Women We Love: Ziyi Zhang

Object of our affection: Ziyi Zhang, actress/warrior.
- Why we love her: Because she can kick every ass in a roomful of men and still look fabulous.
- When did we first notice her: Her Independent Spirit Award-winning role in Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
- Other awards on her mantel: BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for Memoirs of a Geisha.
- Other choice roles: Moon in Hero; Xiao Mei in House of Flying Daggers; Bai Ling in 2046.
- Bet you didn't know: Is a classically trained dancer (which comes in handy during fight scenes -- she is not trained in any marital arts) and also a singer (she can be heard on the soundtrack for House of Flying Daggers); in 2006, she became the youngest person to ever sit on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival.
- Yes, it's true: During filming of her first American film, Rush Hour 2, co-star Jackie Chan had to translate for her, as she had not yet learned English at that time; she would later say that she learned the language in part by listening to Eminem.
- Side jobs: Among other modeling gigs, is the face of Maybelline Cosmetics; Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics.
- What's in a name: Her birth name is Zhāng Zǐyí (pronounced "Joung Dzi-Yee"); in American films, her name is Anglicized.
- Can we quote you on that: "In China, we don't consider someone truly beautiful until we have known them for a long time, and we know what's underneath the skin."
- Where we can see her next: Opposite Dennis Quaid in The Horsemen; possibly in the role she was born to play: Mulan.
- Where you can see more of her right now: In this tribute gallery.

Links via Imdb.com, LaughingPlace.com and YouTube.com.

Awards Watch: Online Film Critics

The Online Film Critics Association has now joined in on the 2007 awards fray by announcing the nominees for their yearly awards. Considering their history (which includes against the grain, director-driven top wins by A History of Violence and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in recent years), it is no big surprise then that they have picked the critical darlings No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood to lead their nominations with seven each, including Best Picture nods for both.

However, despite some BP love for Zodiac (which has been pretty much out of the game so far), the rest of their slate is more of the usual suspects that we have seen popping up in all the awards races of late. This is a bit of a surprise, since the OFCS is usually good at injecting some fresh blood into the by January staid list of honorees.

Atonement and Juno round out their Best Pic picks. See the comments section below for a quick look at the full list of nominations.

Link via OFCS.rottentomatoes.com.

Poster Post: Coming Soon ...

... Movie Dearest, live from Florida. In two days ...

Click here to buy this Sunshine Stateposter from Amazon.com.

The Latest on DVD: Sex and Violence

Lots of both in this week' newest releases on DVD:

• Shoot 'Em Up- Clive Owen is a nanny with a gun.
• 60 Minutes: Don't Ask, Don't Tell- The news program takes a look at gays in the military.
• The Tudors: The Complete First Season- Jonathan Rhys Meyers is Henry the VIII, he is.
• 3:10 to Yuma- Christian Bale and Russell Crowe are on opposite sides of the law in the wild wild west.
• Billy Jack- The half-breed rebel kicks some white man butt in this exploitation classic.
• War- Jason Statham versus Jet Li ... 'nuff said.
• Indie Sex- The Independent Film Channel documentary series on cinematic sex through the years.

Click on above links for more information and to purchase from Amazon.com.