The River

7. "The Gift" (2000): Before revolutionizing superhero blockbusters with the "Spider-Man" franchise, Sam Raimi found time to direct Blanchett in this odd thriller about a small-town fortune-teller blessed with some seriously strong psychic abilities. Naturally, this extraordinary... more talent comes in handy when a local hussy is found dead in the river and the authorities want to nab the culprit; it also makes her next in line to end up six feet under. It says a lot about Blanchett's chops that, amidst a gallery of Southern Gothic stereotypes -- amoral trophy wives, racist rednecks, white-trash waifs -- the movie's only halfway realistic character is the one with supernatural powers. The actress' earthy portrayal of this ESP-laden heroine keeps the movie grounded; there's no hint of caricature in her single mom struggling to get by. Never mind the heroine's Cassandra complex: It's Blanchett's presence that is the movie's real gift. (Everett Collection)