What the Hell Happened to Nicole Kidman?

During the 1990’s, Kidman was one half of Hollywood’s biggest power couple.  During that time, she became one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood.  Even after her divorce from Tom Cruise, Kidman’s career continued to soar.  She starred in big movies, was a darling of critics and finally won an Academy Award in 2002.  These days, Kidman is still a sought-after actress.  She can still be counted on to rack up nominations come awards time.  But her career has cooled.  The movies are smaller.  Her spotlight has dimmed.

What the hell happened?

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Nicole Kidman – BMX Bandits – 1983

Kidman was born to Australian parents who were living in Hawaii.  That made her eligible for dual citizenship in Australia and the US.  Kidman’s family returned to Australia when she was four.  In 1983, at the age of 15, Kidman started acting in Australian film and televison.  Her first film was a remake of an Australian holiday favorite, Bush Christmas.  (Between being born in Hawaii and starring in Bush Christmas, I am trying really hard not to make any jokes about recent presidents.)

That year, Kidman became a regular on the Australian TV show, Five Mile Creek.  She also appeared in BMX Bandits (pictured above).  To get the part, Kidman lied about being able to ride BMX bikes.  During filming, she sprained an ankle.  No female stunt double could be found, so Kidman was doubled by a man.

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Nicole Kidman and Billy Zane – Dead Calm – 1989

Kidman continued working in Australian film and television throughout the 80s.  In 1989, Kidman starred opposite Sam Neill and Billy Zane in Phillip Noyce’s nautical thriller, Dead Calm.

Kidman and Neill play a couple who go out to sea to after the death of their son.  Their getaway is interrupted when they come upon a sinking boat.  They rescue the sole survivor played by Zane.  He repays their kindness by terrorizing them at sea.

Dead Calm received almost universally positive reviews.  It was a hit in Australia and crossed over into the US.

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Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise

It is impossible to discuss Kidman’s Hollywood career without talking about her relationship with Tom Cruise.  Cruise was married to actress Mimi Rogers.  Rogers brought Cruise into Scientology.  The couple split in 1990.  Like all of Cruise’s three divorces, the details were shrouded in privacy.  Years later, Rogers offered her take:

“Tom was seriously thinking of becoming a monk. At least for that period of time, it looked as though marriage wouldn’t fit into his overall spiritual need. And he thought he had to be celibate to maintain the purity of his instrument. Therefore it became obvious we had to split.”

Lawrence Wright, author of the book, Going Clear, told a different story.  According to the book, church-leader David Miscavige saw Cruise as a rock star who could be the public face of Scientology.  Anything Cruise wanted, Cruise got.  And Cruise wanted the 21-year-old Kidman.  According to Marty Rathbun, former second-in-command and now a vocal critic of Scientology, he was sent to Rogers’ home with divorce papers and told her: ‘ “This is the right thing to do for Tom, because he is going to do lots of good for Scientology.” That was the end of Mimi Rogers.’

Kidman was a Catholic who reportedly tolerated Cruise’s involvement in Scientology without embracing it.  Her father was a clinical psychologist which worried some Scientologists given their views on psychology.  But Miscavige couldn’t tell Cruise “no”.  They started a file on Kidman while they were introducing her to Cruise.

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Nicole Kidman – Days of Thunder – 1990

Cruise cast Kidman in his 1990 racing drama, Days of Thunder and the co-stars began dating.

Days of Thunder was directed by Tony Scott who had directed Cruise in his star-making role in Top Gun.  Critics noted the similarities between the two movies.  They referred to Days of Thunder as “Top Gun on wheels”.

The production was extremely difficult.  Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer fought with Scott about everything.  Even screen-writer Robert Towne got in on the action.  The movie fell three months behind schedule.

It was released to mixed reviews, but it was a hit at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – Flirting – 1990

In 1990, Kidman appeared in Flirting, an Australian coming of age film which also featured early performances by Thandie Newton and Naomi Watts.

Flirting received positive reviews.  Roger Ebert named it one of the 10 best films of the year.  It was successful in relation to its budget at the box office both in Australia and in the US.

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Nicole Kidman – Billy Bathgate – 1991

Later that year, Kidman returned to mainstream Hollywood movies in the crime drama, Billy Bathgate.

Dustin Hoffman starred as gangster, Dutch Schultz.  Bruce Willis appeared in a supporting role as Dutch’s rival.  Kidman played his girl friend.  While Dutch is on trial, he tasks his protegé with keeping an eye on Kidman which he does very effectively.  Even when she is bathing naked in a pond.  Hey, he was just doing what his boss asked him to do!

The movie got mixed to negative reviews and flopped at the box office.  Amazingly, Kidman was nominated for a Golden Globe.  Apparently, Hoffman’s protegé wasn’t the only one who enjoyed watching her bathe.

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Nicole Kidman – Far and Away – 1992

In 1992, Kidman co-starred with her husband in Ron Howard’s romantic drama, Far and Away.

Cruise and Kidman played Irish immigrants in the 1890’s.  They drink, they fight, Kidman has curls like Merida in Brave and eventually they fall in love.  The high point of the movie is the Land Rush of 1893.

Reviews were mixed and the film was a disappointment in the US (relative to its budget and Cruise’s usual grosses).  It fared well overseas which resulted in the movie making a profit.

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Nicole Kidman – Malice – 1993

 In 1993, Kidman appeared opposite Alec Baldwin and Bill Pullman in the over-the-top thriller, Malice.

Oh man, is Malice ever ridiculous?  It’s more than ridiculous, it’s ridonculous.  Pullman and Kidman played a married couple.  So that right there strains credibility.  Baldwin played a maniacal doctor who utters the famous line, “You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something. I am God.”  Not surprisingly, Baldwin delivers the line very believably.

