First #1 in 2009

The fantastic Lady Gaga has the first #1 song in 2009, for her fantastic single "Just Dance". I would surely recommend getting her entire cd "The Fame" because it is wonderful. Lady G beat out Beyonce, Britney, the Jonas Brothers, and David Cook for the top spot. Thank God!

Tilda mistaken for a man

In a recent interview the amazing Tilda Swinton says she often gets mistaken for a man. Hilarious .. i looove her. Here is the excerpt:

"I am out with my two sons (11 year old twins Xavier and Honor) and people think I am their father. In American hotels especially I get called sir all the time. Its fine though because I am relatively tall, I don't wear makeup, and I often wear my hear short. My son Honor wears his hair long, and we're often called father and daughter. I like being a man though. It's fun. Often there are poetic and creative moments in androgyny. Thats me."

You know what I say Tilda? Hot one way or another.

Daily Amy 2: Still selling .. HUGE

Amy Winehouse is still selling like MAD. Her album, "Back to Black" was the #2 best selling album worldwide in 2008. It sold 5.1 million copies last year. Thats a pretty huge feat, seeing that the album was released in 2006! She was #1 in 2006 worldwide, number 4 in 2007, and somehow she has climbed back up to #2 in 2008. The album is now certified triple platinum, the highest an album can become. Now were ready for the next album Amy!!

Oscar Hut's top 10

The Oscar Hut has a different top 10 list which I like. Its the first time Ive seen Doubt in the top spot, and good for them. Here is the list:

BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR

honorable mention: Cloverfield

10 - Revolutionary Road
9 - The Reader
8 - Milk
7 - The Dark Knight
6 - Changeling
5 - Vicky Christina Barcelona
4 - Wall-E
3 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2 - Slumdog Millionaire
1 - Doubt

CineSnob's best films

The official Cinema Snob has listed his top 10 best AND worst lists of the year. And yet again the Wrestler takes the top spot. Here are the lists:

BEST OF THE YEAR
10. Let the Right One In
9. In Bruges
8. WALL-E
7. Doubt
6. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
5. The Visitor
4. Frost/Nixon
3. Revolutionary Road
2. Slumdog Millionaire
1. The Wrestler

WORST OF THE YEAR
10. 88 Minutes
9. The Love Guru
8. The House Bunny
7. Mister Lonely
6. Fly Me to the Moon
5. You Don’t Mess with the Zohan
4. Made of Honor
3. Meet Dave
2. First Sunday
1. Mirrors

Film Experience Top 10

A great Oscar webpage, the film experience, has listed their top 10 films of 2008, and its a great list. Here it is, as well as their top 5 performances:


BEST PICTURE

honorable mentions:
Burn After Reading
Changeling
Let the Right One In

10 - Vicky Christina Barcelona
9 - A Christmas Tale
8 - Happy-Go-Lucky
7 - In Bruges
6 - Milk
5 - Reprise
4 - Wall-E
3 - Rachel Getting Married
2 - The Class
1 - The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
1 - Meryl Streep - Doubt
2 - Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
3 - Angelina Jolie - Changeling
4 - Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
5 - Melissa Leo - Frozen River

BEST ACTOR
1 - Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
2 - Sean Penn - Milk
3 - Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
4 - Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
5 - Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST S. ACTOR
1 - Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2 - Phillip Seymore Hoffman - Doubt
3 - Josh Brolin - Milk
4 - Robert Downey Jr - Tropic Thunder
5 - James Franco - Milk

BEST S. ACTRESS
1 - Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
2 - Viola Davis - Doubt
3 - Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
4 - Kate Winslet - The Reader
5 - Taraj P. Hensen - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Brad speaks on the Jenn Mess

Brad Pitt has responded to the "uncool" and "mean" comments from Jennifer Anniston when reguarding Angelina Jolie in the latest W magazine spread he appears in. Here is what he says:

"What people don't understand is that we filmed for a year. We were still filming after Jen and I split up. Even then it doesn't mean that there was some kind of dastardly affair. There wasn't. I'm very proud of the way that it was handled. It was respectful. Listen, man, Jen is a sweetheart. I think she got dragged into that one, and then there's a second round to all that Angie versus Jen. It's so created. We still check in with each other. She was a big part of my life, and me hers. I don't see how there cannot be. That's life, man. That's life."

