Awardtalk

In Bed With Madonna

2011-08-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

The legendary tour Blonde Ambition by Madonna has been named the greatest tour of the 90s by Rolling Stones. Backstage Madonna let a filming crew capture the drama backstage and her feelings during the tours. In black and white we follow Madonna through emotional and happy times during the tour. We see her struggling coping with her tour and the press.

Madonna is as many noted before pretty much aware of the camera crew therefore she's not always that natural, especially not in the interviews. But at the same she's so fascinating because what we see is one of the most talked-about womens on earth, both then and now, a little bit more up close and personal than we use to and what we get is a confused lady that wants people interpret her in the way she wants to.

Without a doubt one of the best documentaries that has been done, and i count among one of my favourite movies of the 90s.

Missing my film blog

2011-08-16T11:57:00.001-07:00

Hello everybody! Long time now huh? What have happened with me? Well school got in the way and I got interested in music again and now I am about to combine both of my interests! I've got a tumblr nowawaydays also http://hofverbergs.tumblr.com/ but I will begin blogging here again! I PROMISE!

Yours Truly

Prima Ballerinas

2010-12-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I watched two movies. The Red Shoes and Black Swan. Both of them tells you the story about a ballet company rehearsing and playing a famous ballet, and both of them ends like their respective ballets does.

The Red Shoes was released 1948 but has survived the test of time, and is now considered one of the best pictures ever made, and rightfully so. It's a fantastic achievement for cinema with lush cinematography, beautiful music and great sequences.

But what about Black Swan?
Well according to me it's a future classic. Such a visually lush movie with great storytelling and performances. What more could you ask for? Natalie Portman gives a once-in-a-lifetime performance as Nina Sawyers, the doomed ballerina whoms search for perfection ultimately destroys her. Natalie conveys all of her characters emotion, both as the "good" Nina and the "bad" Nina. Also we must applaud Portman for the preparing of her role.

Mila Kunis is also great, and certainly is a rising star. Barbara Hershey gives also a great performance as the role of an overprotective mother (you can see the comparision with her role and Rapunzels fake mother in Tangled).

This will be the film I will root for to win Best Picture and Best Actress during the Academy Awards!

So for the rates.
The Red Shoes - A+
Black Swan - A/A+

The French Goddess

2010-07-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

While Inception makes lots of money at the boxoffice this week, the reviews has almost all cited out two actors as standout first Joseph Gordon-Levitt and secondly the always divine Marion Cotillard.

Marion Cotillard began her Hollywood invasion 2003 when she starred in Big Fish. But it would take 4 more years til she got her real breakthrough. In 2007 she briliantly portrayed Edith Piaf in such a way that it was impossible for the Academy to not give her the award. It was a landmark for several reson, first she managed to win the Oscar with a foreign-language performance and secondly we all know it was all about the performance. She wasn't famous in US before so there's no way anyone voted for her because she had paid-her-dues or anything like that. Since then her career has just gone up.

In 2009 she doubled it with Public Enemies and Nine. Both movies flopped at the Box office and with critics. None of them was any major player at the Oscars as it first was predicted, but when the critics was to point out their favourite in the movies, it was almost always Marion Cotillard who the raved about. But there was no Oscar nomination for her, why?

Weinstein Company completely destroyed the campaign for Nine marketing her as lead actress, which lead to Penélope Cruz's inferior performance to get nominated.

This year her only "real" Hollywood project is Inception, where she once again has recieved nothing but praise. If there is an Oscar nod coming up, I don't know. It's too early to tell, but if the film goes bigger at the box office it could very well be the film with most nominations this year and hopefully Marion Cotillard will also get one.

So Juliette Binoche, you can dethrone yourself as the leading french actress cause Marion is here to stay!

I'm Back for Good

2010-07-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

After an hectic spring where school has been #1 priority I will no be back for good and I promise. Though I noticed following Oscar took too much of my time, I will only do it during the Award season so I will not foresee anything right now, well maybe I give you one after Toronto Fesival or So.

Also forgive me if I sometimes lack knowledge of the cinema of 2010 cause I really haven't had the time to search those movies out.

So I hope you all will enjoy the blog again :)

10 word reviews

2010-02-28T13:40:00.003-08:00

Agora
Enjoyable if a bit dry, Weisz makes a compelling performance.
Best in Show: The Score

Videocracy
Interesting view in the media world of Italy, lacks little narrative.
Best in Show: The segment about the Journalist.

Reopening Awardtak

2010-02-28T08:11:00.000-08:00

During the last couples of weeks I haven't been writing something on this blog, which I am very ashamed off, but shame on the one who gives up. I will probably update my site to something more modern and fresh so stay tuned for more movie news!

PS. There is a late surge of support for Meryl Streep in Best Actress Race, wonder if it helps DS.

My predictions

2010-02-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

OK I may have excaggerated when I said that I wouldn't talk about the Oscars first.

Here's my prediction for every category (will be updated):
Best Picture - The Hurt Locker
Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
Best Actor - Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
Best Actress - Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique - Precious
Best Original Screenplay - Inglourious Basterds
Best Adapted Screenplay - Up in the Air
Best Cinematography - The Hurt Locker
Best Film Editing - Avatar
Best Art Direction - Avatar
Best Costume Design - The Young Victoria
Best Original Score - Up
Best Original Song - "The Weary Kind" - Crazy Heart
Best Visual Effects - Avatar
Best Make Up - Star Trek
Best Sound - Avatar
Best Sound Editing - Avatar
Best Foreign Language Film - The White Ribbon
Best Animated Feature Film - Up
Best Documentary Feature Film - The Cove

Announcment

2010-02-02T05:45:00.000-08:00

I am happy for Invictus NOT nominated for Best Picture, but The Blind Side makes me sick, I am not going to buzz about the Oscar til next year again, I am so sad for the Blind side getting nominated in best picture!

Cheat List

2010-02-02T04:44:00.000-08:00

Use this list to keep track for the next hour to come which has the chance of being nominated!

Supporting Actress
Cotillard
Cruz
Farmiga
Gyllenhaal
Kendrick
Krüger
Laurent
Mo'Nique
Moore
Morton

Supporting Actor
Baldwin
Capaldi
Damon
Harrelson
Mackie
McKay
Molina
Plummer
Tucci
Waltz

Actress
Blunt
Bullock
Cornish
Cotillard
Laurent
Mirren
Mulligan
Ronan
Sidibe
Streep
Bridges

Actor
Clooney
Damon
Day-Lewis
Downey Jr.
Firth
Freeman
Maguire
Mortensen
Renner

Director
Avatar
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Precious
A Serious Man
Up in the Air
The White Ribbon

Original Screenplay
(500) Days of Summer
Avatar
Broken Embraces
The Hangover
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
It's Comlicated
A Serious Man
Up
The White Ribbon

Adapted Screenplay
Bright Star
Crazy Heart
An Education
Invictus
In the Loop
Julie & Julia
Precious
The Road
Star Trek
Up in the Air

Picture
(500) Days of Summer
Avatar
The Blind Side
Bright Star
Cazy Heart
District 9
An Education
The Hangover
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
The Messenger
Nine
Precious
A Serious Man
Star Trek
Up
Up in the Air
Where the Wild Things Are
The White Ribbon

Jespers Movie Column #2

2010-01-31T04:34:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome back to my movie column!

Since last time you read this blog some major awards has been, the PGA, DGA and SAG. The Hurt Locker won both the PGA and DGA and is right now the frontrunner, while Inglourious Basterds won the SAG. Also IB and Bright Star were both snubbed by the CDG, but that guild has often snubbed major contenders for the costume design prize.

The SAG further provided us that the Best Actress race is closer than we thought. Instead of rewarding the greatest of them all with one of the greatest performance of the year who is certainly overdue for a third Oscar! They gave it one of the most average actresses with the most average performance, BUT overdue for a NOMINATION not a win, also she's once of the NICEST in Hollywood STRETCHING herself with a DRAMATIC role. So please if somebody read this DON'T VOTE FOR SaBu only because she is nice!

