Meryl Streep

First Trailer and Poster for HOPE SPRINGS Starring Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones and Steve Carell

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: April 25th, 2012 at 7:05 pm

Steve Carell has moved up from The 40 Year Old Virgin to a marriage counselor for Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep in Hope Springs.  The film, formerly titled Great Hope Springs, centers on Arnold (Jones) and Maeve (Streep) Soames, a middle-aged couple who find that their marriage has gone stale after 30 years.  In a last ditch effort to save their relationship, they seek the help of marriage counselor Dr. Bernie Feld (Carell).  The trailer has some great character moments and it’s nice to see Jones and Streep playing some plain old ordinary people for a change, though they play them rather well.  Hope Springs, written by Vanessa Taylor (Game of Thrones), will reunite Streep with The Devil Wears Prada director, David Frankel.  The romantic comedy, which opens August 10th, also stars Elisabeth Shue and Jean Smart. Hit the jump to see the trailer and poster for Hope Springs.

New Images from MOONRISE KINGDOM, ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, GREAT HOPE SPRINGS, and RUBY SPARKS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 6th, 2012 at 10:56 am

We’ve got a few new images to share with you today.  Briefly:

• Moonrise Kingdom – Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray star in writer-director Wes Anderson’s latest film.  The story centers on two 12-year-olds who fall in love at summer camp in 1965 and run away together.  The film opens on May 25th.
• Ice Age: Continental Drift – The fourth film in the Ice Age franchise follows the prehistoric characters during the breakup of Pangea and the splitting of the continents.  The film opens in 3D on July 13th.
• Great Hope Springs – Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones star as a married couple seeking a weekend of counseling from a therapist played by Steve Carell.  The film opens on August 10th.
• Ruby Sparks – Directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton’s long-awaited follow-up to Little Miss Sunshine stars Paul Dano as a creatively blocked, once-great novelist who writes his dream girl (Zoe Kazan) who then comes to life.  The film opens on July 25th.

Hit the jump to check out the new images.

MANHATTAN Blu-ray Review

by Scott Wampler    Posted: March 8th, 2012 at 6:00 am

Last year, Woody Allen turned in one of the best films he’s ever made, Midnight in Paris.  That film sparked a (well-deserved) bit of resurgence in Woody Allen’s general popularity, which must have timed out nicely with 20^th Century Fox’s decision to release some of Allen’s greatest hits on Blu-ray.  One of those films, Manhattan, has long been hailed (by a large portion of Allen’s fan-base) as one of the best romantic-comedies ever made, not to mention the all-time greatest “love-letter to New York” ever committed to film.  Though I’m an Allen fan, I’d never actually gotten around to Manhattan this version arrived.  So, did I side with Manhattan’s numerous fans?  Is it Allen’s “best” film?  Or do I still think that Annie Hall does “it” better?  Find out after the jump, folks.

John Lee Hancock May Direct SAVING MR. BANKS Based on the Making of MARY POPPINS

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: February 27th, 2012 at 4:59 pm

John Lee Hancock (Blindside) is reportedly in talks to direct Saving Mr. Banks, a feature film based on the true story of how Mary Poppins came to be a Walt Disney classic. Disney is in the process of acquiring the Kelly Marcel Black List script retelling the story of the 14-year-long courtship of Australian author, P.L. Travers by Walt Disney himself in order to secure the film rights to Mary Poppins. No company would be a better fit than Disney, who owns the rights to the 1964 classic starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and David Tomlinson, as Mr. Banks. Hit the jump for more on the project, including who might be stepping into Walt Disney’s shoes.

Winners of the 84th Academy Awards; THE ARTIST Wins 5 Including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 26th, 2012 at 8:56 pm

The Oscars are finally over.  The front-runner, The Artist, won the awards race by picking up Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Hazanavicius), Best Actor (Jean Dujardin), Best Costume Design, and Best Score.  There were also some big upsets as “locks” like The Tree of Life for Best Cinematography and Rise of the Planet of the Apes for Best Visual Effects were no match for Hugo, which ended up taking those categories and three more (Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Art Direction).  As for nice surprises…not really (unless you loved Hugo).

It was a forgettable year for the Oscars, and Billy Crystal, turning in his safe, predictable, and family-friendly routine was the perfect fit for a year that screamed “Don’t rock the boat!”  Last year’s Oscars took a chance on pairing Anne Hathaway and James Franco, and the show was a mess.  This year, they played it safe and the ceremony was still dull.  Quite simply, there was no films to root for and the “upsets” were for the establishment.  It was also funny to have the show and actors celebrate the theater when audiences are moving to OnDemand services, and studios are trying to make the theatrical release window even shorter.   Hit the jump for a full list of the winners, click here for mine and Adam Chitwood’s Oscar predictions (he did way better than me), and click here for my live-blog of the ceremony.

Full List of 2012 Oscar Presenters Includes Christian Bale, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis and the Cast of BRIDESMAIDS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 23rd, 2012 at 2:22 pm

We’re only a few short days away from the 84th Academy Awards, which means all that prognosticating and “fake controversy” business will finally come to an end on Monday morning. Until next year, that is. Nevertheless, a number of presenters have been announced over the past few weeks and we figured we’d bring you a full list of all the pretty celebrities scheduled to appear during Sunday night’s telecast. Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Emma Stone, The Muppets and the leading ladies from Bridesmaids will (hopefully) be bringing the funny, and today the Academy announced that last year’s winners in the acting categories will return to present. I really, really liked the way the awards were given out a few years back with past winners speaking directly to each of the nominees, so I’m hoping Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Natalie Portman, and Colin Firth will be doing something similar.

Hit the jump to read the full list of presenters and performers, and be sure to check back this weekend to see how yours truly and Matt Goldberg think the awards will stack up in our predictions feature. Billy Crystal hosts the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 26th.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY Looking to Shoot This Fall with Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 15th, 2012 at 7:39 pm

It’s been over a year since we last heard about the feature adaptation of the Pulitzer/Tony-winning play August: Osage County.  But with two stars like Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts attached, you knew The Weinstein Co. would circle back to the project eventually once schedules could be aligned.  The studio and director John Wells (Company Men) are moving forward on August with a fall start date in mind.  Tracy Letts‘ play follows “the women of a family whose lives have splintered in many directions until a crisis bring them back to their childhood home and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.”  Streep will play the pill-popping matriarch; Roberts will play her daughter.  More after the jump:

THE ARTIST Takes Homes Seven BAFTAs Including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 12th, 2012 at 3:48 pm

I’m really hoping for some surprises on Oscar night if only to make things interesting, but it’s looking less likely every day. Last night The Artist nearly swept the British Academy Film Awards (essentially the British Oscars), taking home the prizes for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Music, Best Cinematography, and Best Costume Design. Meryl Streep was named Best Actress for The Iron Lady, while Octavia Spencer and Christopher Plummer won Best Supporting Actress and Actor. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy wasn’t sent home empty-handed, as the spy thriller won Best British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay. I was happy to see Senna get some well-deserved recognition, as the Formula 1 doc chronicling the life of driver Ayrton Senna was named Best Documentary.

While George Clooney seemed the favorite in the Best Actor Oscar race for his magnificent turn in The Descendants, The Artist’s Jean Dujardin could easily prove the spoiler. With the SAG Award in hand and now the BAFTA, the French comedian may very well step up to the podium come Oscar night. Hit the jump to see the full list of BAFTA winners. The Academy Awards will be handed out on February 26th.

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.

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