272. Skyfall

272. (11 Nov) Skyfall (2012, Sam Mendes)* 52



There's been enough written about Skyfall's nonsensical plot that my concerns need not be enumerated. However fun Javier Bardem's villainous turn may be, he could scarcely have had a more preposterous revenge plot concocted. Fortunately, that opens things up for the enjoyable opening chase and a colorful, brilliantly photographed sequence in Shanghai. They're high points in a film that's mostly frivolous and amusing, even if this franchise gets all the more self-serious. We're three films into the Daniel Craig era of Bond and still debating the relevancy of secret agents?

SKYFALL

SKYFALL
Written by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ben Wishaw, Ralph Fiennes and Judi Dench

James Bond: Everybody needs a hobby.
Silva: So what’s yours?
James Bond: Resurrection.

James Bond is getting older. His shot is not as on point as it once was; his stride not as fast as in his younger years. In fact, it saddens me to say that his stomach is not quite the washboard it used to be either. There is one notable offshoot to Bond’s decline in prowess though. With age, comes wisdom and with SKYFALL, the 23rd film in the 007 spy series, that wisdom lends its weight to what is without question one of the most exciting and emotionally charged adventures the series has ever seen.

Sam Mendes, the Academy Award winning director of AMERICAN BEAUTY, opens his crack at the Bond series with the man himself, once again embodied by the masterful Daniel Craig, blurred in the background. As he comes into the light and into focus, we direct our attention to his eyes. These are the eyes of a determined man and before either he or we are able to blink, he finds himself in a high-speed bike chase that takes him to the rooftops of Istanbul, overlooking the Grand Bazaar. Why waste time really? This is an action film after all and Mendes has a clear and firm understanding of what the audience wants from their favorite international spy.

Bond has grown into a complex character over the years. In his last outing, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, his complexities got the best of him. Bond was melancholy and the film suffered for it. In SKYFALL he is no less tortuous but Mendes handles the character with much more control and allows the film’s intricate and energetic action sequences to drive the film forward. Without the weight of Bond’s suffering to hold the film back, he commands even more attention and emerges with even greater strength as a result. This is all the more impressive considering what he has to endure at the onset of the film.

Before the first chase is through, Bond is lost and presumed dead. Naturally, the audience knows he isn’t dead, as this would make for an awfully short film. What he goes through should have surely killed him but somehow he is reborn, resurrected even, and all that once haunted him now seems to propel him forward with a more profound momentum than he has had for some time. It is never explained how Bond survives, although I suspect it has something to do with the healing power of Adele’s opening credits theme song, but the fact that he does live on, confirms his innate greatness and grander purpose.

MI6, the British intelligence agency that Bond serves, is under attack. Bond’s longtime boss and sometimes friend, M (Judi Dench), is the actual target of this aggression. Her reign over the agency is being questioned because a top secret list of undercover agents the world over has fallen into the wrong hands. As names leak to the public little by little, confidence in her ability to manage dissipates at the same rate and her methods are called antiquated and quaint. The question as to whether MI6, and subsequently Bond himself, are still relevant is plainly posed and SKYFALL affirmatively reminds everyone that they are far from finished.

Mendes infuses the Bond series with a level of pedigree it rarely sees. Enlisting John Logan to assist Bond screenwriter regulars, Neil Purvis and Robert Wade, raises the personal stakes for the major characters, as all of them have done things that they aren’t necessarily proud of. Bringing on Roger Deakins, arguably the greatest cinematographer working in film today, invigorates the visual look of the film in so many unexpected ways. His work in Shanghai is particularly creative, which not only makes the fight scenes explode off the screen, but also makes the film a serious visual awards contender. And finally, casting actors as talented as Ralph Fiennes (M’s new boss), Ben Wishaw (a welcome return and updated version of classic character, Q) and Javier Bardem (doing what Bardem does best, the bad guy), elevates everyone’s acting game to the next level.