There has only been two movies out this week I'm interested too see, and that's Off and Running & maybe Edge of Darkness. BTW, Avatar surpassed Titanic worldwide in box office counting, and it has showed no sign to be slowing down drastically!

The INOCA nominations was announced yesterday and gave a good bunch of nominees, but I'm quite disappointed that Bright Star wasn't nominated for Best Picture!

While in Sundance the movies with the most buzz right now are The Kids are All Right, Blue Valentine & The Runaways. Of these I think TKAAR will be the one with most Oscar chances because of Moore and Bening starring.

Bye bye for now

Oscar nominee predictions!

2010-01-30T02:01:00.000-08:00

Best Picture
1. The Hurt Locker
2. Avatar
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. Up in the Air
5. Precious
6. An Education
7. Up
8. Invictus
9. Star Trek
10. District 9
Alt: A Serious Man
From the Outside looking in:
Nine, The Messenger, (500) Days of Summer, The Hangover

Best Director:
1. Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
2. James Cameron - Avatar
3. Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
4. Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
5. Lee Daniels - Precious
Alt: Clint Eastwood

Best Actor
1. Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
2. George Clooney - Up in the Air
3. Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
4. Colin Firth - A Single Man
5. Morgan Freeman - Invictus
Alt: Viggo Mortensen - The Road
From the Outside Looking in:
Tobey Maguire

Best Actress
1. Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
2. Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia
3. Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
4. Carey Mulligan - An Education
5. Helen Mirren - The Last Station
Alt: Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones
From the Outside Looking In:
Emily Blunt, Marion Cotillard, Melanie Laurent

Best Supporting Actor
1. Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
2. Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
3. Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
4. Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
5. Matt Damon - Invictus
Alt: Christian McKay - Me and Orson Welles
From the Outside Looking In:Anthony Mackie, Alfred Molina

Best Supporting Actress:
1. Mo'Nique - Precious
2. Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
3. Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air
4. Penélope Cruz - Nine
5. Samantha Morton - The Messenger
Alt: Julianne Moore
From the Outside Looking In:
Diane Krüger, Marion Cotillard, Melanie Laurent

Best Foreign Language Film:The Milk of Sorrow
A Prophet
The Secret in Her Eyes
Winter in Wartime
The White Ribbon
Alt: Samson and Delilah

Best Animated Feature Film:
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
Up
Alt: 9

Best Documentary Feature Film:
1. The Cove2. Food, Inc.
3. Under Our Skin
4. The Beaches of Agnes
5. Burma VJ
Alt: Valentino: The Last Emperor

Best Original Screenplay
1. Inglourious Basterds
2. The Hurt Locker
3. (500) Days of Summer
4. A Serious Man
5. Up
Alt: The Hangover

Best Adapted Screenplay:
1. Up in the Air
2. Precious
3. An Education
4. District 9
5. Fantastic Mr. Fox
Alt: In the Loop

Best Cinematography
1. The Hurt Locker
2. Nine
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. Avatar
5. The White Ribbon
Alt: Bright Star

Best Film Editing
1. Avatar
2. The Hurt Locker
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. Up in the Air
5. District 9
Alt: Precious

Best Art Direction
1. Avatar
2. Inglourious Basterds
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
4. Sherlock Holmes
5. Where the Wild Things Are
Alt: Nine

Best Costume Design:
1. Nine
2. The Young Victoria
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. Sherlock Holmes
5. Coco Before Chanel
Alt: Bright Star

Best Make Up:
1. District 9
2. Star Trek
3. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Alt: The Road

Best Visual Effects:
1. Avatar
2. Star Trek
3. District 9
Alt: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Best Original Score:
1. Avatar
2. Up
3. Sherlock Holmes
4. Star Trek
5. A Single Man
Alt: The Informant!

Best Original Song:
1. "The Weary Kind" - Crazy Heart
2. "Cinema Italiano" - Nine
3. "I See You" - Avatar
4. "I Want To Come Home" - Everybody's Fine
5. "All Is Love" - Where the Wild Things Are
Alt: "Take It All" - Nine

Best Sound Mixing
1. Avatar
2. District 9
3. The Hurt Locker
4. Star Trek
5. Up
Alt: Nine

Best Sound Effects Editing:
1. Avatar
2. District 9
3. The Hurt Locker
4. Up
5. Star Trek
Alt: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Best Animated Short Film:
1. The Cat Piano
2. Partly Clody
3. A Matter of Loaf and Death
4. Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
5. French Roast
Alt: The Kinematograph

Best Live-Short Film:
1. The Response
2. Kavi
3. The Door
4. The Ground Beneath
5. Instead of Abracadabra
Alt: Miracle Fish

Best Documentary Short Film:
?????

Most beautiful image of 2009

2010-01-24T06:48:00.000-08:00

Best Actress 1934

2010-01-24T02:23:00.000-08:00

She may have digusted Leslie Howard, but for everyone else she was the bright spot in Of Human Bondage

Here I am with another edition of Best actresses, this time I will take a look at the 1934 race

There were three nominees this year and one write-in candidate cracking the top 3 after the nominees were announced. Also another write-in candidate took in a considerable amount of votes.

The write-in candidates were Myrna Loy, with her comic and dazzling performance in The Thin Man, and Bette Davis who gave a performance we could compare with european actresses in Of Human Bondage. Loy was wonderful in her iconic role and gave it life with her witty dialogue and charming & mature voice, while Davis was magnificent as a lost woman starring opposite Leslie Howard. Davis was the one cracking the top 3.

Now to the nominees!

The worst of the bunch was Grace Moore as the opera singer in One Night of Love. The Movie and her were favorites to win the big awards in 1934 and got lots of noms, but ended up neither winning best actress or picture, which is lucky cause both she and the movie is quite stiff and oldfashioned with not much life in it... though she had a good voice.

Then there's Norma Shearer in her prestige role in The Barretts of Wimpole Street. She gives the roles a great depth of warmth and strongness as the bedridden rich woman. This is like Moores performance very oldfashioned, but still the difference is that Shearer gives all her charm into her role while Moore just seems dull.

The best is still Colbert as the heiress on a trip with Clark Gable. Like Loy she gives one of the best comedic performances of all time and show that Colbert is best when she's funny. Also this year she had Cleopatra & Imitation of Life, neither of them tops her performance in It Happened One Night.

Everyone loves her, and she knows that!

The biggest omission was though Marlene Dietrich in The Scarlett Empress.

Nightmares

2010-01-24T00:37:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched the SAG red carpet, but was to tired to actually watch the ceremony so I went to sleep with the hopes that I would wake up and watch Meryl Streep winning a SAG, but in my dream SaBu won it and I woke up directly believing it was the right winner. Then I understood it was just a dream so I went to sleep again, this time SaBu was still the winners, but so was George Clooney, Mo'Nique, Christoph Waltz & INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. This time my nightmare didn't scare me.

I woke up 09.00 and got my computer started and WHAT DID I SEE?! SABU WON!!! WTF? Well it isn't so much WTF?! since Meryl Streep won the SAG last year they maybe want to spread the wealth, but an exciting Oscar it will be with neither Best Actress or Best Picture clear yet. Also on the happy news Inglourious Basterds and Glee won awards. IB was for me a surprise since the nomination of Krüger pretty sealed their love for the movie.

So now it's really:
Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker vs. Inglourious Basterds vs. Up in the Air

Of these movies I think Up in the Air has the weakest chances of winning.

The nominees will probably be:

Avatar
The Hurt Locker
An Education
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Precious
Up
Up in the Air

All these seems to be safe bets with Up and Invictus little bit shaky since they both have some things detracting them. Up is an animated film and Invictus no one really loves just respects.

Now to the rest of the three.

(500) Days of Summer
District 9
The Messenger
Nine
A Serious Man
Star Trek

All have chances to be nominated, but for now I pick

A Serious Man
Star Trek

Crossing my fingers

2010-01-23T15:21:00.000-08:00

The Oscar nominees are announced in a week or two and hopefully a surprise nod will go to the great Laurent. Damnd Weinstein who first campaigned her at the leading category then later the supporting causing confusion!

