Happy 60th, Meryl! And happy 26th to me!

Yes indeed. It took Meryl Streep's 60th birthday to bring me back to my blog, but here I am. I hope I still have one or two readers.

I've been very busy with other things for these past few months - gotta love real life - but I hope the blog hasn't completely died. I'm planning on continuing the Streepathon this month - finally - but right now I'm busy celebrating my birthday, which is one day after Meryl's. Or, more accurately, 1:09am in the morning after (so close!). So this post is going up at midnight, right between the two glorious days.

See you soon...

If Meryl tells me I can dance, it must be true.

There's something uniquely magical about watching the woman who made Sophie's Choice (pun intended) dance around buoyantly while singing ABBA. Despite Mamma Mia's hit-and-miss, kamikaze comedy, whenever Streep starts singing, the film takes flight. This is not just because her voice is so gorgeous and expressive (though it is); it's also because we as viewers (or I at least) naturally tend to project all of Streep's previous perfs and career moves onto each new perfomance. I mean that in the best way. I think that is part of her legend. Just knowing that the same actress can play Joanna Kramer, Sophie Zawistowski, Karen Silkwood, Suzanne Vale, Miranda Priestly, etc. and then bust out with the sheer bubble-gum bliss of ABBA, and then seeing her do it... well, it does something very special for me. Something about it is very moving. It actually gives this material resonance. And that's pretty awesome.

As for the film as a whole... it's basically just another in the ever-lengthening list of Streep's middlingly reviewed mainstream comedies - She-Devil, Death Becomes Her, and Prime are other examples - all of which are far more fun than they would have been without her divine presence (though ftr, I think Death Becomes Her is much better than it gets credit for). This one, thankfully, has music. And super-fun music, at that. But the mixed reviews, and it's general dismissal as a mere trifle, are mostly deserved. I can't say I disagree with either assessment. But it's still probably the most pure fun I've had at the movies this year (despite being technically getting my worst grade... hee). In terms of quality, it doesn't hit the same highs as Devil Wears Prada (the exception to the rule in the reception of Streep's comedies), but it doesn't stoop to the lows of She-Devil either. One never gets the impression that Streep is slumming. On the contrary, she's having the time of her life. As is the whole joyous troupe around her. With the possible exception of poor Pierce Brosnan. Sigh.

Just a little anecdote now... my Mamma Mia experience was definitely made more memorable by external factors. I'd planned to go with my mom and sister today to the matinée showing. Unfortunately, once we got there, it was sold out, which really surprised me. But I guess it's the kind of thing most people seeing it would wanna see on a Sunday afternoon. Anyway, I convinced my mom and sister to see WALL*E instead. Since it's actually, you know, better. But mom was pretty set on Mamma Mia, so what did she do? She spontaneously decided we should sneak into the Mamma Mia screening and sit in the very front row (which they apparently don't count when calling a screening as "sold out"). So that was pretty awesome. My mom is ridiculous. And we got to see every wrinkle! Hee.

Meryl Streep singing ABBA: A
Dominic Cooper singing shirtless: A
The soundtrack in general: A-
The film as a whole: B-/C+

Another Meryl Streep interview!

And this one's British! I love British things.

Look how young she was!

And look how young she still looks now!

The Streepathon will return eventually... I promise. It hit a bit of a snag when I watched Bridges of Madison County and had to return it before actually doing the entry... so now I feel like I have to watch it again to do it justice. And how am I supposed to do that? Netflix backtracking = evil. Plus I'm in school and stuff. But I will do it somehow... some way... some day...

I can't stop watching this!

Meryl Streep singing like Cher and dancing around like a 20-year-old (to ABBA!)... I can't look away.

the cutest thing you will ever see in your life

My apologies for being lax with the Streepathon. It'll be back soon. I'm just so... busy.

Streepathon Stop #9: The River Wild

"I'm gonna kill you. (pause) I'm gonna kill you, Wade." -Gail Hartman

Time: 1994 (21st film)

Role: Gail Hartman, badass whitewater rafter, wife and mother

Awards: GG (drama) and SAG award nominations

Fun Fact #1: Streep's performance in this film earned her golden globe and SAG nominations, but no corresponding oscar nod; this was one of the few high-profile snubs of her career (the only others were for The Hours and, to a lesser extent, The Manchurian Candidate).

Fun Fact #2: This film was not the first time Streep had worked with David Strathairn (who plays her husband); he'd previously played one of Karen Silkwood's co-workers in Silkwood.

