Cinescape 2011

Angela Lansbury Gets the Christmas Spirit Going

Jesus Says Rick Perry Is an Imbecile

'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'

the film i most look forward to this season is the yet to be seen, by critics and public alike, is  'extremely loud and incredibly close' starring tom hanks, sandra bullock and max van sydow. the trailer above gives a sign for an emotional journey. it is perhaps the first really important film on the aftermath of the 9/11 events in 2011.  it will open on christmas day and i suspect will be a strong oscar contender in the months to come.

The Year in Film 2011

Sorry!

i am currently going thru a round of chemo and radiation resulting from a cancer that has kept me down for the past few months. thus i have been neglecting this blog. i will be trying my best to post as i can especially at this year's film season wraps up. truly i will do my best.

'Melancholia': ****stars

'melancholia' is not for everyone. it is a dark film revolving around the impening collision of our planet with another. it begins with a wedding whose bride suffers melancholia which is the name of the planet that will collide with earth. it has a good cast well suited to their parts but it is the amazing performance of kirsten dunst as the bride that is the center of it. her sister played by a wonderful charlotte gainsbourg anchors it until the final moments when roles reverse.

kirsten dunst deserves an oscar nom for here portrayal. she has already won best actress earlier this year at the cannes film festival. the question is whether or not academy members will see it. right now the film and ms dunst top my year end 'best of' lists.

Natalie: Justice at Last

after 30 years almost to the date, 11/29, natalie may finally get justice in her sad and untimely death. investigations are at last reopening as authorities look into her husband robert wagner and his possible complicity in her drowning. i have always believed rj wagner knew more than he was saying as well as actor christopher walken. let's hope the authorities get it right this time and do not let 'celebrity' get in the way.

Michelle Williams BECOMES Marilyn in 'My Weekend with Marilyn'

coming soon and ms williams will get an oscar nod

'London Boulevard' Is a Mess and Gets 1/2*

i happen to enjoy both keira knightley and colin farrell on screen. lately colin has been disappointing in his choices while keira has been growing as an actress in better fare. the question is how the hell have either of them gotten involved in this mess of a film. i can't even begin to imagine it read well on paper. ex con and reclusive actress battle the worlds of con men. the whole premise is nonsensical. i repeat this is a mess and best forgotten.

save your money and wait for keira in 'a dangerous method' later this month. 

trailer

Due to some major health issues i have taken time off....

but now i am trying to get back to work on here which i enjoy. things may be sporadic for a time but i will give it my best. pleases be patient.

'Revenge' Gets an A

having been away i needed time to catch up on the new tv season. i won't judge any show on it's pilot alone if i liked the pilot. i need to see at least 3 episodes to see where it's going if it is going anywhere.

'revenge' is a guilty pleasure that i recommend. it's leading lady, emily van camp, is wonderful. and she wonderfully goes from sweet to the revenge seeking emily thorn in a nano second with just a look..a glance. out to revenge her father's downfall and eventual death she cleverly goes after those involved one by one systematically and cleverly. i just wonder how they can keep this going. but then i look back on 'pretty little liars' which i thought the same about. good writing keeps the liars going. here's hoping the same is true here.

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 2003 for Best Actress

looking back on 2003 it was a pretty good year for the nominees in this category. a younger actress was rightfully nominated, a semi legend got in, and three other brilliant performances made the list.

and the nominees were:

#5 diane keaton in 'somethings got to give' somehow got a nom. longevity perhaps? a dark horse deservedly left in the dark. i have just never 'got' ms keaton. perhaps i never will.

#4 samantha morton was just wonderful in 'in america' and someday she may score a win as she is damn good in most all of her performances.

#3 keisha castle-hughes was a surprise nominee for 'the whale rider'. a younger actress who snuck by the supporting nomination where they are generally placed. her performance was touching and believable. her nom in and of itself was a win.

#2 naomi watts nominee was brilliant in '27 grams'.  she gets better and better film after film. one day she may take the statue home.

#1 charlize theron in 'monster' won the award portraying serial killer aileen wournos and there was never any doubt she would. a brilliant performance that ranks among the best of oscar wins. it was the role of a lifetime that has yet to be matched by the actress herself. perhaps that is asking too much.

the beautiful charlize theron as opposed to the monster pictured above. damn that's a real transformation.

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

as i am on my mac now this seems approbriate

as i type on my mac while i charge my iphone and ipad i'd say he influenced my life.

Happy Birthday Kate

back just in time to wish ms winslet a happy birthday

Following My Heart and Soul

going to be away until the 5th october. by the time most of you are reading this i should be in munich. for a number, great number, of years i have felt the need to visit germany and poland. sure i will be there for oktoberfest and that's a plus. but the real reason for this trip is to visit the sites of man's greatest inhumanity to man. the warsaw ghetto. dachau. auchwitz. it's a pilgramage for me. i planned this once before. and then 9/11 happened and the world went upside down, again. so here i am 10 years later and on my way. friends and family ask me why. my only answer is that i feel the need to go. i am called to do this. my spirit demands that i do this.

so leaving film and tv and everything else behind i am there. i'll see you in a couple of weeks. i hope you return when i return and that you understand my need to be away. we all have things that 'pull' us. this horrific moment in history has always pulled at me.

