Put Out to Pasture (Get It?)

You all probably know this already, but I don't dare give you SAG, PGA and WGA and leave the DGA out to dry! I know that when I wrote down my predictions at work, I thought: "Clooney! Hazanavicius! Payne! Scorsese! Spielberg!" And when I got home, I got:

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Alexander Payne, The Descendants

Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Well, 3/5 ain't bad, right? Woody Allen's inclusion just delights me. I'm constantly hesitating to predict it because I keep thinking, "It can't be true. It's too slight, too light; it makes me too happy. It can't be real!" But it's real. The film's gotten the big nominations from SAG, PGA, WGA, DGA and the Golden Globes! High-five to us all!

Also, David Fincher was nominated for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which is starting to surprise in the last legs of the race. SAG didn't bite...but then the Globes nominated it for Actress and Score...then right in a row: WGA, PGA, and WHAM! -- BAM! -- POW! -- the Directors throw it some love! Is this a case of last-minute, for-real gonna happen, or another Nolan/The Dark Knight sitch where the Academy thinks a tad differently? All we can do now is wait...

Meanwhile, the Hollmann Award Nominees announce Wednesday. Mark your calendars.

The Third Guild Was Just Write

Keeping up with the Guild news, today we have the screenwriters chime in with their choices. The WGA nominations are always an occasion for annoyance. As Kris Tapley pointed out more than a month ago a great number of screenplays are disqualified every year, mostly due to some paperwork issues. I think I remember reading a couple of years ago that many are disqualified are not being written by Guild members. I don't think any other guild has this issue; certainly the DGA doesn't, for non-member Tarantino was recently nominated for Inglourious Basterds. Same screenplay was ineligible for the WGA Awards, and it had been seen as the front-runner up to that time.

This year, likely Oscar nominees left off the ballot included Albert Nobbs,  The Artist, Beginners, Rango and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Mind, I still think a few of those left in the running have good shots at the Big One, and I'll get into that right about.....now.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

50/50 - Will Reiser

Bridesmaids - Kristen Wiig/Annie Mumolo

Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen

Win Win - Tom McCarthy, story by McCarthy/Joe Tiboni

Young Adult - Diablo Cody

Tom McCarthy seems to be beloved by his fellow guild members, doesn't he? He's three-for-three with the WGA regarding his work, but the Academy usually fails to bite. Will Reiser's 50/50 is a warm, funny, touching film, and I'm quite pleased to see it getting some attention, both here and from the Globes. In my mind, it's between these two and Beginners for that fifth slot.

But let's get to the best choices here. Midnight in Paris and Young Adult represent high points in their writers' oeuvre; certainly this is the best thing Cody's offered us. And, of course, Bridesmaids' most promising shot was always going to be Screenplay, which is much kinder to comedy than the other categories. The evidence is right there: all five of the nominees belong in the genre...or are, at the very least, "light" dramas.

Looking forward to the DGAs to see where Bridesmaids and Midnight in Paris stand. So far, they are the only two to be name-checked by every Guild.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants - Alexander Payne/Nat Faxon/Jim Rash

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steven Zaillian

The Help - Tate Taylor

Hugo - John Logan

Moneyball - Steven Zaillian/Aaron Sorkin, story by Stan Chervin

No big surprises here, except maybe Dragon Tattoo, which is sitting where I would have expected Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Seriously, what's the deal with that movie? Is it dead in the water, or is it going to The Reader us?

The Descendants, The Help and Moneyball now stand as the other three up for all the Big Guilds. Why The Descendants? Why why why? Such an unfocused, inconsistent, tone-deaf movie. The Help is flawed, certainly -- mostly because it more or less gives the Hollywood version of events instead of the complications of the book, in which Skeeter did have a reluctance to be near black men, her mom was unapologetically racist, and Celia Foote would never, ever be able to cook. But it does give more dimension, I feel, to the main villainess and gives her mother more to do. So...cool? Hugo has an all right script, and Moneyball's greatest strength is the contribution of Zaillian and Sorkin. Good stuff here.

