Simply the best

I can’t let yesterday’s Oscar nominations go without expressing my unrelenting joy at the Best Actress nominees*. Have you ever seen a more impressive, more lovely, more brilliant group of actresses in one category? I mean, come on, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet. Yowza. Also bringing a smile to my face, all the scene-stealing ladies (and one mere lass) in the Best Supporting Actress category. Now if only they could have somehow slipped in a nod for Emily Blunt’s snarktastic turn for “The Devil Wears Prada,” I would be in nirvana. Wait, wait. Did I mention that Salma Hayek announced the nominees yesterday? And that Melissa Etheridge got nominated for Best Original Song and Ellen Degeneres is hosting the ceremony? Is this lesbian heaven? No, it’s Hollywood.

*NOTE: I’d like to clarify that I am happy for the actresses nominated, who are all ridiculously talented, not necessarily the films they represent. I’m talking specifically about Judi and Cate’s nominations for “Notes on a Scandal.” As I said back in November when I first saw the trailer, it looked like another tired tale of a sad lesbian crush turned tragic. Which it is.

Trailer Trash

Since today is shaping into your quintessential slow news days, I thought I would dissect a trailer I just saw for the new film “Notes on a Scandal.” The British indie drama stars the venerable Cate Blanchett and the even more venerable (venerabler?) Judi Dench. Now, I have nothing but respect for these actresses. They are talented and smart, two attributes that work on me like catnip. That said, the trailer for their new film disturbed me and probably not in the way the filmmakers intended.

Why the consternation? Well, from what I can see the movie has an uncomfortable gay subtext. Now, this might be due to unfortunate editing, but you can’t mistake the sexual innuendo in the clips. Dench’s character strokes Blanchett’s hand and says, “I’ve such a dread of ending my days alone.” After lingering glances, Dench confides, “She’s the one I’ve waited for.” Later, Blanchett wails, “You think this is a love affair?!”

This would be all fine and good if it wasn’t for the more insidious May-December “Single White Female” meets “The Killing of Sister George” overtones also present. Please, tell me there is more to this film than a matronly spinster with latent lesbian tendencies who falls for the vivacious younger woman with tragic results. What do you think? Interesting psychological drama or tiresome evil-lesbian cliché?