Matt Shea
RubySoho
Morgan Bell
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David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
Vera Farmiga: The sexiest woman in Hollywood?
February 2nd 2010 08:09
by Matt Shea
There’s no doubt that Up in the Air has been a hit with both audiences and critics, its success driven primarily by the artistic twin-barrelled brawn of filmmaker Jason Reitman’s effortless skill and George Clooney’s limitless charm.
But one individual involved in the picture who’s perhaps not receiving quite the kudos she deserves is Vera Farmiga. Farmiga plays the role of the crystal-eyed Alex, who memorably describes herself to Clooney’s travelling corporate hatchet man, Ryan Bingham as, “You, but with a vagina.” The interplay between the two performers is essential to the film’s success, and it says a lot about Farmiga that she’s able to foot it with the smoothest man in Hollywood.
Naturally, it also doesn’t hurt that Farmiga is distractingly, jawdroppingly, maddeningly attractive. I mentioned in my review a brief moment where you glimpse the actress just as the heavens created her, and my brain still boggles at the thought of it.
There I was in the preview screening with four others, enjoying some crisp air conditioning and the gentle rhythm of the onscreen action when – Bang! – Farmiga appears, sailing past the camera wearing nothing but a men’s necktie around her waist.
Suddenly I was spilling water all over myself, while the aging critic a few seats along almost choked on his Chico Babies. At the front of the cinema, a middle-aged female reviewer quickly slapped a hand over the eyes of her young son who’d tagged along; two weeks into his school holidays and already mentally scarred – what a bummer.
The air was seemingly sucked out of the cinema in that moment, and I totally missed the next three minutes worth of exposition while I rubbed my eyes, shook my head, threw a bottle of cheap booze over the shoulder and regained my composure.
Farmiga’s party trick is of course mixing her sexuality with a potency of performance that’s exhilarating to watch. Impressive in The Departed, she’s even better in Up in the Air, handling her character’s final turn with a nerveless hand, totally selling it to the audience.
A short while ago, 20/20 Filmsight celebrated Sigourney Weaver’s 60th birthday, and in that article we despaired at the fact that there has never really been a successor to Ellen Ripley, that all too human heroine of brains, guts and maternalism. As it stands, Farmiga is probably now the closest candidate: with that piercing gaze, understated charisma and pure-cut ‘don’t fuck with me’ attitude, I’d be more than happy if it was just her and a flamethrower standing between me and the certain death of our entire species.
*This image is from Daily Blog of Nonsense
*This image is from Lance Mannion
There’s no doubt that Up in the Air has been a hit with both audiences and critics, its success driven primarily by the artistic twin-barrelled brawn of filmmaker Jason Reitman’s effortless skill and George Clooney’s limitless charm.
But one individual involved in the picture who’s perhaps not receiving quite the kudos she deserves is Vera Farmiga. Farmiga plays the role of the crystal-eyed Alex, who memorably describes herself to Clooney’s travelling corporate hatchet man, Ryan Bingham as, “You, but with a vagina.” The interplay between the two performers is essential to the film’s success, and it says a lot about Farmiga that she’s able to foot it with the smoothest man in Hollywood.
Naturally, it also doesn’t hurt that Farmiga is distractingly, jawdroppingly, maddeningly attractive. I mentioned in my review a brief moment where you glimpse the actress just as the heavens created her, and my brain still boggles at the thought of it.
There I was in the preview screening with four others, enjoying some crisp air conditioning and the gentle rhythm of the onscreen action when – Bang! – Farmiga appears, sailing past the camera wearing nothing but a men’s necktie around her waist.
Suddenly I was spilling water all over myself, while the aging critic a few seats along almost choked on his Chico Babies. At the front of the cinema, a middle-aged female reviewer quickly slapped a hand over the eyes of her young son who’d tagged along; two weeks into his school holidays and already mentally scarred – what a bummer.
The air was seemingly sucked out of the cinema in that moment, and I totally missed the next three minutes worth of exposition while I rubbed my eyes, shook my head, threw a bottle of cheap booze over the shoulder and regained my composure.
Farmiga’s party trick is of course mixing her sexuality with a potency of performance that’s exhilarating to watch. Impressive in The Departed, she’s even better in Up in the Air, handling her character’s final turn with a nerveless hand, totally selling it to the audience.
A short while ago, 20/20 Filmsight celebrated Sigourney Weaver’s 60th birthday, and in that article we despaired at the fact that there has never really been a successor to Ellen Ripley, that all too human heroine of brains, guts and maternalism. As it stands, Farmiga is probably now the closest candidate: with that piercing gaze, understated charisma and pure-cut ‘don’t fuck with me’ attitude, I’d be more than happy if it was just her and a flamethrower standing between me and the certain death of our entire species.
*This image is from Daily Blog of Nonsense
*This image is from Lance Mannion
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Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I'll probably catch up with Up in the Air on DVD, but I look forward to it knowing Vera's a lead. I think she's a great actor, totally believable as the mother thinking she's losing her marbles in Orphan. Great b&w by the way!
Ruby, great that Kathryn got the best director nod. I'm looking forward to The Hurt Locker. Point Break was a competent piece of SuperTrash. But it's Near Dark that does it for me. I hope she beats her ex at Oscar time.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
As for Bigelow: she's had an up-and-down career, but Hurt Locker deserves all the praise that's been heaped upon it, and I'd take snide remarks by her male peers to be jealousy: she's an old school (80s-90s) director who still makes great action films whilst continually subverting the genre. I tend to feel that the momentum is swinging behind her and her film, so hopefully she (now that Neill Bloomkamp is out of the running) can nail the Oscar win.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang
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Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Also, the comments I was referring to were more smutty than snide though. Complimenting the first female director to win the guild's directing award on her sexy legs? Is this how we acknowledge major historical moments? It doesn't matter how many cracks there are in the glass ceiling if the measure of a woman's worth is always reduced to her sex appeal.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
In the 82 year history of the Oscars, only three women have been nominated for a Best Director award -- Lina Wertmüller for "Seven Beauties" (1976), Jane Campion for "The Piano" (1993) and Sofia Coppola for "Lost in Translation" (2003)
As for the smut - it's bizarre, because she's been around for so long. You'd think they'd be over it by now.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
it shouldn't matter how long Bigelow has been around. if the second that a woman threatens to become just as or more successful than a man, he then turns around and starts making comments on her 'beauty', you can be sure it's another, subtle form of discrimination, a way of putting her back in her rightful place- as an sex object.
p.s Bryn- my Bigelow fav is Strange Days.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
I'm sure you'll both enjoy Hurt Locker, although it's in danger of getting a little over-hyped just at the moment (and I would perhaps be one of those responsible
And have you guys ever seen this small corner of Bigelow's oeuvre?!
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
But then, that could also be because I was slightly stoned both times i saw it. i had just arrived in LA on my first big overseas trip and i was getting a kick out of seeing all the landmarks i had just visited appear in the film. Ah good times.
I think movies can be like music in that sometimes you hang on to them because they remind you of a certain time in your life. Still, even if not huge fans, you guys gotta admit Angela Bassett rocked heavily in that film.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Huge fan of New Order, but not a fan of that song or clip. By that stage they'd started sounded crass and boring to me.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
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she played the Polish factory worker Ruza Wenclawska, very piercing passionate eyes, a great feminist role
and as for the stat Matt provided:
i wonder what is going on there?
i realise the Oscars are incredibly political, but is it a case of quality films being ignored, or are there just less female directors in the industry?
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
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Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
And I was thinking some more about Bigelow: it's a bizarre remark to make about her, because it just confirms what she seems to be saying in most of her films - that men are totally ridiculous.