few years even though I’ve grown up on her movies ever since Fast Times. I’m really glad she’s been nominated too (even if I’ve not seen that movie yet… 😉 lol)
One extraordinary actress. She’s been great in everything I’ve seen with her in it. Wonderful top ten.
Yeah – I’ve started really liking her even more in the last few years or so. Really glad she’s nominated for an Oscar. Now I just have to see the movie! 🙂
Saw ‘The Hateful Eight’ again over the weekend. She’s really great in it.
Again?? So, you’ve spent over six hours watching The Hateful Eight??? 😉 I really want to but I think I’ve missed out on it in the cinema. 😦
I saw the “road show” 70mm film presentation first, with its prologue and scheduled intermission. This time was the “digital” version most saw. The former offers better pacing, though longer than the latter. “H8teful” has its excesses*, but she’s not among them.
* I get the feeling the late-Sally Menke would have curbed QT’s of late. But that’s just me. 😉
Wow! You must have a lot of patience. 😉 I (obviously) love my films but more & more I find myself looking at the running times & often choosing to watch whatever film is shortest. That’s why I kept putting off The Hateful Eight. But I shouldn’t have. 😦 I did see Grindhouse with all the fake trailers & everything, though! Of course, that was my pre-parent days… 🙂
I hear you about “pre-parent days”. Now that my kids are older, it’s costing me a mint to go to the movies (with them in tow*). 😉
* ‘course I now do ‘senior’ pricing for me 🙂
Lol. Well… Mine still likes going to a lot of movies too. But it’ll be years before she can go to a Tarantino film. 😉
I liked her so much just for her voice acting in Anomalisa. That’s how good it was.
Hmm. I guess I better watch that, then! I thought Johansson was great as just a voice in Her – I thought she could have been nominated for an Oscar. 🙂
Yes exactly, in fact I mentioned how they were so good in my recent post on my favourite supporting actress performances for 2015. Check it out if you have time! https://filmandnuance.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/best-supporting-actressess-of-2015-my-picks-prizes-to-be-won/
I’d forgotten she was in The Hitcher
Really?! Probably one of her most famous roles. Thanks to that one really memorable scene… 🙂
I saw it years and years ago before I knew who any of them any were. And whatever scene could you possibly mean…? haha.
Hehe. Oh, yeah…. You’re young! 😉 I’ve grown up with her since Fast Times so have always known her. Because I’m old. 😦
You’re the youngest person I know (see comment in a previous post)
No, no. I just LOOK 21…. 😉
And you act 21 🙂
No, no. I act 12. ;-p
I still like Malcolm in the Middle and still identify more with the kids so I’m with you on that one haha.
Oh, I still identify with the kids in old shows if I was the same age as them when I saw that show. But with new TV shows, I’m finding that I identify with the adults now. Dammit. I don’t want to be an adult. 😦
Well Lois did seem to have fun than her kids (and I include her husband Hal on that haha) https://alexraphael.wordpress.com/2015/01/31/lines-of-the-day-malcolminthemiddle/
Oh, I didn’t really identify with HER. She was kind of a bitch. 😉
Then you’re totally still a kid 🙂
The Hateful Eight, Rush and Georgia are three of her best performances.
So…. I suppose I should actually watch these three & then revisit this top ten? 😉 At least I had no ties! Unlike my top ten coming up this Thursday… Hehehe! 🙂
All three of those movies are tied for first place and my second favorite would be Single White Female. SWF being my second favorite movie of hers even though there are three movies ahead of it. (you brought it up)
Hahaha! EXACTLY. That would make it your second favorite. Now you’re getting it!! 😉 (It’s Leonardo DiCaprio next. His Top Ten has Eleven) :-p
Great picks! I always forget she was Vic Morrow’s daughter. Talk about a horrific tragedy!
Thanks! 🙂 Yeah, I knew that but then also forgot about it until more recently. It’s weird that it’s not actually mentioned that much – the younger generation don’t seem to know about that Twilight Zone incident.
Oh man, I’ll never forget the day I was able to put 2-and-2 together. I always thought that blond girl from Fast Times was familiar looking. So I looked up the cast of that and found that it was Jennifer Jason Leigh. *mind. blown.* This was just right before I saw The Hateful Eight. Lol.
Lol! (Seriously??) Oh, that’s right. You’re young. That’s okay, then. I guess….. Since you didn’t grow up with her like I did. Because I’m an old fart. 😉
I’m an old fart at heart. Fast Times is one of all-time favorite flicks. I can’t believe it took me so long to realize it was her in that hahaha! #trueluv #ballz
HA! This still kind of cracks me up…. 😉
#ballZ!
Her motor-mouth performance in the Coens The Hudsucker Proxy is something you’ll either love or hate, but suits the movie perfectly. Great post.
Thanks! 🙂 Yet another one I’ve not seen! I’ve apparently missed out on a lot of her best films. But I suppose I can always update this post as I watch more. 🙂
I love her as an actress, she delivers such exceptional work in movies.
Agreed! She’s really grown on me the past few years. 🙂
I like how she chooses unconventional roles.
She does! I respect that far more than those who always play it safe. 🙂
I think it’s better to take risks than just be conventional.
Definitely! 🙂
I clearly haven’t seen enough of her work. This list alone, which I’m neutral on, I learned about so many films I didn’t know she was in! Wow! Thanks!
Well, you’re welcome! 😉 Glad I could introduce you to more of her movies. I’ve actually missed out on quite a few of her films. 🙂
It’s nice that you and her are the same age
It would be nice to chain you to a big truck & rip you in half. 😉
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