'Criminal Minds' Returns Tonight

...and the gang's all here. after fans protested the dismissal of aj cook and paget brewster the powers that be hired them back this season. so we do have a voice...sometimes.

the show dealt with the return of jj (aj cook) at the end of last season. here goes...

'J Edgar' Official Trailer Released

can this be leo's year? watch judi dench as there's a supporting nom nod there. coming nov. 9

Emmy Awards 2011

kate winslet won best actress in a movie or miniseries for the title role in 'mildred pierce'. she deserved the win as she was far better than the film itself which seemed like it was embalmed in total.

julianna margulies won for the soph year of 'the good wife'. she grows with each episode and peels the layers off alicia florek brilliantly. she deserved it.

if you have been following my blog i picked 'downtown abbey' to win best miniseries when i first viewed it. it was a helluva lot better than the aforementioned embalmed 'mildred pierce'. i can't wait for season two.

maggie smith won a supporting actress emmy for her 'dowager' role in 'downtown abbey'. she was not present to accept her win but damn she so deserved it.

as for the rest of the awards i really have no interest.

Emmy Awards 2011

kate winslet won best actress in a movie or miniseries for the title role in 'mildred pierce'. she deserved the win as she was far better than the film itself which seemed like it was embalmed in total.

julianna margulies won for the soph year of 'the good wife'. she grows with each episode and peels the layers off alicia florek brilliantly. she deserved it.

if you read my blog i picked 'downtown abbey' to win best miniseries when i first viewed it. it was a helluva lot better than the aforementioned embalmed 'mildred pierce'. i can't wait for season two.

maggie smith won a supporting actress emmy for her 'dowager' role in 'downtown abbey'. she was not present to accept her win but damn she so deserved it.

as for the rest of the awards i really have no interest.

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1997 for Best Actress

1997 was a good year for this category. it was loaded with talent that delivered amazing performances. rating them 1 to 5 was quite difficult for me to do. thEy all deserved to go home with the gold. but rank them i will. here goes ....

#5

helena bonham carter was wondrous to behold in 'wings of the dove'. she left an indelible mark as a lead actress in this film. again the oscar could have been hers with no argument from me

#4

helen hunt's performance in 'as good as it gets' was as good as it could/would get. she gave a wonderful, heartwarming performance. helen won the oscar on the coat tails of the best picture and best actor wins. yet as with the other nominees in this category in '97 her win can be justified. but her on and off 'new york' accent was a tad annoying. a best actress should be able to sustain it.

#3

kate winslet in 'titanic' was wonderful. kate's chemistry with leonardo decaprio was heaven sent. there was not a moment you think 'hey these two don't belong together'. they so belonged together that separating her performance from his is an almost impossible situation. his snub is one of oscar's embarrassments. kate will go on to win her oscar four noms later.

#2

judi dench in mrs. brown was simply wonderful. it remains one of the best screen performances of all time. a stage actress who fit(s) quite well on film. she was amazing as queen victoria in her 'private' life. i repeat the oscar could have been her's with no argument.

#1

let's begin with the premise that julie christie plays a 'b actress' in 'afterglow'. that alone is a major fete as she was/is one of the best 'A' actresses in film. the critics associations hailed her performance in 1997. her fans were rightfully rejoicing. she would not get the oscar come award night but her fans were the true winners because the mostly reclusive actresses of her time returned to the screen. had i been able to vote, ms. christie amongst all the aforementioned wonderful performances would have gotten my vote after alot of nail biting.

sublime

Three Weeks Only: 'The Lion King" 3D

i think it's time to relive the magic. i won't be suckered into all 3d conversions but word of mouth tells me to get to this one now. and so should you.

'Soldiers': Because It's Time to Revisit Abba

unofficial video

'Ringer' Is Torture: A True Mess

this new sarah michelle gellar series is awful. i now know why cbs passed on it for this fall. i don't know why the cw picked it up. i also don't get the whole geller thing. she is not a very good actress. buffy may have had a following but i believe it was more for the 'girl kicks ass' thing than the acting chops of the lead. she has no acting chops!

if you want the reallly good 'twin' thing then watch the much better, really really much better 'the lying game' on abc family.

'ringer' rates a D

the lying game' rates B+

'Twilight Breaking Dawn' Official Trailer Released

Ranking the Best Actress Wins So Far

#1 katharine hepburn in 'the lion in winter'

#2 sophia loren in 'two women'

#3 glenda jackson in 'women in love'

#4 maggie smith in 'the prime of miss jean brodie'

#5 barbra streisand in 'funny girl'

#6 helen hunt in 'as good as it gets'

#7 julie andrews in 'mary poppins'

#8 marie dressler in 'min and bill'

#9 greer garson in 'mrs miniver'

#10 helen hayes in 'coquete'

#11 janet gaynor in 'seventh heaven'

#12 mary pickford in 'sins of madelon claudet'

#14 norma shearer in 'the divorcee'

#15 katharine hepburn in 'morning glory'

#16 elizabeth taylor in 'butterfield 8'