The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 2001

2001

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Judi Dench in Iris

Judi Dench gives an unspectacular but great performance as Iris Murdoch. Although this is definitely not her best work, there's nothing wrong about it. I liked it very much and I was quite moved occasionally, it's just that I feel that the part didn't require a talent like Dench's. As I said, there are no serious problems, I still feel slightly disappointed.

4. Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!

This is a great performance. Although it lacks real depth or emotion, the wrapping is still beautiful and wonderful. If I look at that, I am fascinated. However, if I look inside, I can't find much there. She sings, she dances, she dies but forgets to create a truly deep and layered character. Still, very good job.

3. Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary

All in all, this gal, Renée Zellweger is really great as Bridget Jones, this crazy, pathetic and loveable spinster. This is not Sex and the City style "acting", she's truly great as Bridget and she gives a heart-warming portrayal of this lovely character. No wonder that she was nominated for an Oscar.

2. Sissy Spacek in In the Bedroom

Sissy Spacek is just amazing as Ruth Fowler and she shows how much tension her grief causes in her life. Her performance is not huge, she doesn't sing, she doesn't dance, she doesn't die, we just see her being totally fantastic and unbelievable. This is an incredibly haunting and unforgettable peformance. Those small movements of hers, the outbursts, the tears. Everything is so real and haunting.

1. Halle Berry in Monster's Ball

There's nothing more appropriate word to describe Halle Berry's performance in Monster's Ball than mindblowing. She's saw raw and so incredible as Leticia Musgorve and she shows Leticia's inner demons so amazingly. She's unbelievably effective and although I might understand why some don't like her, I think that she's just fantastic and shows the mood swings and breakdowns of Leticia incredibly. Brutally raw, amazing work.

So I can proudly announce

the winner is...

Halle Berry

in

Monster's Ball

Oh my Goooood! XD

Final thoughts: A really great year, in my humble opinion. It's WAY better than some say. All of the performances seemed very interesting to me. Two of them didn't impress me that much and they were leaning towards 3,5 but my leninent heart stepped in. I'm always much stricter when I get a weak year (1975, but I don't want to remember). Renée was just fantastic as Bridget Jones and I loved her. Halle's win was a really worthy one and I am happy that it became an even more special one for her. Sissy is always brilliant and I feel sooooooooo bad about not choosing her. But I would feel even worse if I didn't pick Halle. It's possible that once I'll change my mind, not now. If I could, I would make this one a tie.

Omissions: 

• Nicole Kidman in The Others 
• Audrey Tautou in Amelie

The ranking of the reviewed years:

1. 1944
2. 1969
3. 1974
4. 1989
5. 2001
6. 1959
7. 2006
8. 1978
9. 2010
10. 1996
11. 1964
12. 1939
13. 1977
14. 1997
15. 2009
16. 1980
17. 1941
18. 1972
19. 1963
20. 1966
21. 1973
22. 1983
23. 1986
24. 1937
25. 1990
26. 1954
27. 1958
28. 1948
29. 2002
30. 1957
31. 1940
32. 1998
33. 1975

About the next year: I don't have any idea. I'll be away next week, so I'll take my time. :) You'll know it next Saturday. :) Make some suggestions, I might like some of the ideas. :)

Note: I've just found the perfect year but I'll say nothing for sure, yet. :)

What do you think? Any thoughts on your mind?

Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary

Name: Renée Zellweger

Movie: Bridget Jones's Diary

Number of Oscar nomination: One

Other awards: None, some nominations

Chances of winning: Not much, might have been fourth.

I saw this film Bridget Jones's Diary about some lunatic spinster. Sad, funny, entertaining. I guess it was meant for other lunatic spinsters and such. I cannot think of anything else. Casting two British heart-throbs (Hugh Grant and Colin Firth) made a sure audience among women. And it's about some British spinster really. OK, it's fun but is it that much? Yeah, why not? That bloke called Jim Broadbent must have had a great year in 2001. He starred with three Best Actress nominated gals and won an Oscar. Damn it, lucky guy.

An American gal Renée Zellweger plays the British spinster. Gosh, I really dislike her. I mean, she really pisses me off sometimes. I mean what the hell was she doing in Chicago or Cold Mountain to be praised? She's really not my type but f*ck cares? She's really bloody great as Bridget Jones, "verbally incontinent spinster who smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish and dresses like her mother". Guess, she's a very ordinary gal who has just as many problems as anyone else.

