Yes, No, Maybe So: "X-Men: First Class"

The trailer has arrived.

Travel back in time with me to the late 70s. Yes, I know the movie we're about to discuss takes place in the early 60s. But I wasn't alive yet and neither were many of you. Wee Nathaniel was alive in the 1970s (shut up!). Jump forward to Christmas 1979. In Nathaniel's Christmas stocking, the greatest gift he'd known until that time: The Uncanny X-Men #129. He tore through the pages, died right on the spot from joy and went to heaven. The End.

The point is this: no matter how many bad superhero movies may come, no matter how glutted the superhero genre becomes at the movies, no matter how many bad X-Movies arrive (Hi, X-Men 3 and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. You suck!) Nathaniel will always be susceptible to Charles Xavier and the School For Gifted Youngsters. He will always hope that the movies will ever capture the magic of those first comic books. He will always be glad that Bryan Singer's X-2 (the second or third best superhero movie ever made) nearly managed it in a few scenes.

To this point the X-Men movie series has ignored The Hellfire Club, who were all introduced in this very (personally sacred) issue that changed my young life. I was a junkie thereafter for mutants, comic books, and spectacularly-bodied superheroines like Storm & Phoenix and spectacularly-bodied ice queens like Emma Frost, The White Queen. Kitty Pryde was also introduced in this movie but she was only 13. (Even then I preferred the older ladies. Storm and Phoenix were probably only 20 or something but to me that was ADULT. anyway.... reign it in. geezus!

This time the movies are going there, Emma Frost (January Jones) and all.

X-Men: First Class trailer and further anxiety after the jump! Wheeeee

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11 SAG Shots. Drink Up.

Since there is so little to parse anymore in terms of awardage, herewith a brief visual survey of SAG moments that lingered -- reaction shots mostly (fashion roundup still to come.)  During live blogs it's hard to discuss all the minutae. Particularly when you need pain killers. Anyone we always wonder what it's like to sit in the room, fully aware that the camera is constantly seeking you out. It must be excruciating madness for the camera hogs and the weirdly shy ones alike. Does anyone even nibble at their food?

Can Anyone Lip Read?

I never want to be able to lip read so much as when I'm watching awards shows. Something inconsequential had just gone on onstage and Andrew Garfield turns and chats with Jesse Eisenberg. Whatever could they have been talking about? If you can lip read, you must transcribe all these awards shows for us. Please and thanks.

Sometimes, particularly with emphatically earnest stars you can tell. After Juliana Margulies thanked her husband effusively, Hilary Swank says...

.

"THAT WAS SO SWEET."

You could even make out the emphasis on the "so"... I bet she even sighed audibly after like "Awwww." I couldn't make out who she was saying this too but at another table Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban smiled at each other knowingly. Hmmmm.

Camera Tricks?

Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman wree onstage introducing the clip to Black Swan and when the clip ends they pan the Black Swan table and they're sitting right there. How could a pregnant woman move that fast? Are they still doing those "head replacement" visual fx?

Mila and Natalie are so foxy. Speaking of...

Her Favorite Husband
Hugh Dancy, Hugh Dancy's Tongue, and Friend of Hugh Dancy (this shot is for Darryl)

He was reacting to Claire Danes singling him out as her favorite man and favorite husband as the music drowned her out.

Two Actresses Who Deserve a Good Gig

Since Christopher Guest does not make a movie at even close to the same speed as the Woody Allens and Clint Eastwood's of the world, why doesn't some sharp genius television creator give Catherine O'Hara her own series? You know she would ace it and make a character as memorable as Nurse Jackie or Valerie Cherish or other sitcom greats. And speaking of underemployed... Robin Wright was glowing. She hasn't looked this good since... well, ever. This new Robin Wright puts even The Princess Bride to shame. Look at her. What the hell happened? She looks 10 years younger and it sure doesn't look like surgery.

Mad (Wo)Men

It was not a good night for Mad Men as Boardwalk Empire became the new shiny toy of awards groups. Jon Hamm looked totally defeated when Buscemi won ("am I ever going to win anything for creating one of television's most iconic characters?") and when Christian Bale won for The Fighter we got this strangely frosty frozen shot of January Jones. After this split second she let her bottom lip drop a little, moving from frozen robot to sultry robot. But either way, she nails the frost in Emma Frost.

Speaking of Frosty...

This moment when barely anyone applauded for The Social Network and Andrew Garfield shrugged his shoulders 'you can applaud if you want' stuck a knife in me and twisted it. And not in the happy "omg. i died!" way. Just after that Justin Timberlake said something about the microphone volume so I guess there was a technical snafu in the room and [self delusion] there was actually thunderous applause from the crowd who must surely know that The Social Network is something the industry ought to be very very very very proud of and will SURELY know that it will be embarassing if they don't hand it "Best Picture". [/self delusion]

Now we need to cheer up...

Finally, Three Best Actress Reaction Shots.
Adieu Adieu to you and you and you...

Annette Bening looked genuinely happy all night -- but how silly is it that they always cut to the Bening-Beattys "Hollywood Royalty" whenever anyone over 60 is talking from the stage? Bening's joy in her own work and her movie is heartening since Her Majesty ain't ever winning an Oscar. Sigh. Nicole Kidman was a little embarrassed that they chose her single loudest moment in a quiet performance I think. But she also seemed happy. She never has any luck with "clips". Remember when they used her bizarre Three Stooges ready noisy-boudoir moment in Moulin Rouge! as her Oscar clip? Jennifer Lawrence giggles at her clip. I've already forgotten what her character Ree Dolly (Winter's Bone) was saying in the clip but it was some specific turn of phrase that was as regionally specific as Luke Skywalker bitching about Toshi Station Power Convertors on Tattoine. And just as alien, too.

