I begin with the lamest of blog clichés, an apology about my tardiness with the Q&A column. Somehow I completely forgot to do my "A"s last Monday despite asking you for the "Q"s. I've been lost in some sort of daze on which I blame the weather (why not) insomnia (for sure) and Lars von Trier (hear me out). Melancholia keeps creeping back into my peripheral vision at inopportune times and I feel I really need to talk about it. But, see, I'm the sort of guy who likes a good conversation and film culture continues to torment me with its deathly shuffle. It takes FOREVER for movies to open after people first start talking about them. By the time many of you get a chance to see Melancholia, Lars von Trier will probably be editing his next picture instead of trying to cast it... thus killing all beneficial opportunities for conversation between moviegoers and the media.
Now on to the movie questions you totally forgot you asked since we're one week late!
Brian Z: A large number of filmmakers (Crowe, Payne) seem to be back after a bit of a hiatus. What director who have been away for awhile would you most like to see again?
Nathaniel: Obviously Paul Thomas Anderson needs to come back (and stay). I'm ready for Jonathan Demme post Rachel Getting Married. I don't understand why Christopher Guest needed to go away (though I did find For Your Consideration disappointing). I want to say Peyton Reed but only if he would get funding for something he really wanted to do (he started off in such a high spirited / original way with Bring it On and Down With Love but then...). And if you want to go much further back it's disappointing to me that Leos Carax who so startled with Lovers on the Bridge (1991) and Pola X (1999) hasn't followed those difficult memorable dreams up with another visionary feature.
Michael: If all of Viggo Mortensen's characters got into a fight, who would win?
Nathaniel: Immediately I'm picturing Nikolai (Eastern Promises) in a naked steam room brawl with all the other Viggos for which I thank you (and David Cronenberg). Viggo has played several dangerous men over the years but I think the final rounds include brutal military officer (G.I. Jane) vs. Tom Stall (A History of Violence) but since Demi Moore can kick his the Chief's ass than he doesn't survive Tom Stall's crazy speed and death blow efficiency aim. Nikolai puts up a long fight and makes it through several rounds but in the end when Aragorn arrives with all his superpowered friends and ghost armies in tow, his massive sword swinging low, then it's really no contest whatsoever. Aragorn for the win.
Middle-P: Do you think that Marti Noxon and the new writing staff will actually be able to redirect/save Glee from the uneven mess of a sophomore slump it took during season 2?
Nathaniel: I think Glee may have been doomed from Season 1 when it made the same mistake that all high school shows make (you'd think someone would learn) when it didn't think to vary up the ages of the key characters so that nobody would kill the show when they graduated (and I'm sorry but without Kurt & Rachel, they just don't have a show) and decided that Sue Sylvester would have to be the Big Bad for all time. Jane Lynch is funny but it just doesn't work as a constant war of ridiculous proportions. But I think you mean tonally. Good writers can definitely mend its weird personality switcheroos. I hold out hope that Season 3 is an improvement but I think the show will be a short-lived wonder and maybe they'd be totally smart to call this their final season and go out on a high note, no pun intended.
Bryan: What are your top five Kate Winslet performances?
FIVE BEST KATES and more actressy goodness after the jump.
Nathaniel: I am stunned at the ease with which I was able draw this up. Not one of these may go missing and not one additional performance challenges them. They are, in chronological order, Heavenly Creatures (1994) for the unforgettable introduction, Sense & Sensibility (1995) for the willful heartbreak, Holy Smoke! (1999) for the fierce sexuality and bravery, Iris (2001) for the compilation of Winsletisms, and Eternal Sunshine (2004) for the endlessly fascinating privilege of loving her long time. (And to answer another question, yes I do think the work is not what it used to be since then.)
Jones: The Iron Lady will tank and Meryl Streep won't get nominated. Shooocker! In her misery, she calls you and invites you to come over her place. What do you do to comfort her: a) start singing ABBA songs to her, with crazy jumps and splits. b) take her shopping to fashionable New York stores (but you will have the last say on what she can buy.) c) tell her to suck it up and get working with ____________ (name of auteur) asap. (You can even suggest a role for her.)
Nathaniel: You win the prize for craziest most convoluted question. While I'd like to say "c" I imagine that I wouldn't be able to resist "a" as I love ABBA (one of the many reasons I hate Mamma Mia actually... polluting those PERFECT immortal songs with stupidity of plot and bad karaoke of spirit) and what would be more fun than being a goofball with Meryl? So "a" but I totally wouldn't respect myself in the morning. P.S. I loathe shopping so "b" was never going to happen.
