Jennifer Aniston Watch

This morning I have more bad news - Morgan Freeman, who played the Almighty in Bruce Almighty, was involved in a car accident in Mississippi on Sunday night. He and a passenger were airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, and Morgan remains hospitalized.

According to E! Online, those around Morgan are optimistic that he will recover fully - it is reported that he is awake and talking, and he is scheduled for surgery to repair a broken arm and minor shoulder damage. His publicist told E! that he is hopeful and in good spirits. According to local police, alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the crash, and no charges will be filed.

His rep invites well-wishers to post their messages on Plan!t Now’s blog. Best wishes to Morgan for a speedy recovery!

Whether your nearest and dearest celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Festivus, or just a December birthday, you are most likely looking for gifts right about now. Well, if you have a fellow Jen fan on your list, here are a few ideas (provided, of course, that your recipient does not already possess these items):

DVD’s

Dirt: Season 1 Here’s one that nobody has yet, as its release date is December 11. Not only does Jen’s costar and confidante Courteney star in this FX series, but Jen herself appears in the season finale as rival editor Tina Harrod. And yes, they kissed. This set is currently available for pre-order on Amazon, and it hits stores on Tuesday.

Office Space - Special Edition with Flair This cult classic was rereleased a couple of years ago with additional special features, including behind-the-scenes interviews and deleted scenes. Available on Amazon and anywhere DVD’s are sold.

Friends - The Complete Series Collection While the Frienatic on your list most likely already has all, or at least most, of the series on DVD, those who don’t will without a doubt regard this comprehensive, collectible 40-disk set as the ultimate Friends jackpot. Available on Amazon.

Decor

Rumor Has It poster Allposters.com carries this full-size, double sided poster - and promises delivery by December 24.

Derailed poster Poster Check Out carries this poster - as well as posters for Bruce Almighty and Along Came Polly.

Framed Rolling Stone cover This retro portrait of Jen and her Friends costars is framed for display - and also available for timely delivery.

Jennifer Aniston, gift ideas

When one thinks of Bruce Almighty, fashion isn’t exactly the first thing to come to mind. However, Jen’s costuming as Grace was, in fact, a very important facet of character development. As a preschool teacher living in Buffalo, NY, Grace tended to favor more casual looks, as is evident by her penchant for peasant blouses and her tousled, low-maintenance hairstyle. While there’s no denying her beauty, her girl-next-door look was an important foil for the flashier beauties by whom Bruce would eventually be tempted. Her one formal outfit in the film is, without a doubt, stunning, but Grace is at her most appealing when she’s her everyday self, doing her small part in the world to “be the miracle.”

Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Almighty, costuming, film, character development

Having previously written about the film, I’d like to further explore particular themes. Early in the film, Bruce relies heavily upon divine intervention to solve his problems and those of people around him. Even when he fills His shoes, Bruce continues to believe that a prayer is like a work order; put it in, and the guy upstairs gets it done. However, this system doesn’t work out so well, and he eventually learns that we, as humans, need to “be the miracle.” In her article about a quote on a Starbucks cup, Allison from Find Religion puts it more eloquently:

. . . .

“Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure.” -Bill Schell

The cup is part of a campaign that’s been going on at Starbucks for years now to include insightful and interesting quotes from customers to spark debate and conversation. The fact that some people are upset at Starbucks for using this quote is exactly what is wrong in the Christian world today.

Five Idiot-Proof Reasons not to be Upset at Starbucks:

1. The quote is not against completely God. It is telling people that it is silly to take problems to God when he’s already given us the ability to handle the problems ourselves.

. . . .

Read the rest of Allison’s article here

On the surface, Jen’s character Grace just seems like “the girlfriend,” but on closer examination, she provides a significant foil to Bruce’s journey. While Bruce sees what is missing, Grace sees what is right in the world. And while she is clearly spiritual, ultimately she believes in personal responsibility. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the very beginning, when Grace is so clearly affected on a personal level by Bruce’s rant about his life’s mediocrity. She feels that Bruce is using the Almighty as a scapegoat for his frustrations with her and their life together, despite the work that she puts into the relationship. Jen’s performance in the role was crucial, as it is her warmth and accessibility that makes Grace such an important force in the film.

Bruce Almighty, Jennifer Aniston, Jim Carrey, spirituality, Starbucks

Over the years, many of Jen’s costars and colleagues have had great things to say about her work ethic, professionalism, and kindness. Here are some examples:

Herschel Bleefeld: “In ‘Bruce Almighty’ I worked for the whole day with Jennifer Aniston and she was totally sweet to everyone and chatted, but I was way too intimidated to even say a word to her. At the end of the day … she said to me, ‘Even though we didn’t really get to talk, it was so nice to meet you.’ I left the set on cloud nine,” Source: new article

Bryan Adams: “We shot this photo in the back of a parking lot in Los Angeles. Jennifer is so lovely, she was on the set of her new film and was nearing the end of her day but there was an army waiting for her to get out of her trailer and into the car.”

Courteney Cox Arquette: “When she first arrived [on the set of Dirt] everyone was really quiet. It was like they were giving her respect and I was like, ‘This is my bud Jen. Come on people, let’s have some fun.’ And by day two everyone was more loose, and by day three we were having a ball.”

Doug Liman (who wanted to cast Jen in a film but didn’t get to): “The next year, Jennifer got Friends. I was like, You guys were idiots not to let me cast the person I wanted.”

Shirley MacLaine: “I’m really proud of her for the way she is handling this while also being an icon - if you can be one at 36 - of knowing what to do when you get trampled in public. Her emotional discipline is extraordinary, and I really want to compliment her for that.”

Debra Messing: “Jennifer is so lovely - you forget she’s famous after about three minutes of talking to her.”

Melissa George: “I love this girl so much. She was so good to me and she’s so beautiful in person. I can’t even get over that. When you see her physically, it makes sense. I was just like, ‘Yeah, perfect, great casting’.”

Jennifer Aniston, quotes, costars, work

In 2003, Jen’s supporting role in Bruce Almighty marked her biggest blockbuster to date. As Grace, she played the straight woman to Jim Carrey’s escalating antics as Bruce Nolan, a television news reporter who is dissatisfied with his lot, and who, when he calls upon the Almighty (Morgan Freeman) to give him answers, suddenly finds himself endowed with His powers. After Bruce has abused his newfound influence and made some severe errors in judgment, he eventually learns what it truly is to be powerful. Jen turns in a strong performance on her end, making Grace sympathetic and engaging beyond the typical “girlfriend” role. The film itself is meaningful in a way that transcends denomination, and at the same time is hilariously funny and endlessly quotable. A few gems:

Bruce: First off, let me just add another congratulations to Evan Backstabber - pardon me, Bastard. Baxter, rather. It is good to see what someone with real talent can do when great opportunities are given to them instead of me.

Bruce: [sticking up his middle finger and pretending he's playing a jazz tune] I can hold that note all day, buddy.

Grace: I’ve got a very rare blood type. I’m AB positive.
Bruce: Well I’m IB positive. I be positive they ain’t touching me with no needle.

Bruce: Nice to meet you, G-d. Nice job on the Grand Canyon and good luck with the apocalypse.

Bruce: Bruce giveth and Bruce taketh away. Don’t like it? Megabyte me.

Bruce: Behind every great man… is a woman rolling her eyes

Bruce Almighty, Jennifer Aniston, Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, spirituality, film, comedy