Meryl Streep

Disney Acquires SAVING MR. BANKS, a Black List Script on the Making of MARY POPPINS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 8th, 2012 at 8:04 am

Disney has picked up Kelly Marcel‘s Black List script, Saving Mr. Banks.  The story centers on how Disney persuaded P.L. Travers sold the studio the rights to make Mary Poppins, and how Travers was dissatisfied with aspects of the film, especially since the story was deeply personal to her.  Per Deadline, “Mary Poppins was highly personal, and reflected hardships in her own life and her relationship with her father, who died when she was 7.”

The movie became one of the biggest hits in Disney’s history, but Travers hated the animated sequences, and she refused to sell any of her other works to Disney (somehow, Disney managed to survive).  Present-day Disney is already looking to make the film a star-studded affair, and according to Deadline, “There have been rumors of the script being considered by Tom Hanks (for Walt Disney) and Meryl Streep (for Travers).  I don’t know if I can buy Hanks as an anti-Semite.

2012 Oscar Nominations Announced; HUGO and THE ARTIST Lead the Pack

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 24th, 2012 at 6:05 am

The nominations for the 84th Annual Academy Awards have finally been unveiled. Many of the categories have fallen in line just as most have predicted (I fared alright with my predictions, but not great), with Hugo scoring 11 nods, followed closely by The Artist with 10. The biggest surprises are War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close getting in for Best Picture, the exclusion of The Adventures of Tintin from Best Animated Feature, and The Tree of Life nabbing Best Picture and Best Director nods (hooray!). On the snub side of things, despite landing the most precursor critics awards of any other actor in the race thus far, Albert Brooks was denied a Best Supporting Actor nod for his stellar work in Drive (boo). Additionally, Tilda Swinton was overlooked for giving the best performance of the year in We Need to Talk About Kevin, and AMPAS has no love for Michael Fassbender‘s haunting work in Shame.

There’s still plenty to be happy about, as Gary Oldman has his first ever Oscar Nomination (yes, that’s right) and Melissa McCarthy is a Best Supporting Actress nominee. Hit the jump to check out the full list of nominees. The 84th Academy Awards will be presented by Billy Crystal on February 26th.

Oscars 2012: Adam Predicts the Nominees

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 21st, 2012 at 2:38 pm

As I’ve been covering awards season pretty extensively here on the site over the past few months, I figured it would be appropriate to (foolishly) try to predict the upcoming Oscar nominations. It’s been a fairly tame year, as a few frontrunners were singled out early in the race and have held their ground throughout the grueling awards season. We haven’t been without a few surprises, as Steven Spielberg’s War Horse took a massive tumble following snubs from most of the major guilds, and David Fincher has surged back into the race bringing his adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with him.

Though there are plenty of safe bets when it comes to the 2012 Oscar nominations, there are still a few wildcards and tricky categories. I’ve put on my prognosticating cap (those interested can purchase one of these nifty hats at your local Target) and compiled a list of who and what I think will make the cut. Hit the jump to see how I think the nods will stack up when they’re announced on January 24th.

THE ARTIST and A SEPARATION Win Big at London Film Critics Circle Awards

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 2:14 pm

Another awards ceremony, another The Artist triumph. Michel Hazanavicius’ silent film continues its near sweep of awards season as it took home the Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor prize from the London Film Critics Circle Awards. Surprisingly, the other film to tie The Artist with three awards was the Iranian drama A Separation. The foreign film has been riding a wave of immense positive word of mouth, and the London Film Critics awarded the pic with Foreign Language Film of the Year, Best Screenwriter, and Best Actress.

Nearly shut out of the awards was Britain’s own Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The espionage drama failed to pick up any major prizes and was sent home with a win for Best Production Design. Elsewhere, We Need to Talk About Kevin was named Best British Film, Anna Paquin shared the Best Actress prize with Meryl Streep for her work in Margaret (quickly becoming the little engine that could), and Michael Fassbender won British Actor of the Year for his stellar work in Shame and A Dangerous Method. Full list of winners after the jump, which includes the critics’ top 10 films of 2011.