We'll just have to wait and see what the DGA gives us Monday.

Guilding the Lily (Or a Similar Pun)

And now the Producer's Guild has weighed in, with only the WGA (Thursday) and DGA (Monday) left to announce their nominees, followed by Oscar nominations at the end of the month. And the ten are:

The Artist

Bridesmaids

The Descendants

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Help

Hugo

The Ides of March

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

War Horse

...six of which appeared on my own Best of the Year list, with two making it to the Top Ten!

I never gave up on The Ides of March. People are still saying that this PGA nomination, along with the Globes noms, is just a case of the flukes and the Clooney-worship. That at the end of the day, The Ides of March still won't make it in, and it'll be between The Artist, The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life and War Horse. Doesn't that all seem rather "light" for an Oscar lineup? What a relief that'd be, if we actually got mostly feel-good films in the running!

But friends, do not give up hope on the Political Clooney. I didn't bet someone an ice cream dinner that it would get more noms than Moneyball just for shits and giggles. The lack of attention in the SAG Nominations was disappointing, sure, but I still say it has a shot in Pic, Adapted Screenplay, Score, Editing, Cinematography, and maybe a surprise Supporting Actor nod for Philip Seymour Hoffman; Moneyball, meanwhile, I can see for Pic, Actor, Adapted Screenplay...maybe Editing and/or Supporting Actor for Jonah Hill. But otherwise, uh-uh. Forget about Director, forget about Score, forget about Cinematography.

Oh, and I know it didn't crack my Top 25 at all, but isn't it great to see Bridesmaids getting so much attention this year?

My 25 Most Anticipated of 2011

Well, it was nice to take a few days off! I've got a lot of reading to catch up on, but first, as per tradition, we must look at the year ahead to see what goods Lady Cinema has in store for us.

25. Thor

Norse god becomes Marvel superhero.

DR: Kenneth Branagh (ahahaha)

WR: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz & Don Payne, from a story by J. Michael Straczynski & Mark Protosevich, adapted from the comic book by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby

STARS: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard

This is...I just have to see it. I think it looks terrible, but I just have to see if it's real.

24. This Must Be the Place

Retired rocker hunts down the Nazi war criminal that killed his father.

DR: Paolo Sorrentino

WR: Sorrentino & Umberto Contarello

STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Sean Penn, Hollmann Award Nominee Frances McDormand

What kind of lunatic sees a premise like this with a picture like that and doesn't rush out to see this movie? No irony here, it just seems awesome.

23. Cowboys & Aliens

Sci-fi western. Kind of self-explanatory.
DR: Jon Favreau
WR: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof, adapted from the graphic novel by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Paul Dano, Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford
The next couple of entries will make it clear that I am a sucker for blockbusters. It's the boy in me. Awesome trailer!

22. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Jack Sparrow and Barbossa find the Fountain of Youth, go up against Blackbeard.
DR: Rob Marshall
WR: Ted Elliot & Ted Rossio, from characters created by Elliot, Rossio, Stuart Beattie & Jay Wolpart, suggested by the novel On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Johnny Depp, Hollmann Award Nominee Penelope Cruz, Hollmann Award Nominee Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane
It looks like a damn good time. The addition of Cruz and Dench to the cast makes me giddy. Giddy, I say!

21. Captain America: The First Avenger

Synopsis unnecessary.
DR: Joe Johnston
WR: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely & Joss Whedon, adapted from the comic book by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Samuel L. Jackson, Hollmann Award Nominee Stanley Tucci, Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, Toby Jones
This is purely based on my love for this cast. Look at that group. Tucci, Jones and Jones!

20. Quartet

Four retired opera singers prepare for their annual tribute to Verdi.
DR: Dustin Hoffman
WR: Ronald Harwood, adapted from his play
STARS: Albert Finney, Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay
The directorial debut of Dustin Hoffman is intriguing on its own, but the return of my favorite actress, two-time Academy Award Winner Dame Maggie Smith, to a starring role is too delicious to be believed.

