Friday, June 27, 2008

24 comments:

Michael B. said...

Okay. I'll give Swank this one. It was a perfect and brilliant performance. In win is in the Top 5 of the '90s. I really don't like Swank and hate her since she stole Winslets 2004 Eternal Sunshine Oscar. Its just this performance is sooo good. 2 for 2 is legendary, a la Field, but unlike her, Swank chooses horrible roles post Oscar. I have nothing but good things to say about this performance/movie, but Swank is just blah.

Anonymous said...

Utter craziness. I just watched this film for the first time today, and after years of thinking that Annette Benning was robbed I must say that the superior performance won. Swank was utterly brilliant here.

The Pretentious Know it All said...

A Swank post? Why do you punish yourself so?

As much as I hate the fact that Swank managed a ridiculous win 5 years later in a category where every other nominee was better than her (and by a wide margin) I can still concede that this is a great performance. I go back and forth, but for now I still think it falls short when I compare it to Annette Bening in American Beauty.

This is all moot of course, because the awesomeness that was Reese "Pick Flick" Witherspoon wasn't even nominated. Come on, Academy...

Anonymous said...

nat,step away from the swank unless you can afford the health insurance!

Emma said...

Incredible performance. Gut-wrenching to watch, but incredible nonetheless

adam k. said...

Well, I'm proud of Nat for posting (what I assume to be) a positive thing about Swank. It's therapeutic to face something you're afraid of in small doses.

Anonymous said...

One (ok two) : Killer arms !

NATHANIEL R said...

Thanks Adam. I've never once said anything bad about this performance... (well, except during BIZARRO week last year but that doesn't count)

I love it.

Michael B. said...

I think that even the majority who dislike Swank can at least say this was a deserved win. Can we not?

Anonymous said...

But, 17 year old, take a look at Sally Field's post-Norma Rae filmography. Were "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" and "Smokey and the Bandit II" really the best roles that she could find at that point? Like Swank, her first Oscar was very much deserved, but neither of them should have been awarded a second.

sb

Michael B. said...

Field pre and post Oscar was successful. You named 2 roles that choose horribly. Swank on the other hand has countless roles. Sally Field had an Sybil before Oscar, and she those roles mentioned were between #1 and #2. After #2, Sally has had a successful career. Steel Magnolias, Mrs. Doubtfire, Forrest Gump, her guest role in ER and now in Brothers and Sisters. I didn't say that Field deserved two. I just said that Swank, unlike Field hasn't found the success that Field has/had after her Oscar wins.

Anonymous said...

^^Exactly. Field was more of a house name. Now she's very famous. I doubt that Swank will be in her status in 20 years.

Anonymous said...

^^Exactly. Field was more of a house name. Now she's very famous. I doubt that Swank will be in her status in 20 years.

Anonymous said...

i think it's too bad sally field did not get the lead in "doubt"....she would have been great as a non-flying nun. but...i guess it's in the works for her to play mary lincoln....i can see that.

Unknown said...

great great performance...amazing!

Anonymous said...

She really was brilliant in "Boys Don't Cry". Her second Oscar win's ridiculous, but this first one, it was an incredible performance. I'll always give Swank credit for it. One of the best wins that Oscar has ever awarded in lead actress.

Anonymous said...

I didn't really like her in Million Dollar Baby except in that one scene when she buys her mother the house...She did not deserve the Oscar and Winslet should have won it for the movie she will be most identified with and that performance can't be topped.

Anonymous said...

I used this scene to support a point regarding gender issues in an English speech.

Anonymous said...

Lets make something clear 17 year old blogger, Swank didn't steal the Oscar from Kate Winslet she stole it from the brilliant Imelda Staunton (Winslet wasn't even #2 of the nominated).

Anonymous said...

Winslet was #1, 69.

NATHANIEL R said...

Agent #69 is referring to the Oscar race. And Winslet was clearly in 4th place with the Academy. T'was all about Staunton vs. Swank vs. Bening. And Swank probably only won because they got in the way of each other's momentum.

omg. 2004. it will never go away ;)

NATHANIEL R said...

oh and re: 1999.

I'm like this

WINSLET -Holy Smoke! (gold)
SWANK -Boys Dont Cry (silver)
BENING -American Beauty (bronze)

and always have been.

Michael B. said...

Well at least let me say that in 2004, BAFTA got it right. Awarding Staunton and giving Eternal Sunshine HUGE nominations (Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Original Screenplay along with a few techs....the movie should have won/been nominated for editing at the Oscars because all those cool transitions were from the editing and not Special Effects...)

Anonymous said...

99 is all about
bening
swank
weaver
winslet
witherspoon
moore