2009 Diva Cup Awards: The Actors

Best Actor

Matt Damon
The Informant!
Part of the joy of The Informant! is the fact that Damon plays this clueless buffoon without any sense of superiority. He doesn't hate the character and doesn't want the audience to either. He can't help the lies he tells and doesn't understand why people are so aghast. In his mind, he honestly believes he's a hero and standing up for the little man in his takedown of the company he works for. The character is clueless, but Damon is not and delivers laugh after laugh, especially with those nonsensical voiceovers, portraying this very confused man.

Colin Firth
A Single Man
As the hollowed-out core of director Tom Ford's beautiful valentine to a recently departed lover, Firth has the hard task of being emotionally dead while also remaining a vessel interesting enough to base an entire film around. Usually you can only be one thing or the other, but Firth (with the help of Ford's directorial gaze) manages to find the beauty and intrigue in melancholia and suffering. The repression of early 60's America has forced Firth to stay silent about his pain and you can see it slowly eating away at him until his insides are rotting. It's an unexpectedly moving performance Firth and hopefully a sign of great things to come from him.

Ben Foster
The Messenger
I've been quietly waiting for Ben Foster to make his next big move after his impressive supporting work in 3:10 to Yuma, and, with The Messenger, he proved yet again that he's an actor to watch. He has no big Oscar moments, nor does he call needless attention to himself as a performer. His performance here is the very definition of "lived-in." Foster walks on a tightrope throughout most of the film, his rawness either threatening to explode outwards or implode in on himself. His performance here is nothing short of miraculous and makes a grand case for more work for him in the future.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt
(500) Days of Summer
This isn't an acting exercise for Gordon-Levitt--come on, this is the kid who did Mysterious Skin a few years back--so much as it is a way for him to explore his star persona and charisma in an atypical project. He's an absolute joy to watch on screen, whether he's falling in love in Ikea, singing a musical number after getting some or trying to move on with his life after losing "the one." JGL makes it all look so easy and effortless, which is often times the hardest thing for an actor to do.

Sam Rockwell
Moon
Poor Sam Rockwell. The man is always game, but it rarely seems like the projects he's involved with have the ability to match him quality-wise. Moon is another one of these films, although I suppose I'm in the minority when I admit I'm not a huge fan. Rockwell, though, has never been better than here as a pair of cloned astronauts trapped in a lunar space station. Playing twins is the perfect way to "prove" how good of an actor you are as they often allow you to play two completely different people in the same film. Moon, however, is more in line something like Dead Ringers based upon the fact that it's not interested in exploring the difference between the two characters. Rockwell is interested in exploring the interaction between them and the ways they can fuck around with each other, building up suspense where the film doesn't. He propels the film forward and keeps you interested long after the film has stopped giving a damn about the central "mystery" (and I do use that term loosely). Rockwell isn't reinventing the wheel here, but he does have a good time making his own.

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Ben Foster, The Messenger

Best Actress

Drew Barrymore
Grey Gardens
While everyone else was talking about a different rom-com queen's star turn which nabbed a certain someone a deserved, if not especially revelatory, Oscar, Drew Barrymore was stuck on the sidelines all seasons, relegated to the less glamorous TV movie categories at all the award shows. Yes, Grey Gardens is in fact a TV movie, but when you have a performance like this that makes you reevaluate the performer's entire career, I think bending the rules is justified. Barrymore has a lot working against her with this character, most notably that infamous Little Edie accent which could trip up even the most gifted vocal imitators, yet she never looks like she is having a difficult time with it. In fact, she seems to be having fun in taking a risk like this, relishing every moment to show us something we haven't seen before. What remains most memorable about Barrymore's performance is the vitality and vivaciousness of her Little Edie and how she plays the character's "strangeness" as endearing quirks; her Little Edie is not someone to be pitied. Bullock may have the Oscar, but Barrymore was the one who truly wowed.

