THE ENGLISH PATIENT

Based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje
Written and directed by Anthony Minghella

Ralph Fiennes
Juliette Binoche
Willem Dafoe
Kristin Scott Thomas

Premiere date: November 6, 1996
R for sexuality, some violence and language.

In a field hospital in Italy during World War II, Hana, a nurse from Canada, is caring for a pilot who was horribly burned in a plane wreck. He has no identification and cannot remember his name, so he's known simply as "the English patient," because of his accent. When the hospital is forced to evacuate, Hana determines en route that the patient shouldn't be moved far due to his fragile condition, so the two are left in a monastery to be picked up later. In time, Hana begins to piece together the patient's story from the shards of his memories; he's actually Count Laszlo Almasy, an explorer working with a group mapping uncharted territory in North Africa. An Englishman soon joins Almasy's team, and travelling with him is his lovely and spirited wife, Katherine. Katherine and Laszlo soon fall in love, which leads Laszlo to betray his friend, his country and all that is dear to him.

National Board of Review
Best Supporting Actress - Juliette Binoche (TIE)
Best Supporting Actress - Kristin Scott Thomas (TIE)

12 Academy Award Nominations, 9 Wins
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor - Ralph Fiennes
Best Actress - Kristin Scott Thomas
Best Supporting Actress - Juliette Binoche
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Film Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Original Score
Best Sound

Clash of the Thespians

Next year's Clash of the Titans, Louis Leterrier's remake of the 1981 film of the same name, will feature Liam Neeson as Zeus and Ralph Fiennes as Hades. Perfect casting choices, with the extra fun of remembering Neeson playing good and Fiennes playing bad way back when in Schindler's List.

The film is based on the Greek myth of Perseus, Zeus' mortal son, which I'll have to do some research on before the March 26th release. This will be the first film from Leterrier since 2008's mediocre The Incredible Hulk, and will also star Sam Worthington (of James Cameron's upcoming Avatar) as Perseus.

You can catch both actors in theaters right now. Fiennes makes brief appearances in both The Hurt Locker and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Neeson lends his voice to Miyazaki's Ponyo, and has two more slated for release this year. Five Minutes of Heaven, which premiered at Sundance this year, and The Other Man, out September 11th.