Fun Fact #3: Carrie Fisher, who wrote Postcards from the Edge (Streep's last oscar nomination before The River Wild), served as an uncredited script doctor on River.

Fun Fact #4: One day during filming, director Curtis Hanson encouraged Streep to film an additional scene at the end of the day despite her fatigue, and she reluctantly agreed, despite her reservations. Then, she nearly drowned after being thrown from her raft. After she was rescued from the water, she reportedly told Hanson: "In the future, when I say I can't do something, I think we should believe me" (Hanson agreed).

Peep show poster? One of the film's Asian posters catches Streep skinny dipping, and an a voyeuristic Kevin Bacon watching from afar. Hmmm...

Film Review: This was an enjoyable flick, nothing too special, but lots of fun, thanks to impressive performances by Streep, Strathairn and Bacon (golden globe nominated), pretty scenery, and thrilling rafting sequences. The film starts off rather slow (before the rafting starts), but it picks up before too long. That I started watching it at 1am this morning and didn't feel the need to turn it off and go to sleep 'til it was done is testament to the film's watchability.

The story concerns 40ish wife, mother, and history teacher Gail Hartman (a rather weathered-looking Streep, who seemed no younger then than she does now, 13 years later) who takes her family on a whitewater rafting trip in an area where she used to be a guide. Gail is just a mild-mannered history teacher by day, but by weekend, she's a badass whitewater rafter. Her husband Tom (David Strathairn) is mild-mannered ALL the time; he's a workaholic architect who doesn't share her passion for the outdoors. Gail and Tom are estranged when the story begins - he works all the time, she feels neglected - but after Tom decides at the last minute to join Gail and their son, Roarke (Joseph Mazzello, of Jurassic Park fame) on a getaway for the weekend, the couple end up rebonding in a fight for their lives.

Said fight ensues when sketchy drifter Wade (Kevin Bacon, quite charismatic and scary) and his sidekick Terry (John C. Reilly) attach themselves to the family and demand that Gail get them down the river via a dangerous spread of rapids called "The Gauntlet"; they've just robbed somewhere nearby, and need to get away by a non-traditional route. Bacon's performance as the dangerous and psychopathic but initially likeable Wade is all kinds of fun; Wade first grows close to the family through his attention to young Roarke, but there's an implied attraction between him and Gail as well (at least before he reveals himself as a psycho). Reilly is also effective in his dopey sidekick role, but Bacon really steals the show as the villain you love to hate (and love to picture naked even more).

The film seems less impressive after the fact than it does while you're watching. It employs the standard thriller tropes, sometimes effectively, sometimes less so. And there's one rather large plot hole of which I became aware via the IMDB boards. The film sometimes rides the edge of kitch with its made-to-order thriller music, borderline-cartoonish villains, and even a family dog who narrowly escapes being shot by Wade and then returns later to help save the day. But it's really very entertaining nonetheless. I had a great time with this one, as would any fan of Streep, Bacon or rafting. Plus, Meryl Streep gets to hit people with ores. You can't beat that (really, you can't... it's AWESOME).

Streep Review: Oh, Meryl, how I love thee. It's the early 90s, you've conquered the world of drama, perfected every accent imaginable, played characters from Denmark, Africa, Australia, England, Poland, and middle America. You've even made successful forays into comedy. But you think oscar may have gotten his fill of you, since you haven't been nominated in (gasp!) four years. So what do you? You go, "f**k it, I wanna be in an ACTION movie!"

OK, well maybe she never actually said THAT, but I still love that Meryl decided to dive head-first into the action/suspense/thriller genre. Seeing badass Gail Hartman brave the rapids, beat down her foes with ores, and then cuddle with her young son reminded me of Meryl's old classmate Sigourney Weaver and her fierce maternal love in Aliens (which I just bought on amazon, btw... it was on sale). In fact, someone like Sigourney would seem a more obvious choice for this role (tough-and-fierce-but-always-loving mother), but it was great fun to see Meryl try her hand at it. Her trademark vulnerability and silliness added unexpected layers to the often tough-as-nails Gail.

This isn't one of her very best performances - that is to say, it's not a Sophie's Choice, Silkwood or Angels in America - but it fits right in with her great ouvre of dramatic work. Plus, she gets to hit people with ores. Did I say that already? It bears repeating. Gail Hartman is SUCH a badass. Actually, one could argue that Meryl's persona, even as chameleonic as it is, was not quite suited to such an action-based role. But it was an admirable stretch, and I think she pulled it off. I don't know 1994's slate well enough to say whether she deserved the oscar nod she was denied, but I certainly wouldn't have minded if she'd made it. In any case, she would return to the oscars in a big way the following year with...

