Relatively unknown lead actors in two riveting art house movies partly about immigration, desperation, and surprise friendships - Richard Jenkins, whom we also saw in "Burn After Reading" this year; and Melissa Leo, a favorite of ours from "Homicide: Life on the Street" - snared Best Actor and Best Actress Oscar nominations, respectively, for "The Visitor" (see earlier entry on this movie) and "Frozen River." Getting no Oscar noms but earning $70 million plus (Clint's biggest two weeks ever) in its first two weeks in wide release were actor/director/producer Clint Eastwood and newcomers Bee Bang and Ahney Her (pictured below). As originally written, the movie was set in St. Paul's East side where we once lived, partly among the Hmong American community there (in which we were slightly immersed, and which I've studied). I followed the open casting for the movie (see the "Gran Torino" blog entry), whose St. Paul auditions produced Vang and Michigan auditions produced Her. We saw this movie last weekend: great movie (with something for everyone - except for not children - bad language and some violence and adult themes) (and - like "The Visitor" and "Frozen River" - about immigration, desperation, and surprise friendships)! Congrats for the nominations and the earnings, Richard, Melissa, Bee, Ahney, and Clint!
-- Perry
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