Streep Nom #7-8: The Abundant Riches of 1987-88

We've been looking at each Meryl Streep Oscar nod and its competitive field. Previously: 78, 79, 81, 82, 83 and 85

Meryl Streep's first act was the Liberated Lady. The second was The Chameleon in which Meryl was always the lead, always had new hair, voice and body language and basically controlled Oscar's Universe. It was as if there was only 4 spots for Best Actress, one reserved for her in perpetuity. This second act ended with her intense immersion into notorious dingo-hating Lindy Chamberlain in A Cry in the Dark. [Editor's Note: Yes, I'll do a top ten performance list when "Streep at 60" wraps in mid July. I've heard your requests and I've been rewatching all the movies.]

Starting in 1989 Act III of Streep's career began but we'll get to that shortly. First, let's look at her competition in the last two years of her legendary Act II.

1987

the nominees were...

• Cher, Moonstruck
• Glenn Close, Fatal Attraction
• Holly Hunter, Broadcast News
• Sally Kirkland, Anna
• Meryl Streep, Ironweed
  

I've always loved that "Mary Louise" exchange. But is Cher rewriting history to claim Silkwood as her first movie or was Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean filmed second and released first?

Other 87 ladies for context: The Globe nominees that weren't Oscar nominated were Barbra Streisand (Nuts), Faye Dunaway (Barfly), Rachel Chagall (Gaby: A True Story), Diane Keaton (Baby Boom), Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) and Bette Midler (Outrageous Fortune). The year also included: Lindsay Crouse (House of Games), Cher & Sarandon & Pfeiffer (The Witches of Eastwick), Holly Hunter (Raising Arizona), Ellen Barkin (The Big Easy), Robin Wright (The Princess Bride), Mia Farrow (September), Mimi Rogers (Someone To Watch Over Me) and Daryl Hannah (Roxanne)

Nathaniel's List. This is one of the truly rare Oscar years in that I love every single nominated Best Actress performance. I'm not talking just like but love, would-propose-marriage-to deep love. My only sadness then and now is that Oscar doesn't give double nominations (Hunter in Raising Arizona = amazing and possibly even better than in News) and that there wasn't room for Emily Lloyd's fresh and now little seen debut performance in Wish You Were Here. Emily won the NSFC Best Actress prize, a BAFTA nomination and my own heart. No one speaks of her anymore but it seemed like she was going places in 1987. Those places didn't materialize. After a few short years of lead roles her film career withered into occasional supporting parts and then... nothing.

Here's an in-depth article about the many things that went wrong for Lloyd following her breakthrough role. Yet another example of why I usually try to wait before obsessing over newer actresses.

1988
the nominees were...

• Glenn Close, Dangerous Liaisons
• Jodie Foster, The Accused
• Melanie Griffith, Working Girl
• Meryl Streep, A Cry in the Dark
• Sigourney Weaver, Gorillas in the Mist

Other 88 women for context
The year's most outrageous snub was surely Globe nominee Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham. The movie had been a big hit, it lifted her into a new tier of stardom, her reviews were ecstatic and it arguably remains her best work. 1988 also marked the peak of Barbara Hershey's career. In just twelve months on US screens she had a huge hit (Beaches) and saw the release of not but one TWO consecutive Cannes winning performances (Shy People and A World Apart). But outside of the south of France she was only recognized once (Chicago Film Critics).

Oh the rollercoaster of fame! Glenn Close, Kim Basinger and Barbara
Hershey were all smiles in 1984 (they co-starred in the baseball drama
The Natural). Who knew that Basinger, the least acclaimed at the time,
would become the sole Oscar winner?

Globe kudos that didn't transfer to Oscar were the winner Shirley Maclaine (Madame Sousatzka) and nominees Amy Irving (Crossing Delancey) and the awesome trio of Christine Lahti (Running on Empty), Jamie Lee Curtis (A Fish Called Wanda), and Michelle Pfeiffer (Married to the Mob). 1988 also included Gena Rowlands (Another Woman), Bette Midler (Beaches), Geena Davis (Beetle Juice), Carmen Maura (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) and the debut of Ricki Lake (Hairspray).