19. Scream 4

A new Ghostface wreaks havoc on Sydney and co.
DR: Wes Craven
WR: Kevin Williamson
STARS: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Mary McDonnell, Hayden Panettiere
Well, I'm no Glenn Dunks, but I do love the Scream franchise.

18. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Ensemble about a retirement home in Bangalore.
DR: John Madden
WR: Ol Parker & Deborah Moggach, adapted from the novel by Moggach
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Bill Nighy, Hollmann Award Nominee Judi Dench, Maggie Smith,  Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel
Oh my god oh my god Dench and Smith together again for the first time in six years oh my god pinch me!

17. War Horse

World War I as seen through the eyes of a Devon boy's horse.
DR: Steven Spielberg
WR: Lee Hall & Richard Curtis, adapted from the novel by Michael Morpurgo
STARS: Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, David Kross, David Thewlis, Toby Kebbell, Niels Arestrup
I read the play adaptation by Nick Stafford and was deeply moved. I can't wait to see Mullan in this; his was my favorite character.

16. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

Harry's journey finally comes to a head in a final battle with Lord Voldemort.
DR: David Yates
WR: Steve Kloves, adapted from the novel by J.K. Rowling
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ciaran Hinds, Maggie Smith
I didn't expect Part I to be that spectacular. Egg on my face. Ciaran Hinds, one of my favorite actors, joins the cast, and oh look! Maggie Smith!

15. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

Young adventurer and his dog go on globe-trotting adventures, I think.
DR: Steven Spielberg
WR: Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish, adapted from the comic book by Herge
STARS: Jamie Bell, Simon Pegg, Daniel Craig, Toby Jones, Andy Serkis, Nick Frost
See, it doesn't matter what the plot is. I watched the television show on Nickelodeon when I was a kid, because it was awesome. So here I am, super excited for a mo-cap adventure directed by one of the greats. Bring it! On!

14. Butter

The wife of a former butter-carving champion is determined to win same competition this year, but is threatened by a new entrant: an eleven-year-old butter-carving prodigy.
DR: Jim Field Smith
WR: Jason A. Micallef
STARS: Jennifer Garner, Hugh Jackman, Alicia Silverstone, Yara Shahidi, Ashley Greene, Olivia Wilde
I hear that all this is a metaphor for the last presidential Democratic primaries. If so, turning it into a butter-carving competition is quite inventive. Alicia Silverstone is another actress whose comeback I'm championing, by the way.

13. Sucker Punch

DR: Zack Snyder
WR: Snyder & Steve Shibuya, from a story by Snyder
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Abbie Cornish, Emily Browning, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm
I can't wait to find out just what the hell those awesome trailers are advertising! Snyder: I love your work. Always.

12. Everybody Loves Whales

A government worker and an activist work to free whales trapped under the Arctic Circle.
DR: Ken Kwapis
WR: Jack Amiel & Michael Begler
STARS: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell, Ted Danson
The most beautiful woman in showbiz is finally working with Krasinski, who should be the go-to guy for leading man roles. Always.

11. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Remake of the Swedish thriller in which a journalist and a punk hacker team up to solve a decades-old missing persons case.
DR: Hollmann Award Nominee David Fincher
WR: Steven Zaillian, adapted from the novel by Stieg Larsson
STARS: Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Robin Wright
1) Two of these casting choices are perfect. 2) The Swedish film is...imperfect. If only it had a solid, masterful director who is adept at both thrillers and human dramas OH LOOK DAVID FINCHER. Ace.

10. Hugo Cabret

Adventure about a boy who lives in a train station.
DR: Hollmann Award Nominee Martin Scorsese
WR: Hollmann Award Nominee John Logan, adapted from the novel by Brian Selznick
STARS: Hollmann Award Winner Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield, Christopher Lee, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law, Ben Kingsley
Scorsese.

9. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

George Smiley seeks a Russian agent within MI-6 during the Cold War.
DR: Tomas Alfredson
George Smiley seeks a Russian agent within MI6 during the Cold War.
WR: Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan, adapted from the novel by John le Carre
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Gary Oldman, Hollmann Award Nominee Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Ciaran Hinds, Mark Strong
They're making me wait for another Bond, so I have to get my sophisticated British espionage fix from somewhere. Oldman getting the rare lead role is a nice bonus, as is the inclusion of Hinds. I love Ciaran Hinds.

8. The Iron Lady

Margaret Thatcher must deal with the Falklands War.
DR: Phyllida Lloyd
WR: Abi Morgan
STARS: Hollmann Award Winner Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent
British politics and Meryl Streep, from the director of Mamma Mia!. I am intrigued.

7. Jane Eyre

Governess, secrets, don't go into the West Wing, love story, pre-feminist movement feminism.
DR: Cary Fukunaga
WR: Moira Buffini, adapted from the novel by Charlotte Bronte
STARS: Hollmann Award Winner Sally Hawkins, Hollmann Award Nominee Judi Dench, Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell
I hate the book, but I tend to like adaptations of it. Go figure! The Dench beckons...

6. Water for Elephants

A young vet joins a circus.
DR: Frances Lawrence
WR: Richard Lagravenese, adapted from the novel by Sara Gruen
STARS: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, Hal Holbrook
Maybe it was the use of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's score from The Assassination of Jesse James. Maybe it's the cinematography. Maybe it's the fact that I just like to watch Hal Holbrook. I don't know what it is, but that trailer did its job, and now I eagerly await this movie's release.

5. The Help

A Mississippi belle befriends her black housekeeper in the 1960s.
DR: Tate Taylor
WR: Taylor, adapted from the novel by Kathryn Stockett
STARS: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Allison Janney, Sissy Spacek, Cicely Tyson
I love all of these women, and stories that take place in the South. It's nice to see Tyson getting away from the Tyler Perry movies -- I mean, I love love love his movies, but it'd be disheartening to think he was the only director making use of her talent.

4. Contagion

International team of doctors deals with the outbreak of a deadly virus.
DR: Steven Soderbergh
WR: Scott Z. Burns
STARS: Hollmann Award Winner Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law
People. Do I have to explain my love of large all-star casts? I feel like its clear at this point on the list.

3. The Ides of March

A campaign staffer for a presidential hopeful learns about the seedy side of politics.
DR: George Clooney
WR: Clooney & Grant Heslov, adapted from the play by Beau Willimon
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Ryan Gosling, Hollmann Award Nominee Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Giamatti, George Clooney
Clooney returns to directing in a drama that sounds right up his alley. I am so excited about the cast, the material, Clooney, everything!

2. My Week with Marilyn

Olivier's assistant witnesses the tension between the actor and co-star Marilyn Monroe on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl.
DR: Simon Curtis
WR: Adrian Hodges, adapted from the memoir by Colin Clark
STARS: Hollmann Award Nominee Judi Dench, Eddie Redmayne, Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Watson
Call me a sucker for an Old Hollywood tale. No, really, do it. You'd be right!

1. Midnight in Paris

An American family travels to Paris for business.
DR/WR: Woody Allen
STARS: Hollmann Award Winner Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Alison Pill
Early set photos made it look like a 20s-set film, and I think Allen always excels in period pieces. Hell, I love The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, don't understand at all the hate against it. He's one of my favorite filmmakers of all time, definitely my favorite screenwriter, and this looks like one of the strongest ensembles he's assembled.

Casting Coup Tuesdays: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

When a book becomes a worldwide bestseller, it's only natural that Hollywood comes sniffing around to see what all the fuss is about. When the same book becomes a hit foreign film, Hollywood knows it can have better results without subtitles. And when David Fincher takes an interest, greenlight that baby, man, greenlight that!

