Best Lead Actress 2016

05. Hailee Steinfeld in The Edge of Seventeen - Teen comedies don't get enough credit, nor do the performances that come from them, but this is an iconic performance. Steinfeld may look like a supermodel in real life, but she pulls off awkward and angsty teen so, so well.

04. Meryl Streep in Florence Foster Jenkins - Overrated, she is not. In fact, Streep is arguably (not really) our greatest living actress, and this movie sort of proves why. Here she plays the world's worst opera singer, and while the movie isn't exactly groundbreaking or amazing, she heightens it to being entertaining and charming.

03. Amy Adams in Arrival - Adams can do no wrong in my book, and she is mesmerizing as a linguistic expert who is struggling to communicate with an alien race in the smartest sci fi movie of the year.

02. Emma Stone in La La Land - I was just having a conversation about Emma Stone. The person said he doesn't take her seriously as an actress because most of her work has been comedic. I disagree. I think no one else could have played this role except for Emma, with her pitch perfect comedic timing and adorable charm. She can sing! She can dance! She can be cute and sexy and is endlessly lovable! What can't Emma do!?

01. Sasha Lane in American Honey - I honestly can't believe this girl never acted before. Her performance and screen presence is absolutely mesmerizing. She is a force of nature, a wild child, a spark of light. This movie is nearly 3 hours long but  I would have watched 3 more hours of her.

American Hustle & Saving Mr. Banks

American Hustle

I read an interesting story about director David O. Russell. It had to do with the fact that on this movie, American Hustle, he let his actors improv so much. The story has Christian Bale pointing out to his director that the way they just improvised an scene utterly changes the plot of the movie at a later point. To which, O. Russell supposedly replied (and this isn't a direct quote), "I don't care about plot. I care about characters." And perhaps that's really all you need to know about American Hustle, a movie that is so superficial, that cares so little about its plot, that it's utterly a disappointing mess instead of the masterpiece I was hoping for.

American Hustle is a fictionalized version of Abscam, in which the FBI enlisted real life criminals (con men) to help set up politicians in order to arrest the bigger fish. In O. Russell's story, Christian Bale and Amy Adams are the mid-level cons who go after mostly desperate men down on their times with a scheme in which the men give them a non-refundable $5000 deposit to take their money to some "connections" in London, who are supposedly going to turn their money in to $50,000. Of course, that never happens. All of this is going great until they try to con the wrong man, in this case, undercover FBI agent Richie (Bradley Cooper) who arrests them and then enlists their help. Their initial plan is to bring down a family man mayor (Jeremy Renner) who wants nothing more than to help build up the job market of his town - Atlantic City. This is all well and good, until Richie gets greedy and wants to go after even bigger fish. Then there's Jennifer Lawrence as Bale's unpredictable, unstable wife.

So, in a nutshell, that's the plot. The plot isn't so much bad, as it is too glossy for its own good. O. Russell is trying to make his version of Goodfellas, which there isn't anything wrong with. If you want to rip off a movie, you might as well rip off one of the masters at his best. But the problem is, the movie relies far too much on looking cool, with great actors playing outlandish against type characters, none of whom feel real in the least. For focusing so much on characters, these guys are more like caricatures. I'm not trying to say the movie is bad, because it isn't, necessarily. It's a good movie, it's just a disappointing one. I've been looking forward to this movie for months and it was such a let down for me.

The performances are (almost) all spectacular. In a movie starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, it's as much a shock to me as it might be to anyone else, but best in show goes to Bradley Cooper. His out of control, cocky, power hungry FBI agent is so wildly entertaining, that you can't keep your eyes off of him. Adams is fantastic as well, slipping in and out of different characters with such ease (and those low cut dresses!!! Girl looks gorgeous!). Renner is fine but his role is so limited that it barely matters. Bale is great, as usually, playing the second most outlandish characters, a role that could have easily slipped into over the top, craziness. But Bale is such a great actor that this never happens.

Now here is where my review will become very, VERY unpopular. I don't think Jennifer Lawrence is as good of an actress as everyone thinks she is. I don't think she's a bad actress, just not deserving of quite so much praise. Just think about this fact: Come March, she's going to be a three time Oscar nominee (with one win) in just four years. That's INSANE. Here are some people (off the top of my head) who have never even been nominated: Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Kirsten Dunst, Donald Sutherland, Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Kevin Bacon! But that's besides the point. I think this movie just proves my point, because Lawrence isn't good in it. In fact, I think she's most of the reason why I didn't care for the movie. She, like Bale, is so over the top, that it's distracting. Unlike Bale, Lawrence doesn't quite have the chops to reel it in, keep it from going over that line into campiness. So, it just makes me want to roll my eyes anytime she's on screen, which takes me completely out of the movie, which is not something you want to happen.

It doesn't matter what I have to say anyway. This movie will keep getting nominated for all kinds of awards. Sure, the movie is greatly entertaining at times, but it's no Oscar worthy movie, in my opinion. Jennifer Lawrence will probably win a book end for last year's Oscar. This is a movie about conning people, after all, and maybe the best con of all is conning the audience that it's a better movie than it actually is.

Grade: B-

Saving Mr. Banks

Just a few words about Saving Mr. Banks - it's a nice movie. I don't watch enough nice movies, and that's sort of a shame. The story is about Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson, killing it!) who very reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to meet with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) about selling him the rights to her books. However, she is VERY opinionated. Anyway, the scenes with Hanks and Thompson are absolutely wonderful. The movie suffers from pacing problems - too many flashbacks, not evenly dispersed. It also suffers from the fact that the flashbacks are sort of on the boring side. I mean, they serve a purpose, to further the story along, but they also are not nearly as entertaining as watching Hanks and Thompson go toe to toe. I could watch that forever.

