The Best and Worst of Scarlett Johansson

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Ghost in the Shell" star Scarlett Johansson.

Films starring Scarlett Johansson that I've seen:
The Perfect Score
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
The Island
Match Point
The Prestige
Vicky Christina Barcelona 
The Spirit 
Iron Man 2
We Bought a Zoo
The Avengers
Don Jon
Her
Under the Skin
Captain America: The Winter Solider
Chef
Lucy
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Hail, Caesar!
The Jungle Book
Captain America: Civil War

Best Performance: Her (2013)
Johansson's resume has largely been defined by competent albeit unspectacular performances in great movies (The Prestige, Match Point, The Avengers). However, every once in a while she'll break that pattern and turn in some truly remarkable work. Of the moments of brilliance she's displayed over the years, her awards-worthy turn as the OS Samantha in Her is the clear standout. In what is one of the most impressive pieces of acting in recent memory, Johansson uses just her voice to give an endearing, sensual and ultimately devastating performance.  

Worst Performance: Under the Skin (2014)
Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin is the type of film that is so painfully inept that it manages to taint the reputation of everyone involved. Since Johansson is the lead and only trained actor in the film's cast, she is forced to absorb the brunt of the blame for the film's spectacular failure. As an alien that drives around Scotland and seduces/murders humans to keep herself alive on Earth, Johansson manages to be awkward and disengaged to the point where you're forced to question whether or not she has a pulse.

Best Film: The Avengers (2012)
Marvel's Iron Man/Captain America/Thor/Hulk team-up movie The Avengers did the nearly-impossible by delivering the goods after five years of absurd hype from comic book fans. Thanks to Joss Whedon's (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) solid writing and confident direction, The Avengers managed to be an incredibly fun superhero ass-kicking fest that took Marvel's cinematic universe to soaring new heights.

Worst Film: Under the Skin (2014)
About once a year, I'll watch something that is so terrible that I temporarily forget about the deep love I have for movies. In 2014, Under the Skin was that film. Using constant long shots of various nature landscapes, a non-linear narrative and a cast of mostly non-actors having improvised conversations, this surrealist sci-fi drama about an alien (Johansson) living in Scotland tries unbelievably hard to be a profound look at the human experience, but in reality has as much to say about life on earth as the Transformers franchise.  Under the Skin is a lumbering, pretentious pile of pseudo-intellectual trash that embodies everything I hate about independent cinema and is easily one of the most painful viewing experiences I've ever endured in my brief lifetime.  

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Going in Style" star Alan Arkin.