Despite all of this undeniable ability, both in front of and behind the camera, it is Mendes himself who deserves the most applause. His control over this always elaborate, always exciting and always engaging experience is infallible. He can take the film from quiet and tense one moment to loud and intense the next without missing a beat. SKYFALL is something of a cathartic experience almost. Bond is reborn and while his past transgressions inform the man he has become, they do not dictate the man he is going to be going forward. And after people see the newly reincarnated James Bond, they will no doubt be ready to follow him wherever he goes next.

107. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

107. (11 May) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012, John Madden)* 61

034. Jane Eyre

034. (29 Jan) Jane Eyre (2011, Carey Fukunaga) 54



How Mia Wasikowska continues to get work in period films baffles me. Her posture is positively awful and her unladylike behavior makes her stick out like a sore thumb. Michael Fassbender similarly seems out of sorts since he's too handsome for the role.

Fassbender proves to be Fukunaga's greatest asset by making this remarkably sexy. The book was, after all, a romance and there are touches of that here that seem almost lurid. A particular favorite comes when Jane wakes Rochester when his room's on fire. His nightgown has a slit running up his leg and her eyes linger on it. It's a delightfully erotic touch.

This Jane Eyre sits in a heavy shadow for me, having seen Susanna White's 2006 television adaptation not long ago. White was blessed with Ruth Wilson, a far greater talent than Wasikowska, and her tone and aesthetic made for a far more engaging adaptation. The last hour of this film, in particular, feels completely rushed. Fukunaga's original cut was a half-hour longer and I imagine that's a more complete, better paced movie.

Dowdy though they may be, I like the costumes here. Jane Eyre's drab color palette is wonderfully historically accurate, but also capably illustrates the class divide. A white wedding dress is the only major misstep. Dario Marianelli's score is evocative, but minor work from him.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

 Written by Adrian Hodges

Directed by Simon Curtis

Starring Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench

Marilyn Monroe: All people see is Marilyn Monroe. As soon as they realize I'm not her, they run away.

In 1956, one of the biggest stars and sex symbols the world has ever known travelled to England to make a movie with one of the world’s most respected stage actors. Somewhere in the middle of the inevitable chaos and drama that ensued, a young man named Colin Clark was embarking on his first job in the movie business. The star was Marilyn Monroe; the actor was Sir Laurence Olivier; and the movie was THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL. Clark’s budding film career never took off but his unique experience would one day become a book (“The Prince, the Showgirl and Me”), which in turn has now become a movie called, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.

The shoot itself actually went several weeks long but when it comes to spending time with Monroe, the experience is so fleeting that it can feel like an instant that has ended long before it should. There was nothing Clark, portrayed here by fresh faced, Eddie Redmayne, could have done to prepare himself for the magnitude of Monroe’s magnetism. And as the splendid Michelle Williams demonstrates with her finely nuanced performance, there was very little Monroe could do to tame that pull either. Though Clark is just a glorified gopher on set, his innocence and honesty grab Monroe’s attention and before long she latches on to him to use as a shield from the multitude of things that frighten her in general. Her near crippling fear and anxiety in turn threatens the success of the shoot, which causes a serious rift with Sir Laurence, who is played with great exuberance by Kenneth Branagh.

Director, Simon Curtis and writer, Adrian Hodges, both relative unknowns in the world of Hollywood feature filmmaking, infuse MY WEEK WITH MARILYN with a delicate subtlety that allows for simple but sympathetic insight into the mind of the infamous starlet. Bolstered by the almost always brilliant Williams, Monroe comes across here as part frightened little girl, lost in a world she barely understands and part experienced woman, aware of her position and unafraid of abusing her power if it means alleviating her own distress temporarily. She enjoys the attention but also doesn’t know what to do with it when she has it. Most importantly, she is aware that she is more commodity now than person, yet seems more or less content to play along. This might perhaps be because she has no idea how to change the direction of her life or it might be because she no longer remembers who the real Marilyn is anymore.