Grade: B

Friday Top Five: Most Anticipated of 2013

The movie year is more than halfway over. That means it's almost time to be done with these disappointing summer movies and finally get to those Oscar hopeful / prestige movies. So, this week, I will be counting down my top five most anticipated movies for the rest of the year. Just as a disclaimer, I would like to say that a few of the movies I'm very excited about are either already in theaters or opening very, very soon. (Examples: I'm planning on seeing Fruitvale Station and The Way, Way Back this weekend and The Spectacular Now, Blue Jasmine and Elysium all open in the next few weeks). So, I'm mostly going to focus on fall / early winter releases with this list:

5. Oldboy (Spike Lee)
Release Date: October 25, 2013
Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley
This is Spike Lee's remake of the super violent, super amazing Korean movie of the same name. The original Oldboy is bad ass in every way you can possibly imagine, featuring a ballsy story line and brutal violence. I'm not opposed to film makers remaking foreign films (especially when that director is Lee), because most Americans won't even give movies with subtitles a chance. Here's hoping the remake, and maybe even subsequently the subtitled original, will find a whole new audience.

4. American Hustle (David O. Russell)
Release Date: December 25, 2013
Starring: Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Robert DeNiro
Umm... look at that cast! O. Russell has been pretty flawless lately, going 2 for 2 with his last two efforts the flawless The Fighter and the sweet Silver Linings Playbook. This is the story of a conman who is forced to work with the FBI to help take down the mob. So, it pretty much sounds like everything you want out of a movie.

3. 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)
Release Date: October 18, 2013 (limited)
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodard, Garrett Dillahunt, Quvenzhané Wallis
Besides this, McQueen has made two movies. Those two movies (Hunger, Shame) are damn good. So, the combination of McQueen and star Fassbender (who appeared in his previous efforts) is already cause for excitement. Again, look at that cast! This movie is the story of a free black man sold into slavery during pre-Civil War times.

2. Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen Brothers)
Release Date: December 6, 2013
Starring: Oscar Issac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman, Adam Driver
As far as I'm concerned, the Coen Brothers are the closest thing to flawless in the context of making movies. This is their take on the 1960s folk scene and based solely on the trailer, I think they already have the most beautifully shot film of the year (Will there be a better shot than that cat starring at himself in the window of the subway? Probably not).

1. The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese)
Release Date: November 15, 2013
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Shea Whigham
This trailer was released a few months ago and it pretty much blew me away. Not only does it look like a less brutal version of American Psycho, but also it features DiCaprio dancing to Kanye West! What more could you want from a movie? Scorsese barely makes a mistake, and this cast is on point. If I made a list of my top five movies of 2013 so far, this trailer would be number 1. Looking forward to November!

Man of Steel

Over the weekend, Man of Steel pretty much made all the money. It seems sort of pointless to even waste my time writing about it, especially since I am going to be quite negative, but here goes.

I don't think I need to give any plot, really. Everyone knows the story of Superman: he is essentially an alien from another planet who crash lands in a Kansas corn field where he is raised by humans (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) despite being pretty much indestructible. Essentially, he is perfect: he can fly, he can't be hurt, he has super human strength, he is good looking and clean cut; the All-American boy type. And yet we are supposed to feel sorry for him because he doesn't fit in. Sorry, but no. Anyway, eventually, he grows up to be super hot (Henry Cavill) and finds out about his past from the ghost of his dead father (Russell Crowe) and becomes a superhero and has to fight off General Zod (Michael Shannon!!), a military leader who escaped from his planet before it was destroyed. He also falls in love with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Lois Lane (Amy Adams).

So, this movie has so many problems, I don't even know where to begin. First things first: this movie has absolutely no sense of humor about itself. There is no joy to be found anywhere in this script. It takes two hours and twenty minutes for anyone to crack a smile (and the movie is only two hours and twenty five minutes long). The thing that made Christopher Nolan's Batman series work so well is that, eventhough it's dark and gritty, it at least has a sense of humor about it. Man of Steel is missing that completely. In fact, there is only one scene where there is any sort of emotion at all. Since I don't want to give away any of the spoilers, I will only say that it is the tornado scene. Without that scene, there is a complete lack of any emotion. This movie just takes itself so damn seriously.

Then there is the problem of Henry Cavill. Or maybe it's just Superman's character in general. Maybe since he is an alien, he doesn't need to be exciting. Maybe aliens speak in monotone. Whatever the case, Cavill has absolutely no personality whatsoever in this role. And it's a shame because this is his first big movie role, his chance to be famous (and he will be famous) but because of this, some people who never watched The Tudors may think he can't act. And that's not the case. It's just that this role maybe demands its actor to be boring and bland. This cast is full of great actors but even the great Michael Shannon can't do much with this script. It's like he is above this, really. The only way for him to perform his role effectively is to be over the top and hammy and I think that is a comment on the material because everyone knows Shannon is spectacular and explosive, even in crappy movies. The only actor who really escapes this mess alive is Amy Adams who manages to turn Lois Lane into a fierce, independent woman. So, kudos to her for rising above the limitations of this script.

Another big problem is director Zack Snyder. Sure, he has a few really great moments in this movie, which actually surprised me. More or less, when he stops to breathe, he can really capture beauty, such as a shot near the end with a young Clark playing in high weeds with his dog while wearing a red sheet as a cape. That imagery is gorgeous, and there are a few other moments like that as well. But mostly his hyper shaky, jerky camera technique is distracting and annoying.

I could probably complain about this movie a lot more, but I will end with a note about the over the top action scenes. I guess this is the new norm. The Avengers final fighting scene was crazy. The Iron Man 3 final fight scene was ridiculous. The final fighting scenes (there are about 3 of them) in Man of Steel are just bonkers. I can really only watch two or three or four guys flying through buildings and throwing each other around like footballs for so long before I feel like screaming ENOUGH. If this is the new norm, then I'm bound to hate every new action movie that comes out in theaters.

