Winona Ryder’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows, According To Metacritic
The current generation best knows Winona Ryder through Stranger Things. But what other critical gems make up the Metacritic scores in her filmography?
Winona Ryder is back onscreen with the premiere of the fourth season of Stranger Things. The actress was also seen earlier in 2022 in the thriller film The Cow. Although the current viewership generation sees Stranger Things as her greatest success, Ryder’s filmography extends back three decades with a number of critical hits.
The best way to assess which films and shows featuring Winona Ryder are of the highest quality is through the use of Metacritic scores. Since these use a weighted average model, there’s no doubt that the top titles are the pick of the bunch. Whether it’s a supporting role in a science fiction project like Star Trek or a lead part in the period drama Little Women, Ryder has a fine body of work that should be checked out.
10 A Scanner Darkly (2006) - 73
Stream On Kanopy
This adult-animated science fiction thriller is set in the near future where the protagonist is an undercover agent looking to infiltrate the drug underworld. However, he becomes addicted himself and is involved with the drug dealer he’s supposed to be spying on.
A Scanner Darkly features a well-known cast, including Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., and Woody Harrelson. Ryder plays the drug dealer Reeves’ character falls for and is highly interesting due to the mystery surrounding her real identity. The film was praised for depicting the paranoia that comes with addiction, which is portrayed through its animated style.
9 Edward Scissorhands (1990) - 74
Stream On Disney+
Winona Ryder is one of the most iconic actresses from the ‘90s, with this feature kickstarting her dominance of the decade. Edward Scissorhands is about the titular character who has scissor blades for hands and falls in love with the teenage daughter of the family that takes him in.
The chemistry between Ryder and Johnny Depp was praised by critics and viewers for stealing the show. Tim Burton’s direction received additional praise for creating a gothic-style world that nevertheless made audiences feel bad for Edward and the lead characters’ tragic love story.
8 Frankenweenie (2012) - 74
Stream On Disney+
An homage to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this stop motion animation takes on an alternate story. Frankenweenie depicts a young Viktor Frankenstein reviving his dead dog, Sparky, which has the side effect of other people resurrecting their pets to cause mayhem around the town.
Winona Ryder voices Elsa Van Helsing, the kind neighbor of Viktor’s who assists him in gathering up the stray undead pets. Critics loved Frankenweenie’s heartfelt story and comedy horror that appeals to both older and younger audiences. Despite the undead outline of the story, there’s an innocence about the way the movie is presented.
7 Stranger Things (2016-) - 74
Stream On Netflix
While the cast of Stranger Things has been involved in other projects, fans of the series mainly care about their work in this dark fantasy horror. Stranger Things is Winona Ryder’s first TV series where she has a regular role, playing Joyce Byers as she attempts to keep her family safe in the dangerous town of Hawkins.
The show has been a major hit upon arrival, becoming one of the major tentpole franchises for Netflix. Ryder and the ensemble cast bring the series together, with each season focusing on the town residents battling mysterious creatures from a realm known as the Upside Down.
6 Lucas (1986) - 75
Not Currently Available To Stream
Lucas is Winona Ryder’s first acting credit, where she plays Rina, the friend of the titular character. The story is about Lucas attempting to win the heart of a pretty cheerleader, only to be crushed when he learns she’s started a relationship with a boy whom Lucas sees as an older brother figure.
The character of Rina secretly has feelings for Lucas that she sets aside to support her friend, in a role that brought eyes toward Ryder’s performance for impressing at a young age. Lucas was praised for being a feel-good coming-of-age story where characters are kind to each other, a departure from the usual ‘80s style where high school clique mentality was commonplace in films.
5 Black Swan (2010) - 79
Stream On Hulu
In this psychological thriller, Natalie Portman plays Nina Sayers, a ballerina who gradually loses her grip on reality when she becomes obsessed with winning the lead role in a play. Winona Ryder appears as Beth MacIntyre, the original prima ballerina who’s cast aside by Nina’s involvement.
Although Ryder doesn’t have the biggest role in the movie, her character sets Nina’s descent into madness into motion by creating the obsessive streak within her. There are many subtle clues to Black Swan’s twist ending, with Ryder’s embittered Beth providing some of these.
4 Experimenter (2015) - 81
Stream On Fubo TV
Experimenter is a biographical drama about the real-life Milgram experiment by Stanley Milgram. Peter Sarsgaard plays the main character while Winona Ryder appears as Sasha Milgram, with the film depicting their meeting and eventual marriage.
The core aspect of Experimenter is about the ethics of the Milgram Experiment, which involves subjects thinking they are doling out shocks to people when the latter "victims" are actually safe. The film was praised for using a fact-based narrative that didn’t compromise on the gripping nature of the experiments.
3 Star Trek (2009) - 82
Stream On Paramount+
Winona Ryder has a supporting role in Star Trek, which rebooted the science fiction film series. She plays Amanda Grayson, the human mother of the Vulcan Spock. Amanda isn’t onscreen much, but her death sets up Spock’s emotional journey to come to terms with his human side.
Star Trek marked a departure from Ryder’s usual film appearances, being a big-budget feature that had many action set pieces. Her appearance was praised for adding an emotional element to the film, along with how Ryder became accustomed to a new genre without any difficulty.
2 Little Women (1994) - 87
Stream On Netflix
It’s common to find arguments for why the 2019 Little Women might be better than the 1994 film since the former is more recent. However, Winona Ryder’s version remains well-received, with the role of Jo March garnering her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
The film depicts Jo’s struggles to become an author during and after the American Civil War while dealing with everyday problems she and her sisters face. Little Women can be seen as the peak of Ryder’s critical acclaim, as it came after a series of other popular projects.
1 The Age Of Innocence (1993) - 90
Stream On Pluto TV
Martin Scorcese isn’t usually associated with period dramas, but The Age of Innocence happens to be among his best-reviewed films. The story is about lawyer Newland Archer, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, who’s engaged to marry Ryder’s May Welland but falls in love with another woman.
The Age of Innocence brought Winona Ryder her first Oscar nomination, receiving a nod for Best Supporting Actress. Her character is the most likable in the movie as the dutiful and understanding May, with Archer’s conflict coming from staying faithful to her. The Age of Innocence’s success continued Ryder’s hot streak that would grow in the ensuing years.
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