463. My Week with Marilyn

463. (13 Nov) My Week with Marilyn (2011, Simon Curtis)* 56



While Kenneth Branagh and Julia Ormond are completely unbelievable as Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, Michelle Williams immediately convinces us she's inhabiting the role of Marilyn Monroe. She gets everything right, particularly Marilyn's deer in the headlights look. Singing her own songs and recreating some iconic moments, it's easy to see how she got into the Best Actress discussion early on.

The film itself isn't much to speak of. Joyce Carol Oates' novel Blonde would've been better to adapt since this offers only so much insight and ultimately is just a tired celebrity encounter story. But for what it is, it's an enjoyable look into a bygone era of filmmaking. Oddly enough, the film never feels cinematic. All those comparisons to TV movies are apt. Eddie Redmayne and Judi Dench also offer worthwhile performances.

461. J. Edgar

461. (12 Nov) J. Edgar (2011, Clint Eastwood)* 67



One of the more competent biopics of the last decade, Eastwood and Dustin Lance Black find a balance between intimate personal moments with J. Edgar Hoover while confronting his more questionable professional decisions. While most biopics flatter their subject, this is a truly bold take on the man.

Leonardo DiCaprio solidifies his frontrunner status for Best Actor. His accent may be unconvincing, but he brings an impressive physicality to the role. Armie Hammer overshadows him at times, but it's built into the film. Eastwood makes an awesome decision to light Hammer rapturously when we first meet him, suggesting how charismatic and irresistible he was to Hoover. Meanwhile, DiCaprio's eyes are always lit so they look like black marbles.

The film is structured competently and engaging. This is an ambitious undertaking. While it doesn't stack up to Eastwood's better works, it's getting an unfair reputation.

J. EDGAR

Written by Dustin Lance Black

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Starring Leonard Dicaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts and Judi Dench

Annie Hoover: Edgar, I would rather have a dead son than a daffodil for a son.

Considering Clint Eastwood has lived to witness most of what he chooses to depict in his J. Edgar Hoover biography, simply titled J. EDGAR, it is an awful shame that so much of it feels lifeless and false. Eastwood’s Hoover accomplishes great things, like taking fingerprint technology nationwide and forensic science to new heights, but he does so with very little fanfare, subsequently inspiring even less interest in his audience. Fortunately, incredible performances by Leonardo Dicaprio and Armie Hammer, as the notorious FBI director and his rumoured romantic partner of many years, Clyde Tolson, elevate the picture high enough to overshadow the drab, washed out stiffness of Eastwood’s former America. Dustin Lance Black’s script is smart not to focus solely on Hoover’s sexuality, but unfortunately, the film only truly comes alive when it does.

Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe

The newest picture of Dawson's Creek alum and two-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams as the famous blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe from her upcoming Oscar-hopeful My Week With Marilyn.  Myself, and many other Oscar pundits are predicting Williams to nab a nomination for her work in this picture.

My Week with Marilyn also stars Tony-winner Eddie Redmayne, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier, Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh, and Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike.

[Photo courtesy of Napier News and The Weinstein Company. ]

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?

Judi Dench in Iris

Judi Dench received her fourth Best Actress nomination for playing Iris Murdoch, a writer suffering from Alzheimer's disease in Richard Eyre's movie, Iris. I don't think that Judi Dench had much chance of winning that year, mostly because of the fact that she was a recent winner, plus her movie was nota great hit like, say, In the Bedroom. In the end, I feel she was fifth as I think that Renée Zellweger must have received more votes due to the apparent enthusiasm towards her among (some) Academy members. Judi won the Bafta, though.

Iris is such a boring movie. I mean it's less than 90 minutes and yet it feels like I was watching it for at least a day. Richard Eyre's directing here is even more manipulative than it was in Notes on a Scandal. OK, his work here is not manipulative but he uses some really lame tricks to gain the audience's sympathy. I didn't really see the point of the movie and sometimes I felt that the movie was orgasming over itself. All in all, I didn't like it at all. Jim Broadbent gives probably the best performance and he might have even deserved his Oscar win in that weak field. Kate Winslet is also fine but I wouldn't call her amazing.