Next in the marathon: The Bridges of Madison County

Streepathon Stop #8: Death Becomes Her

"Wrinked, wrinked little star... hope they never see the scars."
-Madeline Ashton

Time: 1992 (19th film)

Role: Madeline Ashton, endlessly vain and endlessly "undead" actress

Awards: GG (comedy) and Saturn Award nominations

Fun Fact #1: Meryl once said in an interview that she'd originally assumed Goldie Hawn's role was meant for her, not the singing, dancing, vampy part of Madeleine.

Fun Fact #2: Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn were looking for a movie to do together in the early '90s, and at once point were interested in Thelma & Louise, but ultimately chose Death Becomes Her instead. Thelma & Louise, of course, was eventually cast with Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon.

Fun Fact #3: For the scene where Meryl takes Lisle's anti-aging potion and her breasts are lifted and firmed, the filmmakers had originally intended to use a pneumatic bra. But when the effect didn't look realistic enough, they scrapped the bra idea and instead had Meryl's dresser actually stand behind her out of view and pull her breasts into position.

Choice Clips: Here's Meryl Streep's "Me" song, sung and danced over the opening credits. Most of you've probably seen it already, but it's worth seeing again. Meryl's sounding a lot like Barbra Streisand in this clip. And can you recognize Bruce Willis in his reaction shot? I couldn't for a long time. Goldie's also hard to spot, looking very Cameron Diaz in Being John Malkovich. Creepy:



And here's Meryl experiencing the anti-aging effects of Lisle's potion:


And now here are Meryl and Goldie, in their cat fight extraordinaire:


Film Review: Such fun! I'd previously heard this film described as "comic gold" and that's totally true. Like Streep's recent Devil Wears Prada, this is a terrific comedy with everyone firing on all cylinders. The writing, acting, directing, music, and design are all doing their part. The comedy is highly stylized but always rooted in truth, the characterizations are broad but specific, the visual style is striking and elegant, the music is tense and moody, the flashy surface deepened by serious themes. Everything just clicks. It's great entertainment.

One thing that struck me about Death Becomes Her is how much it has in common with She-Devil, despite being superior in every way. They've got the same basic setup: Two women - one frumpy, one fabulous - fight over a man. The fabulous one is still played by Meryl Streep. She's still rich and famous, still beautiful and shallow, still makes references to "paying extra" for special favors, still breaks up a relationship and marries the guy.

But this time instead of the lazy Roseanne and annoying Ed Begley Jr., Streep gets to share the screen with a dowdy Goldie Hawn and a near-unrecognizable Bruce Willis, as well as an unnaturally young Isabella Rossellini. LOVE the switch. And unlike in She-Devil, where Streep outshined everyone else by far, the whole cast of this film is ace. I guess I'd still say Streep was best-in-show if forced to choose, but everyone else is totally on her level; this is a knockout ensemble. Their material is deliciously dark and satirical, and they mine it for all it's worth. Lots of fun.

The story concerns two friends and girlhoold rivals, actress Madeline Ashton and writer Helen Sharp. Madeline (Streep) impresses Helen's fiancé, Dr. Ernest Menville (Willis) with her beauty and talent, and takes a liking to him due to his being a plastic surgeon. Ernest soon marries Madeline, leaving Helen (Hawn) bitter and alone. Eventually, however, the love falls out of Ernest and Madeline's marriage, and Helen returns determined to win back her man. And before long, both women have drunk from a magic potion given to them by the mysterious, erotic Lisle (Rossellini), a youth serum that causes them to live forever. But things get a bit sticky when they die.

This is a wonderful dark comedy and satire of our culture's obsession with youth. It doesn't have the best reputation, but I highly recommend it. I love that it's an oscar winner, if only for its visual effects. They, like the rest of the film, were quite impressive.

Streep Review: Meryl's much better here than in She-Devil (and she was good in She-Devil, too). This characterization is much more clear and crisp, seeming more like a real person and less like a broad "type." Much of that is the script's fault, but Meryl knows exactly what to do with good words. Plus, to borrow a certain chic oscar campaign phrase: "She sings, she dances, she dies!" (sort of) In short, this performance is a LOT of fun.

What I love, though, is that Meryl doesn't really stand out; everyone is great in this film. Goldie matches Meryl blow for blow, and Bruce Willis is surprisingly great. And Isabella Rossellini is PERFECT as the immortal Lisle, hella-sexy and a total riot. You know a cast is great when they can all keep up with Meryl. Totally awesome.

