Hey Boo.

I've been trying to feel sorry for myself all day. I was planning to throw myself a huge pity party. Yesterday, as I was gathering steam for the upcoming event, I mentioned to a young man I work with how sad I am. 

 

What with the holidays coming up, knowing my children weren't coming to visit.  I told him I had been thinking back on all the holidays I spent as a kid without half my family. Thinking about my last marriage that ended eleven years ago...the hurt my kids endured because of their volitile parents. Splitting them up like property as in The Parent Trap. You get one, I get one. Stupid choices made while trying to be fair. Eleven years later wondering how I could have done it differently. How I might have spared my children? I have no answer.

Anyhoo....this young man I was bemoaning my life to, just happened to be from El Salvador.  Yes, that El Salvador.  He said he felt terrible to see a mother sad.  He then went on to tell me that he couldn't see his own mother even though he desperately wanted to.  

You see, Juan grew up during the war in El Salvador.  He told me stories of walking with his mother and being told to ignore the dead bodies in the street.  Of not having electricity, and hearing the soldiers come around to houses in the middle of the night to claim teenage boys for the army.  He didn't even want to tell me about things that happened to the teenage girls.  He didn't want me to hear it.  

When Juan was 15, his mother put his things in a paper bag and sent him away.  To save his life.  See, they lived in fear of the men coming in the night and taking him away to kill and possibly be killed himself.  At 15, and not knowing a soul, he traveled to Guatemala...then to Mexico and finally to the United States.  He said many people helped him, out of the kindness of their hearts.  Today he has a young family and works hard to take care of them as well as to send money back to his mother who stayed behind.

Well...you can imagine the damper this story put on my pity party.  Needless to say, I canceled the caterers.  

 So, now....I need a good movie.   I want something that may break your heart, but reminds you of the triumph of the will.  The elasticity of the human spirit. You know, the ability to bounce back and go forward with your head high?   It's corny, I know.   

So, help me out...what would be your top moments in film, that were heartbreaking, yet, brought out the survivor in you?  That showed strength and courage in the face of ....well, of life.

In other words, if you were going to sit in your flannel pajamas, and eat a quart of Cherry Garcia ice cream...what movie scenes would you want to be watching?

The moment that Scout sees Boo Radley hiding behind the bedroom door in To Kill A Mockingbird.  "Hey Boo".

Shirley Mclaine slapping her little Grandson while his mother lies dying in the hospital in Terms Of Endearment.  "I just can't have you criticizing your mother around me."

Spencer Tracy's last monologue in Guess Who's Coming To Dinner.    "The only thing that matters is what they feel and how much they feel it."

Anna reading the letter from the King as he lies dying of a broken heart.

Gilbert Grape deciding his mother's death was not going to be a sideshow.

Those are five of the best.

I'd really like to hear your suggestions.  I have the box of kleenex ready to go.  

So, hit me with your best shot!

Grand Torino

Ya'll...Clint Eastwood is not a good actor. I said it. You want a piece of me? Clint getting an Oscar for his acting is hard to swallow. Clint is a helluva great movie star and director. From what I know of him, he's also a great father and family man. I know he's been all over the map with his wives and girlfriends and kids...but, hey, they all play nice together. It is one big extended family that Clint is the center of. Good for him.

But, thinking about him knocking some other deserving actor off the list, well it gets my goat. I feel the same way about George Clooney, but hell, they already gave him an acting Oscar...so, go figure.

Anyhoo....after watching this Grand Torino trailer, I am inclined to believe that the Clint worshipping Academy may very well nominate him this time. He could even win. If John Wayne can get an Oscar over Peter O'Toole's performance in Lion In Winter, anything is possible!

I will admit, he doesn't look as stiff in this as he has in the past. But, is playing an angry, grouchy old Republican really such a stretch?  There's something very John McCain about Clint these days.

This film doesn't look too revelatory to me, but, I'll let you judge for yourself.

TRAILER GRAND TORINO

Best Director Predicts

These are my gut pre-Halloween choices. I know that I have picked three directors whose films I didn't include in Best Picture. Well, that's probably not going to happen.
So, I will be making changes....most likely in every category...but, for now, for those of you who care...