Good for Brad.

Daily Amy: Targeted by Terrorists

File this under so unbelievable but true. Amy Winehouse has been named as a "terror target" on a hit list compiled by Islamic extremists according to newly released information reguarding the ongoing Isreaeli invasion in Gaza. The list compiles, and I quote, "A list of top Jews that we can target. These Jews are powerful and should be targeted immediately." These anti-jewish activists are called Ummah, and on their online forum the list has been posted (also containing Marc Ronsons name as well). Glen Jenvey, a British anti-terror expert, told the Sun newspaper: "The Ummah website has been used by extremists. Those listed should treat it very seriously. It would not be out of question for those listed to expect a hate campaign and intimidation by 20 or 30 thugs. This is certainly very serious." Oh my God.

Get fit with Mel B

Wanna get in shape for the new year? What better way to do it than with the sexy ripped Melanie Brown, aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice. You can purchase the workout vid at: totallyfit.com available Feb 3rd. Here is what Mel has to say about the vid:

"For anyone with jubbily bits, I'm going to tighten you up, make you laugh and enjoy your work out no matter what level of fitness you are!"

BAFTA Nominations

The British Academy of Film and Television has listed its LONG list of nominees. Here's the deal - they have listed the 15 strongest contenders from their first vote - then they will vote again for the top 6. Then they will vote again for the winner and the runner-up. Lots of voting. I LOVE IT!

BEST FILM
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight ”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“In Bruges”
“I’ve Loved You So Long”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“Wall-E”
“The Wrestler”

DIRECTOR
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight ”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Hunger”
“In Bruges”
“I’ve Loved You So Long”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“The Wrestler”

ANIMATED FILM
“Kung Fu Panda”
“Persepolis”
“The Tale of Despereaux”
“Wall-E”
“Waltz With Bashir”

LEADING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro - “Che Part One”
Brad Pitt - “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Christian Bale - “The Dark Knight”
Colin Farrell - “In Bruges”
Dev Patel - “Slumdog Millionaire”
Frank Langella - “Frost/Nixon”
George Clooney - “Burn After Reading”
Javier Bardem - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Josh Brolin- “W.”
Leonardo DiCaprio - “Revolutionary Road”
Michael Fassbender — “Hunger”
Michael Sheen - “Frost/Nixon”
Mickey Rourke - “The Wrestler”
Richard Jenkins- “The Visitor”
Sean Penn - “Milk”

LEADING ACTRESS
Angelina Jolie - “Changeling”
Anne Hathaway - “Rachel Getting Married”
Cate Blanchett - “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Frances McDormand - “Burn After Reading”
Kate Winslet - “Revolutionary Road”
Kate Winslet - “The Reader”
Keira Knightley - “The Duchess”
Kristen Scott Thomas - “I’ve Loved You So Long”
Meryl Streep - “Mamma Mia!”
Meryl Streep - “Doubt”
Nicole Kidman - “Australia”
Penelope Cruz - “Elegy”
Rebecca Hall - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Sally Hawkins - “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Scarlett Johansson - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Brad Pitt - “Burn After Reading”
Brendan Gleeson - “In Bruges”
David Kross - “The Reader”
Eddie Marsan - “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Heath Ledger - “The Dark Knight”
John Malkovich - “Burn After Reading”
John Malkovich - “Changeling”
Josh Brolin - “Milk”
Kevin Bacon - “Frost/Nixon”
Peter O’Toole - “Dean Spanley”
Philip Seymour Hoffman - “Doubt”
Ralph Fiennes - “The Duchess”
Ralph Fiennes - “In Bruges”
Ralph Fiennes - “The Reader”
Robert Downey Jr. - “Tropic Thunder”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams - “Doubt”
Charlotte Rampling - “The Duchess”
Elsa Zylberstein - “I’ve Loved You So Long”
Emma Thompson- “Brideshead Revisited”
Freida Pinto - “Slumdog Millionaire”
Judi Dench - “Quantum of Solace”
Julie Walters - “Mamma Mia!”
Kathy Bates - “Revolutionary Road”
Marisa Tomei - “The Wrestler”
Penélope Cruz - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Rebecca Hall - “Frost/Nixon”
Tilda Swinton - “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Tilda Swinton - “Burn After Reading”
Vera Farmiga - “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
Viola Davis - “Doubt”

