Tilda Swinton

DVD Review: Tilda Swinton Mesmerizes in Thrilling ‘Julia’

BrianTT — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:17:02 -0600

CHICAGO – Tilda Swinton, Oscar winner for “Michael Clayton,” gives the best female performance of the year to date in the riveting, thrilling, excellent “Julia,” now available on DVD and one of the best films of 2009 that you probably haven’t seen. The lack of special features on the Magnolia-produced DVD (and its lack of existence on Blu-Ray) is a bet of a let-down but the film is an underrated gem that should find a loyal audience on the home market.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Swinton plays the title character, a woman who has turned alcoholism, self-pity, and general confusion into an art form. Julia is the kind of raging drinker who regularly blacks out and wakes up half-dressed in a stranger’s car. She’s one of those women who always blames the world for not giving her a lucky break but doesn’t recognize that her own decisions are tearing her life apart. And, with Swinton’s remarkable, chameleon-esque ability, Julia is one of the most fully-realized, believable characters of the year.

Julia was released on DVD on August 18th, 2009.
Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

Julia sees what she thinks is the lucky break that fate owes her when a fellow addict (Kate Del Castillo) asks her to get involved in a kidnapping plan. The addict’s son Tom (Aidan Gould) has been taken from her by the system and given to the care of his wealthy grandfather. She asks Julia to kidnap Tom so mother & son can run off to Mexico together. When Julia hears just how much money could be involved in this situation, she decides to hold Tom for ransom herself and starts to dig herself deeper and deeper into a nightmare that no viewer will be able to accurately predict.

Julia was released on DVD on August 18th, 2009.
Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

Watching “Julia” is like watching someone try to dig themselves out of a six-foot hole in the rain. Every time Julia thinks she has a way out of her predicament, she slides back down and deeper into what becomes a deadly nightmare.

Julia is no heroine. She is a damaged, selfish woman and co-writer/director Erick Zonca and Swinton refuse to turn her into the redemption story that so many other filmmakers would have done. You don’t “root for” Julia other than to hope that she doesn’t kill anyone on her downward slide. And while one could easily argue how despicable this woman is, she undeniably keeps herself and Tom alive in some truly deadly situations.

Tilda Swinton is absolutely fearless in “Julia” and riveting in every single scene. She drives a relentlessly paced film that runs 144 minutes but feels half as long and never wavers in one of the most complete portrayals of 2009. If “Julia” had been released by a bigger studio during Oscar season, she would be a frontrunner for major awards, but the film had such a small spring release that it’s unlikely this performance will find the acclaim it deserves. It’s a shame. This is the best performance of an already amazing career.

There are people out there who so deeply damaged and addicted that they are barely getting by on a day-to-day basis but Hollywood has a habit of turning those people into redemption stories. We’ve seen that before. You’ve not seen something like “Julia” before. Some may see redemption in the arc of “Julia,” but the reason the movie works is because Swinton and Zonca leave it up to the audience. You’re not asked to “understand” or even like Julia, merely to stay transfixed by her downward spiral.

With total junk being released in HD, it’s a shame that a film as good as “Julia” isn’t available on the Blu-Ray format. The technical specs on “Julia” are average for DVD, but the special features include merely a few unorganized and commentary-free deleted scenes. “Julia” ends with a remarkable scene and abruptly, leaving viewers looking for more about the making of the film or perhaps a commentary dissecting it. “Julia” deserved better treatment in theaters and on DVD.

Even with the disappointing release, don’t miss the film itself. “Julia” is a true find.

‘Julia’ is released by Magnolia Home Video and stars Tilda Swinton, Saul Rubinek, Kate Del Castillo, and Aidan Gould. It was written by Aude Py & Erick Zonca and directed by Zonca. It was released on August 18th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 20-Image Gallery From Back Stage at 81st Annual Academy Awards

BrianTT — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:12:59 -0700

CHICAGO – This 20-image slideshow contains a selection of the award-winners and presenters back backstage at “The 81st Annual Academy Awards,” which aired on ABC on Sunday, February 22nd, 2009.