<-- Meryl and Don at the March 89 Oscars

Nathaniel's List I consider 1988 one of the richest years of all time for female leads (though I don't much like the performance that won the Oscar. Figures). So without rescreening 7 or 8 films, I can't decide. But of one thing I am reasonably certain: my gold and silver medals would be melted down, mixed together and handed simultaneously to Glenn Close and Susan Sarandon if I were ever allowed the one-time Best Actress tie that Oscar itself gave out (in 1968). Meryl Streep would be in the mix and the remaining two spots would be hard won between...

Don't make me decide right now. I change my mind. This year gives me migraines... of pleasure.

What are your lists like for 1987 and 1988?
Who do you think should have won and which movies top your list of "I must see this!" if you haven't already?

Oscar Predictions Readjustments

Following Oscar's crazy 'more best pictures! less best songs and old people!' news I've been updating the Oscar predictions. very slowly. Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. I'll finish up tonight and tomorrow.

Did You See Fireworks?

"That was good."
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Happy 4th of July (Starring Actresses, Who Else?)

Last year at this time I wished you a Happy 4th from the Film Experience's Holy Trinity (American Division) plus one. But in the interest of expanding my cinematic spirituality beyond, quoth reader Robert,

In the name of the Meryl, the Julianne and the Holy Pfeiffer

I've decided I should commemorate this particular patriotic day with photos of a few randomly selected young American actresses I like. Loving rising talent is quite easy (everyone does it) but for me, as an actressexual, it's also fraught with anxiety. Nobody ever quite comes right out and asks me why I'm so continually focused on the 30+ movie star sector but it's for that reason. When actors are teens or twentysomethings you never know if your fandom will be rewarded. They might have long pleasurable careers one can obsess on for years after like the Holy Trinity but they might not. Unfortunate fates are many: flash in the pan popularity, bad breaks, repetitive dull performances, "exhaustion" (usually followed by rehab), marrying Tom Cruise, arrests, TV gigs, scientology, sudden retirement with an eye on politics (I made that one up), no growth talent-wise even though practice should make perfect...

Loving rising stars is a gamble and an investment and, as such, easy to lose. But it's a holiday weekend so... positivity. May all of today's sparkly young stars continue to give off fireworks for years to come.

Happy 4th of July!

Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Natalie Portman,
Ari Graynor, Kirsten Dunst, Shareeka Epps, Saoirse Ronan. Regarding
the latter: She was raised in Ireland but born here in the US... so I
suppose I cheated unknowingly in that that's like calling Nicole Kidman
American -- she was born in Hawaii -- when she's Australian. I have no
idea about their visa situations or whether they have dual citizenships. I
was just playing around in photoshop ;)

If you're one of many foreign readers, please excuse this exclusionary post. Obviously some of the best and most fascinating young actresses out there are French, Australian, British and [insert your country here].

After the holiday: foreign film Oscar hopefuls for 2009, August: Osage County casting ideas, new films, vodcasts, Meryl Streep in the 90s, Brüno, Humpday, I Love You Beth Cooper, Grey Gardens and whatever else comes up.

True Story

WTF??? This was what appeared on my TV tonight when I tried to watch Out of Africa


Yes, that movie is filthy!

Please note: I have no children and have never set any parental levels on any of my entertainment systems. I actually didn't know that you could, outside of, like, blocking cable channels.

Maybe my television is boycotting Meryl Streep? I didn't know there was a quota on how many I was allowed to watch in a month.
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Public Enemies

BLAM!BLAM!BLAM!

RAT-A-TAT-TAT

Christian Bale actually shoots my (guilty pleasure) Channing Tatum down early on in Public Enemies but I've totally forgiven him because I'm so pleased that he didn't shout at the camera with crazy eyes this time. I was getting so tired of that. My second favorite scene in the movie is totally his lone scene with Johnny Depp through the bars of a jail cell, both men subtly trying to come out on top of the verbal smackdown. Bale is totally intense in the scene without once doing his "LOOK HOW INTENSE I AM!" thing. Well played Bale, well played.