Hooray. Changeling is the film which racked up the most nominations. It was nominated for: Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Makeup, Best Hair, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Score, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor, and of course Best Actress. 14 nominations! GREAT!

2 terrific shows RETURN!

Celebrate! This week 2 of my favorite shows return to television, on the same channel! FX! Tonight is the return of NIP/TUCK with season 5 opener, and tomorrow is the amazing DAMAGES! Here are some previews for both .. you better be watching:

Kathy allowed back

First she was banned from the View. Then she was allowed back. Then she was even considered to replace Rosie Odonnell as the moderator before Sherri Shepard and Whoopie Goldberg joined. Then she was RE-banned (of which she was very excited). Well Kathy Griffin wins again, as she is now allowed back on The View. She will be a guest on the show next week! This marks her first ex-re-ban. Congrats Kathy!

Producers Guild Nominations

If there is one award list to look at to predict the nominees of Best Picture, it is the Producers Guild nominations. They have mimiced the oscar list for 7 out of the past 10 years, 5 for 5. Here are this years nominees:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

The award of course is given to the prodcuers of the film.
I have seen 3 of the films (still need to see Frost/Nixon and Slumdog).
My ratings for the 3 I have seen are as follows:

Curious Case of Benjamin Button (**1/2 out of ****)
The Dark Knight (*** out of ****)
Milk (**** out of ****)

#1 in Performink

Performink, Chicago's #1 theatre source, has named No Darkness Round My Stone (a show which I loved being a part of at the Trap Door Theatre) the number one show of the year!!!! Hooray!

Liza a triumph!

Liza's new Broadway show: Liza at the Palace, has been a HUGE success. So much so that she sold out the HUGE palace and added 5 more dates, past her scheduled closing day so that all the fans can see. It has recieved critical lauds from every New York critic in attendance, and is a surefire bet to win best one person show at this years Tonys. You can hear it for yourself on Feburary 3rd when Liza at the Palace will be released on a double cd.

Courtneys new album haunted

Courtney Love had slated to release an early version of her new cd "Nobodies Daughter" on her website CourtneyLove.com on New Years eve. However the date has been changed to next month because of "paranormal events". Courtney's producer had this to say:

"The studio that Courtney and her band were using to record had some paranormal technical issues and had to be moved from one studio to another studio right around the holidays due to some technical sound issues that Beinhorn, who is a master and a genius, was not happy with. The team faced problems like being unable to hear between the guitars and the acoustics were also out of control, it was as if a ghost was inside the boards. We also heard laughing coming from empty corners of the studio. It was all around a scary night."

WEIRD!
i want the cd

R.I.P. Eartha Kitt

The saddest news in a long time was last weeks passing of Eartha Kitt at age 81 of pancreatic cancer. Eartha Kitt was a legend dammit. And she will be missed by everyone. What a talented actress, singer, and icon. Here, in her memory, are some great eartha moments for you all to enjoy!

Daily Amy 4: Amy Saves the Day

The Sun is reporting that Amy saved a little boys life today on the beach. Really! While frolicking on the beach with her new boyfriend, Amy noticed that a little boy had picked up a nut that had fallen from a tree, it was a large cashew nut. Somehow Amy knew that the nut was poisionus, which it turned out to be: the nut was still in its husk and the husk is covered in cyanide-type acids. Amy ran over to the boy and took the nut from him and told him not to eat it because it was bad for him. The boys parents thanked Amy and took him to the hospital to make sure everything was okay, the boy is fine, and now Amy is considered a local hero!