Jespers Movie Column #1: Sundance Starts, Award Season middling

2010-01-23T03:31:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!

I decided to start a column on my blog every saturday where I write about the past week that has been and anticipating the week to come.

Of all the things that has happened this week the most talked about must be the Golden Globe awards in which Avatar went home with two awards for Best Picture and Director, this caused much stir (both good and bad) at many movie forums and blog since everyone was excepting The Hurt Locker or Up in the Air to sweep some awards (THL went totally unawarded), but for me it was only a good surprise since I totally love Avatar and want it to win the Oscar next! In the best supporting actor & actress categories the awards went as everyone expected to Christoph Waltz and Mo'Nique, who certainly did cause every fashion police out there outrage for her cause she didn't shave her legs before the ceremony. Otherwise she gave the greatest speech of the evening even beating Streep for the Speech queen.

The Best actress categories went as suspected to Streep and Bullock who now both is battling out for the Oscar. Best Actor was more surprising with Robert Downey Jr. winning one for Sherlock Holmes, and Jeff Bridges getting a standing ovation for his Crazy Heart.

As said Avatar won Best Picture: Drama, but the most surprising and undeserving winner went to The Hangover, who further cemented this years Golden Globe to be all about money. Also the star-studded musical Nine went unawarded.

In Iowa the Sundance Film Festival has opened and so far I've only heard about the film Howl that has been screened and starring James Franco. According to early reviews it seems that film is a bit mess, but lovable, while Franco is getting good notice. You will stay further noted about the Sundance.

In UK the BAFTA announced their nominations, they said YES to An Education, but Nein to Inglourious Basterds. Also they nominated Audrey Tautou, a total undeserving nomination, she's very dull in the movie.

At the Boxoffice all over the world Avatar still stands strong and will probably be sinking (god I hate to say that word it seems so cliché now) Titanic for the #1.

One new that also came was that Kidman had hired Jolies manager for herself. Kidman is many times very private with her off-screen life, but even if the press and bloggers some times jokes bad things about her they should salute her for making the way of the most famous couple of our time Brangelina, since Kidman was first cast as Mrs. Smith but later dropped out which made Jolie getting the role.

And now to the tragic news that hit me today was the death of the great Jean Simmons (80 years old). She starred in over 50 movies during her lifetime which included such classics as Black Narcissus, Great Expectations, Hamlet, Elmer Gantry, Spartacus and Guys & Dolls. She also gave good performances in Young Bess and The Happy Ending, and she even played the swedish queen Desirée opposite Marlon Brando.

RIP Jean Simmons

Also I want everyone to think some minutes about the victims in Haiti and praying to god or whatever you believe in that everything will be fine again in Haiti, maybe it won't happend today or tomorrow but someday it surely will.

Next Week
More fabulous movie news with SAG, More sundance and more box office extravaganza on the line.

RIP Jean Simmons

2010-01-23T00:18:00.001-08:00

At the Cinema

2010-01-20T12:48:00.001-08:00

The weekend that will come does offer some interesting movies, if you want more mainstream you can go to The Tooth Fairy, Extraordinary Issues or Legion. If you Want "Oscar" you can go to Creaton.

Then what I think seems the most interesting of the weekend:

1. Room and a Half (Andrey Khrzhanovsky)
2. The Girl on Train (André Téchiné) starring the goddess herself, Deneuve.
3. Paranoids (Gabriela Medina)

Live blogging the Golden Globe Award

2010-01-17T13:05:00.001-08:00

01.33. Well since nobody seems to be reading I will not live blog anymore, but you will get my reactions tomorrow : )
01.32. Well I'm back and there's Fergie looking very good.

01.22. I will quit blogging the red carpet and begin later during the ceremony.

01.20. I haven't seen Mariah Carey yet, but the reports aren't nice...

01.18. Chloë Sevigny looks great!

01.11. Melanie Laurent has arrived, she looks great.

01.08. Kristen Bell is not good.

01.05. Sigourney Weaver wears something green, can't see it all, but it looks great as of here.

01.05. Julianne looks great, isn't that the same earrings as in 2003? Also Tom Ford is there. Moore needs an Oscar soon.

01.02. Glee! Glee! Glee! Jane Lynch looks splendid, she's so funny.

00.59. Penélope! Joseph! all the stars are coming. Also Sophia Loren has comed.

00.57. Christina Hendricks, she's really pale, but stunning.

00.56. The Facebook girl is annoying!!!

00.56. Anthony Mackie interviewed, also very humble. Hopefully he won't become any new Jamie Foxx.

00.54. I'm seeing a little picture of Marion Cotillard now, she is dressed in black quite a change from all the white she has done before.

00.53. Glenn Close is there, she needs an Oscar NOW!

00.53. No the streamer went off :( but it's on now.

00.47. Carey Mulligan looks wonderful, the news says she has got the role in My Fair Lady.
Also the dress is much better than her BFCA dress. She's such a sweetheart.

00.44. Streeps seems to have some fans at the bleachers.

00.42. Jayma Mays, you have to love her in Glee.

00.42. Am I the only one NOT liking Gyllenhaal's dress?

00.33. They told what the time was in sweden during the live carpet show : D

00.31. Chris Colfer from Glee is interview right now, not my favourite from the show but he sometimes has the tendency to steal the show.

00.26. Jane Lynch, she actually looks very good in a dress I don't think many women at her age would dare to wear.

00.25. Wonder if The Legends (Kidman and Pfeiffer) will come to the GG?

00.20. Oh god, Maggie Gyllenhaal isn't looking good at all, too much pig colour, the movie stars are arriving.

00.16. Lee Daniels!!! Even though I will not nominate him for my award I am still rooting for him to win, cause he seems very nice.

00.16. Ginnifer Goodwin looks stunning.
UPDATED: Sorry, I saw wrong...

00.13. Cory Monteith from GLEE is being interviewed, seems to be a very humble guy. Glee is one of my favorite shows right now. Cory sings much better live than studio.

00.10. Are it usual for the movie stars to arrive later than the tv stars?

23.59. There's the Glee cast, Lea Michele looked stunning in her black dress. Jayma Mays and Jessalyn Gilsig also looked great.

23.59. There was a clip with Britanny Murphy, RIP.

23.52. Agree with that guy, I take Kirsten Dunst every day over Jennifer Aniston.

23.48. Oh God! E! coverage is much funnier than NBC, why can't I watch E!

23.42. PS. Tom O'Neil is on the Live Carpet show. DS.

Tonight I will live blog the Golden Globe ceremony If i don't fall asleep, it's night here in Sweden you know ; ) .

So hopefully you will all join me : )

Wil Nine get some love from HFPA?

2010-01-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

Golden Globe Predictions

2010-01-17T05:52:00.000-08:00

Best Picture: Drama:
1. Up in the Air
2. The Hurt Locker
3. Inglourious Basterds

Best Picture: Comedy or musical:
1. (500) Days of Summer
2. Nine
3. The Hangover

Best Director:
1. Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
2. James Cameron - Avatar
3. Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

Best Actor: Drama:
1. Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
2. George Clooney - Up in the Air
3. Colin Firth - A Single Man

Best Actor: Comedy or Musical:
1. Matt Damon - The Informant!
2. Daniel Day-Lewis - Nine
3. Robert Downey JR. - Sherlock Holmes

Best Actress: Drama:
1. Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
2. Carey Mulligan - An Education
3. Gabourey Sibide - Precious

Best Actress: Comedy or Musical:
1. Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia
2. Meryl Streep - It's Complicated
3. Marion Cotillard - Nine

Best Supporting Actor:
1. Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
2. Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
3. Woody Harrelson - The Messenger

Best Supporting Actress:
1. Mo'Nique - Precious
2. Penélope Cruz - Nine
3. Julianne Moore - A Single Man

Best Screenplay:
1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Up in the Ar

Best Original Score - Avatar
Best Original Song - "The Weary Kind
Best Foreign Language Film - A Prophet - France
Best Animated FIlm - Up

Best Actress 1932/33

2010-01-17T03:07:00.000-08:00

Hello! I'm back with one more edition of Best Actresses, this time I will dig into 1932/33.
Don't get fooled by the looks!