Beyoncé
Obsessed
A bit of a left field pick, I must admit, but just go with me on this. Normally, we judge acting by how well an actor or actress "inhabits" a character, how deep they dig within themselves to become the character they are portraying; actors such as Cate Blanchett have earned many accolades and fans for doing this over the years. Sometimes, however, a film doesn't require this level of cerebral thought. Sometimes, all an actor needs to do is simply be alive in the film and willing to do whatever it takes to make the film successful. A film such as Obsessed, a lame Fatal Attraction rip-off, needs all the help it could get and thankfully, Beyoncé was there to lend a hand. She knew the film was in trouble as soon as read the script and new it was up to her to spice it up. She doesn't portray a character so much as she's a walking, hulking presence throughout most of the film. Beyoncé doesn't approach the role in an actorly way and, frankly, that was the smartest thing she could have done. Any attempt at making this story look like serious drama would have made the film look even more ridiculous. B crafts her own unique spin in the role by using her in-bred diva and natural proclivity towards camp aesthetic. If this is Razzie-worthy acting, well, I'd like to see another actress tackle this role and come out shining like Beyoncé.

Taraji P. Henson
Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself
From my review of the film and Henson's performance: "The film and April's progression as a character often takes the expected path--let's just say that the ending doesn't exactly need a spoiler warning--but Taraji P. Henson plays every scene like it's all brand new. It is often astonishing watching her doing something countless other actresses before her have done and make it really come alive for us in the audience. Her entrance alone, fro-ed out, sashaying to the rhythm of Aretha Franklin's 'Rock Steady' and propelling herself into the opening frames of the film like an unstoppable force of nature, speaks volumes about the direction Henson is taking with this character. She's going to be fierce, loud, in your face and if you don't like it, well you can suck it...It's at this point that Henson recites this beautifully gin-soaked monologue about her own past with sexual abuse. She goes on about how men can't be trusted, especially ones that like to be around children. Then, the monologue takes a sharp turn as she starts aiming her dagger of hatred and suspicion toward the hot Latino who, at this point, has been the sole source of support for the children since their grandmother vanished. She questions his motives for spending so much time with them before, loudly, outright accusing him of molesting the children. April has been so damaged and jaded by all of the men in her life she becomes suspicious of anyone gets close to her; eventually they're just going to turn on her, so why bother? Henson does this monologue and scene a world of justice, sharply navigating the turnabout from one subject to another and making it all go together coherently."

Maya Rudolph
Away We Go
We all know and love Maya Rudolph as the sketch comedian who once made SNL a can't-miss show every week. In Away We Go, however, Rudolph is forced to challenge herself as one-half of a couple hoping to find themselves and the perfect place to raise their child. She nails the comedy bits perfectly, using a dry wit to match Mendes' subdued handling of the material. What's even more surprising is the fact that she's even more interesting during the emotional sections of the movie. Rudolph doesn't do a whole lot, but her warm face betrays a lot of the confusion and deep soul-searching she is forced to do in reevaluating her life. The final scene, when Rudolph and her on-screen husband John Krasinski finally choose their new home, works all because of her. By the end, she has become the heart and soul of the film, and seeing her so happy in her decision is the perfect reward for watching the film.

Tilda Swinton
Julia
Wow. How does one go about describing this performance in mere words? Even something as simple as "Drunken whore helps deranged neighbor kidnap her own child, gets in over her head, takes kid to Mexico only to have him kidnapped by someone else, starts to care for the kid but not in the pussy way you would expect in a Hollywood film" sounds nutty beyond belief. I suppose that's inescapable since Julia oscillates like an out of control ceiling fan on the verge of collapsing. Swinton obviously relishes this unpredictably and rises to the challenge of shouldering the film so it doesn't collapse around her. What's even more unpredictable are Swinton's acting choices as this normally cerebral actress opens up more than I've ever seen in my admittedly limited exposure to her work. You can almost feel the sweat dripping from her pores when things start (and continue) to go wrong. And her outward reactions to the characters surrounding her are priceless, especially the moment when her neighbor who launches the kidnapping plan goes completely off the deep end and Swinton shoots her this look like "Bitch, what the fuck are you doing?" The entire two and a half hour runtime is filled with moments like this that enrich both Swinton's monumental performance and the film as a whole. Swinton is a living legend and it's good to see her continue to challenge herself when many other actresses in her position have all but abandoned their indie spirit.