So, it seems like all of America loved Man of Steel. The audience I saw it with even clapped for it after it finished. I'm glad the movie is successful since I've always been a DC girl anyway, but Man of Steel just wasn't for me. I was actually excited for this movie and it just disappointed me time and time again. It's too long, too serious, and too messy. But, I guess 125 million + in ticket sales can't be wrong, right??

Grade: D

The Master

Sometimes a movie comes along and you just don't know how to feel about it. The Master is that kind of movie. Technically, it's a masterpiece. As far as direction, cinematography and performances go, there hasn't been a better movie this year. In fact, there probably hasn't been a better movie since that killer trifecta of 2007 (Into the Wild, No Country For Old Men and Paul Thomas Anderson's LAST near perfect masterpiece, There Will Be Blood, which is superior to his latest effort). Still, there is just something missing from the whole thing.

The Master follows Freddy Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a man who, after leaving the Navy, is a shell of himself. He's hunched over, hands on hips, face twisted into deranged expressions. He's a caged animal, ready to strike at anyone and everyone. Since his days in the Navy, he's having a bit of a problem fitting in with society. All he thinks about is sex and he moves from job to job to job. He's lost and a danger to himself and others. One night, he happens upon a boat, lit up like a Christmas tree and without a second thought, he stows away. The next morning, hungover, he meets the captain of the ship - Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a man of many hats - doctor, author, philosopher, and most importantly the leader of The Cause. Dodd doesn't seem too concerned that Freddy crashed the wedding of his daughter which is happening on the ship, and Freddy easily becomes his right hand man and protege. Dodd introduces him to his family, including wife Peggy (Amy Adams) and The Cause - a religious type movement that traces your past back billions of years and tries to erase your animal instincts. Freddy is a perfect subject.

Much has been made of Paul Thomas Anderson's "Scientology movie" but this isn't an expose of the controversial religion. In fact, it seems only the very basic principles are even based on Scientology. Anderson isn't interested in making a movie trying to dispel any religion. He's more interested in the dark and twisted relationship between these two men (is it brotherly? father / son? master / slave? homoerotic? or a little bit of all these things?). As far as character studies go, The Master is aces. And Anderson isn't going to let his audience off the hook lightly. There are no easy answers here. If you want a movie that's "about" something, Anderson isn't going to tell you what it is. You have to figure it out for yourself. But The Master is, indeed, about something. It's about a lost and possibly insane man who is wandering through this big, scary world with no direction and no future. He meets a man, probably a fraud, who wants to give him meaning. You can argue that The Cause is a failure because, in the end, it doesn't diminish his animal instincts. However, in the end, it helps him to find a way to fit in with society, so maybe The Cause did work for Freddy after all.

As far as the performances go, you won't see finer performances this year. Of that, I am certain. There has been much made about Phoenix's raw and fiery performance as Freddy, and all of the praise is definitely worthy. This is the best he's ever been - a caged animal, set loose into the crazy and scary world. He listens to no one and is controlled by no one. He's definitely a man who is marching to his own drummer. As good as Phoenix is, I actually prefer Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance just a bit. His Lancaster Dodd is a lying, manipulator. A self-assured leader of a fraud movement that somehow manages to help people. These two actors alone are reason to see the movie. The dueling aspect of these fine performances is superb, from the processing scene to that amazing scene in the jail, I wish they could both win the Oscar. While Amy Adams, as Dodd's loyal and steely wife, doesn't have the big, showy scenes that her male counterparts do, she may give the finest performance in the film. It's a quiet and under the radar performance of a woman who, on the surface, seems to be merely standing by her man, but under all the layers there is a portrait of a puppet master, controlling all the people around her .

Will you see a better movie this year? I can't be certain. I will praise The Master along with everyone because, like I said, it's a technical masterpiece. It's the kind of film that will stand the test of time and become a classic of this generation. Still, my one big problem with it is this: I walked away not feeling anything at all. And I can't decide if that's a good thing or not. Art for artsake is great, but all great art needs to have feeling too, right? And there just isn't any of that here. So far this year, my favorite movie has been The Dark Knight Rises. It's a good movie, but it's flawed for sure and as far as technicality goes, The Master far surpasses it. Still, The Dark Knight made me feel so many different emotions and most of all, it left me feeling satisfied. I can't say The Master did the same thing.

Grade: A-

Top Ten List: Best Supporting Actress 2010

10. Blake Lively in The Town - Going about as far away from Gossip Girl's Serena Van der Kamp as she can possibly get, Lively proves she's an actress to watch out for in the superb The Town. Lively's character is a tough Boston single mom, who wants ex-boyfriend Ben Affleck back in her bed. A big theme of the film is loyalty but can Lively's drunken, tough talking character be loyal if she's secretly bitter about Ben's new lady love?

09. Emily Mortimer in Shutter Island - In a movie with a huge ensemble of great actors giving great performances, Mortimer shines as Rachel Solando, an escaped mental patient who murdered her children. She only has one really juicy scene but damn if she doesn't steal it straight from Leonardo DiCaprio. One moment she's sweet and loving, and then, in the blink of an eye, she's ready to cut your throat.

08. Chloe Moretz in Kick Ass - Can you think of anything more fun than a 10 year old who curses like a sailor and likes to play with knives and guns?? Me either! Moretz knocks it out of the park as Hit Girl, a total bad ass who will kick your ass while listening to Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation."

07. Patricia Clarkson in Easy A - Okay, listen, I love my mom. I love her more than anything. But I will admit that there was a moment of weakness while watching Easy A when I said, "Man, I wish Patricia Clarkson was my mom." She's just so damn... cool. Whether she is giving out relationship advice or admitting to her daughter that she was a teenage slut, Clarkson totally nails the hippie/awesome/mom thing.

06. Barbara Hershey in Black Swan - We go from a perfect mom to a not-so-perfect mom. Hershey is the epitome of a stage mom in Black Swan. She doesn't do anything evil, per se, but she does baby her daughter and push her to perfection so severly that her sweet little daughter ultimately loses her damn mind. Hershey is amazing.