Adam: I'm filming my senior broadcasting project this semester and it will include mainly just two people talking, as they are my favorite types of movies, i.e.- Before Sunrise, Before Sunset. What do you believe are the best dialogue oriented films you've seen or read about? What makes the dialogue particularly great and vital to the film?
Nathaniel: I'm not sure that I could narrow it down but among my favorites are Woody Allen's 70s masterpieces (Manhattan and Annie Hall) and basically any of the famous screwball comedy from the 1930s because I love that dexterity of wit and sparkly acting. I think the balance between smart and silly is crucial for classic comedy. Dumb comedy can make you laugh but it has less staying power. The only place you see sharp intelligent wit with willfull absurdity now is on the best television sitcoms. On the more dramatic side currently Weekend is reminding us of how dramatically potent a simple getting-to-know-you concept can be with the right insights in both performance and writing.
Jorge: Between Tilda Swinton, Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet, who would say, looking at her respective filmographies, is the biggest risk-taker?
Nathaniel: While Tilda is the greatest iconoclast, I believe that it's actually Nicole Kidman who is the daredevil in terms of how far they're willing to go from whence they came. Tilda emerged from the queer avant-garde and it's part of her character and identity to choose the challenging, the odd, and the androgynous. A real risk for Tilda would be to replace Katharine Heigl in a terrible rom-com and see if she could elevate it. Kate is a major talent who willfully challenged herself in youth with big roles but usually in a very traditional way. Nicole on the other hand came to huge fame as a completely mainstream entity on the arm of the world's (then) biggest movie star only to tear herself free and virtually fling herself off the multiplex cliff at the peak of her fame (2001) to pursue artistic challenge and auteur vesseldom. Did she get a taste for it that she couldn't shake in Eyes Wide Shut (1999) or is she just wild at heart (without being weird on top)?
Luiserghio: Which are your favorite movies about your three favorite topics outside cinema. Example: I love dancing, and one of my favorite movie about it is Billy Elliot... ok, your turn! :)
Nathaniel: Almost all my favorite topics are movie-related (actresses, the movies, movie musicals, celebrity) so right there you've robbed me of my favorite topics. Um... Cats: As a wee child I loved That Darn Cat and was obsessed with Bagheera in Jungle Book but that movie isn't about him and there are far too few great cat movi-- OHWAIT. Batman Returns. Done!; The Theater: Waiting For Guffman and any moment in any film where Judy Garland is like "let's put on a show!" Madonna?: Truth or Dare;
Seeking Amy: What are your thoughts on Madonna's performance in Evita, both in acting and her vocal prowess of the musical material? Oscar Worthy?
Nathaniel: Given that I listed Madonna in my three favorite topics you'll find I'm somewhat biased. At the time before I was writing about movies I was listing about movies and included her in my best actress lineup. But 1996 was such a great year for actresses that I'm not sure I could stick by that today. I mean that Oscar lineup is off the hook. Well done, Oscar. All I know is that I was so happy for her at the time that I didn't even mind that she beat Frances McDormand at the Golden Globes. I do love her vocal work in the movie but mostly I love it because my favorite thing about Madonna is that unlike most celebrities she does not rest on past laurels but continually pushes herself. What other mega-star singer would take voice lessons a decade after becoming a singing superstar -- that'd be like Cate Blanchett taking some acting courses now -- and what other megastar singer would decide she needs to learn guitar after that? Madonna teaches you not to settle.
But I should probably add that I can't even remember the last time I listened to the Evita soundtrack so maybe the thrill didn't age well.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Carlos: With the awesome 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' hitting theaters... what group of actresses would you cast for an all-diva style spy thriller???
Nathaniel: Eeeek. This would be so much fun to cast. I haven't yet seen Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy so I can't do correlative parts but if you're working on espionage thrillers I think you have to have an international cast and your actors have to be over 30 and adept at exuding mystery, intelligence and danger. You also want a few people with chilly or dangerous beauty and who can handle stylization if you want to tilt more towards action or go for the boldness of form of something like a Kill Bill. So I'm going to choose eight actresses without thinking too hard over it and give Ronit Elkabetz and Charlize Theron leading roles (why not?) and fill the supporting cast with... let's see... Gong Li, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tang Wei, Hani Furstenberg (because I was just gawking at her). In super dangerous vivid roles I have to have Michelle Pfeiffer who excels at real psychological danger (see White Oleander) and Mila Kunis (because she needs to explore the dark side she hinted at in Black Swan),
YOUR TURN people... care to answer that question of the week or sound off on another?