Red Carpet: Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington, Kerry Washington, Kerry Washington and Kerry Washington. Perhaps I should explain?

We haven't done a red carpet lineup in awhile and there were a ton of glitzy events this past week. The true marvel was that Kerry Washington went to all of them, from left to right: The Time 100 Gala (Friday, NYC), Washington Correspondents Dinner (Saturday, DC), Mary J Blige Honors Concert (Monday, NYC) and the Costume Gala at the Met (also Monday, NYC). Maybe we'll look at a few more dresses tomorrow -- the Met Gala is annual awesomesauce -- but tonight let us marvel at Kerry's stamina in stilettos. Is this, like, her full time job now?

Someone please hire her for a meaty role / major movie. FACT: In the afterlife all Hollywood power brokers who held great actresses back from the careers they were meant to have will answer for those sins.

Remember when Kerry had that blink and you'll miss her part as blind Alicia in Fantastic Four? Maybe she should have played Multiple Man Jamie Maddox in the X-Men movies instead? She goes to everything!* Note how in one single week she doesn't wear the same color or hairstyle once and even switches it up hourly if there are two events. Note that on Saturday she went to the Pre-Party in for the Washington Correspondents Dinner with loose curls and leopard print top (left with Rosario Dawson -- I couldn't find a full body shot for the lineup, damnit) and then -- moments later? -- she's working a tight braided bun with an Asian influenced gown.

Four red carpet wins in five nights = too much time on her hands. BACK TO WORK WITH HER HOLLYWOOD. Get on that. Force her to stay home a couple of nights, blistering her fingers with all the page turning from that stack of scripts you've just sent her.

What kind or role would you love to see Kerry tackle?

*Nathaniel promises that he does not stalk Kerry Washington. Unless stalking includes Google Alerts in which case... guilty!

Genie Awards: It's "Incendies" and the Red Carpet

Canada's Genie Awards were held this week and Incendies, which you'll remember was up for the Foreign Film Oscar, was the big winner. The "runner up" as it were, the movie that did very well for itself that didn't win the big one, was Barney's Version which was just Rosamund Pike short of sweeping all the acting trophies. Curiously, if you trust photos from the big event the Barney's Version team was curiously absent. That's so uncool when you win that many awards!

Melissa Etheridge performed (anyone know what song?) and here's a photo of presenters Mia Kirshner (more on her in a bit) and Rossif Sutherland. Yes, he's another spawn of Donald Sutherland -- I didn't know there was a post Kiefer! -- he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for a film called High Life. Perhaps he can co-star with Armie Hammer at some point since he appears to be the only other 6'5" actor in their age bracket.

Xavier Dolan's Heartbeats went home empty-handed but at least it won nominations for Pic/Director, Cinematography and Supporting Actress.

Best Picture INCENDIES
Best Director Denis Villeneuve for INCENDIES
Best Actor Paul Giamatti in BARNEY'S VERSION
Best Actress Lubna Azabal for INCENDIES
Best Supporting Actor Dustin Hoffman in BARNEY'S VERSION
Best Supporting Actress Minnie Driver in BARNEY'S VERSION
Original Screenplay Jacob Tierney for THE TROTSKY
Adapated Screenplay Denis Villeneuve for INCENDIES
Editing INCENDIES
Cinematography INCENDIES
Art Direction: BARNEY'S VERSION
Costume Design: BARNEY'S VERSION
Make Up: BARNEY'S VERSION
Original Score: BARNEY'S VERSION
Original Song: "Already Gone" from THE TROTSKY (below. I liked this movie. Did any of you see it?)

Sound: INCENDIES
Sound Editing: INCENDIES
Documentary: LAST TRAIN HOME
Live Action Short: SAVAGE
Animated Short: LIPSETT DIARIES

Special Prizes
The Claude Jutra (this is a debut film prize) Jephte Bastien for SORTIE 67
(Honorable Mention: Peter Stebbings for DEFENDOR)
Golden Reel: (this is a prize for the highest grossing Canadian film) RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE

RED CARPET LINEUP

Mia Kirschner is a dark beauty but I can never ever decide what I think of her acting. I loved the Atom Egoyan film Exotica (the first thing I saw of hers) but I didn't feel fannish until I caught her as a dominatrix in Love and Human Remains. So I thought I was "yes!" on Mia until The "L" Word (hated her on that) so I was blown away by her inchoate despair and haunting of The Black Dahlia (film bitch supporting actress nomination). It seems that my reaction to her is completely dependent on the role/movie which is not something that usually affects me to that degree... i.e. I usually know whether or not I like an actor's work independent of which projects house them. Anyone have any strong feelings one way or the other on Mia?

I can't be the only one who gets freaked out when creepy child stars grew up. Look at Cameron Bright (Birth), now 18, and Jodelle Ferland (Tideland), 16. Yikers. (No, they're not together. I just enjoy my photoshop.) Yes, I know Cameron Bright is in the Twilight movies but I haven't seen them since the first one bored me to tears so to me he's still that creepy boy who tried to seduce Nicole Kidman.

"You're a little liar aren't you?"

I would die to see Sassy Gay Friend take on Birth (2004) but it's too obscure to get that treatment.