Winners and presenters include Dustin Lance Black, Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, A.R. Rahman, Danny Boyle, Christian Colson, Steven Spielberg, Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, Penelope Cruz, Anjelica Huston, Tilda Swinton, Goldie Hawn, Eva Marie Saint, Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Andrew Stanton, Sir Ben Kingsley, Robert DeNiro, Michael Douglas, Adrien Brody, and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited to Adam Larkey and courtesy of ABC. All Rights Reserved.

oscars2009_backstage_01: Dustin Lance Black
oscars2009_backstage_02: Kate Winslet
oscars2009_backstage_03: Kate Winslet
oscars2009_backstage_04: Sean Penn
oscars2009_backstage_05: Sean Penn
oscars2009_backstage_06: A.R. Rahman
oscars2009_backstage_07: Danny Boyle
oscars2009_backstage_08: Danny Boyle
oscars2009_backstage_09: Christian Colson and Steven Spielberg
oscars2009_backstage_10: Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, and Penelope Cruz
oscars2009_backstage_11: Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, and Penelope Cruz
oscars2009_backstage_12: Atmosphere
oscars2009_backstage_13: Anjelica Huston, Tilda Swinton, Goldie Hawn, Penelope Cruz, Eva Marie Saint, and Whoopi Goldberg
oscars2009_backstage_14: Tina Fey, Dustin Lance Black, and Steve Martin
oscars2009_backstage_15: Andrew Stanton
oscars2009_backstage_16: Sir Ben Kingsley, Sean Penn, Robert DeNiro, Michael Douglas, Adrien Brody, and Sir Anthony Hopkins
oscars2009_backstage_17: Penelope Cruz
oscars2009_backstage_18: Penelope Cruz
oscars2009_backstage_19: Penelope Cruz
oscars2009_backstage_20: Dustin Lance Black

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Taraji P. Henson of ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ on Playing Brad Pitt’s Mother

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:11:14 -0700

CHICAGO – It turns out that skipping a “blowout” garage sale she was planning paid off for up-and-coming actress Taraji P. Henson after all, she told HollywoodChicago.com’s Adam Fendelman in a Chicago interview. Not being there netted an even grander sale for her acting career: Henson was cast as Brad Pitt’s surrogate mother in the Oscar-buzzing film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” star Taraji P. Henson in Chicago on Dec. 5, 2008.
Photo credit: Adam Fendelman, HollywoodChicago.com

Rating: 4.0/5.0

The film, which was adapted for the screen by Eric Roth and is based on the 1920s short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, stars Brad Pitt opposite Cate Blanchett with Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton. It’s a curious film indeed about Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) who ages backward. He’s born old and grows youthful.

For Henson, auditioning for the part of Queenie (Benjamin Button’s surrogate mother) was as long of a shot for her as the Earth is to Pluto. But prior to the audition, the film’s casting director already had her in mind based on Henson’s 2005 performance in “Hustle & Flow”. That film won her a Black Movie Award for her supporting role as well as a Black Reel Award for the same. She won a BET Award in 2006.

Even if the industry still hasn’t recognized Henson for her “Hustle & Flow” performance, her 18 episodes of “Boston Legal” from 2007 to 2008 as Whitney Rome or her role in 2007’s “Talk to Me” with Don Cheadle, Henson says after this press tour and upon release of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” “you will surely know me now” and know how to pronounce her Swahili name, too.

Matthew Henson, by the way, is the co-discoverer of the North Pole and is Taraji P. Henson’s great great cousin. She jested: “That’s where I got my survival skills.” Henson has been talked about as a potential nominee for the upcoming Academy Awards in a relatively weak category for actresses in a supporting role.

