In a healthy state

An interesting article in the Guardian today. It looks at the Quigley annual list of bankable stars and finds that for once, it is populated not just by star names but by great actors making great and challenging films:

"If every generation gets the film stars it deserves, the latest list of the most bankable performers in Hollywood reflects favourably on early-21st-century cinemagoers. There's a highly eccentric character actor at the number one spot (Johnny Depp), various independently minded and/or political personalities (George Clooney, Matt Damon) in the mix, as well as two stars (Will Smith, Denzel Washington) who have disproved the received wisdom about African-American celebrities failing to connect with international audiences. We have at least earned the right to scoff at the Eighties, when such cinematic luminaries as Paul Hogan, Tom Selleck, Prince and Bo Derek made the grade." (The article continues here.)

Quite an apt article on the day when three 5-star films are released (Juno, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, There Will Be Blood). Not that these films have bankable stars in, but when was the last time we got so many good films at one time? Remember we've already had No Country For Old Men and Before The Devil Knows You're Dead this year and all these films with Philip Seymour Hoffman in. We're lucky, lucky, lucky!