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Tilda Swinton, Julia

Best Supporting Actor

Adam Brody
Jennifer's Body
A gleefully underrated star turn by the one and only Seth Cohen in a film no one seemed to pay much attention to after savagely tearing it apart upon release. That's such a shame since Brody is obviously having a ball playing the villainous, opportunistic lead singer of an indie rock band willing to sell someone else's soul for fame and fortune. Just like Ellen Page, Brody is a perfect match for Diablo Cody's gloriously overwritten dialogue. In the wrong hands, her vernacular could sound forced and unconvincing, but Brody kills the one-liners he is given; I was literally cracking up at every line during his big scene with Megan Fox. He invented the dorkalicious persona that Michael Cera and Jesse Eisenberg now use as their stock-in-trade, so why isn't he being used up to his full potential?

Peter Capaldi
In the Loop
Capaldi's performance in the political satire In the Loop can basically be summarized as a symphony of cuss words. While it's true that there is no other actor on the planet who swears as well as he does (see also his hilarious work on Skins as Sid's father), he also uses the profanity as a device for understanding the character and his importance in the film. His character is the loudest in the film and his cursing is the way he gets his message across. It doesn't matter what he is saying--as long as he's the loudest, he'll always get his way. And he does, scarily, by the end of the film.

Woody Harrelson
The Messenger
I suppose it's the reason he got a much deserved Oscar nomination, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that that breakdown scene at the very end of the film was what completely convinced me of Harrelson's worth here. Seeing that tiny crack in his foundation only proved how well Harrelson had set up the character's (and our) belief that everything was really okay.

Mark Ruffalo
The Brothers Bloom
Ruffalo, right from his big breakthrough in You Can Count On Me, has always had this roguish sort of charm about him. He's never exactly a bad guy, yet he always gives the impression that there's a little naughtiness just underneath the surface. As a con man trying to lure his brother into doing one last con, Ruffalo gets to explore this facet of his personality. He takes obvious pleasure in constructing this game for both his brother and their target, but it's almost as if the reasons he does this don't even register with him anymore. He's so lost in his own little fantasy con world he can't quite assimilate with real people in the real world anymore.

Christoph Waltz
Inglourious Basterds
Everything one could possibly say about Waltz and his Oscar-winning performance in Inglourious Basterds has been said. The role of a charming psychopath killer is not exactly new, but Waltz makes it feel completely fresh. He's a sadistic son of a bitch who toys with people emotions, yet he can be a regular Cary Grant, chatting you up with a friendly grin on his face and completely charming the pants off you. You never know which Waltz you're going to get and the surprise is half the fun. That's a bingo.

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Adam Brody, Jennifer's Body

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt
Sunshine Cleaning
When Emily Blunt earned mad critical love for her work in The Devil Wears Prada, I must admit I was a little surprised. Not that she's bad by any means, it's just that she isn't given very much to do in the film. She says a couple of bitchy lines, gets a few guffaws and that's it; there's no meat for Blunt to really sink her teeth into. With Sunshine Cleaning, Blunt is given an opportunity to mine the dark, edgy side of her personality. She's given ample opportunity to be funny as the loser sister who can't seem to get her act together, but she also excels in the film's darker moments. A typical monologue about the death of her mother becomes in her hands an uncomfortable, blabbering breakdown worthy of Ronee Blakley in Nashville. Vivid work from a young woman with huge potential.

Rinko Kikuchi
The Brothers Bloom
The character Kikuchi plays in The Brothers Bloom, Bang Bang, is nothing more than a plot device, an easy joke to get certain scenes moving. Kikuchi, her second time playing a mute character after her Oscar-nominated work in Babel, rises above the shallowness of the role to make something interesting out of it. Taking from silent films, Japanese anime and action blockbusters as her inspiration, she creates her own unique spin on the "munitions expert" every film of this sort needs. Much like Beyoncé, she's vivid and alive in every scene she's in. Kikuchi doesn't let the handicaps of the role carry her--she works to remain a constant pleasure whenever she pops up.

Mo'Nique
Precious
With a character as dominant and tyrannical as Mary Jones, an actress wouldn't really have to push themselves to earn acclaim. And, at first, it appeared like Mo'Nique would fall into this trap as Lee Daniels kowtowed to the role and Mo'Nique unquestionable presence as an actress. Then, suddenly, something clicked and Daniels seemed to be pushing her to do more than just be intimidating. Mo'Nique's Mary became unpredictable, almost unreadable, an altogether more frightening creature than her already horrific traits suggest. Her complete emotional meltdown at the end of the film is the final nail in the coffin for Mo'Nique's immersion in the role. Instead of focusing on the pity her monologue could elicit, she highlights Mary's ignorance to further show just how lucky Precious is for getting out of that situation. With a bunch of smart choices, Mo'Nique more than lived up to the hype her performance here generated.

