Women my own age, Part 10

Winona Ryder, born October 29, 1971. Oh, Winona. Talk about your peaking early. I mean after Heathers, really, what is there?

BTW, Sex And Death 101, on which Ryder worked with Heathers scripter Daniel Waters again, is currently placed above both Heathers and A Scanner Darkly in Ryder's IMDB filmography. Despite the fact that so far it's opened only in Italy. I don't find that at all suspicious, do you?

Christina Applegate, born November 25, 1971. I think Applegate has been, if not underrated, certainly ill-used since Married With Children ended its run.

She got a lot of attention on that show, understandably, because she is so beautiful, but if you ever catch a repeat, take a real look at her performance. She "brings the funny" to a character that in a lot of actress' hands (and in a lot of other material) could've been just stupid.

In movies she's rarely if ever had a chance to equal it, though I'll admit having oddly pleasant memories of The Sweetest Thing.

I liked what I think that movie was trying to be-a sex comedy from a woman's POV-enough to overlook the undeniable fact that it doesn't wholly work.

Natascha McElhone, born December 14, 1971.



There's a moment in Kenneth Branagh's 2000 film of Love's Labour's Lost in which the theatrical nature of this venture is underscored. McElhone's character, Rosaline, cheekily looks right at the "audience" on one line of the song "I Won't Dance, Don't Ask Me."

I liked that movie more than most critics. And though I have admired McElhone in other films-especially The Truman Show, but also Laurel Canyon-when I think of her, that's the moment I think of.

The above image, though, is from Surviving Picasso, which I've yet to see. I just think she looks hot in it.