Daily Amy 3: Topless Again

Amy was spotted again topless yesterday in St. Lucia, her body is looking nice, she looks much more healthy. I will leave some space if youre at work and or dont wanna look at tits....

Daily Amy 2: Life After Blake

Amy Winehouse seems to have found a new beau of sorts while her extending vacation in the sun at St. Lucia continues. She has been pictures multiple times with the hottie pictured here. His name is Joshua Bowman and he is a rugby player. The two have spent 4 consecutive days on the beach together, swimming, walking, holding hands, and playing volleyball. They were even spotted eating dinner together at an oceanside resort. Bowman was quickly interviewed by the UK Daily Mail and had this to say about Amy:

"She's just a cool girl, very nice, and we're just very friendly. She's a good laugh – she is such a lovely girl and on great form. I can't say much more than that."

Winehouse's UK rep Chris Bowman had this to say about Amy's vacation:

"She has been enjoying herself on her break and meeting lots of new people. There are many like-minded people there having extended breaks. Amy is a friendly person and very sociable and behaving exactly as I would expect her to do. She has consciously been trying to eat better and get fitter for some time now and it is beginning to pay off."

She's doing good folks!

Daily Amy: Free of Court

Amy Winehouse has settled a 2007 drug charge today, which is a big step to being clear of all charges. She was in Norway and was found in posession of marijuana in 2007 while on tour, and she and her soon to be ex husband Blake, were jailed overnight and since then the charges have been pending after Amy paid the 415$ fee to get them out of jail. Amy was summoned to appear in court today, however she has withdrawn her appeal of the case and accepted a fine which will erase the court drama. Paying the fine she automatically has pled guilty, which may hurt her future chances to cross the seas and tour in the US. The good news, the case is history, and Amy will face no jail time.

End of the Year Theatre Awards

At the end of 2008 all the local Chicago publications released some top 10 and best of lists for all the theatre in Chicago and some of my shows won accolades and mentions, so here they are:

NEW CITY CHICAGO

BEST SHOW OF THE YEAR: No Darkness Round my Stone
MOST MEMORABLE SHOW BY A SMALLER THEATRE TROUPE: Termen Vox Machina

WINDY CITY TIMES

BEST SHOW OF THE YEAR: Termen Vox Machina
BEST SET DESIGN: No Darkness Round My Stone

ON CHICAGO THEATRE
BEST SET DESIGN: Termen Vox Machina

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button




The new collaboration of genius director David Fincher (who directed the marvelous Fight Club, among many others), a short story by my favorite writer of all time F. Scott Fitzgerald, and some of my favorite actors Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton, certainly had me very excited. Add onto my own curiosity of the film, it is receiving major awards buzz and is likely to be nominated (if not win) best picture of the year at this years Oscars, if you believe those who predict such things. I can say this - I have seen better films already this year (and I haven't seen all of the Oscar hopefuls yet) and I imagine I will see better ones in the weeks to come. That is not to say Benjamin Button was a bad movie, that's the furthest from being correct. However it is a curious movie which left me all at once wowed and disappointed.

The story, is certainly one which merits a 3 hour running time. It is the story of Benjamin Button, who was deserted at birth on the steps of an old folks home run by a kindly African American woman named Queenie. Whereas the boys parents were frightened and disgusted by the boy, Queenie takes him in as her own, expecting he doesn't have long to live. The newborn Benjamin resembles an 80 year old arthritic dying man. And we soon learn that he is living his life in reverse. The story is told through the diary of Benjamin himself, read by the daughter of his dying love Daisy. As you can tell this is intriguing stuff, told in a bit of a sappy manner. The film chronicles the reverse life of Benjamin and the many people who come in and out of his very strange story. The mainstay is Daisy, whom Benjamin meets early on, and becomes his one true love. She weaves in and out as well, as they both struggle to cope with the fact that as one is growing older, one keeps growing younger. Also in the film are other lively and interesting characters including a tugboat captain who considers himself quite the artist, an old man who has been struck by lightening one too many times, a spys wife who longs for love and secretly desires to swim the english channel, Benjamin's dying and regretful father, and african who spent part of his life locked up in a zoo cage with animals, an elderly woman who sings opera precisely at the same time every morning, a kind piano teacher, a clock maker, a daughter who has never known her father, a hurricane, and a hummingbird. As you can see, there is a lot going on.

