Hot Chick Alert
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Yupz, it’s Scarlett Johansson, and 2003 is really her year. While I already knew she’d grow up to be a star since her “Introducing” credit (even though it was already her sixth picture) in The Horse Whisperer, this year’s double Golden Globe nominations proved my point. A short review on both movies (because these aren’t regular box office movies):
Girl with a Pearl Earring – Named after the most famous painting of Dutch painter Vermeer, it tells the tale of how the painting came to life. Taking place in Delft, 1665, it’s a time where you can’t really get connected to (old class systems, an unknown concept for most people). Slowly, telling the story of Griet, a maid, you really get a sense of both the period, and the characters. That’s accomplished with minimal dialogue, and there’s crackling silence carrying the atmosphere in most scenes. The score is unlike the usual orchestra trying to give it a feeling of times past, but instead, you get an excitement hightening score, which actually works very well. The director must have loved and studied Vermeer’s work long and closely, because it all adds up in the picture. Making even a non-artsy down-to-earth guy like me notice how he shoots art like art itself with just the right colors, shadows, textures and composition. 8-.
Lost in Translation – Like above, it’s almost a period piece too, except it would be the current period. Getting the sense of life in Japan, through foreign eyes. The story itself is character driven, and with the indepedent status of this movie, you’d expect a lot of psychological mambo jambo. But none of this is true. The dialogues are fresh and funny, and the deeper thoughts are woven in subtlely. This of course, due to Bill Murray’s natural charm, and superb acting by Scarlett Johansson.8+.
Next up for Scarlett is The Perfect Score, a more mainstream movie, which she has to carry herself, as her name is the only outstanding one of the ensemble cast. After that she’ll star besides John Travolta in A Love Song for Bobby Long, followed opposite Helen Hunt in a period piece, A Good Woman. Continuing her streak of interesting choices, she’ ll have a long career ahead.
More pictures and info here.