Cameron Diaz is a decorated actress who has starred in a slew of unforgettable films that established her as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. Known for her charming and lovable persona and delightful performances, Diaz has famously appeared in blockbuster hits including There’s Something About Mary, Charlie’s Angels, Shrek, and My Best Friend’s Wedding,proving herself to be an exciting and illustrious on-screen presence.
After taking a step back from acting in order to focus on her family, Diaz thrilled her longtime fans when it was revealed she would be starring alongside Jamie Foxx in the upcoming Netflix film Back in Action. Let’s take a look at Cameron Diaz’s 15 best movies, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.
15 Any Given Sunday - 52%
Oliver Stone's 1999 sports drama Any Given Sunday is based on former NFL defensive end Pat Toomay's novel of the same name and provides an intimate look at what happens both on the field and off for the struggling professional football team the Miami Sharks. Touting a star-studded cast including Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, and Jamie Foxx, the film features Cameron Diaz as the ambitious co-owner and president of the team, who wants to see her team succeed at any cost while proving she can succeed in a male-dominated industry.
Any Given Sunday earned a mixed-bag response from critics, who felt the Stone flick suffered an uneven screenplay and grueling runtime but did praise it for accurately capturing the heart and spirit of the fan-favorite sport.
14 Knight and Day - 52%
Cameron Diaz partnered up with action legend Tom Cruise to headline the 2010 satirical action comedy Knight and Day, in which the charming actress portrays a savvy car restorer whose life gets turned completely upside when she meets a peculiar man on a plane, who just so happens to be a skilled secret agent being pursued by the CIA. The pair go on a globe-trotting adventure as they are chased by both the agency and a dangerous Spanish arms dealer.
While the performances of the film's magnetic leads garnered praise as well as its overall entertainment factor, critics weren't impressed by the run-of-the-mill and predictable plot and failure to fully embrace its parodying of the action spy genre.
13 Shrek Forever After - 57%
In the most recent installment of the beloved animated franchise, the 2010 comedy Shrek Forever After follows Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) as they adjust to life as parents, with the green-skinned, Scottish ogre struggling with his new role as a family man while longing for the simplicity of the old days. After signing a contract created by the scheming Rumpelstiltskin, Shrek is transported to an alternate reality that is far more dark and bleak than his previous existence, and he sets out to reunite with Fiona.
While some were growing disenchanted by the series by the time the fourth film was released, Shrek Forever After nonetheless dominated the box office and critics singled out its delightfully silly humor, engaging premise, and heartwarming message. Many were impressed by the animated film's It's a Wonderful Life-inspired story and felt it was a worthy conclusion to the celebrated franchise.
12 The Last Supper - 61%
The 1995 satirical black comedy The Last Supper centers on a group of opinionated, liberal-minded roommates and friends who begin to kill off hyper-conservatives they invite to dinner after initially killing a racist truck driver, believing they are doing a profound service to society by taking out the extreme-thinking individuals. The lively and edgy flick was the directorial debut of Stacy Title and had its worldwide premiere at the Toronto Film Festival where it debuted to positive reviews.
Both critics and audiences enjoyed the comedy's scathing commentary, provocative narration, and offbeat humor, and remains one of Diaz's more underrated film projects. The Last Supper was only Diaz's second movie, and it showcased both her acting prowess and ability to stand out in an ensemble-driven project.
11 She's the One - 62%
Diaz starred alongside Jennifer Aniston in the 1996 dramedy She's the One, which features the lovely leading ladies in a convoluted tale of romantic entanglements and marital chaos in New York City. The picture chronicles the marriages of brothers Francis and Mickey Fitzpatrick (Mike McGlone and Edward Burns) as their relationships become complicated by the arrival of Mickey's unfaithful ex-fiancée Heather (Diaz), who causes a wedge between the siblings and their respective partners.
The actress did a fantastic job taking on the role of the temptress Heather, brilliantly bringing charisma to the adulterous character who could have easily been instantly unlikable. Critics found She's the One to be a solid relationship comedy that analyzes the male perspective, and was another worthy project by director and star Edward Burns.
10 Charlie's Angels - 68%
Diaz embraced her butt-kicking side when she appeared opposite Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu in the 2000 blockbuster action comedy Charlie's Angels, chronicling the lives of the fierce and fabulous private investigators Natalie Cook, Dylan Sanders, and Alex Munday as they take on bad guys and save the world while working for their mysterious boss Charlie Townsend. Based on the popular '70s television series of the same name, the film launched a lucrative film series that helped establish the dynamic stars as bona fide movie stars and led to two sequels.
Charlie's Angels was a massive hit with audiences and attracted mainly positive feedback from critics, with the actresses' dazzling performances and chemistry earning rave reviews in addition to its playful humor and action sequences. They enjoyed the fun factor of the film and appreciated how it never took itself too seriously while also successfully paying homage to the original show.
9 Gangs of New York - 72%
Martin Scorsese's Oscar-nominated 2002 historical drama Gangs of New York is a star-studded extravaganza led by Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cameron Diaz, and takes place in 1863 in the slum of the Five Points Lower-Manhattan neighborhood, where a tenacious Irish immigrant sets out to get revenge on the man who killed his father, Bill the Butcher, the leader of a dangerous street gang. Diaz appears as the grifter and skilled pickpocket Jenny Everdeane, who catches the eye of DiCaprio's Amsterdam Vallon and serves as his confidante and love interest.
Gangs of New York garnered 10 Academy Award nominations and Diaz earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role as the spitfire Jenny, though some critics felt her character was underutilized compared to Day-Lewis and DiCaprio's counterparts. The gripping drama also earned acclaim for its stunning visuals, thrilling revenge tale, and insightful look at American history.
