Streaming Quick Picks: Tilda Swinton
As I watched Terry Gilliam’s The Zero Theorem for an upcoming “Missed Madison Review” entry, I realized that 2014 was a good year for Tilda Swinton’s costume and makeup teams. And looking at my Best of 2014 currently in draft stage, three of her four screen appearances this year appear in my Top 20. She was the elderly but randy Madame Céline Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis in The Grand Budapest Hotel; she triggered audience double takes as Mason in Snowpiercer; she globe-trotted from Tangiers to Detroit and back again as the aesthete vampire Eve in Only Lovers Left Alive; and finally she wore her fourth set of false teeth this year as Dr. Shrink-ROM in The Zero Theorem. More consistently than any other actress this year, Swinton was willing to do anything that a role required to create a memorable screen experience. And there’s a good reason that she gets calls from A-list studio projects, indie film mavericks, and social documentary producers: she’s one of the most compelling screen performers and enigmatic star personalities currently working today. Seems like a good a time as any to catch up on her body of work, and a significant percentage of her films are available on Netflix, Amazon, and Vudu.
Swinton began her career associated with the work of experimental British filmmaker Derek Jarman: Caravaggio (1986),The Last of England (1988),War Requiem (1989), Edward II (1992), Wittgenstein (1993), and in his final film she provides a voice in the all-blue Blue (1993). Her crossover into mainstream projects began with a high-profile project by another British filmmaker with experimental roots, Sally Potter’s adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando (1992). But even as she started to appear in supporting roles in Hollywood features such as The Beach (2000), Vanilla Sky (2001), Adaptation (2002), Constantine (2005), and the Chronicles of Narnia films (2005-10), she maintained working relationships with experimental and independent filmmakers. She stars in three features by new media and video artist Lynn Hershman Leeson: Conceiving Ada (1999), Teknolust (2002), Strange Culture (2007). To date she has appeared in three Jim Jarmusch films (Broken Flowers (2005), The Limits of Control (2009), Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)), and a pair of Wes Anderson features (Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)).
Swinton’s progress from underground indie darling to Hollywood A-lister accelerated when her name kept coming up during awards season, starting with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress (Drama) for The Deep End (2001). She finally won both BAFTA and Oscar awards for Best Supporting Actress for Michael Clayton (2007) which both solidified her status in the British film industry and in Hollywood. In addition to appearing in high profile features, Swinton has lent her name and her distinctive voice to some science and social-issue documentaries, such as Galápagos (2007), Africa Rising (2009) and Climate of Change (2010). Despite all of this acclaim and notoriety, Swinton still brings something fresh and new every time you see her on screen or hear her voice, so many of her performances make you feel like you’ve discovered someone you’ve never seen before.
Two recent pop culture references also inspired choosing Swinton for this week’s Streaming Quick Picks. First, GQ Magazine named Swinton its “Woman of the Year.” I didn’t discover this by reading GQ, however. I came across this information when I saw the Jezebel headline, “Tilda Swinton’s GQ Interview Is Just as Bananas As You’d Hope.” Jezebel‘s Julianne Escobedo Shepherd concludes:
Gentleman’s Quarterly has named Tilda Swinton its woman of the year, an inarguable choice. But because Swinton is an “unconventional” person, she commanded an “unconventional” magazine profile. Let’s just say it’s the first time in probably 20 years I’ve enjoyed reading about what a celebrity is eating during the interview, because it is haggis, and because she is forcing writer Zach Baron to have it with her.
Both Shepherd’s summary and Zach Baron’s original GQ article (“Tilda Swinton Is In A World Of Her Own”) are worth looking at, if only because they both will inspire you to go back and watch more of her movies.
The other recent pop culture Swinton reference was comedian Amy Schumer’s commemorative speech about Swinton at the Gotham Independent Film Awards. Schumer co-stars with Swinton in the upcoming film Trainwreck, so she was invited to introduce Swinton who was slated to receive a special award. You can watch the entire speech in the NSFW video below (assuming that profanity is not safe at your workplace), or you can read the transcript of Schumer’s Swinton speech at Vulture (and several other sources). I think you’ll agree that Schumer speaks for many of us in what she says and how she says it.
One last note: Amazon Prime Video recently added Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), which despite some weak points is well worth your time checking out. If you have Amazon Prime, be sure to click on the Amazon tags to see if a title is available at no additional charge.
Click on the movie posters without Amazon tags to take you to Netflix or other streaming resources based on current availability.
Links are confirmed as of the posting date. Use GoWatchIt for availability updates and for additional current streaming resources, including the iTunes Store.
Local DVDs: Four Star Video Cooperative and Madison Public Library
For our Madison readers, here are some additional titles available locally for DVD rental or checkout. Some of the streaming titles above are also available on Blu-Ray and DVD; click the buttons below to search in their catalogues.
Local DVD links are prioritized by availability as follows: Four Star Video Cooperative then Madison Public Library. Often titles will be available in both catalogues.
Such a bueatiful woman, wow! Luv Greg, from Australia..