My full review of Public Enemies is up over at Towleroad. In addition to holding forth on Public Enemies (which I heartily recommend to some and not to others) my weekly column offers up new gay movie news and wraps up with the criminal cool of Bette Davis. So, go read it.

But back to PE...

I'm totally fascinated by the diverse opinions I've been hearing and reading. Rather improbably for a straightforward gangster story, it seems to be something of a rorschach test, people reacting to it in completely personal ways. How else to explain nearly exact opposite reactions such as 'this is a character study but the action doesn't work' vs. 'there is zero character development but the action scenes are well shot'.

It's for this very dichotomous reason that I don't subscribe to either of the Oscar race notions floating around out there: the pro 'The Oscar race has begun' or the con 'Dead on arrival. Look at the middling reviews!' It seems obvious to me that it's the type of picture that will need time to settle. I think that's a good thing. Too many movies are instantaneously celebrated or dismissed on their very first day in theaters (and sometimes before that). Christ, let them breathe a little.

But if you've seen it, do add your initial impression to the confusing dogpile. After all, gut reactions come before full digestion.
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The Weekend

Any big movie plans? What just opened where you live? We're all on different timetables. Have at it in the comments.

Penélope's Embraces (and Other Wonders)

The new trailer to Almodóvar's Broken Embraces is up over at Guardian. Looks terrific and much like other Pedro gems such as Law of Desire and Bad Education it appears to be cinematic in all senses of the word (visually, thematically, environmentally).


It's less than two minutes long but it gives the impression that the whole movie consists of shots of Penélope Cruz through screens, mirrors, doorways and her own hair. Which is maybe the best thing a movie could consist of these days. It opens Stateside in 140 days but many of you overseas readers have already had the opportunity to see it. I'm green with envy but wearing red in keeping with the Almodóvar theme.

Links
Film Doctor on the movie love within Public Enemies
Animation World Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson!) interviews Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille) about his caree. He even discussed Family Dog (pictured left) at length, which is one of my favorite cartoons in the whole wide world, and new live action film 1906.
Pop Hangover "the all new Fleetwood MacBook"
Hollywood Reporter Wim Wenders halts production on Pina Bausch dance film. I hope they restart later as a last tribute.
Vodkaster makes a subway map of the IMDb Top 250. Cool idea. I shall eventually explore. [thx]

And finally, the The Moment has a piece on the fan community's digital relationship with movies, home edits and what not. I actually found this one hard to read (formatting, too much info... I'm not sure). But it got me to thinking about my favorite fanmade "supercut" . It's my favorite because it's basically like hearing my thoughts spoken aloud and it doesn't require typing.
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Carol Beadle, Runaways Style

Revised Post

More and more photos of Kristen Stewart and lil' Dakota Fanning in their Joan Jett / Cherie Currie garb will now be surfacing since The Runaways filming is underway. Just Jared has lots of new snaps of these two costumes pictured left. Most film sites won't tell you this when they get costume shots -- because they don't care? I care. Oh how I care. I have love for you Behind the Scenes People o' Hollywood! -- but the costumes here are by Carol Beadle. She has a very short film resume (most recently, stylist work on Max Payne) but these costumes look great, don't they? Yay.

Obviously trendsetting will occur. Late 70s girl rocker chic coming at'cha on city streets soon. Or at least by the film's release date in 2010, TBA.

Here's a photo of the band below [via]. The cast also features Scout Taylor-Compton as Lita "Kiss Me Deadly" Ford (she has five movies nearly ready for release. Eeep. I guess she's counting on a big year), Stella Maeve as Sandy West, Alessandra Torresani as Jackie Fox (Maybe. There seems to be some confusion. She's not listed on IMDb and was originally rumored to be playing Lita Ford) and Alia Shawkat (Maeby from Arrested Development!) as Micki Steele who went on to become one of The Bangles. I haven't heard any confirmation on whether less major members of the band like Peggy Foster, Vickie Blue or Laura McAllister are in the movie.

