Natalie Portman

[polygal]

loulou said:

I wonder how much she sucks in Episode 3. But I'm sure the whole movie sucks, thanks to good ol' Lucas.

From the trailers, she looks pretty bad. I laugh every time they show her trying to emote. She ruined Episode 2 for me almost as much as the crappy movie making.

[Deleted]

I agree with that article, I think that's why I'm undecided about Natalie. I like her in some things and I think she sucks in others. I liked her in Garden State and Closer but I thought she did suck in Episode 1 (but I thought the whole movie sucked). I didn't see Episode 3, however. She sometimes bores me and sometimes I like her, it's weird.

[agnesnitt]

deliqueen said:

I agree with that article, I think that's why I'm undecided about Natalie. I like her in some things and I think she sucks in others. I liked her in Garden State and Closer but I thought she did suck in Episode 1 (but I thought the whole movie sucked). I didn't see Episode 3, however. She sometimes bores me and sometimes I like her, it's weird.

I haven't seen Closer, but it seems to be another example of 'Natalie Portman-itis'- where she gives a shallow, one note performance (gee, was that the best clip they could show at the Oscars?) and gets praised to high heaven for it (See also: WTHI). Seriously, she seemed to me (and I watched an awful lotta clips to see if this *was* a turnaround) like a sixth-former in an A-Level play. You could practically see the cogs working behind her dead, dead eyes ('I'm sexy. I'm so sexy. I'm trying to be so sexy. Low voice. Sexy.")

But I'm sure the whole movie sucks, thanks to good ol' Lucas.

C'mon, that's a crappy excuse. There are countries out there who could live off her SW paycheck for the next 20 years, and she's bloody embarrassed to be there?! Jesus Christ, woman! Have some dignity and *try* for Christ's sake.

[nuharoo]

AgnesNitt said:

I haven't seen Closer, but it seems to be another example of 'Natalie Portman-itis'- where she gives a shallow, one note performance (gee, was that the best clip they could show at the Oscars?) and gets praised to high heaven for it (See also: WTHI). Seriously, she seemed to me (and I watched an awful lotta clips to see if this *was* a turnaround) like a sixth-former in an A-Level play. You could practically see the cogs working behind her dead, dead eyes ('I'm sexy. I'm so sexy. I'm trying to be so sexy. Low voice. Sexy.")

C'mon, that's a crappy excuse. There are countries out there who could live off her SW paycheck for the next 20 years, and she's bloody embarrassed to be there?! Jesus Christ, woman! Have some dignity and *try* for Christ's sake.

There are people who are literally counting the days and minutes until the movie is released. There are Star Wars geeks who are ready to slaughter anyone who gets in their way with their plastic lightsabers. Not to mention the geeks who would murder their families to get an audition. And this self important snot doesn't even try to put in a good performance, if only to do a venerable science fiction series justice? I am strongly reminded of Gwyneth Paltrow. All snotty about her roles, but she'll panic when they start to dry up. I will confess I look forward to the day.

[angel17987]

Nuharoo said:

There are people who are literally counting the days and minutes until the movie is released. There are Star Wars geeks who are ready to slaughter anyone who gets in their way with their plastic lightsabers. Not to mention the geeks who would murder their families to get an audition. And this self important snot doesn't even try to put in a good performance, if only to do a venerable science fiction series justice? I am strongly reminded of Gwyneth Paltrow. All snotty about her roles, but she'll panic when they start to dry up. I will confess I look forward to the day.

Word.
I'm a big Star Wars geek and love the movies, and Natalie Portman pisses me off. She should never have been cast, she's the weakest link in all the films. You can say what you want about the prequal trilogy and about the other perfomances, but at least the other actors put in some sort of effort and are decent in other things. The majority of the problems may have fallen on Lucas and his directing, however, I just don't think Natalie Portman can act. I don't think she's been good in anything I've seen her in, except for maybe "The Professional" and that's only one movie compared to dozens. Yes, she's pretty when she's in $100 makeup, had a hairstylist, and designer clothes, but you know what if I had her cash I'd look that good too. She's constantly trying to sound like she's intelligent and it just comes across as fake. She is incredibly overhyped and the only reason she keeps working is because for some reason the critics decided to put on blinders and give her unconditional love. She should never have been nominated for an Oscar and it just proves what a sham that award is.