Malice received mixed reviews.  Roger Ebert summed it up when he said, it was “one of the busiest movies I’ve ever seen, a film jam-packed with characters and incidents and blind alleys and red herrings. Offhand, this is the only movie I can recall in which an entire subplot about a serial killer is thrown in simply for atmosphere.”

With mixed reviews, a leading man who was on a losing streak, an unproven leading lady and Bill Pullman, it’s no surprise Malice was not a hit at the box office.  But it is worth checking out on cable if you’re in the mood for an absurd 90’s thriller.

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Nicole Kidman and Michael Keaton – Life – 1993

Later that year, Kidman starred opposite Michael Keaton in Bruce Joel Rubin’s melodrama, My Life.

Bruce Joel Rubin was the death-obsessed writer of Ghost and Jacob’s Ladder.  Following the success of Ghost, Rubin had carte blanche to do whatever he wanted.  What he wanted was to make a movie about a dying man who records a final message for his unborn baby.

I think the premise tells you everything you need to know about My Life.  It is one of those emotionally manipulative tear-jerkers that stacks the deck in its favor.  Of course it’s sad seeing Batman die as his son is being born.  But it’s also cheating.

 My Life received mixed to negative reviews and disappointed at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman and Val Kilmer – Batman Forever – 1995

 1995 was a big year for Kidman.  First, she starred opposite Val Kilmer in Batman Forever.

Originally, Rene Russo was cast as Dr. Chase Meridian.  But when Michael Keaton opted out of reprising the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne, the studio decided that Russo was “too old” for their new super hero.

As had been the case on the previous two Bat-films, there was a scramble to cast a new leading lady.  Conventional wisdom was that Robin Wright would be cast.  But instead, Kidman got the role.  Many attributed this casting coup to the influence of her husband.

Batman Forever was a crowded movie.  Like Batman Returns, it doubled down on villains.  Tommy Lee Jones played Two Face and Jim Carrey played the Riddler.  The movie also had to find room for Chris O’Donnell as Batman’s sidekick, Robin.  With so many characters vying for screen time, there wasn’t much for Kidman to do other than be gorgeous.

Fortunately for Kidman, she excelled at being eye candy.  Like most of the Batman films of the era, reviews were mixed.  But the movie was a huge hit.  After struggling in American cinema, Kidman was finally A-list.

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Nicole Kidman – To Die For – 1995

Later that year, Kidman starred in Gus Van Sant’s dark comedy, To Die For.

To Die For was written by Buck Henry based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard.  Maynard’s novel was based on the real life trial of Pamela Smart, a school media services coordinator who was convicted of seducing a 16-year-old student and convincing him to kill her husband played by Matt Dillon.  Henry’s take on the dark material is satiric and Kidman’s performance has just the right tough of comic edge.

Originally Meg Ryan was approached for the role of the fame-crazed weather girl.  When Ryan turned down the role, just about every actress in Hollywood was considered.  Ultimately, Kidman was cast.    She was rewarded with a Golden Globe for her wickedly funny turn.

To Die For received positive reviews from critics, but it was not a big hit at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – Portrait of a Lady – 1996

In 1996, Kidman starred opposite John Malcovich and Barbara Hershey in Jane Campion’s period drama, Portrait of a Lady.

Portrait was Campion’s follow-up to The Piano which took home three Oscars including Best Actress (Holly Hunter) and Best Supporting Actress (Sookie Stackhouse, I mean Rogue, no wait Anna Paquin.)  Expectations were high.  After winning a Golden Globe for To Die For, Kidman was chasing Oscar bait.

Unfortunately, Portrait did not repeat the success of The Piano.  Reviews were mixed and the movie disappointed at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – The Peacemaker – 1997

In 1997, Kidman starred opposite George Clooney in Mimi Leder’s action-thriller, The Peacemaker.

Both Kidman and Clooney had something to prove at this point.  Clooney was still establishing himself as a movie star.  His last film was the high-profile flop, Batman and Robin.  Meanwhile, Kidman had won some awards and good reviews.  But her only big box office hits could be attributed to her husband or Batman.  Teaming up for an action flick about a stolen nuclear warhead could cement both actors on the A-list.

The Peacemaker was Leder’s first movie.  She had started as a script supervisor and eventually moved in to directing television shows like China Beach.  She became one of the core directors on Clooney’s hit TV show, ER.  This lead to her being selected by Stephen Spielberg to direct The Peacemaker.  At the time, there were very few female directors in Hollywood.  And fewer still directing action films.

Reviews were mostly negative.  The US box office was disappointing, but The Peacemaker was a hit overseas.

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Nicole Kidman – Practical Magic – 1998

In 1998, Kidman co-starred with Sandra Bullock in the romantic-comedy, Practical Magic.

Kidman and Bullock played sisters in a family of witches.  The sisters live under a curse that the men they fall in love with will die an untimely death.  Bullock played the more reserved sister and Kidman played the free spirit.  That sounds like it has the makings of a cute rom-com, doesn’t it?

But director Griffen Dunne’s tone is all over the map.  The film seems to want to be a romantic comedy.  But it feels like it was spliced together with a horror movie when the girls accidentally kill an abusive boyfriend and then bring him back to life only to have him terrorize them.

Critics blasted Practical Magic and in spite of the heavy star-power of Bullock and Kidman, the movie disappointed at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – The Blue Room -1998

Later that year, Kidman started appearing in the play, The Blue Room, in London.  The sexually explicit play was directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and co-starred Iain Glen.  The two-person show consisted of a series of scenes with the two actors playing different characters in each scene.  One London critic called the show “pure theatrical Viagra.”

Naturally, Americans wanted some of that action.  So the show came to Broadway in late 1998.  Although the show received mixed reviews from Broadway critics, it was an immediate hit.  Kidman had a brief nude scene in the show in which her bare bottom could be seen on a semi-dark stage.  Several reviews of the show offered advice on the best seats to buy in order to get an unobstructed view of Kidman’s derrière.  Apparently they didn’t know you could just rent Billy Bathgate for that.

