Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Hello World I'm Your Wild Girl

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JA from MNPP here, wishing Dakota Fanning a very happy Sweet 16 today. Hard to believe she's old enough to shove Tom Cruise outta the driver's seat and outrun alien-tripod-killing-machines all on her own now (and maybe stop that endless annoying shrieking from the backseat already for the love of god stop), but it's true.

Much has been said about Dakota's preternaturally adult-like demeanor - a whole series of SNL skits was devoted to it - and that was in keeping with the New Jodie Foster mantle placed on her back in the day. Every serious young actress has Jodie's name flung at them, after all. Anytime one goes to college, they're taking The Jodie Route!

Dakota got her Accused outta the way quick - some might say far, far too quick - with Hounddog. And now comes the sexually-ambiguous period. Jodie accomplished this by igniting exactly zero point zero-zero sparks opposite every man she's ever been cast across from, including Mel Gibson and Richard Gere. Looks like Dakota's bypassing that and instead gunning straight for Sappho with her soon-to-be-much-touted scene with (other New Jodie) Kristen Stewart in The Runaways. That's called progress, people!

So what do we think of Dakota? Will she steer herself out of the pack of her peers and past child-star shadows into a longtime career of her own? And who wins in a Jodie off - her or K. Stewart?

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24 comments:

Deborah said...

Hounddog controversy was bullshit. The "controversial" scenes were not explicit, but they were raw, because they took her POV, not the exploitative POV. It was a touching movie, well worth seeing.

NATHANIEL R said...

I am so rooting for Dakota to pan out into the Next Jodie Foster thing. Partially because I find her adorable and totally creepy at the exact same time: much like the young Jodie.

Caroline said...

I absolutely hate it when actors/actresses blatantly try too hard to segue into another actor. Who wants to watch a wannabe? The only actors worth remembering are originals.

Christine said...

The right picture of Dakota makes her look like an exact REPLICA of a young Goldie Hawn, don't you think? Love it *GG*

Jim T said...

And a little bit like Bonnie Tyler. Another musical biopic? :p

NATHANIEL R said...

Maybe Dakota should star in a short experimental film about the making of the TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART video or it's "literal music video" counterpart?

NATHANIEL R said...

Caroline. Point.

Jim T said...

Nathaniel, that would not be an experimental film but a medical experiment! ;)

Jason Adams said...

I agree with Caroline too, and I don't think either Dakota or Kristen are guilty of actively trying to be Jodie in reality. It's more of the media's obsession with making any upcoming young actress The New Fill-In-The-Blank-But-Usually-Jodie that I'm making fun of here than really accusing either of them of identity theft. It's not like they're doing repeat photo-shoots of themselves made up in Iris drag like LiLo keeps doing with Marilyn Monroe (oh, Lindsay, no).

tony d said...

Dakota is way too creepy for me - i want to see how she will settle into adult roles, by the way what happened to Jodie? Whats the buzz on the Beaver?

The Taxi Driver said...

I really like Dakota and I think she has a long career ahead of her (forget the shreiking in War of the Worlds, she was most unbearably shrieky in that horrible Kevin Bacon thriller Trapped). Kristen Stewert doesn't really do it for me. It seems that once she's too old to play the whole angsty, reserved, mysterious, always twirling the hair around the finger kind of role that her career will be over. As one friend pointed out to me, that's really all she's ever played since becoming a leading actress, whereas Fanning has a wide variety of roles under her belt.

As for Hounddog, the only thing offensive about it was how bad it was. I hate movies that try to be poetic for the sake of thinking they should be and I still content that the script I read for the Runaways was totally uniteresting, but everyone who saw it at Sundance is apperently buzzing about it so we'll see.

Glenn Dunks said...

I think Kristen has the Jodie vibe more than Dakota, but I like Dakota so much more, which is strange to say because I used to think she was a part of Satan's circle of hell before. Now that she's grown up she just seems so much more normal and she's starting to give some good performances, too.

Andrew R. said...