Once Henson overcame the incredulity of landing a role she viewed as a moon shot, she describes the adapted script from Eric Roth (who also wrote “Lucky You,” “The Good Shepherd,” “Munich,” “Ali,” “The Horse Whisperer” and “Forrest Gump”) and the direction from David Fincher (“Zodiac,” “Panic Room,” “Fight Club” and “Se7en”) as having come to fruition through “bold choices”.

“It was very bold for Eric Roth to choose to make Queenie an African-American woman who was the surrogate mother to Benjamin Button – a white character – which would have been very unusual at the time with what was happening in the country with race,” Henson said.

Taraji P. Henson (left) stars as Queenie with Brad Pitt (right front) in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.
Photo credit: Merrick Morton, Paramount Pictures

She added: “It was a bold choice for David Fincher, too, as it was something very different from what we’re used to seeing him direct. It was even a very bold choice for Brad Pitt in that it’s a not-so-glamorous role for him (even though some how he pulls it off).”

“That’s what intrigued me most,” Henson said. “I consider myself an artist who takes chances and risks in my work. I like to surround myself with people who do the same. I honestly didn’t think I had a chance to get this film.”

Taraji P. Henson stars as Queenie in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.
Photo credit: Merrick Morton, Paramount Pictures

Her “serious” garage sale had jewelry and racks of clothes with hangars she bought to hang up the garments. Henson even turned her tae bo kickboxing bag into a mannequin. While she initially was upset about having to stop what she was doing to audition for a role she thought she’d never get, after the audition Henson learned the film’s casting director had her in mind for this character from the beginning.

Still, she thought Fincher wouldn’t take her seriously, and even if he did, the studio certainly wouldn’t and would want a “bigger star”. Henson describes the all-too-common situation of a film and its studio seeking choices that’d most likely lead to financial gain for the picture rather than riskier choices that can help to assure a quality film.

“I’ve been in this game for a minute now. I’ve been down this road before. Big feature film. Big names. Big director. They want big names all across the name. They think I don’t have an audience because I haven’t been in a big blockbuster film. There are people in the industry who aren’t so creative. They’re number crunchers.”

She added: “You have not-so-creative people making creative decisions. I didn’t think I had a chance because I know the industry doesn’t consider me to be a name and I don’t have box-office draw.”

In describing the work ethic of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett and her conversations with them between takes, Henson said she didn’t talk much with them about work. She added: “We’re all parents and we live in between takes. We talked about normal stuff then like kids and life. We didn’t talk about our acting processes.”

In terms of Henson’s preparation for her role, she said she didn’t do much research.

“I already am a mother and have always been a nurturer. Even when I was a child, I never played with Barbie. I couldn’t stand Barbie because she had too much,” Henson said. “But I liked playing with the baby dolls and being the mother. The animatronic baby I’m acting with in the beginning of the film was right up my alley because I was doing that as a little girl. It took three puppeteers to operate it.”

RELATED SLIDESHOW
27-image slideshow for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.

RELATED READING
More writing from critic Adam Fendelman.

In terms of why we’re seeing so many adapted movie scripts these days based on beloved stories and fewer original screenplays, Henson again tags the reason as one that’s “safer” financially.

“They feel safer with best-selling books – like ‘Twilight’ and the Harry Potter films – because they already have an audience. They’re already seeing audience money. It’s harder for an original idea,” she said.

Henson added: “They don’t see money because it hasn’t been done before. You have to go in the back door and be the little engine that could to prove it – like ‘Hustle & Flow’.”

In retrospect, the opportunity cost of Henson’s audition paid off in spades. She concluded: “Thank god I canceled that garage sale.”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which is directed by David Fincher and was adapted for the screen by Eric Roth based on the 1920s short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton. The film opens on Dec. 25, 2008.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Burn After Reading’ Hilarious Movie, Horrible Blu-Ray

BrianTT — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:23:27 -0700

CHICAGO – It’s impossible for a critic to thoroughly defend something he finds funny but fully realizes that a large majority of the audience may not. Sometimes a film just hits your funny bone in right way. “Burn After Reading” does so for me, but may not for audiences without a little bit of a mean streak.