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Nicole Kidman – Eyes Wide Shut – 1999

In 1999, Kidman appeared opposite Tom Cruise for the last time in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.

Kidman and Cruise play a married couple whose relationship is jeopardized when Kidman’s character confesses to having a sexual fantasy about a naval office she saw on vacation.  This sends Cruise’s character spiralling on an adventure through the seedy New York under-ground.  Eventually, he finds himself in the middle of a secret society that holds bizarre masked orgies.

Kubrick had been developing Eyes Wide Shut for decades.  In the 70’s, he considered a comic take with Woody Allen in the lead role.  Later, he imagined it as a sexual comedy with “a wild and somber streak” starring Steve Martin.  In the 90’s, Kubrick considered Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger.  Eventually, the legendary director met with Cruise and Kidman who were in London while Kidman was filming Portrait of a Lady.  After that meeting, Kubrick cast the couple in Eyes Wide Shut.

Kubrick’s perfectionism is the stuff of legend.  Eyes Wide Shut would be the director’s final film.  He died after completing it before the film was released.  The shoot began in November of 1996 and continued until 1998.  This qualifies for The Guinness World Records for the longest continuous film shoot of all time.

Eyes Wide Shut was originally slapped with an NC-17 rating which would mean certain death at the box office.  In order to get an R-rating, Warner Brothers used CGI to cover up some of the offending bits.  Kubrick’s uncut version was later released on video.

Reviews were mostly positive.  The opening weekend exceeded the studio’s expectations.  But audiences didn’t seem to know what to make of the movie.  It ultimately made a healthy profit at the box office, but some consider it a disappointment.

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People Magazine Cover – 2001

In 2001, Cruise and Kidman announced they were getting a divorce.  Like all three of Cruise’s divorces, this one was shrouded in secrecy.  (Another odd commonality is that Cruise divorced all three of his wives when they were thirty-three years old.)  Over the years, a few details have come out.

Kidman has discussed their attempts at having children.  Kidman had at least two miscarriages during their marriage.  The couple ended up adopting two children.  According to Going Clear, the Church of Scientology attempted to separate Cruise from Kidman.  Shortly after her most recent pregnancy, Cruise became angry and left Kidman.  She miscarried not long after which some attribute to stress.

As with Mimi Rogers before her, Kidman did not want the divorce.  Cruise decided unilaterally that the marriage was over.  Reportedly, the Church of Scientology separated Kidman from her adopted children and turned them against her as well.

While Kidman’s personal life seemed to be falling apart, her career was about to go to the next level.

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Nicole Kidman – Moulin Rouge – 2001

Kidman kicked off 2001 starring opposite Ewan McGregor in Baz Luhrmann’s pop-filled musical, Moulin Rouge.

Kidman played a courtesan who falls in love with a lowly writer played by McGregor.  But she has been promised to a wealthy duke.  Luhrmann’s films are always highly stylized, but Moulin Rouge took those sensibilities to new levels.  The movie assaults the senses with contemporary pop music and flights of fancy.

Moulin Rouge received mostly positive reviews and was a hit at the box office.  The movie and the soundtrack became a cultural phenomenon.  Kidman won another Golden Globe and was nominated an Oscar.

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Nicole Kidman – The Others – 2001

Later that year, Kidman starred in the moody thriller, The Others.

The story is set in the aftermath of World War 2.  Kidman plays a mother of two children who have a rare disease that makes them extremely sensitive to light.  I realize the movie is over a decade old, but I don’t want to reveal too many details in case anyone hasn’t seen it.  The twisty, atmospheric horror story is both scary and moving.  If you haven’t seen it, you should definitely check it out before someone blows the ending for you.

The Others received positive reviews and was a big hit at the box office.  Kidman was nominated for another Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama while winning for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for Moulin Rouge.

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Nicole Kidman – Birthday Girl – 2002

In 2002, Kidman starred opposite Ben Chaplin in the crime drama, Birthday Girl.  The film opened in 2001 in England.

Chaplin played an English clerk who sends away for a mail-order bride on the internet.  Kidman plays the bride who speaks no English.  Their relationship starts as purely sexual although eventually an emotional bond is formed.  Eventually, she is taken prisoner and the clerk is forced to steal to pay the ransom.

Birthday Girl received mixed to positive reviews and was a modest hit at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – The Hours – 2002

Later that year, Kidman played author  Virginia Woolf in The Hours.

The movie tells the stories of three women in different generations and how they are impacted by Woolf’s novel, Mrs. Dalloway.  Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore play women in the 50s and present day whose lives are touched by the book.  Kidman, who was almost unrecognizable under the make-up, played the doomed author who struggled with depression and mental illness.

The Hours received positive reviews and was a hit at the box office.  As often happens when glamorous Hollywood actors take on unglamorous roles, Kidman cleaned up at the awards.  She won her third Golden Globe and her first Oscar.

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Nicole Kidman – Dogville – 2003

2003 was a busy year for Kidman.  First, she starred in director Lars von Trier’s drama, DogvilleDogville was the first in von Trier’s USA – Land of Opportunities trilogy.

Kidman played a woman on the run from the mob.  She trades safety for physical labor in a small mountain town.  The movie uses minimal sets like a stage play.  Little by little, the town begins taking advantage of the desperate woman they are supposedly protecting.

Dogville opened to mixed to positive reviews.  Some critics, like Roger Ebert, complained that the movie was too anti-American.  It received only a limited release in the US, but it did turn a profit.

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Nicole Kidman – The Human Stain – 2003

Later that year, Kidman starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the big screen adaptation of the novel, The Human Stain.