But that doesn't take away from Meryl's individual achievement. This is one of her best comedic performances; in it's own zany, ensemble-serving way, I'd say it's up there with her oscar-nominated turns in Postcards, Adaptation, and Prada. It's great to see Meryl embrace her inner ice queen. Especially when her body is literally icy (due to death). Don't miss this one. Go out and rent it now. You're in for a treat.

Streepathon Stop #7: She-Devil

"My books reflect my own experience of lovemaking as sacred and beautiful, something to be shared and treasured." -Mary Fisher

Time: 1989 (16th film)

Role: Mary Fisher, rich, beautiful and sexy romance novelist

Awards: GG (comedy) nomination

Fun Fact #1: This was Meryl's first attempt broad comedy (at least on film), to be followed later by Death Becomes Her (1992) and Prime (2005), among others. It is still generally considered her most low-brow effort to date.

Fun Fact #2: The name of Streep's character in She-Devil (Mary Fisher) is strikingly similar to the name of the writer of her follow-up film (Carrie Fisher, on whom Streep's Postcards character is loosely based).

Fun Fact #3: The book on which She-Devil is based has a very different and far more disturbing ending. In it, Mary Fisher dies of cancer, and her rival Ruth Patchett (played in the film by Roseanne Barr) has extensive plastic surgery in order to make herself look like Mary, including having having her leg bones surgically shortened via chopping.

The Trailer: It's a hoot. Have a look:



Film Review: This one falls squarely in the "guilty pleasure" column. I wouldn't say it's a very good film, per se. It's definitely the least impressive in the Streepathon so far, in terms of sheer quality. But I can't say I didn't enjoy it. And for Meryl Streep completists, it's a must. In She-Devil, she vamps it up like never before as a beautiful, famous romance novelist with a pet poodle and a house that's entirely pink (you can tell she was really trying to subvert her "prestige" dramatic queen image).

But despite how it seems, Meryl's Mary Fisher is not the She-Devil of the title. The film's titular character (and protagonist) is Roseanne Barr's dowdy, fat Ruth Patchett, the woman whose husband Mary steals at the beginning of the film. Ruth's titular status is confirmed when her husband (played by Ed Begley Jr.) gets fed up and tells her: "You're a SHE-DEVIL!". The rest of the story mostly revolves around Ruth's antics in exacting revenge on him and Mary.

Unfortunately, the film incorporates a lot of lazy voiceover by Barr (made even worse by her lazy acting) and generally gives off whiffs of mediocrity. It's also rather hard to believe that Ed Begley Jr. would be married to Roseanne Barr, and also that Meryl Streep would be attracted to Ed Begley Jr. (he differences in relative attractiveness are striking). Plus, the film somehow manages to feel long at just over 90 minutes. So that's not good.

But if you like bitchy catfights, this film's for you. And Streep as a catfighting bitch is quite the spectacle. Add in some kitchy music, Mary's Latin manservant "Garcia," and enjoyable supporting performances by Linda Hunt, Mary Louise Fisher and others, and you've got yourself a film that's lots of fun, if a bit pedestrian. I can't wholeheartedly recommend it, but it is worth seeing for the "kitchy and bitchy" factor. I prefer to think of it not as a blot on Meryl's resumé, but rather as a fun diversion from all her prestigious, "serious" films.

Streep Review: Hee. It is great fun to watch Meryl strut around in pink, stealing men. There were times, however, when I found her a bit "over the top." It's obvious that she was working hard to play against type (her "type" being subtle, graceful performances of lovable characters). Still, I can't really fault her for going all-out in her big chance to be silly. And her comic timing is impeccable, as always, whether she's having loud sex or spouting a one-liner.

It's interesting, actually, that Meryl went over the top here, since Roseanne is decidedly "under" the top. And by that, I don't mean to say that she exercises restraint; it's more that she just resorts to her trademark style of "be your wry, bitchy self while reciting lines." Pretty lazy acting. I do love Roseanne on Roseanne, but she can't just be "Roseanne" in everything she does and call it good acting. Maybe Meryl knew Roseanne was phoning it in, and wanted to overact to balance it out?

In any case, I'd rank this awkward entry into comedy below Streep's later comedic high points in Postcards from the Edge, Death Becomes Her, Adaptation, Prime and most recently, The Devil Wears Prada. But her Mary Fisher is still very funny, and there's a certain pleasure in seeing Streep in the part that wouldn't have been there with, say, Kristin Chenoweth or Scarlett Johannson or any typical "blonde bombshell" in the role. Casting against type yields nice rewards, and Meryl's the best thing about the film.

