on dvd: the reader the reader is one of those movies that has really grown on me. the first time i saw it, i thought it was a fine movie, but not necessarily extraordinary. but then when i watched it again, knowing the twist from the beginning, i definitely felt like i could appreciate it more, especially the really nuanced performances of kate winslet and ralph fiennes. it definitely wouldn't have been the same film without the deeply, disturbingly sympathetic performance that kate winslet gives here. still, it is a little depressing that kate won her oscar for this role. in fact, i don't even think it was among her four career bests. those would be:

#4. Sylvia Davies in Finding Neverland
#3. Sarah Pierce in Little Children
#2. April Wheeler in Revolutionary Road
#1. Rose Dewitt Bukater in Titanic

I guess I would put her performance in the reader in the fifth spot. in any case, i can't help but be amused by the old clip of kate from ricky gervais' extras that i posted above. i hope that her oscar win isn't forever accompanied by an asterisk reading "this oscar obligatorily awarded for perfomance in holocaust film"  ¶ 4/17/2009 02:31:00 PM