We're less than a week away, and after Sunday night, Oscar talk will be over for another year. Well, until next fall anyway. But there is still plenty of time to honor the nominees, and among them is Jennifer Lawrence, who solidified in 2012 that she has certainly arrived. From her first Oscar nomination two years ago for "Winter's Bone," the actress has exploded with two franchises under her belt ("The Hunger Games," the new "X-Men" films), a new collaborator in "Silver Linings Playbook" director David O. Russell (she just signed on for his next movie) and a promising upcoming slate that includes Susanne Bier's drama "Serena." Too early for a tribute? That's up for debate, but she's already getting the career overview treatment.
Earlier this month, the Santa Barbara Film Festival saluted the actress and now their 12 minute sizzle reel for Lawrence has arrived online. It's an interesting look at her body of work thus far, and draws a distinct line between the classic comediennes of cinema history to her work in 'Playbook.'
"Lawrence's performance as Tiffany, the grieving young widow who befriends, falls for and helps to save Bradley Cooper's Pat, is about a million miles away from her turn in 'The Hunger Games,' delivering a deft comic side and a romantic longing flecked with electric energy," Santa Barbara festival director Roger Durling said a few weeks back. "She's a feisty force of nature recalling Cher in 'Moonstruck' in 1987. Like Carole Lombard in 'My Man Godfrey' in 1936, and the way Diane Keaton fleshed out 'Annie Hall' in 1977. Like Barbara Stanwyck in 'The Lady Eve' in 1938, and Claudette Colbert in 'It Happened One Night' in 1934. But Tiffany is totally contemporary, totally new. She's flawed and damaged. She's made mistakes — and continues to make mistakes. But she's made peace with her imperfections and tries to persuade Cooper's bipolar protagonist to do the same."
Is Lawrence on the path to becoming one of the all time greats? Let us know below, and see if she'll take home her first piece of Oscar hardware this Sunday. [Hollywood Elsewhere]