I saw 'White Oleander' yesterday. I went with my sister and the theatre had about 15 people in it, and that's probably an overestimate. But let me tell you.
This is a great film. Granted, I generally have very poor taste in film, but I think I'm right this time. It's a story about a girl who's mother is arrested for murder, and how her mother continues to influence everything about her daughter even from prison. But here's the thing: Michelle Pifeiffer plays the mother, and my god. I've seen her in a million movies and I never thought of her as an
actor. She is
brilliant in this film. The whole thing kind of depends on her being utterly perfect and composed and totally evil, though only her daughter can see it. So Michelle Pieiffer sits there and says these totally barbed things and she's just great. Really great. I was very impressed.
Also: Robin Wright Penn, who I like because she used to be on Santa Barbara, is amazing. She plays a trashy-looking Christian woman with too many kids. Renee Zellweger made me cry. And Alison Lohman is too pretty for words.
I especially love that they used the medium to show change over time, to show influence. Astrid (Alison Lohman) changes clothes depending on where she lives. She sort of morphs to look like whoever she's with at the time, from foster home to foster home. And at one point she Goths out, which I can appreciate.
Michelle Pfeiffer though. Good lord. That's where this movie is at. I don't usually pay attention to Oscar nods, but *waves Michelle Pfeiffer for best actress flag*
You can see the trailer here:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/white_oleander/