Samantha Morton
The Messenger
The appeal of Samantha Morton is often lost on me. She's pleasant enough to watch, but I'd hardly seek out a film just because she was in it. So the fact that her characteristically subdued and lived-in performance in The Messenger worked so well for me this go-around was a pleasant surprise. Morton works immaculately, often almost unrecognizably, within the confines of The Messenger's iceberg of emotions--90% of the emotion is buried underneath the surface. She's a wizard at using just her face to portray a wide variety of emotions, and it's often the haunting contortions of her face that stick out the most when I think back on this movie. How she was passed over for an Oscar nom in favor of Penélope Cruz slutting it up in Nine will remain a complete mystery.

Olivia Williams
An Education
From my post for the 2009 Supporting Actress Blog-a-thon: "Williams' Miss Stubbs, with her hair pulled straight back into a too-tight ponytail and thick, horn-rimmed glasses, is presented as the traditional, straight-laced British teacher we have seen in films for decades. She's not supposed to care about her students, their feelings or their personal lives outside of class; her job is to teach and that's that. At first, Miss Stubbs seems to follow that archetype quite well, but as the film progresses, we see her shed that image layer by layer. Miss Stubbs constantly struggles with the idea of seeing her students as actual people and has to resist interjecting herself in their situations...Williams says so much about her character while not doing much. Her face stays stoic throughout the entire scene, yet her eyes betray a deeply resonant sense of sorrow and pity when Jenny shoots her and her profession down in an angry response to Miss Stubbs's plea. But she isn't sad that Jenny has insulted her, or at least not completely. What really upsets her is that she hasn't gotten through to Jenny, her desperate pleas have fallen on deaf ears...She doesn't have a typical 'Oscar scene' to lean on or what you would call a fully-explored character arc, yet she still gives probably the most realized and complete performance in the entire film."

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Olivia Williams, An Education

My Films of the 2000's: #40-21

Previous installment: #60-41


40. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly

Like many people, Requiem for a Dream has scarred me for life. If I was ever likely to try heroin at any point in my life, that was squashed right at the moment Jared Leto revealed his blackened arm. My God, I just think about that image and get shivers.

39. Borat (2006)
Director: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen

A sociological study of Americans as they truly behave that I laughed my ass of throughout most of the runtime. How many movies can you say that about? In any ordinary studio film, Sacha Baron Cohen's schtick would have gotten old ten minutes in. Thankfully, the decision to shoot the film documentary style keeps Cohen engaging and on his toes, ready and willing to do nearly anything to get a laugh. My brother and I were nearly on the floor we were laughing so hard during the naked fight scene.

38. Julia (2009)
Director: Erick Zonca
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Kate del Castillo, Aidan Gold

Tilda Swinton is a goddess. The rest of the movie ain't too shabby either. If only all kidnap-gone-wrong movies were this exciting, unnerving and oddly touching all at the same time.

37. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Matt Damon, Joan Allen, David Strathairn

I've admitted my action movie bias before, but I was able to overcome it with The Bourne Ultimatum. After the end credits starting rolling, I just sat in my seat completely dazed by what had just transpired. The film is a pure adrenaline rush--"Godard on crack" I believe I once called it--that makes its cheap imitators look calm and subdued with every jarring jump cut and the so-shaky-I-don't-know-who-I'm-following cinematography.

36. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Director: Judd Apatow
Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Catherine Keener

Judd Apatow's first film is still his best. Even at two hours, the film remains fresh and never feels bloated or overlong unlike his two follow-ups.

35. Spirited Away (2002)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki

The most beautiful animated film I've ever seen.

34. Legally Blonde (2001)
Director: Robert Luketic
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Coolidge, Luke Wilson

The moment Reese Witherspoon became a legitimate bankable star. And I've done the "Bend and Snap" way too many times even for a gay man.

33. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Director: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Starring: Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Alan Arkin

The little quirky indie comedy that could. I'm sure it is popular now to hate on this movie in the wake of it's immense success (hello, Juno!) but I still adore the Hoover family, their multitude of (mental and physical) crises and their bright yellow Volkswagen bus. As an added bonus, Abigail Breslin's unpretentious and unaffected performance as the eponymous Olive is one of the very few child actor performances I can stomach. And you have to give her props for pulling off that musical number; I roared with laughter when I saw this at the theatre.

32. Bright Young Things (2003)
Director: Stephen Fry
Starring: Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, Fenella Woolgar

If Gossip Girl had taken place in 1930's Britain, it would look exactly like Stephen Fry's Bright Young Things. Not especially deep, but the film is frivolous, fast-paced and fun, with an incredible cast consisting of old timers (Stockard Channing, Imelda Staunton) and then up-and-comers (Emily Mortimer, James McAvoy).

31. Adventureland (2009)
Director: Greg Mottola
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Kristen Wiig

Whereas Mottola's Superbad was crude, crass and balls-out funny, Adventureland is nostalgic, achingly sweet and even a bit melancholic at times. Two moments stick out for me like I had just seen the movie yesterday: the bodacious Lisa P.'s enticing dance and Kristen Stewart blankly staring out the windshield with the wind blowing through her hair while 'Don't Dream It's Over' plays dreamily over the background.


30. District 9 (2009)
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley

I wanted to vomit. I wanted to cry. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to hide. I'm pretty sure I felt every possible human emotion throughout the course of District 9. I loved every minute of it.

29. WALL-E (2008)
Director: Andrew Stanton

The idea of an animated film about robot wandering a post-apocalyptic planet Earth, I must admit, was a bit of a hard sell. However, it didn't take much convincing after the Chaplinesque pathos of the first half, which I was immediately taken by. Who knew the romance of two robots could be so beautiful?

28. Bad Education (2004)
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Fele Martinez

I seem to have a thing for movies where Gael Garcia Bernal makes out with men. That's so unlike me, I know. Bernal sexiness aside, this is my favorite Almodóvar film. The mystery is fascinating and keeps you engaged throughout the entire runtime. And Bernal works overtime playing three different roles, remaining an impossibly indecipherable enigma.

27. Memento (2001)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie Anne Moss

It's been 3 1/2 years since I first saw Memento, and I'm still working out what it all meant.

26. The Pianist (2002)
Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Adrien Brody

Not just another Holocaust movie. Frighteningly realistic, downright grimy and all too horrific to believe, it's the Holocaust as we don't like to think about. The fact that Roman Polanski lived through the horrors makes it all the more discomforting to watch; it's almost as if watching his experience first-hand.

25. The HSM Trilogy (2006-8)
Director: Kenny Ortega
Starring: Zac Efron, La Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Vanessa Hudgens

My increasing fascination with the tween subculture can be credited to one summer day in 2007 when I decided to see what all this fuss about High School Musical was about. I wasn't crazy about the first, aside from La Tisdale's epic performance of course, but I couldn't deny there was something about their inherent badness that hooked me. I caught the second film when it premiered later on that summer and, while it was technically even worse than the first, I couldn't deny my rising infatuation with La Tisdale's divaliciousness or Zac Efron's beautiful face. By the time the third installment came, it was preceded by a 6+ month anticipation that could barely contain itself by the time it premiered in October of 2008. Who would have guessed that the third would not only be the best of the series but also a legitimately good film in its own right? If nothing else, the HSM Trilogy proved to me that some of the greatest actors around are hiding in the Disney Ghetto, just waiting to be discovered and make it to the big time. Without this trilogy, just think: I probably wouldn't have encountered Demi Lovato, Sterling Knight, Tiffany Thornton or the JONAS girls. Scary thought, indeed.

24. In Bruges (2008)
Director: Martin McDonagh
Starring: Colin Farrel, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson

In retrospect, a dialogue-heavy, (black) comedic meditation on life, death, guilt sounds right up my alley. Initially, however, I was a bit skeptical. Imagine my surprise when the movie ended and I thought to myself, "Damn, everything about this movie just worked." There aren't many movies out there that you can say that about.

