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Home » Mental Break » Neil Patrick Harris & Ellen DeGeneres' acting class, Oscars style
"Giggle and give in."- Robert Altman, responding to Vanity Fair's Proust Question "What is your motto?"
4 Response to Neil Patrick Harris & Ellen DeGeneres' acting class, Oscars style
Speaking of things to research: what is the deal with Annette Bening's standing with the Academy?
As I recall, she was considered the main rival contender both years when Hillary Swank won Oscars (though I think it was the 1st time that was considered more competitive?).
And there's some other movie Annette did this year that was considered by some Oscar worthy but they passed it by (sorta like Kate Winslet's Oscar bait in "Revolutionary Road" but she wins for the hot Nazi).
The thing is: I'll always love Bening for "Valmont", "The Grifters" and "Bugsy": phenomenally sexy performances, all.
But I can't get behind her more menopausal roles. God bless Warren, but once she married him her sexual charisma went out the door. I've wondered if that's a sacrifice he 'demanded' in some way, even if unspoken?
She acts well, but "Being Julia" was such an annoying, empty film. Her performance was bravura, but it was such "the-a-tar". And she's done *so many* roles as repulsive, neurotic dried-up women. I don't understand why.
She should've been the Amy Adams of the 90s, but something went wrong. I wonder if the gender-confused daughter somehow is emblematic. Annette became mannish after "Bugsy" and the charm became brittle and dry.
I'm not sure, since I have not seen a single Annette Benning flick beside The Kids Are All Right. May be she got what she wanted and she didn't need to charm anyone's socks off anymore? "Neurotic dried up" woman seems about right for her role in The Kids Are All Right, though I'd say the passion underneath that self-sufficient exterior is why she's nominated. It's a nice, subtle performance that's going to get passed for Portman's more showy one.
I should look into Bugsy?
Once "Valmont" gets 'restored' (the freaking dvd is missing an entire *scene*-- it literally just got 'jumped' or something!) you should see that-- "Valmont" is her real entry into the Pantheon. She's never topped her magic in that. And it's the very film that gave both Bening and Firth to the world-- amazing that it's still so little seen.
Plus Ondricek's cinematography is at the pitch of perfection. The film is a lovely, lilting masterpiece of Rococo.
But see "Bugsy" for the high-dollar trash talk and Beatty & Bening's immense charisma.
Deal. I'll put them both on "movies still to see that I have not seen, after I see these other ones that are stupid but on netflix, what the hell" list.
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