Cinecast Mailbag (8/4)

Three responses to Sam's post yesterday regarding the best female performances of the year... all three urging us to include Joan Allen for "The Upside of Anger."

Hello, gents. How about Joan Allen's performance in "The Upside of Anger." I believed her intensity could've blown off Mike Binder's head WITHOUT Hollywood FX. And while we're at it, why not add Kevin Costner for the same film. I was about ready to give up on this guy until "Open Range." Now, the performance he turns in here is so ego-free, so everyman slobby that he could easily become the last word/poster child for all of America's jocks-gone-to-seed. -- Tanboy

Maybe you didn't get a chance to see this film yet, but Joan Allen in 'The Upside of Anger' was absolutely perfect. I personally don't like Kevin Costner, but I even thought he did a decent job in the film. -- Phil Schaefer

Can’t believe you missed out on Joan Allen in "The Upside of Anger!!!" I'm chalking that up to the fact that you probably didn't see it. Trust me, she was great. -- Clarence Moye

Tanboy, Phil and Clarence, thanks for reminding me how much of an idiot I was. Way back on Cinecast #3 I actually talked Sam into seeing and reviewing "The Ring Two" instead of "Upside" because I thought it would appeal to a wider audience. Of course, if I still worried about appealing to a wider audience, we'd be seeing "Dukes of Hazzard" this weekend. (Sorry, we're not.)

Anyway, I have no doubt Allen was fantastic. Isn't she always? I love the fact that she's transformed herself from the go-to actress if you need a repressed housewife into the go-to actress if you need a mature sex kitten. Sam and I will both definitely check out "Upside" before we hand out our Cinecast awards.

My Top 5 Joan Allen Movies
5. The Contender (an average movie, but she and Jeff Bridges are both great in it)
4. The Ice Storm
3. Peggy Sue Got Married
2. Pleasantville
1. The Bourne Supremacy

"The Ice Storm" at #4! You're crazy. Are you sure this isn't the "Top 5 Joan Allen Movies In the Order That I Thought of Them" list? Ang Lee's "Ice Storm" is one of the best films of the 90's.

My Top 5
5. Pleasantville
4. Searching For Bobby Fischer
3. Nixon
2. The Bourne Supremacy
1. The Ice Storm

- Sam

The Ice Storm... everybody with me now... "O-VER RA-TED clap clap clap-clap clap."
- Adam