Fitting snugly into the Coen Brothers’ resume of slightly-demented comedies, “Burn After Reading” disappointed audiences expecting “No Country For Old Men 2”, but like “Raising Arizona”, “The Hudsucker Proxy”, and “The Big Lebowski”, should have an extensive life on the home market.

Every time the Coens have made a “serious” movie, they’ve followed it with a lark of a comedy. “Arizona” came after “Blood Simple”, “Hudsucker” followed “Barton Fink”, and “Lebowski” was an odd choice after “Fargo”. They’ve all thrown audiences for a loop. It happened again with “Burn After Reading”, a dark, vicious comedy about people who think they understand espionage because they’ve seen a lot of spy movies. The Coens have often been accused of making fun of their characters and I’ve usually defended them as laughing with their lead. Not this time. They’re laughing at these morons.

The morons in question include an all-star cast headed by Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, J.K. Simmons, and John Malkovich. The entire ensemble is clearly having a blast and it’s infectious. Some critics were upset at not being able to find the deeper meaning in a story about a disc of government secrets that makes its way into the hands of some stupid fitness experts. Guess what? There is no deeper meaning. That’s the point. Just have fun with “Burn After Reading”.

Perhaps Universal knows they have an eventual cult hit and held back the special features for an inevitable special edition but that kind of double-dipping is getting really old. Universal has been consistently releasing the most comprehensive and well organized Blu-Rays of the season, so we’ll forgive “Burn After Reading” as the exception. Special features? Three lonely featurettes - “Finding the Burn”, “DC Insiders Run Amuck”, and “Welcome Back, George” - don’t really qualify as “special”, especially considering they run less than twenty minutes COMBINED.

“Burn After Reading” does include Universal’s BD-Live functionality that allows viewers to cut their favorite scenes and send them but this common addition doesn’t really qualify as a special feature. It’s really just bookmarking with an internet connection.

Technically, “Burn After Reading” looks and sounds great with a 1080p HD Widescreen transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and an audio track an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Both the video and audio won’t be used to show off new home theaters, but are also never distracting.

Universal clearly intended the Blu-Ray release of “Burn After Reading” to be a rental. If they wanted more purchases, they would have put more effort into the special features. Luckily, the movie itself is funny enough to make the dearth of bonuses easier to overlook.

‘Burn After Reading’ is released by Universal Home Video and stars Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich, J.K. Simmons, David Rasche, and Richard Jenkins. It was released on December 21st, 2008.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Packed With Picturesque Majesty, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian’ Fights Nobly For ‘PG’ Rating

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:51:53 -0600

CHICAGO – For the life of me, I couldn’t exorcise it from my head. Amid all the splendor of such a picturesque film, this one question was like a gnat I couldn’t swat: “Is this really rated ‘PG’?” Indeed, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” is rated “PG”. But that didn’t come without great scrutiny and much editing.

For starters, Walt Disney Pictures contractually required the filmmakers for the epic film to achieve a “PG” rating. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) granted it following a wide array of amendments.

For example, director Andrew Adamson (who also directed “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” in 2005, “Shrek 2” in 2004 and “Shrek” in 2001 and wrote “Shrek the Third” in 2007) changed a scene with a fallen helmet to make certain it didn’t contain a decapitated head, according to the Los Angeles Times on May 4, 2008.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” in our reviews section.

View our full “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” image gallery.

After showing the film to young audiences and gauging their reactions, Adamson in fact made copious edits. Adamson said in a May 15, 2008 interview published on NarniaWeb.com:

“When you sit down and you’re watching it and you see the kids’ faces while making the film, you’re just making an attempt. You’re making it exciting. You’re doing all these things because you’re essentially making the film for yourself. When you start showing it to an audience, that then influences how you feel about the film.”

While the “PG” rating for the recently released “Speed Racer” felt more like an opportune financial decision, the rating for “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” instead felt an appropriate artistic decision. Props go to Disney and Adamson for pushing its importance.

