Happy Birthday Christian

christian bale is one of the best actors around these days. this year he is finally getting his due with his role in 'the fighter'. a golden globe sits on his mantle and now an oscar nom as best supporting actor. he was robbed of a nom for 'batman returns' in 2005.

bruce wayne in 'batman returns'

and now the oscar nom for 'the fighter' as best supporting actor

Happy Birthday Katharine

i loved katharine ross since 'the graduate'. she feel out of film when she reached a 'certain age'. the parts were just not there. but three wonderful performances in three wonderful films give her a place forever among the best.

she stole hearts worldwide as elaine in 'the graduate' a great film and a defining film for all time.

elaine and ben together again

as joanna in 'the stepford wives' katharine went from normal to stepford without missing a beat.

as etta place she held her own with two giants of the screen newman and redford in butch cassidy and the sundance kid' and oh that smile!

'the bicycle scene', raindrops and oh that smile again

katharine appeared in an all-star film 'voyage of the damned' as mira hauser about german jews seeking refuge and denied entry everywhere. her character, etta hauser, was a jewess posing as a gentile. she was prostituting herself to make money to help her parents seeking refuge. it was a bit overbloasted but for history buffs it was a  bit of an enlightment.

*****************

R.I.P. Susannah York

susannah york was an amazing actress. she should have been bigger. i've always thought her problem was julie christie. they had the same talent, great,  but julie just had that certain something, screen magic, that susannah apparently did not. or maybe she did but julie just got moved to the forefront first having won an oscar in 1965.
however that did not diminish her real talent.

for me susannah will best be remembered for her role as alice in 'they shoot horses don't they'. she was oscar nominated in 1969. she lost to goldie hawn, a ridiculously absurd sham, in 'cactus flower'. 

and there was 'tom jones', 'the killing of sister george' and 'a man for all seasons' amongst others. she made her time on this planet quite memorable.

'The White Ribbon': Blu Ray/DVD Rates 0 Stars

this may be entirely unfair to the film makers and the actors but who the hell can read subtitles that are mostly 'white on white' or 'white on light'? stupid, ridiculous, absurd.


don't waste your time or money renting what may have been a damn good film if the producers had only looked ahead. in the theatre the sub-titles most likely were legible. conceived without any foresight, again: stupid, ridiculous, absurd.

Oscarbation: Damn Right I Have an Agenda-Best Actress Anyone?

a look at 'the blind side'

Oscarbation: I Just Don't Get 'The Hurt Locker' Push and Praise

i've been holding back but...

the first 10 minutes are riveting and the rest of the minutes are the first 10 redux.

i could not recommend this film to anyone!!!

but those 10 minutes could secure the director win.

Yes I Have an Agenda...Best Actress Anyone?

Sandra at the NAACP Image Awards Friday 2/26

Didn't Think I Had a Horse in The Best Actress Race This Year...

...but then i never thought sandra bullock would get an oscar nomination...not ever! so what a surprise. sandra has always been a favorite hollywood darling. She's appeared generally in light romantic comedies which generally are not oscar bait. her dramatic turn in this year's 'the blind side' took a 180. i think she was more than terrific in it. sure there are the nay sayers but i ask them this...would her possible win be anything more or less than that of julia roberts win in 'erin brokovitch'? not!

as for the cynics who say 'well meryl hasn't won in 27 years' THINK: kate hepburn waited 30 years between oscar one and oscar two and then went on to win another two. so that argument is patently absurd.




on charlie rose

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sandra in Santa Barbara

This year's "It” girl , Sandra Bullock, was feted in Santa Barbara this past weekend. The two-hour celebration of her career included a Q&A moderated by Pete Hammond with clips of her work thrown in here and there was, to be perfectly honest, a grand tribute. And then at last Forest Whitaker’s presentation of the American Riviera Award to the actress.

The Riviera Award is given to an actor or actress who has made an indelible mark on American cinema. Sandra was invited back in September prior to her Oscar nom and current front-runner status. That said: it’s an undeniable pick given Bullock’s status in the film industry.

Lauren Bacall's Honorary Oscar

Since the Academy decided not to honor Lifetime achievement at the Oscar ceremony this year I decided to give you the presentation made to Lauren Bacall late last year. How rude of the Academy to slight her this way.


(their tribute)


(my tribute from august 16 reposted)

Let's Talk About Sandra

Longtime audience darling Bullock has never been nominated for an Oscar before but is considered the best-actress front-runner, playing a wealthy woman who takes in homeless teen Michael Oher, now a star with the Baltimore Ravens.

Bullock said "no one cares about the end result or the statue." For her, the awards run has been about rubbing shoulders with the actresses she's nominated alongside.

"You laugh at the absurdity of it all and how they pit women up against each other. We go, 'Why are they making us out to be fighting when we're just happy to share this moment?'" Bullock said. "The women I've met and gotten to know along the way have made me so happy for this business that didn't really support women for a long time. It's been really sweet. I feel really lucky to be working at this time."

Bullock is up against past Oscar winners Meryl Streep as chef Julia Child in "Julie & Julia" and Helen Mirren as Leo Tolstoy's bullheaded wife in "The Last Station," along with first-time nominees Carey Mulligan as a British teen involved with an older man in "An Education" and Gabourey Sidibe as a Harlem teen overcoming horrible abuse and neglect in "Precious."*

*(from the associated press)

'Take It All' Nominated over 'Cinema Italiano'

the academy voters went for 'take it all' over the terrible 'cinema italiano' from nine.
so at least we are spared from a kate hudson musical horror at the oscars.
i can only hope they get the luminous marion cotillard to sing her nominated song.
it probably will not win but just the same i'm rooting for it!

Best Actress Appears to Be a Two Way Race Now

Best Picture Winners 21st Century

AND which of these will join them.

I repeat it was a great year for movies.
Mamma Mia was my favorie film. A joyous fun romp.

I think 'The Reader' was brilliant.
'Milk' was remarkably brilliant.
But 'Slumdog Millionaire' was a special gem.


Should win: 'Slumdog Millionaire'
Will win: 'Slumdog Millionaire'