2012 Golden Globe Winners Announced; THE ARTIST and THE DESCENDANTS Take Top Prizes

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 15th, 2012 at 8:20 pm

I’ve just spent the past three hours watching and live-blogging the 2012 Golden Globe Awards.  My brain feels mushy.  After the jump and presented without comment is a list of this year’s winners. If you don’t even want to hit the jump, The Artist and The Descendants won Best Comedy/Musical and Best Drama, respectively.  If you want to awards prognosticate, I’ll save you the trouble: both were nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.  Those nominations haven’t been announced yet, but they were nominated.  Trust me.  I’m a professional.

Also, feel free to sound off on the winners and losers.  Lord knows I’ve been doing it for the past three hours.

Meryl Streep, Director Phyllida Lloyd, Screenwriter Abi Morgan, and Harry Lloyd Talk THE IRON LADY

by Heather Warburton    Posted: January 11th, 2012 at 2:52 pm

Set in the time frame of the 2005 London train bombings, The Iron Lady tells a story about Margaret Thatcher from the view point of the Prime Minister in her elderly life, as she grapples with a fading memory of her family life and political career. The interplay between Margaret Thatcher and her husband Dennis (played by Jim Broadbent), gives the film a levity that balances the intensity of some of the political scenes. British actors Alexandra Roach and Harry Lloyd portray the younger versions of Margaret and Dennis, acting out a delightful courtship of a marriage that evolved out of shared values and a seriousness of purpose.

At the film’s press conference in New York, director Phyllida Lloyd, writer Abi Morgan, young Dennis actor Harry Lloyd, and the star herself Meryl Streep gave an interview to a room full of journalists. The group discussed how both the script and the rehearsal process reflected theatrical roots, the experience of depicting a person who is still living, and lots more. Streep is particularly candid, and offers a thoughtful response to those who have criticized the film. Hit the jump for the entire press conference.

Southeastern Film Critics Association Chooses THE DESCENDANTS as the Top Film of 2011

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 19th, 2011 at 8:12 am

The Artist is currently the frontrunner in the 2011 awards race, but The Descendants continues to nip at its heels.  Today, the Southeastern Film Critics Association chose The Descendants as the top film of 2011, although The Artist came in second. SEFCA also bestowed The Descendants with Best Actor (George Clooney) and Best Adapted Screenplay, and also pulled runner-up awards for Best Supporting Actress (Shaileen Woodley) and Best Ensemble.

This was my first year as a SEFCA member, and sadly I disagree with most of the association’s choices.  Hit the jump for the full list of winners and my thoughts on them.

New Trailer for THE IRON LADY Is All Woman and No Controversy

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 7th, 2011 at 1:14 pm

The Weinstein Company has released a new trailer for Phyllida Lloyd‘s Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady.  Judging by the trailer, the movie is about the former British Prime Minister’s iron will to be a powerful woman in a man’s world.  In between, she kind of did some politics, but seriously: HEAR HER ROAR. The trailer briefly mentions her involvement in the Falklands War, but only to highlight that she’s been to battle too.  Not ones involving blood and bullets and death, but political and social ones which are just as bad if not worse.  Meryl Streep‘s performance will likely dominate all other aspects of the film, but hopefully the story is more than just how one woman broke through the glass ceiling (even though Thatcher remains the only female British Prime Minister in history).

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars Jim Broadbent and Richard E. Grant.  The Iron Lady opens December 16th.

New York Film Critics Name THE ARTIST Best Picture; Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep Win Top Acting Prizes

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 29th, 2011 at 10:26 am

Awards season is officially in full-swing, with this morning’s announcements of the Gotham Awards winners and the full list of nominees for the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards. Now it’s the critics’ turn, as the New York Critics Circle have unveiled their list for the best in film of 2011. The Artist took home the top two prizes (Best Picture and Director), solidifying its status as an Oscar frontrunner. Brad Pitt was named Best Actor for his work in Moneyball and The Tree of Life, with the former also taking the Best Screenplay prize for Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian. As for Best Actress, the undeniably talented Meryl Streep took the honor for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

In the supporting categories, Albert Brooks was recognized for his dastardly role in Drive, while the prolific Jessica Chastain was named Best Supporting Actress for her work in The Tree of Life, The Help, and Take Shelter. While The Artist was already running into the Oscars with a good deal of steam, Moneyball‘s two wins give the film a much needed boost heading into the thick of awards season. Hit the jump to see the full list of winners.

