British actress Lynn Redgrave dies at 67

Lynn Redgrave, a vital and popular member of Britain's Redgrave dynasty, died Sunday night. She was 67 and had waged a lengthy battle with breast cancer.

Speaking on behalf of her children – Ben, Pema and Annabel, who were with her – Redgrave's publicist Rick Miramontez, confirmed to The Associated Press that Redgrave died peacefully at her home in Connecticut.

Launching upon the scene in the early '60s, at the same time her elder (and more flamboyant) sister Vanessa made a splash, Lynn Redgrave earned an Oscar nomination for her turn as a gawky Bridgit Jones prototype in 1966's Georgy Girl. She received another nomination for her supporting role as the stunned housekeeper in 1998's Gods and Monsters.

Redgrave, born in London to thespians Rachel Kemspon and Michael Redgrave, made her stage debut in 1962 at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Her movie fame brought her across the Atlantic, and she played on stage and on TV in both Hollywood and New York. She was also the first of many celebrities who served as the spokesperson for the Weight Watchers program.

In 1967, she married actor-director John Clark, and they had three children. The marriage ended in divorce in 2000.

Only last month, on April 6, Redgrave's elder brother, actor Corin Redgrave, died at 70 at his home in London. No cause of death was reported, but Corin Redgrave had several health setbacks in recent years, including a heart attack in 2005.

Last year, Lynn's niece (and Vanessa's daughter), actress Natasha Richardson, died from head injuries sustained during a ski accident.

"Our beloved mother Lynn Rachel passed away peacefully after a seven year journey with breast cancer," her family said in a statement Monday. "She lived, loved and worked harder than ever before. The endless memories she created as a mother, grandmother, writer, actor and friend will sustain us for the rest of our lives. Our entire family asks for privacy through this difficult time."

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Larry Crowne

Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts seem busy these days as they are filming their latest comedy-drama film, Larry Crowne. The plot talks about the story of an old man who goes back to college to reinvent himself. This film will be directed by Tom Hanks, whose last directorial credit was on the 1996 film That Thing You Do. This is also the second time the two actors star together. They both starred in 2007’s Charlie Wilson’s War which garnered critical acclaim. Amy Adams also has a role in this film. She was also part of Charlie Wilson’s War which starred Hanks and Roberts. The three of them will be starring together for the second time. This sounds promising. What do you think?

Nicole Kidman’s Future Films

The later part of the decade has been rough for Nicole Kidman, with much scorn and criticisms thrown upon her, not to mention all the botox issues. After winning an Oscar in 2003 for The Hours, she was in a hot streak, winning acclaim in films like Dogville, Cold Mountain and Birth. However, 2005 was the start of Nicole Kidman’s downfall. She starred in Bewitched, remake of the classic TV series starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York. The film was panned by many critics, with Kidman potentially getting nominated for a Razzie. Her next film, Fur, did not receive much attention for its mediocrity. Her next film, The Invasion, was definitely a career-devastating piece of work. The film bombed at the box office and critics found it “putrid” or “rotten”. She was again a potential Razzie nominee but it did not push through. However, her next film, The Golden Compass, won her acclaim, as well as Margot at the Wedding. She next starred in Australia, the big-budget epic film directed by Moulin Rouge! director Baz Luhrmann. She was then criticized in the film, with some critics calling her performance “stiff”, “ludicrous”, “vapid” and “brittle”. Again, she was censured in Nine, with people saying her performance as “stiff” but the bashing was lesser. Her next film, Rabbit Hole, tells about a story of a mother who loses her son in a car accident only to find solace in the man who killed his son. The film sounds very promising, as it won Cynthia Nixon a Tony Award. Not only that, it is directed by a very brilliant director, John Cameron Mitchell. Special screenings have people say it is a good film, with Kidman giving a powerful performance. Indeed, she does. It is a drama film. She is good in that field. She will not disappoint us here. Her future film, The Danish Girl, which tells about the first man to ever have sex change, may be doubtful but hopefully it may turn out well. Another is Just Go With It, a rom-com starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Kidman plays a supporting role, maybe a cameo, similar to Tom Cruise’s role in Tropic Thunder. Hopefully, she gets the same fate as Cruise, getting nominated for a Golden Globe. If she gets nominated, it will be her eighth Golden Globe nomination. The Eighth Wonder, a big-budget film similar to Indiana Jones, is under wraps. This MAY become a box office failure, but maybe if moviegoers trust Kidman more, this will be a success. The Rivals, At The End of the Spectra and How To Marry a Millionaire is also on the way. Maybe Rabbit Hole may usher in a new decade for Nicole Kidman. A new start for Nicole Kidman. The Rebirth of Nicole Kidman.

Jennifer Aniston: Making Too Many Rom-Coms???