Buy Posters at AllPosters.com

Despite “Troy”-like fight scenes, this was nothing like the ingenious bloodshed in “300” or the blood-spattering good time in “Gladiator”. In fact, aside from a dribble on a face or two here and there, there was no blood at all. As well, much of the brutality was implied.

Instead of swinging a sword and showing the final result, the film merely illuminated the intent without the follow through.

The decision didn’t detract from the purpose in the slightest, and along with making it more appropriate for younger audiences, it issued a renewed faith that Hollywood can spit out a money-generating product without having to spew gallons of blood and blow stuff up.

The MPAA says a “PG” film “should be investigated by parents before they let their younger children attend. The rating indicates … that parents may consider some material unsuitable for their children and parents should make that decision. There may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity.”

Liam Neeson (the voice of the lion Aslan) along with Georgie Henley (right) in “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian in “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Read Adam Fendelman’s full “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” review.

80th Academy Awards Headlined By ‘No Country For Old Men,’ ‘There Will Be Blood,’ ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:50:43 -0700

CHICAGO – “No Country For Old Men,” “Juno,” “Once,” “Atonement,” “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Ratatouille,” “The Golden Compass,” “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” “La Vie en Rose,” “Michael Clayton” and more headlined the 80th Academy Awards on Feb. 24, 2008.

In total, “No Country For Old Men” led the pack with four Oscars followed by a surprising three for “The Bourne Ultimatum” and two for “There Will Be Blood”. A complete list of all 2008 Oscar winners at the 80th Academy Awards is found below. All image credits go to Oscar.com.

Best Picture:
Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen for “No Country For Old Men”

Best Director:
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for “No Country For Old Men”

Best Original Screenplay:
Diablo Cody for “Juno”
The HollywoodChicago.com interview with “Juno” writer Diablo Cody can be found here.

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for “No Country For Old Men”

Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis for “There Will Be Blood”

Best Actress:
Marion Cotillard for “La Vie en Rose”

Best Supporting Actor:
Javier Bardem for “No Country For Old Men”

Best Supporting Actress:
Tilda Swinton for “Michael Clayton”
The HollywoodChicago.com interview with “Michael Clayton” director Tony Gilroy can be found here.

Best Art Direction:
Dante Ferretti (art direction) and Francesca Lo Schiavo (set decoration) for “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

Best Cinematography:
Robert Elswit for “There Will Be Blood”

Best Film Editing:
Christopher Rouse for “The Bourne Ultimatum”

Best Original Song:
“Falling Slowly” from “Once” (music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova)
The HollywoodChicago.com interview with “Once” director John Carney and stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova can be found here.

Best Original Score:
Dario Marianelli for “Atonement”

Best Sound Mixing:
Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis for “The Bourne Ultimatum”

Best Sound Editing:
Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg for “The Bourne Ultimatum”

Best Visual Effects:
Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood for “The Golden Compass”

Best Costume Design:
Alexandra Byrne for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”

Best Makeup:
Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald for “La Vie en Rose”

Best Animated Feature:
Brad Bird for “Ratatouille”

Best Animated Short Film:
Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman for “Peter & the Wolf”

Best Documentary Feature:
Alex Gibney and Eva Orner for “Taxi to the Dark Side”

Best Documentary Short Subject:
Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth for “Freeheld”

Best Live-Action Short Film:
Philippe Pollet-Villard for “Le Mozart des Pickpockets” (“The Mozart of Pickpockets”)

Best Foreign Language Film:
Stefan Ruzowitzky for “The Counterfeiters” (Austria)

Host Jon Stewart marked one of this year’s surprise moments when he offered for “Once” co-star Marketa Irglova – initially cut off by music – to return to the stage and deliver her acceptance speech. That speech has made its way to YouTube and can be seen below.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Analyzes 10 Oscar Contenders For Best Supporting Actor, Actress

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:37:32 -0700

CHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com film critic Adam Fendelman has analyzed the 10 nominated contenders for best supporting actor and best supporting actress (five in each category) and reveals his selections for the top prize. Hosted by Jon Stewart, the 80th Academy Awards ceremony will be presented on Feb. 24, 2008.

