Weinstein Co Goes Hard Core with Iron Lady, Artist Ads
The Weinstein Co has gone full throttle to push for Streep to finally win a lead actress Oscar after 29 years. But that’s a hard card to play when you’re up against someone who has never won an Oscar and moreover, will become (or might become) only the second black actress to win in lead in 84 years. They also have Streep herself pulling for Davis. Nonetheless, they have a job to do and that job is to get as many wins for their peeps as possible. So here you go, the big guns locked and loaded.
(thanks to yazz).
And after the cut, another Weinstein Co. TV spot for The Artist:
If you have a win in your grasp there are no good reasons not to push that baby hard on through. I don’t think there is ever such a case as too much — but don’t think the Weinstein Co are prepared to drop this ball. They have no other team fighting back as hard. The strategy for the other teams seem to be to lay low and give the stage to the Weinsteins. I have no idea whether it will pay off, how this race will end, but we all seem to think we know. So we play along.
And p.s. the Jean Dujardin thing is, I think, a non-starter. It’s not like it’s Norbit or anything.
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YES HARVEY, YES!!! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?? THE QUEEN NEEDS HER WELL-DESERVED THIRD OSCAR AND THIS TIME, NO AWARD SEASON POLITICS WILL GET IN HER WAY. JUST WAIT AND SEE.
This sounds really good to me!
Kudos to Harvey for reminding AMPAS that Streep hasn’t won an Oscar
for 29 years. Isn’t is “highly unlikely” that both Spencer and Davis
will win at the Oscars? Advantage Streep.
Wow, balls to the wall!
Sasha, can you please do a full-fledged piece on what Harvey Weinstein does to get his movies Oscars? Does he have a mafia hit on half of Hollywood, or are Academy voters really mindless cattle?
Meryl really can’t win for a film that takes her nowhere, despite her best efforts. And The Artist is a wonderful pastiche of comical moments, but once it turns into (melo)drama, it lacks the scope and depth of a Best Picture winner. At the very least it shouldn’t be sweeping the precursors (minus SAG), and Hugo shouldn’t have lost the Golden Globe to The Descendants!
Absolutely, no question about it, Meryl’s is THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR.
It does not matter if it has been 29 years already or even if it was just a year ago that she won an Oscar, she gave the best performance this year. So I do hope that the voters consider this.
He’s just doing his job. I love hyberbole!But yes, no one is as thorough as Harvey. He just loves the Oscars, y’know. As much as we all do. It’s really simple. He’s an Oscarologist to end all Oscarologists.
“Weinstein goes Hard Core with Iron Lady”
Does this mean Meryl Streep is naked in the film?
There’s nothing hyberbolic about this TV SPOT. Meryl delivers THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR. Yes! the movie’s editing was botched but if we are talking about acting, strictly acting and nothing but acting, no one comes close to what Meryl Streep did with her Thatcher character, no one, absolutely no one. But of course award season comes with excess baggage of politics so Meryl, once again, has been shoved to the side. Tell me which working actress today could delve into Thatcher the way Meryl did. Mirren comes to mind but Mirren’s Queen lacks the multifaceted layers of Streep’s Thatcher.
I hope they play this clip at the Oscars.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSXYHqs0KPo
I get goosebumps every time.
I do think playing the “due” card is simply like a shot in the head.
But maybe Meryl didn’t say anything against it because she’s sure now that will help more Viola than her.
Harvey has another chance since finally A:OC will get filmed this fall.
All the pundits seem to think Streep will lose the Oscar to Davis. But, when you consider that Streep won the GG-Drama and will likely win BAFTA, you get the feeling that she has an edge that cannot be denied.
Sonja
The due card definitely worked for Scorsese in The Departed.
The fourteen actresses that beat Meryl Streep have received a total of 8 subsequent nominations, while Meryl was amassing seventeen. There is just no one in her league.
Without mentioning any of the other contenders this year…how are these ads not political? We should vote for Meryl because she hasn’t won an Oscar in 29 years? That sounds very political.
@Deena
Yeah, but Marty has not won twice before.
Meryl’s third will come…. next time.
(I know I know, I hate it too, but that’s just how it is)
I saw the iron lady last night. Such a terrible film, nearly unwatchable. Can’t believe they’re doing this with a straight face.
I want there to be a tie a la Katherine Hepburn and Barbra Strieand. Viola Davis and Meryl are Academy members, yes? I wonder if they’ll vote for themselves.
