Posts Tagged Natalie Portman
HAPPY WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY: Celebrity Vegans and Vegetarians [a select list]
Posted by Amy Steele in Celebs, vegan/ vegetarian on October 2, 2012
Alanis Morissette
Alan Cumming
Alicia Silverstone, vegan
Alison Lohman
Amber Valletta
Angela Bassett
Anna Paquin
Anne Hathaway
Rosario Dawson
Betty White
Bryce Dallas Howard, vegan
Brandy
Carrie Underwood, vegan
Casey Affleck, vegan
Christian Bale
Sarah Cracknell (St Etienne)
David Duchovny
Kate Moss
Chris Walla, guitarist, Death Cab for Cutie
Daman Albarn
Christina Applegate
Daryl Hannah, vegan
Tobey Maguire, vegan
Natalie Portman, vegan
Dianna Agron
Olivia Wilde, vegan
Conor Oberst (Bright eyes)
Phylicia Rashad
Jared Leto, vegan
Mayim Bialik, vegan
Usher, vegan
Morrissey, vegan
Fran Drescher, vegan
Eddie Vedder
Erykah Badu, vegan
Ellen DeGeneres, vegan
Julianna Margulies
Kal Penn
Fiona Apple, vegan
Gillian Anderson
Kevin Nealon, vegan
Emily Deschanel, vegan
Michelle Pfieffer, vegan
Woody Harrelson, vegan
Michael Imperioli, vegan
Moby, vegan
Jessica Chastain, vegan
Johnny Marr, guitarist, vegan
Juliana Hatfield, vegan
Kristen Bell, vegan
Lisa Edelstein, vegan
Picks for Academy Award nominations: BEST PICTURE & other nominations
Posted by Amy Steele in Film on January 24, 2011
keep forgetting there are now 10 Best Picture nominees
here’s what I *hope* to see get nominated (ha ha):
Best Picture:
Winter’s Bone
Somewhere
Black Swan
The Social Network
127 Hours
The Kids Are All Right
The Town
The King’s Speech
The Fighter
The Ghost Writer
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Documentary:
The Art of the Steal
Exit Through the Gift Shop**
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
The Oath
Restrepo
acting noms:
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Best Actress:
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right**
Naomi Watts, Fair Game
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Best Actor:
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech**
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ewan McGregor, The Ghost Writer
Stephen Dorff, Somewhere
Jim Carrey, I Love You Phillip Morris
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress:
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter**
S. Epatha Merkerson, Mother and Child
Dianne Wiest, Rabbit Hole
[perhaps: Greta Gerwig, Greenberg]
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actor:
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Christian Bale, The Fighter**
Ethan Hawke, Brooklyn’s Finest
Ewan McGregor, I Love You Phillip Morris
Best screenplay original:
Lisa Chodolenko, The Kids Are All Right**
Sofia Coppola, Somewhere
Robert Harris, The Ghost Writer
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
The Town
Best screenplay adapted:
Ben Affleck and Peter Craig and Aaron Stockard, The Town
Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, I Love You Phillip Morris
David Lindsay-Abaire, Rabbit Hole
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, True Grit
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Best Director
Sofia Coppola, Somewhere
Ben Affleck, The Town
Darren Aronowsky, Black Swan**
David Fincher, The Social Network
Lisa Chodolenko, The Kids Are All Right
CELEBS: Some of my favorite looks from The Golden Globes
Posted by Amy Steele in Celebs on January 18, 2011
Best Actor, Drama-- Colin Firth
–very dashing. sophisticated.
Best Actress, Miniseries-- Claire Danes
–a favorite of the night. excellent fit, lovely color. classic style. Claire might be one of the skinniest actresses I’ve ever seen [interviewed her years ago].
presenter Olivia Wilde
–stunning. Olivia is gorgeous and can wear anything. This dress is amazing.
nominee James Franco
–looks like a plush texture to the jacket. like it. cool guy.
presenter, Matt Damon
–pretty sure this is the most handsome I’ve ever seen Matt look. I like the longer hair.
presenter Helen Mirren
–classy, sophisticated. beautiful.
presenter/icon Jane Fonda
–great hair. attitude. nice silhouette to the dress.
Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas
–dark green is such a perfect color for Catherine and the way this dress flows on her. gorgeous.
Black Swan nominee Mila Kunis
–another fantastic green gown worn by the svelte Mila.
presenter Halle Berry
–Halle glows in this one. I also like that she showed a lot of leg with sophistication.