If I were a somebody in Hollywood I'd be thinking about this movie very carefully and I'd be pitching an epic GO-GOs biopic as a chaser for 2012. They were HUGE and their story has a surplus of drama and all the stuff that Hollywood requires for a musical biopic (aka hit songs and cocaine).

Ginnifer Goodwin for Belinda Carlisle? Get up and go Hollywood. She's nearly too old and svelte for it now.

Ginnifer might've made a perfect Belinda in her more cherubic days

Oops. Off topic. Where were we?

You can read more about Carol Beadle at her site. She's worked with Runaways director Floria Sigismondi several times on music videos as well as Sophie Muller, Annie Lennox's bestie, who has made some of the best videos ever. I'll leave you with a famous Sigismondi/Beadle collaboration, Xtina's "Fighter", and a reel of Beadle's work from 2007. Enjoy.

F&L

First and Last: first image after the opening titles. Last image before the credit roll



Can you name the movie?
Cinematography by Barry Abrams
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Were 1967-1979 Oscar's Most Fascinating Years?

Anne Thompson has a detailed piece up on the Oscars that I meant to link to yesterday (I was at the movies instead of blogging. Yay, me!). It's detailing what a film historian acquaintance of hers thinks might have happened had there been 10 Best Picture nominees during the Academy's most provocative decade (roughly speaking, the 1970s). And speaking of those years... If you haven't yet heeded my advice and bought your copy of the instant classic "Pictures at a Revolution" which is ostensibly about a single Oscar race (1967) but feels nearly genius in the expansive history of Hollywood if actually offers up... well, what the hell are you waiting for? It's such a page turner. Even non Oscar obsesses would love it, I think, provided they were interested in movies or cultural history.

Oscar's 1967 BP nominees (top tier) and the films that might have
joined them were it ten wide (bottom tier)

P.S. Guy Lodge also has a good piece up in response. And of course my buddy Nick has his own take on many Oscar years and what might have been. If you're wondering why I haven't jumped on this speculative bandwagon, it's that I'm already such a loudmouth and I'm trying to pull back a little on this one particular issue aside from that which I've already said. I'm adopting the "wait and see" approach at the moment. We'll see how long that lasts.
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Julianne Moore + Annette Bening. Rejoice!

Lisa Cholodenko is flirting with me*. How else to explain the multi-orgasmic news that the writer/director of High Art, one of my all time favorite lesbian movies, is making another and she's making it with two actresses whom I practically can't worship more than I already do? Yesterday, production supposedly began on The Kids Are All Right which will star Julianne Moore and Annette Bening as lovers who've raised two kids together. Their two teenagers (played by Josh Hutcherson and Alice in Wonderland herself Mia Wasikowska) decide to meet the original sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo).

Psycho, The Hours, Running With Scissors

Both actresses have played lesbians before. Moore re-interpreted Psycho's Lila Crane as a record shop dyke and she definitely didn't want to sleep with her husband in The Hours

Come to bed, Laura Brown

For Bening's part she ditched her screen husband for some self-actualizing labia time in Running With Scissors. Her paramours included both Kristin Chenoweth and Gabrielle Union (well done, Annette!)

There's a rumor that the new film will have a bit of steam and I hope that's true. It sounds more like a family dramedy than a romance but I'm hoping Cholodenko finds a way to bring out or at least hint at the passion of the two moms. The Bening is 51 and Julianne is 49. That's way too old for standard Hollywood romances but Bening and Moore are not just any actresses. Neither has ever shied away from forcefully wielding her sexuality onscreen. And Cholodenko is not just any filmmaker. One of her unique gifts as a writer/director is her understanding that women don't stop being sexual at 35. Her previous films have featured unashamed portrayals of sexually vibrant mature women: Patricia Clarkson and Ally Sheedy were nearing 40 when they sizzled together in High Art and Frances McDormand gave her sexiest performance ever in Laurel Canyon when she was 46. McDormand was so confident in that movie that it was easy to believe that the younger, ridiculously sexy musician played by Alessandro Nivola would be into her.

