Early Sneak
Things We Lost in the Fire- this film marks the English language directing debut of the extremely talented Danish director Susanne Bier. A full review will be available when the film is released on October 19, but put it in your calendar now. Bier is able to elicit amazing performances from Halle Berry and especially Benicio del Toro as two people struggling to cope with the loss of Berry's husband who was del Toro's best friend.
If you have not seen Biers' other films you need to rent Brothers (which Hollywood is remaking) and After the Wedding (which was nominated for the foreign film Oscar.) Both are fantastic.
News
Early look at the Best Actress Category from the LA Times
Strong roles for women are often in short supply, and this year's race for best actress is no exception. While men in the running for best actor could fill out three football teams, with an alternate or two to spare, the women in contention for best leading lady barely make up two loaves of bread. That's not to say the best actress race isn't filled with major league players and a few rookies of the year. But when it comes to great performances by women the list is woefully short.
Actresses on the list include: Keira Knightley, Atonement; Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart; Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age; Nicole Kidman, Margot at the Wedding; Julie Christie, Away From Her; Charlize Theron, In the Valley of Elah; Halle Berry, Things We Lost in the Fire; Ellen Page, Juno; Helena Bonham Carter, Sweeney Todd; Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose; Amy Adams, Enchanted; Jodie Foster, The Brave One; Marketa Irglova, Once; Laura Linney, The Savages; Renee Zellweger, Leatherheads; Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Love in the Time of Cholera; Parker Posey, Broken English; Keri Russell, Waitress; Naomi Watts, Eastern Promises (LA Times)Most of the films listed above have yet to be released, but of those released (and others I've seen) the contenders to me are: Julie Christie, Angelina Jolie, Marion Cotillard, Halle Berry and Jodie Foster.
I don't know about you but I gave up on Desperate Housewives a long time ago. Seems like the bloom has fallen off the rose because the season premiere was down 23% from last year. it still had enough viewers to win the night for ABC.
The writer of The Queen is working on a sequel this time without "the queen" in the lead. (would it still then be a sequel?) This film will focus on the transition of power from Clinton to George W. Bush and Tony Blair's reaction to the whole mess.
Wish I could get paid to drive around Spain like Gwyneth Paltrow and three others are. Life is just not fair. Paltrow on Spanish Roadtrip for PBS
Tube Tonight
If you haven't been watching Damages on FX you have missed out. Tonight Glenn Close asks the questions of Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher (remember when they co-starred in the incest drama Something About Amelia?) in his deposition.
Five Days, a joint HBO/BBC production takes place over five Tuesdays. The premise is the search for a woman who went missing leaving her two small children wandering on the side of the road on their way to visit their grandparents. Script is written by Gwyneth Hughes.
Castings
Dakota Blue Richards who will make her film debut as the lead in the upcoming potential franchise film The Golden Compass (isn't it great that there is finally a girl in the lead of a franchise type film) has been cast as the lead in The Secret of Moonacre. The film is based on the classic children's novel The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge. (Variety)
Nancy Bardawil makes her feature film directing debut at the helm of Greta an interracial teen romance starring Hillary Duff. (Hollywood Reporter)
