We've hit South America!

I hope that title doesn't make people think about bombs or something, but only four days after I cajoled South America to visit my site, I officially have one hit from Argentina! Granted, it was probably a Google search mistake by that person, but stats are stats. Word on the Streep has now hit six continents. I'm not expecting to get Antarctica, even though it is a continent and people are always on it, but I think it's mostly military and research bases. That would be neat, but I'm not holding my breath. I shouldn't underestimate the power of Meryl.

Viola on the move

I made Joe go with me to The Help last night. Now that it's dropped below 50 degrees for the first time since spring, my Oscar clock has activated, so I had to get crackin'. I really enjoyed the film, despite how hot I could feel my ears getting when those Jackson bitches opened their mouths. In particular, Viola Davis shined as Aibileen. I've only seen her in this and Doubt (Meryl movie!), and granted, she sort of plays the same character to some degree, but I thought it was a very convincing performance. She's a good crier.

It got me to thinking and researching how they're going to campaign Davis for the Oscars, because you better believe they are going to campaign. The box office has been huge for this film, and there is a lot of buzz around her for awards. Originally most sites I perused (yes, I start looking at Oscar stuff eight months before the ceremony) listed her as supporting. Bottom line is that the production company is going to push for her in whatever category they think she has the best chance at nomination and then win (recall Kate Winslet in The Reader vs Revolutionary Road). Davis has now almost exclusively popped up as a lead actress contender, which in all reality, she probably should be, considering her central role in the film and the amount of screen time she had.

How does this bode for miss Meryl? Well, since I don't really think Meryl has a good chance to win an Oscar this year (I know The Iron Lady hasn't even come out yet, calm down), it's probably good. Meryl has been trending a close second to Glenn Close's performance in Albert Nobbs, and with more buzz now going to Davis and the less than stellar reviews for Nobbs at recent film festivals, Meryl may widen a few eyes. We shall see.

I was looking at the awards season calendar last night and realized that December is going to be a shit show with trying to keep up with all the race updates. In particular, the week The Iron Lady comes out, I will begin a fun-filled fortnight, which includes the SAG noms (12/14), Golden Globe noms (12/15), Lady premiere and movie date/birthday dinner with my friend Scooter (12/16), 11th annual Christmas movie marathon at my place (12/17), and then I have the whole next week off of work! What a pace (and probs lame), but good times. Meryl.

Academy Awards analysis (1978)

By popular demand (Joe and one of my devoted followers, zikosakira) I am inaugurating a section devoted to opining about the results of each Academy Awards category for which Meryl has ever been nominated. Therefore, this shall be the first of sixteen (seventeen come January (sinister laugh)). I will definitely be utilizing a wonderful book I received as a present from my good friend Kristan entitled The Academy Awards: the Complete History of the Oscar. It only goes up to films released in 2001, but I've been following things pretty closely from before that time, so I'm not too worried about it. Interestingly, although a superb resource, they happen to twice list Meryl's birth year as 1951. WRONG. She was born June 22, 1949. I'll soon be contacting the publishing office.

It all started with The Deer Hunter in 1978. Meryl was nominated for best actress in a supporting role. The film happened to win best picture, director (Michael Cimino), and supporting actor (Christopher Walken). What an impressive list for only Meryl's second film. I feel a big part of this recognition was likely her onscreen debut the year before in Julia, which was also up for several awards, including an Oscar win for Venessa Redgrave in the supporting actress category. Meryl apparently upstaged Jane Fonda in one of the few scenes she had. Not too shabby for one's first go. We all know how incredibly political nominations are, and although Meryl's performance in 'Hunter' was no doubt fantastic, the Academy was likely far more willing to get the ball rolling for this actress, around whom there was so much buzz, in part because of her role from the previous year (Julia).