*If Lisa is flirting with me I would like her to know that I am TOTALLY into the idea of a threesome and have always loved her girlfriend Wendy. She's my favorite part of Prince's Kiss video** and I even know all the words to "Fruit at the Bottom" and "This is The Life"! Squeeeee**

**Someone rescue Nathaniel from this 80s binge he's been stuck in all month. It's starting to get scary.

F&L

First and Last: first image after the opening credits and the last image before the closing credits.



Can you name the movie?
Cinematography by Dante Spinotti
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Karl Malden (RIP)

<--- Marlon Brando, Nick Dennis, Rudy Bond and Karl Malden in Broadway's original production of A Streetcar Named Desire in 1947 [via]

This past week has been very rough on the entertainment industry and our cultural history. Today, with Karl Malden's death, we've lost the last remaining principal cast member of Tennessee William's legendary play turned movie A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Now, Malden's career was much larger than mama's boy Harold "Mitch" Mitchel but that classic role, which he originated and owned, is a vital part of his legacy.

Strangely, Jessica Tandy's TONY honor (the original "Blanche DuBois") was the show's only attention from 'Broadway's Oscars' if you will. All the principles transferred to the movie except Tandy who was replaced by the cinema's most legendary southern belle (even though she was British) Vivien Leigh. When it came to the Oscars, three of the four actors (including Malden) collected statues. In typical Oscar fashion the performance most often regarded as game changing for the entire art of acting (Brando's) was the one snubbed on Oscar night. That's not a knock on the other indelible performances, don't misunderstand. It's a knock on Oscar. I'm getting off track but it's a sore spot for me as I'll never understand the instant or enduring love for The African Queen.

Malden was very prolific in the 50s and 60s and his second most treasured performance is probably his man of the cloth role in another Elia Kazan / Marlon Brando film, On the Waterfront (1954). Other enduring features include Baby Doll (1956, pictured right), Pollyanna (1960) The Birdman of Alcatraz and Gypsy (1962), Patton (1970) and Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979).

Goodbye Mitch.
Rest in peace.

Vivien Leigh (1913-1967)
Marlon Brando (1924-2004)
Kim Hunter (1922-2002)
Karl Malden (1912-2009)

Red Carpet: Radioactive Lohan & Gangster Depp

It's that time again, Red Carpet Lineup. Here's a (truly) random sampling of actors at events this past week. Let's check in with...

Ever classy Lindsay Lohan who celebrated her 23rd birthday (it's actually tomorrow) at a Vegas pool wearing that, flashing a peace sign, and sporting bright blue contacts. Unless she's been spending too much time on Nevada's nuclear testing grounds, those are contacts. I should never ever look at Lohan as she's become the avatar of Lost Potential. She found the empty calories of fame more enticing than the rich nutrients of good actressing.


Public Enemies opens today and it should be an interesting test of Johnny Depp's box office pull. The public is generally averse to period dramas but they do like gangster crime films so it's a bit of a toss up, really. It's already on IMDb's Top 250 but that's typical for masculine "cool" movies when they first open. It's early still and the mixed reviews so far are fascinatingly contradictory. You know that old saw "you must have seen a different movie than I did" Who to believe?

Patricia Clarkson is all smiles and why not? Knowing that you're the best thing in your movies must be heartwarming. That's definitely true of Whatever Works. The only thing that makes bad Woody Allen scripts bearable is his ability to get fine actors to vividly color his caricatures. In Whatever Works Patty is forced at penpoint to delineate the conversion from empty-headed bible thumping Southerner to bohemian polyamorous New Yorker. The movie has little flashes of against-all-odds charm but it's mostly annoying in its broad and stale misanthropy. Yes, I'm a Woody apologist to some degree but I'm not going to apologize for this one.

