Hiya

There is yet another Japanese Lux commercial and, in my opinion, it’s the best yet. Nat once again wields a sword and she looks absolutely stunning. Head over here to view it. Thanks to Atsuko.

Sonoyta found this nice write up from Entertainment Weekly.

EW’s Great Performances of 2004: Natalie Portman

What a relief it is to see Natalie Portman out of her Star Wars face paint. In Zach Braff’s directorial debut, Garden State, the 23-year-old actress returns to her roots. Like the sweet, unadorned faces who beamed through Beautiful Girls and The Professional, her character, Sam, is the film’s source of rosy-cheeked innocence. (No slouch off camera, she took a three-week break from her senior-year spring semester at Harvard for the shoot.) Playing a helmet-wearing epileptic in a pink hoodie and braids, Sam is quirky and lovable, prone to breaking out in tap dance or breaking down in pretty tears. In a less skilled actor’s hands, the character would be little more than a cute caricature of idealized first love. But Portman gives the dorky, eager young woman an actual heart to hand over to the movie’s damaged hero. ”When I’m bored, I do a really horrible job,” she told EW earlier this year. ”I realize that I have to choose stuff where I’m really fascinated by the material in order to do my best work.” The actress can ring in the New Year proud of a job well done. She’s a Hollywood star who looks best without makeup.

Nick from CHUD put Garden State and Closer in his top 15 films of the year. Head over here to see what he had to say.

And Time have also included Closer in their top 10. Click over here to read the write up.

That’s it for now. I might update the poll later today.