the "p" is for perfect.

taraji p. henson is the first, and so far only actress of 2009 to make me cry during a movie. since her career has basically consisted of roles as prostitutes and hairdressers, i think this says a lot about her performance as queenie in the curious case of

benjamin button. homegirl is a university graduate who has only recently broken into mainstream features (granted, she played a stereotypical housekeeper / mammy / bedpan cleaner for elderly caucasians in "button").

i love it when classically trained thespians have to play second fiddle to completely unsuitable movie stars. take taraji - - - only three years ago, she was supporting the likes of mo'nique and tyrese gibson (in hair show and baby boy, respectively). when watching shitty "women" movies (i don't like the term "chick flicks"), i try to spot the RADA performers and juliard alumni buying lattes in the background, while matthew mcconaughey takes center stage, probably smelling like weed, cheetohs and farts.

tilda swinton, one of the greatest actresses of the past twenty years, came a very close second in making me cry for her small, but memorable role as the "plain" english woman who has sexytimes with brad pitt in the russian hotel. you know, the scene where benjamin espies her on the television set in the diner, she just having swam the english channel... oh god.

listening to cate blanchett, an australian whom everybody thinks is british, with an unnecessarily heavy nwahleans drawl, was so fucking painful. am i right? i just wanted julia ormond to put that pillow over her face so bad.

btw, i usually watch films of a much higher calibre. but today was sunday, and it was on the tv. and i was immobile, on the couch, enjoying oreo-flavoured liqueurs.

taraji should have won that shit on february 22nd.

ps. viola davis (tony winner, doubt - golden globe and oscar nominated).

give that woman a movie.