All 10 Best Emma Stone Movies Ranked (Best to Worst)

Yorgos Lanthimos constructs a surrealist, Victorian-era wonderland where painterly aesthetics collide with radical philosophy. The film charts a reanimated woman's accelerating intellectual and carnal awakening against an eccentric, patriarchal world of exquisite design. Stone offers an astonishing, physicalized tour de force as Bella Baxter, calibrating every twitch, fractured cadence, and defiant assertion of personal freedom. She sheds conventional vanity completely, delivering an audacious display of comic bravura and profound soulfulness that won her a well-deserved second Oscar.

Damien Chazelle's sun-drenched, melancholic musical breathes modern vitality into vintage Hollywood glamour, balancing primary-colored joy against the harsh compromises of artistic ambition. The story tracks two dreamers whose romantic bliss fractures under professional reality. As Mia, Stone provides the film's beating heart. Her audition sequence during 'Audition (The Fools Who Dream)' is an emotional masterclass, translating aching longing and fragility into transcendent screen presence that rightfully secured her first Academy Award for Best Actress.

Alejandro G. Iñárritu's breathless, simulated single-take marvel captures backstage Broadway neuroticism with kinetic ferocity, following a washed-up superhero star attempting artistic redemption. The narrative buzzes with claustrophobic tension and sharp industry cynicism. Stone cuts straight through the bravura technical display as Sam, the recovering addict daughter watching her father unravel. Her blistering rooftop monologue stands as the film's dramatic epicenter, landing an Oscar nomination and demonstrating her immense dramatic power.

Tate Taylor's adaptation of the 1960s Mississippi drama centers on domestic workers confronting systemic racism in the Jim Crow South, carried by an exceptional ensemble cast. While the narrative occasionally softens historical brutality, its dramatic punches land squarely thanks to genuine warmth and moral urgency. Stone acts as the pivotal narrative catalyst, portraying aspiring journalist Skeeter Phelan. She plays the role with quiet resolve and sharp intelligence, grounding the ensemble without ever overshadowing the essential work of Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer.

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa's stylish romantic comedy revitalizes modern relationship tropes with genuinely sharp writing and crisp pacing, weaving multiple threads of heartbreak and rediscovery across generations. Stone's electric entrance opposite Ryan Gosling ignites the picture; their immediate, screwball-flavored rapport remains the film's absolute highlight. She handles rapid-fire banter and vulnerable yearning with effortless charm, solidifying her status as a premiere romantic lead of the era.

Ruben Fleischer's riotous horror-comedy turns the post-apocalyptic road movie into an inventive playground of gore, carnival set pieces, and inventive survivor survival rules. It thrives on brisk pacing, dark visual humor, and infectious momentum. Stone injects cold-eyed cynicism and street smarts into Wichita, the protective grifter sister who refuses to lower her guard. Her deadpan timing and flinty edge kept the film grounded, preventing its gonzo zombie violence from descending into pure absurdity.

Craig Gillespie reframes the iconic Disney villain against the vibrant backdrop of 1970s London's punk rock revolution, staging a cutthroat high-fashion duel between rival aesthetics. Supported by opulent production design and an aggressive soundtrack, the film embraces unapologetic camp and swagger. Stone revels in the dual identity of timid Estella and vicious Cruella, commanding the screen with manic theatricality, wild costume transformations, and a delightfully theatrical British accent that carries the bloated running time.

Marc Webb's superhero relaunch aims for gritty, character-driven emotional stakes, focusing heavily on teenage alienation, shadowy corporate experiments, and the guilt fueling a costumed vigilante. While narrative beats echo familiar origins, the film shines during its quieter moments. Stone provides the beating emotional core as Gwen Stacy, sidestepping typical damsel tropes to present an exceptionally sharp, proactive partner. Her sparkling, effortless chemistry with Andrew Garfield elevates the entire blockbuster above its formulaic constraints.

Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders's vibrant prehistoric adventure uses striking creature designs and dynamic kinetic animation to explore generational clashes and humanity's terrifying step into the unknown. The narrative keeps things straightforward, emphasizing physical gags and heartfelt family bonding. Stone lends her raspy, expressive vocal talents to Eep, the rebellious eldest daughter yearning for independence beyond dark cave walls. Her kinetic vocal delivery infuses the family unit with infectious rebellious spirit and authentic adolescent wonder.

Burdened by studio franchise obligations, this sequel buckles under crowded subplots, jarring tonal shifts, and an oversaturation of villains competing for screen real estate. Despite visual ambition and slick web-slinging action, the central arc feels fragmented. Stone's Gwen Stacy remains the narrative's saving grace, offering luminous warmth and tragic depth. Her fateful, clock tower confrontation delivers the franchise's most devastating, emotionally resonant beat, proving her ability to dignify messy material.