Kirsten Dunst: Girl with a Devilish Smile

Kirsten is one of my favorite contemporary actresses. She has been in the business a long time and easily one of the best actresses working today. Consistently excellent, the one thing the Dunster her trouble with is connecting with commercially successful roles. Don’t get me wrong, she has had her fair share of hits – though not in the same stratosphere as Jennifer Lawrence or Amy Adams, for instance.

What sets Kirsten apart from both Lawrence and Adams is that she broke out when she was still a child, in her amazing performance as an immortal, child-vampire in “Interview with a Vampire”. Her ability to convey a woman in a child’s body was eerily on the mark, decades before “Let the Right One In”. Even her kiss with Brad Pitt was convincing, which she said at the time was totally gross.

Dunst would make many more memorable, star-turning roles in “The Virgin Suicides”, “Bring it On” and “Little Women” but none truly catapulted her back into the spotlight until “Spider Man” opposite Tobey Maguire. Dunst as love interest Mary Jane to Spidey was truly inspired casting and secured Dunst as a bankable star in her own right.

With Big Box office comes opportunity in Hollywood and Dunst used her new clout to make several smaller, important films. Most recently she portrayed a depressed bride at the end of the world in Lars Von Triers’ “Melancholia” a role that she fully-committed to and was met with critical raves for the young actress.  She was even able to survive Von Trier’s near career-suicide at the Cannes Film Festival when the film debuted. Having grown up in the business, the savvy Dunst is able to navigate the media as easily as she can a choice role.

One of the more curious movies Kirsten has been in recently is 2012’s “Upside Down” a lavish, visually intoxicating love story set between two worlds who share the same atmosphere – yet different gravity, literally. Dunst was luminous in the film, as she always is, but there was something missing. It was a perfect example of a director and co-star not being able to keep up with a leading lady whose very on-screen presence is more stunning than any special effect. And while the film was lackluster, Kirsten makes the film worth watching just to bliss out on her face for 2+ hours.

I can’t wait to see the German born American actress in her next star turn, whatever that may be. And my wish for her in 2014 is to connect with the right role that will make audiences realize just how amazing she is. No offense to Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams but Kirsten was here first. And she’s going to be around a long, long time after many of her contemporaries have come and gone.

Kirsten in a more serious mood.

A more playful mood by the pool (very patriotic, too).

And one of my favorite glamor shots of the classic, timeless beauty!

 

Amy Adams: Magically Enchanting

How adorable is Amy Adams?

Adorable enough to be a major movie goddess and still accessible to mere mortals.  Adorable enough to withstand the pressures of Hollywood and still be a nice, beautiful person. That’s how adorable she is.

I love this photograph of her.  Amy looks sweet and natural as an ocean breeze. She exudes warm fuzzies. And behind the beautiful eyes burns an actress with intelligence, wit and comedic timing the likes of Meryl Streep. That’s right – I just invoked Streepdom on Ms. Adams.  Mark my words, she’s going to be around as long as Meryl – doing more dramatic roles while keeping up her comedic chops.

A Hollywood actress has to be very smart and lucky in today’s overcrowded, media-crazed world. Her persona has to be close enough to her own personality not to become engulfed by nasty headlines and even nastier paparazzi who wouldn’t mind destroying someone for a quick money-grab. I don’t know Ms. Adams but the way she manages to stay above the fray makes me think she’s an honest-to-goodness serious actress who just wants to be taken at face value. And what a face she has.

And now Amy is playing a totally sexy and intoxicating femme fatale in David O. Russell’s next film after the smash success of “Silver Linings Playbook.” Look at the transformation above. Amy has channeled the 70’s so completely with the perm and the sequined, silver halter top. But it’s the look she give the camera that makes me shiver. She’s come into her own totally in the last few films – she commands the screen in a way I never would have imagined with her earlier, fluffier work. Since “The Fighter” Amy has shown she’s got acting chops galore…and not afraid to use them.

But to look at this picture of her – she really doesn’t need me spouting off about her virtues on screen or off. I just wanted to let everyone know that I think Amy has the potential of being as ever-present onscreen in ten years as she is right now in 2013. And for a working actress in Hollywood, that’s quite a magic-trick.

Jennifer Lawrence: Catching Fire All Over Again

Jennifer Lawrence is the complete package. She is the “It” Grrrl of the decade. Her face is luminous as is her acting. Her off-screen personality is irreverent and sexy. She’s 22 years old and she has Hollywood and the world by the tail with a hit, Oscar-worthy performance (Silver Linings Playbook) and a global franchise (Hunger Games) to keep her afloat for the next 5 years. It’s enough to give anyone a big head but Jennifer remains grounded with friends and family. For now, you say? True. But I have faith in Miss Lawrence. Simply because she’s simultaneously fearless and self-effacing at the same time.

I didn’t really understand how versatile Jennifer was until I saw ‘Silver Linings’.  She was that movie for me. And when you have Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro rounding out the cast, well, then she’s got what it takes times ten. To be so young, so talented and so sought-after is often a dangerous thing in tinseltown. They’d rather chew you up and spit you out as fast as they can make a buck off you rather than nuture an actress’s career for the long haul. So many actresses hit big and are seen everywhere one year – only to fade into oblivion long before their true potential is tapped. I’m hoping that Jennifer is smarter than this (I think she is) and surrounds herself with astute, centered management. Because it would be a shame to not have Jennifer be the new Meryl. Not that there is anything wrong with the old Meryl.

So here’s to Jennifer winning gold this Sunday at the Oscars and the beginning of a beautiful friendship with the silver screen. She’s off to a great start with both Silver Linings and Hunger Games, the latter of which would never have made an impact without her singular performance. Just goes to show that once in awhile a standout actress can make oodles of money and still have the acting chops to turn in stellar character-performances like she did in Winter’s Bone. That’s range, baby. And here’s to Jennifer enjoying many more Oscar seasons in the spotlight!