10 Most Anticipated Performances This Fall

The fall season is upon this and with the changing leaves comes the Oscar season. So long, superheroes, hello, adults with problems! Needless to say, it's usually my favorite time of the year (although this spring and early summer will probably give the next few months a run for their money). To celebrate this season's commencement, I thought I would change things up a bit and share the performances I'm looking forward to the mos. Here they are in no particular order: 

Keira Knightley, A Dangerous Method

Since A Dangerous Method's premiere at Venice, the words "loud" and "in-your-face" have been used almost exclusively to describe Knightley's performance. Reaction has been mixed as to whether or not it works, but I absolutely love gutsy, go-for-broke performances. And Knightley has only grown in my esteem since Atonement.

Michael Fassbender, Shame

I could say that I'm mostly excited for this performance because Fassy is reteaming with his Hunger director Steve McQueen, but we all know I'd be lying. As soon as I heard the words "full frontal," my ticket was already bought. But Fassy is a great actor and he has been receiving rave reviews for this performance, so I'd be interested in this performance even if we didn't get a glimpse of the goods.

Sandra Bullock, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

I don't care what anyone says, I'm still proudly a member of Team Sandy and her Oscar win back in 2009. This is why I'm curious to see if her first post-Oscar film will continue my fascination with this woman. Provided Stephen Daldry's adaptation of this acclaimed novel hits the right notes, I don't think Sandy will have a problem nailing this.

Armie Hammer, J. Edgar

The recent trailer left me cold, but if it did nothing else, it certainly raised my already considerable interest in Armie's performance in this film. The way I'm reading the trailer, he's playing the supportive wife role, which makes me smile because the thought of 6 foot 5 Aryan God Armie Hammer playing the docile supporting wife is hilarious in its own right. Plus he gets a shouting scene! Can you say "Oscar clip"? If we couldn't get Andy Garfield a nom last year, this should be an easier sell, right?

Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia

Lars von Trier has a way with actresses that is almost unparalleled (hello, Nicole Kidman in Dogville!). The fact that he decided to work with as unlikely of an actress as Dunst, whom will always be in my good graces for Bring It On alone, makes me think that he saw something truly special in her that will translate well in his apocalyptic film.

Charlize Theron, Young Adult

Theron has never been a favorite actress of mine (my three favorite performances of her are Monster, the "Crossfire" music video and that Dior ad where she undresses as she walks through a long corridor), but I know a lot of people who love and trust her even when her filmography might not warrant such devotion. The real story here is screenwriter Diablo Cody, who made even the insufferable Megan Fox temporarily interesting in Jennifer's Body. If she can work that same magic with the much more tolerable Charlize Theron in this film about a divorced loser returning home to rekindle an old romance, the results will be golden.

Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene

The fact that a member of the Olsen clan who is not one of the Olsen Twins is getting Oscar buzz is enough for me. What a delicious little story: sister of billionaire media moguls wows in low budget indie film.

Zac Efron, New Year's Eve

A bit of a silly choice, I know. But it has simply been far too long with out Efron on our movie screens (about 16 months by the time this comes out). On the plus side, New Year's Eve is a comedy, which is truly Efron's forte and Garry Marshall was able to get at least one interesting performance out of his last film in this vein, Valentine's Day.

Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

I have to say I'm mostly curious about watching the introverted, cerebral Williams portray an actress like Monroe, who achieved stardom with charm, warmth and massive sex appeal. The result could either be a beautiful disaster or a triumph. I, for one, am intrigued either way.

Jason Segel & Amy Adams, The Muppets

I was going to pick Sterling Knight & Selena Gomez as the duo from this film I'm most excited about, but I realize that they are probably only cameo roles and I don't want to get overexcited for 90 seconds of screentime. I don't, however, want to make it sound like I'm not interested in the main romance between Segel & Adams. These two are adorable on their own, so I don't know if we can handle their combined adorableness. I'm certainly willing to try, though.

My Fair Lady Gets a Fair Makeover (Now If Only They Would Cast Hugh)

I have no problems with the remake of My Fair Lady that's currently in the works. I know that some of the purists will be at the point of throwing blood at new Eliza Doolittle Keira Knightley at the premiere, but I'm not one of those people who thinks that George Cukor's 1964 version is untouchable. Because, in all honesty, the film is a bit of a bore. To be fair, it's been quite a few years since I've seen it, but I barely remember any musical numbers besides the one where Audrey Hepburn/Marni Nixon sings something about "Ole' 'enry 'iggins should die" and apparently there were supporting players who were nominated for Oscars that I can't remember for the life of me (you mean it wasn't the Rex & Audrey show?).