8 My Best Friend's Wedding - 74%
Julia Roberts portrayed a woman on a mission to break up her longtime pal's upcoming nuptials after realizing she's in love with him in the fan-favorite 1997 romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding, which stars Dermot Mulroney as the newly-realized object of her affection and Cameron Diaz as his lovely bride-to-be. The winning rom-com was a massive critical and commercial hit, grossing nearly $300 million at the box office and receiving an A- CinemaScore from moviegoers while firmly establishing Roberts as a rom-com queen.
My Best Friend's Wedding has gone on to become a celebrated staple of its genre and is widely regarded as one of the best romantic comedies of all time. Fans loved seeing the winning dynamic of the dynamic cast and appreciated its realistic and bittersweet ending that often isn't seen in popular film style.
7 In Her Shoes - 75%
Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette appear as polar opposite sisters struggling to relate to one another in the 2005 romantic dramedy In Her Shoes, chronicling the relationship between party girl Maggie (Diaz) and career-driven Rose (Collette) as they discover they have a grandmother they never knew about (Shirley MacLaine) who brings profound enlightenment to the pair.
For her spirited performance in the adaption of the Jennifer Weiner novel, MacLaine earned both a Golden Globe and Satellite Award nomination, and the lead actresses' endearing chemistry and stellar portrayals were raved about by both critics and audiences alike.
6 Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her - 76%
Featuring an impressive ensemble cast including Glenn Close, Calista Flockhart, Holly Hunter, and Cameron Diaz, the 2000 romantic drama Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her chronicles the lives of five very different California women whose paths become loosely intertwined, as the picture examines their own respective life struggles and heartaches. Diaz stars as the deeply-perceptive social butterfly Carol Faber, who is treated like a child by her caring-but-overbearing sister because of her blindness but remains optimistic about life and her future.
Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her won the Un Certain Regard Award at the Cannes Film Festival and was lauded as an emotionally-driven character study, with Diaz's compelling portrayal stealing the show with her role as the "wisecracking aplomb" in the exceptional ensemble cast.
5 The Mask - 80%
Cameron Diaz made her cinematic debut when she shared the screen with the hilarious funny man Jim Carrey in the 1994 superhero comedy The Mask, focusing on the hapless bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss, who comes out of his shell and embraces his wild side after discovering a magical green mask that transforms him into the mischievous titular troublemaker. Diaz became a certified leading lady when she portrayed the beautiful singer Tina Carlyle, who captures the attention of Stanley both in and out of his mask form.
The Maskhelped firmly establish Carrey as one of Hollywood's most buzzed about comedic performers and launched Diaz's illustrious career, earning over $350 million at the box office and becoming a massive mainstream hit. The '90s juggernaut also went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects for its spellbinding visuals.
4 There's Something About Mary - 84%
Diaz delivered a fearless and side-splitting performance as the eponymous lead character in the epic 1998 romantic comedy There's Something About Mary. The film stars Ben Stiller as successful magazine writer Ted Stroehmann, who attempts to rectify an embarrassing past mishap with the girl of his dreams by hiring private investigator Pat Healy (Matt Dillion) to locate her. When Pat sabotages their potential love connection after showing interest in Mary, Ted sets out to win her over and makes things right.
The sensational '90s classic won Diaz numerous accolades including a New York Film Critics Circle Award and a Golden Globe nod and has since landed on numerous critics' lists as one of the best releases of the year and greatest comedies of all time.
3 Shrek - 88%
The cherished and massively entertaining 2001 animated fantasy comedy Shrek famously follows the titular grumpy ogre as he embarks on a journey with a fast-talking donkey to rescue a princess in order to find peace and solace in his beloved swamp after it becomes overwhelmed by fairy tale characters. With a fantastic cast of Hollywood heavy hitters like Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and John Lithgow, it helped launch an enduring and exciting franchise that both old and young viewers can't get enough of.
Lauded for its charming voice performances, playful humor, and impressive visuals, Shrek became one of the most influential and respected animated releases of the 2000s and grossed over $491 million. It became the first animated movie since 1953's Peter Pan to compete for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
2 Shrek 2 - 89%
The highly-anticipated follow-up to the original hit, 2004's Shrek 2 focuses on the happy and in-love ogres Shrek and Fiona as they travel to meet the princess' parents in the kingdom of Far Far Away and prepare for their upcoming nuptials, but become the targets of the scheming Fairy Godmother who plots to have Fiona marry her son Prince Charming. The second installment features newcomers like Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, and John Cleese and like its predecessor dominated the box office and was a knockout with critics.
Banderas' character Puss in Boots became one of numerous brights spots in the film, and the delightful vocal chemistry between the original trio Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz was front and center. It held the record for being the highest-grossing animated film of all time for six years, until Pixar's Toy Story 3 surpassed it in 2010, though it too no longer holds the crown.
1 Being John Malkovich - 94%
.jpeg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
In the 1999 surrealist fantasy dramedy Being John Malkovich, the esteemed and illustrious actor portrays a fictionalized version of himself, and features John Cusack as an unemployed puppeteer who discovers a wondrous portal that leads straight to the mind of the eponymous movie star. Cameron Diaz appears as the puppeteer's restless pet-loving wife, shedding her glamorous image to co-star in the eccentric cult classic. Roger Ebert raved about her performance, noting, "one of the best-looking women in movies...here looks so dowdy we hardly recognize her...Diaz has fun with her talent by taking it incognito to strange places and making it work for a living."
Being John Malkovich premiered to widespread critical acclaim, earning praise for its sharp screenplay and superb direction by Spike Jonze and receiving three Oscar nominations. Diaz was nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA for her against-type role, demonstrating her impressive range as an actress.
Comments
Post a Comment