Michelle Williams in one of the images from her recent GQ photo shoot.

Credit: GQ/Michael Thompson

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Michelle Williams is someone who seems to have planned her entire career in contravention of Hollywood's usual code for beautiful young actresses: from her taste in offbeat indie projects to her shy public demeanor and pixie-ish styling, she's pretty much the anti-ingenue, and the last person you'd expect to be the subject of a raunchy lad's-mag photo shoot. Which is partly why her casting as a publicity-fed sex symbol like Marilyn Monroe is so counter-intuitively effective, as is this eye-opening QG profile, in which she further channels the star by stripping down to her underwear and posing up a storm. An ingenious ploy by Harvey Weinstein? Her own initiative? Either way, it's getting the Best Actress hopeful attention at just the right time, and for those who do read the accompanying interview, she comes off as smart and engaging. Well played. [GQ] 

No BAFTA snub yesterday prompted more online outrage than "Tyrannosaur" star Olivia Colman missing out on a Best Actress nod. Even Jamie Bell's mad. [Radio Times]

Ricky Gervais claims he's done with hosting the Globes. After Sunday's pancake-flat performance, I don't hear anyone complaining. [Reuters]

Nobody makes simple Oscar prediction pieces more entertaining than Mark Harris. He offers his best guesses in the supporting races. [Grantland]

Mychal Denzel Smith wishes the Academy would challenge Hollywood's view of black society by picking "Pariah" over "The Help." [The Guardian]

Speaking of which, Best Supporting Actress frontrunner Octavia Spencer wants more roles where she's "not just a sassy black woman." [Los Angeles Times]

Robert W. Wood gives an economist's view of the Golden Globe gift bags, which included swag from such luxury brands as Swarovski, Lacoste... and CheeCha Puffs. [Forbes]

David Poland sits down with the makers of documentary Oscar hopefuls "Undefeated" and "Paradise Lost 3." [Hot Blog]

Some cinema patrons have demanded refunds after discovering "The Artist" is a silent film. In other news, the woman who sued the makers of "Drive" is no longer the world's stupidest moviegoer. [The Telegraph]

Guy Lodge
Critic

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Guy Lodge is a South African-born critic and sometime screenwriter. In addition to his work at In Contention, he is a freelance contributor to Variety, Time Out, Empire and The Guardian. He lives well beyond his means in London.