BEST DIRECTOR

Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
reserve - Baz Luhrman - Australia

Just because

Evan does Venice.  


Beautifully.


The Wrestler opens December 13th.

Perfect eyebrows

"The passion and pathos of legendary poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys) is told through the lives of two extraordinary women. Vera Phillips (Keira Knightley) and Dylan were each other's first loves who feel the thunderbolt once more when they unexpectedly meet in London ten years later. Caitlin (Sienna Miller) is his adventurous wife, wily at using her beauty and always up for a bit of fun."

This actually looks quite good. To think that Lindsay Lohan was just days away from starring with Keira Knightly, when the insurance company refused to insure her!  Thank you Jesus, because she would have been a disaster!

Sienna Miller has been getting quite a bad girl reputation herself lately. But, as long as she isn't driving down the PCH whacked out of her mind, behaving like a spoiled Diva or showing up hours late for work covered in spray tan...then it's forgivable...because she has the big T.  Sienna Miller has Talent. 

Keira Knightly, although somewhat of a bore, looks to have some big T as well.

And look at those eyebrows!
I'm just, so there...Edge Of Love...coming soon.

Ron Howard goes retro

I absolutely adore Ron Howard.  He is one of my most favorite people I ever met.  

I was on a set with him for three months.  I watched him closely.  I listened to him intently.  I tried to osmose any and all things I could from the legend that is Ron Howard.

The thing people always want to know about Ron...is this, Is he Richie Cunningham or Opie?

Truthfully...neither.  Ron is incredibly decent...like Richie.  And incredibly curious...like Opie...but, he is his own man, make no mistake.  

He's smart...very smart....I mean very, very smart...though, not necessarily the smartest guy on THIS set.  "First..ask Ron.  If Ron doesn't know, then Tommy Lee will. "  (That's another story.)

Street wise smart.  Savvy.  And intuitive.

Ron is nice and genuinely polite...but he is not naive or sweet in a white bread way.  And he is funny!  He has a rather sardonic sense of humor actually. He's a quick wit.  He's one of those people that you want to hang out with, have a drink with, or have Thanksgiving dinner with.  

I also think he is a talented Director.  I mean, Splash is a great movie.   And Parenthood is one of my all time favorites.  

So, what's been up with him lately?  Why can't he seem to make a good movie anymore? Why don't I think that Frost/Nixon is getting a Best Picture nom? 

 Because, in my opinion, one of the only weaknesses about Ron I could see, is that he is too trusting and loyal to the people around him.  He keeps too many of the same people in the same jobs, and they have way too much job security for their talent level. They screw him over with their good intentions.  He needs to let the whole kit and kaboodle go, and hire people who don't rely on him for their careers!  People who are as smart or smarter then he is.  Someone to tell him the truth.  No director is an island man!  

And tell me, how many scripts does Akiva Goldsman have to murder before someone stops him?  

Just to clarify....I am not talking Brian Grazer...he's the only one that should stick around.  Everyone else....beat it.

But...this isn't really about Frost/Nixon.  I don't think it's getting nominated and I don't think Ron is.  

What this is about is this video.  

What this is about is saying, watch this video. 

And also, thanks Ron...you do rock.  Whatever hair you're wearing.

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

...and I used to like Anne Hathaway

Bride Wars Trailer

Why do we continue to buy tickets to see ourselves portayed in the worst stereotypical ways imaginable?

Because you know, women will go and see this. Women are the target audience for this. 

 Bride Wars will make 70,000,000 at the box office , which will mean that in another year there will be another wanna-be-a-Bride movie that portrays women as shallow and stupid. Salivating over catching a bouquet at a wedding, hyperventilating over the diamond ring in the Tiffany box, and ultimately turning into Bridezilla, and steamrolling anyone who gets in their way. The grooms are interchangeable...sorry men...women don't really care who you are. You're the Ken doll.