05. Melissa Leo in The Fighter - And here's another mom that I just wouldn't want. Leo proves boxing isn't just a man's world as the mom / manager of two Massachusetts boxing legends in The Fighter. She may love her kids a little too much. She's intense, tough as can be, and also a little crazy, especially when she sends her seven crazy daughters after her son's new girlfriend!

04. Rooney Mara in The Social Network - I haven't always been a fan of Mara's work. I thought she single-handedly ruined the remake of The Nightmare of Elm Street (which had potential but her lifeless performance sucked it dry). However, I take it all back. With just one substantial scene, Mara breaks hearts and steals scenes. She's thoughtful, frustrated, and hilarious as she shows you how to REALLY break up with someone.

03. Mila Kunis in Black Swan - This role is about as far away from Jackie on That 70s Show as you can possibly get. The starting point for so much of the intensity in Black Swan is the demented friendship / rivalry between Natalie Portman's sweet, tightly wound Nina and Kunis' wild and unrestrained Lilly. She's utterly seductive and plays the different facets of her character with ease.

02. Marion Cotillard in Inception - There is a reason her characters name is Mal, meaning she just might be evil. Cotillard is perfection as the crazy dead wife of Leonardo DiCaprio's Dom. She is pure passion - being so very needy one moment, erupting with anger the next, then weeping uncontrollably in the next second. There is a reason that Dom can't get her out of his head. Anyone who has seen the movie can't either!

01. Amy Adams in The Fighter - Amy Adams always plays such sweet, lovable characters. First there was Junebug. Then there was Enchanted. Even when she's playing a nun (Doubt), she's giving bunnies and the little girl who plays Lily on Modern Family a run for their money in the "cutest things ever" department. But, in The Fighter, Amy Adams shows a completely different side to herself. She's tough as nails as the former wild child party girl who knows tends bar and falls for a boxer. She stands up to his impossibly intimidating mom, she teaches her man how to grow a little backbone and become a better man, all while being completely and totally sexy. She can seduce and then beat the crap out of seven crazy sisters. In a career that is already stellar, this is Adams' best role yet!

Coming tomorrow... Best Supporting Actor!

The Fighter

For the last few months, I've been all about two particular performances, both from The Social Network. First, there is Jesse Eisenberg who I thought gave the best performance of the entire year. Then, there is Andrew Garfield who I thought was the Best Supporting Actor of the entire year. Now, they have both been replaced by one man - Christian Bale from The Fighter. His Dicky Eklund is so manic, so nuanced, so charming, in a word sort of way. Not only does he steal the entire movie, but also it is his best performance and the best performance of the year. More about that later.
The Figther, directed by David O. Russell, is the true story of welterweight fighter Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) who is from Lowell, Massachusetts. Lowell, like most movies set in and around Boston, is a character of its own. The city is alive with the working class people who just want something good to come from their city. But they are also quick to turn their backs on disappointments and failures. It's a small town mentality, where everyone knows everyone else's business. Micky has been boxing for a few years, trying to get the right fight to break through in boxing. He's managed by his stage mom (Melissa Leo) whose M.O. is to kill her kids with a sort of suffocating love. He's being trained by his "retired" brother Dicky. Dicky is the current pride of Lowell. An ex-boxer, he gained notoriety when he knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard some years ago (but did Sugar Ray really just trip and fall??). Now, HBO is following Dicky around making a documentary, which Dicky thinks is about his comeback. In reality, it's about his failure and crack addiction. Micky, who also has a half a dozen sisters, each ones hair bigger than the last, falls in love with Charlene (Amy Adams), a tough as nails bartender who is the only person who can stand up to Micky's mom and his crazy sisters.
The Fighter is a sports movie, but only really in the last third. The first two-thirds of the movie is all about character development. It's all about Micky and the decision he has to make between his overbearing family and his desire to become a prize fighter. Can he strike a balance and become a champion with his family? Or does he have to step out on his own, leave his family and their drama behind, to become a winner? That's the fine line Micky has to walk in the film.
The performances are all amazing here (right down to Micky's crazy sisters, who have great comedic timing to deliver all their one liners, usually putting down Charlene). Leo is perfection as the overbearing, tough mom. Adams is even better, showing off a tough side of her own. She's been so cutesy so often that it's nice to get a reminder of what a truly great actress she really is. Then there is Wahlberg, who is damn good in his own right. He's part shy, part determined with an explosive side. I've never been a fan of his in dramas, really (exception: The Departed). I've always thought he was a way better comedy actor than anyone gave him credit for (see: I Heart Huckabees). But, he is truly impressive here, giving a layered, lovely performance. But the best performance, of course, goes to Bale. He is a crazy method actor and for once it comes to fruition. He is all manic energy, sucking the air out of every room he walks into, demanding everyone's attention. You think he's about one moment from turning absolutely batshit crazy. Then they show the real Dicky at the end of the film, with all his ticks and eyes bugging out, and you realize even more how perfectly Bale embodied him. I'm all about Bale winning Best Supporting Actor at the upcoming Oscars!
Grade: B+

Top Ten List: Best Supporting Actress of the Decade

Disclaimer: I've agonized for weeks about these lists. I know I forgot an actor or a movie. But I'm done thinking about it so that's that.

Best Supporting Actress of the Decade

10. Holly Hunter in Thirteen (2003) - Hunter is always superb but she's never been better than the caring mother of a wild teenager in Thirteen. She loves her daugther but doesn't recognize she's spiraling out of control. Her performance is sweet and tender but also painful to watch. It's a powerhouse performance which easily shows up an impressive turn by Evan Rachel Wood as said daughter.

09. Michelle Williams in Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Williams was the one ray of hope on Dawson's Creek. You always just knew she didn't really belong on such a cheesy (at least in its later years) show. She was always destined for greatness and her performance in Brokeback Mountain proves it. Maybe it was her electrifying chemistry with then boyfriend Heath Ledger. Maybe it was just the perfect role for her. But her performance as Alma, the long suffering, vulnerable housewife who discovers something she can't quite understand.