I have seen exactly one good Kristen Stewart film-Speak.

Dakota Fanning has made way more than one, though she has made a few stinkers.

As for one of them being young Jodie...have you seen Taxi Driver? She inspired a guy to attempt to kill Ronald Reagan! That's how good her performance is! (Though I can't complain about Beatrice Straight winning the Oscar-she really stood out in Network.)

Whereas Kristen Stewart in Twilight just makes me want to kill myself. And Dakota could never inspire a serial killer.

Derreck said...

To be honest, it seems like Stewart is begging to not be liked. But i'm probably too harsh on her because maybe she's just shy/awkward like i am.

I always liked Dakota because she does a great job in every single one of her roles. Plus, it looks like she got out of that 'older than my years' thing she had going on. Plus, She's just way more interesting.

Lucky said...

I love Dakota. I think she's gifted, and I haven't seen a lot of her latest stuff, but she was great on her earlier movies, she was the best part of them (I am Sam, Uptown Girls, etc). And I only saw the trailer of The Secret Life of Bees, but that was enough for me to tell she was great on that one too. I think she'll have a future in Hollywood, she would really have to screw it up not to.

And regarding Stewart, I like her more than most people, mainly because I think she's just this indie kid who decided to do Twilight and stumbled into fame and the spotlight, and it's clear that she doesn't enjoy it. I don't think she's got a lot of range, but she can improve, and I don't know why she's been discovered now, she's been around for a while (Panic Room, everyone? 'cause I don't think people has seen The Safety of Objects).

And yeah, the Jodie Foster comparisons, they find a new "Jodie" every year. A couple of years ago it was Ellen Page, although that one kind of made sense.

adam k. said...

Yeah I have to agree that if anyone's the new Jodie, it would have to be Ellen Page (except Ellen's better at comedy).

And I also have to say, I think there's a distinct Alicia Silverstone vibe going on in this teenage Dakota pic.

craig said...

I think Dakota will have a different career than Jodie Foster. She's more ladylike, whereas Jodie's always had that "I may be short but I can kick your ass" sort of attitude.

craig said...

Oh, and it looks like Foster will reprise her role in Inside Man 2, which is supposed to shoot this year.

Magicub said...

Who has been the new Jodie since 1976? Really? Once upon a time i thought that ScarJo will be, but then she became all boobs, now i'm rooting for dakota, (but i'm rooting mor for Saorsie Ronan)

YES said...

So.. Who grew up to be such a hottie? That's right, Dakota - it's you!!!

aclp said...

I totally agree Caroline, but every actress now seems to be chanelling and emulating some icon/legend/older star and they all seem to be trying to be someone else, instead of being themselves. See:

Trying to be the new Audrey: Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan

Trying to be the new Marilyn: ScarJo, LiLo also tried at some point.

Trying to be the new Jodie: The two mentioned in the post, + Ellen Page and that Mia whatshername "Alice" girl

Trying to be the new Julia Roberts: Anne Hathaway, Katherine Heighl, Jennifer Garner, Resse seemed like the chosen one a while ago but she was never box office queen as Julia was.

aclp said...

I think nobody has, so far, tried to be the new Elizabeth Taylor. Maybe because no one has the boobs, the nose and the eyes- the eyes- all at once.

(I dont think any of the new Audrey wannabes actually look at all like the original, but they sure do think they look just like her).

I think the one actress that comes closer to anything Audrey is Audrey Tatou- who was named after our beloved legend.

The others just try too hard.

aclp said...

There was also the "new grace kelly" thing going on with Gwyneth when she won the Oscar.

Mony said...

nathaniel you should have another option that says No comparison to Jodi, they can be better or something because really not everyone thinks Foster is a great actress.

I don't like the whole comparing to older actresses. Gosh when was the last time you heard anything about Foster related to a good role. Please :rolleyes:

I think Fanning can have a long career if she chooses her roles wisely.

Stewart umm yeah. Awkward as heck and needs to work a bit more on her acting. Then we'll see if she can have a good career.