Sunday, December 11, 2005

Luck Be a (Leading) Lady Tonight

Best Actress. Eight contenders still unseen by me: Naomi Watts in King Kong, Felicity Huffman in TransAmerica, Vera Farmiga in Down to the Bone (to my surprise this is playing in NYC right now and I wasn't aware), Q'Orianka Kilcher in The New World, Natasha Richardson in The White Countess, Sarah Jessica Parker in The Family Stone, Claire Danes in Shopgirl, and Juliette Binoche in Caché. If they're very good to great they'll shake up my ever rotating top 15 (presented here in random order) from which 5 lucky ladies will emerge victorious.


Who will take the Film Bitch Best Actress Prize this year?

26 comments:

NATHANIEL R said...

Indie Spirits don't require theatrical releases for contention. They also accept festival entries. Down to the Bone was released. It's official release was Nov 24th 2005. But yes, it started its festival run nearly 2 years ago.

Billy McLellan said...

i like that lisa kudrow is pictured. i thought she was great

Glenn Dunks said...

MIRANDA JULY. My heart has melted into a puddle of glee.

...that was so odd, what I just said.

Anyway.

Am I bonkers for actually considering Rachel Weisz as supporting in The Constant Gardener? She was barely in the second half of the movie, if I'm remembering correctly.

Anonymous said...

Nat, darling, you MUST see Claire in Shopgirl!! She is divine.

Joe R. said...

For what it's worth, Rachel Weisz is on my personal list as supporting, but I waffled on that a bit. It's very debatable.

Glenn Dunks said...

by the way, who are:

1st row, fourth from the left
2nd row, first from the left (before Judi)
2nd row, fifth from the left
3rd row, fourth from the left

????

I figure one of them is Connie Nielson in Brothers. I think the 1st row one is the girl from My Summer of Love but i'm probably wrong.

...hmmm

Glenn Dunks said...

(whoa, how are we all on at THE. SAME. TIME. ???)

it's 4.06am here. I'm not sleeping tonight I've decided.

NicksFlickPicks said...

In order, Natalie Press in My Summer of Love, Embeth Davidtz in Junebug, Connie Nielsen in Brothers, and Sibel Kekilli in Head-On.

NicksFlickPicks said...

Oh, and I also say that Weisz is supporting, though I can see the argument either way.

Glenn Dunks said...

Thanks Nick. I haven't seen any of those so I coudn't tell. I'm going to hire My Summer of Love next time I'm at the video store.

Head On doesn't interest me, but maybe I'll hire that one as well.

Junebug and Brothers aren't out in any form yet, unfortunately.

NATHANIEL R said...

Brothers is on DVD now

NATHANIEL R said...

i go back and forth on WEISZ.

the people i'm having trouble with categorically speaking are:

RACHEL WEISZ -Constant Gardener
JEFF DANIELS & LAURA LINNEY -Squid and Whale

just about everyone else i've confirmed as one or the other. on these three i keep flip flopping. because, you know, JESSE EISENBERG is the actual lead of Squid and Whale. But it's kindof a Closer thing again.

Glenn Dunks said...

"Brothers is on DVD now"

grrr.

On the Rachel Weisz matter, I thought she was a lead through the first half but then Ralph's storyline really took over and Rachel herself didn't appear as much, if at all. I figured she was supporting. If she had been in it a tad more in the second half then it could've been a lead for me. However...

and, i'll reiterate:

grrr.

Glenn Dunks said...

oh, i need to say this as well:

Glenn Close looks SCAAAAARY in that picture.

Anonymous said...

I believe Weisz is supporting. I think it's like a Jude Law in Ripley kinda deal; all over the first half of the movie, and making such an impact that their presence is felt throughout the second half too.

Rob

Anonymous said...

Nathaniel, while you are agonizing over your choices for Best Actress of 2005, go take a look at the new New Order backed teaser for Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette to see your first gilmpse at a likely Best Actress 2006 candidate. It's one of the best teasers I have seen in recent memory.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to post the link http://movies.aol.com/movie_exclusive_marie_antoinette_trailer

Anonymous said...

Vote for Sibil in Head On.

Juliette Binoche in Cache got me curious. And Glenn Close in Heights was fantastic.

Anonymous said...

I say Rachel Weisz is supporting in The Constant Gardener. Rob has a good point.

Marcelo.

Anonymous said...

I guess this is my last shot for an FYC campaign for you to see Bride & Prejudice. I've thought I'd keep this musical gem to myself, but then the Washington Area Film Critics named Aishwarya Rai as one of their "Breakthrough" nominees, and I thought I'd share.

I liked the Kiera Knightley Pride & Prejudice, but what was remarkable to me was how much of the same dialogue was taken from the book and used in BOTH movies! That's certainly a commendable feat for the Indian setting. Bride & Prejudice, looked at from a postcolonial view, actually makes sense and though irreverant, is not corny or throw-away in the least. The Lisa Schwartzbaum review (and her A- grade) capture my feelings for the film the best. While I liked the Joe Wright film, I didn't love it, because I happened to see a more entertaining version earlier in the year. Aishwarya Rai is fine as Lalita, this film's "Lizzy."

I know you weren't too much a fan of Gurinder Chadaha's Bend It Like Beckham, but this is a completely different direction for her. If anything, at least you may come up with an interest nominee or two in Best Original Song.

Anonymous said...

The discrepancy between possible nominees for

best actress in a leading role and best actor in a supporting role

and

best actress in a supporting role and best actor in a leading role

is a good example of how the industry works in terms of gender.

Marcelo.

Yaseen Ali said...

No Maggie Cheung for Clean? :(

Glenn Dunks said...

Bride & Prejudice was funny when I first saw it in the cinema, but that was way back in February and I'm having Academy-esque problems by not being able to remember anything except the wedding dance and "No Life Without Wife" - that was delightful. Oh and that's guy's laugh that everyone was imitating upon leaving the cinema.

NATHANIEL R said...

Maggie Cheung is absent because CLEAN still hasn't been released (to my knowledge)

that's the same reason why DUCK SEASON (from Mexico) can't be on my top ten list... (even though it would be otherwise) because they keep pushing it back months and months

Anonymous said...

AND WHERE IS JULIANNE MOORE??????!?!?!?!??????!!!!!!!!???

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