BAMF Of The Week: Noomi Rapace

NOOMI RAPACE
"I'm interested in people's darker side."

It's really no secret that I want to have all of Noomi Rapace's babies. But this is coming from a woman who harbors an unhealthy lust for Uma Thurman, so I have a bit of a sweet tooth for women with guns. The thing about Noomi Rapace is she's not your average pretty woman. She's got that harsh Swedish thing going on, that whole "fuck you, I'm a woman in control of my destiny" vibe, which in Hollywood terms means she might as well have leprosy. Still, she's shaken off her Swedish skin and has been very quickly climbing the ladder of American cinema, purely on account of the fact that she just exudes badassitry. And that is something you've really got to give an actress props for. There are very few women who can hold their own in Hollywood without playing the damsel in distress every other film (and by "very few women", I really mean just one), but Rapace seems to really be digging her heels into mainstream movies and landing great roles. So maybe Hollywood will chew her up and spit her out in a couple years, so while this trend of badassitry is climbing high for her, I'm going to enjoy it while I can. 

Best films: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009), Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011).

Worst films: To my knowledge, none, yet. Granted, I haven't checked out any of her Swedish films, because...you know. AMERICA! But if anyone knows if any of them are good, toss them my way.

Best moments: "I'M A SADISTIC PIG AND A RAPIST."

Upcoming films: She landed a leading role alongside Michael Fassbender in Ridley's Scott's Prometheus (2012). Has there ever been so much badassitry in one sentence?

Winter Is Coming...

DECEMBER MOVIES

If case you're wondering where I am this December, you can find me stalking the movie theaters at any one of these dates:

Shame (December 2nd)

Fassbender. Mulligan. Sex addiction. I'm there.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (December 9th)

It's been talked about so much I feel like I've already seen it. Still, that won't stop me from running to the theaters.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (December 16th)

Noomi Rapace is not in my bed. There is no god.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (December 23rd)

Speak of the tattooed devil. Even without the Rapace love, I will see it and enjoy it, dammit.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (December 23rd)

The amount of excitement I have for this movie is actually borderline unhealthy.


And these are the reasons I'll be at home hating the world and drinking myself into oblivion:

New Year's Eve

Unless this movie ends with Hugo Stiglitz killing every man, woman, and child the moment the ball drops, I'm not interested.

The Sitter

No.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

What self respecting six year old sees these movies?

BAMF Of The Week: Mark Strong

MARK STRONG

"If a slap don't work, you cut 'em or you pay 'em."

Mark Strong is one of the unsung chameleons of the acting world. If you don't know who he is, it's probably because you just didn't recognize him. He's been everything from Mr. Knightley in Emma (1996) to the nerdy, calculating hitman Sorter from Revolver (2005) (who Guy Ritchie constantly got a kick out of, as he remarked in the commentary, simply because he was so pleased with seeing Mark Strong in socks that stuck out from under his trousers). He's charismatic, terrifying, and completely imbibes every role he's in. Which is why it took me so fucking long to realize he's actually an amazing actor. Because never once did I think "Wow, Mark Strong was really good in Rocknrolla". I just thought, "Huh, Archy's a really badass dude". He's not one of those actors who you automatically think of as being as awesome actor because he just does it so damn naturally, you instantly get caught in the flow of his characters. 

I'll admit here that my admiration for Mark Strong could very possibly simply be another branch of my admiration for the BAMF Guy Ritchie. Who I love with all my wanna-be-British heart. After all, if Mark Strong is enough of a badass for Guy Ritchie to shove the man in three of his movies, there has to be something essentially fucking awesome about him, right? Right. But the thing is, I've seen him in other things, and he's been epic in every role and genre he takes on. Like I said. Fucking chameleon. 

Best Films: Revolver (2005), Rocknrolla (2008), Sherlock Holmes (2009). Guy Ritchie aside, let's be real, he was even a bamf in Stardust (2007).

Best Moment: Sorter's shootout in Revolver. Really. The movie should've just been called Sorter & Co. Or Archy's slap, it's really a toss up.

Best Quote: [When asked if he's going to try to scramble for that golden ticket Hollywood lead role] "I tend to read scripts and just take what I like. I have no plan...I wouldn't want to sit at home planning a campaign of how I'm gonna get an Oscar, I mean I'm not that kind of actor. I'm genuinely not interested in that kinda stuff. What I love is being on a film set with intelligent people, making movies."

Upcoming Films: He's going to be in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011). I'm there.