Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Britney's Videography: 'I Love Rock 'N Roll'

Britney Spears 'I Love Rock 'N Roll' # # # # #

The video for 'I Love Rock 'N Roll', much like the video for 'Born To Make You Happy', is a bit of a throw away video. Not surprisingly, like 'Happy', 'I Love Rock 'N Roll' was the final single from Britney, released only in the non-US market. Obviously, the single was used as a gap-filler until the next album and the video shows. Without being completely blasé, it basically amounts to Britney standing in a room and singing the song into a microphone. True, the video is an homage to the spirit of rock 'n roll, where all you need is a hot song, a microphone and a killer attitude, but you would expect Britney, especially at this stage in her career, to have turned it into more than another opportunity for her to flaunt her sexuality. Not that I'm complaining about a 30 second montage which shows Britney straddling a motorcycle in ways that would make biker gang members blush. I just wished there was something more, like Britney's homage to rock's sex goddess Lita Ford when she sexily crawls along the floor. Apart from the opening sequence, shot in a grungy black and white that smartly evokes the rock 'n roll spirit the video is looking for, it's the only true moment of inspiration 'I Love Rock 'N Roll' has in it. The rest is merely a hold-over until The Madonna arrives.



Previous installments: ...Baby One More Time | Sometimes | (You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop Remix!) | From the Bottom of My Broken Heart | Born To Make You Happy | Oops!...I Did It Again | Lucky | Stronger | Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know | I'm a Slave 4 U | I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman | Boys | Overprotected

Saturday, May 28, 2011

It Was Love (Love!) at First Sight




The 1981 miniseries version of Brideshead Revisited is quite amazing so far. I figured the show would be homoerotic since the source novel is often noted for it. I was surprised, however, at how openly gay it is, especially for 1981. Maybe it's because I'm used to reading between lines, but Brideshead Revisited makes it blatantly clear that Charles (Jeremy Irons) and Sebastian (Anthony Andrews) are in a relationship (whether or not they are physical is another issue). Good stuff all around, I must say. I can't wait for the next nine episodes.

Friday, May 27, 2011

2010 Diva Cup Awards: Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale
The Fighter
For an actor considered to be one of the best working today, I must admit that Bale often leaves me cold. Apart from Empire of the Sun, American Psycho and The Prestige, Bale's predilection towards grungy roles in often times grungier movies and his Method-tics that have lead to much-publicized weight gains and losses for the sake of his art do very little for me. I often feel like Bale is an actor who prefers to work on the surface so much he forgets to work on the internal character. The Fighter, on first glance, certainly appears to be another Bale performance in the vein: all loud showiness, no grasp of subtlety. And when Melissa Leo appears, it's like a competition to see who can be the loudest at any given moment. Over the course of the film, however, you realize that without Bale, there can be no Adams or Wahlberg. They need each other, much like good and evil, in order to survive; Bale is the showman, the one who must build up Wahlberg while Wahlberg is the one who must back up Bale's taunts and big words. Bale is the yin to Wahlberg's yang and becomes an essential part of The Fighter's enormous success.


Michael Fassbender
Fish Tank
Fish Tank, in part, is a film about deceptive appearances with no character being more deceptive than Fassy's Connor. On the first go-around with the film, Mia (and the audience) can't help but to be attracted to this figure of both emotional and sexual fulfillment. He takes an interest in the hard, impenetrable Mia when no one else in her life can be bothered. Connor makes her feel like an important person for probably the first time in her life. The second time watching Fish Tank, however, makes it abundantly clear that Connor is not Mia's savior in any way. At first, we want to excuse his behavior (He's in love! He couldn't help it! He was drunk!) because of the (positive?) impact he has made on Mia's life up to that point. Eventually we see that Connor has been setting Mia up for this since the beginning of the film. All the classic signs of sexual abuse are there: his potential victim is an isolated young woman, he makes her feel important and loved, he slowly seduces her before making the big move. Part of the brilliance of Fassbender's performance depends on the fact that, like in real life, we often cannot tell who the villains are until much later. Fassbender doesn't hit us over the head with the fact that he's The Villian; his evilness comes across organically, constantly shifting to Mia's erratic moods. Fassbender's performance is a reminder that evil-doers sometimes come in pretty, charming, sexually attractive packages.