This lineup consists of May Robson, Diana Wynyard and Katharine Hepburn. The average moviegoer may only know about Katharine Hepburn, the other two were a character actress and a british actress.

Diana Wynyard who gives "life" to her role as the wife and mother in a noble family in the movie Cavalcade. This is the sort of role Norma Shearer would get offered if it was a MGM Picture and would probably rock it, sadly Wynyard is just an object for the public at the times imagination of a noble wife. She just stands there looking pretty and is incorporated with the costumes and art direction. Well well it's not Wynyard fault that the performance screwed up, overall the film screwed up everything else in it, with it's stiff and oldfashioned way.

Then there's the two other ladies Hepburn and Robson.

Hepburn was deserving of a nomination, but NOT for Morning Glory which is a mediocre performance by one of the all-time best. Instead she should have got a nomination and win for her warm and dazzling performance in the american classic Little Women. But back to her nominated and victorious role she plays... surprise an actress. In some way her ra-ta-ta voice and manners didn't work her in which she SHOULD have played it more subtle like she did in Summertime many years later.

So my winner is May Robson. She gives her "Eliza Doolittle-with-a-twist" character real depth and warmth during the whole movie and she shines as much in the role as rich and poor.

But I've got an Ideal lineup:
Kay Francis - Trouble in Paradise
Greta Garbo - Queen Christina
Katharine Hepburn - Little Women
Barbara Stanwyck - The Bitter Tea of General Yen

Fifth Spot goes for the current to Helen Hayes in A Farewell to Arms, but could easily be switched as I see more movies from 1933

Posters of 1942

2010-01-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

Today I searched for Casablanca posters at google and found this

I always thought that the most well known Casablanca poster was one of the most beautiful posters of all time, but this is much better than the last one.

Best Actress 1950

2010-01-16T04:57:00.000-08:00

Today I'm restarting Best Actress Editions, which means that all the years I've done I will update and write about all the other years. So I start with one of the most acclaimed year 1950!

Sorry Anne, I'm on Team Bette.

But way was it acclaimed I always come to ask myself. I myself can't understand it. Sure it gave us two of the greatest performances and comebacks of all time, Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd. and Bette Davis in All About Eve. But the rest is just ordinary performances by respected actresses. Baxter is the worst of the bunch with her shoing-in a role that could have been made magnificently by anyone else, also it dosn't help that she's outstaged by Bette Davis, Celeste Holm and Thelma Ritter.

By no means is the other two Parker and Holliday are bad, on the other hand they are very good... but they doesn't truly make anything really memorable neither of them. Both of them would later turn in better and richer performances.

Then there's the two Divas. Gloria and Bette

Even in this picture you can see how good she is in this picture.

Gloria is playing the recluse movie actress from the old days who desperately wants a comeback, she finds it in a playwright who later becomes her sort of gigolo. In the whole movie Gloria portrays her character with insanity and over-the-top feeling which makes her transition to the character a delightful event to watch, even if delightful isn't the turns of event in the movie.

Bette on the other hand plays a succesfull theatre actress, but with age on her neck she's slowly withdrawing against her will from the top. Bette is has good as she's ever been in this role as Margot Channing and really makes a whole event circus around her magical quotes like
"Fasten your seatbealts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

Both of them got great help from the supporting cast who lift them up in the sky, also they both got some of the most memorable quotes in movie history. So it's a tough decision to choose between Gloria and Bette. I would want a tie, but since I don't think Bette would ever accept a tie I must choose Gloria because of her complete scene-chewering.

Bette Davis is looking sour, is because of she losing both times to a newcomer on-screen and off-screen? Or is it because of she couldn't even won over me who is ranking her as the best actress ever? But she's defenitely deserving of her Cannes Film Festival Prize.

Some snubs was Katharine Hepburn, Shelley Winters, Elizabeth Taylor and Ingrid Bergman.

So Who's your favorite of all these?

Bright Star

2010-01-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

Only sometimes in a decade such a magical film comes out where everything is just fantastic. Last time this happened was in 2007 when the masterpiece There Will Be Blood was released. This year it has actually happened more than once. There is:

Inglourious Basterds
The White Ribbon
(and partly) Avatar - if only the screenplay and the acting would be a little better, still it will probably make my #1

and now a small period drama called Bright Star has done it. It is perfectly crafted by Jane Campion, and you feel that she has put her heart and soul on this project. With a detailed story she tells us the love affair of the poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, masterly played by Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish. There love is not the most conventional one and has one big detractor, the John Keats working partner who is masterly played by Paul Schneider. Fannys family is always in her presence and her love-kinded mother is played by Kerry Fox. The story continues and so comes the end, which I'm not going to say much more then that Cornish is breathtaking.

The cinematography is gorgeous, the costume design is also. The music is a big part of the movie and gives it a very romantic and friendly feeling.

Grade: A/A-
Best Scene: The Forrest scene at Valentine.

10 word reviews

2010-01-05T12:50:00.001-08:00

Birth
Engaging and intelligent drama. Kidmanthelegend is both captivating and magnificent.
Best in Show: That's a three-way-tie between the cinematography, the score by Alexandre Desplat and Kidman.

7 Women
Interesting drama directed by the great John Ford. Bancroft is outstanding.
Best in Show: The Whole ensemble. It wouldn't work otherwise.

The Lovely Bones
Dull and lifeless, with good performances by Sarandon and McIvers
Best in Show: What I mentioned above

First Predictions: Major Categories

2010-01-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

Here's my new prediction for best picture all based on buzz, awards, reviews and box office

Colors:
Dark Green - Fighting for the Win
Green - Locks
Yellow - Safe Bets
Red - Fighting

Best Picture:
1. Up in the Air
2. Avatar
3. The Hurt Locker
4. Inglourious Basterds
5. Precious
6. Up
7. An Education
8. Invictus
9. Star Trek
10. The Messenger

Bubbling Under:
Nine, District 9, A Serious Man, (500) Days of Summer

Best Director
1. Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
2. James Cameron - Avatar
3. Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
4. Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
5. Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino

Bubbling Under:
Lee Daniels, The Coen Brothers

Best Actor:
1. George Clooney - Up in the Air
2. Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
3. Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
4. Morgan Freeman - Invictus
5. Colin Firth - A Single Man

Bubbling Under:
Viggo Mortensen, Tobey Maguire

Best Actress:
1. Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia
2. Carey Mulligan - An Education
3. Gabourey Sibide - Precious
4. Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
5. Helen Mirren - The Last Station

Bubbling Under:
Melanie Laurent, Marion Cotillard, Abbie Cornish, Emily Blunt, Tilda Swinton

Best Supporting Actor:
1. Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
2. Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
3. Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
4. Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
5. Matt Damon - Invictus

Bubbling Under:
Christian McKay, Anthony Mackie, Alfred Molina

Best Supporting Actress:
1. Mo'Nique - Precious
2&3. Anna Kendrick & Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air
4. Julianne Moore - A Single Man
5. Samantha Morton - The Messenger

Bubbling Under:
Penélope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Diane Krüger, Melanie Laurent

Best Original Screenplay:
1. Inglourious Basterds
2. (500) Days of Summer
3. Up
4. The Hurt Locker
5. A Serious Man

Bubbling Under:
The Messenger

Best Adapted Screenplay:
1. Up in the Air
2. Precious
3. An Education
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
5. District 9

Bubbling Under:
Invictus, Bright Star, In the Loop etc. etc. (This race is very crowded)

Best Animated Feature:
1. Up
2. Fantastic Mr. Fox
3. The Princess and the Frog
4. Coraline
5. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Bubbling Under:
9, Ponyo

Best Foreign Language Film:
1. Germany
2. France
3. Argentina
4. Finland
5. Norway

Bubbling Under:
God Knows?

Best Documentary Feature Film
1. The Cove
2. The Beaches of Agnes
3. Food, Inc.
4. Burma VJ
5. Under Our Skin

Bubbling Under:
Valentino: The Last Emperor? Every Little Step?