I saw last years version of this movie on an airplane.  27 Dresses...a movie that portrayed Katherine Heigl as the perpetual bridesmaid.  A slightly nerdy and lonely woman in love with a man who didn't notice her.  

Katherine Heigl.  Right.  So, if Katherine Heigl feels worthless without the ring and the wedding...the rest of us are surely fucked...and I don't mean literally.

Thrilla from Wasilla

I know...I'm probably gonna take some she-ite for this...but how, oh how can I ignore the political landscape?  Honestly, it's almost a movie isn't it?  It very well may end up as one.  

How else does this relate to movies?  Well...I liked John Stewart in Big Daddy.  He was no Greg Kinnear, but he was decent.  

You know, I can't even remember when The Daily Show starred Craig Kilborn.  Whatever happened to Kilborn anyway?  Is he hosting a reality show yet? 

 Anyhoo...for your viewing pleasure...taken from John Stewart's Daily Show.  A new horror movie.

Oscar updates

The Soloist has been moved to 2009.  So, a big change in my predictions...Downey Jr. is out!  I really thought it was going 

 to be his year, but I stand by my decision that he isn't getting a nomination for Tropic Thunder.  Golden Globe nom...very likely, but I don't think it will go any farther then that.  You know, I think it's even possible he could get a Globe nom for Ironman.  It's not inconceivable.  But, I don't see any Oscar love this year.  

 I also think it will be wise to remove Josh Brolin for W.  He's great, but the movie isn't.  Too much critical ambiguity, and not long enough legs to go the distance.  Again, I think he will get a Globe nom...but go no further.

My question to myself is, who goes in the vacated spaces?  I'd like to put Brolin in Supporting for Milk, but, I'm not ready to remove Franco.  I'm still not sure they can both exist in the category.  The popular opinion is that Philip Seymour Hoffman will go Supporting for Doubt, and even though I still have...reservations... about the film...Hoffman, I think, is always a good bet.  

To fill in for Brolin's exit in the Best Actor category, I think I will just move Dicaprio up from reserve....for now.  

My charts as of today....

Best Actor 

Leonardo Di Caprio - Revolutionary Road

Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn - Milk

Brad Pitt - Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Actress 

Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting married

Sally Hawkins - Happy Go Lucky

Angelina Jolie - Changeling

Kristen Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long

Kate Winslet - revolutionary Road

Supporting Actress

Tarji P. Henson - Benjamin Button

Samantha Morton - Synecdoche, New York

Rosemary dewitt - Rachel Getting Married

Misty Upham - Frozen River

Evan Rachel Wood - The Wrestler

( Marisa Tomei ) The Wrestler

Supporting Actor

Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt

Liev Schrieber - Defiance

Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

James Franco - Milk

Best Picture

Australia

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Milk

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

coming soon....Best Director!

Claudia can suck it

I'm not a fan of horror movies.  I'm not.  I can't think of a single horror film in the past ten years that has truly scared me, or caused me to lose sleep.  I'm thinking...uh...no, sorry, I got nothing.  

The people that populate these movies are usually so stupid, that I end up hoping that they'll just go ahead and lose their kidney, or their head sooner rather then later.

On the other hand, some of my favorite books were written by Stephen King and Anne Rice.  When it comes down to it, how can a film compete with your own imagination?  A good book can stir the pot just enough to let me go running off in my own head until I am afraid to look out the window for fear of seeing little Danny Glick floating outside.  "I'm cold, let me come in."  After reading Salem's Lot, I slept with the covers over my head for a week.  Okay, a month.  

If you haven't read Interview With The Vampire, you're missing something truly brilliant.  Not designed to haunt you in the typical way, it brings up philosophical questions about our own existence.  Morality, mortality, loneliness, self-loathing, carnal desire, intellectual desire...and for Rice, a child that could not die.  After losing her own daughter to leukemia at the age of five, Rice created Claudia, the child vampire.  Claudia, a mere six years old when she is "made", never grows up....physically.  Imagine being sixty years old and trapped in the body of a six year old.  That is where Rice takes us.  Into our imagination, our own loneliness and feelings of isolation amongst the many.  We sympathize with her vampires...and we feel their pain, as ours.