08. Natalie Portman in Closer (2004) - Portman plays the paradoxes of Alice so easily. Alice appears to be wide eyed and innocent... but she is a stripper. Alice is seemingly the most emotionally honest character in the film... yet she turns out to be the biggest liar of all. She's never been better and her best scenes are those where she goes head to head with Clive Owen. The one scene that always sticks out is that brilliantly directed and acted scene at the strip club where Portman and Owen are just the essence of acting perfection.

07. Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) - Prior to this film, I wasn't such a big fan of Cruz's. Her acting always lacked a lot for me. I had heard she was a much better actress in her native tongue though I never liked her enough to even seek out a Spanish film of hers. Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona changed all that. Cruz is a firecracker, exploding on to the screen and taking no prisoners. She has steamy chemistry with Javier Bardem (...and Scarlett Johansson). She's sassy and spunky and hilarious and terrifying and just riveting to watch.

06. Amy Adams in Junebug (2005) - When you think "Amy Adams," you think adorable. And that's because she is - especially in Junebug - but she's so much more than that as well. Her performance as Ashley is so layered and textured. She's charming and witty, heartwarming and optimistic. Best of all, she's sincere and you can feel her honesty in every scene. It's why her performance isn't so much a scene-stealer as a scene-enhancer. She just makes this movie so much better than it would have been without her.

05. Mo' Nique in Precious (2009) - I am all about Mo' Nique this year. The comedian has been written off as not being able to act. Well, guess what? She can and she's a powerhouse. As the cruel, emotionally and physically abusing mother of an overweight illiterate teen, she owns this movie. Even without that final scene - where she breaks down in a social worker's office - her performance was amazing enough. But add that one scene where you actually begin to understand this monster and you've got a performance more than worthy of praise for years to come.

04. Frances McDormand in Almost Famous (2000) - As an over-protective and borderline over-bearing mother, McDormand brings laughs... and a whole lotta heart to her role in Cameron Crowe's rock star film. She means well and only wants to protect her shy and awkward son William as he embarks as a journalist on tour with a band. Her scenes where she connects with the bands lead guitarist are some of her best. As is her line reading of, "Rock stars have kidnapped my son!"

03. Kate Hudson in Almost Famous (2000) - Almost Famous is the single reason I haven't given up on Hudson yet. She's been biding her time with romantic comedies but I know she's got it in her to deliver at least one more knockout performance like she did in Almost Famous. As the perennial groupie Penny Lane, Hudson is the essence of free spirited sweetness. She's got tension filled chemistry with Billy Crudup and a sweet sort of childlike chemistry with Patrick Fugit. When she finally overdoses at the end, it's almost a pleasure to watch the way she crumbles and falls apart. And kudos for that "What kind of beer?" line reading. Beauty and optimism through tears. Hudson has never been - maybe will never be - better.

02. Marcia Gay Harden in Mystic River (2003) - When you're in a movie with a ton of big name actors and on particular guy (Sean Penn) who is giving the performance of his career (up until that point, anyway), it's kind of hard to get noticed. Not if you're my dear, sweet, amazing Marcia. In the film she plays the wife of Tim Robbins character. She's sweet-natured and trusting. She's simply outstanding as the loving wife who has to struggle with the biggest moral dilemma faced by any of the characters. She's brilliant and amazing and that's just one of the reasons why she's my very favorite actress ever! (FYI - Her performance in The Dead Girl just missed out on the top ten list!).

01. Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There (2007) - The short version: She plays Bob Dylan!!! The long version: Not many female actresses would have the balls to play Bob Dylan. Not many could pull it off. Okay, I can't think of anyone else who could have pulled it off. Only Blanchett in all of her nose-twitching, eye-rubbing brilliance. She's subdued and mellow but quick to lash out with sharp wit. Her section of the bizarre but wonderful film is the most straight forward and so she has to be the most like the actual Bob Dylan. She doesn't just mimic him, she becomes him (and looks shockingly like him) in a strange way that's so effective since the character is being played by a woman. Blanchett is simply amazing as she continues to build a resume of quirky, powerhouse performances that not many other actresses could even come close to.

Top Ten List - Best Supporting Actress

10. Evan Rachel Wood in The Wrestler - She has just three keys scenes but Wood milks it for all it's worth. Cheers for going toe to toe with the great Mickey Rourke and holding her own.

09. Alison Pill in Milk - Maybe it's just my undying devotion and love for this movie, but I'd give the whole damn cast an award. Pill is barely in it, but she's still a little spitfire, whipping the men of the movie into shape and helping Harvey Milk make history.

08. Catherine Keener in Hamlet 2 - I just keep picturing her drinking that huge drink at the Mexican restaurant / bar. Keener could probably read the phone book and I would think she was worthy of high praise.

07. Viola Davis in Doubt - She's on screen for about twelve minutes but she takes full advantage of those twleve minutes to give a powerhouse performance. Her thought process is devastating in its assuredness.

06. Debra Winger in Rachel Getting Married - In a year of comebacks, Winger's is very welcome. She's been absent for way too long. She doesn't have a lot to do in Rachel Getting Married but there's that one big scene with Anne Hathaway that is shocking and riveting at the same time.

05. Amy Adams in Doubt - Viola Davis may be getting all the attention but I prefer Adams' more subtle and nuanced performance. In a movie filled with people who are stubborn and shady, Adams is the innocent and pure Sister James. Also, she's probably the key to figuring out the key mystery in the film.

04. Taraji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Sweet and tough, Henson is finally breaking through to the fore front. She should have been nominated for Hustle and Flow and this year she continues her streak of good natured supporting characters. She elevates every scene in which she is a part.

03. Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler - Looking sexier than ever, Tomei plays a single mom stripper who is, like Rourke's title character, struggling with losing her youth and looks. Unlike Rourke's character, she is capable of finally growing up. Her final scene is heartbreaking.