Best Supporting Actor Nominees

Casey Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford”
Adam Fendelman says: Everyone remembers who assassinated Jesse James, but no one recalls who mowed down Robert Ford shortly thereafter. While Casey’s delivery of the spineless character might indeed embody Ford with authenticity, he ultimately shoots himself in his own back with a laissez-faire performance.

Ben Affleck (left) and brother Casey Affleck on Oct. 10, 2007 at the
Chicago International Film Festival premiere of “Gone Baby Gone”.
Photo credit: Adam Fendelman, HollywoodChicago.com

Javier Bardem, “No Country For Old Men”
Adam Fendelman says: No words necessary. The Oscar goes to Javier. (Disclosure: More words in this space only waste your time. We instead decided for no-nonsense brevity and award the haunting and brilliantly chilling villain with no contest. If the academy deviates from this path, something’s seriously gone awry.)

Javier Bardem in “No Country For Old Men”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Adam Fendelman says: We empathize for him here. After devouring the best-actor cake for “Capote,” the reality is he’s always brilliant and doggedly steals the show whether or not he’s in a lead or supporting function. The only reason he falls short in this category for this year is because he’s ousted by Javier Bardem.

Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Hal Holbrook, “Into the Wild”
Adam Fendelman says: As if he’s not actually acting, you absolutely feel his pain when denied a beautifully benevolent offer to father the family fearing Emile Hirsch. We wish two Oscars could be dished out here, and if the academy does side with him, it’ll be not only because of this performance but also his body of work.

Hal Holbrook on Jan. 26, 2008.
Photo credit: WireImage.com

Tom Wilkinson, “Michael Clayton”
Adam Fendelman says: We take back the reverie for two Oscars in this category. There should actually be three equally shared between Javier, Hal and Tom. Wilkinson’s spot-on performance as an insanely intelligent but nonetheless insane maniac is one of the year’s most memorable and clearly defined supporting men.

Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Cate Blanchett, “I’m Not There”
Adam Fendelman says: We know the rules. Of course an actress can score the winning nod both for best actress and best supporting actress. Because we so resiliently have Cate winning the best-actress statue for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” our chips are all in on the academy being distracted for awarding her doubly.

Cate Blanchett on Jan. 26, 2008.
Photo credit: WireImage.com

Ruby Dee, “American Gangster”
Adam Fendelman says: We have no shame confessing that we looked her up to see who the heck she was. Yes, she played Denzel Washington’s tough-loving mama, and we do grant props for her crack at slapping straight his gansta’ ways. You can’t take the chow outta the dog, of course, and this film’s entirely overshadowed by him.

Ruby Dee in “American Gangster”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Saoirse Ronan, “Atonement”
Adam Fendelman says: With two award wins and eight nominations, being recently born in 1994 is only a testament to Saorse’s burgeoning talent. She has a piercing way about her, and while her Oscar run will only go as far as a supporting-actress nomination, keep a vigilant eye on this one to take the big trophy in the future.

Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Amy Ryan, “Gone Baby Gone”
Adam Fendelman says: Oh. My. God. We can only assume Wikipedia’s not in a joking mood in its entry for Amy Ryan, which is a third justifiably comprised of lines actualizing the fact that she is nominated for this award by eight societies and actually won – we repeat loudly: WON – from 19. We can’t argue here with the masses.

Amy Ryan on Feb. 3, 2008.
Photo credit: IMDb

Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton”
Adam Fendelman says: While she has cutthroat competition in this year’s category from Amy Ryan, her delightfully shady character and bona fide ways as a high-powered, high-paid corporate snake earn Tilda Swinton a well-deserved first Oscar nomination. She’s just one penny short, though, for the big ticket.

Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Discuss this on our discussion boards here!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com