Best Animated Short Film (?)
1. The Cat Piano
2. Partly Cloudy
3. A Matter of Loaf and Death
4. French Roast
5. Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty

The Tech will come tomorrow!

Oscar Race: Best Picture

2010-01-04T04:02:00.000-08:00

This week we almost now for sure which 10 will be nominated since both the DGA and PGA is announced. Right now there are 5 locks those are:

Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air

They all have the critic support, the buzz and the precursors. Almost all of them did well on the box-office and no one of them flopped. The Hurt Locker is the critical favourite and is one of the frontrunners to win alongside Up in the Air. Avatar and Inglourious Basterds are both dark horses that could prevail in the race because of their box-office success and admiration of them by the people. Precious was once the frontrunner, but the buzz has since failed to materialize during the award season and it has to be satisfied for a nomination in Best Picture only.

Then the rest of the five? Right now these seems safe bets for three of the places

An Education
Invictus
Up

But all of these are pretty unsafe. An Education seems safest, but it could be snubbed in favor of more mainstream or american products, the buzz is almost all about Carey Mulligan for the film. Invictus got good reviews but not great, but it's still a Clint Eastwood picture and we know the AMPAS loves him. Up is the unsurest of these three because of it's an animated movie and the buzz has faded a little, but because of the snub last year for Wall-E it's probably getting nom'ed.

Then the rest two of the spots, here are some contenders

(500) Days of Summer
District 9
The Messenger
Nine
A Serious Man
Star Trek
Where the Wild Things Are

All of these pictures have the same chances. (500) Days of Summer and The Messenger both suffers from being independent film. Where the Wild Things Are and District 9 was too long ago and the buzz is gone pretty much.

So it's going to be A Serious Man, Star Trek or Nine. Old Oscar wisedom says Nine. But since I want to predict otherewise I say that

A Serious Man
Star Trek

Will Be nominated!

My Own Love Song

2010-01-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

Will Zellweger win another Oscar?

The Recruit

2010-01-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

I just can't understand how bad everyone was in this movie I'm now watching, happily Colin Farrell has got a career revival after his Golden Globe Win.

10 Words Reviews:

2010-01-01T12:33:00.000-08:00

Moon
New unconventional sci-fi pic, with bravura performance by Sam Rockwell.
Best in Show: Sam Rockwell

Saraband
Great Swan Song, but certainly not one of Bergmans best.
Best in Show: Liv Ullmann

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T17:07:00.001-08:00

and hope this new year and decade will bring many more masterpieces to our cinema :)

10 Words Review:

2009-12-30T14:23:00.001-08:00

The Cat's Meow:
Delightful, funny homage to the happy 20s. Dunst is magnificent.
Best in Show: The Costumes

The Last of the Mohicans
One of the best romantic adventures to come from Hollywood.
Best in Show: The Cinematography

Rage
Original storytelling with a great cast. Sally Potter is Back
Best in Show: Dame Dench

Let's Make A List

2009-12-30T02:44:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to give you my Top 10 of 1994. I've once written about this year, but here are my (almost) ultimate top 10 of that specific year.

10. Vanya on 42nd Street
This is a proof that you can make subtle and quiet drama, but at the same time being incredible effective and engaging.

9. Queen Margot

Now It becomes hard to rank the movies, but I ultimately decided to put this highly fascinating french flick at #9, put this may very well change. From the beginning of the movie you're caught fascinating about the glory, pride, venegance and greedy court of France, where a wedding of a protestant prince and a catholic princess is the center of all the events around it. Adjani is captivating, but the one that walks away with all the applause is Virna Lisi in her poisonous performance as Catherine de Medici.

8. Ed Wood
Ahah! This is a funny and tragic pic about the infamous director Ed Wood. Tim Burton give us an entertaining but thoughtful view of a man outside of the society's life. This time he gives the lead role once again to Johnny Depp, who in return gives one of the silver screens best male performances every.

7. Quiz Show
It's about the Quiz scandal in the 50s which made people realize that not everything on TV is the truth. Directed by Robert Redford he shows us he is as good director as an actor. In the lead Ralph Fiennes sparkles, but it's ultimately the supporting cast that steals the show, especially John Turtorro.

6. Heavenly Creatures
Peter Jackson has never been better than this. In this drama he tells us the real story about two girls who murders one of the girls mother. This is not only Jackson breakthrough, but also Kate Winslet ultimate breakthrough, and what a breakthrough. Winslet is living the role in this movie and we absolutely forgets that she is Kate Winslet. The Visuals are perfect.

5. Bullets over Broadway
The Best of Woody Allens 90s movie. This is maybe him in a more mainstream mood than before, but still he gives us delightful comedy and great performance by the cast where Dianne Wiest definitely becomes the center of the actors all by herself.

4. Natural Born Killers
It's actually quite enjoyable movie about a couple on a killing spree. Lewis and Harrelson has never been better and their chemistry is top-notch. Sadly this picture is overshadowed by another violent picture from a controversial director and that's my...

... 3. Pulp Fiction
One of the most iconic pictures of the 90s. I'm not going to write more about this since I think everyone else know why it is so good :)

2. Trois Couleurs: Rouge
What a splendid film. Everything is great the cinematography, the acting, the screenplay, EVERYTHING!

1. Chungking Express
This beautiful film is not only a visual feast, but also got a great story and splendid acting. Definitely one of the best movies of the 90s, maybe it's even better than In the Mood for Love?

If anyone is reading this, what's yours top 10 of 1994. Is there anything on my list you disagree about or anything you love about my list?

In the mood for silent

2009-12-29T17:34:00.000-08:00

This week I've gone crazy for silent films from the 10s and 20s. I've watched classics such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Foolish Wives both films I recommend greatly. I shall in the next weeks watch more D.W. Griffith, F.W. Murnau, Sergei Eisenstein and Erich von Stroheim. Sadly, the pictures by Cecil B. DeMille from this period, those where Gloria Swanson starred, I can't find anywhere. They seems to be lot more interesting than the talkies he made.

Also expect before the Oscar that I will announce my personal award.

The Best movie of 2009?

2009-12-22T12:17:00.000-08:00

Mo'Nique oscar tactic?

2009-12-22T11:55:00.001-08:00

In the last couple of week Mo'Nique has got a little "backlash" why?
Because she isn't campaigning, her decision not to show up at the NYFCC ceremony, her reason was something with her family to do, so it will probably not hurt her chances. But also that she asked former Oscar nominees what and Oscar does financially.

Well I think all these things are a campaign in it's own way, remember George C. Scott. He said that he didn't want the award, which led to more publicity and after all an Oscar, maybe he actually wanted the Oscar?

2009-11-28T15:35:00.001-08:00

My new swedish blog (though I will still write in this one)

http://filmnordsliv2009.blogspot.com

Reviews in 10 words

2009-11-28T05:05:00.000-08:00

Beauty and the Beast (1946)
When Cinema turns into art, a masterpiece without any doubts
A+

A Christmas Tale (2008)
French Cinema at It's Best, Catherine Deneuve Steals the Show
B+/A-

Lola Montes (1955)
Breathtaking cinematography and costumes, and the circus scenes are great.
A/A-

The Turning Point (1977)
70s-Style Dramatic soap-opera with two great actresses, Maclaine and Bancroft.
B

The Top 10 Films of All Time (According to Me)

2009-11-27T06:23:00.000-08:00

Sunrise (27)
Gone With the Wind (39)
Day of Wrath (43)
The Earrings of Madame De... (53)
Lola Montes (55)
Smile of a Summer Night (55)
West Side Story (61)
Bonnie and Clyde (67)
Cries and Whispers (73)
The Last Metro (80)

Well this is my top 5, of course it's not temporary cause tomorrow I may be thinking some other movies is the top 10. But the absolute favorite is highlighted

2009-11-24T11:08:00.000-08:00

Best of Katharine Hepburn

2009-11-24T06:49:00.000-08:00

Best Performance
1. Long Day's Journey Into Night
2. Bringing Up Baby
3. Summertime
4. The Philadelphia Story
5. Little Women

The Incredible Katharine part 2

2009-11-23T12:05:00.001-08:00

During the 40s she had 4 great roles, but only two oscar nominations. Those happened for The Philadelphia Story and Woman of the Year, while State of the Union and Adam's Rib (eligible 1950) was also deserving for some award especially the underrated State of the Union. But well Katharines 1940s is like Meryls 1990s, they did good roles but nothing comparable to their roles in the decade before or after.