Oscar lure is that Streisand (Sand – like sand on a beach) was made an Academy member a year or so before her nomination and voted for herself. Otherwise there wouldn’t have been a Best Actress tie that year.
Davis in 2012 for The Help.
Streep in 2014 for August: Osage County (if it really gets made).
blue
No! we should vote for Meryl because, as TIME magazine mentioned, she delivered the best performance of the year. Her win is even more imminent because she hasn’t won in 29 years.
Sonja
Meryl’s third is not coming next time. It will come this time.
Not gonna happen, Deena. But here’s hopin’.
Jeff
Let’s wait and see. I think it’s funny how Meryl has been kicked out of the race when she won the best actress-drama at the Golden Globes and will most likely win the BAFTA. She was never going to win the SAG because she already won a few years ago for Doubt. Her odds are still good but Davis is the Oscar bloggers’ wet dream so they want you to believe Davis’ name has already been sealed in the best actress Oscar envelope. Not the case my friend.
Funny how Michelle Williams took 10 critics’ prizes (more than any other contender) and also won the Globe — and somehow Weinstein himself has shoved her out of the race, even though she’s in a much better film than The Iron Lady and delivers a doozy of a performance that required four different trainers and a complete immersion (like she’d never done before) into the character of a beloved, Hollywood icon.
Pathetic how she’s been cast off when she should be neck-and-neck.
@Sonja: Don´t be so pessimistic.
My opinion is that if Meryl Streep won´t win this year she also won´t win for Osage County. For me it feels like a tradition that Streep will never win an Oscar again.
Because “next year” there will be another actress, who has her “momentum”!
But if I´m honest (and I have the feeling), that Meryl Streep will win her 3rd Oscar.
And I think Meryl Streeps´chances are really good. Btw Sandra Bullock didn´t win not that much critic prizes and she won the Oscar.
*Oscar lore*
“even though she’s in a much better film than The Iron Lady”
The award is BEST ACTRESS, an ACTING award, for ACTING!!!!! Besides, My Week with Marilyn is just as BOTCHED as The Iron Lady. In fact, I enjoyed The Iron Lady better because the acting was better.
Yes, there is still a chance that Streep will win the Oscar, but I would be shocked. Because it’s so close this year, there’s a better chance of people saying, “all right already” in a year or two. I truly believe that, understanding that people have been saying it for fifteen years. It’s taken this long for voters to feel that a nomination is not the same as a win. Davis winning this year would be fuel to a 3rd Oscar for Meryl.
That said, how cool would it be if Streep won this year AND in two years for August? Uh oh. Move over, Kate Hepburn.
Sasha,
What about the campaigns for Glenn Close, Rooney Mara, and Michelle Williams?
Remember Damien Bona, don’t take others for granted!
Let’s not assume it’s a two horse race until the final days. A week is a long time in politics.
Ballots just went out. Forget any precursor, the race has just begun.
That TV spot makes the film look better than it is, I think.
Also this is amazing trivia: Meryl Streep is the only actress nominated for an Oscar in five consecutive decades!!!
1970s (2 nominations), 1980s (6 nominations), 1990s (4 nominations), 2000s (4 nominations), and 2010s (1 nomination).
Yeah, Harvey has totally swept Michelle under the rug. She’s doing her own thing though. She has been on some talk shows this week.
Sony could not being doing LESS for Rooney. Unless her publicist gets aggressive, I can’t imagine what kind of surge she will make. She doesn’t seem to care at all about this stuff though, which is a nice change.
We all knows Glenn has been begging for at least a month already. It almost kind of makes me sad.
Thanks Mel for the update.
Glenn has alot of underlying support, just not so publicized. I wouldn’t discount her chances, really.
Rooney and Michelle, their “babe” factor, given the middle aged males dominating the Academy, you never know. And both were terrific.
Viola’s been doing lots of interviews, very personal and genuine. That’s wonderful exposure.
Meryl’s been kinda quiet though, she was all over the news when Obama presented her the Kennedy Center award.
Sasha you should have not mentioned about black American coz Berry won just not many years ago.
Meryl has the best performance this year. If I am fair enough I would vote for her performance, not becoz she is overdue or whatsoever.
I’m with you FilmFatale. So Harvey just leaves Michelle in the dust?! He should be equally supporting both of his contenders! Many of those older male academy members may remember Marilyn and may have been charmed by Michelle’s performance. Add that in with the hot young babe factor and she may have been the one to pull ahead of Viola. It’s sad that he’s only going to push for Meryl.