2012 Oscar Preview: Best Actor and Best Actress

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 25th, 2011 at 7:19 am

Yesterday we unveiled our picks for the top contenders in the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories for the upcoming 84th Academy Awards. Today, we’re taking on Best Actor and Best Actress. Though it’s still relatively early in the race, we’ve got some surefire contenders and a couple of clear frontrunners for the top acting categories. In addition to Academy darlings like George Clooney and Meryl Streep, we’ve seen some extraordinary performances from relative newcomers likes Elizabeth Olsen and Michael Fassbender. As I stressed yesterday, it’s still pretty early so things can definitely change between now and February, but there are certainly some clear frontrunners in these two races already. Hit the jump to see find out how everyone stacks up.

New Images from SHAME, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, and Many More

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 16th, 2011 at 3:35 pm

With the holiday movie season upon us, a few new images from some of the upcoming Oscar contenders have been unveiled. We’ve got a new look at Michael Fassbender in the extremely well-received drama Shame. Fassbender plays a sex-addict opposite Carey Mulligan, and our own Matt Goldberg loved the flick. There’s also a new image of Rooney Mara from David Fincher’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, another look at Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, and an ominous image of Gary Oldman from the spy thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Additionally, we’ve got another look at Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn, and an image of Sandra Bullock and Thomas Horn in the adaptation of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

But that’s not all! We’ve also got new images from We Bought a Zoo, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Haywire, Underworld: Awakening, In the Land of Blood and Honey, New Year’s Eve, and One for the Money. Hit the jump to check them out.

New Trailer for THE IRON LADY Starring Meryl Streep

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 14th, 2011 at 8:00 am

A new trailer has gone online for the Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady starring Meryl Streep.  For those who are unfamiliar with Thatcher, she was Britain’s austere and highly controversial Prime Minister in the 1980s.  As you’ll see in this trailer, she was also Important, Changed the World, Fought for Respect, and Would One Day Rise to Be the Subject of a Movie that Desperately Wanted to Win Awards.  It’s one thing to cast Meryl Streep as a famous person (there’s no faster way to an Oscar nomination), but I was stunned that there’s a King’s Speech-style scene in the movie.  I’m surprised the the trailer doesn’t include the words “For Your Consideration”.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars Harry Lloyd, Jim Broadbent, Anthony Head, and Olivia Colman.  The Iron Lady opens for an awards-qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles on December 30th, and will open in limited release nationwide on January 13th.

First Poster for THE IRON LADY Starring Meryl Streep

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 22nd, 2011 at 2:58 pm

The Weinstein Company has released the first poster for the Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady starring Meryl Streep.  Judging by the poster, the film is about how Thatcher sprouted London out of the side of her head.  I guess the movie has a more phantasmagorical edge than I was expecting.

Hit the jump to check out the poster.  The film also stars Harry Lloyd, Jim Broadbent, Anthony Head, and Olivia Colman.  The Iron Lady opens December 16th.

International Teaser Trailer for THE IRON LADY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 7th, 2011 at 8:18 am

The international teaser trailer for the Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady has gone online.  Because Meryl Streep can be nominated for an Oscar for just about anything she does and because the Academy loves impersonations of historical figures within a dramatic context, I’d say Streep is looking pretty good for her 17th Oscar nomination (it also helps that she’s an incredible actress).  This is all a way to say that if The Iron Lady hits US theaters before the end of the year (and since it debuts in the UK in January 2012, it would probably be ready before year’s end), one of the Best Actress nominations will be taken.  Sorry, other actresses.

Hit the jump to check out teaser trailer.  The Iron Lady also stars Harry Lloyd, Jim Broadbent, Anthony Head, and Olivia Colman.

New Image from THE IRON LADY Starring Meryl Streep and Jim Broadbent

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 22nd, 2011 at 7:42 am

A new image from the Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady has gone online.  The film stars Meryl Streep (apparently gunning for Oscar nomination #15) as Thatcher and Jim Broadbent as Thatcher’s husband Denis.  The film also stars Alexandra Roach, Harry Lloyd, and Olivia Colman.  Footage from the film, which will show how Thatcher dominated Britain’s political landscape in her role as the country’s prime minister, is set to be screened for potential buyers at Cannes.  The movie currently has distribution in the UK, but presumably a U.S. distributor will pick it up at Cannes.  The real question is whether or not it will hit theaters next year or if it will be held for the 2012 Oscars.  As for folks in the UK, you’ll see the film on January 6, 2012.

Hit the jump to check out the image.

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