In the movie, on the other hand, we get, whiney, bratty Claudia, whiney morose Louis and what the hell can you say about Tom Cruise's Lestat?  Whiney asshole Lestat? Just, read the book.

Anyhoo, I have already let my feelings about Twilight be known.  This upcoming vampire flick is poised to become a megahit of Harry Potter proportions.  So, while I'm at home popping up a bag of Newman's Own and watching reruns of Dexter, go see it if you must.  

But, I ask everyone to consider seeing the real winner in the horror sweeps this year.  A small swedish film called Let the Right One In.  A coming of age story, Right One uses the vampire myth as metaphor.  Once again, the child vampire is a little girl.  This one, you want on your team.  And then, there's that nagging question, would you like her anyway?

Watch the trailer here, and tell me what you think!

TRAILER  - LET THE RIGHT ONE IN - opens October 24

Best Picture

MILK

This one had me at hello. I will be crushed if this movie is not good.  Top three reasons...

1.  Gus Van Sant...I've loved you long time. 

2. Sean Penn...didn't like Mystic River, and I am anxious to see him play "against type". 

3. What the world needs now, is love, sweet love. Let's keep the anti-hate rally cry going strong. We have hope that the ultra-religulous right wing is finally going to be deposed. Is it possible that a new era of civil rights, and tolerance for ALL is on the horizon? Could it include a new women's movement too?  Pretty please?

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Forrest Gump dark?  

David Fincher?  Need I say more.  

Okay, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. 

 Um...yes, please.  

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

You made waves in Telluride, and then flew off to the Toronto Film Festival, where you were chosen the Audience Favorite.  You proceeded to get purchased by Fox Searchlight, the distributors of Little Miss Sunshine and Juno. 

You were directed by Danny Boyle ( Trainspotting ) and tell the story of an 18 year old orphan from the slums of Mumbai and how he gathered the knowledge to win a million dollars on a game show.  You have no stars in your cast and no baggage, and if fucking JUNO can get nominated for a Best Picture Oscar...I'm betting you can too.

AUSTRALIA

This pick is made solely on the strength of Baz Luhrman having directed the pic.  I was one of "those" people who loved Moulin Rouge...loved it.  

But the trailer for Australia doesn't excite me.  It doesn't make me want to run out and buy a ticket, you know?  

Also, I did not like Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet.  Visually, conceptually...it was okay.  But the actors had no clue. No clue.  I almost bailed on Claire danes forever.  

Australia is not even close to a slam dunk for me.

Still, it looks pretty.  It has romance, war and an aboriginal child in peril....so, I hang with it.  For now.

I'm not loving  anything in the fifth slot. And, in my opinion, anything can still happen.  I hear The Wrestler is fantastic.  But, it is a small character driven film, and I think too much build up and expectation could crush this gem.  I'd rather not be part of the hype, and let it live a simple kind of life...with Gwen Stefani.

I'm gonna wing it and say...

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

Sam Mendes, Kate Winslet, DiCaprio...fingers crossed. 

 I want it to be great.

Really, I do.

Let Ian Mckellan be your guide

I am a bit under the weather, so....I will leave you with one of the all-time greats as he shares his "process" with the rest of us mortals.  



That would be one great episode of Inside The Actors Studio. "Fascinating!"

Is Michelle Obama the next Hillary Clinton?

"This one" is just as good as "that one".




Liking her ...a lot!

I don't give a damn about Twilight

...or High School Musical.  Really...if any of those people show up to present at the Oscars, I may jump out of a window.  A first floor window, but a window damnit!

I already had to suffer Hairspray being compared to Grease, and Chicago being compared to All That Jazz...now come on!  

At least Chicago had crazy ass John C. Reilly in it.   Hairspray was just...insufferable.  

So, what is with all this vampire shit anyway?  Empower yourself, girlfriend!  Did she just say, "I'd rather die then stay away from you."  Oy gevald, that's really what I want my 12 year old daughter hearing.  If I had a 12 year old daughter.  Trust me, my 4 year old isn't getting anywhere near that mind numbing propaganda.  