I so love Judi Dench. Her divine voice, her unique, wonderful presence, her subtlety, everything. She's a real genious at her craft and I always love watching her performances. I would just kill to see one of her theatre performances. Sometimes I'm really biased about her and I can't think clearly but I'll try to do that here. She plays Iris Murdoch, a very smart, educated woman who lives in her own private world of words and thoughts. It's really sad (and even ironic in a brutal way) that this beautiful mind is killed by a serious disease.

The part seems to be very baity and if you haven't seen Iris, you'll instantly think of a performance like the one that Julie Christie gave in Away from Her. Christie's work there was poetic, beautiful and it was really full of emotion. I guess the best thing about that one was that it didn't focus on the side effects of her sickness exclusively but also a more emotional side. In Iris, however, we can see Judi Dench screaming, crying, looking really lost and confused and yet she's not touching. Some might say I'm an idiot but in my opinion, Jim Broadbent is the one who gets the more emotional storylines and a real development. For the most of the time, Iris is just standing and/or smiling/screaming. It's a mostly quiet character with outbursts. I know that it's really unfair to compare her to Christie but I just wanted to say how much the role of Iris lacks the real opportunities for Judi.

Judi is still good within the limits of the character. She's really heart-breaking in some of the scenes and she shows all the side effects of the illness really well. I liked that she showed that Iris was like the light of a candle. She was getting weaker and weaker until she was gone. I also loved the tender, quiet moments between her and Jim Broadbent. They were really great, in my opinion.

However, the scenes that truly impressed me were the ones where I got to know Iris' intellectual self and beautiful spirit. Judi Dench delivers those remarkable speeches brilliantly and I liked that she made Iris such a luminous, shining mind. That's why the last monologue of hers is so effective, that it positively influenced my opinion about this whole work. I loved Iris' brightness. When the brightness is gone, the work becomes a bit standard and she's not that interesting any more even though she could have been even more interesting.

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.

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 2006

2006

5. Kate Winslet in Little Children

This is a great performance by the great Kate Winslet but I just embrace her because the movie was between me and her. Kate shows Sarah's emotions extremely well and she has some mindblowingly great scenes and yet the whole thing becomes uneven because she's overshadowed by the movie itself. Great work but not as brilliant as I used to think.

4. Helen Mirren in The Queen

I must say that this is a great performance by the great Helen Mirren. As Queen Elizabeth II, Mirren was able to become very moving and effective. The technical part is just perfect though the emotions could have been a bit stronger. Although this work doesn't really live up to the hype that surrounded it when it was released, it's still very well done by Mirren.

3. Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

Meryl is fantastic all in all, the movie sometimes drags her performance down and I feel that she could have been given much more to work with. I still say that she's just excellent as Miranda Priestly, the merciless, vicious magazine editor but the movie prevented me from saying that I was totally blown away

2. Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal

On a reapeated viewing, I became less enthusiastic about her and she stars to grow off me.Judi Dench gives a fantastic performance as Sheba Hart, a desperate, lonely woman who feels like she has some hope in her life at last. Dench is almost disturbingly perfect as Barbara Covett. Every line reading, every nuance, every movement is just great.

1. Penélope Cruz in Volver

As I finished writing, I've become dead certain that Penélope Cruz gives her absolute best performance in Volver as Raimunda, a very complicated and tough woman. This is not only a beautiful achievement but also a tearjerking tribute to an acting style that has unfortunately died somewhere. But we need this type of performances, too. Penélope Cruz and Pedro Almodóvar are probably the saviours of the Raimundas of the cinema.

So I can proudly announce

that my winner is...

Penélope Cruz

in

Volver

Congrats, Penélope!