So to the much happier 50s. This decade Hepburn landed some of her best roles and movies. The African Queen, Summertime and Suddenly Last Summer all three stands as great movies, but only Summertime is a real masterpiece. But on the other hand the Hepburn manner became more and more prominent, which you could notice very well in The African Queen and Suddenly Last Summer. Summertime on the other hand Hepburn gave a fine emotional and natural performance as the old spinster who finds love in Venice.

The 60s she only did 4 movies roles, but they were chosen carefully. Long Day's Journey Into Night IS an essential from stage to screen performance and Hepburn is just brilliant. Guess Who's coming to dinner isn't maybe anything groundbreaking but still a fine and relaxing performance. In The Lion in Winter she heated the performance up to such a degree that it sometimes becomes quite Over-the-top, but you never get annoyed of this.

In the 70s-80s her career seemed to decline with her age and the best performance from the decades was The Trojan Woman, an exciting performance from an all-time great actress.

Now It's Official:

2009-11-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

vs.

Who's the best?

Godmorgon!

2009-11-22T22:54:00.000-08:00

Nu tänkte jag tips er om en komedi!

The proposal
& den handlar om..
Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock)som är en tuff chef som ingen rår på. Eftersom hon är från Kanada kommer myndigheterna henne på spåren, och hon måste deporteras tillbaka till sitt hemland. Enda lösningen på problemet är att hon gifter sig, och eftersom hennes assistent Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) finns nära till hands, råkar det bli honom. Det nyblivna paret utsätts för många prövningar, bland annat ett besök hos Andrews familj i Alaska...
mer säger jag inte, än att ni bör kolla in den =D
vi hörs!

Bright Star

2009-11-22T13:49:00.001-08:00

I REALLY want to see it! This seems like one of these movies critics will revalue in 50 years and then call it a masterpiece.

Highly Recommended

2009-11-22T06:50:00.000-08:00

If you feel that this weeks releases was quite uninspiring or not just good enough. Then I recommend you this french piece of gem. Summer Hours. It evokes the exactly right emotions. Edith Scob and Juliette Binoche is splendid in their roles and fully deserving of award attention, though the won't get any... :(

Natt bloggning!

2009-11-21T15:49:00.000-08:00

Inte länge sen sist ju :)

Tänkte tipsa er om en film jag såg för drygt 3 veckor sen.
Nämligen Paranormal activity, som får en riktigt rädd.

Den handlar om...
Katie och Mica, som tycker att dom upplever underligga saker i huset.
Så som knarrande dörrar, fot steg i trappan, och andra ljud.
Till en början tror Mica att det är barnen i huset brevid som håller på och skrämmer Katie..
Så en dag beslöt han sig för att köpa en videokamera fast besluten om att dokumentera spöket, demonen, inbillningarna eller vad det nu kan vara. Så dom sätter upp kameran i sovrummet.
Mica resonerar att ''I videokameran kommer verkligheten att synas och det är först när man har koll på den som man kan göra något åt saken''

Värt att ge filmen en chans, iaf för dom som kan sova sen efter ;)

Hej!

2009-11-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

hej, jag är en svensk skribent och tänkte ''hjälpa'' Jesper med tipsen!
eftersom vi har olika smak, blir det bra för alla =D
HOPE YOU ENJOY! ;)

Best Actresses of the Decade part 1 (2000-2004)

2009-11-21T09:16:00.001-08:00

2000 (Contenders I Haven't Seen = Laura Linney, Michelle Yeoh, Renée Zellweger)

2001 (Contenders I Haven't Seen = Kirsten Dunst, Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Rampling)
2002 (Contenders I Haven't Seen = Maggie Gyllenhaal, Isabelle Huppert, Kirsten Dunst)
2003 (Contenders I Haven't Seen = Charlotte Rampling, Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman)
2004 (Contenders I Haven't Seen = Nicole Kidman "Birth", Julie Delpy, Imelda Staunton, Laura Dern, Isabella Rossellini, Anne Reid, Tilda Swinton)

Please comment which others actresses is awardworthy, I really want to know foreign or indie stuff, I found them more interesting!

Animated Short - Partly Cloudy

2009-11-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

Now I watched another animated short film. This isn't so interesting as "The Cat Piano", but it's neverthless very sweet animation. The plot on the other hand I think is a little thin.

Early NBR Predictions

2009-11-21T08:13:00.001-08:00

Best Picture:
1. Precious
2. A Single Man
3. Invictus
4. Nine
5. Brothers
6. Up in the Air
7. The Last Station
8. Bright Star
9. The Hurt Locker
10. Public Enemies

YES! I'm leaving out "An Education"

Best Director - Jane Campion - Bright Star
(Alternate: Michael Hoffman - The Last Station or Clint Eastwood - Invictus)
Best Actor - Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
(Alternate: Morgan Freeman - Invictus)
Best Actress - Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia
(Alternate: Helen Mirren - The Last Station or Michelle Pfeiffer - Chéri)
Best Supporting Actor - Jude Law - Sherlock Holmes
(Alternate: Christopher Plummer - The Last Station or Stanley Tucci - Julie & Julia)
Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique - Precious
(Alternate: Penélope Cruz - Nine or Natalie Portman - Brothers)
Best Animated Feature - Up
(Alternate: Ponyo)
Breakthrough Male - Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
(Alternate: Joseph Gordon-Levitt - (500) Days of Summer
Breakthrough Female - Gabourey Sibide - Precious
(Alternate: Carey Mulligan - An Education or Rose McIver - The Lovely Bones*)
* She had very much time in the trailer, will it be a sign?
Best Cast - Nine
(Alternate: An Education or Brothers)
Best Directorial Debut - Tom Ford - A Single Man
Best Original Screenplay - A Serious Man
Best Adapted Screenplay - The Last Station

Top Foreign Films:
Broken Embraces
Everlasting Moments
A Prophet (Release Date?)
Summer Hours
The White Ribbon

I Really don't know the eligibilty for this category

Top Five Documentaries
Anvil
The Beach of Agnes Varda
The Cove
This Is It
Tyson

I Have no idea really....

Top Independet Films
????

This is just guesses.

Some favorite shots from this decade

2009-11-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

Animated Short - The Cat Piano

2009-11-21T07:09:00.001-08:00

Since the shortlist for Best Animated Short was revealed I decided to watch on of the listed "The Cat Piano", you can all watch it at Youtube.

It's an incredible piece of work that would work greatly as an animated motion picture. The animation was also splendid.

Many extra points for the voiceover... loved it.

Nine

2009-11-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

Nine, Nine, Nine.

What more can I say.

During the last couple of days i've been listening to the songs and watching the clips from Nine. With the clips i've seen it all looks like I'm going to be more than satisfy with Cruz, Kidman, Cotillard and Day-Lewis who all four belongs to this decades best actors and actresses.

The Auteurs

2009-11-13T15:30:00.001-08:00

A Great site EVERYONE shall join.

here's mine account with ratings of movies from 2009 and my favorite movies and directors.
http://www.theauteurs.com/users/71939

Coming this season...

2009-11-12T11:46:00.000-08:00

... More Best Actress Editions
... and the Bests of the Decade (but this may come during the early part of 2010 since there are still som movies I need to catch up with)

But be prepared with this movie too be listed...

3 Women

2009-11-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching and... well... I need to think about it a little more. But What I Can say is that it's a really great movie!

The Sparkling Diamond...

2009-11-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

... and she still sparkles

News New News

2009-11-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Today it was announced that Winona Ryder and Barbara Hershey will star together in "Black Swan". The Film where Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis is portraying ballerinas. The Film is directed by Darren Aronofsky.