02. RoseMarie Dewitt in Rachel Getting Married - Anne Hathaway may be getting all the attention for her intense performance (and she does deserve it) but I actually prefer Dewitt's more subtle performance. She plays the "perfect" sister but she never becomes a cliche. She never tries to hide Rachel's flaws. And because of that she plays this role flawlessly.

01. Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Volatile. Vivacious. Lunatic. Neurotic. Enigmatic. Sexy. Agitated spitfire. Just a few words to describe Cruz's brilliant take on the slightly crazy ex-wife of Javier Bardem's character. She has so many great scenes. Why she wins my award as the Best Supporting Actress of 2008? A specific scene when she is just released from a hospital for trying to kill herself. Bardem takes her home to meet his new American tourist girlfriend played by Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett asks her if she wants anything to which Cruz so perfectly and so simply replies, "Vodka." Great line reading. Great performance.

Tomorrow - Best Supporting Actor

Oscar contenders arrive - Men who age backwards, nuns and political activists, oh my!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Benjamin Button is maybe the most fascinating man you'll ever meet. Born with a warped face and amidst doctors warnings that he wouldn't live very long, his birth father abandoned him on the back steps of an old person home where the loving and caring Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) found and raised him as her own. As Benjamin (Brad Pitt) beat the odds and grew up, he may have looked like the other old men in the house but he sure didn't act like them. As his life progressed, he became younger and younger, living a full and amazing life. He left home to join a tugboat captain (Jared Harris, stealing scenes as usual) and eventually join a war. He met the alluring Brit Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) and a host of other interesting characters. But it was the lovely Daisy (Cate Blanchett) who was the love of his life. While she aged normally, he aged backwards - could their love ever really work out? Based on the line "youth is wasted on the young," the film is a moving and emotionally harrowing journey through the life of one man. David Fincher directs the hell out of this film which has a great script and great performances. For as slow as it moves in the first half, the emotional aspect is kicked into high gear in the second half and it becomes a near masterpiece. There are so many moments of brilliance that it makes up for it's uneven beginning. Brad Pitt is the star but it's more about his journey than his acting. The acting stand outs, for me, came from a trio of fabulous women - Swinton who is all toughness and sophistication, Henson who is the heart and soul of the film and knocks it out of the park (let's start the Oscar campaign now!) and Blanchett who takes Daisy's vain, self centered nature and turns it into something that actually works. There is no one more beautiful than Blanchett as she dances in the fog. Overall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a beautiful journey well worth the time.
Grade: A-

Doubt - There is a particular scene at the end of the film between Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman that just proves these two are arguably the two best working actors today. I didn't think anyone was going to make it out of that scene alive. Streep is the stubborn and stern Sister Alyisous who begins to think that Father Flynn (Hoffman) had an inappropriate relationship with the only black student at the school. Stripped down to just four main characters - Amy Adams as the naive and sweet (and I think the key to making your final decision about Flynn's innocence or guilt) Sister James and Viola Davis who has one powerful scene as the boy's mother - the film is very character driven with intense dialogue and a great, well written story. John Patrick Shanley is indeed a fantastic writer. I'm not convinced he is a great director, however. He's making a character/dialogue driven film but spent much of the first act using strange camera angles to tell a very simple story. His choices at times were very distracting from the effectiveness of the script. The performances, however, make up for it. Every one is making a huge deal about Viola Davis and I admit she was quite good. However, and maybe it's because I've been hearing for so long about how amazing she is, I didn't think she was quite as riveting as everyone else. Instead, in the supporting actress character, I felt Adams' more subdued and understated work was far more impressive. Then there's Streep and Hoffman and, like I said, they were pheneomenal in every way.
Grade: B+

Milk - There may be a more touching, gripping, emotional, politcally timely, perfect film released this year... but I haven't seen it. Milk is everything a movie should be. Directed by the fantastic Gus Van Sant (he has directed two of the best this year - Milk and Paranoid Park), Milk tells the true story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), the first gay man elected to public office in the late 1970s in San Francisco. It follows his long journey to the top - where he ran for office numerous times, losing over and over again before finally winning and fighting for gay rights, human rights before being shot down by a disgruntled co-worker, Dan White (Josh Brolin). Milk surrounded himself with a group of young, empassioned followers who helped rally the gay community, including Cleve Jones (a fantastic Emile Hirsch), Anne Kronenberg (Alison Pill, the spitfire) and two boyfriends including the long suffering Scott (James Franco) and the needy and smothering Jack (Diego Luna). The script is face paced and well written. Van Sant sticks to straight directing, for the most part. However, there are a few of his little artsy moments thrown in there and it adds to the film, for sure. Whether he's directing art films or more mainstream work, Van Sant is one of the most daring and interesting directors working today. Of course, the cast is amazing. If all is right in the world (which, of course, it's not) the men of Milk could all but over run the Supporting Actor category. Franco, Brolin and especially Hirsch are all fantastic. But, of course, this is Penn's show and he embodies Harvey Milk like you wouldn't believe. Known for his moody and intense work, it's refreshing and lovely to see him play someone a little more carefree and emotionally open. His performance is Oscar worthy, for sure and I'd love to see him win a second Oscar. The best thing about Milk, however, is how very timely it is. With the recent passing of Prop 8 (which is much like the Proposition 6 that Harvey fights so tirelessly against in the film), it's clear to see that after thirty odd years, Harvey's fight is still not over. This movie should be a rally cry, a call to people to come together and stand up for gay rights, civil rights, human rights.
Grade: A+

The Bank Job, Doomsday, Miss Pettigrew, Horrorfest 2 begins...