Hopkins played a disgraced college professor who was forced to resign after accusations of making racist remarks in class.  Kidman played his much younger mistress.  The couple faces challenges from Hopkins’ ex-faculty and Kidman’s unstable ex-husband played by Ed Harris.

A lot of Kidman’s movies have twist endings and I have been careful not to spoil them.  But I’m going to spoil this one.  So skip ahead if you don’t want to be spoiled.  In the end, it is revealed that Hopkins’ character is actually a light-skinned African-American.  Uh, yeah.  Right.

Reviews were mixed.  Many critics praised Hopkins’ and Kidman’s performances while saying they were miscast in their roles.  The movie flopped at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman and Jude Law – Cold Mountain – 2003

Kidman recovered later that year in Anthony Minghella’s Cold Mountain.

Kidman played a Southern belle who falls for a confederate soldier about to go off to war.  The soldier, played by Jude Law, eventually deserts the Confederate army to return to his love.  While he is away, Kidman’s character befriends a plucky tom-boy played by Renee Zellweger who helps her survive the brutal winter.

Cold Mountain received mostly positive reviews and was a hit at the box office.  It was nominated for more than seventy awards including seven Academy Award nominations. Kidman was nominated for another Golden Globe.

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Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick – The Stepford Wives – 2004

In 2004, Kidman starred opposite Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler and Christopher Walken in Frank Oz’s remake of The Stepford Wives.

The original Stepford Wives was a creepy Twilight Zone-like tale of a town where the feminist movement never seems to have happened.  It  combines a sense of dread with cutting social satire.  The remake gives up trying to duplicate that delicate balance and instead goes for broad comedy.

The Stepford Wives was a notoriously troubled production.  John and Joan Cusack were originally supposed to co-star, but they both pulled out and were replaced by Broderick and Middler.  Oz clashed on the set with several members of his cast including Kidman, Walken, Middler and Glenn Close.

After filming was completed, the script was rewritten.  The rewrites created some serious plot holes.  The original film had a chilling and memorable ending.  But the remake just didn’t make any sense.  Kidman was so dissatisfied, she considered leaving the project.

The Stepford Wives received terrible reviews and flopped at the box office.  With the inclusion of international ticket sales, the movie barely broke even.  Oz took the blame for the movie’s failure saying, “I f***ed up… I had too much money, and I was too responsible and concerned for Paramount. I was too concerned for the producers. And I didn’t follow my instincts.”

This is where Kidman’s burgeoning career starts to implode.

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Nicole Kidman – Birth – 2004

Later that year, Kidman starred in the bizarre drama, Birth.

Kidman played a wealthy widow who gradually becomes convinced that a ten-year old boy is her late husband reincarnated.  Yeah, it’s pretty icky.  The film sparked controversy for a scene in which Kidman’s character bathes with the child she believes is her husband.  Anne Heche and Lauren Bacall costarred.

When the movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival, it was greeted by boos and catcalls.  Reviews were mostly negative although Kidman received praise for her brave performance.  She was nominated for yet another Golden Globe.  However, the movie flopped at the box office which isn’t surprising given the subject matter.

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Nicole Kidman – The Interpreter – 2005

In 2005, Kidman starred opposite Sean Penn in Sydney Pollack’s political thriller, The Interpreter.

Kidman played a UN interpreter who overhears an assassination plot.  Penn played a Secret Service agent sent to protect her.

Despite mixed reviews, the movie was a hit at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – Bewitched – 2005

Later that year, Kidman starred opposite Will Ferrell and Shirley MacLaine in Nora Ephron’s big-screen adaptation of the TV show, Bewitched.

Ephron was faced with a big problem.  Although beloved by many, Bewitched didn’t have enough substance to base a movie on.  Her solution to the problem scores points for originality.  Instead of adapting Bewitched, she made a meta movie about a Hollywood adaptation of Bewitched.

Ferrell played a vain actor cast in the role of Darrin in a Bewitched movie.  Afraid of being upstaged, he insists that an unkown play Samantha.  Kidman played a real witch who moved to LA to try to live a normal life.  Eventually she is cast in the role of Samantha in the movie-within-a-movie.

Originality was about the only thing the movie had going for it.  Fans of the show were disappointed by the meta concept.  Reviews were terrible.  The movie disappointed at the box office.  Kidman and Ferrell won a Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple.

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Nicole Kidman – Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus – 2006

In 2006, Kidman starred opposite Robert Downey Jr. in another bizarre drama, Fur.

Downey played a man suffering from Hypertrichosis which causes him to be covered in fur.  Kidman plays his neighbor who starts a relationship with him.  I haven’t seen the movie myself, so I am going to rely on the plots synopsis from Wikipedia which informs me that “An incident with a clogged drain leads her to a relationship with Lionel and entry into a netherworld populated by transvestites, dwarves and others living on the fringes of society.”

The movie where she bathed with a 10-year old boy doesn’t sound so weird now.

Fur got mixed reviews and was barely noticed at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman and Robin Williams – Happy Feet – 2006

Later that year, Kidman did voice work in the animated feature, Happy Feet.  Happy Feet included the voices of Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy and Hugh Jackman.  The dancing penguin movie was directed by Australian director George Miller who had produced many of Kidman’s early films including Dead Calm.  The movie received positive reviews and was a hit at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban – 2006

In 2006, Kidman re-married.  Her second husband is Australian country music singer Keith Urban.  The couple currently has two daughters.

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Nicole Kidman – The Invasion – 2007

In 2007, Kidman starred opposite Daniel Craig in The Invasion.

The Invasion was the fourth big-screen adaptation of  the 1955 novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney.  Like the previous adaptations, the film is about an alien force that takes control of people once they fall asleep.

The Invasion was a notoriously troubled project.  It went through several name changes and revisions.  At one point, Kidman was injured while riding in a car that was being towed by a stunt driver.  She broke several ribs and was hospitalized.