Meryl goes Goes Hard Core as well!
In some polish interview she said she will read all the oscar speeches she prepered in the past when she finally will win.
@ markie
That’s why Sasha wrote “second” black actress to win in lead in 84 years.
….Oh and also factor in the BAFTA’s love of My Week With Marilyn, giving it 6 nominations. Just sayin’….
You’re welcome Sasha!
I must say, though I didn’t hate The Iron Lady, it’s strictly a mediocre film, it had the potential to be a decent one but unfortunately the execution was catastrophic. The whole point of the film (the love story between Maggie and Dennis) was killed by the terrible editing and directing, though Meryl Streep elevated to the movie in an incredible way .. she really made it worth watching.
Anyways, I truly believe that Meryl Streep and Rooney Mara gave the best two performances of the year, but I’m not really rooting for them to win simply because they don’t care about the Oscar, it will change nothing in fact it might hurt Mara’s career.
And Streep, even with the extensive campaigning by the Weinstein Co, and the fact the she lost 14 consecutive times .. she doesn’t care, I know that it will be fun to watch her on stage being so “Streepy” and will get a 10 days standing ovation. Also she’ll be so grateful and will acknowledge all her fellow actresses .. I think that Viola should get it, she’s an excellent actress in her first LEAD! Her performance was great, but she needs to win it just to prove a point, I don’t think that the Oscar will hurt her. The Viola Davis situation reminds me of Melissa Lee’s, both middle age struggling actresses, always delivering an excellent performance, nominated before (but for the opposite categories), AND they both need it!
Make no mistake, I would LOVE to see Meryl win, but I got my heart broken on her so many times that I don’t really care that much, for Meryl Streep the Oscar means nothing.
Meryl Will WIN!!!
Yazz: I don’t think Davis’ performance was lead. It really was?
IT’S SO FUNNY HOW SOME PEOPLE ALWAYS SAYS NEXT YEAR THE OSCAR FOR MERYL YET IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, WHY NOT ALLOW HER TO WIN HER 3RD OSCAR THIS YEAR SO THAT WE COULD MOVE ON TO OTHER ACTRESSES WHO HASN’T WON YET. SO THAT THIS DISCUSSION WILL STOP IF SHE WINS NO. 3 THIS YEAR AND EVERY STREEP FANBOYS ARE ALL SATISFIED OK!!!
Viola Davis will definitely not win the Oscar for her overrated performance in the overrated movie “The Help”! I mean for me Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain and Cicely Tyson were all better than Viola Davis! Viola Davis is not a lead in The Help! If she is lead than also Rachel Weisz in “The Constant Gardener” or Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” were lead and not supporting!
I really cross my fingers for Meryl or Michelle! Both are phenomenal actresses and both actresses deserve it to win! And i am 100% sure that Meryl or Michelle will win the Oscar! For sure!!!!
Meryl Streep because, ok, she has already won 2 Oscars but her last win was in 1983 for her phenomenal and brilliant work in “Sophie’s Choice”! And after that Tour de Force Performance she has played another unforgettable roles in movies like “Silkwood”, “Ironweed”, “Bridges of Madison County”, “The Hours”, “One True Thing”, “Adaptation” and many more! And this year in “The Iron Lady” she didn’t play Margaret Thather she was Margaret Thatcher!
For me Michelle Williams is definitely one of the most brilliant actresses working today! She always plays roles with heart, soul and brain. Her stunning work in the last years including breathtaking and heartbreaking performances like as Lana in “Land of Plenty”, Alma in “Brokeback Mountain”, Wendy in “Wendy and Lucy”, Cindy in “Blue Valentine” and now Marilyn Monroe in “My Week with Marilyn”. I find no words who discribe this talented actress! Michelle is my favourite of the year from this years nominess for Leading Actress and after her phenomenal work last year in “Blue Valentine” i cross my fingers for her most of all!
My personal Ranking for Leading Actress:
1. Michelle Williams – “My Week with Marilyn”
2. Meryl Streep – “The Iron Lady”
3. Rooney Mara – “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
4. Viola Davis – “The Help”
5. Glenn Close – “Albert Nobbs”
Sel: Well, she and the Emma Stone were the central characters in the film, the story revolves around her. My point is she is considered, technically, the lead, Regardless of what we think.