The Bank Job - In a year where I've only given one movie above a D+, The Bank Job is a welcomed film. It's not fantastic, per se, but it is, at the very least, enjoyable. It stars Jason Statham and Saffron Burrows and tells the (allegedly) true story about a bunch of small time crooks who are duped into robbing one of the most famous banks in London. You see, some very important people want to get to the contents of a certain safe deposit box. The best way to do that, you ask? Get criminals to break in, of course! I have no idea how much of this movie is actually true. Most of it seems hard to believe. Still, the movie is a mostly well done heist film. When you get over the fact that you can't understand half of the things these people with heavy British accents say, then you can mostly enjoy the film. It's fun and funny. It has a lot of action and it's well thought out. I can do without the Hollywood ending. That is what I find most unbelievable about the entire story. It's not a great movie by any means but in this crappy year of movies, it's one of the better ones.
Grade: C+


Doomsday - Doomsday is from the director of The Descent, a movie that came out a few years ago that everyone loved and I hated. It stars Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, the fantastic Malcolm McDowell, and the extras from the Dr. Dre / Tupac video for California Love. It's a little bit fun, sure. It's a little bit ridiculous (and I always mean that in the best sense of the word), sure. But it's also a lot cliched. It's sort of like those really bad movies like Date Movie and Superhero Movie and Epic Movie... except Doomsday plays it completely straight. I know a lot of people loved his previous film, The Descent, but I did not. So I didn't go in giving him the benefit of the doubt. It was an overblown, unneccesary film. It has a terrible script and uses solid actors (McDowell, Hoskins) very badly. So, at least come up with an original idea! Instead it rips off everything from Mad Max to Escape to New York and Resident Evil. Doomsday doesn't pay homage to these movies. Instead it is a mash up of much better movies clumped up into one huge mess. Also, if anyone could tell me what the hell was up with the Scottish castle? Yes, the movie also gets a little Gladiator at one point. If you like good acting, great scripts, character development, originality, thrills and suspense... then skip this movie.
Grade: D

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day - Now, this movie isn't bad at all. It's cute (sometimes a little too cute, courtesy of Amy Adams... we'll get to that in a minute). It's a little bit fun and mostly well written and well done. Plus, it stars one of the greatest actresses working today and someone who has the possiblity to be one of the great actresses - Frances McDormand and Amy Adams, respectively. If anything, this movie is best described as a missed opportunity. It could have been more clever and funnier and just all together tighter. McDormand is fine in her role. Adams is cutesy... and I'm starting to have a problem with that. Amy Adams is cute. Yes, I know. She's nearly as cute as a kitten or a bunny or something. Still, when I watch her I'm beginning to get the feeling that I've seen it all before. In Junebug, she was cute. In Enchanted, she was cute. In this, she was cute. I mean, she's a great actress... but it's time to do something different! I want to see her play a serial killer or a child molester or a hooker or something (and not a cutesy Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman hooker either). I still have hope for her though. I will reserve my final judgments until after Doubt which comes out later this year. I believe she has range and can do darker, more serious things... I just need to see it. The movie is very hit or miss but it's great to see McDormand on screen again. She hasn't really had a juicy role since Fargo. Since then she's just been playing mothers and sisters and friends. I know she's a character actress but so is Johnny Depp and he's a huge star so why can't McDormand be as well? In the end, the movie is decent and at times enjoyable. However, it is missing one very important element - heart. Everyone seems to be going through the motions and nothing ever really connects with the audience. It's a shame because this movie could have been something much more and much better.
Grade: C-

Horrorfest 2
Nightmare Man - Ugh. If this is any indication of how Horrorfest 2.0 is going to go then I think I'll change my mind about watching all 8 films (again). Why subject myself to such potential misery? Last years crop of films were mediocre at best and downright awful at worst. But, I did find a solid little gem called The Hamiltons and I'm hoping to do that again this year. I mean, they can't all be awful, right? Hopefully not, but Nightmare Man is, ahem, a nightmare. It's a story everyone has heard a million, trillion times before. Crazy bad actress wants to have a baby so she orders a fertility mask which ends up possibly being a demon who haunts her dreams and potentially lives inside her. Or... is she crazy? It's hard to tell because she's such a lousy actress. Anyway, en route to a mental institution where her husband is taking her, the car runs out of gas. Husband walks back to gas station. Wife / bad actress / annoying bitch gets chased through the woods by Nightmare Man and ends up coming upon a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Inside are two couples playing Truth or Dare (do people who are not 12 actually play this game?) and faking orgasms and stripping and being lesbians (of course!). Blah blah blah. Slasher cliches ensue. If Mystery Science Theater was still on the air, this would be one of their favorite films to tear apart. There is almost nothing redeeming here. There is one kid (I don't know any of their names and I don't care to learn them) who isn't a terrible actor... but he dies pretty quickly. I don't know which is worse - the script or the acting. There are bad continuity errors (and I don't even usually notice this stuff but it's sooooo bad and obvious here), the make up is cheesy and the movie is the exact opposite of scary. I'm just hoping all of the Horrorfest 2.0 movies aren't this bad.
Grade: F