23. Dreamgirls (2006)
Director: Bill Condon
Starring: Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy

All of my favorite things combined into one movie: black female belters, divas, glitter, showstopping musical numbers, the early 60's, Beyoncé wearing ridiculous fashions. You can't ask for much than that, can you? Oh yes you can. How about a showstopping, jaw-dropping performance from American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson that earned at least three rounds of applause in the theatre I saw it in (all of which I joined in enthusiastically)? Or a much maligned performance from Beyoncé that only looked shallow and undercooked because the character required it? Haters to the left (to the left)--I don't need to hear it anymore.

22. Monster in Law (2005)
Director: Robert Luketic
Starring: Jane Fonda, J. Lo, Wanda Sykes

To this day, I do not understand all the venomous hatred that has been spewed toward this film. Sure, as the first Jane Fonda film in 15 years it is a bit on the fluffy side, but so what? She's vibrant, full of life and, what else, funny as hell as the future mother-in-law hellbent on trying to split up her son (Michael Vartan) from his new fiancée (J. Lo at her breeziest and funniest). Monster in Law is a romantic comedy without all the gushy romantic garbage, replaced with hilarious one-liners (provided mostly by the always great Wanda Sykes) and fast-paced slapstick comedy. If I'm a cinematic neanderthal for liking this movie, then so be it. I will never back down.

21. Bring It On (2000)
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Bradford, Eliza Dushku

It has been ten years and whenever someone around me says, "Brrrr," I still have the urge to finish with "...It's cold in here! There must be some Toros in the at-mosphere!" And there are so many smaller moments that I remember quoting endlessly in junior high when my Bring It On fanaticism was at its peak that still make me giggle with fondness whenever I think back on them (my favorite: "Jan got spirit, yes he do/Jan got spirit, how about you?" "Dude, you just lost" *silence*). This was the sports movie made for gay men: no bullshit clichés and inspirational moments, just good old-fashioned wit, bitchiness, clever one-liners and highly choreographed routines. You can't ask for much more than that.

I'll Be in My Trailer

The Brothers Bloom

I didn't have any feelings towards Rian Johnson's follow-up to his critically acclaimed indie Brick (I kinda hated it) until I saw this trailer and now I'm highly anticipating this one. Just look at that cast: Adrien Brody as the romantic lead, Mark Ruffalo as the con artist brother, Rachel Weisz as the silly heiress and Rinko Kikuchi (!!) as an explosives expert. The plot sounds like something straight out of a 30's screwball so let's hope it does that better than Leatherheads.

Che

It's a shame that no distributor will go near this film because, judging by this Spanish trailer, Che looks absolutely gorgeous and Benicio del Toro seems absolutely game. I'm really hoping we will get to see this all in one piece as intended.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist doesn't look like it will change the world or anything, but it seems like a great film to just sit back and have a good time at. Michael Cera is a little cutey and his comedic style has grown on me after Superbad and Juno. I also liked Kat Dennings in The 40 Year Old Virgin and I think she looks funny in the trailer.

Burn After Reading (Redband)

I know this is a month or so old, but it's so damn hilarious that I want to share it. I love the Coen Brothers in their silly, Big Lebowski/Fargo mode and this one looks like another winner from them. Plus, how often does Brad Pitt come off looking like a full-fledged comedian?

Random Top 10: A Tribute to America

As much as I bitch about America (which happens nearly every time I watch American Idol or see what a complete fucktard George Bush is) there are some generally good things about this place: Hollywood, Oprah, Jake Gyllenhaal, celebreailty, day-to-day coverage on the happenings of Britney Spears, freedom of speech (which allows me to get away with calling the president a fucktard), Emmy-award winner Kathy Griffin. I could go on, but you get the point. I kinda have a lot to be thankful for. So, in honor of America's 232nd birthday, here are some joyous tributes to America. Enjoy!

10.

9.

8.

"You look like the Fourth of July! Makes me want to have a hot dog real bad."

7.

I understand Tilda's not American, but what other actress born in this country have you seen show this much patriotism at one point?

6.

5.

"Hello, Mr. President. Can I ask you something? Is the oval office as hard to vaccum as I think it is?"

4.

I'm not a huge fan of West Side Story, but Rita Moreno is absolutely amazing here. Love that skirt action!

3.