The industry will preserve her as the lead actress in the 160 million dollar film.
I just saw THE HELP.
Two things:
She is in the right category.
She is the best of the five nominees.
Though I am pessimistic about Meryl’s chances, the only thing that I think will go for her is that it will be painfully embarrassing to see her lose again. I mean, if she does lose this year, her consecutive losses would’ve capped everybody else’s nomination count.
Yazz: In this case the difference between lead and supporting is thin, but I don’t think Davis’ charged with the resposibility and he weight of the movie at all (it was a coral film with a lot of little stories… Spencer, Dallas-Howard, Chastain, Davis… and the amount of screemtime of the little characters was so similar to distinguish them into leading and supporting, with the exception of Stone) to be considered a LEADING ROLE. To do a leading role requires so much more acting work, honestly… and I think Davis’ position in the category is a disservice to the rest of the leading performances noms, Davis is in the wrong category in my opinion… but it was clearly the strategy of the TPTB of “The Help”: they put Viola Davis in the leding category since the begining to not make her compeating with Octavia Spencer (who stoled the show and would have beaten her or splitted the votes)… but I’m afraid they didn’t count on Streep and the fact that her (this is 1000% leading) performance has surprised a lot lately.
i remember the streep vs close fight awardsdaily is anticipating… what happened to that?
With the greatest respect to the always outstanding Meryl Streep, who is indeed phenomenal in what, at least for me, was the most boring movie of the year – I don’t believe that an actor should win an award just because they haven’t won one in awhile. that said, her performance was fantastic. But I think it is Viola Davis’ year.
However, If this is the logic we are using then Glenn Close should win. And is it just the fact that she hasn’t won in 29 years that is of issue or should we start balancing out what exactly they won for? Martin Scorsese won fairly recently for THE DEPARTED. He should have won for probably at least ten of his previous films. Should he NOT win for HUGO because he won for THE DEPARTED and didn’t win for a bunch that he should have? That’s silly logic on all counts.
The Academy Awards are set up to recognize the best achievements of THIS year, not career achievements except for the Governors Awards where they do recognize life achievements. we may not always love the choices the Academy makes but suggesting that someone should win because they haven’t won in decades seems dumb to me. Marty should win because he has only won ONE Oscar, along with Jennifer Hudson and Three Six Mafia – I mean, c’mon.
This ad is sort of desperate and in my mind, not in keeping with the class that is the great Meryl Streep. Achievements should be recognized on their own merit. I have a feeling she wouldn’t want an award simply because she hadn’t gotten one in awhile. I don’t know her personally (obviously – LOL) but she doesn’t seem to be that kind of actor, more concerned with accolades than art.
Well, you can play the over due card or you can play the race card. Team Davis seems to be using the race card, so why not use the over due card. It would be the biggest embarrassment if AMPAS were to deny Streep the win. After all, she did give the best performance of the year (in any category). Let’s award the Best Actress to the best performance!
I agree…Meryl Streep gave THE best performance last year. Her ‘Thatcher’ reminded me of Cotillard’s ‘Piaf’ : the actress completely disappears into the role and delivers a performance that should be on all-time-best-performances lists BUT both films simply weren’t good enough to back up their leads and we all know that when all is said and done, it IS about politics…good news ? If there is a man in Hollywood who can secure Meryl Streep’s third Oscar despite lackluster reviews, that man is Harvey Weinstein. But she NEEDS the BAFTA first, sure she is the frontrunner and facts like she has only ONE BAFTA (not even for Sophie’s Choice…how embarassing for them?) AND her film (shockingly) pulled off screenplay/supporting actor nominations, help her case A LOT…but if they decide to hate her character enough to dismiss her performance, and the BAFTA goes to Michelle Williams (who is also in a British film, only a better-received one with more nominations), then Streep probably won’t win…bottom line : she NEEDS the British-vote.
By the way, it might be time (AGAIN) to consider a ‘Brody’…Meryl Streep and Viola Davis are so ridiculously neck and neck, that I can EASILY see them splitting votes and allow third-time nominee/critical darling Michelle Williams to surprise in the end…she IS playing one of greatest icons of American CINEMA after all and shouldn’t that hit closer to home than any other performance in the category ? Not to mention, based on precedent (last 10 years or so), we should DEFINITELY not underestimate the babe-factor…
Anyway, on paper I would love to see a tie, and Streep and Davis TOGETHER on stage…but in reality, I would probably think….damn, BOTH deserve their OWN moment…what kind of message would it send if Meryl Streep could ‘only’ win in a tie after three decades and only the SECOND black actress EVER to win Best Actress would be also forced to share her win ?