Enchanted, No Country For Old Men, December Movie Preview

Enchanted - Remember when Disney used to make good movies like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid? Well, they haven't completely lost their touch. Not only is Enchanted, well, enchanting (yeah, with a name like that, they are just asking for it) but also it takes you back to the golden day of Disney films which were full of evil witches, pretty maidens, poison apples and scary dragons. Enchanted is the perfect blend of animation and live action which makes it's story telling a throw back to old school classics while still feeling fresh and unique. The pretty maiden Giselle (Amy Adams) falls in love with Prince Edward (James Marsden) but when his evil step mother Queen (Susan Sarandon) finds out, she sets a trap that sends Giselle to a place where happily ever after doesn't exist - New York City. Prince Edward follows to find his one true love and, well, many a comedic thing happens. While in the Big Apple, Giselle meets a cynical New Yorker named Robert (McDreamy... I mean, Patrick Dempsey... I wonder how Dempsey feels to know there are people out there - me in particular - who only refer to him as McDreamy? That's probably weird, huh?) who she eventually falls in love with eventhough he has a super awesome girlfriend named Nancy who is played by none other than one of my lady crushes Idina Menzel. All hail Idina!!! Sorry, that's a bit off track, yes? Anyway, that's enough plot. There's a lot of singing and dancing and lots of animals and dress making. This movie is really the definition of "light entertainment." It's really such a perfect family movie. I'm a cynical bitch and I even liked the goddamn thing! The casting is just perfect. While McDreamy is not necessarily my type (I'll take McSteamy, thanks), so many women are in love with him that he really makes such a perfect modern day Prince Charming. Susan Sarandon was more or less born to play an evil stepmother / bitchy queen. I just wish she had more screentime. Unfortunately, she was usually animated or in dragon form. If they would have given her a meatier role, she would have been simply divine. James Marsden is absolutely hilarious and perfect. I'll take him over McDreamy ANYDAY! He's just brilliant. I can't really even describe what makes him so perfect for this role but he just is. You'll have to see it to understand. The same can be said for Miss Amy Adams. I think she's going to become huge thanks to this movie. Also, frontrunner for Best Actress Oscar much? My money is on her. She's simply perfect. Her perfection is just almost beyond words. No one else could have possibly played this part but her. She's simply divine. She's finally becoming the star she should have become after her great turn in Junebug. She's at this weird Julia Roberts / Julie Andrews place in her career right now. I say good for her. Anyway, the film is really just great so check it out!

Grade: B

No Country For Old Men - It's very hard for me to review this movie. It almost doesn't really seem like a movie to me. It's more than a movie. It's better than a movie. It's almost like a piece of art, amazingly beautiful. You just want to stand and look at it for hours and hours. The Coen Brothers have definitely crafted a masterpiece here. They knock it out of the park with this violent, pretty western drama. No Country For Old Men is slow-moving and character driven. It's violent and bloody and absolutely beautiful. There's humor aplenty but it is definitely a tough and gritty story. This is a thriller that doesn't disappoint or skimp on the thrills. Javier Bardem gives the absolute best performance of his career (of the year? ...so far). His portrayal is one of unrelenting evil, true derangement. It's a performance about a human being with no humanity. It's one of the greatest psychopathic characters ever captured on film. Yes, ever. The greatest thing about his character is that he is absolutely not cliched in the tiniest way. It's a character whose lunacy and craziness you can enjoy. It's a frightening, terrifying, masterful performance. I felt absolutely nervous and excited every time he graced the screen. Josh Brolin is great as well. He's really had a great year since he was also impressive in Grindhouse / Planet Terror. If Bardem didn't steal this movie in every way possible, you'd surely spend more time talking about Brolin's great performance. Then there's Tommy Lee Jones (who is not too old to be one of my movie star boyfriends). He isn't used much but he's used well. His scenes pepper the movie and add a great understated effect. He's also had a hell of a year with this performance along with his great turn in In the Valley of Elah. Then there's Kelly MacDonald. If it's a slow year in the Best Supporting Actress race (but, really, with all those Atonement women, how could it be?), she could sneak in there. Her final scene on screen is just a revelation to watch. The cinematography (by Roger Deakin) is breathtaking. There are scenes in this movie which are just up there with the best scenes I have ever seen in a film. There is one scene featuring Bardem in a gas station which has little to do with the actual plot development but which is still just a pleasure to watch. I'm not going to talk plot at all because it's better if you go into something like this knowing as little as possible. Be prepared for it to be slow-paced and violent. That's all you need to know. Other than the fact that it's one of the two best movies of the year (unless December REALLY wows me). It's just a masterpiece.

Grade: A+

December Movie Preview

December 5 - Juno hits New York and Los Angeles. At this point, I am tempted to drive to New York just to see this movie. I won't... but that's how much I want to see it. Ellen Page, Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Allison Janney... my god. This movie looks fantastic.

December 7 - Atonement starts it's limited release. It looks like my kind of love story - epic and potentially tragic. Plus, I love James McAvoy. The Golden Compass opens as well. I wasn't interested in it at all until Inge told me some background on it. Perhaps I'll see it now. I mean, Eva Green and Daniel Craig are in it so that's a plus! Grace is Gone opens in limited. I really hope John Cusack is as good as everyone says he is here. I really hope he'll finally get an Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, the race is probably too heavy at this point.

December 14 - Alvin and the Chipmunks? Me thinks not. I am, however, very excited about seeing I Am Legend. If there's one person I trust saving the world, it's Will Smith. The Kite Runner and Youth Without Youth open in limited release. Which means I probably won't see them this year.

December 21 - Charlie Wilson's War looks surprisingly better than I thought it would. Tom Hanks has an inherent charm about him. Put him with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts and Amy Adams and, wow. What a line-up! When I see the trailer for National Treasure: Book kof Secrets, all I can think is: "Helen Mirren and Ed Harris are better than this." P.S. I Love You opens and looks... cutesy. That's not a good thing. The best parts are probably the parts with Lisa Kudrow from the trailer. Skip. Sweeney Todd opens as well. I'm disappointed that they are trying to hide the fact that it's a musical. Embrace it! Then there is Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Might be hilarious. Might be stupid. We'll see.

December 25 - Alien vs. Predator - Requim opens. No, I'm serious. The Bucket List opens in limited release probably just so Jack can try to get another Oscar nomination. Hell, I would give it to him but that's just me. The Water Horse opens for all the little kiddies. I'd say skip it and go see Enchanted again.

December 26 - There Will Be Blood opens in New York. Again, maybe I'll drive there just to see the showdown between one of the great (Daniel Day-Lewis) and one of the upcoming greats (Paul Dano).

December 28 - Two limited releases that I would love to see open in limited: Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream (eventhough the buzz is NOT good. Still, I would see anything Woody does. And I would recommend anything Woody does... unless it has the words "Jade Scorpion" in the title) and The Orphanage, a creepy Spanish horror movie.