Final thoughts: Wow, a fantastic year with quite an obvious winner, iny opinion. I feel quite bad for Dame Judi but Penélope's achivement was undeniably the biggest of the bunch. Tempted was I to make Meryl my pick until I saw Penélope who totally blew me away. Helen and Kate were the sour grapes, if I may say so but they were also quite good. I don't want to say much but this is a must-see year for any Oscar/Best Actress fan.

The ranking of the reviewed years:

1. 1944
2. 1969
3. 1974
4. 1989
5. 1959
6. 2006
7. 1964
8. 1939
9. 1977
10. 2010
11. 1997
12. 2009
13. 1980
14. 1941
15. 1963
16. 1966
17. 1973
18. 1990
19. 1978
20. 1954
21. 1948
22. 2002
23. 1957
24. 1940
25. 1998

About the next year: I want to make up for that last fiasco of mine with 1967, so I again let you decide from two. This time I only picked years where I got the movies in advance, so happy voting!

What do you think?

I wish you a happy Easter! :)

Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal

Divine Dame Judi Dench received her sixth Oscar nomination to date for playing Barbara Covett, an elderly teacher in Notes on a Scandal. Well, 2006 wasn't the most exciting Best Actress race ever. If there's ever been a lock to win, it was Helen Mirren. And I guess that poor Judi became the fifth in the voting. Too bad, though nowadays people seem to be much more crazy about her then they were about Helen Mirren back thrn. Seasons change I guess and time's the best judge.

Notes on a Scandal is a great movie, which I have seen four times, but always found some interesting nuances I haven't really noticed. One of the most fascinating things about it is how thrilling it is. I have already expressed my fondness of the scores of Philip Glass and this one is not different, though I might prefer The Hours and Koyaanisquatsi to this one. The performances are as sharp as a razor: Cate Blanchett was absolutely robbed of that Oscar (I mean, that competiotion is NOTHING compared to her) and Bill Nighy should have received a nom at least. However, I must say that I spotted some very tiny but manipulative moments this time and the director wanted to make sure that we get the movie.

And Dame Judi: well, I just really don't waste your time with my endless praise towards the brilliant dame. She's such a thrilling, fascinating actress and I just cannot wait until My Week with Marilyn comes out. I always look forward to watching her movies as she alsways brings something fresh and new to her acting. She always gives different types of performances that are amazing on their own merit. She can play Queen Elizabeth I, Iris Murdoch, Queen Victoria and everyone and I'm just blown away. In Modern Family, Cam said that Meryl Streep could play Batman and be the right choice. Well, that's basically the same that I feel about Dame Judi Dench.

Let's be brief about this one because I should get it out right now: Judi Dench is amazing as Barbara Covett and this might even be her best performance in a film. One could not get a character that is harder to play than the manipulative, unlikeable and bitter Barbara. I would even say that she's a character that you instantly hate. She's the brutal spinster teacher that everyone is terrified of. She's a typical snob bitch who looks down on her pupil. Dame Judi's line readings (not only) at the beginning are simply terrific. That bitterness that you imagine this character has is perfectly got across by her. Yes, the character is not very likeable but Dench made her very enjoyable, at the very least.

And still, that's probably the smallest achievement of her. As soon as Sheba Hart comes in, Judi Dench's performance becomes as sharp as a razor and she becomes totally brutal and extremely disturbing. Dame Judi shows sch harrowing and disturbing amount of loneliness that this character has that it becomes very hard to watch after a while. When Barbara's asked by Sheba to come to lunch to her home is a fantastic moment. That hopeful smile and little twitch is so perfectly done by Dame Judi. I mean that's something that you call talent. She does not just say "I adore lasagne", she screams for help.

The scenes of Dame Judi with Cate Blanchett are also wonderful: they are so full of tension and of course the fact that they are two of the most brilliant actresses of our era adds a lot to them. The inconvenient truth about Sheba makes Barbara extremely furious and then everything changes in a moment. Barbara decides not to report Sheba for having an affair with a pupil of hers and Judi showed the moment of the decision with such brilliance. On the outside, she's the good guy, the good friend, a mother superior who helps the little nun. Inside, Barbara is a cold, bitter bitch who found an opportunity for some happiness. And it's all brilliantly shown by Judi Dench.