Andrew Garfield
The Social Network
Is Andy the greatest actor of his generation? If not, he's certainly the most versatile, hopping around between styles and genres with an ease that contemporaries like Efron and Pattinson can only dream about. Despite his ability to bounce around, it appears like Andy already has a "type": the socially awkward young male who barely manages to function in everyday society. The reason he has been so successful, however, is the fact that he has been able to bring a little something different to each of his characters in Boy A, Never Let Me Go and The Social Network. The last of these, which was this close to netting him his first Oscar nomination, is interesting in the fact that it allows Andy to play with the comedic part of his awkwardness. My first thought whenever I think of his performance is the scene at the beach party where he's wearing that ridiculous straw hat and, upon seeing Mark enter, he does this funny little dance as his way of greeting him. The most fascinating part of his performance, however, is watching Andy's Eduardo slowly come to the conclusion that he will probably never "know" Mark in the way he would like. No matter how hard he tries, Mark will always have some walls that won't come down. This realization on Eduardo's part manifests itself in many forms: paranoia, anger, hurt and confusion, among others. It's to Andy's credit that these conflicting emotions never once feel at odds with each other; if anything, these compliment and flow into each other perfectly. When Eduardo's big moment happens, confronting Mark about being forced out of the company, all his emotions come out at once and he doesn't even care if he makes sense. It's the perfect exclamation point on a career-changing performance for Mr. Garfield. Oh Andy, indeed.


James Marsden
Death at a Funeral
The actor who has had the biggest career reinvention of the past five years is not someone who normally comes to mind. Between the 1-2-3 punch of Hairspray, Enchanted and 27 Dresses in a six month span and this year's Death at a Funeral, James Marsden continues to surprise those of us who thought of him as nothing more than a generic pretty boy. But, at an age when most former boytoy actors find their careers floundering, Marsden has finally found his niche as a character actor with a flair for over-the-top comedy. In Death at a Funeral, a slightly generic if not totally unwatchable remake of a British film of the same name, Marsden plays the boyfriend of Zoe Saldana, nervous about spending the day with her strict, dominant father. He takes a pill to help him relax, it turns out to be acid, and Marsden spends the rest of the film in a hilarious drug-induced haze, having conversations with flowers and seeing dead people move inside a coffin. The centerpiece of his performance involves him getting naked on a rooftop and it's every bit as glorious as you'd think it is. Some of the jokes are duds but Marsden sells them like the pro he is and winds up stealing the entire film from an impressive cast.


Mark Ruffalo
The Kids Are All Right
For a film as tepid and straining-to-be-relevant as The Kids Are All Right ultimately is, it's impressive that the ever reliable Ruffalo manages to give one of his best performances under such unfavorable conditions. He plays Paul, a 40-something man-child who has certain parts of his life finally figured out but other areas that could definitely stand improvement. Paul is at an impasse when he's contacted by two teenagers who were conceived via his sperm donation from back in the day. He meets them and things suddenly start to fall in place for Paul. Maybe this is what he meant for? But even with this newfound "maturity," Ruffalo is keen on letting us know that Paul has a long way to go. For every good thing he does with the kids, there's a "I like lesbians!" punchline or an even bigger plot twist that reveals Paul hasn't grasped this adult thing yet. He's still a child who wants what he wants when he wants it. Ruffalo, like the Godsend he is, conveys all this while remaining ever likeable and sexy eye candy to boot.