Cannot Wait! :D

Then to a sad new, that was announced around last week as that Joe Wright (Atonement) WILL NOT direct "My Fair Lady" it was just a rumour :(. It also makes me worry if Knightley also is a rumour (Hope Not!)

Then to another good new. The Role Charlize Theron (Monster) dropped out of in "The Danish Girl" is now taking over by Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love). Cannot wait for this picture neither both Kidman (Moulin Rouge!) AND Paltrow will be juicy.

Family Portrait

2009-11-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

Everlasting Moments

2009-11-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

To everyone, it's only 2 months til all yours end-year list will be made and finished. Please watch Everlasting Moments before you do it, it's a wonderful film deserving of everyones recognition.

Julie & Julia

2009-11-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I watched Julie & Julia. It was a very enjoyable movie, maybe not a masterpiece but still a wholesome and fun movie. Meryl Streep truly was Julia Child and gave probably one of the best female leading performance of the year (still haven't decided if she's better than Gainsbourg). Stanley Tucci had his own while playing against Streep and was a lot better than he was in "The Devil Wears Prada". Amy Adams gave a pretty safe and charming turn, but nothing we haven't seen from her before. Also the score was superb!

Be Italian!

2009-11-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

Best Actress 1964

2009-11-04T10:16:00.001-08:00

My Nominees:
Anne Bancroft - The Pumpkin Eater
When I first watched this movie I was mesmerized how great Bancroft was in this. Before this movie I only knew her as the mother in The Graduate. But now i'm a complete fan. The breakdown is just scaring because it seems so real!

Catherine Deneuve - The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
This is the breakthrough of Deneuve, and a good one too. Her charisma just sparkles and she really seems like a star here.

Olivia de Havilland - Lady in a Cage
This was a terrific performance in a terryifing film. The whole movie is a psychological suspense movie, and De Havilland is at the top of her game in this.

Audrey Hepburn - My Fair Lady
A classic performance certifing Hepburns status as a cultural icon.

Kim Stanley - Séance on a Wet Afternoon
Haunting.... and great.

and the Winner Is!

FYC: Jane Krakowski for Oscar Host!

2009-11-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

I'm falling more and more for Krakowski. The Nine soundtrack, 30 rock AND the fantastic TV ad where she plays Scarlett O'Hara. SO ALL I CAN SAY IS KRAKOWSKI FOR OSCAR HOST!

Penélope Cruz

2009-11-02T13:06:00.000-08:00

Remember for some years ago when nobody likes Cruz, now it all suddenly changed. EVERYONE loves Cruz. Her year in 2008 was great, and so will the rest of 2009 also be. She was very good in "Broken Embraces", not "Vicky Cristina" great but still very good.

Well she's currently the front-runner for almost everyones sexpot of the year award :P

Best Actress 1961

2009-11-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

This my take on the Best Actress category 1961 (quite random I know!)

I'm going to do as Andrew did over Encore's World of Film & TV blog (which you could visit if you look at my favourite blogs :). He did semi-finalist and finalist list, which I thought was a very good idea :)

Semifinalist:

Audrey Hepburn - Breakfast at Tiffany's
I know this is probably one of the most well known performances of Hepburn, but it wasn't really the WOW factor I thought it would be. She looks beautiful and does her job well. She is marvellous in some scenes, but more less than often. Also we can say she was miscast. BUT this is though one of the most iconic performances of 1961 and the moment she sings "Moon River" is pure magic.

Audrey Hepburn - The Children's Hours
While "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was a miscasting, this was the complete opposite. Hepburn is used to do this kind of role as the sweet woman. While it was a beautiful performance, it turned out quite boring.

Shirley MacLaine - The Children's Hours
MacLaine makes surprisingly little with this juicy role, even if she's better than Hepburn we all know she could do LOT more. Also one thing regarding this movie is that the supporting players stole this show.

Finalists:
Sophia Loren - Two Women
One of these performances where the actress gives up everything and just makes the role come alive. Loren is marvelous!

Clauda McNeill - A Raisin' in the Sun
This is a wonderful and splendid performance by McNeill as the mother. She lights up the screen every minute on screen.

Natalie Wood - Splendor in the Grass
Many people calls this performance dull and uninspired, but I disagree. Wood was charming and heartbreaking here. This really showed how good an actress Wood was. I can't decide Loren and Wood who was the best of the nominees, but Wood gets the title right now.

The Nominees:
Anouke Aimée - Lola
She gives the most sensual performance this year, but also the most joyful. She's really on par with the original Lola.

Harriet Andersson - Through a Glass Darkly
The scene when she's sleepwalking is just breathtaking! Harriet truly gives the character a great performance.

Deborah Kerr - The Innocents
This is a career defining role for Kerr. She's never been better. Her performance is a haunting one, and you sure notice the similarity between her role and the great Nicole Kidman in "The Others", but Kerr was better.

Delphine Seyrig - Last Year at Marienbad
Her performance is maybe not as flashy as everyone else, but she works it out great and you notice her in a moment!

Lucyna Winnicka - Mother Joan of the Angels
WOW! This is what I call a performance. She gives the role a three-dimensonial performance, Wonderful I only say!

and the winner is...

The Women - The 2008 Version

2009-11-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

Last year "The Women" was released. It was critically loathed and earned 1 razzie nomination for Worst Actress.

Friday I saw it for the first time, I've wanted to seen it since it was released but was scared off by all the negative critics (except Roger Ebert's one). Slowly into the movie I began to realize this wasn't that awful. Of course it wasn't anywhere near the 1939 version, but still not bad. The script was pretty dull though, but it was all helped up by the actresses in this movie. Bening, Ryan, Messing and Leachman are all great comedienne and didn't deserve mention by the Razzie, but Messing and Smith surely did. But it's during the last parts of the movie it begins to crash, not completely but almost. It turns out to be another one of these Hollywood comedies with the same predictable which is ofcourse really boring.

Overall this is a entertaining and sophisticated comedy, but with many flaws that the actresses even couldn't overcome.

Rate: C

My Inspirations

2009-10-31T15:12:00.000-07:00

This list consist of people I look for when I need inspiration for something.

Andy Warhol
August Strindberg
Blondie
Bette Davis
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen
Catherine Deneuve
David Bowie
Frida Kahlo
Ingmar Bergman
John Lennon
Madonna
Marlene Dietrich
Marlon brando
Max von Sydow
Salvador Dalì
Vilhelm Moberg

Tell me who's yours?

Avatar: Movie of the Decade?

2009-10-31T03:58:00.000-07:00

Avatar will be released in December. I JUST CAN't WAIT ANYMORE! The second trailer made me believe this would be a masterpiece. It's the movie event of the decade easily, name any other movie that has been as hyped in this whole decade! The Lord of the Rings is the only close to this!

I'm Curious....

2009-10-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

... will Xtina star a career in movies like Cher (good response), like Madonna (mixed response), Like Mariah Carey (bad beginning) or Britney Spears (bad response)? Hopefully it will be like Chers

Top 10 so far

2009-10-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

5 TV-Shows and TV-Series I'm Watching

2009-10-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

30 Rock
Glee
Mad Men

Guilty Pleasures!
Hell's Kitchen
Project Runaway

Two Modern Legends

2009-10-25T05:27:00.000-07:00

YEESSS!!

2009-10-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

Keira got the role in "My Fair Lady"... and Joe Wright is going to be the DIRECTOR!!!

I'm SO HAPPY!!

Best Actress of 2009 (yet)

2009-10-24T02:28:00.000-07:00

This is my ballot for Best Actress right now. Expect at least two of them will still be on the ballot at the end of the year.

Hiam Abbass - Lemon Tree

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Antichrist

Maria Heiskanen - Everlasting Moments

Michelle Pfeiffer - Chéri

Robin Wright Penn - The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

The New Pop Sensation

2009-10-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is the new sensation from Sweden!

A Piece of Art

2009-10-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

This is maybe the most beautiful film of all time!

Truth or Dare?

2009-10-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

I Pick Truth!

Yesterday I watched Madonna's 1991 documentary "Truth or Dare" or "In Bed With Madonna" as it's called in Europe.