Best Actress winner Melissa Leo
–fab. just simply great.
presenter Scarlett Johansson
–she looks dewy and so lovely in pink. it’s definitely her color.
nominee Jennifer Lawrence
–the layers on this black and white funky dress really suit Jennifer. her hair is great too.
–a crowd favorite. nice and flowing for maternity.
–hard to say much about most of the guys. I just like Ryan a ton.
presenter Milla Jovovich
–va-va-voom. not many women can pull off this mermaid style.
Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green
–Megan’s make-up is alluring and pink makes her pop. Brian doesn’t look too bad either.
Kaley Cuoco, Big Bang Theory
–The frills on this are just enough to make it fun and flouncy but not too out of control. wish it were blue or a darker color though.
FILM: My thoughts on 2011 Golden Globes
Posted by Amy Steele in Film on January 15, 2011
see the official Golden Globes website for more information.
Best movie — drama:
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
I preferred the psychoanalytical thriller Black Swan versus The Social Network. The former included compelling characters and performances by Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Barbara Hershey. It dealt with pressures, deprivation and isolation often required to truly succeed. The latter is also about success but about a geeky college dropout spurned by a girl who stumbles into an empire to which way too many people have become addicted. Facebook and Mark Zuckerburg don’t particularly interest me. The Social Network tells the story of more white men who belittle and humiliate women on their way to the top. The Fighter wasn’t strong enough or unique enough compared to other triumphant working-class/ athletic stories of past years. It’s no Million Dollar Baby; that’s a certainty. Inception is steeped in special effects and conundrums and riddles. The King’s Speech features the finest acting performance of the year by Colin Firth but I’m not sure that such a small film will carry the Golden Globes.
want to win: Black Swan
will win: The Social Network
Best actress — drama:
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole
I’m torn between Kidman in Rabbit Hole and Portman for Black Swan. While Winter’s Bone is one of my favorite films of all time, I don’t think it’s an award-winning performance by Jennifer Lawrence. She’s young yet. Kidman’s stripped down interpretation of grief is as good as Portman’s escalating example of psychosis.
want to win: Nicole Kidman
Best actor — drama:
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Firth is SO brilliantly flawed and perfect as King George VI in The King’s Speech, how could he not win every award he’s nominated for? While James Franco carried a 90 minute film pretty much on his own in gripping, harrowing fashion, I still like Firth’s chances. Eisenberg is good in The Social Network but I haven’t seen him play much other than a hyper-active nerdy type so far. Plus Firth is the elder-statesmen of this category.
want to win: Colin Firth
Best movie — comedy or musical:
Alice in Wonderland,
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right
Red
The Tourist
want to win: The Kids Are All Right
will win: The Kids Are All Right
The Golden Globes are strange in that there’s the Drama and then Comedy/Musical categories. I didn’t consider The Kids Are All Right to be a comedy. It’s an amazing film that shows the ups and downs of marriage, family and relationships.
Best actress — comedy or musical:
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Anne Hathaway, Love And Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
Emma Stone, Easy A
Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
This is a pretty weak category except for Bening and Moore for The Kids Are All Right. I think Bening inches out over Moore only because she had to deal with more emotionality in her role.
want to win: tie for Bening and Moore? ha ha.
Best actor — comedy or musical:
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love And Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack
I’m going to guess that Depp wins for Alice in Wonderland or Spacey for Casino Jack. I only saw Alice in Wonderland and Love and Other Drugs.
want to win: this category doesn’t matter to me
Best supporting actress:
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Kunis and Bonham Carter are both exquisite in their respective films. Leo just pops in The Fighter.
Melissa Leo in The Fighter
want to win: Melissa Leo
Best supporting actor:
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
Christian Bale in The Fighter
I’m expecting The Golden Globes to be all over the place. No sweeps for any film. Christian Bale was such a stand-out in The Fighter, someone told me he thought he was watching a documentary. Michael Douglas was much better in Solitary Man than Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Garfield and Renner are good but not award-worthy. Rush is impressive as always.
want to win: Christian Bale
Best director:
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter
want to win: Darren Aronofsky
Best Screenplay– motion picture:
Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
want to win: Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
FILM: December Releases
Posted by Amy Steele in Film on December 5, 2010
DEC 10
Black Swan
starring: Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis
directed by: Darren Aronofsky
–a thriller about the competition to replace the prima ballerina.
The Company Men
starring: Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Maria Bello
–drama about three executives whose firm unceremoniously cuts them loose. Filmed in Boston.