<-- Josh Duhamel's got something in his eye. Dreams of movie stardom outside of Transformers, perhaps?

Kristen Bell sent geek hearts fluttering when she attended the Saturn Awards. She lost but she's a previous winner (this nomination was for her bad girl on Heroes -- people still watch that?!? -- but the previous three and one win were for good girl Veronica Mars). After years of television it looks like Forgetting Sarah Marshall prompted a committed big screen leap. She's got five movies on the way. First up: Romantic comedy When in Rome with Josh Duhamel, Danny DeVito, Anjelica Huston, Will Arnett and my friend Luca Calvani whom I've already congratulated for the gig. Go Luca! It's about time Hollywood bit.

I've placed Mike Doyle in the lineup to keep you and myself guessing about who might be included each week. He's here only because he was a) at the opening of Twelfth Night and b) he's got a role opposite Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole. The play it's based on had only five roles and his character "Craig", unless they've changed the names, was not one of them so there's been some expansion for the screen. I hope he dies in the movie! He's previously worked Off Broadway and played "Leprechaun" in the Hilary Swank vehicle P.S. I Love You (I don't want to know) but he's best known from regular work on both Oz and Law & Order: SVU.

Hey, it's Rosie Perez. "Fight the Power!" She's been on my mind because of the Do The Right Thing anniversary. I miss her absolutely rambunctious screen presence. Good to see her, however briefly, in Pineapple Express. Get it Rosie!

Pina Bausch and Talk to Her

I was remiss yesterday when I didn't acknowledge the passing of German dancer / choreographer Pina Bausch. May she rest in peace. I'll admit to some cultural ignorance about her career -- strange since I went through a whole modern dance obsession in college -- but I certainly enjoyed her contribution to my favorite director's Oscar winning film Talk To Her / Hable Con Ella.

Pedro Almodóvar does many things well as a filmmaker and one of those things is pulling you into the film's mood and temperament in the opening sequence. Here's Bausch's famous "Cafe Muller" dance and then the opening of Talk to Her. I'd say to compare and contrast but sometimes beauty like this has a way of defeating instant analysis.

Based on a Link Story

the trailer
"Matt Damon in The Informant"


Oh and... Low Resolution is hosting a Trailer Tournament 'Best of the 00s'. Go and vote

the movies
AV Club 12 Things Woody Allen Just Doesn't Get (fun article, mostly spot on)
The Washington Post's Dan Zak gets a lengthy chat with Michelle Pfeiffer for Chéri. I should note that I have met and lunched with Dan so I knew this next bit of info was coming. "Pfans" are discussed though Michelle, ever the reluctant superstar, doesn't seem to know what they are. You mean she never checked out my "Pfandom" website in 1999? ;)
HitFix beautiful new teaser poster for Precious. How many is this film gonna get?
Movie|Line Stereotypes fears swirling round The Princess and the Frog
Let Me Entertain You names Ann-Margret (Tommy) the Best Actress of 1975

broadway baby
Avenue Q is closing in September (sniffle)
The Little Mermaid is closing in August (yay!)

intermission, bathroom break
Ephemerist Justin Bond 'the positive nihilist'. I love Ms. Bond so much. With great muches. Muchly
OMG Pina Bausch (Talk to Her) has passed away
Jane Fonda a thoughtful piece on her brief friendship with Michael Jackson and rehearsing for one's own death
BBC hilarious article about a teenager giving up his iPod for a Walkman. Undoubtedly funnier if you remember Walkmans
I Need My Fix on Patrick Dempsey's second fragrance. I didn't know there was a first
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Web Site Story

You know, I thought this spoof would be lame and I don't always have a sense of humor about West Side Story, which regularly makes me cry from its genius. But this skit is actually kind of clever. Fun rhymes for tweeting times.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

I was worried while I waited
your picture was outdated
and you looked like a dog
now I can't wait
to read about me later
on your blog

F&L

First and Last: first image after the opening titles and last image before the closing credits



Can you name the movie?
Cinematography by Kip Boghdan
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