 And the Diva Cup Goes to: Michael Fassbender, Fish Tank

Thursday, May 19, 2011

All About the Foreskin

When I decided to watch Europa Europa (Agnieszka Holland, 1990), I would be lying if I said it wasn't because of the cute male lead featured on the film's poster. I must admit, it was a particularly shallow decision on my part. My shallowness was rewarded not five minutes after the film started when the lead actor went full frontal, which prompted me to (somewhat) jokingly call it the Best Holocaust Film Ever. For as superficial as I was in selecting Europa Europa, however, the film was surprisingly focused on the superficiality of the world the main character, Solly (Marco Hofschneider), inhabits as a Jew masquerading as a Hitler Youth in the heart of Nazi Germany.

For starters, the main crux of Europa Europa revolves around the main character's lack of a foreskin. Although the Nazis teach that Jews have defining physical characteristics that make them easy to spot, not having a foreskin is really the only physical characteristic that will give Solly away as a Jew. Studying at a prestigious school in Germany, Solly is forced to take painstaking efforts to make sure he is not caught. He refuses to use the bathroom in front of others. When a doctor comes to do a yearly physical exam, he fakes a toothache which leads to a dentist pulling out a non-infected tooth in order to avoid exposing himself. Solly, at one point. even takes the drastic measure of pulling down what little skin he has around his penis and trying to force it to look like a foreskin. Everywhere he goes, Solly is tormented by this physical inadequacy. Even when visiting his Jew-hating girlfriend's mother, a naked statue in the corner taunts Solly; the statue is afforded a freedom, an openness that Solly can not have.


Early on in the film, before the Nazi takeover completely takes over his life, Solly admits to having acting aspirations to a girlfriend of his. An appropriate career choice, it appears, as he spends his teenage years in one role after another, first as a born again Communist in Stalin-era Soviet Union then as a good little Nazi, first on the Eastern front then in a prestigious school in Germany. Solly adorns many different costumes and plays many different roles, changing depending on whatever he needs to do in order to survive. A fellow Nazi who learns Solly's secret, an actor himself, reveals to Solly that "the hardest role is playing yourself." The problem is that Solly has no idea how to play himself. He is constantly playing an idea of himself. Never allowed to be truly unguarded, Solly is hiding his true self underneath layers of superficial characteristics like an uniform or, most importantly, a foreskin. Hofschneider is, in effect, giving a performance within a performance.

Some critics complained that he takes a far too lackadaisical approach in his performance, coming off, at certain times, as humorous in a Holocaust film (Heaven forbid!). But, if you look carefully, that is precisely the point. Holland and Hofschneider are commenting on and parodying the over-the-top pageantry of the Nazi movement. Between the constant Heil Hitlers, the massive banners, the snappy, smartly coordinated uniforms and the never-ending barrage of "inspiring" sing-alongs, the entire Nazi movement, as The Triumph of the Will can attest to, was nothing but evil and hatred masquerading as the most glorious parade ever assembled. If Hofschneider is funny--and he is--it is because the surface of Nazism is silly in and of itself, not because he's trying to make a mockery of the Holocaust. One scene in particular stands out as a perfect example of this. Solly has just returned to Germany to get a proper education after spending time at the front. He is introduced to the entire school via a very elaborate pep assembly, for lack of a better word, that involves Solly reciting an oath to Hitler and the entire school joining in for a rousing rendition of a song about slaughtering Jews. Afterwards, Solly explores the school on his own and wanders into an abandoned area of the school where a mirror hangs on the wall. Noticing that his Heil Hitlers could stand a little practice, Solly decides to take this opportunity to practice.


He does this a few times, trying to decide on the proper way to execute this greeting. Finally, however, Solly picks up on the ridiculousness of the movement and starts acting a little silly.


Within seconds, this playful jab turns into a full-on mockery with Solly turning the Heil into a snide tap dance.

