Wednesday, September 13, 2006

And Still More Kate...

While you're enjoying those two Kate-centric videos in the previous post...

Re: Kate Winslet in Little Children
David Poland "career-topping" and "deserves the Oscar"
In Contention "truly one of the best creations of her career."
Jeffrey Wells "a near lock for a Best Actress nom"
Toronto Life "wonderful"

Yes, indeedy --October looks to be a Winslet-apalooza: Her birthday is on Thursday the 5th and she'll probably be able to spend it reading endless raves about her work in Little Children which opens the next day.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe this will be the year that
Kate Winslet, Hellen Miren and Anette Benning all get screwed out of an oscar by a much less talented performer.. Ashley Judd, Beyonce Knowles? Doesn't Hillary Swank have another movie coming out this year?

Glenn Dunks said...

Can October be the month of ME? I'm not as cool as Kate... or as sexy, or as good of an actor, or basically anything like her, but it is my birthday and I turn 21 and I'm at least sort of awesome like Kate. Right?

(I need validation that I am somewhat awesome like Kate, okay)

:P

Anonymous said...

You know, after the Brokeback debacle, I wonder if Nathaniel would survive a Hilary Swank victory over Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren and Benning (truthfully, though, I think Bening will be pushed supporting).

Kamikaze, I assure you the month of Winslet will include at least one week of the kamikaze.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and thanks, kamikaze, for introducing me to the brilliant poster for Fur.

NATHANIEL R said...

patrick -bite your tongue.
glenn -happy birthday in advance. we'll shout you out on the happy day.
arkaan -i couldn't. but even in the fiery depths of hell i don't think Satan (oh, come on you know he's a member) votes for her to win a third Oscar. do they really want Swank up there with Nicholson and Hepburn? oh, it hurts to even type that.

and i'm starting to think that about Bening too. Best Actress is looking awfully crowded and it's only September.

Kris said...

You guys can rest assured bening is in the lead actress category. Winslet is fantastic, but she's not going to win. The only person Sony is worried about is Mirren, and with due cause. But when Scissors drops, a LOT of the buzz will swing from Mirren to Bening. Trust.

Beau said...

I can see it now:

"And the award for Best Actress goes to... Hilary Swank for "The Reaping"!!"

Boos come from the audience and Bening sends a text to the hit man.

Beau said...

But seriously...
I don't know, Bening has gotten top billing in all of the ads that I've seen. Seems hard to imagine that she'd go supporting for it.

It just looks insane right now for that category. You have Meryl Streep, who's delivered one of the most beloved performances of the year in "Prada" bound to be nominated. Helen Mirren, after her raves for the HBO Mini, is now getting magnificent reviews for "The Queen" (and that Best Actress award at Venice doesn't hurt either).

Then there's Bening who can survive on character and persona alone, and Winslet who seems destined to follow in Streep and Hepburn's footsteps in terms of nods. (As of this fall, she'll have five. Could've had six, but got the boot after Hotel Rwanda's sudden surge at the end resulting in a nom for Okenedo.)

The fifth spot is up in the air. Some people say Judd (I still think that's a LONG shot), and some say Beyonce (highly unlikely). Zelwegger, even with the help of the Weinstein's, hasn't completely overcome her backlash, and Blanchett seems more likely for Supporting Nom. Right now? I'd say Cruz gets the nom. She's been pushed to the sidelines over the years, but always had a kind of devestatingly haunting beauty about her that I could never forget. She looks to be positively brilliant in "Volver". (They're showing that at the Arclight in L.A. next week, with Almodovar himself there. I work, so I unfortunately can't make it. Though I am hoping to get a ticket to "The Queen" in October, and witness the wonder that is Helen Mirren in person.

Glenn Dunks said...

Well, in all honest, Penelope never stopped being great in Spanish-language films, which is why I've been tipping Cruz to get a nod since May.

If it comes down to Cruz and Judd for the lone (or so it appears at this stage) newcomer spot then will they choose the exotic beauty who stars in a lovely movie by Pedro Almodovar or the woman who stars in a small genre movie that will likely not be nominated anywhere else.

