Meryl Streep

[proper stranger]

In addition to all of the movies already mentioned, Meryl was awesome in Postcards from the Edge--such great comic timing and delivery. And she sings, too!

[huntergrayson]

Team Hepburn, all the way. Sorry, but she's legendary, a true female pioneer.

Plus, a couple of Meryl's noms were from films that weren't even that well-regarded.

Part of me suspects that Kate would change her mind if she saw Meryl in comedy stuff like Adaptation.

I can't picture Kate being "jealous" of anyone, much less Meryl. Potentially snooty and looking down on? Yep.

There's a really good biography of Miss Hepburn by Anne Edwards that sheds some light on the complexities of her and her life.

For those who liked their bit at the Oscars (I did! A lot!), the Prairie Home Companion trailer is up. It looks really good -- apparently it was adored by the Berlin Film Festival Too bad that they just recognized Altman with an honorary Oscar, which seems really odd when he has a major film coming out.

[mrpancake]

I saw the trailer and am looking forward to Prarie Home Companion. I really like Robert Altman, mostly because I loved, loved, loved Gosford Park and love it more with every viewing. Off topic, which films of his would you recommend, Hunter? I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to his movies...

It will be interesting to see. I liked Lindsay in Mean Girls, but that's all I've sene her in. I wonder if she can hold her own against the legends she's starring with!

Meryl should have won for Adaptation, though. CZJ was great, and I don't begrudge her for winning, but Meryl really added a lot of depth to her character which is something Chicago as a whole didn't have. Plus, she likely would have been nominated for The Hours that same year, but the studio made an error in her submission, I believe. She was great in The Hours, too.

ETA: I think Meryl's nominations for mediocre movies are a testimony to how great she is as an actress. A lot of times the Academy tends to overlook great performances because they were in crappy movies. I want to see her win one in my lifetime, though. I love her speeches!

[huntergrayson]

I haven't seen much of Altman, actually - I barely remember Nashville because I saw it so long ago. I have the unpopular opinion that The Company was better than Gosford Park. And if you like Altman at all, run (don't walk) to the nearest video store with a good selection and get the Criterion DVD of Short Cuts (a great ensemble piece set in LA - hey, why didn't it win best picture? j/k) The package is gorgeous and even includes a reprinted book of the Carver short stories the film is based on.

FWIW, I think Lindsay will be just fine - Meryl and Virginia Madsen have given her nothing but praise (ditto Altman himself). And her performance in Freaky Friday is, no joke, one of the better/best comedic performances I've seen in years.

I really liked Meryl in Adaptation as well.

[katyzz]

I know it's not a serious movie, but she's got great comic chops as well

If only She-Devil had been made with anyone other than Roseanne. Meryl was hilarious in that movie.

[kafka]

huntergrayson said:

FWIW, I think Lindsay will be just fine - Meryl and Virginia Madsen have given her nothing but praise (ditto Altman himself). And her performance in Freaky Friday is, no joke, one of the better/best comedic performances I've seen in years.

I'm not sure their praise means much. First, Meryl is far too much of a lady to ever say nasty things about someone in public, let alone a co-star. Second, Altman wouldn't say something negative about someone in one of his films, let alone a film which has yet to be released. He's hardly going to say that one of his big name actors sucked. Besides, he doesn't seem to me to be the type to gab out of school.

As for Madsen, she seems to have a soft spot for Lohan and is protectively maternal towards her. She remembers when she wasn't taken seriously for her acting and was known only for her looks which is, arguably, what Lohan's going through now. Finally, Madsen has had too long of a dry streak before Sideways to risk pissing off someone by criticizing a costar in a movie which has yet to be released, lest her criticism draw negative attention and anger the studio execs.

As for Lohan's acting in Freaky Friday, I would hardly classify it as one of the better (let alone funniest) comedic performances in a long time. I wasn't impressed in the slightest.

[chameleon]

I love both Hepburn and Streep, but for totally different reasons. They're like night and day as actresses, even apart from being from completely different generations of film acting. Also perhaps Hepburn didn't like being asked about it when she was, what, 80-90 years old? Lauren Bacall didn't take too kindly to being compared to Nicole Kidman either. I'd blame it on being totally different women and actresses, and on being too old to take shit from anyone.

Although that brings up an interesting point: how did Meryl manage to combine such a brilliant career and have a great family life, too? Is it the simple old story of having lots of money (and presumably nannies and all sorts of other help) makes combining serious career & family possible? Or is it something else? I'd love to hear more from Meryl about that one but I won't hold my breath, she's notoriously private.

So Emma Thompson beat out Meryl for Remains of the Day! I can't imagine anyone else in the role, but still, what a feather in Emma's cap.

I also loved Meryl in Postcards - especially the song she belts out at the finale, I absolutely love her singing. God sure didn't stint on the gifts She gave Meryl, did She?

[Deleted]

chameleon said:

So Emma Thompson beat out Meryl for Remains of the Day! I can't imagine anyone else in the role, but still, what a feather in Emma's cap.

Yeah, I love Meryl to pieces, but that character? Totally Emma. It'd have been wrong, wrong, wrong to go for Meryl and I'm glad Ivory did the right thing.

[kafka]

chameleon said:

I also loved Meryl in Postcards - especially the song she belts out at the finale, I absolutely love her singing. God sure didn't stint on the gifts She gave Meryl, did She?

Not one bit and isn't it lucky for us! Regarding her musical talents, she learnt how to play the violin for one of my favorite Meryl films: Music of the Heart. I've talked about it in earlier posts but what I didn't mention was just how well she played for someone who picked it up at her age.

As for the nanny stuff, a lot of people have them but still can't juggle a private life and career, let alone one which is so incredibly acclaimed and successful. Like you, I'd like to know the secret to her success but I suspect it lies in her own character. She's genuinely brilliant, intellectual and highly-educated, so she's probably a lot smarter than other successful celebs/actors who can't see the pitfalls of fame or are so stupid as to think the shallow benefits are all that matter.

[Deleted]

kafka said:

As for the nanny stuff, a lot of people have them but still can't juggle a private life and career, let alone one which is so incredibly acclaimed and successful. Like you, I'd like to know the secret to her success but I suspect it lies in her own character. She's genuinely brilliant, intellectual and highly-educated, so she's probably a lot smarter than other successful celebs/actors who can't see the pitfalls of fame or are so stupid as to think the shallow benefits are all that matter.

Besides that, she doesn't work a lot. I think it's in order to have more time with her family (and she can afford the luxury of being picky, of course.)