New clip from "Don't Look Up"

Netflix has released a new clip from Don't Look Up, with new footage of Meryl:

I'm not sure if that music is in the actual film, or if it was simply added as part of this scene for marketing purposes. In general, the clip does a decent job of showcasing the premise of the film; there's an asteroid heading towards Earth, and the scientists can't get the politicians to take it seriously.

Meryl's lines were pretty uneventful, but we get a glimpse of the sort of Trumpish disregard for facts that I'm guessing she'll channel throughout much of the film. Leo made me anxious, which he was supposed to do. Jennifer Lawrence had a fun back-and-forth with Jonah Hill (whom I wanted to punch, so kudos to him and his characterization). 

Looking forward to a full trailer soon. 

Where is "Places, Please"?

It has now been seven months since we first learned that Meryl was going to star in the feature film, Places, Please. Set to be directed by Michael Christopher, early reports claimed that filming was to begin this "summer." I posted about two months ago how it was strange that we still hadn't heard any further casting news for this project. I tried to be rational in remembering that there was plenty of summer left, and that lots of things get done in Hollywood without us ever realizing they're taking place. 

Well, it's officially fall now, and there has still been zip announced on this production. And there's nothing else out there in terms of other projects that we can even anticipate from a rumors standpoint at this point either.  Yes, yes, it's possible we'll get an announcement any time now that filming is set to get underway. Or that the daughter of Meryl's character has been cast (ooo! I should do a poll to see who people think it should be!), and it's even possible that production could get pushed to spring, and still release it by next fall. I expect that a lot of the scenes will be interiors anyway, so it probably doesn't matter much what time of year they shoot in New York. 

Regardless, I hope this gets going soon. Hell, maybe soon we'll even get some news on a brand new project Streep hopes to shoot next year!

My debut novel, "The Cypress Club"

Four years ago, I decided "for fun" to begin writing a work of fiction. I'd toyed with the idea for a while, having maintained this blog for close to six years by that point. There's no question I'd been influenced by my staunch attention to Meryl's film career, and to the characters she so poignantly portrayed. It was with this fascination that I set out on what I first expected to be a short story. Fast forward to today, and I'm thrilled to share that I've published my first novel, The Cypress Club. 

I'm sharing it on my blog because (aside from it being a great venue to shamelessly plug the book), like so many other stories on which I've speculated over the years, The Cypress Club includes a main character whom I'd love to see portrayed onscreen. Having dissected so many of Meryl and her contemporaries' performances over the past decade, I feel like I was armed with an understanding of how to portray a believable character from a certain generation. Betsy was fun to write about, as was the setting that surrounds her and the rest of her family. A brief synopsis:

Ben Apt has given up on the relationship his mother, Betsy, has never allowed them to have. School, career, his choice in boyfriends--she's always found an excuse to pull away. Pushed to reconcile by a deathbed request from his beloved grandmother, Ben accepts an invitation to visit his parents for their fortieth anniversary party. Destination: their new retirement home in the tony Cypress Club community of Palm Beach. 

Ben's efforts to reconnect are quickly tested when Betsy greets him. She's gone platinum. Her face looks. . . new. And instead of hashing things out with her son, she spends the weekend going to deceptive lengths to impress the other nouveau-riche Boomers in residence--whose greatest concern is where to enjoy a mimosa-soaked brunch after their first eighteen holes. 

As Ben struggles to navigate the minefield of the club's peculiar culture, greater secrets are revealed, until he's no longer sure whether reconciling with his mother will provide the peace he'd been seeking, or only serve to destroy the Apt family completely. 

The Cypress Club is by turns funny, irreverent, and heartbreaking. An often-satirical tale that explores the painful prospect of severing ties with a parent and invites readers to rethink what it means to live the American dream.

I'm not ashamed to admit that an early driving motivation to continue the drudgery required to actually complete, edit, and revise a novel was helped by the fantasy of it getting optioned for a film. If you can't dream it, no way it'll happen, right? That idea sort of waned as I got further into the process, and I was able to simply enjoy the craft, and the fun of daydreaming. Through all the work, I've gained a better understanding of how to go about writing quality future stories (which I've already begun). It's been a rewarding process beyond my expectations. I hope folks feel inclined to take a look. 

The novel is currently available pretty much anywhere books are sold online, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and many more. Enjoy. 

Netflix releases teaser for "Don't Look Up"

 Netflix released its first official teaser for Adam McKay's upcoming film, Don't Look Up.

I told a friend I thought it was a bit underwhelming. I was hoping for a tad more of Meryl, and even the clip she was in was pretty basic, as if her character is mostly just going to be in the background. I don't believe that's the case. The editors likely just need to make this seem to people like something they'll want to see more of. Simply having all the cast members given a small chunk of screen time should be a good draw. 

Jonah Hill is sort of playing himself it seems, although that's not necessarily a bad thing. Looks funny. Cate Blanchett has perfectly channeled the creepy blonde conservative cable news anchor. Leo made me a little anxious too with the panting. Not a type of character we see from him often, so might end up being a nice vehicle for him. I don't see this being something Jennifer Lawrence gets a lot of critical praise for. Her role is just fine, not super interesting. Anxious to watch Mark Rylance. He's almost unrecognizable with the coiffed white hair and blazing teeth! Some additional stills released as well:

Looking forward to seeing more!

Results of poll #10

The results are in from last week's poll which asked "which Streep film or performance left you particularly disappointed." Below are the results:  

Not super surprising that The Prom came in #1. I think many of use were excited to see Meryl team up with Ryan Murphy. Her singing and acting were wonderful, and I still really like the soundtrack, but it just didn't pack the kind of punch we were hoping for. 

This might surprise a few readers, but I'm one of those who chose August: Osage County. For no other film role did I get as excited for a Streep performance than I was when I learned she and Julia Roberts were going to star in it. I had seen the play and adored it. And when confirmation of the film's production was delayed by over a year, I remember pining for it's possibility, much like I eventually did for The Good House, Master Class and The Nix. But August actually got made (with Meryl)! It was one of the most buzzed films and performances that I can remember leading up to the film festival and awards seasons. Yes, Streep had just won her third Oscar for The Iron Lady the year prior, but even with that "overdue" status, many thought Meryl's performance in August may end up being of the "undeniable" caliber, based on the written character and pedigree of Tracy Letts's play. 

Alas, while Streep did achieve an Oscar nomination (it's a remarkable performance in its own right), she  probably just sneaked in the top five that year. Moreover, reactions to the film were rather tepid compared to expectations. I agree with CJames in the comments section on last week's post, in that this film had so much potential to be outstanding, but was instead watered down and cut down to a subpar shell of its staged glory. Meryl's role included. In the hands of a different director perhaps, or from a different studio that didn't insist in shaving down the running time, we would've gotten a more thorough and therefore more compelling examination of the mighty Weston family. It's hard to overestimate the importance a film's success (mostly critically) is for its actors' chances at recognition. Had August been a film that captured the irresistible family dynamics and emotional tone of, say, Ordinary People, we might have gotten a true American classic, as well as a performance for the ages.