Happy 102nd Luise Rainer! Celebrate The Oldest Living Oscar Nominees!

2020 NOTE - Louise Rainer lived to be 104!!! Here's the updated list of list of Oldest Living Oscar Nominees or Winners

The double Oscar winner (The Great Ziegfeld and The Good Earth) turns 102 today!  She's the oldest living Oscar nominee or winner! Her most recent appearance was just four short months ago when she showed up for her star ceremony in Berlin. They now have a "Boulevard des Stars" much like Hollywood's walk of fame and as the only German Best Actress winner (Hollywood and the media who nicknamed her "The Viennese Teardrop" promoted her as Austrian for obvious reasons in the 1930s), she was a natural for inclusion.

happy birthday to you
happy birthday dear Luise,
happy birthday to you
.......and many more ♫

Odets and Rainer in Hollywood. Odets also romanced actress Frances Farmer (as seen in the Jessica Lange picture "Frances")Luise is on record as saying that she doesn't believe in the Oscar curse and her short-lived Hollywood career was her own doing.

"The Oscar jinx! There is no Oscar jinx. I couldn't carry the burden of being the middle of the universe. I had to withdraw and find myself".

My favorite anecdote about Luise is that her husband during those heady Oscar years activist / screenwriter / playwright Clifford Odets (Luise was not his only actress romance) was so furious with her for flirting with Albert Einstein at a party that he took a photo of Einstein and chopped off Einstein's head with a pair of scissors. Hee! But also: flirting with Albert Einstein at a party???. What storied lives those Golden Age movie stars lived. You can read a lot more about Luise's life at this comprehensive unofficial fan site. 

My friend Nick is also discussing Luise's odd legacy and one of her lesser known films today on this historic occassion. As per usual he puts her efforts in brilliant context.

20:11 The Tree of Midnight Bridesmaids

Year in Review Fun!. Herewith the 20th minute and 11th second of the movies of 2011 in chronological order of US release date. It's like flipping channels for snapshots of the film year! For those who like a challenge, I've written the film titles in invisible ink (you can highlight to see them) below the screencap. What kind of memories does this bring back? Do these tiny glimpses make you want to stop flipping channels and watch?

Jan | Feb | March | April

Part 5: May

You're nothing but a boy trying to prove himself a man!"

THOR

Mmmm. Now that... that feels good. That's a good one. That's a good one."

JUMPING THE BROOM... I still haven't made my mind up about Paula Patton. Have you?

Salvation is right here in my very hands. Authenticated by the clergy themselves. Purchase this holy water and keep your loved ones safe..."

PRIEST 

wedding rehearsals, scary fountains, yummy noodles and more after the jump. 

Click to read more ...

Ask Nathaniel... A Brief Test

This post may soon vanish... we shall see. I am thinking of altering the way we do live blogging or Ask Nathaniel Q & A columns so thought I'd monkey around with this to see how it works. Talk to me if you have a minute as I test things out!

Crazy in Link

I Need My Fix Kate Winslet for St. John. I want to bury my hands in that rug. Look at it! So comfy.
The Atlantic remembers the worst January releases in recent memory. Ah, the toxic dumping ground.
Towleroad Madonna's new album will be called M.D.N.A ... maybe. So she said but was she serious?
THR reports from the NBR awards ceremony where Hugo was honored. Their photo gallery is from last year though so save the clicking on that.

IndieWire Catherine Deneuve will be honored at Lincoln Center this spring, receiving the Chaplin Award
Gold Derby The DGA's television nominees include actresses!
AWFJ Female film critics name their award winners with The Artist taking the top prize
Animation A big informative piece on Oscar finalist The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore.
Carpetbagger Jean Dujardin tries to impress Robert DeNiro... who is not easily impressed (at the NYFCC awards)

Guardian much about about nothing. They've closed the Natalie Wood case again in case you were wondering.
Scanners doesn't believe film critics should read screenplays until after they've seen the movie (but is happy to dissect them afterwards (Moneyball & Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). I kind of agree but I keep wanting to read Django Unchained. It is tempting me!
Gunaxin on Oscar nominations that look baffling in retrospect to some. Unfortunately it sounds like they didn't even see Howard's End before dissing it. I cry foul. Howard's End is GREAT. Merchant/Ivory movies get no respect and it makes me so angry. They were great filmmakers and that was the best film nominated that year.

P.S. "Do not weep for Beyoncé..."

BREAKING: Witch Who Granted Beyoncé Fame Returns To Claim Firstborn Child

[maniacal laugh maniacal laugh]

ASC Nominees. Cinematography With the Soldier-Spy Tattoo

The cinematography guild has spoken and, like the Art Directors, Directors, Producers and Writers they're totally packing off for a vacay in the snowy murderous isles of Sweden with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. What the hell is going on over there in Hollywood?* There was once a time, believe it or not, when instant remakes of foreign films were looked on suspiciously (from an artistic standpoint, not a financial one). Even The Departed which won rave reviews and eventually the Best Picture had some early doubters due to its remake nature. And Dragon Tattoo doesn't have those "masterpiece!" reviews. That said Jeff Cronenwerth is an amazing DP and like all of Fincher's films this one is beautifully put together. (We just wish he'd chosen material more worthy of his immense gift is all.)  

The ASC Nominees

• Jeff Cronenwerth (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) 
• Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree of Life)
• Robert Richardon (Hugo)
• Guilliaume Schiffman (The Artist)
• Hoyt van Hoytema (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)

Emmanuel Lubezki, A.S.C., G.E.N.I.U.S.An excellent list all things considered.

I've given up hoping for Emmanuel Lubezki (100% certified genius) to ever win the Oscar and I suspect this year he'll lose again especially because The Tree of Life doesn't seem to have much AMPAS support. I expect the Oscar will go to either Schiffman or Richardson. The whole of the Academy votes on the winners and they often vote on their favorite film as opposed to how it's shot and lit. 

But will these five men carry over to the Oscar nominations? Usually one person is dropped for the Oscar list.

* My three theories
a) Everyone is waking up and going "D'oh!" about The Social Network losing last year. Sorry Fincher!
b) Everyone loves violence against women (sadly this is obvious in pop culture) especially when its got the sheep's clothing of a sort of feminist icon wrapped around it.
c) Hollywood just really likes the movie and its freshest in the memory.