I was completely hooked on it. It's a fascinating documentary about the one AND only Madonna.

Isn't it weird that my top three favourite movies of 1991 was one animated movie, one horror and one documentary. It's pretty easy to guess the movies i'm talking about :)

Five Anticipated Movies:

2009-10-22T07:16:00.001-07:00

Avatar
Who doesn't have this in their anticipated movies list. It's the first movie Cameron has done since "Titanic", that's say all!

The Last Station
This is the period movie we all count down since all the letdowns this year.

Nine
The Cast JUST LOOK AT THE CAST!

Shutter Island
Scorsese is always great with thrilles + a great cast.

The Tree of Life
Terrence Malick's new film, YIPPIE!

Destroyer #3

2009-10-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

Yes you've seen right "Last Tango in Paris" is a destroyer, though only for Maria Schneider.
The Full frontal pictures of her got too much for the public at the time so her movie career was out of the window.

Destroyer #2

2009-10-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

You had it coming!

Dunaway gave a great performance. She was voted runner up by both the NSFC and NYFCC, lost to "Stevie" which was released in 1978. Then she WON the RAZZIE! What the Hell! And after that her movie roles and movies and just gone down. It has happened occasionally that she gives great performances, and then it's often on television.

Dunaway MAKE A COMEBACK!!!!!!!!!

Destroyer #1

2009-10-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

This movie destroyed Liv Ullmanns international stardom. She did some few leading roles in english movies afterwards, two of them she got GG nominations for (40 Carats and The Rose Garden). Happily for us, she delivered great performances in swedish and norweigan.

The Music of a Summer Night

2009-10-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Who's the best the superstar Taylor? or the divine Dahlbeck?

I personally think Dahlbeck was the best.

RIP: Amelia's Oscar Chances (I HOPE!!!)

2009-10-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

I Woke up tired today, went to "work", came home and went to Rottentomatoes.com. I've got the day happiest new "Amelia" is flopping... almost. It has right now 17% based on 5 reviews. I know it will probably change to 30%-50%, but still. It's rulling out Swanks Oscar chances unless she makes a Blanchett.

But I still want to see the film all because of Ewan McGregor.

Best Actress 1972

2009-10-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

1972 was not a great year for films, even if two real classics was released (Cabaret, The Godfather) and one swedish masterpiece was released in NY (Cries and Whispers). Neither was it a rich year for actresses.

The Five oscar-nominees was the great Minnelli, the astonishing Ullmann, the natural Tyson, the theatrical Smith and the singing Ross. Only three of these five holds any Oscar worthy standard (that's the first three mentioned). It wasn't any big surprise when Minnelli won the Oscar. Why?

Ullmann - Lost Horizon opened
Ross and Tyson - Splitting the black votes
Smith - Had no chance from the beginning.

It was no competition for Minnelli to win this.

There wasn't any big omissions this year only some small. Where was Streisand for her superb comic turn in "What's Up Doc?", or where was Woodward (shamefull i haven't seen her movie :( )

Then there also was Juliet Mills in "Avanti!", Burnett in "Pete 'n' Tillie", Hawn in "Butterflies are Free", Tuesday Weld in "Play It as it Lays" and Trish van Devere "One Is A Lonely Number".

Then in the rest of the world there were three other movies released with great performances by actresses. "Cries and Whispers" and "The New Land" would open the next year in US and there was also "The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant".

Nurse Jackie

2009-10-05T13:16:00.001-07:00

Top 3 TV Shows right now

2009-10-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

A very short list.

3. The Simpsons
I Know the quality of the jokes have turned down dramatically, but it still gives a smile on my face.

2. 30 Rock
A Funny comedy with great performances from Baldwin, Fey and Krakowski

1. Mad Men
This is simply one of the Best TV-Series in years.

Casting My Fair Lady

2009-10-04T05:29:00.001-07:00

Still no new words about the movie. The three contenders for Eliza Doolittle is my favourite Keira Knightley, the limited actress Anne Hathaway* and the underrated Scarlett Johansson**
I really want Knightley to get this role, she would be amazing as Doolittle. Hathaway could very possibly be charming in this but nothing more. Johansson would be greatly miscast.

For the role of Henry Higgins I would want Daniel Day-Lewis. And why not Julie Andrews as Mrs. Higgins, that's smelling Oscar Nomination

*I Just don't think she's good enough to become both the next Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep.
** We must think back to before 2006. and after 2006 she stills have gived us good performance in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and The Other Boleyn Girl, but she was a little stiff in The Prestige.

2009-10-03T14:25:00.001-07:00

I've started a new blog where i'm going to write reviews, though in Swedish. But I promise i still will write in this blog.

The new blog is called awardtalkreviews.

Diane of Algermeissen

2009-09-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

I think Krüger should be taken more serious as a actress. She was great in Inglourious Basterds. She was the better part of National Treasure and she was perfect cast in Troy as "Helen of Troy"

The Incredible Katherine

2009-09-19T03:13:00.000-07:00

Katherine Hepburn is a legend, rightfully so. She is admired by the modern audiences for being unconventional for her time, a pioneer maybe some people want to call her. But in difference to many other great icons (Monroe, Gardner, Crawford etc.) Katherine is more remembered for her movie performances than her Personal Life (Even if her romance with Spencer Tracy is much-talked about).

Kate's first great performance was 1933 in "Little Women". Kate gave a astonishing performance as Jo March (A Role Winona Ryder did 61 years later, but not with the same success). The Same year she got her first oscar for "Morning Glory", an inferior performance.

1935 came another great performance, "Alice Adams". She gave another great performance, though not on par with her Performance as Jo March. During the next years to come she was called box office poison, only breaking the spell once in "Stage Door". But during these five years she gave us two of her BEST performances. The best of them was "Bringing Up Baby", her she shows us what a lovely comedienne she was, but also what great actress she was. The Second was "Holiday", here she once again gives us a great comedic performance. A Pity she and Cary Grant did to so few movies together.

In 1940 her comeback came in "The Philadelphia Story". Another great performance by Kate and she had great chemistry with both Stewart and Grant in this.

To Be Continued...

2009-09-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

Vote at the Katharine Hepburn Award over at Encore's World of Film & Tv

Best of the Best Actresses

2009-09-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

I've got this over at Encore's World of Film & Tv

This IS EASY

1. Vivien Leigh - Gone With the Wind
Who else? Vivien Leigh gives the most complete performance of all time. Full with intensinty and passion, but still vulnerable. She's the Best

2. Meryl Streep - Sophie's Choice
This is why Streep is called one of the best. Her pale face in this movie stills sticks in my head, I just can't get her away from it.

3. Vivien Leigh - A Streetcar Named Desire

The Rest is a little harder
4. Elizabeth Taylor - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Tied Fifth Place
5. Bette Davis - Jezebel
5. Faye Dunaway - Network

Waiting

2009-09-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

I'm Eagerly waiting for Syskonbädd 1782 and Safe will arrive to me. Can't wait to see what magic Bibi Andersson and Julianne More does in their films.

PS. I'm Sorry I haven't been so active in the blog during the week, but that will change! DS.

Obsession

2009-09-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

What movie have you've watched the most?

Though I don't count times i've seen a movie, I think it's probably Grease 2, I WAS OBSESSED With Pfeiffer in this movie.

Madonna vs. Esther Goris

2009-09-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

During the last couple of weeks I've become OBSESSED with Evita, listening to the songs over and over and over and over and over again.

The Movie from 1996 is short from masterpiece, beautiful and greatly acted. Madonna isn't the greatest actress of all time (far from being) but in this role SHE becomes Evita, but even if she becomes Evita I think Esther Goris did an equal great performance as Evita from the same year.

Esther Goris gives us the voice and everything, the only things missing is the obsession of Evita. While Madonna gives us the Icon Evita, but Esther Goris gives us the more "Real" Eva Peron. So Who's the best?

PS. The Musical version as a movie is by the way far better than the dramatic movie DS.

FYC Maria Heiskanen in Everlasting Moments

2009-09-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role - 2008: Guldbagge

FYC:
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Maria Heiskanen