 


On its surface, Europa Europa touches on all the points you would expect in this type of inspirational true account of a Holocaust survivor. What sets it apart from the Defiances of the world is the fact that the film is constantly coming to terms with bigger, less discussed issues than the typical "Wow, I can't believe someone actually went through this" tearjerking Holocaust film. Europa Europa grapples with heavy themes but manages to both elicit humor and tears with the same ease. Holland and Hofschneider's work here is truly impeccable and goes to prove that 45 years after the end of World War II, there are still issues that need to be dealt with. B+

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

A Look at the VMA's Best Female Video

Confession time: I'm a bit of an awards nerd. Yes, okay, I realize this not a huge surprise coming from me as I follow the Oscar race all year long. But there is a difference between loving the Oscars, which many ordinarily rational people do, and loving the MTV Video Music Awards, which is certifiably insane. The VMAs are completely silly and the winners are often times arbitrary as hell, but I can't help loving them and using them as a guidepost for discovering fascinating videos I never would have known about otherwise. My favorite category is, not surprisingly, Best Female Video, a category which has given Madonna 12 nominations over the years and regularly nominated Britney, Janet, Paula Abdul, Beyoncé and many other fabulous artists. I like this category so much I thought it would be fun to go through some of the big contenders and see how they stack up against each other. It's a completely futile task but, hey, I think it's rather fun to through them.

The Top 5

Lady Gaga
"Born This Way"
2/3 Noms/1 Win
In Her Favor: Have you noticed that Gaga is the biggest popstar on the planet right now? She easily swept last year's VMAs and, judging from the reception the Born This Way singles have gotten, her dominance should continue this year.
But: The video, die hard stans aside, went over like a lead balloon. Will this deter her less emotionally invested fans?


 
Katy Perry
"Firework"
3 Noms/0 Wins
In Her Favor: "Firework" was a monster "It Gets Better" anthem that, months later, is still being used exhaustively in movie trailer after movie trailer. The song has resonated with a lot of people and proved it has staying power. Plus, if she does get her fourth nomination, odds are that she will win; Christina Aguilera is the only artist with four or more nominations and no win.
But: By the time the VMAs actually air, "Firework" will be close to a year old. And will the spectacular "E.T." video siphon any votes?


 
Britney Spears
"Hold It Against Me"
5 Noms/1 Win
In Her Favor: Not only is Britney the undisputed Queen of Pop in Madonna's absence, but "Hold It Against Me" shot straight to the top of the charts when it was released. Britney is at the top of her form.
But: The video wasn't well received, even among her massive supporters
.

 
Rihanna featuring Drake
"What's My Name?"
2 Noms/0 Wins
In Her Favor: Now that her dark, "uncommercial" Rated R era is over, expect the VMAs to embrace her once again. And how else to reward Rihanna's "return" than by honoring her most commercial song since Good Girl Gone Bad.
But: Like "Firework," "What's My Name?" will have been out for nearly a year by the time of the VMAs. Plus, could the much louder "S&M" video make an appearance?


Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull
"On the Floor"
3 Noms/0 Wins
In Her Favor: J. Lo, thanks in part to her new gig on American Idol, has once again reclaimed her throne as America's Sweetheart.
But: Her last nomination was in 2003. As she sings in the beginning of "On the Floor," "it's a new generation." Can this diva still compete with the kiddies?

In the Running:

Nicki Minaj
"Super Bass"
0 Noms
In Her Favor: She the year's hottest artist, crafting her own unique image in the male-dominated rap industry with a fanbase as diverse and strange as she is.
But: Nicki is incredibly famous but it doesn't really feel like she's had her own massive hit to match the hype, does it?

Adele
"Rolling in the Deep"
0 Noms
In Her Favor: Adele's 21 just spent her fifteenth non-consecutive week at #1 in the UK while hitting #1 with both her album and this song here in America. This line-up feels like it is missing a real critical darling/vocal powerhouse.
But: Can't you just imagine 15 year olds giving a collective shrug or, even worse, a "Who?" when someone mentions Adele? Sad but it has been known to happen.

Taylor Swift
"Back to December"
2 Noms/1 Win
In Her Favor: Kanyegate got her a second nomination last year. Do they still feel bad for that incident? "Back to December" is her most recent offering and it's a much more memorable jam than what got her nominated last time ("Fifteen").
But: Not that it truly matters, even though it should, the "Back to December" video is horrendous. Besides, how long can MTV make amends for The Incident before we're all ready to move on?

