Kristin Scott Thomas (1960-)

One of the most under-rated actresses in recent memory finally has her chance at Oscar glory this year for the french language I've Loved You So Long. Her only other nomination to date was for her fiery portrayal in The English Patient and she was criminally ignored her for her work in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Richard III and Angels and Insects. Her greatest competition, Meryl Streep has fallen somewhat by the wayside, but Kate Winslet is waiting on the sidelines to snatch that long overdue statuette. The other big thing that's standing in her way is the rarity of a foreign language win and the fact that Marion Cotillard won for La Vie En Rose only last year. I'll be happy if KST can at least snatch a nomination, we need to see more of her and no more wallowing away in tiny roles in films that nobody sees.

You Heard It Here First...

Depending on the release date of Miyazaki's 'Ponyo on the Cliff' (Top Right), I'm willing to make a VERY early prediction on the animated film Oscar nominees for the 2009 film year. They certainly present a much more exciting prospect than this year's shortlist (with the glorious exception of 'Wall-E'). In terms of the win, Pixar always has the upper hand but 'Coraline' should be the spoiler and one should never discount Miyazaki who managed to take the 2002 award for 'Spirited Away' in an overwhelming (and rare) example of quality over box office. 'Coraline' director Henry Selick looks like he's going to deliver another masterpiece in the mold of his previous 'A Nightmare Before Christmas'. That classic did not win best animated feature because the category didn't exist in 1993. The Oscar's late arrival on the band wagon got me to thinking which films I would have selected had the category been initiated a decade earlier...

1991: Beauty and the Beast

1992: Aladdin

1993: A Nightmare Before Christmas

1994: The Lion King

1995: Pocahontas OR Toy Story (I grew up on both)

1996: James and the Giant Peach

1997: Anastasia

1998: Mulan

1999: Princess Mononoke (US release-Japan 1997)

2000: Chicken Run

2001: Monsters Inc. (I've never gotten the 'Shrek' love)

2002: Spirited Away (greatest animated feature of all time!)

2003: Finding Nemo

2004: The Incredibles

2005: Howl's Moving Castle

2006: Happy Feet

2007: Ratatouille

2008: gotta be Wall-E

2009: ????

Listmania: 15 Best Costume Designed Film Post 1990*

#15 BULLETS OVER BROADWAY (1994) Jeffrey Kurland. Silent screen spectacularness in a rare Woody Allen period piece.
#14 THE WINGS OF THE DOVE (1997) Sandy Powell. The people of Venice have never looked better.
#13 GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING (2003) Dien Van Straalen. Like a living breathing painting.
#12 RICHARD III (1995) Shuna Harwood. Dystopian Shakespearean nightmare enhanced by fantastic 30's creations.
#11 THE ENGLISH PATIENT (1996). Ann Roth [Oscar]. Relatively conventional work is no less powerful than more out-there stuff. Kristin Scott Thomas’ floating white dress says it all.




#10 THE BROTHERS GRIMM (2005) Gabriella Pescucci. Just look at Monica Bellucci’s witch for a reason why.

#09 MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005) Colleen Atwood [Oscar]. No matter what your thoughts on the film itself are, it’s hard to argue with those kimonos.
#08 EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990) Colleen Atwood. There’s nothing quite like that dominatrix jumpsuit.
#07 CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (2005) Gabriella Pescucci. Willy Wonka’s purple jacket says it all.
#06 GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002) Sandy Powell. Outlined above.

#05 SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999) Colleen Atwood. Hammer horror comes to life in Tim Burton’s horrific fairytale.

#04 MOULIN ROUGE! (2001) Catherine Martin [Oscar]. Frenzied pageantry from visionary Luhrmann’s right hand lady. Nicole’s red dress and sequined unitard are highlights.

#03 MARIE ANTOINETTE (2006) Milena Canonero [Oscar]. Almost edible candy confections. Highlights include everything worn by anyone, but of course the title character is no slouch.

#02 VELVET GOLDMINE (1998) Sandy Powell. What more can be said that hasn't been by anybody else. Genius! See the pictures if you don't believe me.

#01 BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (1992) Eiko Ishioka [Oscar]. Mind bending designs from a very non-prolific designer. That red cape, the top hat and sunglasses, the shimmering gold poncho, the muscle armor (in fact anything worn by Gary Oldman), Winona Ryder's wardrobe, Sadie Frost's funeral gown.

*hardly definitive. I’m likely to change my mind at the drop of a hat once I think of some I’ve forgotten.

Doubt Poster

Best of the year so far. Says all it needs to with simple and effective symbolism. Fantastic work. QUERY: Can Meryl turn her default nominee status into a win? I'm still a bit doubtful (sorry). We haven't heard anything on the quality of the film yet. Right now I'm betting on and hoping for Kristin Scott Thomas for 'I've Loved You So Long'.