When they first announced Keira sometime ago, I was pretty meh about the whole thing because I'm not a huge fan of her or the source material. Then I found out Emma Thompson is set to write the screenplay and my curiosity was piqued. I haven't seen Sense & Sensibility yet (the screenplay that won her an Oscar) but Emma rarely makes a wrong move, right? Now that Stephen Daldry is set to direct the film, I'm feeling a tad better about the whole thing. Billy Elliot, sucky ending aside, was quite a good film and The Hours grew on me with a second viewing (let's not get into the solid yet underachieving The Reader, shall we). Now they have got one big casting hump to overcome: who's going to play Henry Higgins? There's a rumor going around that they're trying to get Daniel Craig for the role but I think he's completely wrong for it- he's way too sexy to play the irascible professor. And I don't think he can sing. I actually quite like Emma's suggestion of her friend Hugh Laurie for the role. I really don't think I would have thought of him on my own, but once I heard his name, everything clicked. He can sing, he has the comedic chops and he can play cranky absolutely effortlessly. If they decide to go with someone else (and they probably will, this being the movie business and everything) no one will ever seem as good as Hugh does in my mind.

Oh Hugh, you'll never know the extent of my daddy issues with you.

2007 Diva Cup Awards: Best Quote/Line Reading

And the nominees are...

"How could they forget Vietnam?"
(Julie Christie, Away From Her)
A haunting moment of clarity; if Fiona can see this connection, why are we still over in Iraq?

"I don't know what melodramatic means..."
(James Marsden, Enchanted)
There were so many great line readings from James Marsden in Enchanted that it was hard to narrow it down (I almost went with "Giselle!" or "Thank you for taking care of my bride, peasants."), but then I remembered that this is the one that made me laugh hardest so I went with it.

"I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!"
(Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood)
An instantly iconic line that could be seen as out of place, but delivered with so much power by Day-Lewis that it works.

"I love you. Come back...come back to me."
(Keira Knightley, Atonement)
When Nicole Kidman delivered practically the same line in Cold Mountain, it came off as cartoonish, a way to write off the entire mess of a film. But when Keira Knightley says it this time around, the simple words turn into an eloquent cry for love.

"Whoa, dream big!"
(Ellen Page, Juno)
There were many lines to pick from, but Page, with that unique comic timing, makes this inconsequential line pop and sizzle with energy.

If Only There Were Six: "I am very, very sorry for the distress that I have caused" (Romola Garai, Atonement) Briony's been practicing this line over and over again, but still manages to mess up. A brilliant reading from Garai.

Rest of the Top 10: "I think I may be beginning to disappear" (Julie Christie, Away From Her)..."You were never in the fucking KGB" (Naomi Watts, Eastern Promises)..."Well, the funny thing about my back is that it's located on my cock" (Jonah Hill, Superbad)..."'Detroit sound?' What's that- the cries of people being mugged?" (Michelle Pfeiffer, Hairspray)

BRONZE
"I don't know what melodramatic means..."

SILVER
"How could they forget Vietnam?"

GOLD
"I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!"

2007 Diva Cup Awards: Best Sexpot

And the nominees are...

Keira Knightley as Cecilia Tallis in Atonement
James McAvoy as Robbie Turner in Atonement
They're sexy on their own, but together, the screen almost melts away with their sexual chemistry.

So Hott: The library sex scene

Marisa Tomei as Gina in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
The only way Tomei's Gina knows how to communicate is through her body and what a body that is.

So Hott: Walking around in nothing but panties, her hips definitely don't lie.

Carice van Houten as Rachel Stein/Ellis de Vries in Black Book
As a spy using her body to lead the Dutch resistance against the Nazis, van Houten proudly flaunts her body and provides the sexy edge that makes Black Book work so well.

So Hott: Her first sexual encounter with Muntze (Sebastian Koch) was so lusty (I can't believe I'm going to say this) I got a little excited down there. I don't think I can recall a previous heterosexual couple in film that did that for me.

Tang Wei as Wong Chia Chi in Lust, Caution
Wei also plays a spy who uses her sexual prowess to get information, but her sexuality is subtler than van Houten's and becomes more pronounced as Lust, Caution goes on.

So Hott: Any of her sex scenes with Leung (except for maybe that anal rape scene...what is it with Ang Lee and anal rape?)

If Only There Were Six: Julia Roberts as Joanne Herrig in Charlie Wilson's War For a strong Christian woman, she definitely dresses a little more on the liberal side. And that wig was a masterpiece.

Rest of the Top 10: Zac Efron, Hairspray...Taraji P. Henson, Talk to Me...Gerard Butler, 300...Michelle Pfeiffer, Hairspray

BRONZE
Marisa Tomei

SILVER
Tang Wei

GOLD
Carice van Houten