Winslet in Little Children

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rudeboy
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Post by rudeboy »

Little Children is probably the strongest of Winslet's last three nominations, but that's not to say she's all that good, and the film itself is lousy.

Sorry, Sabin but I thought Somerville was unbearably shrill and annoying in the film.

My favourite performance in that film by far - one which should have been nominated for all its brevity - was Jane Adams' wonderful cameo.
Sabin
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Post by Sabin »

I think Meryl Streep would've won. 2006 was a year were the five nominated lead actresses felt truly locked in a couple months before the nominations were announced. I don't see anyone on the outskirts that could've really posed much of a challenge. My pick was Judi Dench. I think she's more fun in Notes on a Scandal than she'd been in years. Cruz would've been my second choice, but neither one had much chance. Cruz just made it look a little too easy. Were Mirren not in the race, it would come down to Winslet or Streep. I think Streep had the right kind of role to win. Little Children was pretty much afterthought by November, while The Devil Wears Prada was an incredibly popular hit with a newly re-beloved grand dame in a scene-stealing role.

That being said had Million Dollar Baby been released in the Spring of '05 as initially planned, I think Winslet would have won for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Which means Martin Scorsese would have won for The Aviator and potentially that film would have beaten Sideways for Best Picture. And Clive Owen would have gone up against Thomas Haden Church for Best Supporting Actor. I think Winslet winning in '04 is the far more preferable alternate reality. I remember watching Little Children and not thinking much of anything I was seeing. I didn't think much of her in Revolutionary Road OR The Reader either though.
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flipp525
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Post by flipp525 »

I couldn't find a category to put this comment in, so I just started my own thread. Forgive the Sunday indulgence.

Was just watching Little Children last night and I think Kate Winslet earns her nomination with the Madame Bovary book club scene. It's incredible. The movie is problematic, but I think her performance is a great one, even if she's too pretty to believably play Sarah. If it hadn't been in the year of La Mirren, what a more worthy performance (and film) to have finally brought her the Oscar. Just thinking about The Reader, I get nauseous. What an embarrassing project and performance -- the original Kidman casting would've slightly elevated the whole thing. Who better to play a former Nazi?

Phyllis Somerville was robbed of a nomination.




Edited By flipp525 on 1261334654
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