How does a comedy performance get nominated at the Oscars? Hell, I don't have a clue but I'm sure that they were charmed by Renée as much as I was. She really rocks as Bridget and those old guys must have liked her, too. She's really adorable and so lovely. She always made me think about Pauline Collins in Shirley Valentine. They are so different and yet so similar. And anyone who can be as bloody great as Pauline was as Shirley deserves some credit, for sure.

Renée narrates the movie and tells us Bridget's thoughts on her life and prospects. And those are really hilarious and they are probably the best things about the whole movie. Basically she has two ways: becoming Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction or trying to become happy. And she chooses the latter. I guess she was the best at showing Bridget's optimism and hope. Bridget is not a quitter by any means despite some bad times.

And yeah, I love how ironic she really is. Zellweger is seemingly having fun with the character but she also seems to really love her and care about her. So do we. Who wouldn't feel sorry for her after we see the scenes where she's publicly humiliated. I mean, she's an almost pathetic person and yet we don't think of her as inferior in any way. She's so lovely but she can be very unlikeable. But even Bridget's lowest point is as funny as it gets. When she says "BUGGER OFF!", I almost died of laughing. She was just unbelievably hilarious.

Renée's chemistry with the two guy is just great and we really don't know which one she's going to end up with. Funny, isn't it? She doesn't give a performance that you would like to preserve for other civilisations after us but still... She's so cool.

All in all, this gal, Renée Zellweger is really great as Bridget Jones, this crazy, pathetic and loveable spinster. This is not Sex and the City style "acting", she's truly great as Bridget and she gives a heart-warming portrayal of this lovely character.

No wonder that she was nominated for an Oscar.

I love her! LOVE her!

What do you think?

The Next Year

2001

So the nominees were:

• Halle Berry in Monster's Ball
• Judi Dench in Iris
• Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!
• Sissy Spacek in In the Bedroom
• Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary

A requested year and a great one, I think. Any normal, usual year would be a relief after 1975.

What do you think? What's your ranking? What do you predict for my ranking?

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 2002

About the field: Well. If I think about it, this year wasn't as bad as I originally thought. It could have been much stronger, but I think my #1 and #2 were really the highlights and they killed the rest of the competition. They gave performances for the ages and both deserved to win. My #3 has in fact grown on me in these last few days and therefore I give her a half extra Meryl. I was thinking about what would have happened had Tilda Swintion played Virginia Woolf. But that's a different story. I can definitely say that this year turned out to be much different from than I imagined, but I like it this way and it was way more interesting than 1998. OK, so now it's time we got to the ranking.

5. Salma Hayek in Frida
This performance that did not disappoint me as I did not expect much, but I may even say that it is worth watching because of the very strong early scenes. But don't really expect a very towering achievement.

4. Renée Zellweger in Chicago
I am not saying that Zellweger gives a bad performance in Chicago, because occasionally she is actually good. But again, damn it I was so dissatosfied. I was soooo hoping that I would like her, but I did not eventually.

3. Nicole Kidman in The Hours
She has quite grown on me as she is extremely haunting in some of the scenes. I understand both the criticsm and love towards her. This is a bit disappointing performance by a very good actress who could have done more, I think.

2. Diane Lane in Unfaithful
A dynamite performance to say the least. She really gets your guts and doesn't even let you go for a long time (even after watching the film). Lane gave one of the most intimate, credible and unforgettable performances ever. Now I'm really satisfied.

1. Julianne Moore in Far from Heaven
I must say that Julianne Moore gives one of the greatest, most moving and beautiful performances that I have ever seen. She's totally heart- and gutwrenching, moving and will haunt you for a long time.I don't really like the world revelation as I think sometimes it's used without a reason, but here Moore's achievement in this movie is worthy of that term.

So I can proudly announce
that my winner is...
Julianne Moore in Far from Heaven
This was a bit too obvious and OMG she's so beautiful here.

Omissions:

• Isabelle Huppert in The Piano Teacher *My Pick*
• Nia Vardalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding

So the ranking of the already reviewed years:

1. 1974
2. 1959
3. 2009
4. 1963
5. 1948
6. 2002
7. 1940
8. 1998

So it's time to give clues about my next year, to which I'm really looking forward to. It's often referred to as one of the strongest years ever. Gosh I'm sooo excited, I give you my very easy clues.