The Tempest
starring: Helen Mirren, Felicity Jones, Djimon Hounsou, Russell Brand, Alan Cumming, Chris Cooper
directed by: Julie Taymor
–hoping that the eclectic, all-star cast attracts more people to the works of Shakespeare
The Fighter
starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams
directed by: David O. Russell
–filmed in Lowell, Mass. and based on a true story
DEC 17
Rabbit Hole
starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart
–based in Tony-award-winning play by David Lindsay-Abaire. Directed by John Cameron Mitchell [Hedwig and the Angry Inch], a couple deals with the loss of their son.
DEC 22
Somewhere
starring: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning
written and directed by: Sofia Coppola
–a burned out Hollywood start [Dorff] and his 11-year-old daughter at Chateau Marmont.
Country Strong
starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Leighton Meester, Tim McGraw
–Paltrow plays a country singer-songwriter aiming at a comeback
CELEBS: Natalie Portman carries “book-bag” to BLACK SWAN screening
Posted by Amy Steele in Celebs on December 4, 2010
here are the Olympia Le-Tan book-bags
The Harvard graduate is carrying a Lolita book-bag. Her role in Beautiful Girls, where her character flirted with an older Timothy Hutton, was Lolita-esque.
The Other Boleyn Girl: DVD Review
Posted by Amy Steele in DVD on June 5, 2008
She’s educated and for what? So she may be traded like cattle for the advancement and amusement of men?
–Lady Elizabeth Boleyn
At its core, The Other Boleyn Girl is about sibling rivalry. Two beautiful sisters who have been very loyal confidantes find themselves vying for the King of England’s affections. Fascinating in its details. Everyone knows how the story ends: the beheading of Anne Boleyn [and this is an intensely moving beheading scene]. The Boleyn family is very ambitious. The father and uncle are members of the court and want much more power and have a plan in mind. When Queen Katharine continues to have trouble providing the King with a male heir, they see this as their time to swoop in. As Mary is already married, Anne is introduced to the King but an accident while fox hunting, quickly derails that plan. The King takes notice of Mary and requests that she be called to court to be in service to the Queen. Mary is reluctant to go. She had planned on a quiet life in the country with her husband. Anne is mad and jealous. Mary wants love and Anne wants power. Mary is charmed and seduced by the King enough that she falls in love with him. He tires of her of course as he bounces from woman to woman and after she gives birth to a son, he has already moved on to her sister Anne, who has just returned from France and the Queen’s court there. She is a completely new person, having learned a thing or two from the French and the King takes notice and is genuinely smitten by her.
The film adaptation works beautifully but is sometimes a bit too staid and should either be more serious or campier. Philippa Gregory’s novel certainly has its over-the-top moments. It’s a long, detailed historical novel. At some points The Other Boleyn Girl becomes a real life harlequin romance novel—the initial sex scenes between Mary [Scarlett Johansson] and King Henry VIII [Eric Bana] and then when Henry confronts Anne [Natalie Portman] after she has rejected his numerous gifts, is smoldering. There’s palpable chemistry between Portman and Bana.
While I cannot imagine any other actors in the roles of Anne and Mary Boleyn at this time, are there no British women to play the leads? Two American women [Johansson and Portman] and an Australian man [the sumptuous Bana] have the leading roles in The Other Boleyn Girl. BBC Films is part of the production of the film directed by a Brit, based on a novel by a Brit, and with Brits comprising the supporting cast. So that’s curious.
This is a layered role for Scarlett and her films with Woody Allen [Match Point] surely have prepped her for this challenge because The Other Boleyn Girl certainly has more scope than The Nanny Diaries. Mary is light and the honesty and innocence of her character remain constant in Scarlett’s beautiful, glowing visage. Anne is darker and has mysterious motives for which Natalie possesses the range: the scheming, the jealousy, the confidence, the charms, the madness, the desperation. It’s quite the juicy role and if you liked her performance in Closer, you will enjoy this as well. Kristin Scott Thomas is bold and admirable as Lady Elizabeth Boleyn. Jim Sturgess [Across the Universe] plays it sweet and comforting as the girls devoted brother. After directing Bleak House for Masterpiece Theatre, Justin Chadwick deftly contrasts intimacy and pomp to showcase the Tudor era—several years are covered in two hours. And while a bit choppy, it never jars. There’s a lot of material to get through. The sets and costuming are ornate, colorful and detailed just like everything in the Tudor era. It is much better than Showtime’s The Tudors which I find excruciatingly dull with little charisma. Bana has the chops to play a King. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, not so much. Bana broods, rants and can steam up the screen if need be. Remember how good his was in Munich?
