DANIEL CRAIG & RACHEL WEISZ MARRY SECRETLY

Rachel Weisz at TIFF 2008

If you think Rachel Weisz looks shocked here, how do you think I felt when US Magazine broke the story that both she and Daniel Craig tied the knot on Friday in New York City secretly?  It is said the Ceremony was a v. intimate one with few Friends invited.

Weisz and Craig's Romance had ignited late 2009-early 2010 when they were both in Toronto working on Jim Sheridan's Thriller Dream House.  At that time Weisz had still been married to Director Darren Aronofsky and Craig had been together with longtime Girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell.  Albeit quick, who are we to judge?  Congratulations to the talented Thespians!

Many are saying we likely will be seeing both at TIFF 2011 in September as the Film will be released around then.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

NATALIE PORTMAN WINS BIG IN PALM SPRINGS

You will be seeing Natalie Portman's name pop up much over the next seven weeks leading up to the Oscars, mostly in the context of winning some Award or another. Portman was awarded at the 22nd Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala last night, winning the Desert Palm Actress Achievement Award for her work on Black Swan. The Actor Award went to Colin Firth for The King's Speech. Check out a full list of Winners here.

Watch clips of a pregnant Portman's Acceptance Speech in which she praises her Director Darren Aronofsky and also her Dance Partner in the Film and now her "Partner in Life" Benjamin Millepied below.  Not quite as epic as Mariah Carey's drunken Toast at last year's Gala, but it'll have to do.

(Video credit: People)

THE FIGHTER REVIEW

Still from The Fighter

The Fighter is a remarkable film in that with the throw of a punch, Director David O. Russell covers an inordinate amount of ground in this Biopic about former Welterweight Boxing World Champion "Irish" Mickey Ward. Is it a Comedy? At moments. Is there Drama? Lots of it. Is it a Love Story? Sure, there is. Is it an Action Film? There are many intense, tightly-choreographed Fight scenes, so I'm inclined to say yes. Is there heart and soul to the story? It's a Technical Knockout.

The Film recounts Mickey's (Mark Wahlberg) rise to the top, starting off as a young man Boxing out of financial necessity in Lowell, Massachusetts. Overshadowed by his older Brother Dickie (Christian Bale) whose claim to fame once was defeating the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard, Mickey struggles to find his own identity as a Boxer. Managed by his domineering Mother Alice (Melissa Leo), he finds himself questioning his own best interests as both she and Dickie seem more fixated on launching the latter's Comeback, having battled many years of setbacks due to his Crack Addiction.

Dickie soon finds himself in legal trouble after being driven to Crime out of financial desperation,  landing himself in Prison. Mickey is no longer able to support the questionable ways of his older Brother and this causes a divide between him and his Family.  Above this, Dickie's lack of focus and dedication in guiding Mickey's career continues to leave him with lackluster results.  Mickey finds comfort and self-confidence in tough-talking Girlfriend Charlene (Amy Adams) and a new Trainer, much to the disappointment of Alice and Dickie who had been an integral part of his career all along.  We wonder, will Mickey ever realize his full potential as a Boxer?  Also, will he become a Casualty of War in being pulled two polar opposite directions by the people who matter most to him?

NATALIE PORTMAN INTERVIEW IN "NOW MAGAZINE"

Natalie Portman at TIFF 2010

Oh God, she excites me so.  Natalie Portman's new Psychological Thriller Black Swan hits theatres tomorrow in Limited Release and I am itching to see it a second time.  Yes, it's that good. 

I was super-excited on my daily Americano run at Starbucks this morning to see that Portman graces this week's NOW Magazine cover.  The Arts-centric Publication is released every Thursday in the Greater Toronto Area and features an Interview by Norman Wilner, which took place after the film's Premiere in Hollywood late November.

On the hotly-buzzed Darren Aronofsky film, Portman says, "I think people get excited by it because Movies are so tame right now and this one’s crazy.... It’s not like anything you’ve ever seen before. It’s really bold Filmmaking, and I don’t think we see a lot of that right now.” 

In addition to a rigorous training schedule leading up to Filming, Portman apparently was on a diet of Carrots and Almonds.  Now that's discipline.  Will they just FedEx her this Oscar and save everybody from having to dress-up and pretend they don't know who Best Actress is?