"I chose Mount Rushmore 'cause to live in a country where you can take an ugly, old mountain and put faces on it- faces of great Americans who did so much to make this country super great- well, that makes me, Rebecca Leeman, proud to be an American."

2.

"Why aren't they spinning?"

1.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for James Cagney, this movie and patriotic tunes. They all get me every time.

2007 Diva Cup Awards: Best Supporting Actress

And the nominees are...

Charlotte Gainsbourg as Claire in I'm Not There
She's not playing one of the Dylans, but Gainsbourg provides the most thoroughly satisfying performance in I'm Not There. In a film where you question the importance of half of the main characters, it's fantastic to see Gainsbourg let you know from the first scene why she belongs.
Key Scene: The party scene, when she realizes that Robbie "isn't there" anymore

Romola Garai as Briony Tallis in Atonement
Having to bridge the gap between the younger Briony and the older Briony is no easy task, but in Garai's hands, her Briony feels the most complete, the one we can really connect to in the story. She's a great combination of the heinousness of Briony #1 and the self-righteousness of Briony #3.
Key Scene: Her apology to Robbie and Cecilia

Jennifer Garner as Vanessa Loring in Juno
The "Who Knew?" award for 2007 goes to Jennifer Garner, for finally proving to me that she is an actress to be reckoned with. She doesn't get any of the great dialogue that Ellen Page does. Instead, she gives the uptight suburban mom a fresh new twist and her transformation into the mother role is surprisingly subtle.
Key Scene: Listening to Juno's belly in the mall

Amy Ryan as Martha Hanson in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and as Helene McCready in Gone Baby Gone
Playing two of the most vile women in recent memory, Ryan made a startling breakthrough to the big time. Give her credit for practically taunting the hideousness of these two characters in our faces instead of toning it down so we'd "sympathize" with her.
Key Scene: In BtDKYD, her constant emasculation of her ex-husband. In Gone Baby Gone, the final scene; have things really changed?

Tilda Swinton as Karen Crowder in Michael Clayton
As I said during StinkyLulu's 2007 Supporting Actress Smackdown: "Swinton could have copped out with this performance since it seems that the character was thrown in merely as an afterthought. Instead she nailed it, showing the vulnerable and twitchy side of a corporate ball-buster with those daring sweat stains, the bewitching rehearsal scenes and her horror at the lack of control in the final scene."
Key Scene: Any of the "rehearsal" scenes

If Only There Were Six: Michelle Pfeiffer, Hairspray She's having the time of her life and it's about time someone perfected the eye-roll.

Rest of the Top 10: Anna Kendrick, Rocket Science...Jennifer Jason Leigh, Margot at the Wedding...Olympia Dukakis, Away From Her...Ashley Tisdale, High School Musical 2

BRONZE
Romola Garai, Atonement

SILVER
Jennifer Garner, Juno

GOLD
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Oscar After Party!

What a glorious night last night was! Two upsets with two of my very favorites pulling ahead and snatching the prizes made me very happy to say the least. Although I didn't do very well with my predictions, only getting 13 correct out of 24 categories, I was still so happy at some of my mistakes (Marion & Tilda, Transformers getting shut out). Anyways, here are my thoughts about last night's ceremony, both the positives and the negatives:

Positives
+Jon Stewart hosting: I was initially a little worried about him, because, for me anyways, he's frankly hit or miss and I really don't find him that funny on The Daily Show. But, I have to say that he pulled through and did a really nice job. Not as good as Ellen last year, but still pretty consistently funny.
+Cotillard crying at La Vie en Rose's Best Makeup win: This was so funny to me and my friend Sammi that we made fun of it all night. In case you missed it, her reaction is priceless: she puts her hands over her mouth in shock, like she had just won the damn award and, I think, starts tearing up a little. Lord knows I love Cotillard to death, but she was an easy target for Sammi & I. For example, when the French guy won for Best Short: "Oh my Goodness! A French person just won! I'm so happy!" Or when The Counterfeiters won Best Foreign Film: "Oh my Goodness! They're European! They are so close to France!"
+Josh Brolin & James McAvoy presenting Best Adapted Screenplay: Swoon! Oh my, I couldn't contain myself with these two reading off those classic lines (McAvoy especially, with that beautiful Scotish growl saying "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" I melted right there). Way too many dirty thoughts going on there.
+Jennifer Hudson!: What a beautiful and classy lady. No matter what anyone says about her "undeserved" win, I will always love her.
+Letting Marketa Irglova back on stage: Jon Stewart didn't have to let her finish her speech, but I'm glad he did because I would have felt horrible for her the rest of the night. She delivered such a lovely speech that it was definitely worth the extra couple of minutes it took. Plus, I loved Jon Stewart's joke about them backstage (Glen: "Let's make the Oscar's kiss" Marketa: "But they're two boys" Glen: "Well, this is Hollywood")
+No Country For Old Men's Best Picture win: I did like Atonement a teensy bit better, but No Country For Old Men is definitely not something I can get upset about. After The Departed last year, it seems that Oscar is atoning for Crash two years ago by picking the right films this time.
+Diablo Cody's dress: It was leopard print, nearly see-through and had a slit up to her va-jay-jay...God, I love Diablo Cody.

