1. Hollywood's Most Threatening Blog. Kim Masters details Variety's increasing crusade against Nikki Finke.

["The trade publication's weekend package included a column by Variety editor Peter Bart under the headline "Hollywood's Blog Smog" that bemoans the fact that blogs are sometimes used as weapons of intimidation by players in the industry who know how to manipulate them. Then there was a bylined article that seemed to be little more than an extension of Bart's editorial; the headline—"Tempest of the `Toldja!' Journalists"—clearly aimed at Finke, because a screaming "TOLDJA!!" in her headlines is one of her signatures. And Finke was blasted in a piece from columnist Michael Fleming ("How I Got Blogged Down") about the difficulty of maintaining journalistic standards given the overheated online competition."] Continue Reading »

1. The sad, sad death of Natasha Richardson continues to dominate the film and culture blogosphere, including these takes from Nathaniel R. and Edward Copeland (quoted below). For thoughts on the actress from the House's Sheila O'Malley, just scroll up.

[" Her film career was rather light and she tended to concentrate on the stage and being a mom. I was fortunate enough to see her on Broadway twice. The first time was in her Tony-winning turn as Sally Bowles in the revival of Cabaret. I've never been that big a fan of the movie version of Cabaret, it always felt as if something was missing. The revival opened it up for me as a piece that had much more to it than just a great score. While most of the cast of the revival were great, Richardson was the true standout."] Continue Reading »

1. Over at Goatdog Blog, those incorrigible rapscallions who do the Best Pictures From the Outside In series have turned their gazes on Forrest Gump, which they mostly dislike, and How Green Was My Valley, which a couple of them argue gets a raw deal. It's a good read!

["(John Ford is) such a brilliant visual filmmaker—all props to Gregg Toland's pioneering deep-focus work in Kane, but Arthur Miller's work here is the pinnacle of classic studio cinematography: the heartbreaking shot where Bronwyn gives birth soon after Ivor's death, and it looks like Ivor's ghost is watching over the scene (I realize it's another brother's shadow, but the effect is the same); the elevator rising out of the ruined mine, bearing Mr. Morgan's body and composed like something out of a Renaissance painting; the women turned suddenly into nuns bearing witness at the wreckage; that ineffably sad first/last kiss between Maureen O'Hara and Walter Pidgeon. The performances are all top-notch, especially Donald Crisp's distillation of fatherhood in all its merits and demerits, but also Sara Allgood, who gives Jane Darwell a run for her money as the best Ford female supporting performance (and her speech to the striking miners is even better than Ma Joad's 'We'll go on forever' speech)."] Continue Reading »