Although the film actually didn't seem overlong to me, regardless of the almost 3 hour run time, Benjamin Button surely didn't need all these side stories. The one that sticks out the most is the rowdy tugboat captain who introduces Benjamin to the sea and the pleasures of a womanly kind. A young (old) Benjamin joins the crew and stays with them for the middle part of the film, which allows him to go to war and fight in the navy - none of this lends itself to the core of the film, which I believe is the love story between Benjamin and Daisy. In fact, the love story suffers from all the side stories, in my humble opinion. All stories have a begining, a middle, and an end: in Benjamin Button we get ONLY that. We see when Benjamin meets Daisy. They are children, obviously very different, but have an odd connection. We don't really know why Daisy befriends a 3 foot tall elderly looking man in a wheel chair, but she does. Then we see Benjamin pursue Daisy in New York, as she has grown older and become quite the dancer. Here Daisy is cold and even cruel to Benjamin, she is full of herself and barely lets him get a word in. Yet he still wants her, why we do not know for sure. Then we meet them again in the later stages of a relationship where it seems they truly fall in love (this is mostly in montage format so we just see them move in together, see them make love, see them interact .. we dont really know why). And then, worried about the prospect of the soon to be born child of their romantic trysts Benjamin leaves again, afraid of fatherhood as he knows he will resort back into a child. He leaves so easy - so fast, in the middle of the night with only a note on the vanity. Daisy doesn't chase after him, she merely watches him leave. You would think a love that breaks all barriers (which the film has set it up to be) would at least put up a fight as yet again one of them walks out. It is a muddy depiction at best. This is my biggest problem with the film, because being a film about love - it surely doesn't radiate much emotion.

However, outside of that storyline, there are some true gems in Benjamin Button. For example the relationship between Queenie (Taraj P. Hensen) and Benjamin (Brad Pitt) is quite touching. I don't know anyone that could sit in the theatre when Benjamin returns home to his mother from the long trip on the sea, and not smile from ear to ear. The first half of the film is leaps and bounds the best aspect of the film. As Benjamin grows up (grows younger) he meets his most interesting characters. The elderly people in the nursing home all bring something interesting to the table and to his life. And when he ventures out to sea and is stuck in a hotel, the movies most intriguing story takes place. (Note: I love Tilda Swinton, and my love for this section of the movie is only due in a very small part to her wonderful addition to the screen) Benjamin meets Elizabeth Abbott, a lonely wife who is married to a Russian spy. He meets her in the hotel lobby and they strike up quite the secret affair. It begins with late night escapes to the kitchen for tea, and then heightens as they enjoy caviar and vodka, and tell each other their wants and desires. Here Daisy is gone, the stories of the sea are put on pause, and we get a movie within a movie. I honestly believe the story of Benjamin and Elizabeth could have been a movie on its own, and a good one at that. However the story is allotted to about 20 minutes of screen time.

The acting all around is superb. The film couldn't breathe without the fantastic performance of Brad Pitt. Here he is truly at his best. The art of being subtle is one that many actors have troubles with, but Brad says so much throughout the film without uttering many words. And when an actor creates a living and breathing portrait from under old age makeup and CGI, it is truly a special performance. He is the life behind the film, and gives the best performance. Cate Blanchett is one of my favorite actresses and will never turn in a bad performance, however in this film she was rather irritating at times. Over an hour into the film, I couldn't stand Daisy. So much so that I leaned over to Nicholas and said: "I hate her". However she grew on me as the film went on. And as Daisy aged into the old woman on the bed that narrates most of the film, I came around and loved Cate again. The supporting players are all good with special exception to Taraj P Hensen and Tilda Swinton, who are extremely memorable and likeable. (This is honestly one of Tilda's most likeable performances ever).