As the movie goes on, Barbara sinks deeper and deeper into her isolation and becomes more and more obsessed with Sheba. The loneliness she feels makes her sould very ugly and yet we feel sorry for her. I could so feel the pain when she had to say goodbye to her cat. That scene didn't almost make me cry because I'm an avid animal lover and can't watch when cats die. I felt the true misery inside this person. And her final line to Sheba ("I need more than a friend") was one of the most depressing lines I've ever heard.

So, to sum up, Judi Dench gives a fantastic performance as Sheba Hart, a desperate, lonely woman who feels like she has some hope in her life at last. Dench is almost disturbingly perfect as Barbara Covett. Every line reading, every nuance, every movement is just great. Dench made the audience care about this highly unlikeable character. Occasionally, one just says "poor woman" despite the fact how awful Barbara can act. My admiration and enthusiasm dropped a bit towards this performance but she's fantastic anyhow.

What do you think?

The Next Year

2006

So the nominees were:

• Penélope Cruz in Volver
• Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal
• Helen Mirren in The Queen
• Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada
• Kate Winslet in Little Children

So is Helen as much of a lock as she was back then or will I give my vote to somebody else?

What do you think? What's your ranking? What are your predictions for my ranking?

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1997

1997

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Julie Christie in Afterglow

I'm not one of the fans of Julie Christie in Afterglow. She has some nice moments and she nails to emotional scenes to a certain extent but it's not enough to win me over. I really missed the wildness or the subtlety of her other great performances. But the fact that she wasn't great is mostly due to the horrid movie. Still, she's not great.

4. Kate Winslet in Titanic

This is great work by Kate Winslet. I don't want to take away anything from it as it's great work but she pales a little bit in comparision with the epic movie that she's in. Kate perfectly portrayed all the negative emotions and fears of the character and therefore she was really haunting in the beginning.

3. Helen Hunt in As Good as it Gets

Helen Hunt almost crossed the line of fantastic with her performance as Carol Connelly in As Good as it Gets. Hunt added wonderful, loveable realism to this character and she made the audience really care about her. Those, who keep saying that she's one of the worst winners, really need to shut up. Helen Hunt is just excellent as this loveable character.

2. Judi Dench in Mrs Brown

This is a wonderful performance by one of the greatest actresses ever on this planet. Although it may not be the best achievement of the brilliant Dame Judi Dench, she perfectly inhabited this very complex character and nailed the emotional scenes. This is excellent work that is a real joy to watch. It's not fantastic or mindblowing, it's "just" absolutely wonderful.

1. Helena Bonham Carter in The Wings of the Dove

As Kate Croy, Helena Bonham Carter managed to create fascinating, multi-layered and mysterious character that is surely very interesting. I was totally blown away by Helena who gave astonishing work and I am not surprised at all at the amount of love that Helena gets for this great achievement. Haunting, disturbing, beautiful.

So I can proudly announce

that my winner is...

Helena Bonham Carter

in

The Wings of the Dove

Just loved Helena

Final thoughts: Why do I have mixed feelings? This was an enjoyable year with very good performances and mostly not-so-great movies. Afterglow was T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E but Christie made it a bit less intolerable, Mrs Brown was quite boring with Judi Dench who gave a wonderful but definitely not her greatest performance (interesting enough, that was the movie because of which I wanted to do this year), As Good as it Gets was very entertaining and Hunt really elevated the material (I'd say she was the best thing about it). Helena was just thrilling and her movie was very interesting. I'd say Titanic was the best movie in the bunch, a real epic and Kate was really good in it though not brilliant. I would say that this year was worth reviewing because of the fantastic, gutwrenching performance of Helena Bonham Carter and the great Dame Judi. I could live without the rest, though.

