Thursday, December 11, 2008

Red Carpet Lineup

A random sampling of actresses from premieres, parties and events this past week...


Amy Adams may be playing a nun currently but she still steps out looking like a cartoon princess. I think it's been much too long since we've seen Alfre Woodard, don't you? Have you seen Passion Fish (1992)? It's been on my mind lately for some reason. Cate Blanchett apparently just stepped out of a time machine direct from the set of Björk's "Who Is It?" video. But that's a compliment. Anything that reminds us of Björk is very welcome, indeed. I've been noticing that Marisa Tomei's red carpet wear is getting increasingly outre as the weather gets colder. If she keeps this up she might be in Tilda territory by the time the Oscars roll around in February. One can always dream. I can't wait for you all to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button because Taraji P Henson gives her character this one little physical gesture in a church healing scene that just made me grin from ear to ear. I'm so glad her career is taking off. Did Kim Basinger think she looked fat in The Door in the Floor or something? Is it wrong that every time I see Heather Graham I want to hand her a pair of rollerskates? I never want her to take them off.

19 comments:

Sally Belle said...

I absolutely love Taraji P. Henson! Couldn't agree more about her career taking off!

She blew me away in Hustle And Flow. All the heat went to Howard, but the women were the glue that held it all together!

NicksFlickPicks said...

That's Kim Basinger?? I thought that was, like, Jessica Biel, or some Hills-type person that I've never heard of, or that I have heard of and couldn't possibly say what they're famous for (think "Taylor Swift," or similar).

All y'all who missed Alfre and Taraji in Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys missed a helluva good time with both actresses. That one is angling for some of my year-end best lists, but even if it gets crowded out, there's no question it's among the Top 10 "feeling great in the theater" experiences I had in 2008. And I still say Alfre Woodard is the most beautiful woman in movies. I had a friend who took an acting master-class with her, and Alfre told them, "You know how soft the skin is on a baby's butt, or around its head when the skull hasn't fully formed? That's how soft you need to be to the world's touch and to your co-star, or to the material, when you're acting. You need to be impressionable like the soft skin on a baby's butt." I freaking love that this is both a gorgeous and a kooky-as-hell metaphor, and I do not fail to notice that Alfre Woodard's skin is actually as soft and as perfectly complexioned as a baby's. Does good, unshowy acting keep your skin looking flawless?

I didn't know I was going to type that much.

Anonymous said...

one question though why was alfre woodard nommed for playing a stereotype in cross creek but was overlooked for her heartbreaking work in passion fish,the scene with her long lost daughter wow.

Marshall said...

God THE DOOR IN THE FLOOR is a movie I wish people talked about a lot more, it's disturing Jeff Bridges was not nominated for it.

Anonymous said...

basinger.....va va vooooom! i saw that pic on another sight. she really doesn't looking stretched or lifted....just god-given spectacular beauty. come back kimmy!!!

Anonymous said...

Lol @ the rollerskates. That's not a wrongful thought. After all, it was Heather Graham's best performance so far. And sadly I don't think she will ever peak again.

Joel said...

You're right... Heather Graham was made for porn.

NATHANIEL R said...

marshall AMEN. that's why i gave Bridges my gold medal that year.

nick sadly it is Basinger. She used to be be super lusciously indescribably beautiful (and still would be now @ 55 years of age given the evidence of Door in the Floor but 4 years ago) but what has she done to herself. Is she trying to be Rachel Zoe?

lara i'm so crazy about that Graham performance I'd go so far as to say that that scene in the limo with her snarling for the camera and held in uncomfortably long closeup is one of the best acted scenes of the decade. lurve it.

Anonymous said...

Are the Globes suppossed to start announcing the nominations now?


Jim

Deborah said...

Cate is wearing a lamp.

Marisa is dressed as one of the backup members of Flock of Seagulls.

Heather forgot she was going to an event and just threw a coat over her nightie.

Anonymous said...

Viva la Rollergirl! Poor Heather Graham, I want her to succeed so badly that I actually watched that awful episode of "Emily's Reasons Why Not"... how embarrassing!

Anonymous said...

:( Nathaniel, you did n't post Tilda from the Benjamin Button premiere, she too looked stunning

Anonymous said...

I agree with Jimmy. Basinger looks unbelievably beautiful at 55. I don't think Kim Basinger looks stretched at all! Nowhere near the Meg Ryans, Nicole Kidmans, and Melanie Griffiths of Hollywood. I can't believe she is 55.

Kelda said...

....AND those 3 ladies i mentioned are all younger than her. Imagine how plastic they would look like when they reach Basinger's age.

NATHANIEL R said...

harumph. for me Kim Basinger looks terrible. And believe me I'm on her side. I've always found her to be an underrated actress and I think she's done a lot of good work (not just la confidential) but she looks like she weighs 89 lbs here. She has never looked like a skeleton before but she's approaching rachel zoe-ishness here.

Anonymous said...

You're right about the weight. She is quite skinny and could gain a few pounds. But i think she still looks very pretty. Ugh, I hate Rachel Zoe. She has a permanent scowl on her face.

I'm not all too familiar with Basinger's work. I have only seen Batman and L.A Confidential, and parts of 9 1/2 weeks and A Door in the Floor. I never thought much of her acting abilities, but have always found her capable enough. Any recommendations?

NATHANIEL R said...

I think she's pretty funny in NADINE (from the 80s though it might be hard to find) but I think she's great in 9 and 1/2 weeks (no really... or at least that's how i remember it). I also thought she was better than Glenn Close in The Natural (though Glenn was the one nominated)

of course these were opinions from teh 80s so maybe i am wrong ;)

NATHANIEL R said...

oh and also FOOL FOR LOVE

Cluster Funk said...

Amen on 9 1/2 Weeks! Kim is so-o-o good in that one, and she & Mickey Rourke may be the sexiest screen couple ever. (Shame what happened to him and his face.)

Fun factoid: Kim was supposed to play the role of Patsy in 'Terms of Endearment' but dropped out to be in that faux-Bond movie.