The nominee list for the 1979 ceremony included the following:

Dyan Cannon (Heaven Can Wait)
Penelope Milford (Coming Home)
Maggie Smith (California Suite)
Maureen Stapleton (Interiors)
Meryl Streep (The Deer Hunter)



Brooke Shields sounds like she's seven. Maggie Smith took home her second statuette that night, her first being for lead actress in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969). I haven't seen either film, but for her supporting actress win, there doesn't appear to be much hullabaloo about it. She was a very established, well-respected actor by that time, and it was likely an appropriate recognition. This, however set up Meryl quite well for the following year's release of Kramer vs Kramer. More to follow...

One month old!

Word on the Streep is officially one month old! In total I've had 730 visits to the page from the U.S., France, Australia, Croatia, Germany, Finland, Italy, Morocco, the U.K. and Indonesia. Um, c'mon South America! I'll get to you yet. Guess you're waiting until I review The House of the Spirits. I look forward in the coming weeks to adding some new sections and certainly more film reviews. We should be getting a full trailer for The Iron Lady soon as well I would think?? Ugh. Any suggestion let me know.

Film review: "One True Thing" (1998)

As my first three film reviews were from the 80's, 00's and 70's, respectively, I thought I best round it out by reviewing a film from the 90's. One True Thing is a great familial drama in which Meryl plays Kate Gulden, a woman living with cancer. We don't immediately know this of course, but the main events of the film transpire based on the progression of her illness, and the ultimate necessity of a family coming together, however hesitantly.

It's great timing for me to review this film because I'm currently reading Howard Zinn's A History of the American People and am at a stage toward the end of this book that is focusing on the feminist movement of the 1960's and 70's. I don't think most people would immediately equate these ideas to Meryl's role in One True Thing, but I see in her character so much of what I'm reading now. I imagine the majority of audience members connect with the tragedy of a woman slowly deteriorating or of a family coming to grips with losing their wife or mother. Most people can likely relate to this concept. A far more interesting storyline of this film, in my opinion, is the relationship Kate's daughter Ellen, played by Renee Zellweger, has with her mother and the disdain she has for the sort of typical housewife life her mother has carved for herself.

Just outside the hustle and bustle of 1980's New York City and the dog-eat-dog world of journalism, we see a very sharp contrast between Ellen's day to day life and that of Kate's. One of the first scenes shows Meryl walking out of her house to greet her daughter dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. She's throwing a costume birthday party for her literary professor husband, played by William Hurt. We see the disappointment yet passive look on Meryl's face when she concedes approval of her daughter refusing to wear a costume. Meryl's character actually reminds me a lot of my own mom. Very family-oriented, wants everyone to get along, and very hesitant to find any disapproval in anyone. While commendable, it can be an exasperating mentality, especially for Ellen (and my sister and me on occasion--Love you, mom!!). Ellen has a hard time acknowledging the validity of Kate's women's groups, arts and crafts and neighborhood get-togethers, while she is busting her ass to meet deadlines for her job.

Eventually Ellen is persuaded by her dad to move back in to help her mother during her illness. We finally start to see Ellen recognize the chinks in her father's armor, and the borderline misogyny with which he's been comfortable for so long. Meryl of course perfectly plays what we think is this sort of unassuming, agreeable partner to a man whose life can't be interrupted, even by his own wife's terminable illness. As Ellen's irritation shifts more toward her father's lack of participation (and suspected extramarital affairs), we see what I consider to be one of Meryl's all-time greatest scenes:



I absolutely love the change in character that Meryl is able to convey in Kate when she makes it clear to her daughter that there is nothing Ellen knows about her father that she doesn't already know and understand better. The look of quiet surprise on Ellen's face, with all her cynicism about her mom, revealing her understanding that she doesn't have everything figured out.

As Kate's health deteriorates further, we see more focus shift toward the family. It's more person-oriented, and I think it sends a good message (although I suppose a bit cliché) about family over career or ego. It seems Meryl's character has had it figured out the best and has been living it (in her way) all along. If I weren't an emotional robot I probably would've cried at this movie.

