Revisiting "The Wings of the Dove"

by Cláudio Alves

In 1997, Eduardo Serra became the first Portuguese person to be nominated for an Academy Award. This honor came thanks to his work in The Wings of the Dove, a Henry James adaptation directed by Iain Softley. This piece of trivia was one of the reasons I was so eager to watch the film as I first started to fall in love with movie awards. The other point of interest was Helena Bonham Carter, for whom I had a raging fandom in my early teens. After all, this was also the picture that had earned the actress her first nomination. It should have also won her the statuette. This was the first film I remember looking for with such avidness, going into international sites so I could order a DVD from abroad. 

I fell in love with The Wings of the Dove when I was thirteen, and that passion has only strengthened in the years since. Indeed, every time I revisit it, I find new details worthy of admiration…

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Almost There: Jamie Lee Curtis in "True Lies"

by Cláudio Alves

When announcing his honors for the year's first half, Nathaniel cited Jamie Lee Curtis among his Supporting Actress favorites. If Everything Everywhere All At Once keeps its buzz going into the awards season properly, we might see Curtis among this year's Oscar contenders. This Hollywood princess turned erstwhile scream queen has had a storied career full of outstanding performances, and it's about time the Academy pays her respect. Maybe the reason for her nomination-less state is that Curtis' best work tends to happen when she's playing in genre pictures – comedy, action, and horror. Such is the case of 1994's True Lies, a James Cameron-helmed action-comedy for which the actress got some buzz.

As we wait to see how Curtis' new Oscar hopes pan out, let's look back to the 90s and re-examine the actress' take on the character of Helen Tasker…

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Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Titanic (1997)

by Nathaniel R and other Best Shot participants

As our season finale (series finale, too, at least in this format) we thought 'Why not go down with the ship!!!' The RMS Titanic to be specific. Twenty-five years on James Cameron's Oscar-winning prestige disaster film Titanic (1997) is still giant with audiences and one of those rare movies that "plays" for everyone.

After the jump the choices from the Best Shot club...

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The Honoraries: Samuel L. Jackson in "Pulp Fiction"

We're celebrating each of the upcoming Honorary Oscar winners with a few pieces on their career.

“And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”

by Lynn Lee

If Jungle Fever (1991) put Samuel L. Jackson on Hollywood’s map, Pulp Fiction (1994) made him a star.  With his jheri curl helmet, glowering eyes, and stentorian voice, Jackson’s gun-toting, Bible-quoting Jules Winnfield became an instant icon.  At least, it wasn’t long before high school and college boys of the mid to late ’90s were sporting “BAD MOTHERFUCKER” wallets and reciting his “path of the righteous” speech – without, of course, anything resembling SLJ’s diction or élan.

It wasn’t just him, of course...

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"sweetheart..."

Which Best Actress would you have voted for 25 years ago in the Oscar race?

• Brenda Blethyn, Secrets & Lies (BAFTA, GLOBE, LAFCA, CANNES, BSFC)
• Diane Keaton, Marvin's Room
• Frances McDormand, Fargo (SAG, OSCAR, NBR, CFCA, KCFCC, CCA, SEFCA)
• Kristin Scott Thomas, The English Patient (NBR *supporting)
• Emily Watson, Breaking The Waves (NYFCC, NSFC)

This is why we do Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals here at TFE. It's easier that way! Anyway... 1996 was one of those years like 1950, 1974, 1987, 1995, or 2006 that Best Actress fans will be debating forever. Do you think 2021/22 will be like that or will we look back on the current race as a mild 'coulda been better' one?