Glee

In less than 30 minutes, Glee: The Power of Madonna will air on Fox. This could go horribly, horribly wrong (like that awful "Vogue" video preview).


Predictions? Or, if you're reading this after the episode, after thoughts?

10 Facts...

I wasn't tagged in this little movie thing-y, but since I've had a lot of time I figured I'd join in on all the movie-blogging...

1. A lot of movies can make me cry. For example: Moulin Rouge!, Forrest Gump, A League of Their Own, West Side Story...

2. I still honestly believe Anna Kendrick should have won the Academy Award over Mo'Nique. That seems to be a lost battle, no? Hopefully one day Anna Kendrick's performance in Up in the Air will get the recognition it deserves.

3. Johnny Depp doesn't excite me as much as he does others. He's given performances I like (hell, some of them I even love) but hearing his name on a cast list doesn't make me want to see the movie any more (or any less for that matter).

4. Musicals rock. I honestly think that Rob Marshall's Chicago was something of a masterpiece - something Bob Fosse would have been proud of. Spontaneously breaking out into song (to further the plot) is amazing. Why don't more movies do it?

5. Kate Winslet kind of bores me. I really enjoyed her in Little Children, but aside from that none of her performances ever wow me, and I've seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The same goes for Meryl Streep. I love her work in Adaptation. But outside of that film, I don't get the big deal. She sure is charming off screen, but I don't always understand the fuss. I also liked her in Kramer Vs. Kramer, but I'm not a huge fan of her "calculated" work in Sophie's Choice.


6. I'm anticipating Burlesque. That is all.

7. I think Zoolander is hysterical. I mean, orange mocha frappucinos? What could be better! I don't think Meet the Parents is as funny. It's just one of those things I suppose.

8. I consider Jurassic Park to be Spielberg's masterpiece. I hate E.T. with a passion, and his other films just can't beat the fact that in Jurassic Park he brought dinosaurs to life. Those things are freaking awesome. I hope the fourth installment in the series happens, and I hope Keira Knightley is still attached.

9. The first Katharine Hepburn movie (fav. actress) I saw was Woman of the Year, which I don't even particularly like. Who knows how I developed an obsession for her?

10. I think The Lion King is Disney's greatest product. If you don't believe me, watch for yourself.

What's A Paltrow To Do?

I'm sure you have all heard the news that Gwyneth Paltrow is dropping out of The Danish Girl with Nicole Kidman. Two of the most media-hated stars together in a movie (and about the world's first transsexual!) was too good to be true.

Gwyneth claims she dropped out in order to spend time with her family (she's married to Coldplay's Chris Martin, you know).

So what's a Paltrow to do? Her career is hardly enviable, with her last big "meaty" role in 2005's underperforming Proof.

Advice: Television. It may seem below you, Oscar winning actress Gwyneth, but I just don't see you snatching these good dramatic parts that we all know you can do. Why wait for something good to fall into your lap again? The roles are few and far between for women of a certain age (you'll be 38 soon!) and we all know that TV is a comfort zone for actresses who get the cold shoulder from the silver screen (Sally Field, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, and this summer Laura Linney).

I could totally see Gwyneth doing some sort of Desperate Housewives series, but not network television. Take Desperate Housewives and turn it over to HBO or Showtime, and I think we have our first Paltrow-success since... since Shakespeare in Love perhaps!

What do you think? Should Gwyneth turn to the small screen, or should she keep trying to find that next big role in cinema?

Lady Gaga

Question of the day...

Lady Gaga. Everyone calls her the "next Madonna," and we all know that Madonna has had an interesting film career, filled with successes (Dick Tracy, Despearetly Seeking Susan, Evita) and flops (Swept Away).

So my question to you, reader(s), is: Will Lady Gaga turn to the silver screen, and if she does how successful will she be? Do you think she could be a good cross-breed of successful multi-platinum pop-icon and actress?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

Sorry

I've had ZERO time to post anything, and I'm afraid next week is probably going to be just as scarce on the blogging. Even this post is short on time, so I'm just going to embed a video that explains itself...

Decade Defining Performances

Somehow or another, each decade there is that one standout performance that trumped everything else for the decade. (I'm talking actressing here, sorry guys!) For the most part they are widely agreed on, with only a few dissenters.

For the 1930s, the big performane is (or seems to be)...

Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind
(with the possibilities of Luise Rainer in The Good Earth or Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night)

For the 1940s, the big performance is (or seems to be)...
Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story
(with the possibilities of Olivia de Havilland in The Heiress or Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity)

For the 1950s, the big performance is (or seems to be)...
Vivien Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire
(with the possibilities of Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard or Judy Garland in A Star is Born)

For the 1960s, the big performance is (or seems to be)...
Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
(with the possibilities of Katharine Hepburn in The Lion in Winter or in Long Day's Journey Into Night)

For the 1970s, the big performance is (or seems to be)...
Diane Keaton in Annie Hall
(with the possibilities of Jane Fonda in Klute or Liza Minnelli in Cabaret)

For the 1980s, the big performance is pretty undisputed...
Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice
(with us non-Streepies the possibilities of Katharine Hepburn in On Golden Pond or Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction or Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys)

For the 1990s, the big performance is (or seems to be)...
Holly Hunter in The Piano
(with the possibilities of Frances McDormand in Fargo or Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry)

But what are the "big" or "landmark" performances of the 2000s? Most would agree that Charlize Theron takes the cake with her work in Monster, but in 20 years will it still hold up? That's what the other performances seem to have in common. They've managed to stay the test of time and have become loved. They're almost always on those "Best of..." lists when it comes to naming superb actresses. So here are some other suggestions for those big performances of the 2000s, the ones that will age splendidly.

Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!
Renee Zellweger in Nurse Betty
Penelope Cruz in Volver
Carey Mulligan in An Education
Joan Allen in The Upside of Anger
Amy Adams in Enchanted
Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven
Tilda Swinton in Julia

Which performance(s) do you think should be remembered as the landmark performance of the last decade?

Romance...

...isn't it great? How many of these films/actors can you name?