Bye!

Red Carpet: DGA Girls

Last year's winner Kathryn Bigelow with Tom HooperI'm so excited for SAG tonight.

Oh foolish me! I know it's just going to be another love-in for The King's Speech. But while we wait it out, live-blogging starts at 7:00 PM, let's gawk. I was going to display each of the Directors nominated but David Fincher zoomed outta there the second they announced Hooper's name (apparently he had a 6 AM wakeup call for Dragon Tattoo. God, he's burning the candle at both ends attempting to film during the awards season circus. It's impossible to assume that he isn't happier on set anyway.) So there was no way to matchup of Director photos.

What's more the press photos are often shot from below for some reason giving everyone double chins. Not a good look for most people.

Still, to get you in the mood for what will surely be a more colorful red carpet tonight at SAG, here are the women who showed to support their directors or perhaps just to be seen. Smart actresses know that becoming a director's muse is practically the master key to screen immortality. It's the quicket way to unlock that particular door.

80s Starlet, 90s Starlets, Eternal Starlet

Elisabeth Shue will always hold a special place in my heart but this dress is too Cougar Town for me. Cougar Town before it found its groove as Cul de Sac (never mind. TV reference). I always forget that she's married to director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for 'Superman') until I see them at these events. Do you think she ever pretends that Guggenheim's Oscar is hers from Leaving Las Vegas?

poll by twiigs.com

Remember when Claire Danes and Julia Stiles were going to be huge film stars? Julia's ruffly relaxed gown is a huge improvement on her saloon girl look from the Globes, don't you think? I do have an honest question about Danes. She's been working events for Temple Grandin for what seems like a full year now. Just how much mileage is she expecting to get from that and, however much that is, wouldn't she have gotten it already? Why hasn't she been working since really? Weighing offers? Waiting for them?

Finally... Dame Helen Mirren. You know every director with a generic 20something bimbo on his arm is insanely jealous of Taylor Hackford deep down inside.

Burton's muse, Ree Dolly, Mother and Daughter-in-law

Helena Bonham-Carter toned it down from the Globes but is still unmistakably Helena Bonham-Carter. Bless.

Jennifer Lawrence is 20 years old. We have to keep reminding ourselves because she's working these red carpets like she wants to be look like either a Kidmanesque goddess or a very high priced call girl. Doesn't this look scream "If you have to ask how much, you can't afford to pay."

Finally, The Fighter girls. Do you think Melissa Leo will continue her winning streak tonight or will Amy Adams throw down using the SAG stage as her new front porch. Leo's been giving good speech for weeks but each time she's on the red carpet it's like she's still trying to decide what her look is. Remember that unironic early 70s retro look at the Oscars for Frozen River? Then the sexy suit at the BFCA's. Then the classic safe black shiny look at the Globes?  This is... someone else entirely. I don't remember Diane Keaton being in The Fighter!!!

Red Carpet BFCA

Tonight the Golden Globes come and wash all memories of previous precursors away leaving basically only Oscar butterflies and mounting campaigns in their wake. So before they arrive, one last look back at the BFCA "Critics Choice" by way of the red carpet. I was wrong about the fuchsia being the color story -- the NBR threw me off -- as it seems like this year is going to be sedate with creams, whites and blackzzzz. But perhaps someone will go all bold red or crazy rainbow or something tonight at the Globes. 

Mystique, Lily, Sister of Dakota, Category Fraud

Comment Questions for y'all

1. Do you think Jennifer Lawrence is pissed that Mila Kunis and Hailee Steinfeld stole all her Hot New Must Have Actress buzz as precursor season revved up? I'd still be surprised if she was snubbed in Best Actress but not as surprised as I would have been.
2. Don't you think Mila is just biding her time till the Oscars. Obviously she has it in her to steal the show so why not steal the red carpet? We're waiting...
3. Elle Fanning's look: 70s Granny Ice Skater? I'm confused.
4. Best Dressed Here: Jennifer, Mila, Elle Fanning or Hailee?

God, Amazon, Freakshow, Belle of the BallMore blacks and whites.  More questions!

1. Does anyone look better in a plunging neckline than Julianne Moore? She's been favoring that look (on occassion) since the 90s and it still looks sensational on her.
2. Is Tilda Swinton's look an homage to Mildred Pierce or just plain ol' 'it's the Critics Choice I can't be bothered. Here, this unironic 80s look will do' (?)
3. Helena's purse: Hilarious, Obnoxious or 'The Rest of My Look Is Fairly Sedate For Me (For Me) And I Want You To Remember That This is Helena Bonham Carter You're Looking At!'?
4. How far along is Natalie Portman? We assumed it was earlybut she's already wearing flowing no-waist gowns and plump cheeks .

Her Majesty, Best of His Generation, Julia & Amy

We end with a random assortment about which we have no questions other than this: Isn't it disappointing that nobody has time to talk about how amazing Ryan Gosling is in Blue Valentine? There's only so many celebrities that can get omgtheirperformancechangedmylifeiwanttohavetheirbabieswhooooooo type praise each year, but he definitely should have been one of them, don't you think?

Recommended Reading "They're Off! Let the Second Guessing Begin"
The New York Times guesses what the stars will wear to the Globes tonight.