Damn, I miss Sarah Conner and Ripley.

Best Supporting Actor/Actress

Without too much ado, I'd like to roll out my Fall picks for the Best Supporting players. First, though, let me recap best Actor and Actress.



BEST ACTOR

Josh Brolin - W
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

reserve - Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway - Rachel getting Married
Sally Hawkins - Happy Go Lucky
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Kristen Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

reserve - Nicole Kidman - Australia

These picks are all based on what I know now. But, there are questions remaining...Will Cate Blanchett and Marisa Tomei go lead for Benjamin Button and The Wrestler respectively? Will Robert Downey Jr. go lead or will it be Jamie Foxx for The Soloist?

These questions are also considerations when putting together my supporting list.
But, as it stands on October 10th...these are my picks.

So...BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

I'm going to come right out of the gate with Heath Ledger. Doesn't everyone feel he is a lock? I don't see how he could miss. He gave an astounding performance, what does it matter that it was in a Batman movie? I honestly have no question about his nomination for The Dark Knight. Only sadness that he won't be here to enjoy the night.

Lock - Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight



The rest of the field is difficult, and rather muddy at this point.



I really love Jamie Bell, as I have said before. My heart wants to choose Jamie For Defiance...but my head is telling me to go with Liev Schreiber. He looks to have a more substantial role, and he seems due for recognition of this sort. I'd like to see Naomi Watts walking the red carpet in support of her "baby daddy".

Possible - Liev Schreiber - Defiance


Another movie making waves is Slumdog Millionaire.

I didn't get to Toronto, or any of the film festivals this year, so, it's a tough call. But, I'm thinking this movie will be the little movie that can....get a nomination, not win. I'm in murky water, not having seen it to make a call on a supporting actor that I know nothing about. However, I do feel the academy needs more diversity, and as long as he isn't considered Lead...I'm going to pick Dev Patel for a possible nominee.  Yeah, I know, I hate the photo too, but, the kid isn't famous enough to even have decent images on Google!

Possible- Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

Milk looks so damn good, I'm thinking someone else is getting a nomination out of it.  But, the question is....Josh Brolin or James Franco? That is a tough call.  Once I see the movie, I will at least know who I'd vote for.  I'm feeling like if Brolin pulls off the Best Actor nom, this one will go to Franco.  If not...this one falls to Brolin.  Yes, possibly, it could be both...but, for now, I'm going with Frolin...or Branco...er...I don't know, there is something very Heath Ledgeresque about Franco so...

Possible - James Franco - Milk

The Soloist. If Robert Downey Jr. goes supporting, this is his nomination. If he's as good as he usually is...this is his win. I know a lot of people are going for Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder, but, see my post re: A Mighty Heart. I know, the whole joke was that he was a white guy, and he wasn't trying to play a real black guy, but...isn't any black face, black face all the same? Am I too sensitive? My guess is that the academy is too. So, I'm putting him here for The Soloist until I hear otherwise. If I find out he's going lead...all bets are off in the Best Actor category. Downey Jr. has had a hell of a good year. How can he really avoid a nomination this year? How?  That's right...you're a brat...and we love you anyway.  Good thing you have talent, and balls.  

Possible - Robert Downey Jr. - The Soloist

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Another tough category. It is always more difficult to pin down the supporting nominees this early on. Too many candidates, too little known.

Taraji P. Henson is someone I have loved ever since she sang through her hurt and confusion " Oh, it's hard out there for a pimp." Her role in Benjamin Button could turn out to be a thankless one, but this woman shines even in the trailer. She is on my "can do no wrong list" so, she has my vote as of now.

And I am really hoping this happens for her. 

Possible - Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Samantha Morton. Really, do I need to say a lot more then that? The Academy loves her. She is a crazy bedbug, but brilliant, and if anyone is going to stand out in the ensemble of women that is Synecdoche , I believe it will be her.



