The Oscars have come and gone once again, but there are still some long overdue awards to handout. This list will honor those whom, save for one case, the Academy has generally overlooked. Warner Bros. Pictures' Batman franchise has been the beneficiary of some brilliant performances over the past 25 years and it's about time the very best were highlighted. This list will honor those who left an everlasting mark on one of Hollywood's most iconic and most historic franchises. The stars have already walked the virtual red carpet and taken their seats. There's no longwinded monologue to get through. Let's begin the fun with our first honoree.
10. Michelle Pfeiffer - Batman Returns
Say what you will about Tim Burton's second Batman film and its unconventional portrayal of The Dark Knight's most famous female friend/foe, but there's little doubt regarding the quality of Michelle Pfeiffer's performance. It really doesn't matter whether or not Pfeiffer played the Catwoman every fan wanted. What counts most is the way she kept the audience with her step for step through the complex evolutionary arc of her Selina Kyle. As a meek secretary, Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle was not an immediately recognizable symbol of feminine strength. It was, however, an effective starting point for a character whose near (or actual?) death experience emboldened her with the power one would have expected from Catwoman at the outset. But biggest achievement in the performance is what follows. While Danny Devito was busy making perverse puns as the sex-starved Penguin, Pfeiffer stood out by showing a woman who was emotionally unraveling just as quickly as the stitches were bursting in her homemade cat suit. In the process, Pfeiffer established Catwoman as simultaneously sexy, charismatic, crazy, and sympathetic. Most importantly, she made her character the most memorable component of the 1992 film.