Originally, The Invasion was schedule for a 2006 release.  But the release was pushed back to accommodate reshoots.  Reviews were terrible and the movie flopped at the box office making Kidman the Queen of the Bad Remake.

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Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh – Margot at the Wedding – 2007

Later that year, Kidman starred opposite Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jack Black in the dramedy, Margot at the Wedding.

Kidman played a successful writer who goes to visit her sister on the eve of her wedding.  Leigh played the free-spirited sister who is preparing to marry Black’s character.  Tensions arise because Kidman’s character doesn’t approve.  Can you blame her?  If your sister was Jennifer Jason Leigh and she was about to marry Jack Black, wouldn’t you object?

Margot received mixed reviews and barely registered at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – The Golden Compass – 2007

Kidman rounded out 2007 by appeared in the big-budget fantasy film, The Golden Compass.

The Golden Compass was based on the first book in Philip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials.  The books are controversial for their anti-religion message.  They serve as a kind of counterpoint to the Narnia books.  Following the success of the first Narnia movie as well as the Lord of the Rings, studios were hungry for fantasy films.

Director Chris Weitz tried to focus on the fantasy elements while removing any material that might be deemed too controversial for mainstream audiences.  All the same, Christians protesters worried that the movie would cause kids to pick up the books which they considered offensive.

Reviews were negative and the movie disappointed at the box office.  Thanks to the international grosses, it managed to turn a profit.  But the planned sequels were never made.

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Nicole Kidman – Australia – 2008

In 2008, Kidman starred opposite Hugh Jackman in Baz Luhrmann’s historical romance, Australia.

Originally, Russell Crowe was attached to star in the Aussie love story.  But Crowe demanded personal script approval before he would sign.  Luhrmann and Crowe couldn’t work things out, so Luhrmann sought to cast Heath Ledger.  Eventually, Hugh Jackman was cast.

Reviews were mixed to negative.  While Australia disappointed in the US, it ended up making a healthy profit overseas.

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Nicole Kidman – Nine – 2009

The following year, Kidman appeared in Rob Marshall’s musical, Nine.

Nine was adapated from the 1982 musical of the same name which was inspired by  Federico Fellini’s semi-autobiographical film 8½.  Kidman’s role was originally offered to Catherine Zeta-Jones who had worked with Marshall before on Chicago.  Zeta-Jones left the production when Marshall refused to expand the role for the movie.  Kidman took over the role and began rehearsals just four weeks after giving birth to her daughter.

Nine received horrible reviews and flopped at the box office.

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Nicole Kidman – Rabbit Hole – 2010

In 2010, Kidman starred opposite Aaron Eckhart in the drama, Rabbit Hole.

Kidman and Eckhart play a couple struggling to deal with the death of their four-year-old son.  The movie was based on a play of the same name.  Kidman produced the film through her company, Blossom Films.  Despite positive reviews, the movie was ignored at the box office.  Kidman received several awards nominations including nominations for the Oscars and Golden Globes.

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Nicole Kidman – Just Go With It – 2011

In 2011, Kidman made the mystifying decision to appear in a cameo role in Adam Sandler’s “comedy” Just Go With It.  One hopes a large paycheck was involved.  Reviews were terrible because all Adam Sandler movies are terrible (although I did like The Wedding Singer).  And like most Sandler movies, Just Go With It was a hit anyway.  As punishment, Kidman was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress.

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Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage – Trespass – 2011

Later that year, Kidman starred opposite Nicolas Cage in Joel Schumacher’s Trespass.

Trespass was directed by Kidman’s Batman Forever director, Joel Schumacher.  Ever since Batman and Robin, Schumacher had struggled.  Every movie he has made since seems like an effort to prove he is not a campy director.  Every film is so dark and gritty, they feel like snuff films.

Cage and Kidman play a couple whose home is invaded by kidnappers who torture them in hopes of stealing something of value.  Little by little, the experience reveals family secrets as well as some secrets about the home invaders.

Before you run out and rent it, let me warn you that my description makes it sound much more interesting than it actually is.

Reviews were negative and the movie bombed.  Kidman and Cage were nominated for Worst Screen Couple by the Golden Raspberries.

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Nicole Kidman – Hemingway & Gellhorn – 2012

In 2012, Kidman starred opposite Clive Owen in Philip Kaufman’s biopic, Hemingway & Gellhorn.

Owen played writer Ernest Hemingway and Kidman played his wife,  journalist Martha Gellhorn.  The movie covers their relationship which was Hemingway’s third marriage.

Hemingway & Gellhorn was an HBO movie.  Reviews were mixed, but Kidman was nominated once again for a Golden Globe.

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Nicole Kidman – The Paperboy – 2012

Kidman appeared on the big screen opposite Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron in The Paperboy.

McConaughey and Efron play brothers who attempt to exonerate a man on death row played by John Cusack.  Kidman plays a woman who writes the accused murderer letters.  Even though they have never met, she is in love with him.  She helps the brothers in their effort to free him so that they can be married.

The movie premiered at Cannes where it garnered a vocal reaction.  The claim has been made that it holds the record for the longest standing ovation at the festival.  However, others claim that the response included ” jeering, squawking and mooing”.

Reviews for the film were mixed and it bombed at the box office.  But Kidman was nominated for several awards including the Golden Globe.  They really seem to love her, don’t they?

kidman - stoker
Nicole Kidman – Stoker – 2013

In 2013, Kidman starred as an unstable matriarch in the horror film, Stoker, which has nothing to do with vampires.

Kidman played a widow who is visited by her late husband’s mysterious and charming younger brother.  The brother-in-law takes a potentially unhealthy interest in his niece, Kidman’s daughter.

Reviews were mixed to positive, but the movie bombed at the box office.

Kidman has two more films schedule for release in 2013.  The first is The Railway Man with Colin Firth.  And then she’ll play Grace Kelley in Grace of Monaco.  She also has a cameo role in the Anchorman sequel starring her Bewitched co-star, Will Ferrell.