Summary : If Meryl Streep wins BAFTA, she and Davis will be perfectly neck and neck and we will have NO IDEA who will win until the moment Colin Firth opens that envelope…the one thing that could give Viola Davis the edge, is also an important factor nobody seems to mention : she is in TWO Best Picture nominees this year, Meryl Streep is in none. Sure, that shouldn’t count…but that doesn’t mean it won’t….
Interesting strategy: Meryl blows kisses to Viola while Harvey & Co work like coal miners to get her number 3. Easy to be genuine when you have the forces of nature on your side, but it is probably going to back fire. I expect Viola to ascend the podium, with Meryl blowing even more kisses from the audience. Mara and Williams should have a stress-free evening, but they should keep an eye on small animals (Uggie), because poor Glenn may snap.
By the way. I don’t know if this “oscar race” has crated any fuss about Streep lately. But in Spain the media gave for granted theat the oscar is going to go to Streep. Actually, I checked the TV schedule of a channel and… viola!!!: http://www.lasexta.com/cine/inicio A WHOLE saturday with movie after movie of Streep. And the ad says: “We will enjoy an entire acting lesson with this living legend”.
If they really want to win they should show clips of Streep portraying old lady Thatcher. Astounding!
And to be fair, The Weinstein Company released a similar TV-spot for ‘My Week with Marilyn’, too, so they didn’t abandon Michelle Williams, either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAzw4-jyc90
@Simon Warrasch:
“Viola Davis will definitely not win the Oscar for her overrated performance in the overrated movie “The Help”!”
You forget the the ones doing the “overrating” are the people voting for the Oscar.
The Oscar have never been or ever will be about who’s better.
The question is what will make the voters feel better?
Streep winning her third Oscar or Viola winning her first?
“By the way, it might be time (AGAIN) to consider a ‘Brody’…Meryl Streep and Viola Davis are so ridiculously neck and neck, that I can EASILY see them splitting votes and allow third-time nominee/critical darling Michelle Williams to surprise in the end…”
Phantom, God love ya, you’re always trying to inject a little excitement into these races by envisioning an upset. I just think the chances of Williams slipping in, “Brody style”, is very unlikely for the following reasons:
1) Is the race between Streep and Davis really as neck and neck as we think? I’m not so sure. This can get a little confusing because the loudness of the Harvey campaign plus the vocalness of the Streep supporters make it appear that is the case, but… that standing ovation for Davis at SAG. To me that signaled a race where voters have pretty much already made up their mind.
2) I think a common misconception about Brody’s win is that he only won because Nicholson and Day Lewis split votes. I don’t believe this is the case. I think the main reason he won was because of a voter surge for The Pianist. The movie won unexpectedly in director and screenplay as well. Obviously the movie came very close to winning Best Picture, and I think that helped Brody vault to victory more than anything else. Doubtful there’s going to be a late-breaking surge for My Weekend W/ Marilyn to similarly catapult Michelle. But also, Nicholson and Day Lewis had both won Oscars before and starred in movies the Academy apparently wasn’t all that thrilled about on an emotional level. Viola Davis has not won before and is starring in a movie that it appears the actors, at least, are pretty enthusiastic about. For these reasons, I’m not sure the comparison between this year and Brody’s 2002 upset is apt.
“Her ‘Thatcher’ reminded me of Cotillard’s ‘Piaf’ : the actress completely disappears into the role and delivers a performance that should be on all-time-best-performances lists…”
This comment reminded me of something I read on another Oscar blog a few days ago. It may have been from Guy Lodge over at In Contention. Not sure, but he talked about how people are always raving about someone who “disappears into a role,” when it’s much more important to “inhabit a role.” I concur with his point.
Robert A.
What can I say, around early February I always get bored enough with the already-played-out race, to invent all these crazy theories. Having said that, I do think Williams still has a shot : apparently the Academy loved her film (though clearly not enough to give it a bp-nod), she has the babe-factor going for her (it did A LOT for recent BA-winners), she is a previous nominee, she plays a FILM icon…all these make her a viable threat, even if the Brody-comparison isn’t perfectly accurate.