The Up and Up of Penelop Cruz

I used to think she was so weak as an actress (her American films were terrible and the relationship with Tom Cruise didn't help), but it only took 'Volver' ("I smell farts...") for me to do a complete 180. I have since discovered 'All About My Mother' and the magic of Almodovar. According to reviews (the films haven't come out in Aus yet) I'm set to fall in love with her all over again in 'Vicky Christina Barcelona' (Another Woody Allen comeback) and 'Elegy'. Can't Wait! Hopefully Woody can get her the Oscar she should have won in 2006. Supporting Actress used to be his most successful acting category: Wins (3): Diane Wiest x2, Mira Sorvino (!!). Noms (5): Maureen Stapleton, Mariel Hemingway, Judy Davis, Jennifer Tilly, Samantha Morton as opposed to Lead Actor-2 noms (criminally, neither of which belong to Jeff Daniels for 'Purple Rose...'), Lead Actress-1 win/1 nom and Supporting Actor - 1 win/2 noms. Fingers crossed Pecruz...

Dark City - Director's Cut

To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Alex Proyas' 'Dark City', New Line DVD has re-released the film as a Director's Cut edition that adds 7 minutes of new footage - including the addition a daughter for Melissa George's prostitute. William Hurt and Jennifer Connolly are given more to do and the entire film looks even better than it did in '98 (no easy task). Showcases some of the best production design in recent memory.

If you are yet to discover this forgotten masterpiece, now is the time. The most underrated movie of 1998 and the best Sci-fi Noir since 'Blade Runner'. The dvd features two making-ofs, a trailer and a director's commentary by Proyas and the screenwriters. It also features an engrossing commentary by Roger Ebert who has been one of the film's most enthusiastic supporters.

Read his original review here: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980227/REVIEWS/802270304/1023

and his 2005 follow-up here: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051106/REVIEWS08/511060302/1023

Thoughts on Nicole...

Is Nicole Kidman really cursed? It's not a great time to be a Kidman fan. Here in Australia, we love 'Our Nic'. She's currently on every magazine cover and featured on almost all news broadcasts thanks to her role in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming epic 'Australia' (which has been the most hyped movie in our chequered history). However it seems that the movie goddess' international profile is in dire straights. She can't seem to do any right. In Oscar terms, Kidman hasn't been unsuccessful - she has a statuette to her name for 'The Hours' (2002) and another nomination for Luhrmann's 'Moulin Rouge' (2001). It has been in subsequent years that she's taken a tumble. Her immediate Oscar-bait follow-up to 'The Hours' was the late Anthony Minghella's epic 'Cold Mountain' (2003). A film which was highly touted as this generation's 'Gone With the Wind' (a label now placed on 'Aus'). The film did not deliver to people's expectations and Nicole suffered a lot of the brunt. In my humble opinion, the film is highly underrated. An unflinching portrait of the horrors of the American civil war, the film is heavy going but also incredibly rewarding. Nicole was, however one of its weakest elements (She just seemed lost) and this would be the beginning of her descent.

Nicole has not weakened as an actress, but her films don't connect. She has been blamed time and time again for the failures of her projects, but she is by far the best thing about most of them. She was easily the best thing about 'The Golden Compass' and 'The Invasion' - two of the more notorious floperoos. Reviews for her performances have also remained strong, but this never manages to translate into Oscar success. Following 'CM' Nicole appeared in Jonathan Glazer's 'Sexy Beast' follow-up 'Birth'. The film was understandably too strange for Oscar voters, but it remains one of the best films - and definitely the most underrated - of 2004. Nicole's performance is unflinching - the close-up at the opera says everything in one shot - and it should have garnered her another nomination at least - it did not. 2005 saw the 'Interpreter' - not great - not oscar-bait. 2006 had 'Fur' - too strange and then came 2007. Noah Baumbach had just come off raves for 2005's 'The Squid and the Whale' and was now following it up with the eagerly awaited 'Margot at the Wedding' in which Nicole would play the title character. Kidman was brilliant as the truly despicable Margot and it should remain one of the high points of her career. It's the first time she'd really let loose since 'Moulin Rouge' and she doesn't hold back in making Margot as unlikeable as possible. I new the likeability was a factor, but surely such greatness couldn't be ignored? It was. The film received mediocre reviews (although the praise for Kidman was certainly there) and was completely ignored come awards season (sigh). I've become used to disappointment now, but come on ... cursed? surely not.

It seems to me that for whatever reason (jealousy over fame/beauty/success?), the Academy simply doesn't like Nicole. While still married to Tom Cruise, she made 'To Die For' (1995), 'The Portrait of a Lady' (1996), and 'Eyes Wide Shut' (1999). All were Oscar worthy and all were also ignored by the Academy (Nic did receive a GG for the former though). It was only in 2001 that she received her first nomination for 'Moulin Rouge'. The best performance of her career, it showed her entire range in one orgasmic overload of colour, light and sound. It was the combination of its undeniable quality and probably a great swathe of pity for her recent marriage breakdown that saw Kidman nominated. When she lost to Halle Berry for 'Monster's Ball' is was heart broken and it was probably regret over this decision that saw Nic nom'd again and this time triumphant in 2002. While once again incredible in 'The Hours' it was a small role and would have been much better suited to supporting with lead going to the still unrewarded Julianne Moore for 'Far from Heaven'. My hope is that 'Australia' is so great that Kidman cannot be ignored again. She has the Luhrmann factor on her side, but will also be facing stiff competition from respected Oscar veterans, default nominees and radiant new comers. I guess we'll just have to wait and see, but fans shouldn't get their hopes up. We can just be comforted by the fact that Nic will keep on striving and delivering in the future - I hope......