Lastly, I couldn't help but compare this film to another best picture winner of the past. Forrest Gump. So much so that I believe the film could be renamed The Curious Case of Benjamin Gump. Lets look at the comparisons: Outcast lead, rebellious yet loveavle love interest, kind mother, shrimp boat vs. tug boat, the war, a child, etc etc. Although I think "Button" is the better film, it does fall into those very cliche corny pratfalls that made me dislike "Gump". At times it has the made for tv movie feel to it. The use of the hummingbird at 2 pivitol moments almost made me want to scream aloud (I won't ruin it for you), and Daisy on her deathbed I felt was a little overdramatic and uninteresting way to tell the story. For such an original piece of material I found this a stereotype of the "epic" film which Oscar loves. However there are those moments in Benjamin Button that are truly magic. The CGI work all around is magical, the acting phenomenal, and the scene where an old Daisy rocks infant Benjamin to sleep very well may be one of the most powerful images on screen this year or any other.

Although it was not a huge success for me, it truly had moments that warrant it the attention it is getting. But overall, as a film, I think it fell victim to the "Show instead of tell" method of filmmaking. I felt I saw too much, and didn't quite understand why the connections in the film were as strong as they seemed. It's certainly one for you to see for yourself, as Nicholas loved it. Maybe I'm out of the loop, but for now, I will call this an overrated almost masterpiece.

*** out of *****

National Society of Film Critics Winners

Waltz with Bashir recieved top honors from the National society of film critics, however it was Happy-Go-Lucky who won the most awards. Here is the full list, including the top 5 choices and how many critics gave each the number 1 slot:



BEST PICTURE
1. Waltz with Bashir, (with 27 votes)
2. Happy-Go-Lucky (with 20 votes)
3. WALL-E (with 19 votes)
4. Frost/Nixon (with 8 votes)
5. The Wrestler (with 7 votes)

BEST NON-FICTION FILM
1. Man on Wire, (with 55)
2. Trouble the Water (with 34)
3. Encounters at the End of the World (with 26)
4. Religulous (with 6)
5. Day and Night (with 4)

BEST DIRECTOR
1. Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky (with 36)
2. Gus Van Sant, Milk & Paranoid Park (with 20)
3. Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire (with 16)
4. Woody Allen, Vicky Christina Barcelona (with 13)
5. Clint Eastwood, Gran Tourino and Changeling (with 9)

BEST ACTOR
1. Sean Penn, Milk (with 87)
2. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler (with 40)
3. Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino (with 38)
4. Richard Jenkins, The Visitor (with 17)
5. Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (with 4)

BEST ACTRESS
1. Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky (with 65)
2. Melissa Leo, Frozen River (with 33)
3. Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy (with 31)
4. Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married (with 10)
5. Angelina Jolie, Changeling (with 7)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
1. Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky (with 41)
2. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (with 35)
3. Josh Brolin, Milk (with 29)
4. James Franco, Milk (with 6)
5. Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Doubt (with 2)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
1. Hanna Schygulla, The Edge of Heaven (with 29)
2. Viola Davis, Doubt (with 29)
3. Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (24)
4. Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler (with 16)
5. Amy Adams, Doubt (with 7)

Daily Amy: Back to Beach

Amy Winehouse just keeps looking better and better. She was photographed again on the beach in St. Lucia, where she is having an extended vacation. She was playing volleyball, swimming, and laughing with friends. She drank from a large water bottle and appeared in great health. One onlooker said: "In all the years I've followed Amy, Ive never seen her more healthy, happy, or have more energy. She's acting her age. She's a young girl. And now she is really having fun."

Keep it up girl.