...

I don't really know where that was going.

NATHANIEL R said...

Kris -thanks for sharing that excellent news. It should come as no surprise to my readers that I need Bening to have one more than I need Mirren on the podium.

I see SCISSORS tomorrow. Yeah!

Anonymous said...

Nathanial, I'm kind of slow in the beginning, so, how do you get to see all these movies? I know sometimes they give out free passes, but it's like you go everyday. Anyways, there is no way that Swank will win another Oscar, ever. I just wished that hadn't gave it to her for Million Dollar Baby, even though she was great, she doesn't deserve to have two Oscars when Kate Winslet, Anette Bening, Naomi Watts (yes, I said Watts..she was snubbed for Kong dammit)have none.

Anonymous said...

I still believe that Beyonce is a key contender, though I first have to see Fur, Running with Sciccors and The Queen to see if she can get in.

adam k. said...

I was not impressed with Kidman in the Fur trailer.

And as much as I love Bening, I just don't see her winning for this. I mean, "Running with Scissors"??? That title just doesn't win Best Actress oscars. Plus it's really an ensemble piece, and if anyone's the lead, it's her kid. I'm trying to read the book now but I'm so busy.

I think it will really come down to Kate and Helen, with Streep as a dark horse/vote siphoner. And my hunch is that Kate will be better, but Helen will win because she played a real person, and that kind of pisses me off. What Kate has totally in her favor though is MASSIVE goodwill from all sides, and that feeling that she should have a million oscars by now. I could actually see a scenario wherein Mirren and Streep take the globes, Streep takes the SAG (her movie will still be the most widely seen by far), everyone is confused and divided on who will finally win the oscar, and then Winslet shocks everyone and takes it.

Except her movie is just so darn dark...

NATHANIEL R said...

15blogger... critics screenings, plus I go to the movies every week on my own. it's just my thing. can you tell? LOL.

adam k -let's trust Kris for now. It's THE BENING. they owe her.

i mean they REALLY owe her. it's not just being "due" it's the way in which she was totally thrown under the bus for a lesser entity.

TWICE.

Glenn Dunks said...

Winslet will be on her FIFTH nomination this year if she gets nominated for Little Children. That's crazy. She's, what? 31?

I'm with Adam atm though, unfortunately. A comedy like Running With Scissors just doesn't scream OSCAR WINNER to me. But I'll gladly be proven wrong.

On another matter, surely there has to be more to this category come end of the year. Everyone seems to reckon Streep, Mirren, Winslet and Bening are all locks. And if we already have four locks by August then that's sort of sad. Like, how predictable has it become?

adam k. said...

I agree that it will remain the most competitive category... if for no reason that Streep will be there threatening to take it even if it doesn't look likely that she will. Plus Winslet on her 5th. Bening on her 4th. Mirren on her 3rd, with lots of bait. And some newcomer is gonna surprise.

I really don't see The Queen getting best pic love, though... I mean, it just doesn't look that special. The quintessential "best actress only" picture. Little Children seems much more likely.

And you know, I hadn't thought of Bening being in comedy... that makes the globe races very different indeed.

And lastly, Nathaniel, I still say Swank deserved it over Bening in '99. It may have been mostly due to the director, screenplay, and supporting cast, but that doesn't change how great the performance was. Only unnominated Winslet could really challenge Swank for that win.

NATHANIEL R said...

I don't have a problem with Swanks first win. i just get upset thinking about who she beat. BUT... we'd talked about this 2,321 times so moving on...

THE BENING. TONIGHT. i'm already antsy.

adam k. said...

Well, it does kind of suck that she beat Bening, Moore, and Streep. And Winslet, too, if you count not being nominated as a loss.

Glenn Dunks said...

Adam, while I agree The Queen probably can't get a BP nod, I do think it'll get a screenplay nod and it could be a Best Make-Up contender (they love turning people into older people at that branch).

Anonymous said...

The Queen reminds of me of Vera Drake. Expect Directing, Actress and a screenplay nod.