Possible - Samantha Morton - Synecdoche, New York


Who is Rosemary Dewitt? Where did she come from? I suppose I must have seen her in Cinderella Man but, I don't remember. I don't watch Mad Men. I could run her over on the sidewalk and have no idea who she was. I have a feeling, based on what I have read already regarding Rachel Getting Married, that she will be the great find of the year. Much like Amy Ryan was last year. As much as I would like to see Debra Winger back at the oscars, it sounds as if her role may be too small by comparison. If Winger was not competing against anyone else in her film, I would choose her, I would. But, Dewitt sounds like the true support in this film, so I am gutting her in. I hope the photo is really her...I wouldn't know for sure!


Possible - Rosemary Dewitt - Rachel Getting Married

Now...this is another hard call. The Wrestler is all about Mickey Rourke. But, remember what I said about supporting actors? Who has the balls to get in Mickey Rourke's face? Who did Darren Aronofsky tell to get up in his shit and push him around? Well, I have source on this one, and I'll tell you, it wasn't Marisa Tomei. It was Evan Rachel Wood. In fact, one of the "tales from the set' involves Wood's hand getting slashed open during their pivotal scene, and Wood working through it. The blood is real folks. Not until after they wrapped did they take Wood to get stitched up. I am also hoping...although it is a long shot, that Tomei goes lead. She is the lead actress after all. if she goes supporting, it will severely hamper Wood's chances as her role is smaller. We'll see. I think I will see this film soon, so I can make a better judgement then. But for now...and they owe her...

Possible - Evan Rachel wood - The Wrestler




I really don't know much about Frozen River, except that the screeners have gone out...I didn't get one...and that they are going to push hard for Melissa Leo in the Best Actress category. Leo does have a decent shot. But, I think that this is going to be a big help to Misty Upham in Supporting. Also, I, again, like the diversity she adds...so, I'm gonna call her. 


Possible - Misty Upham - Frozen river

Missing Nicole

Remember Nicole Kidman's cute toothy smile? Where oh where has it gone? 
It pains me to think that she may have lost her footing.  She was such a strikingly confident and original person. 
Perhaps "Hollywood" has gotten the best of her? Perhaps she should have gone off to Australia and stayed there...out of the press and away from the soulless shit being spewed in rags and on blogs. Oh damn. This looks bad for me. Believe me, I am not being snarky. But why did she feel she had to puff up her lips? Why does she recently appear so cold, guarded and unengaged?

As an actor, how do you navigate "Showbusiness" on your own terms? What would you do? What would I do?



First of all, know there will be some compromise. It's okay to play the game a bit. It is a business after all. But, don't sell your soul. Know where your boundaries are. Look to Meryl Streep,Paul Newman,Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and move out of L.A.  Move to the east coast...Connecticut, or New York, Virginia, or London, wherever.  Stay out of the spotlight, except when it's for a film. When you do show up...look great and smile! Look what I get to do! Might as well enjoy it. Get involved with a charity. Don't read your own press, message boards or any of the crap on the internet. Just know it exists and probably isn't going anywhere.  

 

Remember why you became an actor. Be professional. Have fun.  Do a play from time to time.   Have friends who ground you and keep your head in a positive place.  Resist cynicism.  Embrace your good luck and good fortune. Don't apologise for your good luck and good fortune. Don't use hard drugs or drink to excess. Keep family close. Laugh everyday. Walk in the sunshine. Travel! Continue to learn. Get a pet. Don't attempt to change or improve your face. Your face is perfect the way it is...even if you are Steve Buscemi. You will only fuck up your psyche by messing with your face. 

Be happy, or get a different job.

Hey! I'm fasting here!

What do you want? It's Yom Kippur, you'll have to wait.

Supporting players

I love being on a set. I have spent hours and hours and hours on movie and television sets and I still love it. I love watching everything, listening to everything, I love talking to the crew and asking questions about their jobs, I love the extras and the stand ins, I love how real a set can become once you've spent a few hours on it, and I love hanging out at crafts service drinking coffee and sucking down Krispy Kreme do-nuts by the dozen!