P!nk
"Raise Your Glass"
1 Nom/1 Win
In Her Favor: Another massive "It Gets Better" anthem. P!nk proved once again that can she still rock out in an era of Ke$has and Katy Perrys.
But: Doesn't it feel like P!nk should have a lot more than one nomination? Maybe they're just not that into her.

Ke$ha
"Blow"
1 Nom/0 Wins
In Her Favor: A wonderful James Van Der Beek cameo made this the first Ke$ha video to truly encapsulate her strange persona in visual form.
But: The song wasn't as big as "We R Who We R" or her other hits from the first album. Will people care enough about this song in a couple months?

Never Say Never:

Beyoncé
"Run the World (Girls)"
5 Noms/2 Wins
In Her Favor: The video hasn't premiered yet, but B is always a threat in this category. She amassed her 5 noms in an eight year span; only Madonna did it quicker.
But: The song FLOPPED. Will a second single materialize before the eligibility field is closed?

Jessie J featuring B.O.B.
"Price Tag"
0 Noms
In Her Favor: She'd be the critical darling of the category.
But: Who? Was "Price Tag" big enough to earn her a spot with such megastars as Gaga and Britney?

Keri Hilson
"Pretty Girl Rock"
0 Noms
In Her Favor: The category is severely lacking in some R&B divas.
But: "Pretty Girl Rock" hasn't exactly been burning up the charts, has it? And if she couldn't get in for "Knock You Down," chances are she won't for this.

Selena Gomez & The Scene
"Who Says"
0 Noms
In Her Favor: While Miley has gone and pissed on the pop community, Selena has embraced it. Britney is contributing to her next album.
But: "Who Says" isn't a major hit. There are still a lot of people who don't know her at all or just know her as Justin Bieber's girlfriend.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Good Luck, Eric Saade

I have no real interest in the Eurovision Contest, the finals of which are airing live as I write this. However, I will say that I am rooting for the Swedish entry from Eric Saade. The song is called 'Popular' and is both utterly ridiculous and utterly amazing.



I must admit I have a soft spot for the Irish entry from those enfants terribles Jedward, but it doesn't come close to my adoration of 'Popular.' The song is so simple yet there's something about it that makes me want to shout it at the top of my lungs every time I hear. It also doesn't hurt that Eric Saade is a gorgeous, gorgeous man.




So here's a good luck kiss from me to you, Eric (Well, it's not exactly me but we can pretend, can't we?). If Eric doesn't win, rest assured that the winning country will be burned down.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

2010 Diva Cup Awards: The "Extra" Categories

Best Ensemble

Dogtooth
[Christos Stergioglou, Michele Valley, Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Hristos Passalis, Anna Kalaitzidou]


The Fighter
[Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Jack McGee]


For Colored Girls
[Kimberly Elise, Thandie Newton, Loretta Devine, Phylicia Rashad, Whoopi Goldberg, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Janet Jackson, Tessa Thompson, Macy Gray]


Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
[Micheal Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Alisson Pill, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons, Chris Evans, Brie Larson, Brandon Routh] 


The Social Network
[Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, Justin Timberlake, Max Minghella, Rooney Mara, Joseph Mazzello, Brenda Song]

And the Diva Cup Goes to: The Social Network

Best Scene

Blue Valentine
The "Sex" Scene
I wrote about this scene more in depth right after seeing the film. Dean wants to have sex with his wife but only wants it if she's a willing participant. A scarily intense moment.

Easy A
Sharpening Your Pencils?
There are far more clever moments in Easy A, but this is the scene I watch repeatedly on YouTube and laugh my ass off at every time.

For Colored Girls
Opera/Rape
Tyler Perry gets a lot of flack for not being a "real" artist, a minstrel show creator who caters to the lowest common denominator. I disagree strongly and would point anyone to this masterful scene in For Colored Girls. Perry crosscuts between a woman have a dramatic moment of catharsis while watching an opera while another is raped by an acquaintance. In a movie full of heavy moments, this is both the heaviest and the one that has the biggest impact on the film.

