Natalie Portman

natalie's portal

Toronto Ontario

So what's it been? Three months? Hey, I've been busy.

Anyway, not to make excuses, I DID have a newsletter done around the middle of May. But just as I was about to hit the send button on my computer, a lightning storm hit and knocked the power off in my house; sending the finished newsletter off into computer limbo. One of God's sick jokes I reckon.

Anyway, after that crushing blow to the morale, I was unable to muster enough motivation to make another one of these until now.

On another side note, I should probably bring something up that I didn't bring up in the last newsletter. A lot of you have e-mailed me asking if I could send you the now infamous "Nude" pics of Nat. I of course would have to give up eating, sleeping, and bathroom breaks if I answered all of your individual requests, so that's why I didn't send them to anybody. (And will continue to NOT send them to anybody... so don't bother asking!!!) Just do a little hunting, they're not impossible to find.

On another small side, side, note, I was flipping through my old emails when I just happen to see the first ever Natalie Portman Newsletter... and guess what? This is sort of a 1 Year Anniversary newsletter! (Okay, maybe I'm off by a couple of weeks). But nonetheless, something special must be done!!!!

Like what you ask? I have no idea........

Okay, give me a minute to think....

Nope... still nothing...

I've come up with a million different ideas... Surely I can come up with something special now...

.....

.....

Ah forget it. I'm just going to get on with it.... Anyway, there was a point to this newsletter wasn't there? If you weren't paying attention last newsletter, (and shame on you if you weren't) the next stretch of newsletters are going to be my own personal reviews of Natalie's films. I didn't particularly like ABH, or WTHI, and quite frankly, I needed to look back at some of her past, better movies to get the taste of those out of my mouth.

beautiful girls **** out of 5

Tommy Rowland: Matt Dillon
Michael Morris: Noah Emmerich
Willie Conway: Tim Hutton
Marty: Natalie Portman
Tracy Stover: Annabeth Gish
Darian Smalls: Lauren Holly
Gina Barrisano: Rosie O'Donnell

20th Century Fox presents a film directed by Ted Demme and written by Scott Rosenberg. Running time: 117 minutes. Rated R (for strong language and brief nudity).

I have a personal opinion on who may be the most influential person in Hollywood. Some feel its a director like Spielberg, or Cameron, or a big studio producer like Eisner or Katzenberg. Perhaps even an actor or actress like Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts. Nope, the most influential man in Hollywood I think is a man you probably haven't even heard of. SYD FIELD. Syd Field writes books on "how-to" write screenplays. For the past twenty years, its become the bible for screenwriters. So if you've ever wondered why all movies lately are basically using the same exact formula, whether comedy or action, drama or tragedy, you have him to thank, (or blame).

So its a small miracle that a movie like Beautiful Girls ever even gets made. A movie that flouts convention, and refuses to get pigeon-holed and shoved into one genre, and follow the standard screenwriting structure.

Beautiful Girls is many things. The first being a charatecture of life in a small town. All the characters are of your usual set- in their mid to late twenties with slightly off the wall personalities. There's Tommy who's best days are behind him in high school. There's Michael who's now raising a family he may not be ready for. There's Paul who can't hold a steady relationship because of his obsession with supermodels. And then there's Willy, coming back home from New York for a high school reunion.

That's how the movie introduces itself; but about half way through, it reveals itself as about much more. Every one of the male characters are in a relationship with a woman. And for all of the men except one- their relationships are falling apart.

Why?

There's a scene in the movie that pretty much sums it up. Rosie O' Donnell's character is walking through a pharmacy with two of the men. She holds up a copy of PENTHOUSE. "Small hips, small boobs- big hips, big breasts.... these girls in here, are a fantasy." And that in a nutshell is the problem for the men in the movie, and hence, the point of the movie. By holding onto an unrealistic image of the dream girl they might somehow, someday, be able to meet, the guys are denying themselves a good relationship with a real flesh-and blood woman right here in their hometown.[i]

Paul for example, loses his long time girlfriend, basically because he was holding out for someone better. By the time he comes to his senses, he’s already lost her to someone else.

"She’s engaged to a meat cutter. She’s a vegetarian- can’t you see the hypocrisy?"

But its not always so cut and dry as in Paul’s case. The other’s, who although may not be obsessed with supermodels, are losing their women because they can’t live up to the impossible standards and ideals they’ve built up in their heads.

Tommy who’s going out with Sharon, (Mira Sorvino), can’t commit to her because he still longs for his girlfriend from high school, Darian (Lauren Holly), when he was the most popular kid in school.

""How am I supposed to feel with you when the best years of your life were in high school? When Darian was your girl."

Then there’s Willy. He falls for the girl next door, "Marty". She’s smart, pretty, clever, sweet, and seems to understand him perfectly. There’s only one problem. She’s only 13. As you’re watching this last relationship unfold, you anticipate the movie either heading towards tastelessness, or a safe and happy ending. It does neither. It remains tactful, yet does not stray away from the feelings that Willy and Marty have for each other. That sort of risk-taking is almost unheard of in Hollywood movies. But Beautiful Girls gets away with it, because its so intelligent.

Marty is played by Natalie Portman, in only her second ever big movie role. Here’s a movie where Natalie truly shows her range as an actress. She’s exuberant, but doesn’t play the part with so much "giddiness", that it undermines the character’s intelligence.

The movie was directed by Ted Demme, who’s gone on to have a reasonably successfully career. (Eddie Murphy’s LIFE, and Kevin Spacey’s The Ref.) He directs the movie with a light, comedic touch, which juxtaposes nicely against the bleak winter landscapes. The real star of the movie however, is screenwriter Scott Rosenberg. This was only Rosenberg’s second movie, but he’s gone on to become one of Hollywood’s biggest screenwriters. (Gone in 60 Seconds, the new SPIDERMAN movie.)

Beautiful Girls is one of those movies that is character driven, and dips occasionally into the melodrama, but gets away with it because the characters are so endearing, and so relatable. Beautiful Girls was one of 1995’s best movies.

____________________________________________________________

The Natalie Portman Newsletter

is a work of "PROPZ - Publishing"

Please do not post this newsletter on your website without asking first-

unless you are a really hot chick.

The newsletter was written by

AVP with help from

the MOMIN BROTHERS.

2000



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[i] Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times.