Sometimes it's about the girls

There are some performances given by a bunch of young (or younger) actresses that I really can't wait to see regardless of the degree of my interest in the movies they're in.

Yup, list time.

Carey Mulligan Shame

I keep reading wonderful things. I really liked her in An Education and she seems to be great in a different way in "Shame" which is just amazing news!

Glenn Close Alber Nobbs

People seem to really like the performance and it's in the Oscar conversation so I have many reasons to want to see this.

Meryl Streep The Iron Lady

Too obvious!

Kate Winslet Carnage

Even more so!

Elizabeth Olsen Martha Marcy May Marlene

Great reviews for the film and the performance. Plus, I really liked the trailer.

Tilda Swinton We Need To Talk About Kevin

In the "too obvious" category as well.

Mia Wasikowska Jane Eyre

I hear she's wonderful. The same about the film.

Michelle Williams My Week With Marilyn

Good actress. Oscar potential. Intriguing match of actress and role. Anything could happen.

Rachel Weisz The Deep Blue Sea

Haven't read/seen the play but it seems like a good role for a good actress.

Vanessa Redgrave Coriolanus

The things I read! I'm expecting her to floor me!

Janet McTeer Albert Nobbs

A talented actress who, I read, is pretty good in the movie.

Judi Dench My Week With Marilyn

I'm not familiar with Dame Sybil Thorndike but a Dame playing another Dame is pretty interesting, especially when you love one of them. And I do. I love you Judi!




"You mean I'm not enough??"

Tough Love

I can't, for the life of me, choose a favorite still from my favorite movie of all time but I managed to pick one that I really like even if it's low-key compared to others that I almost chose.

Here it is:



This is when Belle takes care of the Beast's wound. He got it while saving Belle from the wolfs. But she wouldn't have to face the wolfs if he hadn't scared her. But he wouldn't have scared her if she hadn't gone to the West Wing. Couples....

Belle takes care of the Beast's wound and though they're both still upset about what the one did to the other, things are getting a little softer and sweeter between the protagonists. The Beast proved he is not just a jerk but a jerk with potential for something better than that.

I bet other Disney princesses are jealous that they didn't inspire any dramatically positive changes on their husbands' personality. They didn't really have to but isn't it better when you do?

Who's bad?

Do you remember the last shot of Norman Bates where he has a smile on his face because he believes (actually, "she", the mother believes) he has found a way to fool everyone?

Well, that same look (though less creepy) is on Marion Crane's face when, while driving, she realizes that even if she is in a dangerous situation, she has managed to do what they didn't expect. She has taken the money and the poor people who thought they knew her are right where she left them, wondering how that thing could have happened.

We first see her worried but a moment later she lets herself feel proud because, for once, she acted like a clever, nasty girl and is pretty close to getting away with it. Well, let's leave it at that so that we won't rain on the poor girl's parade.













PS: Yes, I can post pictures of people who are not named "Leigh". I just don't want to ;)

I'm not. that. innocent

If we were to compare Blanche to an animal, a delicate kitten in need would seem quite right. And indeed, she tries to make clear she needs people to take care of her.
Thornton Wilder had told Williams that Blanche is too complex a character for the stage. Williams replied: "But Thornton... People are complex."

So, as fragile as Blanche may be, she's not only that. In this scene, she is reminded of the desire that forced her to leave Oriel in the form of a young boy. At first, she's not sure how to react because we're all a little slow when we have just woken up. But awake she now is and after a few moments we see this kitty transforming into a panther and employing all her tricks to capture the little deer, though she soon realises she can't really do much with it..him.

If Blanche were a recovering alcoholic who, in the beginning of the film is sober and trying to stay that way, this shot captures the moment she is presented with a glass of wine. Or, as she might say: The tarantula has just spotted a fly.

Another year, another list

I'm ashamed to come back only to provide you with this nothing post but that's how it is. As many have and will do, I share my "I can't wait", "I'm very interested" and "I'll probably see this" 2011 thoughts.
My most anticipated movies of 2011 are:

1) Mildred Pierce
2) Carnage
3) We Need to Talk About Kevin
4) A Dangerous Method
5) Shame
6) Hugo Cabret
7) Wuthering Heights
8) Jane Eyre
9) The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
10) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
11) Melancholia
12) The Deep Blue Sea
13) Drive
14) The Iron Lady
15) My Week with Marilyn
16) Midnight in Paris
17) Pariah
18) One Day
19) The Moth Diaries
20) This Must Be the Place
21) The Descendants
22) Young Adult
23) Take Shelter