Next in the marathon: Death Becomes Her

Happy Birthday, Meryl... and ME!

Yay for Meryl turning 58! I know this is a few minutes late, technically, but I just didn't get around to it earlier. I haven't been as obsessed with Meryl lately as I usually am; these days, I'm more focused on the men. But I'm sure I'll come back around once Meryl's many 2007 films open.

And speaking of birthdays, happy birthday to ME as well! I will be 24 as of 1:09am this morning. As I've stated before, I pride myself in being born only a few hours after The Great One (give or take 34 years). I like to think that she and I share some spiritual connection.

Wow, can you believe Meryl hasn't won an oscar in the whole time I've been living? She won her Best Actress oscar in 1983, a few months before I was born. That's crazy. But anyway, yay for Meryl and for me (except damn, I'm now in my mid-20s and am still not famous... gotta get on that).

Streepathon Stop #6: A Cry in the Dark

"The dingo's got my baby!" -Lindy Chamberlain

Time: 1988 (15th film)

Role: Lindy Chamberlain, embattled wife and mother accused of murder

Awards: 8th oscar nomination, GG (drama) nomination; NYFCC, Cannes, and Australian Film Institute wins

Fun Fact #1: This film reunited Streep with director Fred Schepisi and actor Sam Neill, both of whom had worked with her on Plenty three years prior.

Fun Fact #2: The film has two different titles: A Cry in the Dark, the international title, and Evil Angels, the Australian title (the book on which it's based shares the latter title). Strangely, within this past year, its official IMDB title has changed from A Cry in the Dark to Evil Angels. Since it was credited as A Cry in the Dark when I began the Streepathon, I've decided to refer to it by that title.

Fun Fact #3: Like some other famous movie catchphrases, the oft-quoted "A dingo ate my baby!" is never actually uttered in its film of origin. The closest Streep comes to saying those words is "The dingo's got my baby!" (quoted above), during the scene when she sees the murderous dingo.

Fun Fact #4: Much fuss has been made over Streep's (spotty?) Aussie accent in this film. But in reality, Lindy was not a native Aussie, but rather a Kiwi (she moved with her family to Australia as a small child). The real Lindy's accent was a strange amalgam of Aussie and Kiwi, and those who know her say Streep captured it rather well.

Meryl, Miranda & Lindy: No, not THAT Miranda. Miranda Otto played Lindy in a recent miniseries. Here are pictures of her, Meryl, and the real Lindy.















Film Review: This was not one of my favorite Meryl Streep films, though it wasn't half bad. In fact, it was quite good. But good is all it's trying to be. It's not going for greatness... at least not what I consider cinematic greatness to be. It's just working in a very specific, rather worn out genre that doesn't generally allow for the kind of lyricism and cinematic virtuosity that I prize so highly. Interestingly, Streep and Schepisi's last teaming, Plenty, had quite a bit of that. But this one's a different animal entirely.

The film lets you know what it is right away. It doesn't mince words. During the main titles, it asserts: "This is a true story." No "based on." No "inspired by." The story you're about to see is TRUE. It belongs squarely in the realm of "true crime" human interest dramas... "dramatizations" of real-world events. Putting aside the fact that no dramatization can be completely true, and shouldn't really present itself as such, there is an admirable straightforwardness in the film's bold assertion. It's also very much in keeping with the "no bullshit" approach taken throughout. Schepisi's all about getting to the meat of the story; he wastes no time getting to the inciting event, and chugs full-speed-ahead from then on.

One negative effect of this approach is the lack of much character development on the periphery. We are with Streep's Lindy and Neill's Michael throughout, and no one else really registers as a fleshed out character. But a positive effect of this tightness is a real sense of focus, and fast pace. The drama is always gripping, even if it's never terribly deep. The heated courtroom exchanges often make this feel like an early episode of The Practice (to me, that's a good thing), and there's ample satire of media coverage of court cases and the public's eagerness to eat it up.

Overall, the film is a worthwhile and absorbing drama, eminently watchable on first viewing, though not especially well suited to a second. Once you get past the novelty of Streep's thick dialect and the sensationalism of the courtroom drama, there's not much left to feast on (I have indeed watched it twice, once last year after my failed attempt at Out of Africa, and once just recently).

The film is a real showcase for Streep, and to a lesser extent for Sam Neill, who plays her pastor husband. The two stars still have great chemistry, and show sides of themselves not featured in other roles. Unfortunately, it's essentially a two-man show. It is an important retelling of fascinating real-world events, packed with thrills, suspense and emotion, but compared to the other films in this marathon, I don't think it's all that special. It's totally worth seeing for Streep alone, but probably worth seeing only once.