The Social Network
Eduardo's Bad Night
Andy Garfield is at his best when he's juggling 14 emotions at once, so watch him deal with a lack of sleep, a stalker girlfriend, an angry Mark on the phone berating him for freezing their bank accounts and a small fire all in a matter of two minutes.

Toy Story 3
Pit of Hell
I may or may not have laughed completely inappropriately during this moment in the theatre. Looking back, I realize that this happened not because it was a cheesy or over-the-top moment. Rather, seeing the toys face their own mortality in such an honest and straightforward way was such a dark, twisted and unexpected moment that I started laughing in shock.

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Blue Valentine

Best Musical Scene

Blue Valentine
"You Always Hurt the Ones You Love"
Cute and fun in the moment, a dark foreshadowing once the movie has ended. 


Burlesque
"Welcome to Burlesque"
It's Cher, motherfuckers. 


Easy A
"Knock on Wood"
I think a better question is how I can't not nominate a musical sequence that involves Emma Stone in a red feather boa and Penn Badgley covered in blue body paint?


Easy A
"Pocketful of Sunshine"
Everyone has had a moment in their life when they couldn't get a song they hated out of their head and ended up loving the song. This was a hilarious slice-of-life moment.


The Runaways
"Cherry Bomb"
If you didn't take Kristen and Dakota seriously as legitimate rockers before this scene, you certainly did afterwards. Captures the fun of the girls while proving they could rock as hard as the boys.

And the Diva Cup Goes to: The Runaways

Best Quote/Line Reading

Black Swan
"I'm the Swan Queen!"
I'm 95% sure Portman and Aronofsky didn't mean for this line to turn out as campy as it sounds hurling out of Portman's mouth, but I can't help but giggle every time I think about this scene. And you don't know how many times I've resisted shouting this out loud for no reason.


Blue Valentine
“So there’s a child molester and a little boy walking into the woods. The child molester and the boy keep walking further and further and it is getting darker and darker and they are going deeper and deeper into the woods. And the little boy looks up at the child molester and says, ‘Gee, mister, I’m getting scared!’  The child molester looks down at him and says, ‘You think you’re scared, kid? I gotta walk out of here alone!’”
To say this was unexpected would be an understatement. Both Dean and the audience are left to re-evaluate Cindy after she drops this joke; who knew she had it in her? And I'd be lying if I said I didn't laugh inappropriately at it.


Easy A
"He got a Coke Zero again? Oh that Roman. Incorrigible!"
It's an inconsequential one-liner, but besides the sharpening the pencils scene and her facial expression when her lobster comes at the restaurant, it's my favorite Emma Stone moment in the film. With her tinge of sarcasm, I feel like we would be great friends. 


Inception
"You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling."
The sexual tension between Eames and Arthur was one of the few sparks that made Inception's 2-D characters come alive. It's rather fitting that this quote is said during a "Who's got the bigger gun/cock?" contest between the two.


The Social Network
"You better lawyer up, asshole, because I'm not coming back for 30%. I'm coming back for everything." 
The Social Network is full of snappier one-liners, but I absolutely love the way Andy reads this line. He's so fucking fed up and revenge is the only way to satiate that anger.

And the Diva Cup goes to: Easy A

Breakthrough Performance

Cam Gigandet
Burlesque
Gigandet has been on my radar for a couple years now, but, sadly, it has never been for his acting. The boy has a body to die for, yet his personality has never been as fascinating on-screen. However, in Burlesque, of all films, Gigandet finally proved that he could turn up the star mojo while saving the film from complete unwatchability. The Famous Amos scene, rightly so, became the most notorious scene in the movie and will hopefully turn this pretty boy's career around.








Armie Hammer
The Social Network
I didn't think Armie was anything more than serviceable the first two go-arounds with The Social Network. Suddenly, however, on my third viewing everything fell into place. This massively built, gorgeous young man with a hulking presence also had impeccable comedic timing (some guys really do have all the luck). The fact that he decided to follow up The Social Network's success with an Eastwood-directed biopic where he plays a gay-leaning man instead of a dumb action film, which he's well-suited for given his frame, is proof that Armie's in it for the long haul.