Negatives
-The Enchanted Performances: Lord knows I love the songs from Enchanted (well, at least "Happy Working Song" and "That's How You Know") so it was just a shame that they were done so shoddily last night. Amy Adams did fine with "Happy Working Song" but she was kind of weak and almost seemed to be overdoing it with her voice. Maybe she's just no suited for live performances, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it could have been so much better. Kristen Chenoweth seemed the perfect choice to sing "That's How You Know" because she seems just as bright and bubbly as Giselle, but her voice, to me, was plain awful last night. She was warbling the whole way through and really tried to change the melody into something more difficult that what it actually was. And, as for that last one, let me just say that they should have gotten James Marsden to sing that because it would have been 1000 times better (and more memorable).
-The Dame Judi Dench Fakeout: When they announced Dame Judi Dench's name to present the next award, I looked over at my friend Sammi and was like "Oh my God, yes!!" I was getting ready to bow down in her presence when suddenly I see Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen coming out to present. What the fuck?! And then to have them argue about who was the Dame Judi Dench? That was ridiculous because I would have been her in two seconds. Poo-poo on you Oscar ceremony.
-The First 30 Minutes With Regis: The epitome of painful: Regis talking loudly, annoying contest winners hogging camera time, no stars I cared about (except for Cotillard) and Regis introducing "Xavier" Bardem. That was f-ing ridiculous.

Before I finish, I just want to mention this conversation Sammi and I had during the ceremony:

Sammi: Who's that sitting next to James McAvoy? Is it Keira Knightley?
Me: It can't be. She didn't come. I think that's his girlfriend or wife, I can't remember which.
Sammi: What?! Looks on IMDB Yeah, that's his wife. She's nine years older than him- I can definitely steal him away.
Me: Right. Just like I'm going to steal James Marsden from his wife.
Sammi: You don't have all the parts he likes- you need a vagina...and boobs.
Me: Whatever. 10 minutes later... Hey! Guess what my name would be if I married James Marsden...James Marsden!

MARION!!!! TILDA!!!!

MARION!!!!!

TILDA!!!!!

I am so glad I was wrong with my predictions! These two totally deserved to win! Check back tomorrow with some thoughts on the ceremony and the winners.

Supporting Actress Smackdown: 2007 Edition

If today is sort of like Christmas, than this morning we should get a special present. And that present is StinkyLulu's 2007 Supporting Actress Smackdown. Yours truly was asked to participate and since I had seen all of the nominees, I gladly obliged. As always, I had a ton of fun doing it and am super anxious to read everyone's quips and snarky comments.

This year's race has surprisingly been a wide open one, with four of the five nominees still duking it out to the last minute. And each of them have a particular advantage over the other's that can't be ignored: Ruby Dee has the sympathy and career vote for a lifetime of ignorance (and the SAG award); Cate Blanchett has the biopic thing going on (and the Golden Globe); Amy Ryan has the horrible mom role (and a near sweep of the main critics groups); and Tilda Swinton has the your-film-won't-win-anywhere-else-so-let's-
vote-for-her factor (and the BAFTA). It's a tough call, but I think Dee with sneak ahead. But if I had to pick a personal favorite it would be.... Oh Tilda. Why are you so amazing? If you want to see how much I love Tilda, who is the weakest of the nominees and my basic rantings on all of the nominees then head on over to the Smackdown now.