Those are terms I've borrowed from fantasy football. A bust being someone drafted with high expectations but being an utter disappointment and a sleeper being someone who unexpectedly obtains success and recognition. I bring these terms up because I've found a Hollywood Bust and a Hollywood Sleeper pick from a 2009 movie.
Jennifer's Body
It starred Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. I never actually watched it, nor do I intend to. If it's eye candy they're trying to target me with, I'm fine with just the DVD cover. As for the plot, from what I've gathered, Fox is a flag girl/cheerleader who is killed during a cult sacrifice and comes back as a flesh eating demon. Her friend, played by Seyfried, tries to put a stop to her murderous rampage.
It was written by Diablo Cody, the same writer who gave us the 2007 Academy Award winning movie, Juno. It was Cody's first completed screenplay and she won the Oscar for it. So, why didn't lightning strike twice for Cody?
I can only think of one thing. The Hollywood Bust(no pun intended)...Megan Fox.
I'll admit, Fox is a very attractive young woman. But that's where my compliments end. She is not a leading actress. Plain and simple. Her time on Transformers was heavily overshadowed by giant robots and explosions. Yes, the image of her bending over the engine of Bumblebee was somewhat memorable...but it certainly was no Ursula Andress rising out of the water in Dr. No. And Fox's body cannot compensate for her irritating voice, her mediocre acting skills and should I even mention her life in reality? I'll peck at it. The tattoos...a few tattoos here and there can be alluring, but when she's trying to compete with a 1930s circus sideshow act...it's ridiculous. But even more annoying, is her attitude. She's not part of the third Transformers movie because of it. And I'm glad. Reports said this girl was incredibly rude and offensive on-set, and very ungrateful towards Michael Bay. Before Michael Bay came along, the only real movie in Fox's credits were 'Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen' with Lindsey Lohan. I unfortunately did see that movie...I wish I didn't. And a few single episode appearances on shows like 'What I Like About You' and 'Two and a Half Men'. For better or worse, the Transformers movies put her name on the damn map. And she had the nerve to bite the hand that fed her a fame she would have never have received from anyone else. Ungrateful and undeserving.
The Hollywood Sleeper...Amanda Seyfried
When compared to a girl who is of Irish, French and Native American descent, it was hard for me to see Seyfried as super attractive. But, that no longer matters. Seyfried doesn't need to look like Megan Fox to win over the box office. She started her career in 2000 on As the World Turns for 27 episodes and 3 episodes on All My Children afterwards. She would also play the murdered friend in 'Veronica Mars', a fairly successful but short lived show. Seyfried also landed a lead role in HBO's 'Big Love' series. Her first movie role was in 2004's successful comedy 'Mean Girls'. Oddly enough, another Lindsey Lohan movie. She had a supporting role in 2005's 'Alpha Dog' and her first leading role in 2009's 'Mamma Mia!', which, despite mediocre reviews, became the highest-grossing musical film of all-time.
2009...Fox and Seyfried starred in Jennifer's Body. Despite expectations of young men lining up to see Megan Fox...the film opened at #5, proving that without giant robots, Megan Fox cannot draw in a crowd.
Since the movie...
Even though she's still made several 'hot' lists, Megan Fox has only completed two movies. 2010's 'Jonah Hex', which opened at #7 (did Josh Brolin have gambling debts to pay off? Was he this desperate for a role??) and Passion Play, a film to be released this year, and from what I've heard, is going to make Hex look like MacBeth.
As for Amanda Seyfried, she has defined the Hollywood sleeper...an unexpected rise in her career. In 2010, she starred opposite Channing Tatum in 'Dear John', which knocked 'Avatar' out of first place. She also played a lead role in the erotic thriller 'Chloe' and the moderately successful 'Letters to Juliet'. This weekend, she puts a new take on the old fairy tale, 'Red Riding Hood'. And set for release this October, is a science-fiction movie called 'Now', where people pay to stay alive, literally buying time.
So basically, Fox is pretty much like Carol Alt right now, just making the magazine hot lists, while Seyfried actually has an acting career. And I've seen most of Seyfried's movies, she can act and she can hold my attention. In 2004, if you were to tell me the ditzy blonde in 'Mean Girls' was going to be the lead, I would have snickered. But now, when I see someone playing a small or supporting role, I'll keep my eye out for them.
As for Megan Fox...if she actually had talent, she could have been the next Wonder Woman or Lara Croft, she could have been the next Angelina Jolie. But now, she's well on her way to becoming the next Denise Richards.
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