Hornets and kids toys and bears - OH MY!

"Hauntingly thought-provoking and unsettling" The New York Times"

WITH the curtain drawn on 2010, it’s time to look forward to the cinematic offerings in store for 2011. From comic books to cartoon classics; they’re all getting the Hollywood treatment and being brought to the silver screen. But is this exciting or just plain lazy?

2010: a year that brought us A Prophet, Inception, The Social Network and Four Lions, in short – a year of original, ground-breaking cinema. So with the onslaught of adaptations and sequels 2011 has in store, the risk of audience disenchantment is high.

Billy Bob Thornton sent ripples of malaise through Hollywood last month when he told The Telegraph that, in his opinion, we are in the ‘worst era for Hollywood’ and that most motion pictures of late are solely ‘geared towards a video game generation’. Are these just the grumblings of a middle aged man bemused by the next generation or does he have a point?

Well, with the countless comic book capers and innumerable cartoon classics being brought to the silver screen this year, he’s certainly caught on to something...

No muscle suit or caption necessary

Graphic fiction novels: an infinite treasure trove of blockbuster fodder, providing generation after generation of fanatics with excitement and escapism. Superman, Spiderman and The X Men are now regarded as film stars as much as they are comic book characters, and this trend looks set to continue.

2011 offers up more than a handful of comic book adaptations. The Green Lantern (June 17) and The Green Hornet (January 14) are among the many releases of this year, with the most hotly anticipated of the all expected set to be the summer smash – Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22). This certainly is one genre that need never fear a drought.

Similarly, cartoon classics such as Yogi Bear (January 2) and Winnie the Pooh (July 16) are being reinvigorated and introduced to a new generation of young movie-goers; evoking excited gasps from tots and woeful sighs from parents the world over.

Not a ridiculous concept in the slightest

Even popular 70s toy Stretch Armstrong has been given cinematic rights, with believe it or not (rather the latter) a feature film rumoured to come out in April. Almost ridiculous enough to work?

NAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Word on the street is that ambitions are now set to film it in 3-D with Twighlight's Taylor Lautner in the starring role (I couldn't make this stuff up) therefore pushing back the release date until 2012.

Out of sheer curiosity (and childishness) I really hope this is not just an online rumour, I smell Oscar nominations...

Fans of these light and fluffy family capers should head for the cinema, armed with optimism and enough sugary E numbered snacks to slip into a diabetic coma.

Everyone else, I recommend the following:

Black Swan (Jan 21st)

The King's Speech (Jan 7th)

127 Hours (Jan 7th)

U.G.L.Y - You ain't got no alibi. But here's an Oscar!

Single,white female WLTM man with GSOH and interest in guns

Oscar Wilde once said: 'The ugly and the stupid have the best of it in this world'.

Mmmm disputable in everyday life but when it comes to bagging an Oscar, a few skelps from the ugly stick seems to be a sure-fire method for Oscar success.

Now I'm not simply referring to less attractive actresses in general (jog on Tilda Swinton) but there is a trend of beautiful actresses that have ugg-ed up and grossed out for roles. Roles which go on to win them a much coveted golden statuette and the respect of peers who thought them too "pretty" to carry a film.

Here are a few ladies that show they ain't afraid to do fugly for fame and artistic acclaim:

Charlize Theron's performance in Patty Jenkins' Monster turned heads for more reasons than one. This harrowing true-story of Daytona Beach prostitute turned serial-killer, Aileen Wuornos, horrified and engaged audiences. From a cruel and abusive childhood to prostitution and murder, the title really says it all, evoking various reactions ranging from sympathy to disgust. Undoubtedly, an excellent performance by Theron, the mannerisms and characteristics of Wuornos displayed, suggests a great deal of preparation and committment on Theron's part, and with the wonders of make-up her likeness is hauntingly uncanny. BEST ACTRESS AWARD 2004

X Factor: Over 28s category

Now, I've banged on about this next one before but Marion Cotillard's performance as Edith Piaf in biographical masterpiece, La Vie En Rose, was well worthy of an Academy Award. Not just for the powerful and moving portrayal of the legendary French songstress, but for Cotillard's ability to convincingly convey a spritely, mischievous young street singer through her tragic battle with alcoholism and loss, to the haggered, wizend shell of a person she is at the end of her life. Undoubtedly, a great deal of this is due to make-up wizardry and study of the singer herself, but Cotillard throws herself into the role entirely, until unrecognisable.

BEST ACTRESS AWARD 2008

Clint Eastwood - most aggressive towel dryer in town

Hilary Swank has never been one to use her beauty or femininity to land a decent role: Insomnia? SNORE! P.S. I Love You? P.S. I Hate You Swank for ever making this intolerable pile of festering human excrement.

However, change gender, beef up and take a few hits to that Hollywood-perfect mug and now we're talking serious Oscar winning stuff.

Swank's portrayal of hardened female boxer Maggie Fitzgerald in Million Dollar Baby, demonstrates both her abilities as an actress and her dedication to realism in this physically demanding role. Gaining over 20 pounds of muscle, contracting a bacterial infection on her feet from hours of relentless training and being made up with a face bloodied and bashed enough to land her a role in Fight Club, Swank proves her worth and scoops up the Best Actress gong.

Androgynous chic is so hot right now

This was of course Swank's second Best Actress win. Her first came following her role as transgender teen, Brandon Teena, in Kimberley Peirce's Boys Don't Cry.

Swank powerfully conveys the tragedy and desperation of the new boy in town, who is actually a girl struggling to accept the reality of his/her sexual identity; struggling to establish an identity in general.

The most impressive things Swank achieves in this film is the ability to shift from feminine to masculine in the blink of an eye, again utterly committing to the role, earning the film it's 42 industry awards and further 27 nominations.

BEST ACTRESS AWARD 2000 & 2008

Other examples of "From Hot-to-Trot to Not-but-Got-an-Oscar-or-nomination"

1. Nicole Kidman - The Hours (2002) win
   
2. Salma Hayek - Frida (2002) nom
3. Felicity Huffman - Transamerica (2005) nom

So the real question is - does an actress need to tone her beauty to achieve an Oscar? The trend of late would suggest so, the question is why...

I'll allow you to have a swatch of the past winners and let you mull that one over:

BEST ACTRESS OSCARS 1920 - 2010