Best Actress 2006:Kate Winslet in Little Chidren

First of all, Kate Winslet is probably my favorite actress ever. I just think she's brilliant. And all of her nominations (Except for The Reader) all made my favorite nominees list's. And this is one of her best performances. She plays Sarah Pierce, a bored housewife and bad mother who feels trapped by her husband and the horribly perfect suburban housewife's in the neighborhood. But then she meets Brad, a stay at home dad, who without thinking, hugs and kisses Sarah, shocking the other women in the park. She and Brad develop a friendship with him and her daughter and his son also become friends. They soon begin an affair, but Sarah knows that she can't bear it being like this for long and she longs have a permanent life with Brad. What a tricky role to play! We could despise Sarah for having an affair and for not being a good mother and not care about her at all, but Winslet makes us care and we are even fascinated by Sarah. It's a very subtle performance and Kate is so real and believable. She makes us feel Sarah's emotions so wonderfully. I love the moment when after finishing her daily run, she sees her friend at the door and we feel her happiness at seeing her. It's a great moment. I also really like the part when she is gazing at Brad in the swimming pool, her eyes filled with desire and fascination. Both she and Patrick Wilson work well together, even though Wilson isn't very good overall, in my opinion. Sarah is the center of the film and Winslet is the one we care about the most.I remember reading in Entertainment Weekly in the article when the Oscar voters say who they're voting for that one voter said that Winslet was able to get inside of her character which is what acting is and that is a perfect way to describe it. Overall, a beautiful performance, by an amazing actress, in a great film (which is an even better book!) which gets

Best Actress 2006

The nominees were:
Penelope Cruz in Volver

Judi Dench in Notes On A Scandal

Helen Mirren in The Queen

Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

Kate Winslet in Little Children









Kate is first. Who do you think is the best?

Judy Garland in A Star Is Born (performance review)

After having been fired from MGM, legendary singer and actress Judy Garland decided to have a comeback and to do it, she proposed to do a remake of the 1937 film A Star Is Born. Judy plays Ester Blodgett (Her name is changed to Vicki Lester once she becomes an actress) a singer who is traveling on a tour with a male band. After saving Norman Maine, a washed up movie star who drinks too much, from public embarasment, she and the band practice at a local nightclub. She sings "The Man That Got Away", which becomes the theme of the film. Let me just say that this is one of the most moving songs you'll ever hear. Just enchanting. And the way Judy sings it, just wow. Norman realizes that she has great potential to become a star and he promises her to get her a screen test at the studio. She eventually does and when a star backs out of the picture, she is cast instead. Both she and Norman attend a preview of it, which of course, is "Born In A Trunk". This is just a stunning showcase for Judy. She does everything in this number. And that final "In Pocatella, Idaho" is mindblowing. I mean, how did she do that? After that, Vicki has offically become a star. She and Norman get married and she is nominated and wins an Academy Award. But the drunken Norman upstages her speech and embarasse's her and everyone. We then see her working on a production number for the film she is working on. After that is over, she takes a break in her dressing room and her boss comes to see her. During this scene, Vicki completely breaks down since Norman's drinking problem has gotten so bad that he has to go to a facility to cope with it. This is a devastating scene. What I like most about it is all the conflicting emotions that Judy conveys. Sadness, biterness,anger, desperation, hope. And it's brilliantly acted by her. After Norman is arrested after being released, she decides to quit pictures and move out of America with Norman, hoping that this will make things better. Her boss tells her that Norman is empty and that he will never be what he once was. Norman overhears this and shortly after, commits sucide. Heartbroken, Vicki holes up in her house and refuses to speak to anyone. But she is convinced by her old band member that she is doing what Norman dreaded. Wasting her career. She decides to go to the benefit at the Shrine and before she sings she states "Hello everybody. This is.... Mrs Norman Maine". A truly heartbreaking moment, perfectly delivered by her, and is followed by a standing ovation, which is the end of the film. Overall, one of the best performances I've ever seen and one of the Academy's biggest mistakes. Grace Kelly was great, but snubbing Judy was a crime. But Judy now has something greater then the Oscar. She is loved and remembered all over the world and her talent will always be cherished

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