I've never read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It's 600-plus page count is a little daunting, and I only tackle tomes like that once in a while (it's been four years since Atlas Shrugged, though that's admittedly longer). I have seen the highly-acclaimed Swedish film starring Noomi Rapace and directed by Niels Arden Oplev. There's much to admire about the film, like the story -- though that comes from the novel. And the lead actor, Michael Nyqvist, is pretty good. But otherwise, this is a film that needs a remake by a director as talented and amazing as David Fincher. It's pretty murky, it jumps around a lot, and it's almost irritatingly on the nose sometimes -- the original title in Sweden is Men Who Hate Women. So, yeah, I'd welcome a remake by someone dependable, subtle and clear-headed.

But I started hearing rumors of Brad Pitt, Kristen Stewart, Ellen Page, Natalie Portman...and all I could think was, "No, no, no, no, no!" Mr. Fincher, if I may interject here: I have some ideas of my own. One of these has been heavily rumored as well, but I want to point out that I had the idea first (my cousin and my roommate can confirm). Let my other brainstorms be known:

INTERESTED PARTIES

DRAGAN ARMANSKIJ

Who is He: Lisbeth's boss. He assigns her to get info on Mikael for the Vangers. So it's really his fault that she gets involved in the muckedy-muck.

Originally played by:

Michalis Koutsogiannakis (All It Takes is a Miracle, The Girl Who Played with Fire)

My Choice:

Peter Friedman (I Shot Andy Warhol, Someone Like You...)

Dragan only has one scene in the movie, but he's in the full trilogy. With a regular, you want someone dependable, one who could believably play a middle-aged bossman/father figure. Oh, hey-hey-hey, if it ain't Mr. Friedman, one of the best character actors working today!

ERIKA BERGER

Who is She: Mikael's editor and sometimes lover.

Originally played by:

Lena Endre (Jerusalem, Day and Night)

My Choice: Indie Spirit Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Lovely & Amazing)

Emily Mortimer (Shutter Island, Harry Brown)

Very awesome, talented actress, one I've watched with great interest since Scream 3. She looks great in a pants-suit, and I don't mean that like, "ooh, sexy", I mean that she seems smart and looks like a pro. So, if you need to cast someone as an attractive newspaper editor, why not get the great Mortimer?

NILS BJURMAN

Who is He: I think he's the parole officer in charge of Lisbeth Salander, though I guess in Sweden they call them "guardians". Nils is the new guy, one is not as understanding of Lisbeth as his predecessor. He is a grasping, corrupt, evil man who takes power over women through abuse and rape.

Originally played by:

Peter Andersson (Zero Tolerance, Mouth to Mouth)

My Choice:

Harry Enfield ("Harry Enfield and Chums", "Skins")

Though a comedian, in Marple: The Moving Finger, he showed a skeezier side. I guess that's all the reasoning I have. It feels right.

PLAGUE

Who is He: A tech wiz who helps Lisbeth with her computer hackery. I'm pretty sure. He's also fat.

Originally played by:

Tomas Kohler (The Love Life of a Fat Thief, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest)

My Choice:

Jorge Garcia (The Good Humor Man, Deck the Halls)

He's large and a good actor. And, come on, he's going to need the work now that "Lost" is over. Could do worse than a Fincher-directed remake of a hit series.

HANS-ERIK WENNERSTROM

Who is He: A corrupt businessman Michael investigates. Nothing to do with the main story, but gives the investigation a "ticking clock" to work against after Wennerstrom manages to get Mikael convicted of something or other.

Originally played by:

Stefan Sauk (At Point Blank, Dear Alice)

My Choice:

Zeljko Ivanek (Dogville, Live Free or Die Hard)

Have you seen "Damages"? He's AWESOME on that show.


THE WOMAN
Who is She: The one who can provide the most important clue of all.

Originally played by:

 Ewa Froling (Sally and Freedom, Fanny and Alexander)

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (The Contender) and Best Supporting Actress (Nixon, The Crucible), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (The Crucible), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress in a Drama (The Contender) and Best Supporting Actress (The Crucible), Indie Spirit/SAG Award Nominee for Best Actress (The Contender), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actress and Best Ensemble (Nixon)

Joan Allen (Pleasantville, Bonneville)
It's a small but important role, so it needs an actress par excellence. An actress with great gravitas. An actress who can deliver a solid performance without vanity. Joan Allen.