As you can see, Kidman is still an extremely busy actress.  She still racks up Golden Globe nominations every time she leaves the house.  There are those who will argue that she is still an A-list actress.  But in recent years, the movies have gotten smaller.  She is shifting from a leading lady to playing supporting roles.

So, what the hell happened?

Kidman rose to fame based largely on her marriage to the biggest movie star in the world.  But she got to the top of the A-list based on her own abilities.  Even after her famous husband left her, Kidman’s star continued to rise.

When she started starring in big budget summer movies, Kidman made several mis-steps.  She took chances on arty movies that alienated audiences.  And her mainstream films like The Stepford Wives and Bewitched were embarrassing failures.  At the prime of her career, Kidman was making movies no one wanted to see.

The sad fact of Hollywood life is that very few actresses maintain successful careers in their forties.  It is natural and expected that Kidman’s career would cool off at this point.  Fortunately, she is still giving interesting performances in a variety of movies.

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RB
RB
10 years ago

Talk about a one-two punch… we get this treat, mere days after Chevy Chase? Really good stuff Lebeau!! This WTHH subject is intriguing ’cause I’d argue that Nicole Kidman is permanent A list if not A+ list. Yet you are right her star is no longer white hot. Still I’m willing to bet my house she’ll go on working for a long time, with her impressive list of awards and nominations. “Just Go With It”, aside from being a Sandler movie that took him from being fingernails on a chalkboard, to a likeable actor, was a vehicle for Kidman playing… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Another deceased actor that I wouldn’t mind seeing get a WTHHT is Richard Pryor.

RB
RB
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Can’t think of any Madonna films other than Desperately Seeking Susan. At the time, I recall it being a hit, especially among college age viewers. Madonna was the reigning Queen of pop, of dance, of cool, of MTV.. (this was in the days where MTV was good and known for music videos only).. you name it. But in all honestly no one really took her seriously for the acting. She played a sex kitten who rocked out to her hit tunes… how much of a stretch was that? It was a fun movie, and I did watch it several times… Read more »

RB
RB
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

OMG, you are so freakin’ right, I forgot all about A League of Their Own! RB is getting senile. Madonna did great in that role, but it was little more than a cameo. Never saw Evita. Don’t get me wrong, I like Madonna and was a big fan back then, but I almost feel like it’s blasphemous to discuss her in the same comments section of a serious actress.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Brittany Murphy arguably didn’t become a “star proper” (although she had been working as a child/teen star on TV and movies since the early ’90s) until she appeared in “8 Mile”. For a while, she was being pushed to be the next female star in movies like “Just Married”, and “Uptown Girls”, and “Little Black Book”. She even hosted “Saturday Night Live” off the heels of appearing in “8 Mile”. There was a time in which she could legitimately be considered a bigger star than her “Clueless” cohort Alicia Silverstone, who of course, was supposed to be the “next big… Read more »

RB
RB
10 years ago

And let us not forget, Brittany Murphy and Winona Ryder did all the heavy lifting in “Girl, Interrupted” only to see the Oscar go to Angelina Jolie for basically showcasing her wild side on screen. I will forever be convinced that was one of the most drastically unfair Oscar outcomes of all time.

Mastro
Mastro
9 years ago
Reply to  RB

The Academy- and many audiences- love the scenery eating role. Goes back to Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet.

Shemp
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

“blackballed”? I not know of this…how was BM blackballed?

ian
ian
10 years ago

Such a stupid article. She got older? Hah! Roles dry up for most actresses after 40. Nicole Kidman’s days as a leading actress are over? No… She’s got Before I Go To Sleep coming up, Grace of Monaco and The Family Fang–You should be focusing on Renee Zellweger & Julia Roberts for that sort of thing. Also, Australia didn’t get mixed to negative reviews, it got mixed to positive. (Look at Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB etc) and the reason it looks like she got so many Golden Globe nods is because you’re mentioning them over every other award she got nominated… Read more »

ian
ian
10 years ago

Just went over and checked your Jennifer Jason Leigh article (You seem to like her!) to see if your bias seeped through in other work, and guess what? It does!
You stated Margot At The Wedding “received mixed reviews and barely registered at the box office.” yet in the JJL article, you claim “You can probably guess by now that the movie was a hit with critics even if most audiences have never heard of it. For her part, Leigh received several awards nominations from various film critics’ groups.”

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Assessing Nicole Kidman: You Know The Drill: http://www.pajiba.com/career_assessments/nicole-kidman-career-assessment-you-know-the-drill.php Subject: Nicole Kidman, 43-year old Australian-American actress Date of Assessment: February 11, 2011 Positive Buzzwords: Versatile, experimental Negative Buzzwords: Botox, Botox, Botox The Case: We meet with this week’s subject, Nicole Kidman, as she stands at the forefront of a cavernous discrepancy between her former proven abilities as an actress and the effects of an addiction to face-freezing cosmetic procedures. It’s a very sad situation, really, to think that Kidman has lost touch with both her reflection in the mirror and the fact that an actor must be able to communicate emotion… Read more »

coll
coll
8 years ago

Stumbled upon this thread very after the fact, but wanted to point out a couple corrections. The Golden Compass, which she’s perfectly cast in, grossed almost 400 million internationally and by definition was a hit… particularly relevant since it was based on books that were best sellers in Britain, not America. Same with “Australia”, whose international (the title says it all) box office of 211 million was not shabby either…not a hit considering the production budget, but certainly not a flop. I’m not going to argue about Kidman’s predilection for Botox, but 2 of the movies you mentioned as examples… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Nicole Kidman’s career goes straight to video: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/nicole-kidmans-career-goes-straight-to-video/story-e6frfmvr-1226114927176 NICOLE Kidman’s career has officially hit the skids – her next film is going straight to video. The Oscar-winner, whose very name used to be enough to command space at the multiplexes and a lavish promotional campaign, is facing the indignity of being dumped in the movie graveyard. Worse still is the fact that her new film isn’t a low-budget art-house flick but a mainstream thriller co-starring another Oscar-winner, Nic Cage. In Trespass Kidman and Cage play a wealthy couple whose fractured relationship is tested when a group of ruthless criminals invade… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