Streep Review: This is one of Meryl's more famous performances, mostly for the accent and the killer catchphrase ("A dingo ate my baby! A dingo ate my baby!"). But don't be fooled, there's more to the performance than the accent and the catchphrase. This feels like one of Streep's earthier and more lived-in perfs, even though the character is one of her colder and less sympathetic creations. That she managed to make Lindy so cold and alien and yet so earthy and human is another testament to Streep's great skill. It's easy to see why jurors would get an unpleasant opinion of Lindy from her steely reserve in public, but Lindy's no Miranda Priestly; we always see her vulnerability and pain even in her coldest moments.

The thing I found most striking about Streep in this film is actually the hair. Streep seems like a totally new person underneath what I assume to be a very good wig. Streep's hair has never been so stark and so shapely (except perhaps for when she donned the Miranda wig), and the severe hair only accentuates her already severe, angular features, making her seem almost alien at times. It's a stark contrast from the warmth and cuddliness she displays in films like Postcards, Prairie and Music of the Heart (what many consider to be the "real" Meryl).

And then of course, there's the accent. Australian is notorious for being one of the most difficult dialect variants of the English language, and this is the only time (I believe) Streep has done it. I don't consider myself qualified to comment on just how perfect a job she did (I don't live in Australia), but for me at least, the dialect was convincing. Having seen Streep do many, many accents by now, I've developed a pretty keen sense of whether she's doing them right, and while there were a few moments when things didn't seem quite in synch and you could hear some Streep-speech, I thought overall she did a very good job. There is of course the issue of Lindy's unique dialect, too, so saying Streep's Australian was not pitch-perfect is not really a valid criticism. Still, I'm no expert on the different between Aussie and Kiwi, so I'll stop trying to overanalyze. But suffice it to say... I've seen worse from Streep in the accent department... and even that wasn't really that bad.

In short: she deserved her oscar nomination. As usual. NEXT.

Next in the marathon: She-Devil

Guess who's fabulous?

Streepathon Stop #5: Out of Africa

"I had a farm in Africa..." -Karen Blixen

Time: 1985 (12th film)

Role: Baroness Karen Dinesen Blixen, Danish émigré to Africa

Awards: 6th oscar nom, GG (drama) nom, BAFTA nom; LAFCA & KCFCC wins, David di Donatello award (for best foreign actress)

Fun Fact #1: This is the second time in three years that Meryl played a real-life person named Karen. The first was Karen Silkwood in Silkwood (1983).

Fun Fact #2: To date, this is the only Best Picture oscar winner in which Meryl had a leading role (she had supporting roles in winners The Deer Hunter and Kramer vs. Kramer and a lead role in nominee The Hours). She has never won a Best Actress oscar for a Best Picture winner; the closest she's come was in Emmy magnet Angels in America.

Fun Fact #3: Rumor has it that Audrey Hepburn was offered the role of Karen Blixen before it found it's way to Meryl Streep... though casting Hepburn would've resulted in a very different Karen, since she's a full 20 years older than Streep, who claims director Sydney Pollack originally didn't think her "sexy enough" for the part.

Fun Fact #4: In Africa, Streep REALLY battled lions: She claims director Pollack untied a lion she was whipping during filming, in order to get more genuine performances from both her and the lion (Pollack will not directly contradict Streep's claims, out of respect for the actress, but will not admit any truth to the allegations either).

Meryl and Robert having fun: Karen and Denys engage in some erotic hair-washing. I wonder how many takes they did of this scene? Probably not many. As Meryl explains on the DVD, they shot this between a group of hippos and their water, and apparently hippos equate the water with their offspring, so the actors and crew risked being trampled down at any time (filming this scene was scarier than it looked).

Film Review: Wow. It took me a long time to get all the way through this 7-oscar-winning behemoth, but I'm SO glad I did. Truth be told, the first time I tried to watch it was last summer, but I fell asleep in the middle (I was tired), and didn't have time to give it another go-around before I went on a trip shortly after. I ended up returning it to Netflix, and postponing the remainder of the Streepathon for what felt like forever. Then, I tried again recently, but was forced to return it AGAIN in order to get a different film for a special occasion. How embarassing. But on this, my third try, I told myself I would REALLY watch it, despite the fact that I'm in the middle of commencement week, and despite my many other obligations. So last night, I really watched it.