Finally there's Best Actress winner Lubna Azabal (who I keep hearing great things about but who is evaded my eyeballs up till now) from Incendies wielding her Genie. The Genie looks like the most dangerous prize this side of Emmy's 'careful or you'll lose an eye' winged she-demon. Oh and Rachel LeFevre she of the booted from Twilight fame.

That's it. Bye!

Pssst. INCENDIES opens in the U.S. on April 22nd.

Red Carpet: Jane Eyre... and Sebastian Stan?

Fassy, Mia and Cary Fukunaga at the NYC premiere

I MUST get to this movie this weekend. If Michael Fassbender as Mr Rochester and Mia Wasikowska as Jane Eyre weren't enough impetus, there are the fine reviews to consider, and Cary Fukunaga in the director's chair. (About that expression: How often do directors actually sit down? I always picture them walking around shouting orders and talking with their hands.) His debut feature Sin Nombre suggested that he was one to watch and he'd also have to go on the imaginary Calendar of Hottest Movie Directors ...though that's neither here nor there.

Did you see Jane Eyre (2011) last night or do you have to wait it out a bit? If not, what did you see / are you going to see this weekend?

These celebrities were also at the premiere to soak in the 29th film version of Charlotte Brontë's classic.

I always wonder why certain celebrities show up at certain things. What's the connection here? None of these people were in Cary Fukunaga's movie or this one. But here's what we imagine as connections: Alan Cumming is also, like Fassy, an X-Man, albeit not in the same installment; Debra Winger and Glenn Close came out to present themselves as cautionary tales for Mia, saying 'Gargantuan talent isn't everything. Win your Oscar* early early early or it never comes"; Rose Byrne is Fassbender's co-star in X-Men: First Class and she goes everywhere Glenn Close goes (at least in the public imagination now thanks to Damages); Sebastian Stan just came out to confuse us since he looks like so many other people.

About Sebs, I know it's probably not the role I'm supposed to associate with him but I have fondness because of his amusing Hathaway-Hate in Rachel Getting Married (2008).

Sebastian Stan, Roslyn Ruff and Hathaway in the great "Rachel Getting Married" (2008)

"Walter" just couldn't play nice with others!

His bit in Black Swan was also incisively wrought. Loved that tetchy 'I can't be bothered to disguise my boredom. It's ballet! I'm just here to get laid' look when the ballerina's day jobs came up. Maybe he's a great actor disguised as an interchangeably good-looking up-and-comer? He is from Romania and they do make good cinema. Yeah, yeah, I know he's also on TV but I can't watch everything.

Captain America and Bucky

Is he good on his TV shows? You tell me. We'll see him next as "Bucky" Robin to Captain America: The First Avenger's Batman as it were.

*I've said this before but it's always worth repeating: The Eighties were BRUTAL for great actresses. Isn't it the single decade (post silent films obvs) with the most never-won-the-Oscar important female stars?

Oscar Gown Clearance Sale!

All dresses must go!! Low low prices !!!

Today is the official last day of Oscar 2010 posting (but for the mandatory podcast on Sunday) so to wrap things up, some random comments and some fashion highs and lows and why we HATE the ubiquitous fashion term "on trend" even when Tim Gunn says it.

But let's start with INDECISION: Sharon Stone, Jennifer Hudson, Marisa Tomei, Mila Kunis... should we love or hate these looks. Help.

Crazy Lady. Weight Watchers Success Story. "Sex Angel" and Dangerous Mila

Mila is giving the evil (smoky) eye in this photo. Who or what is she so pissed about? When the reporters asked JHud what color her dress was we wanted to shout out "If that's red I wanna know what's orange" but she answered tangerine orange which seems correct.

Unbest and Best after the jump. We already covered the nominees (SUPPORTING and LEAD) so they're not included.

Click to read more ...

March of the (Oscar) Penguins

Oscar binge posting. Let's get it out of our systems. No thought must go unuttered. (Oh dear*) Well, until Sunday's podcast. You get it out of your system, too, in the comments!

Hulk and Puny Humans

I selected 9 men for display. You'll have to tell me who you think is best dresed as there's a dizzying amount of variation in men's formal wear. Would you like black with a blueish tint, black with a grayish tint, bow tie, white tie? Long tie? vest? The possibillites are ENDLESS.

Today Mark Ruffalo tweeted...

Hulk Smash. Hulk Destroy. Hulk Cuddle.

He's the only actor I can think of that would convince me to watch The Hulk again onscreen. But we're poll happy lately so let's convert it to suit (haha) this post.

poll by twiigs.com

Mr Penélope Cruz, Peter Parker, The King, Jude Law

So who do you think was best dressed: the Ruffster, Jakey, Armie Hammer, Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr, Javi, Spider-Man, Jude Law or Colin Firth?

Before you decide try not to let that gold shiny accessory of Colin's sway your vote. That accessory always puts people on best dressed lists. Totally unfair advantage.

Yes, there were more men than this at the Oscars but I had to disqualify a few people right up front: Justin Timberlake because his suit looked too big on him; Jesse Eisenberg because he didn't step it up not one notch from previous awards shows; Christian Bale because of the beard; and Jeff Bridges because he's looking more and more like a muppet version of Jeff Bridges*

* There's almost nothing we love more than Muppets but we don't generally think of them as fashionistas. Also: if there is anything we love more than Muppets it is probably Jeff Bridges. Also and: perhaps Nathaniel is taking too many cold/flu medicines?