Okay. Wooo. Rant over. I'm sorry, but I just don't like her.

[Deleted]

Exactly my feelings. But I won't begin a rant on it, because...you did it so well!

[nuharoo]

Natalie Portman pisses me off. She should never have been cast, she's the weakest link in all the films. You can say what you want about the prequal trilogy and about the other perfomances, but at least the other actors put in some sort of effort and are decent in other things.

Did you notice that in "Attack Of The Clones" she never aged at all. In between the stress of working in the Senate, frequent assassination attempts I would think the stress would show. I imagine there would be lines on the face, paleness and a sharp temper. But she's perfectly poised and healthy. She also hardly acknowledged Yoda when he was telling her how happy he was to see her well. She listens and then looks away. Now I know that it's a bluescreen, but she has no sense of imagination or warmth. She looks at him and almost mechanically looks toward the next character. Not to mention she whined all the frickin' time. When she was refusing Anakin's advances during the romatic scene she sounded like such a whiner, a teen angsty type. Not a jaded and cynical senator who just doesn't want any more stress in her life. Not to mention she was unusually durable. Not a hair was out of place and despite getting clawed on the side (the bleeding should have been more intense) and getting thrown out of a ship onto hard sand, she just seemed to brush it off like it was nothing. She should have been replaced or told at gunpoint to go to an acting class and put in some more fucking effort. Rather than having fun with the part she seems to be trying to turn it into a sort of weird shakespeare. She treats it as if she is suffering for her "art".

As for her losing the Oscar, like Gwyneth she's had it really easy. In crowd (I hate to hold it against people who are in the cool crowd and genuinely nice), wealthy background, and now fawning press. She's never had to pay a lot of major dues. So losing the Oscar was a major blow when most would be disappointed, but able to at least put on a good face for the sake of the winner.

[angel17987]

she has no imagination or warmth

You totally hit the nail on the head. I think that is exactly what bugs me most about her. And yeah, I noticed the lack of aging both physically and emotionally in Episode 2. Let's hope she doesn't suck too bad in the next one, because everything else actually looks good.

More nose job speculation
Here

I'm starting to lean in the direction that she did have a nose job. I wasn't sure about the rumors before and some of it could just be natural aging or the angles that the pictures were taken, but she does look different. If she did have one, she shouldn't have. She looked better before.

[Mouse]

I'm starting to be disheartened by Ms. Portman. I remember an interview with her in Vanity Fair before Phantom Menace, and she came across as smart, gracious, and level-headed. I'd hate to see her turn into another Fishstick or Winona Ryder. What I do remember is her saying that she wasn't even sure she wanted to act for the rest of her life; she was considering psychology as a career, for example.

She's appeared on stage, in The Diary of Anne Frank, for example. Maybe she could concentrate on theater for a couple of years and do the kinds of roles that Hollywood can't or won't offer. It would give her a chance to stretch. And she'd avoid getting Pretentious Starlet-itis.

[nuharoo]

I remember an interview with her in Vanity Fair before Phantom Menace, and she came across as smart, gracious, and level-headed.

As is with all cases, this was certainly before the press began to deify her as the next Audrey Hepburn. Now she has all this huge mass adoration she's now fancying herself a delicate artiste, a flower of art and actressdom. Like Gwyneth.

It would give her a chance to stretch. And she'd avoid getting Pretentious Starlet-itis.

I think she already has that disease. As for stretching, just playing the part of Padme Amidala should have been stretching enough, what with the romance, action, and other subplots.