And what a grand film it is. It's old-fashioned in every sense: it's a sweeping epic, a love story, a story about stories, a feast of cinematic poetry. But it takes its time. It has little to offer the impatient. It sets up lots of stunning imagery and lets it all lull about, lets the viewer bathe in pretty pictures and rousing music while he slowly gets to know the characters. The story unfolds liesurely, pleasurably. The mysteries and metaphors gradually make themselves clear.

In it, Meryl Streep plays Karen Blixen, a Danish woman who marries to become a Baroness and finds herself presiding over a farm in Africa (Streep's character is based on the author of the memoirs on which the film was based, though she published under the pen name "Isak Dinesen"). Karen soon finds her marriage of convenience to be less convenient than she thought, but no matter because her true love is Denys Fynch Hatton, a free-spirited hunter played by the swoon-worthy Robert Redford. As Karen's marriage crumbles, her love affair overwhelms her, as Denys' unattainability proves to be his most appealing, and most exasperating, quality.

The story is a fairly simple one, but there's beauty in the simplicity. Karen represents Europe, its smallness, its formality, its desire to possess and control. Denys represents Africa, its vastness, its primality, its freedom and its beauty. When the two forces meet, sparks fly. The affair cannot have a happy ending, but it's the most significant event of Karen's life. Indeed, it is her life. We hear her narrate much of the story, and its presented a kind of dream she's struggling to remember, struggling to make sense of. The narration doesn't detract from the film; instead, it puts the beautiful imagery on display in a kind of perspective. Like the recent Y Tu Mama Tambien, this is a story being recalled as a slice of life that shaped the whole of a life, that is over but will never be gone.

Out of Africa is worthwhile, as is any great film, for its moments; it takes the raw ingredients of time, light and sound, and creates a kind of filmic magic. It makes pure poetry out of images and music, as beautifully as I've seen in any film. I can only imagine what it would've been like to see it on the big screen. Right from the opening credits, when we watch Meryl Streep gaze longingly out at the landscape from the back of a moving train, set to the swelling, stirring score, we're drawn into this world of grand vistas and overwhelming emotions, into the fleeting embrace of the cinema and of Africa. In one of the film's signature scenes, with Karen and Denys and riding in his plane among the clouds, fully experiencing each other and the continent, the imagery onscreen only be described as "breathtaking." And between these decadent highs, the film peppers in enough humor and nuance to make sure the story's never less than relatable, the characters never less human.

Out of Africa is not groundbreaking cinema. But it is a sweeping epic in the grand, old Hollywood tradition. It's a powerful story well told, with everything coming together beautifully: writing, acting, cinematography, art direction, music. Kudos to Sydney Pollack, Meryl, Robert, Klaus Maria Brandauer (who plays the husband), the writers, and of course Karen Blixen herself, for finding this story within herself and sharing it with all of us.Streep Review: Well, she did it again. This is one of Streep's better performances, not quite in the realm of Sophie or the other Karen, but still up there. She's given a very tricky character to carry off, and she of course does it beautifully.

One of the things that bothered me at first about the performance was the accent. It's VERY thick and strange, producting an affect that's almost comical. But while it distracted me at first (and I worried about my inclination to laugh at it), I eventually realized that its an integral aspect of the character. Karen often uses her accent to be funny, and Meryl uses the accent to find humor in the lines. In some cases, they read better in the thick, lazy Danish cadence than they ever would otherwise. I applaud Meryl for going so all-out, risking caricature to bring us real character.

In fact, the performance is quite technically impressive all-around. Between the thick, obscure accent, the love scenes, the huge character arc, and the lion-taming, this is probably the most emotionally varied and technically challenging work she's ever done (save maybe Sophie's Choice). So major points for that.

But I still can't decide whether I preferred her work in this film or in Plenty. It's certainly understandable that this is the one that garnered more attention, since this film is far prettier, more palatable, and more oscarable than Plenty (oh, I'll just come out and say it, this film is better than Plenty... and I REALLY like Plenty a lot). But I still hesitate to say this was Meryl's better performance. This one of course has all the things described above, but I have a soft spot for the volatile, broken soul that is Susan Traherne; she took Streep places I'd never seen her go before. Anyway, couldn't critics' groups at least have honored her for both films, like they did for Anjelica Huston in 1990? I don't see why not.

Regardless, 1985 was a banner year for Meryl, and Out of Africa is must-see for Streep fans. Karen Blixen goes on a huge journey from naive, spoiled Danish girl to old and wisened businesswoman/writer, and Streep takes us all the way through. She's a pro like that.

Next in the marathon: A Cry in the Dark (or Evil Angels)

And speaking of Meryl Streep...

