Best Actress Predictions

With the Oscar’s right around the corner, and other blogs already testing their prediction abilities I wanted to jump on the band wagon and give my predictions, at least in the Actress categories. So here are my mid year predictions for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role…

1. Meryl Streep / The Devil Wears Prada
Ms. Streep is by far one of the greatest actresses to have ever graced the big screen. With more nominations than almost any other actor or actress, save Jack and Katharine, she will once again make her move into cinematic history. Surely a living legend she will again be nominated this year for her portrayal of one of those bosses you love to hate.

2. Annette Bening / Running With Scissors

Does anyone else besides myself see a faint resemblance between Annette Bening and the Columbia Pictures woman?? But anyway, Annette has been here before, but this juicy role as a crazy, pill popping, bi-polar mother in Running With Scissors is one of her best. Hats off to the casting director as I could see no one but Annette pulling this role off as well s she does.

3. Helen Mirren / The Queen

Yet, another great actress who we have seen and heard a lot about lately, Helen is due a win. She deserves a win. She plays her roles to win. But will she win this year? Not likely, but a possibility. But she will be nominated, again.

4. Cate Blanchett / The Good German / Babel

I know she just won an award last year, but who is to say she can’t win two years in a row. Tom Hanks did. But last year was for the supporting actress award. I really feel Cate will be nominated this year, but with her in so many big name movies this year it is hard to pick which one will do the trick. Her role in Babel is not as big as her role in The Good German and it may be more of a supporting role. Cate is good, and she deserves the Oscar for best actress because she is one of the best.

5. Nicole Kidman / Fur

Nicole is and always will be one of my favorites. Even if she was married to Tom Crusie. However, I think the Academy likes her better than I, and she will be given the nod again this year. Maybe to make up for the Academy not giving her the Oscar for her role in Moulin Rouge. Plus I would like to see her win and forget to thank her new husband…

I also think there are some other actresses out there that may get the nod this year, so I am going to pick them as my contenders. Just three, but three very good roles played by very good actresses… 1. Beyonce Knowles in Dreamgirls , 2. Ashley Judd in Bug and 3. Kate Winslet in Little Children.

So there they are, my picks for Best Actress. I will give you my predictions in a few days for Supporting Actress, then when the nominations are announce on January 23, 2007 we will see how I did.

#5 ~ Mr. & Mrs. Smith

I know what you have got to be saying…Mr. & Mrs. Smith?? One of the best of the year?

Hey, what can I say, this movie made me laugh and also made me sit on the edge of my seat. A mixture of Prizzi’s Honor/War of the Roses and True Lies, I thought this movie ROCKED!

It didn’t hurt that two of the most beautiful people in the world, Brad and Angelina, starred in it. But you know what, these two CAN act. I could watch this movie over and over and never tire of it. Not only did I enjoy Brad and Jolie, Vince Vaughn was fantastic.

The actions scenes were great, the music was fun and lively, and the cinematography was wonderful. And the chemistry between Pitt and Jolie? Well we all know how THAT turned out. All in all I would say this was a very good film. Great? Not that good, but then again were there any really great movies in 2005? B+

You Are Joking, Right?

Have you heard the latest?

Beautiful Ennis del Mar from Brokeback Mountain is set to star in the new Batman movie slated for production in October. Yes, Heath Ledger will be playing The Joker to Christian Bale’s Batman.

I just can not see anyone but Jack Nicholson in that role, but I still can’t wait for that movie!

Maybe there will be an on screen kiss? Now that would be hot, no joking!

Classic Men in Cinema: BURT LANCASTER

BURT LANCASTER: 1913-1994

#6 ~ War of the Worlds

Very seldom, if at ever, has Steven Speilberg let me down. War of the Worlds was no exception. From the first few minutes I became mezmerized by this film.

Over the past few years, Tom Cruise has dropped on my list of favorite actors, but he was actually pretty good in this film. Not Oscar caliber acting, but good. Dakota Fanning, also was very good. But the one actor that stole my heart was Justin Chatwin. He played Tom Crusie’s son and was in my opinion the most believeable actor in the entire movie. The sub-plot dealt with the relationship between Tom’s character and that of his son. This was what made the movie for me.

Well that, and of course the special effects, which Speilberg is known for. Not one of the greatest movies he has done, but one of the top 20 I’d say.

2005 was not that great a year for movies, but with this film it did make 2005 a year worth going to the theater. B-

Dear Matthew

Thanks to Celebrity Mania for this hot, erotic, sexy unbelievable picture of Hollywood’s Sexiest Man, not to mention the owner of the best ass in Hollywoood.

According to IMDB, Matthew is set to play in yet another Romance/Comedy, “Dear Delilah”. He plays an advice columnist named Delilah. Sounds interesting to me. Matthew an advice columnist? Yeah, it has to be a movie.

Classic Women in Cinema: GINGER ROGERS

GINGER ROGERS: July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995
In honor of the 95th Anniversary of her birth.

#7 ~ Monster-in-Law

Personally I have never been a big fan of Jane Fonda, nor Jennifer Lopez, but this movie was a riot! What helped make it so funny was not just Jane and Jennifer, but the incomparable Wanda Sykes. Wanda Sykes is in my opinion a perfect comedienne. The timing, the style and the look she has it all.

Jennifer Lopez plays Charlie, a dog walker that falls for Michael Vartan’s character, Kevin who is the only child of a wealthy and famous talk show hostess, Viola Fields; Jane Fonda. When Viola meets her sons new girlfriend and witnesses the proposal she immediately sets out to destroy this girl in becoming the wife to her beloved only son.

When Charlie finds out what dear old mommy is up to, all hell breaks loose and no holds are barred, this is war.

I found this film funny and entertaining, much more than I had expected. Jane Fonda comes off perfectly as the over protective, hypocritical, liquor happy mother. Wanda Sykes plays her personal assistant Ruby, which I have already mentioned is fabulous. B

Whatever Happened To…?

Yvonne Craig

Best known for her role as Barbara Gordon?Batgirl in the 1960’s TV series, Yvonne Craig was born in Illinois in May of 1937, and raised in Ohio.

She started out as a ballet dancer then after coming to Hollywood she starred in her first film in 1957 (Eighteen and Anxious). She also appeared in two Elvis Presley films, It Happened at the World’s Fair (1963) and Kissin’ Cousins (1964), and even dated Presley for a brief period. She also starred in the cult favorites Ski Party (1965; with Frankie Avalon and Deborah Walley) and Mars Needs Women (1966; with Tommy Kirk).

But her fame would come with the cult Television series “Batman (1966)” in which she played Commissioner Gordon’s daughter, Barbara. Her secret identity was Batgirl and as the Commissioner’s daughter, she had access to all the calls of trouble that was taking place in Gotham. Her character, Batgirl, was part of the 67-68 season, which was the end of the run for the show. After “Batman (1966)”, she also appeared on other television programs such as “Star Trek (1966)” and “The Six Million Dollar Man (1974)”.

Married twice, first to actor Jimmy Boyd, and Kenneth Aldrich.
She published an autobiography in 2000, From Ballet to the Batcave and Beyond.

Today Yvonne is retired from acting and works in Real Estate.

Classic Women in Cinema; EVA MARIE SAINT

EVA MARIE SAINT: JULY 4, 1924

America is 230 today.

Edie Doyle/Martha Kent (Eva Marie Saint) is 82 today