The ranking of the reviewed years:

1. 1944
2. 1969
3. 1974
4. 1989
5. 1959
6. 1964
7. 1939
8. 1977
9. 2010
10. 1997
11. 2009
12. 1980
13. 1941
14. 1963
15. 1966
16. 1973
17. 1990
18. 1978
19. 1954
20. 1948
21. 2002
22. 1957
23. 1940
24. 1998

About the next year: I AM SO DAMN SORRY! I've just realised that The Whisperers was removed from Youtube! I'm so f-ing nervous right now. I'm feeling very sorry but I'm going to do another great year instead. I'm so sorry again. Really, really sorry. Basically, the poll was useless and I didn't get the other movies of the years in the poll. So I had to think quick. And I have my year, which is (I promise) a great one. It's an incredibly similar one to 1997 and not only in the types of roles (single mom, royal) but also some people. :)

What do you think?

Judi Dench in Mrs Brown

Judi Dench received her first Best Actress nomination (and much more) for playing Queen Victoria, the legendary queen in Mrs Brown. I suspect it must have been a tight race between Helen Hunt and Judi Dench. Judi Dench won Best Actress - Drama at the Golden Globes Hunt won for Comedy and got SAG. Dench had the advantage of being a respected British stage actress who was yet to be recognised and Hunt was "just" a sitcom star. Still, Hunt won the Oscar, causing controversy (which was helped by Hunt's acceptance speech, too) that even lead to an Oscar win for Dench the following year.

Mrs Brown is interesting but a bit too slow for me. It's slow-paced and therefore it can get quite boring sometimes. The reason for that is that the movie concentrates so much on Billy Connolly's character. I would have preferred if it had focused more on Queen Victoria and Judi Dench whom I love immensely. I must say, though, that Connolly is quite good in this movie but his talent is so behind Dench's. Still, Mrs Brown is a very enjoyable and it's worth watching once or twice.

I admire, love and worship Dame Judi Dench. She's greatness. She has one of the best voices ever, her face can express thousands of feelings and the subtle emotions that she gives to her characters are all so impressive. And anyone who can give a performance like her in Notes on a Scandal at least once, they deserve to be praised. She wasn't very well-know outside Britain before Mrs Brown so we could even call her performance as Queen Victoria a breakthrough in a way. And I'm eternally grateful that this movie introduced her to the whole world. Her talent is one of a kind.

Queen Victoria is a really interesting role and it certainly pays off with the Academy. First of all, they just love Brits. What they love more than Brits, is a monarch. And what they love above all, is a British monarch. And same goes with me. I also love them. It's always wonderful some real dignity in a movie. Queen Victoria is certainly one of the greatest monarchs ever, plus she was a very interesting personality. Her character needed a very exprienced and careful performance who possessed real talent and much subtlty. Judi Dench, I believe, was the perfect choice for the part.

To put it simply, Judi Dench is just great as Queen Victoria. Dame Judi perfectly showed the insecurities and fears of this woman who always tries to look very organised and strong. However, we get to know Victoria's weaknesses through Judi's sympathetic and wonderfully subtle acting style. I felt that she understood Victoria's problems perfectly well and she tried to approach her with very much respect and dignity. This woman was famous for caring very much about formalities, the outside. And as I see, she was also a bit of a drama queen, too. In the movies, she has dramatic outbursts. Sometimes it's just tears and whining, sometimes she even loses her temper. Victoria was a very moody person who liked to take control of everything. Judi nailed this side of her just perfectly. All the dramatic scenes were handled well by her and she was neither too over-the-top nor too subtle. She found the perfect balance between the faces of this complicated woman.