Josh Hutcherson
The Kids Are All Right
Although I'm unfamiliar with his work, Josh has been around for years as a go-to child actor in films such as Bridge to Teribitha and Zathura. The Kids Are All Right proved that he has the talent and drive to move into more adult roles. And it was this drive that landed him the role he so desperately wanted in the upcoming blockbuster Hunger Games. I can't wait to see what he chooses after that.









Jennifer Lawrence
Winter's Bone
Jennifer was a revelation as the tough, woman on a mission in Winter's Bone. What surprised me even more, though, was the fact that the same woman who played Ree was also this bombshell who showed off her ample bosom at the Oscars. If there was a role that would somehow combine these two aspects of herself, I have a feeling Jennifer would be unstoppable.










Tahar Rahim
Un Prophète
After such a brave and unassuming (meant in the best way possible) debut, I'll be interested to see if Rahim will stay in Europe or move on the Hollywood. Either way, I think he'll continue to pick interesting projects that will his unusual gifts to their full effect.











And the Diva Cup Goes to: Armie Hammer, The Social Network

Best Diva

Cher
Burlesque
Diva Moment: Cher, in all her Cher-ness, introducing herself and the theatre in the 'Welcome to Burlesque' number.


Marion Cotillard
Inception
Diva Moment: Continuously invading Cobb's sub-conscious, distracting him from accomplishing the task on hand.


Thandie Newton
For Colored Girls
Diva Moment: Throwing down with legends Phyllicia Rashad and Whoopi Goldberg.


Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Diva Moment: The whole film really is a testament to what a diva Joan is. This woman has had so much shit thrown at her but each time she's rebounded stronger (and bitchier) than ever before.


Winona Ryder
Black Swan
Diva Moment: "Did you suck his cock?"

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

Best Sexpot

Michael Fassbender
Fish Tank
Fuck Me Moment: I have to pick just one?! That's impossible. But I can narrow it down to two key moments: his shirtless introduction to both Mia and the audience and the scene where he spanks Mia.


Andrew Garfield
Red Riding: 1974
Fuck Me Moment: Andy had me at the Sexhair, but the moment where he walks around in the smallest briefs possible after boning some chick didn't hurt.


Cam Gigandet
Burlesque
Fuck Me Moment: Lord knows I love Famous Amos cookies, but even I was saying, "Drop the box!" during that scene.


Jake Gyllenhaal
Love & Other Drugs

Anne Hathaway
Love & Other Drugs
Fuck Me Moment: The part where they lie around naked. Oh, right, that's the whole damn movie! Lucky us!

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Michael Fassbender, Fish Tank

Best Cameo/Limited Performance

Bianca Hunter, Jenna Lamia, Erica McDermott, Melissa McMeekin, Kate B. O'Brien, Jill Quigg and Dendrie Taylor
The Fighter
Without these ladies classing the film up, The Fighter would not have felt as authentic and true-to-life as it did and its success counted on. The casting director deserves major kudos for finding this classic "Army of Skanks".


Brie Larson
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
It was nice to see Larson move from the super-stylized world of Diablo Cody into the the different super-stylized world of Scott Pilgrim without missing a beat.


Juliette Lewis
Conviction
A full-blown performance in only two short scenes. Lewis adds on baity mannerism after baity mannerism, but she also manages to convey the hurt, anger, pride and smarts of this woman--all while in a drug-induced haze. Brilliant, brilliant work.


Winona Ryder
Black Swan
Another two-scene wonder with Ryder portraying the downfall of a vulgar, has-been, alcoholic ballerina with legitimate star power. Is her comeback imminent? 


Douglas Urbanski
The Social Network
A hilariously unexpected treat. I never would have guessed this minor moment would bring so many laughs.

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Juliette Lewis, Conviction

Best Poster


Black Swan
I Am Love
Love & Other Drugs
Rabbit Hole
The Social Network

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Love & Other Drugs