I once tried to go down the stairs of an attic set that three hours earlier, I had entered from the ground level of a sound stage at Warner Brothers. I used to browse books in a bookstore, and sit and drink my coffee in the attached cafe of Booklovers...not an actual store, but a set. Then there is the beauty of the New Mexico sky when you are in the middle of the desert at 3 am having an amazing conversation about UFO's with a Navajo spiritual leader. I guess it is easier to love if you have a job that allows you to roam about on set.

I'm not a film actor. I made it as far as getting my SAG card, I had my own honey wagon room a few times, and thought myself lucky.My time on sets has, for the most part, been spent in other capacities.
I was a stage actor. Actor obsessed, I screwed up many a relationship, because I just wanted to be at the theatre or with theatre people discussing theatre or gossiping with theatre people about theatre people or reading plays aloud with other actors or playing poker at the theatre, or anything involving the theatre.

Eventually, my actor/director ex-husband even saw my passion as competition. That somehow, I had developed this because I was trying to beat him at something? Or better him at something? Or consume everyone around me to keep them from him or some other irrational idea. I never really quite understood what it was exactly. At some point, though, he scared me off, and I began to slowly withdraw. I tried to find other interests, eventually quiting acting all together. Regrets? Uh...yeah!

So, what has all this to do with the Supporting actors? Well, I was ruminating on my past life as an actor. I was also thinking about the years I spent teaching film actors in Burbank...and I came to the conclusion that I was a damn good supporting actor most of the time. I was technically a ingenue and then a leading lady. But, I really think my strength, and the one thing I was most proud of, is that I could lift another actors performance. Does that sound vain? I just always knew that I could bring that actor along if'n it was needed. There were many times when a director "used" me to push another actor along, to incite another actor, to squeeze another actor, by the heart or by the balls if necessary. Sometimes it's not necessary at all. Sometimes you have an effortless give and get. I had the great good fortune of working with some other amazing supporting actors...some of them in Lead roles...all of them generous.

Generosity. When I look at a supporting actor, that's what I'm looking for. Right or wrong, that is what I think of as a Best Supporting performance. Someone who supports, lifts and creates a back and forth relationship that allows both to soar. But, who is not in a leading position. They are there to literally support the other actors.

I really hate the category fraud of nominating, say, Jamie Fox for Collateral when he is obviously the lead. Oh, but Tom Cruise is a bigger star so, it's allowed?

 I never agreed with Angelina Jolie's win for Girl Interrupted. She looked like she was trying too hard. Showboating. If she was on a basketball team, she'd be called a selfish player, she'd have no assists, or rebounds. 

 Was I the only person who thought Jack Nicholson got in the way of the story in The Departed?  He was a third lead.  It was a star turn that threw everything a little out of whack. Loved the film, just not Nicholson. 

 

On the opposite end of things, Nicholson was a brilliant supporting "rock" for Shirley Maclaine in Terms Of Endearment.  That is how it's done. Jeff Daniels was another example of subtle greatness in the same film.

Once upon a time Maclaine and Debra Winger were both recognized as leads in Terms of Endearment. They had to compete against each other, yes, but it was proper placement. A couple of years ago, Matt Damon and Leonardo Di Caprio were not allowed to be considered as leads in The Departed. They were called Supporting just because there were two of them? The SAG nominating ballot would not allow a vote in lead for either actor. Di Caprio ended up with the nomination for Blood Diamond, I think, because The Departed issue was too confusing.

So, while a lead can support another actor and still be the lead.  A true supporting actor is not the main focus, but provides ballast for the leads without stealing from them.  A great supporting actor can make everyone around them better.  At any rate, that's how I feel after years of acting and teaching actors and watching actors work.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

With all this in mind...my predictions for Best Supporting Actor and Actress...next up.

At Least It Was A Fruit Pie

Sarah Six-pack

Bob Cesca over at The Huffington Post

"Sarah Palin is, by all indications, a bonafide hooplehead -- so dangerously out of her depth and so delusional that she is in total denial about the real-world ramifications of her ineptitude. Instead, she's excusing her embarrassing television interviews and farcical candidacy as an historical breakthrough for "normal Joe Six-pack Americans." Of course this is great news for the 27 percent who think Bushie is still doing a heckuva job, and for anyone who wants to be president but doesn't want to go through all of that hard work and fancy book-learnin' to get there."