OK, so Mildred Pierce is a TV movie. Yeah, but, who cares, right?
I hear you, Carnage is set for 2012 so far, you say. Well, I think (and hope, duh) this will change.
Two Winslets at the two highest places you say? But.. don't you know me at all?
My love for actresses is the no1 reason for the high placement of movies no1,2,3 and partly 4 and 5.
Keira and Carey both get to be very talented AND co-star with Fassbender? Life's not fair, I tell ya.
I put Wuthering Heights above Jane Eyre not only because whenever I say it in my head, I recall (and start singing) Kate Bush's masterpiece, but also because I haven't read Heights and I haven't seen any film adaptations and to make a long story short I actually don't know anything about the story. OK, Bush kind of told me a few things and I vaguely remember stuff from things I've read about the book but everything will be pretty much be a surprise.
Two films by directors that are regarded as gods in the movie world, Tintin and Hugo Cabret are there because of many reasons. They pay me. No, unfortunately...
Well, I'm always willing to get interested in a Spielberg movie and this seems like it could be fun and... OK what's the story of Tintin again? I'm noit even sure I know enough things about this guy. Anyway, OK if it wasn't such a noisy project it would probably be lower or even out of the list but Spielberg is talented and the visuals impressed the silly kid that still hides somewhere in my mind (I'll get you or my ever-growing cynicism will kill you someday).
Hugo Cabret... Let's see. Scorsese interests me less than Spielberg, to be frank. But, I do respect his abilities and after watching a production of the play Red, I'm interested in Logan's (the screenwriter) work, too. Plus, 3D can be nice in the right hands.

And now let's throw some Oscar thoughts because, why not?

So, for Best Picture I think the movies that stand a chance are Hugo Cabret, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, with A Dangerous Method and The Best Exotic... not being out of the game.
Hugo Cabret is Scorsese etc
Heights and Jane Eyre are British Literature, sure-to-be impessive visually and the directors, now, are not unknown entities. And Mia and the ubiquity of Fassbender will help Jane Eyre, I think.

Best Actress and Supporting Actress posibilities (I'm all for the girls first, especially when I know my bed is calling me): Well, to be honest, every woman that is either famous already or has a big role. Except maybe fot Tilda, who just can't catch a break with the Academy most of the time. But I still hope.
Keira and Carey surely will be noticed for their work in films that will get attention. OK, I just thought about the Mulligan case. Shame and Drive might not interest the Academy that much. So, yeah, I guess the best way to put it is: IF her film(s) get noticed, she will probably get noticed herself, which is like saying if you eat candy, you'll have eaten its ingredients as well. Think harder James!
Anyway, I'm more confident about Keira, because Christopher Hampton has written the play (and the script? I think so) on which the script of A Dangerous Method is based on. And Hampton is an Oscar guarantee, because Cheri got nominations for everything... I mean, seriously, do I even have the slightest idea of what I'm talking about?
Let's just say that my instincts tell me Keira has a better shot than Carey. All things being equal, obviously.
Streep, of course, is in the race but this is like every years awards story so, for now, let's just leave it at that.
Michelle Williams might go for an impressive so-soon third nomination as the goddess Marilyn.
Rachel Weisz is looking good on paper and finally...
Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, please come back into the race! James loves you!
I think they (Judi for any of her three movies) have a shot. When I say "three" I'm counting the ones that appear on my list. Not that something would change if I had said "four", including the Pirates thing...

So, not a great comeback, but a loud one. See you when I'll see you :)

Something important!

In a limitless Universe such as the one we live in (but if it is limitless how can there be room for another one? anyway), everything that happens is as significant and insignificant as anything else.
Choosing to think only about the former adjective, I feel obliged to inform my readers that something very important and NASA-unrelated thing is about to happen. In about five minutes I will be 25 years old!
You heard me! One quarter of a century will be put behind me. I'm so curious to see what's ahead!
If you are over 25 celebrate with me! We rule!

It's 2011!! Not yet? Who cares?

Just because I feel like it, I'm going to tell you which female leading performances might interest Mr Oscar next year.





Mia Wasikowska in Jane Eyre

She's young, pretty, talented (very talented) and though I haven't read the book or seen any movie adaptation of it, I know it's a great role and the kind Oscar will care about. Plus, whether she gets nominated for The Kids Are All Right or not, the Academy will surely notice her.







Saoirse Ronan in Hanna

The three adjectives I used to describe Wasikowska apply here as well. Having already been nominated in the past doesn't hurt, nor the fact that John Wright is directing her. I just don't know how Oscar-friendly the movie will be.







Anne Hathaway in One Day

Um, I just hope you don't remember what you've read so far because I'm going to say that she is talented, pretty and young. Please tell me the different order fooled you. I know more adjectives, I promise! But, that's the truth. She, too, is all these things and like Ronan, she already has a nomination to make her family proud. Scherfig's last movie gave Mulligan the chance to turn in an Oscar-nominated performance and even if Hathaway doesn't get nominated for Love and Other Drugs, she seems to at least increase her "like" factor in the industry (The anticipation for The Social Network has made me use Facebook terms).







Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk About Kevin

The, young enough, extra-terrestially sexy and über-humanly talented Swinton doesn't have many Oscar factors to her favor except for the fact that she might be amazing as she so often is. Well, maybe the story will be dramatic enough for the Academy to regard the film as important but whatever happens, this is a movie and a performance I can't wait to see.