10 Terrible Movies That Made Great Actors Look Like Failed Amateurs: http://whatculture.com/film/10-terrible-movies-that-made-great-actors-look-like-failed-amateurs.php/9 Nicole Kidman – Trespass Nicole Kidman has been putting in dazzling screen performances since she began her career back in the early ’80’s, but 2011 is not a year that she will reflect on with fondness or nostalgia. This was not only the year that she was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for her role in the Adam Sandler rom-com Just Go With It, but also the year she was dragged down to a startlingly low level alongside Nicolas Cage in the home invasion thriller Trespass. The… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Nicole Kidman goes trashy, crazy in ‘The Paperboy’: deliciously awful?: http://www.celebitchy.com/243432/nicole_kidman_goes_trashy_crazy_in_the_paperboy_deliciously_awful/ What happened to Nicole Kidman’s career? Did it start to fade when she began to Botox so heavily? Or did she begin to ‘Tox when her career began to fade? Unknown. What I do know is that Nicole used to be one of the most interesting actresses out there, and nowadays she’s just… I don’t know. In need of better representation? In need of a reality check about what kind of roles she should be playing now? Something like that. Anyway, Nicole’s latest movie is The Paperboy. The film… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Is Kidman’s frozen face ruining her career?: http://www.today.com/id/22044684/ns/today-entertainment/t/kidmans-frozen-face-ruining-her-career/#.UXN-K6KOQRg In the brilliant, little-seen 2004 film “Birth,” Nicole Kidman stars as well-to-do New Yorker who comes to believe that a 10-year-old boy is the reincarnation of her long-deceased husband. There’s an extraordinary scene early on, where Kidman and her fiancé attend the symphony; the camera stays locked on Kidman’s face for two solid minutes, as we see a panoply of emotions rocket through her mind, subtly revealing themselves in her countenance. As movie close-ups go, it’s one of the greats, to be placed alongside silent screen legends like Lillian Gish and Maria… Read more »

babette
babette
10 years ago

Hi Mr. Clay!
“As movie close-ups go” the absolute pinnacle is Barbara Stanwyck whilst her husband is being strangled in the car in “Double Indemnity.” Cannot be duplicated!
In comparison, with the sound off, Kidman’s 2 minutes are more akin to her needing to go to the loo.
Thoroughly enjoy your writing.
Thanks Lebeau!
b

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

The Curious Case of Nicole Kidman’s Career: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/49860685.html Kidman was a critical success in Australia, mostly on TV, before “Dead Calm” brought her to international prominence and marriage to Tom Cruise. Though this union occurred in that distant era when the Hollywood PR machine was omnipotent, and would have merrily mounted a posthumous defamation of Galileo if the price was right, it was met with suspicion and scorn from the outset. Many openly opined that Kidman sought a parachute onto the A-list, and that was among the kinder speculations. As Hollywood pacts go this one did had a whiff of… Read more »

coll
coll
8 years ago

You need to give “Cold Mountain” a second chance. I was a little iffy with it when it came out in the theaters, but with a second go-around this past year, I was surprisingly much, much more appreciative. Kidman, Law, and Zellweger are all actually quite good here.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

The Sacrificing of Nicole Kidman: http://mooninthegutter.blogspot.com/2007/08/sacrificing-of-nicole-kidman.html Upon the release of Lars Von Trier’s audacious and brilliant DOGVILLE (2003), an exhausted Nicole Kidman decided to drop out of its follow up films and explore some lighter projects. After completing work on the emotionally draining BIRTH (2004) in which she gave possibly her greatest performance, Kidman signed on to two films that promised to be less stressful but hopefully still artistically rewarding. Nicole Kidman has always been a fearless actress. You can see that in her very earliest work for Australian tv in the eighties, specifically with her turn in the mini-series… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

10 of Nicole Kidman’s most versatile film roles: http://www.wellesleycinema.co.uk/features/10-of-nicole-kidmans-most-versatile-film-roles-c111519.html Dead Calm (1989) An early major motion picture for Kidman comes with the 1989 Australian thriller film Dead Calm. Based on the novel of the same title, Dead Calm entices viewers as a mass-murderer (Billy Zane) hijacks the yacht of Rae Ingram (Kidman) and her husband (Sam Neill) while sailing on the Pacific. The film was well received as a whole, with many noting in particular the full frontal sex scene between Zane and Kidman. In a desperate attempt of seduction, Dead Calm is recognized as a thriller for more reasons… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

F This Movie!: Doc Hollywood: Nicole Kidman: http://www.fthismovie.net/2013/03/doc-hollywood-nicole-kidman_4.html Hi, Nicole! Come on in and have a seat. How are Keith and the kids? Good? OK.OK.OK. Let’s see here…I’m looking at your file, and the news is not good. How about this? Instead of futzing around like a couple of Australian schoolgirls, let’s just come out with it, yeah? You hit rock bottom. You pissed the Efron. I think you have absolutely no interest in entertaining me. You have also evolved into an actress that is about as fun as cleaning a garage. Why so serious? The good news is this… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Reading LeBeau’s final summarization towards why Nicole Kidman’s career went south, what’s kind of interesting is that I theorized the same sort of thing around here towards why Elisabeth Shue couldn’t keep up her post-“Leaving Las Vegas” momentum. Both kept making “artsy” movies that most people weren’t interested in seeing. And when they did make more mainstream friendly movies (in Elisabeth’s case, “The Saint” and Hollow Man”), they were huge, embarrassing failures. It’s always going to be debatable if Nicole wouldn’t have gotten as far as she did w/o being married to Tom Cruise. I mean, as LeBeau pointed out,… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  lebeau

