I read Natalie Portman's ranking as meaning that she is currently seen as a post-teen starlet, like SMG, but should go for more edgy material, like Parker. Which is confusing, because that seems to be what she is doing already anyhow. Buy I don't think it means "she should be less famous" so much as "she needs a different kind of fame."

Plus, the "three-named-Sarahs sound cool together" factor was probably in there somewhere.

I agree that Portman is very, very beautiful. I'm not sure I'd say she's so beautiful she takes you out of the material, compared to other movie actresses.

By edgy and SJP do you mean her movie work?

Has SJP done any significant movie-work though? The only thing that comes to mind right now is that Mamet movie she's done with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Alec Baldwin.

Despite the taint of La Lucas, I'd say Portman has more talent & charisma than SJP. She just needs to fire the agent who steered her toward the SW prequels and stuff like that Walmart Baby flick.

She just needs to fire the agent who steered her toward the SW prequels

I don't think so. She's what, 20 and she need never work again. She could afford to buy a mediumsized county on the back of Star Wars.

Not being remotely familiar with the books, and therefore not in a position to know better...I've been really enjoying the clips from Elektra on Apple's movie trailer site .

Until, that is...today. The fourth featurette involves a mentee to Elektra who is supposed to have similarly impressive martial arts skills but really? She looks kinda dopey.

Sigh. I so wanted to like it.

knives
chopsockey
Terence Stamp at his stampiest

Alas.

What's dopey about her? She's no SMG ... it looks like she's making the standard angry young kid messups, the stunt double's not totally obvious ... seems fine.

On rewatch, the two things that pinged me in Elektra featurette four are that I'm weary of the [it will never change, I suppose] All About Eve, SWF, Wicker Park...she wants to be me conceit.

Can't young girls simply come over destructo-gal without it getting all oedipal?pun absolutely intended

and

I'm not getting a 'she can act' vibe off the youngin'

Perhaps unfair given the length of the clip, but the pout just didn't work for me.

I think the reason your pun is a pun explains it all. Of course it's a story about unhealthy attachment to authority figures. It's just begging to be.

Of course, I've wanted to be Elektra lo these many years, so not precisely unbiased here.

Weird. I woke up this morning with the love theme from Phantom of the Opera going through my head. I've only seen one ad for it, and that was weeks ago. I have no idea why I could recall it perfectly this morning.

I think Phantom will be significantly less impressive on the big screen, because you always see big, sweeping scenes like that in the movie, whereas when you see Phantom in the theater it's unbelievable impressive because they did all that on a stage, right in front of your eyes.

I have no idea why I could recall it perfectly this morning.

1. Because Andrew Lloyd Webber is really, really good with the catchy tunes

2. Because they are repeated and repeated and repeated so often, both in the show and promotions, that you could sing them note-for-note yourself.