Screenings and There Will Be A Bloody Mighty Heart

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Screenings are coming! Paramount Vantage's schedule just arrived in the mail, and I will be seeing Defiance and Revolutionary Road during the second week of November.

I'm not bowled over by the Defiance trailer. Edward Zwick directed the film. Ed is a really good director. Ed is a brilliant guy. Ed is an amazing politician. Ed would make a great president...really, he would. I know Ed, I adore Ed, but his films always just miss the X. I don't know why. Blood Diamond came so close. Is a puzzlement. But I will be keeping my fingers crossed for this film.
Defiance also stars one of my favorite actors and people...Jamie Bell. Jamie saved Jumper, and did brilliant work in Mister Foe. Really would like to see him get a bump from this film.

Revolutionary Road looks to be a safer bet. Sam Mendes, Leo and Kate. Roger Deakins' photography? Could it miss? I do like the trailer for RR. Point and push to watch it here.

I fucking love Kate Winslet!

Paramount is also offering up The Duchess, but I just can't summon the excitement or the courage to take it on. I will have to "gut" that one out when it comes to Oscar predictions. Oh good grief, why wait?

Knightley...looked beautiful, has a British accent, shows promise, but no Best Actress nomination in this crowded year.
Ralph Fiennes...looked beautiful, has British accent, really is an accomplished actor and may receive a supporting nomination if it's not too crowded this year. Nominations for Best Costumes and Art Direction. Just misses out for cinematography and score. Okay, I've done The Duchess sight unseen. Bitch all you want, I'm still waiting until Netflix has this movie sometime next year.







Moving on...I actually just finished watching A Mighty Heart last night and There Will Be Blood the night before.
So, I have comments.

A Mighty Heart. For all the pundits that wondered and worried about why Angelina was not nominated for this movie, all I have to say is....um....really?
It's not that she's bad. No, she does a credible job with her role. There are even sparks of brilliance mixed in. But, when you are in a cast which includes some of the most authentic performances given by ethnic actors in an American movie, you don't want to be the one wearing contacts, a curly wig and tan make-up. Not to mention the accent. It just makes you look like what you are. A movie star trying to show your potential to be Meryl Streep. I just don't think it's ever a good idea to do black face, even if it's "mini" black face.


The other problem of course being, that the film just wasn't that good. I knew the end of course, but, the script nor the direction ever engaged me. It was rather limp and if not for the perfomances of Archie Panjabi, and Irfan Khan ( he's in Slumdog Millionaire by the way, hopefully, it's a substantial role) and the many supporting East Asian actors...well, honestly, I may have ejected the movie before it was over. With apologies to Daniel Pearl, and Dan Futterman...who was perfect in the role of Pearl.
I also found it odd that this was the film Marianne wanted dedicated to their son? Hmmm. I personally would hope he doesn't watch this. I'd rather think of him reading his dad's articles, and knowing more about Pearl's LIFE as opposed to his gruesome death.

As for There Will Be Blood...I now understand why No Country For Old Men won the Oscar. It was also very clear to me why Daniel Day Lewis won as well. Where the fuck did he come from? If they had asked me, I would have voted for him too.

The movie, not so much. I just wasn't into the story. I like Paul Dano, and I thought he did a good job...he was just out of his league.

Plus, I will have to call foul on the soundtrack. Has any music in any movie ever grated on my nerves as much as this one? I don't know either, but, I found myself wanting to fast forward to escape the unrelenting and obviously placed score. Someone from Radiohead was responsible for that? Not since Casino's hour long voice over have I wanted to mute a movie so badly.

There are some really extraordinary things about this film. The photography is beautiful...truly. I think Paul Thomas Anderson is a genius. Punchdrunk Love is one of my all time favorite contemporary movies. I wanted to be blown away...I just wasn't.