...it's time for the RETURN of the STREEPATHON!!!

Really. I'm serious. It is. I've watched Out of Africa. I just have to trudge through the review. But the Streepathon is back on, with all the old trimmings, nearly a year after it was cruelly abandoned. The great one has returned.

Out of Africa is excellent, by the way. It's just been really hard to find the time to sit through it all. A sprawling epic, it runs over 2 hours and 40 minutes long. And in my "just-about-to-graduate-and-therefore-soaking-in-the-last-days-of-college" life, time is precious. As it is, it took 2 failed netflix rentals (I had the film in my hands but eventually returned it cause I couldn't find the time to watch it all) before I finally completed the mission (third time's the charm). But it was worth it. Awesome, awesome film.

Random request:

(to the gods of Hollywood)

Can Meryl Streep and Ryan Gosling please play mother and son?

I mean, look at them:


















And while we're at it, could Ellen maybe play Ryan's funny aunt? Remember on Streep's Ellen interview, when Meryl said she and Ellen look alike, and Ellen suggested they do a movie together? I think they were on to something. Ellen could totally be Meryl's crazy little sister (see right). Seriously, why has this movie not been greenlit already? Think Home For The Holidays or a better version of The Family Stone. Are people getting this? Perhaps I should write and direct it. Perhaps I will.

This could be my debut, everyone. I need to do it. Perhaps Laura Linney (below) could play a third sister. Hmmm... I'm liking this. This thing should happen. And what makes it better is I have plenty of material in my own extended family to draw from. Nice.

Really, why these people have not been culled together for some kind of family film is beyond me. I'm half serious about this idea... I could start writing some kind of "dysfunctional family" comedy (now that I'm in film school) and see where it takes me.

This thing could be golden.

...because I like to sing along.

I am just posting this because it's lovely... and because I somehow found it under a google image search for "Out of Africa Meryl Streep." Weird.

Best Actress 2008

Just a random note: I am getting VERY worried about the outcome of the 2008 best actress oscar race. Why, you ask? That's silly, you say? Well, yes. Obviously. But I worry because I'm afraid one of these women might have to LOSE... AGAIN:

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The good news: My girls Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet both have projects coming up that look like they could win them oscars (Kate's first, Meryl's third... both are equally overdue at this point).

The bad news: It's looking highly likely that both could come out in the same year.

Revolutionary Road, if it actually happens, really looks like THE ONE that could get Winslet noticed. She's already done everything else she can. Biopic? Check. Biggest film of all time? Check. Stuffy period piece? Check. Playing against type? Check. Shameless nudity? Check, and check. She's done everything short of starring in a Holocaust film (like the one in her "Extras" stint), and still she's had no luck. But this new one's really a kicker: reunite with Leo DiCaprio AND be directed by your husband (it's two-in-one) in an uber-oscary film. This one might just do it. If it doesn't, then... well, maybe Kate should just give up the ghost.

Meanwhile, Goddess Meryl has like 10 films in the pipeline, at least two of which look like they could be THE ONE for her... or THE ONES perhaps (two more oscars soon? maybe). Of course, with that many films to get through, who knows how long it'll take her to get to Doubt and Dirty Tricks? But Dirty Tricks is listed as a 2008 release, and Doubt may well land in that year, too.

Revolutionary Road is actually listed as 2009, but that can't be true if they're really filming it this summer. Post-production does NOT take 2 years. My hope is that either:

A) Revolutionary Road pulls a Million Dollar Baby and somehow finds release this December (unlikely), or...

B) Revolutionary Road is released in 2008, and Meryl wins her third oscar in 2009, for either Dirty Tricks or Doubt.

We'll see. But I worry. Ideally, it'd go like this:

2007: Julianne Moore (Savage Grace)
2008: Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)
2009: Meryl Streep (Dirty Tricks or Doubt)

...but that'd just be too good to be true... right?

Meryl as Miranda. "That's all."

Our final best actress nominee cannot be done justice by a single clip... so I've gone back to an old favorite:



I love whoever made this video. I also love that his/her YouTube username is "vainqueen." Vainqueen has mad skills. So does Meryl.

I'd LOVE it if this performance could upset on oscar night. Or even SAG night (Meryl will apparently not be attending the SAG awards due to a prior commitment co-hosting an environmental stewardship benefit with Al Gore... she's so wonderful). I know there's no chance of a win, but... sigh... I love you, Meryl.

Did I ever mention that I have an autographed photo of Meryl? I got it for my birthday last summer. My mom apparently got it on eBay for a reasonable price. I should have it framed...