My Top Ten Kirsten Dunst Movies

Happy 36th Birthday (soon) to Kirsten Dunst.

Her birthday is next Monday but, since I’m watching that Avengers: Infinity War thingy tonight, I figured I better leave Monday free to review that instead. Sorry, Kirsten! You’ve been bumped by the Avengers! Hmm. I’d like to be bumped by Thor.

I like Dunst okay. I wouldn’t say she’s ever been a favorite of mine but she’s a decent actor and I wouldn’t avoid a film if she’s in it. But not that many actors make me avoid films (other than Gwyneth Paltrow, of course).

So here are My Top Ten Kirsten Dunst Movies, counting down to my favorite and ranked by film instead of performance. And including everything I’ve seen. Oh! And I’m kind of cheating again by including animated movies she has provided her voice for so, like with Saoirse Ronan, I can include my beloved Studio Ghibli. 😉

The Rest:

18. Small Soldiers
17. Elizabethtown
16. The Beguiled
15. Mona Lisa Smile
14. Crazy/Beautiful
13. Wimbledon
12. Bring It On
11. All Good Things

Top Ten:

10. TIE: Interview With The Vampire & Hidden Figures

9. Marie Antoinette

8. Midnight Special

7. The Spider-Man Movies

6. Jumanji

5. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

4. Melancholia

3. Anastasia

2. The Virgin Suicides

1. Kiki’s Delivery Service

Some I’ve Not Seen:

The Bonfire Of The Vanities, Greedy, Little Women, Wag The Dog, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Dick, The Crow: Salvation, On The Road, Upside Down, Anchorman 2, The Two Faces Of January

Also:

The Bling Ring (she was uncredited so I didn’t include it in the list)

My Top Ten Saoirse Ronan Movies

Happy 24th Birthday To Saoirse Ronan.

It’s good to see Ronan becoming really famous now. She was very good in Atonement, which was my March Blind Spot film (although I didn’t love the movie itself). And, of course, Lady Bird. It’s very impressive to have already been nominated for three Oscars at her age!

Well, I’m sure this is a top ten I’ll have to keep adding to as she makes more movies. So, for now & ranked by favorite film instead of performance, these are My Top Ten Saoirse Ronan Movies: (FYI – I’m including animated films she’s voiced, which is slightly cheating but allows me to include my beloved Studio Ghibli even though I prefer those without the English language dub) 😉

12. Justin And The Knights Of Valour
11. The Grand Budapest Hotel (amended to add this as I saw it after posting – it deserves to be in the top ten, I suppose, but I hated it)

TOP TEN:

10. Byzantium

9. City Of Ember (I don’t remember a damn thing about this but kind of hated Byzantium, so……)

8. I Could Never Be Your Woman

7. How I Live Now

6. Atonement

5. Hanna

4. The Lovely Bones

3. Brooklyn

2. Lady Bird

1. Arrietty

Movies I’ve Not Seen:

The Christmas Miracle Of Jonathan Toomey, Death Defying Acts, The Way Back, Violet & Daisy, The Host, Lost River, Stockholm Pennsylvania, Weepah Way For Now, Loving Vincent, On Chesil Beach

My Top Ten Reese Witherspoon Movies

Happy 42nd Birthday To Reese Witherspoon.

I’ve liked Reese Witherspoon ever since The Man In The Moon back in 1991. I’ve even liked all her girly romcoms despite not being a girly romcom girl. She comes across as so wholesome & likable (which I’m sure some people find annoying). I do wish she’d find a different sort of role that would make Hollywood take her more seriously as an actress, though. She was very good in Walk The Line but it still feels like she’s somewhat ignored even though she has an Oscar. And I have to admit that I’ve not seen Wild (I just checked and it has disappeared from Netflix). Damn – I feel like that’s one I really should’ve seen before making this list. Seems like a more gritty role than usual?

Well, I’ll add Wild once I’ve seen it. And, of course, A Wrinkle In Time (released tomorrow in the UK – 4.2 rating on IMDb. Ouch!). Of all that I’ve seen (counting down from 19), these are My Top Ten Reese Witherspoon Movies:

19. Sing
18. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
17. American Psycho
16. This Means War
15. Little Nicky
14. Water For Elephants
13. Four Christmases
12. Penelope
11. Monsters Vs. Aliens

TOP TEN:

10. S.F.W.

9. TIE: Sweet Home Alabama & Just Like Heaven

8. Mud

7. Election

6. The Man In The Moon

5. Legally Blonde

4. Fear

3. Walk The Line

2. Pleasantville

1. Cruel Intentions

Yep, I love Cruel Intentions. I don’t apologize. But I do apologize for Fear being way too high. It’s really shit but it’s a guilty pleasure. And I like that roller coaster scene…

Saw But Don’t Remember Well Enough To Include In List:

Twilight, How Do You Know

Some I’ve Not Seen:

Jack The Bear, Freeway, Overnight Delivery, Best Laid Plans, The Importance Of Being Earnest, Vanity Fair, Rendition, Devil’s Knot, The Good Life, Inherent Vice, Wild, Hot Pursuit, Home Again, A Wrinkle In Time

Part of me wonders if I liked the Just Like Heaven movie because I adore The Cure song.

Carrie Fisher

I can’t believe I’m having to do yet another tribute post in 2016 to one of my biggest idols. We all know that this year has been extremely cruel & unfair when it comes to the amount of hugely talented artists it has taken from us. And like many people, I’m not only sad – I’m angry.

I struggle with these tribute posts, especially when it comes to those artists who mean so much to me. I always feel a bit weird doing them as, obviously, it’s not the same as losing a family member or people you know in real life. It’s a terrible, hate-filled world full of so much tragic death on a daily basis that it feels almost wrong to mourn a “celebrity”. But it’s also understandable as, to their fans, these talented celebrities help provide a form of escapism from our real-life troubles and the evils of this world. They entertain us, they make us laugh, and they make us cry.

I don’t need to go into what a legend Carrie Fisher is and how she inspired so many of us by bringing Princess Leia to life (especially us girls, as we so rarely got such strong, sassy heroines in that male-dominated era & genre). A witty writer, a very funny lady, and forever one of the most-loved and iconic characters in the history of cinema. I’m so glad I was able to see Carrie in person at Star Wars Celebration Europe this year and to have shared that experience with my husband and 7-year-old daughter, who is part of a new generation of Star Wars fans through which Carrie Fisher’s Leia will forever live on. 

R.I.P. Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016)