Speaking of Zac Efron…:
http://www.avclub.com/article/zac-efron-character-actorhe-just-doesnt-know-it-ye-224901 (Zac Efron is a character actor—he just doesn’t know it yet)

Gizmo
Gizmo
10 years ago

Wow. What a badly written article. Nicole Kidman is probably the best actress working these days. She was amazing in The Paperboy, Rabbit Hole, Margot at the Wedding, Birth, Stoker, The Hours, Cold Mountain, The Others, Moulin Rouge, Dogville, Birthday Girl, To Die For… Who cares about box-office? Her career is so obviously not about that. I prefer an actress who takes artistic chances than someone who plays the same role over and over again and only gives dumb teenagers what they want (action! action! action!) like her ex, Tom Cruise. Kidman has an Oscar, she got her latest Oscar… Read more »

Gizmo
Gizmo
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Where am I rude here? I’m just commenting on what you wrote. You obviously don’t have any respect for Nicole Kidman’s career. And you don’t seem to have much respect for older actresses in general. Kidman is 45 year-old and she works with the best directors in the world, she’s very respected in the movie industry, why would you write an article like that? Why do you talk as if she is some kind of has-been when, in FACT, she got an Oscar nomination two years ago, her latest movie is directed by Chan Wook Park and her next movie… Read more »

seandaniel1966
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

That’s tellin’ ’em!

Gizmo
Gizmo
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

“IMO” your piece is badly written. But you certainly seem to have a very high opinion of yourself. You think it’s a compliment to be included in your “articles”? How hilarious. So you think Kidman’s career slowed down? How so? An Oscar nomination a couple of years ago is nothing? Working with Chan Wook Park is nothing? Getting great reviews for her performances in Rabbit Hole, The Paperboy and Stoker, having her movies being selected at the most prestigious film festivals in the world, getting the part of Grace Kelly in a movie produced by Harvey Weinstein…Again, why are you… Read more »

daffystardust
Editor
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Hmmm…”Gizmo?” or “Stripe,” maybe?

Gizmo
Gizmo
10 years ago

@ Terrence Michael Clay – You obviously greatly dislike Nicole Kidman. You also seem totally obsessed with her.

RB
RB
10 years ago

This is easily my favorite blog, and if I ever get around to creating the movie review blog that I have been planning for oh 20 years now, this blog will serve as the inspiration for my blog. But it’s been more fun to hang out here 🙂 The WTHH series is well done and gives an overview for each actor or actress. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as an overview that can include everything, especially when discussing lengthy careers. So the blog writer makes decisions along the way so that it isn’t 100 pages. There… Read more »

seandaniel1966
10 years ago

Don’t pay any attention to that ian retard, I thought it was a good article. I really liked Dead Calm and Far and Away, those were the high points of Kidman’s career, in my opinion. Keep up the good work.

seandaniel1966
10 years ago

New job and just bought my first home….very, very busy. But I still read all of your articles.
One thing to consider, responses mean people are paying attention.

seandaniel1966
10 years ago

Was Billy Zane ever A-list? What happened to him?

Jake
Jake
10 years ago

I’d say both “The Phantom” & his annoying performance in “Titanic” ended Zane’s tenure on the A-list before it even began. At least we still have “Dead Calm” & his small role as one of Biff’s cronies in the “Back to the Future” series.
On another note, “Eyes Wide Shut” was interesting, but I think it would’ve been better if Kidman had been in it more.

daffystardust
Editor
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

I went to EWS on opening night and just felt like the presence of 2 of the biggest stars in the world brought in a lot of people who weren’t going to have the patience for Kubrick’s brand of storytelling. I heard lots of complaints and asked those complaining if they’d seen anything else by Kubrick. Most of them looked at me blankly. A couple of them said “who’s that?”

Mastro
Mastro
9 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

It was the subject matter. Why on Earth make a movie from some 1920’s Austrian novella with a Freud fetish?
It wasn’t a deep look at someone’s sexuality- it wasn’t all that erotic and the plot was a bit bleh.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Bad Movie Beatdown: Just Go With It:
http://blip.tv/film-brain/bad-movie-beatdown-just-go-with-it-6622163
Film Brain has to watch this dismal remake of a farce, that’s more like watching Adam Sandler’s Hawaiian vacation footage – glad he’s having so much fun at least… Contains strong language and moderate sex references. This work is protected by Fair Use.

RB
RB
10 years ago

Film “Brain” is certainly entitled to his opinion. Just Go With It was my go-to watch for at least a half dozen viewings during a dismal work phase. And I will happily watch anyone’s Hawaii vacation footage. I’m weird that way!

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  RB

One thing about the Film Brain review and Nicole Kidman’s appearance in “Just Go With It” is the argument or notion that by that point in time, she was actually considered too much “box office poison” (how and why such a case was made in that regard is up for endless debate), that she wasn’t even (despite being an Academy Award winning actress, w/ a relatively sizable role in the movie and not just a mere walk on cameo) featured all that much (if at all) in the promotional material.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

The Golden Compass: what went wrong? http://www.denofgeek.us/movies/the-golden-compass/245625/the-golden-compass-what-went-wrong With fantasy franchises having been so popular in recent years, why did Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series stop before it got going? A much beloved trilogy of fantasy novels, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials was much praised for its rich, imaginative fantasy world, nuanced and ambiguous characters and powerful anti-religious themes. Critically acclaimed, award-laden bestsellers with a young heroine in the form of Lyra Bellacqua, the trilogy seemed an obvious choice to follow Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings and become a blockbuster movie series. New Line bought the rights after… Read more »

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