The Other Boleyn Girl is a must-see for anyone who loves a juicy based-in-fact story. Yes, I know that it’s not completely accurate but who cares? The main facts are in there. There’s sex, intrigue, and beheadings. And if Scarlett, Natalie and Eric don’t do it for you, there are exquisite gowns in vivid colors. And plenty of horses.
STEELE RECOMMENDATION: SEE IT!
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The Other Boleyn Girl: Film Review
Posted by Amy Steele in Film on March 4, 2008
She’s educated and for what? So she may be traded like cattle for the advancement and amusement of men?–Lady Elizabeth Boleyn
At its core, The Other Boleyn Girl is about sibling rivalry. Two beautiful sisters who have been very loyal confidantes find themselves vying for the King of England’s affections. Fascinating in its details. Everyone knows how the story ends: the beheading of Anne Boleyn. The Boleyn family is very ambitious. The father and uncle are members of the court and want much more power and have a plan in mind. When Queen Katharine continues to have trouble providing the King with a male heir, they see this as their time to swoop in. As Mary is already married, Anne is introduced to the King but an accident while fox hunting, quickly derails that plan. The King takes notice of Mary and requests that she be called to court to be in service to the Queen. Mary is reluctant to go. She had planned on a quiet life in the country with her husband. Anne is mad and jealous. Mary wants love and Anne wants power. Mary is charmed and seduced by the King enough that she falls in love with him. He tires of her of course as he bounces from woman to woman and after she gives birth to a son, he has already moved on to her sister Anne, who has just returned from France and the Queen’s court there. She is a completely new person, having learned a thing or two from the French and the King takes notice and is genuinely smitten by her.
The film adaptation works beautifully but is sometimes a bit too staid and should either be more serious or campier. Philippa Gregory’s novel certainly has its over-the-top moments. It’s a long, detailed historical novel. At some points The Other Boleyn Girl becomes a real life harlequin romance novel—the initial sex scenes between Mary [Scarlett Johansson] and King Henry VIII [Eric Bana] and then when Henry confronts Anne [Natalie Portman] after she has rejected his numerous gifts, is smoldering. There’s palpable chemistry between Portman and Bana.
While I cannot imagine any other actors in the roles of Anne and Mary Boleyn at this time, are there no British women to play the leads? Two American women [Johansson and Portman] and an Australian man [the sumptuous Bana] have the leading roles in The Other Boleyn Girl. BBC Films is part of the production of the film directed by a Brit, based on a novel by a Brit, and with Brits comprising the supporting cast. So that’s curious.
This is a layered role for Scarlett and her films with Woody Allen [Match Point] surely have prepped her for this challenge because The Other Boleyn Girl certainly has more scope than The Nanny Diaries. Mary is light and the honesty and innocence of her character remain constant in Scarlett’s beautiful, glowing visage. Anne is darker and has mysterious motives for which Natalie possesses the range: the scheming, the jealousy, the confidence, the charms, the madness, the desperation. It’s quite the juicy role and if you liked her performance in Closer, you will enjoy this as well. Kristin Scott Thomas is bold and admirable as Lady Elizabeth Boleyn. Jim Sturgess [Across the Universe] plays it sweet and comforting as the girls devoted brother. After directing Bleak House for Masterpiece Theatre, Justin Chadwick deftly contrasts intimacy and pomp to showcase the Tudor era—several years are covered in two hours. And while a bit choppy, it never jars. There’s a lot of material to get through. The sets and costuming are ornate, colorful and detailed just like everything in the Tudor era. It is much better than Showtime’s The Tudors which I find excruciatingly dull with little charisma. Bana has the chops to play a King. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, not so much. Bana broods, rants and can steam up the screen if need be. Remember how good his was in Munich?
The Other Boleyn Girl is a must-see for anyone who loves a juicy based-in-fact story. Yes, I know that it’s not completely accurate but who cares? The main facts are in there. There’s sex, intrigue, and beheadings. And if Scarlett, Natalie and Eric don’t do it for you, there are exquisite gowns in vivid colors. And plenty of horses.
STEELE RECOMMENDATION: SEE IT IN THE THEATER
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About Me
Journalist/Critic/Writer. Medical Assistant. Vegan. Alternative Gen-Xer. Volunteer. Avid reader. Masters in journalism from Boston University. BA from Simmons College.
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