• If you don't like deers, instead of going away, think about...
• Mommie Dearest
• Sex and the City: The Origin

So what do you think? Any opinions, observations or off-topic subjects you want to talk about? Don't be shy. BTW has anyone seen The Kids are All Right? I'm so damn curious! Do you think that Moore or Bening can win for it? I'm mostly rooting for Julianne as I'm not a big Bening fan (though she seems to be the more praised one).

Renée Zellweger in Chicago

Renée Zellweger received her second Best Actress nomination for playing Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. She was even the front-runner to win her first Oscar as she won some important awards like the horrid, sorry Golden Globe and SAG (her face is actually quite amusing in her video). However, she had to wait another year to get the Academy Award for Cold Mountain where she played with the actress, who beat her at the Oscar.

I really dislike Chicago as a movie and I'm constantly amazed (or simply shocked) that this nothing actually BEAT The Pianist (one of the greatest, most harrowing movies ever) in the Best Picture race. Chicago is like a gift which is in beautifully made wrapping, but inside, it's a useless gadget. Well, that sums up Chicago, which is a rather poor copy of Cabaret. I must say that the technical part is truly impressive. I would say it deserved four of its six Oscars. Well we got to the performance: John C. Reilly gives quite a great performance, which is probably only really outstanding achievement about this movie. I love Queen Latifah in general, but here she's not more than entertaining. Richard Gere and Catherine Zeta-Jones are rather average in my opinion.

And the same goes for Ms. Zellweger. Actually, her work in this movie is the definition of this previously mentioned gift theory. The role of Roxie is really for the stage and not the screen. I can imagine that on Broadway, an experienced theatre actress could give a brilliant, towering performance and I guess Zellweger wanted to do the same here. Where she failed, at least with me. I know that she's universally praised for Chicago, but here (or in general), Zellweger is quite simply not my thing. I never really got anything from her.

The character of Roxie is a rather slim one: she's a dumb little woman dreaming about having a grand career as a singer and dancer, but actually we never really get to see what she has inside. For the most of the movie, she's just an observer of the musical numbers (some are great, some are not that much) and gets nothing to do apart from playing a dumb blonde and a little bitch. I never really understood what she wanted to show me from Roxie. She made her very one-note and she really did not go into details.

Her juicy lines must be very amusing for some, well, they really did not give me that much fun. I mean, she's always such a common. That might have been the point that Roxie actually did not go through any changes, but it really bothered me. As I said million times: I did not have an insight to this character.

Zellweger's singing is good, even though her voice is not as strong as CZJ's. She solved the musical part quite well. She solved the technical part of her performance decently and I cannot complain about that at all. Well, she's no Liza Minelli in Cabaret, but she has her fine moments. Especially one in the end where she has to face the facts that she's nothing more than a temporary, fake celebrity. Her big number right there really impressed me (probably the only thing I found to be outstanding about this work).

I am not saying that Zellweger gives a bad performance in Chicago, because occasionally she is actually good. But again, damn it I was so dissatosfied. I was soooo hoping that I would like her, but I did not eventually. I really did my best, but I cannot force myself to appreciate her. As I said, this performance is not for me. The worst thing about it is that I cannot really write anything more. Sorry.
I'm the most comfortable with this grade. I really want to give her more, but it would not be honest from me.

So what do you think? I guess I'm just as alone with this as I was with the one about Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Arc. But sorry, I can't help it.

The Next Year

So we have come to our much anticipated 2002. I've been putting it off for like eternity, but now it's finally time to terminate your suspense. This is a very often talked about year, mostly due to the enourmous fanbase of Julianne Moore's performance in Far from Heaven. But we'll see who will get my vote. Will it be the nose, the moustache or the pearls? Or will I prefer dancing or adultery? This doesn't seem to be a very exciting year, but we'll see.


So the nominees were:

• Salma Hayek in Frida
• Nicole Kidman in The Hours*
• Diane Lane in Unfaithful
• Julianne Moore in Far from Heaven
• Renée Zellweger in Chicago

So what are your predictions for my ranking?

P.S. : From now on I will not be really able to do write as frequently as I did, but I will do my best. Thanks for your understanding.
Also, we can also talk a bit about the Emmys in your comments. Were you just as pissed as I was that Julianna Margulies lost? Or any other thoughts?