Meg Ryan was the original Rom-Com Queen. Then she was followed by Julia Roberts. Then Sandra Bullock. Then Reese Witherspoon. And now, Jennifer Aniston. After her latest romantic comedy film The Bounty Hunter bombed at the box office and with critics booing the film, Jen still has future rom-coms to compensate for that. Her next rom-com, The Switch, in which she stars with Jason Bateman, doesn’t sound that promising. Same as her next rom-com, Just Go With It, in which she plays as a pretend wife, doesn’t sound promising either, though it is supported by a cast consisting of Adam Sandler and Nicole Kidman. Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock and Reese Witherspoon made transitions to being dramatic actresses which eventually gave them the coveted Oscar statuette. They have proven that one should not stick to only one genre. She must explore other genres to improve her craft. Though the three of them still do rom-coms today, their performances in those films are still satisfying. On Aniston’s case, she gives the same kind of performance in every rom-com. Rom-coms should not always be about box-office returns, but also the performance. Julia Roberts won acclaim for her role in the rom-com Pretty Woman. Same with Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. As well as Reese Witherspoon in Just Like Heaven and Legally Blonde. And Sandra Bullock who was praised in Miss Congeniality, The Proposal and While You Were Sleeping. I don’t remember a single Aniston performance winning acclaim in a romantic comedy film. Though she starred in a few dramatic films such as The Good Girl, which gave her critical acclaim, it was then overshadowed by ludicrous performances in films such as Derailed, Rumor Has It, Along Came Polly and The Bounty Hunter. Maybe she should start working on drama. She has drama chops. She has to improve it because, drama films MAY be her last resort.

GLEEnvasion

In May 2009, new faces emerged on American television. Unknown people like Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer and Amber Riley started to surface. It was already the beginning of a worldwide phenomenon. The Glee-mania has begun. Glee tells the story of a cheerleading adviser who tries to ruin rival club New Directions (Glee Club) so that the school administration will be devoting all their funds to the cheerios. Glee’s underdog characters and unique storyline helped it make its way to international recognition. The TV series became an instant hit, with 15 million viewers watching the first episode. It was critically acclaimed as well, with several accolades under its belt. It also turned unknowns like Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Dianna Agron and Mark Salling into worldwide stars. With no clichés and great humor and one-liner characters, it’s no doubt that Glee is really a global phenomenon, with people singing with their songs, laughing with their jokes and all. And the best thing with Glee is its antagonist, Sue Sylvester played by actress Jane Lynch. One critic said, “Sue Sylvester alone makes Glee worth watching.” Indeed, she does. With witty people in support like unknowns Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Iqbal Theba, Harry Shum Jr and Dijon Tatton, Glee becomes funnier. As with its protagonist, Will Schuester, played by actor Matthew Morrison, put the Glee clubbers in high spirits, as he makes them believe in themselves. With all the singing and laughing comes the romantic element woven throughout the series, which include Will Schuester falling in love with guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (played by Jayma Mays) and Lea Michele and Cory Monteith falling in love with each other. Glee is not just your average tv series. It has music, wits, love and a whole lot of juice-splashed-in-your face. With season 2 coming our way, Glee will really make its mark on television history, better yet, world history.

Nicole Kidman: Conquering All Genres

Young star Josh Hutcherson said that he wants to star in all genres of cinema. Well, he may set his eyes on Nicole Kidman as an example. Nicole Kidman, as what we can see, is a versatile actress, ready to take risks to improve her craft. Taking risks means starring in films you are not really comfortable playing in, yet having to do it to explore new horizons. Nicole Kidman has starred in almost 30 diverse films, one being different from one another in terms of genre. Kidman, unlike Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan and Reese Witherspoon, who mostly star in romantic comedies, doesn't settle for only one thing. Here's a look on her film genre choices.

Dead Calm- Sea Thriller
Days of Thunder- Sports Movie
Flirting- Teen Movie
Billy Bathgate- Crime Film
To Die For- Satirical Comedy
Batman Forever- Superhero Movie
The Peacemaker- Action Movie
Eyes Wide Shut, My Life- Neo-noir Drama Film
Moulin Rouge!, Nine- Musical
The Others- Supernatural Horror Film
Birthday Girl, Margot at the Wedding- Comedy Drama
The Hours, Rabbit Hole, Birth, The Human Stain- Drama Film
Dogville- Philosophical Film
Cold Mountain, Australia- Epic War Films
The Stepford Wives- Black Comedy Film
The Interpreter- Political Drama Film
Bewitched- Romantic Comedy
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus- Biographical Film
Happy Feet- Animated Feature
The Portrait of a Lady, Far and Away- Period Films
The Invasion- Science Fiction Film
The Golden Compass, Practical Magic- Fantasy Film

Despite some being critical and box office failures, it sure did help Nicole Kidman build a name for herself and establish herself as a risk-taker, that is why she sure is a brilliant actress with a wide range of acting experiences.