THE FAMILY

DIRCH FRODE

Who is He: Vanger attorney and Henrik's friend. He's the one who gets Michael involved in the investigation of the forty-year-old disappearance of then-teenager Harriet Vanger.

Originally played by:

Ingvar Hirdwall (Let's Play House, Daybreak)

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Chariots of Fire), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (The Bofors Gun, Chariots of Fire), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)

Ian Holm (Henry V, Lord of War)

And now we get to the all-star aspect. Older gentleman, a real trustworthy type.


CECILIA VANGER
Who is She: Daughter of old hermit Harald Vanger, niece to Henrik, cousin of the missing Harriet.
Cecilia was close with Harriet, and the two of them briefly looked after Mikael. She seems to be attracted to Mikael, but he does not respond.

Originally played by:

Marika Lagercrantz (All Things Fair, I Wonder Who's Kissing You Now)

My Choice:

Kim Cattrall (Mannequin, The Bonfire of the Vanities)
I really liked her in The Ghost Writer. She's another well-known yet non-distracting actress. Right age and right talent.


HARRIET VANGER
Who is She: The sixteen-year-old favorite niece of Henrik who disappeared mysteriously forty years ago.

Originally played by:

Julia Sporre

My Choice: Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (That Evening Sun)

Mia Wasikowksa (Defiance, Amelia)
Yeah, she'll do.


HENRIK VANGER
Who is He: The patriarch of the Vanger clan, he unofficially reopens the investigation behind the disappearance of his favorite niece. Henrik is a kind, old man, and the only one of his brothers not completely in love with Nazis. Now retired, he was the CEO of the Vanger Corporation.

Originally played by:

Sven-Bertil Taube (Jerusalem, London Voodoo)

My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/Indie Spirit/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Last Station), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (A Beautiful Mind)

Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music, Dreamscape)
When I saw the movie, I immediately thought of Holm, my two leads, and Plummer. Plummer can play the controlled emotions. He can play the great grief in the private moments. He's an old pro, but he's in great shape.


MARTIN VANGER
Who is He: Current president of the Vanger Corporation. Harriet's brother. He and Mikael warm to each other, and he tries to get the other family members to cooperate.

Originally played by:

Peter Haber (Sommarmord, All It Takes is a Miracle)

My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Far From Heaven), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Actor (The Big Easy) and Best Supporting Actor (Far From Heaven), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Traffic)

Dennis Quaid (Dreamscape, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra)
A guy who always rocks when he stretches, and this role would put him through the wringer. And hell, I would see anything he's in.


THE SLEUTHS

MIKAEL BLOMKVIST
Who is He: Journalist for, and publisher of, Millenium. He gets into trouble after investigating corrupt tycoon Hans-Erik Wennerstrom. Now he finds himself sleuthing alongside Lisbeth when Henrik asks him to find the truth behind a forty-year-old disappearance.

Originally played by:

Michael Nyqvist (Day and Night, London Voodoo)

My Choice: BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (Casino Royale), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Infamous)

Daniel Craig (The Mother, The Invasion)
He's got what Mikael needs: smart, middle-aged, and sexy. Not ridiculously sexy, but you can understand why ladies would go for him. He's an action star and a dramatic actor, meaning you're going to get a great performance no matter what he's doing.


LISBETH SALANDER
Who is She: Bisexual computer hacker with a dark past. She helps Mikael find the truth behind Harriet's disappearance.

Originally played by:

Noomi Rapace (Bloodbrothers, Daisy Diamond)

My Choice:

Olivia Thirlby (Juno, Breaking Upwards)
Hear this. She's age-appropriate, but it wouldn't be creepy if she hooked up with Daniel Craig. She's beautiful, but you could totally see her doing the bad-ass thing without looking strange or acting mannered. And she's a phenomenal actress. She'd be my perfect Lisbeth Salander.