NATALIE PORTMAN IN RODARTE AT AFI FEST PREMIERE OF "BLACK SWAN"

Natalie Portman at AIF Fest Premiere of Black Swan

Natalie Portman is ravishing in Rodarte at last night's AFI Fest Closing Night Gala for Black Swan held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.  Portman arrived with newly-single Director Darren Aronofsky at the Premiere.  The film continues to gain a feverish amount of buzz, especially for her in the Oscars race for Best Actress and having seen a majority of the Contenders, I can say that the Award is hers to lose.

A new official website which is v. interactive, has been launched for the film by Fox Searchlight.  Check it out here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

DARREN ARONOFSKY & RACHEL WEISZ CONFIRM BREAK-UP

Darren Aronofsky at TIFF 2010

Worst news ever.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, acclaimed Director Darren Aronofsky and Oscar-winning Actress Rachel Weisz have split-up.  Although they never married, the two have a four year-old son, Henry Chance, with whom they will continue to share joint-custody.

Word is it that Rachel Weisz has been involved with Daniel Craig after they both met in Toronto earlier this year filming Universal Pictures' Dream House.  Scenes from the Horror Film will be re-shot here later in the month.  Both Aronofsky and Weisz were in Toronto this September for TIFF supporting eachother at their respective Premieres: Weisz had her Premiere for The Whistleblower at The Elgin and Aronofsky's Premiere for Black Swan was at Roy Thomson Hall.

On the other end of the spectrum, Craig hasn't been seen with longtime girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell much of late.  This however could be due more to his hectic filming schedule, which has seen him in both Stockholm for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Albuquerque for Cowboys & Aliens since Summertime. 

• Read some of my previous coverage of Dream House here.
• Read my coverage of Darren Aronofsky's Oscar contender Black Swan here.

They are/were so good together! All four of them.  Separately as couples, of course!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

TIFF BLACK SWAN GALA (REVIEW AND PICS)

Crazy people and Ballet - what a perfect match.  Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) has directed possibly another masterpiece in Black Swan and judging by the warm round of applause from an at-capacity Roy Thomson Hall  tonight it received, it appears many would agree.  The edgy Thriller however, is entirely dependent on a demanding performance from its star Natalie Portman as Nina. After watching this film, one can only wonder if there are any limits to her versatility.

Nina is chosen to play the dual role of White Swan/Black Swan by the Artistic Director of her Company, the inappropriate Thomas (Vincent Cassel).   Having grown up under the uncomfortably close watch of her mother (Barbara Hershey), Nina is not without her share of insecurities and this manifests itself through strange and self-mutilating habits.  She is driven at her craft to the point of obsession, yet somewhat naive about the world.  It is because of this that Thomas doubts whether or not she is capable of playing the role of Black Swan due to her inability to fully "lose herself" and "transcend".  

A new Ballerina is introduced in Lily (Mila Kunis), and soon Nina becomes suspicious of her intentions, feeling threatened that she just may lose her coveted opportunity to her new rival.  Lily is a perfect contrast to Nina - dark, fearless and seductive.  Tensions mount at home for Nina as her mother resents that she will eventually lose control over her daughter because of her oppressive regime.  And oddly there is a lingering sense of sexual tension also as Thomas and Lily both awaken sexual feelings in her.

NATALIE PORTMAN ON RED CARPET IN VENICE FOR PREMIERE OF BLACK SWAN

Natalie Portman arrives on the Red Carpet at the Venice Film Festival Opening Night to greet fans.  I don't speak Italian, but I'm sure that the language of awe is pretty much universal in how wonderful she looks here.  Reviews are mixed with the likes of Peter Debruge of Variety calling it "a wicked, sexy and ultimately devastating study of a young dancer's all-consuming ambition".  Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter is on the opposite end of the spectrum feeling that "trying to coax a horror-thriller out of the world of ballet doesn't begin to work for Darren Aronofsky". 

I'm sure I'm going to love it anyway and hope Portman has something equally dazzling for us on the Red Carpet on Monday, September 13, 2010 when it premieres at TIFF.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)