Put me on the Pro - Cate Blanchett list! I just saw in Chekov's UNCLE VANYA at the Kennedy Center in DC. She is stunning. She can move from stage to screen and back again with ease. She is also good at comedy and her dramatic work speaks for itself (of her lesser known works, OSCAR AND LUCINDA is a real standout). She may not be in the same beauty category as Raquel Welch but she has a classic beauty much like Faye Dunaway. At age 42, she is past Hollywood's expiration date and may be why she chooses stage vehicles and movies that are less blockbuster or Hollywood.
Missing off the list Julia Roberts - a one note actress, who gave one or two good performances and then managed to milk a career for almost 20 years playing the same role with a different wig.
Dolores Umbridge was clearly inspired by Hillary Clinton. Instead of the light blue pant suits, Rowling went with the tight pink suits to highlight the fairly large caboose both women sport. I think Imelda Staunton nailed this role with the sugary syrupy way Hillary speaks as she is twisting the knife in your back. Of all the secondary villains in the series, she was the standout..
I first started thinking that Potter was a commentary of the Nanny state overreaching governments with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The moment, i read and then saw Dolores Umbridge, I saw the inspiration for this character being Hillary Clinton, complete with the oversized caboose. Interesting that the series ended in 2007, I wonder if Rowling would have introduced a Obama like character of the smooth talking, no nothing bumbler. Unless, Rowling had a crystal ball and loosely based Professor Gilderoy Lockhart on him
This looks like it would be good summer entertainment. Entertaining but nothing thought provoking like the original Planet of the Apes, which still holds up. The plot about injecting a serum to find a cure for dementia is lifted right from Deep Blue Sea, which was another great summer popcorn flick with its roots in the Frankenstein myth with the twist being Dr. Frankenstein character was played by a woman and the monster she created was a shark with superior intelligence.
It's easy to forget that role - since it was not in my humble opinion Academy Award worthy. She gave an excellent performance in The Color Purple and should have one for that. This was a make-up award. Her role in Ghost could have been played by anyone and was sitcom in nature. If Marla Gibbs had played the same role - I doubt she would have even been nominated. Best Supporting Actress for that year should have gone to one of two actresses not even nominated Helena Bonham-Carter (Hamlet) or Ruth Nelson (Awakenings)
I'd have to go with My Left Foot or not mentioned yet. Henry V, Kenneth Branagh's best work to date as the Best Picture of 1989. I don't think Driving Miss Daisy holds up, Do the Right Thing would be in my nominee list.
I'm with Kevin. I like Craig and the new direction of the films. Craig isn't a pretty boy like Brosnan who ruined the series and the gadgets worked prior to 1980, but then became gimmicky. I like the more realistic tone of the new Bond. I would vote to keep Craig as Bond - I think he brings a new interpretation to the character. If they wanted to go with the suave deboinaire type then I'd go for Hugh Jackman or Clive Owen.
The only thing I would cast Damon in is a remake of Frankenstein playing the monster- his blockhead would require little make-up and he wouldn't need to talk.
I think Jolie could pull it off. But my first choice would be Cate Blanchett who can do just about any role. Although why she agree to do the last Indiana Jones movie is mystifying. Like Lord Olivier in Clash of the Titans.
John hits it right on the head - the success of the original Superman was its two relatively unknown leads - Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder. Although, I never thought anyone else could play Superman but Reeve, I was pleasantly surprised that Brandon Routh captured much of the same appeal that Reeve brought to the role and was a respectable replacement. However, Kate Bosworth came nowhere near matching Kidder's quirky, spunky, sexy Lois Lane and she had no chemistry with Routh. Much like Maggie Gyllenhall in The Dark Knight she was bland and forgettable like most of the current actresses being pushed to the front of the line.
If Christopher Nolan decides to do another Batman and opts for Catwoman - only Angelia Jolie could pull it off of the current crop of actresses with the looks, talent and right age. Given Hollyweird watch them cast the equine-looking Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz or worst of all, Julia Roberts (again the role is Catwoman not Horsewoman)
I still think The Passion of the Christ is the best Lenten movie. I also would add Magnolia (1999) like Bad Lieutenant, there is some questionable behaviour from the characters but in the end many of these charactors find redemption and learn the power of forgivenss and letting go of old animosities.
![[Avatar]](/images/avatar26.png){kind=avatar}
Experiment