The Best and Worst of Kate Winslet

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 "Wonder Wheel" star Kate Winslet.

Films starring Kate Winslet that I've seen:
Hamlet
Titanic
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Little Children
The Reader
Contagion
Movie 43
Divergent
Insurgent
Steve Jobs
Triple 9

Best Performance: Little Children (2006)
Out of the handful of Winslet's Oscar-nominated performances that I've seen, this was the one I was most impressed with by a substantial margin. Winslet is a nice mix of vulnerable, delusional, unlikable and empathetic as a lonely housewife who strikes up an affair with a stay-at-home dad (Patrick Wilson) whose similarly bored by his marriage and the monotony of suburban life.

Worst Performance: Triple 9 (2016)
Overacting is an underappreciated skill in the world of acting and cases like Winslet's miscalculated turn as a powerful mob boss in Triple 9 prove that even the most esteemed actors in the world don't always have this showy technique in their repertoire. Her underwhelming scenery-chewing behind a terrible Russian accent and wild hairstyle that screams stereotypical villain proved to be the weak link in an otherwise well-acted grimy crime drama.

Best Film: Steve Jobs (2015)
Plain and simple, the world needs more biopics like Steve Jobs. Thanks to the sharp writing of Aaron Sorkin and energetic direction of Danny Boyle, the life of Steve Jobs is turned into an intense, endearing and non-linear 3-act play that accentuates the late Apple CEO's ego, condescending nature and brilliant business mind.

Worst Film: Titanic (1997)
Fuck Jack and Rose's forbidden love. Fuck Cal and his steel fortune. Fuck that necklace. Fuck the iceberg for not sinking this ship full of insufferable assholes sooner. Fuck that stupid Celine Dion Song. Fuck the $2+ billion this grossed worldwide. And double fuck James Cameron for following up this hilariously over-the-top piece of Kleenex porn with the equally shitty Avatar.  

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 "Just Getting Started" star Tommy Lee Jones .