Dame Judi's chemistry with Billy Connolly is just excellent. Every time they are together on the screen, it's a very intense scene, full of tension and sparkling. Although it's true that Dench is a way more talented performer than everyone else in this movie, she knew perfectly worked together with everyone. I loved the scene where John Brown announces his resignal to Victoria and she refuses it instantly. That tender confession there to Brown is just wonderfully played by Dame Judi. Also, I must mention the dinner scene where the Queen gets a little drunk. It's so full of humor and it was perfectly acted by Dench.

However, there's one thing that seriously works against Dench in this movie. And that's the lack of screentime and really greatly written scenes. Of course, she's wonderful as always but I would have loved to see something more gutwrenching and dramatic. The bit lightweight story drags Dame Judi's performance down a little bit.

Still, this is a wonderful performance by one of the greatest actresses ever on this planet. Although it may not be the best achievement of the brilliant Dame Judi Dench, she perfectly inhabited this very complex character and nailed the emotional scenes. This is excellent work that is a real joy to watch. It's not fantastic or mindblowing, it's "just" absolutely wonderful.

What do you think, dear readers? You've been so active in commenting lately, so thanks. :)

The Next Year

1997

So the nominees were:

• Helena Bonham Carter in The Wings of the Dove
• Julie Christie in Afterglow
• Judi Dench in Mrs Brown
• Helen Hunt in As Good as It Gets
• Kate Winslet in Titanic

I almost did not do this year but it looked unusually great for the 90s and I haven't covered a year from the 90s for a while, so I decided to take a look at this exciting year.

What do you think? Who's your pick? What are your predictions for the contest?

JANE EYRE

Written by Moira Buffini

Directed by Cary Fukunaga

Starring Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench, Jamie Bell

and Sally Hawkins

Jane Eyre: I wish a woman could have action in her life like a man.

It agitates me to know that the horizon is our limit.

A young lady with a stern, hard look on her face leaves a large stately manor. She makes her way into the rain-soaked fields that stretch on as far as she can see. Soon, she can no longer hold back her tears and they stream down her cheeks while she forges ahead toward an unknown destination, an undetermined future On the surface, the introduction to Cary Fukunaga’s second feature, and first major production, JANE EYRE, based on the Charlotte Bronte classic, can come off as dramatic, even overly so. Fortunately for him though, the woman walking this mile in Jane Eyre’s shoes is Mia Wasikowska and it is clear from one look at her that if anyone possesses the resolve to bear the burden of Eyre’s hardships, she does.

There is a particular brand of period piece that always seems to feature women who just don’t fit into the molds society expects they should. Jane Eyre, taken in as a child by her aunt (Sally Hawkins) after her parents passed, has never been looked upon as though she matters. She has always been plain in the face and difficult to control, which renders her somewhat useless, as the only purpose a woman held at the time was to be married off. An uncontrollable tongue needs at least be camouflaged by a pretty face to make it worth the trouble. She grows up surrounded by attempts to make her conform but emerges from the torture triumphant when she pursues a position as a tutor to a young girl who comes from reasonable means. While she continues to be reminded of her place in her new surroundings, she also finds herself the object of affection of the master of the house, Mister Edward Rochester (the strapping, sturdy Michael Fassbender). No one has ever loved her before and suddenly her years of abuse endured show their far reaching ramifications.

Fukunaga entered the world film scene with his brilliant immigration drama, SIN NOMBRE (click for review) in 2009. His eye for understated beauty and sensitivity shown to character in that film are put to great use in JANE EYRE. Like his heroine, the sets and costumes are all spectacular but matted as not to overwhelm. Instead, they are further appreciated for their restraint and delicacy and the same can be said of the entire cast, led by another surprisingly potent performance by Wasikowska. She plays Eyre with so many layers that even she seems unaware of them all at times. She claims to have no tale of woe when asked what hardships she has had to suffer through and her determination to carry on despite everything she’s known is certainly commendable. However, as strong a woman as she is, she cannot escape unscathed, forcing her to learn that love for one’s self is a challenge that is always ongoing. As for allowing one’s self to be loved by another, that takes a strength we may not even know we have and this is what JANE EYRE embodies.