Oh, and Meryl of course received her 11th Academy Award nod for the film. Gwyneth Paltrow won for Shakespeare in Love (gawd). Cate Blanchett so deserved it for Elizabeth. At the Oscar ceremony when Paltrow's name was announced, Meryl has a bit of a smirk on her face and immediately looks in Paltrow's direction when Jack Nicholson utters the first consonant of her name. Meryl totally knew Gwyneth would win. Paltrow was very gracious onstage and said through tears that she didn't feel very deserving of it in Meryl's presence, and called her the "greatest one there ever was." You know I eat that shit up. Meryl did her best to act like "who me?" ;)

Meryl recipient of Kennedy Center honors

So, I'm sitting in the dark typing on my phone because on the greatest day of weather in 2011 I am without power in Minneapolis. A tornado passed by my home earlier this year and we didn't even lose power. Xcel energy has offered no explanation, only that it could be anywhere from two to seven hours. Really? So annoying. Thank goodness Joe and I were able to grill our already thawed chicken breast and veggies. Fingers crossed no salmonella.

I decided I had to post however, because it was finally confirmed today that Meryl will be a recipient of the Kennedy Center honors. About time. Meryl will join singer Neil Diamond, saxophonist Sonny Rollins, broadway star Barbara Cook and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. I'm certain Meryl is more than deserving of the award, as she is with all others. The award will be handed out by president Obama on December 4, with a CBS special of the event airing December 27. Hopefully that will be some continuing good press for Meryl, as The Iron Lady will premiere nationwide in the U.S. on the 16th.

I personally don't recollect ever tuning in to the award show but I'll damn sure be doing so this year. Congratulations, Meryl! And OMG the power JUST came on as I finished typing that last sentence! Thank you, Meryl? Ca-reepy.

Film review: "Manhattan" (1979)

Joe and I got out of the Twin Cities for a few days and spent the weekend in the Big Apple with some friends. We took in a day of tennis at the U.S. Open, saw Memphis on Broadway (fantastic btw), and enjoyed some great meals. No Meryl sightings unfortunately. I thought what better Meryl film to review than Woody Allen's 1979 romantic comedy Manhattan! Mind you, Meryl has like four minutes of screen time in this film. Nonetheless, it is a Meryl movie and I watched it this afternoon for only the second time. So on we go.

Most of you have likely gathered by this point that when I write a film review, it's really more about Meryl's performance than the film itself. You want a thorough synopsis, check simplystreep.com. Meryl plays Jill, ex-wife to Allen's character Isaac, who left her husband for another woman. It's Meryl's first run as a (lipstick) lesbian onscreen. I'd have to say that this is the best Meryl has ever looked in a film (as you can see above), like a foxy man-eater, and plays it well.

I'm not sure how to analyze her brief performance. She's certainly convincing, believable as an intelligent (big stretch), independent and ambitious young woman. The actual stretch in her role is the major mismatch of her having been married to Woody Allen's character. Um, gross. Ok, I get that he's probably a smart guy, maybe a bit charming, but the dude is so damn neurotic onscreen and resembles an insect. Not sure it's an act.

Mariel Hemingway did a great job as Isaac's 17 year-old girlfriend and got an Oscar nomination for supporting actress. Again, mismatch! Frankly I think Diane Keaton is the best thing in this movie, although she's definitely the most neurotic one of all, as she's supposed to be.

Overall I enjoy the screenplay of this film. It's wordy and smart, although a little annoying at times because there is little time off from speaking. This was one of three movies Meryl did in 1979 (along with The Seduction of Joe Tynan and Kramer vs Kramer). She came away with an Oscar for Kramer and is remembered for an iconic film about NYC in another. Not too shabs, miss Meryl. I've seen her in an interview say that she spent about a total of three weeks shooting both films.

I sort of feel like this review has been a bit all over the place, but I've been up for seventeen hours and I don't feel like editing. I doubt I've offended anyone. Go Meryl.