Scarlett Johansson: five best moments

This week, Scarlett Johansson returns to her role as the Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the sequel to The Avengers (here's Mark Kermode's review). It's a role she will also return to for the third installment, Avengers: Age of Ultron, slated for 2015. While there's probably no better Kick-Ass superhero than Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl, Johansson plays the Black Widow with gusto and guts, high-kicks and witty quips.

Johansson has also been praised recently for her turn as an alien with a convincing British accent in the low-budget sci-fi film, Under the Skin, which Peter Bradshaw gave a five star review. Two days ago, the incredible trailer for Luc Besson's Lucy was released, in which Johansson plays the titular role, a drug mule who turns into a metahuman with extended brain power after ingesting the substance she is carrying.

Here, we take a look at five previous Scarlett Johansson performances, which we think are among her best. What would you pick? Let us know in the comment thread below.

Ghost World

A quite delightful tale of oddballs and freaky geeks, Ghost World was a Terry Zwigoff-directed coming-of-age tale with added 50s records and milkshakes. Johansson is brilliant as Rebecca, the quietly cynical, eye-rolling best friend of Thora Birch's Enid. The way the pair diverge over the course of the film is a perfectly rendered example of how we often grow out of friends we made at school.

The Horse Whisperer

You can never know where you're at with child actors. You might get the endearing brilliance of an Abigail Breslin, or you might get the gurning of a young Rupert Grint. In The Horse Whisperer, a 14-year-old Johansson gives a strong performance as Grace MacLean, who has been involved in a tragic accident when out riding her horse. It's something she could definitely watch back and not be unduly embarrassed by.

Lost in Translation

It's been ten years and the internet is still rife with speculation as to what Bill Murray actually whispered to Johansson at the end of this film. The unexpected chemistry between the two, as washed-up actor Bob and bored newlywed Charlotte, landed Lost in Translation a loyal following. Their relationship is at times romantic, at times more like a parent and child. Johansson does a great job of representing the vulnerability of youth, but also the spontaneity. Perhaps one of the first examples of the quarter-life crisis portrayed on screen.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Johansson is inspiring in Woody Allen's Spanish caper, which was fun of feisty passion and artistic neuroses and a lot of really, really good looking people. It was her second Allen film after her turn in the quite awful Match Point. The banter between Johansson and Penelope Cruz as the ex-girlfriend of Johansson's lover is hilarious. Well worth a watch.

Her

Somehow, without actually appearing on screen, Johansson manages to be one of the best things about Spike Jonze's technological love story. In a role which was originally recorded by Samantha Morton, Johansson plays the operating system which Joaquin Phoenix's Theodore falls in love with. One of the best scenes is this one, below, in which Johansson sings The Moon Song (written by Karen O). Singing is not new for Johansson – she has previously recorded a Tom Waits cover album.