For what it’s worth, I agree : Viola Davis has been the instant frontrunner since her SAG victory, and in order to have an exciting race, Meryl Streep has to win BAFTA…but even then the Oscar will probably go to Davis. BUT if Williams takes the BAFTA (though unlikely, she IS in a well-received British film, so we shouldn’t count her out just yet), now THEN we would have a real race with three strong contenders…and needless to say, that if Viola Davis surprises and wins BAFTA, too (her film got a bp-nod, Streep’s and Williams’ did not, though latter two films are British), the Best Actress race is COMPLETELY over.
I just saw THE HELP.
Two things:
She is in the right category.
She is the best of the five nominees.
Agreed. Streep might win because of the Weinstein Co but I would rather burn my hair off with a blow torch rather than watch The Iron Lady again. Streep is great but the movie is terrible. Terrible, terrible, terrible.
All I know is Streep definitely gave the best performance (IMO) and I hope the awards goes to the best performance no matter politics, race, “overdue factor”, etc. etc. etc.
Ditto Thomas.
“I would rather burn my hair off with a blow torch rather than watch The Iron Lady again.”
Funny! I feel the same about The Help. I mean I had a gun pressed against my skull through out the entire movie but when Maid Aibileen said “ain’t you tired Ms. Hilly? ain’t you tired?” with her fumbling lips and wrinkled face, I pulled the trigger.
“…I would rather burn my hair off with a blow torch rather than watch The Iron Lady again”
Don’t sugar-coat it – tell us what you really think. Could be worse – they could have weaseled a nom for the film or Law over______(fill in the blank)
Sorry Deena, FAR, FAR FROM IT. My Week with Marilyn is head and shoulders above The Iron Lady, a certifiable piece of shit. Poor Meryl — she towers above the awful screenplay. No one, and I mean no one, thinks The Iron Lady is a good movie. The consensus on My Week with Marilyn, on the other hand, is quite different — it is not seen as a dog with merely a performance from Michelle Williams. Branagh is nominated, it has superb production values and pedigree and a charm, innocence and bittersweetness that makes it enjoyable, if minor. The Iron Lady is a nonsensical, poorly structured look at a dithering old woman. Her political rise and convictions and their consequences make about as much sense to us as they do to her in her deteriorating state. Truly.
But good that you enjoyed it so much more and that you were able to educate me about how “it’s about the best acting” or whatever crap that was. No one likes to give someone an Oscar for acting, however well, in a piece of crap.
quite frankly, Davis plays a supporting character, but does so really well. I loved her in Doubt: still haunts me that performance.
Having seen both films, tho… Streep deserves this award more.
but I cant really imagine the Academy not honoring an african-american actress like Davis, when she is head-to-head in the run for the lead Oscar. And yes, race will play a card. When there’s a tie, guilt signs the name on that paper.
T.
@FilmFaatale
Funny how people think differently and I think everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
I myself don’t think TIL is a “piece of crap” as you so elegantly say so, I liked it and LOVED Meryl’s performance, way better than others, and I think the biggest problem with the movie is that people see it with the wrong idea, to me is about what happens after the power, when someone with a life as remarkable and polemic as Margaret Thatcher’s faces the reality of time and looks back on all the battles and triumphs and defeats, and the old Thatcher scenes were beautiful, so excuse me but I think we’ll have to agree to disagree.
This is the kind of influence peddling I’m talking about from Weinstein. He’s allowed to run roughshod over the Oscar voting process and all of you are like Russia and China re: Syria when it comes to looking the other way. Forgive the political incorrectness of that sentence, but it’s true.
^Carl says it perfectly.
No one is consistently as nasty and low as Deena Jones’ wig…..I’m guessing that’s why she can’t handle that scene where Hilly Holbrook gets handed her ass. Must hit too close to home….so she’s obsessed with it.
Mel
I couldn’t handle that scene because it was overly sentimental, a cop-out and cliche-ridden, adjectives which also perfectly describe the movie. Viola Davis had the easiest cathartic moment out of all the nominated actress. Standing up an ardent racist at the climax of a movie. So difficult right? Such cheap sentimental cop-outs have been done before in glossy race relations movie and judging by the success of The Help, the method still works.
Meryl Streep, on the other hand, is tackling one of the most hated women in contemporary history. She has no Ms. Hilly to stand up to and no easy way out. Her only choice was to delve into the personality of Thatcher, frame after frame after frame, and try to make the audience understand who this woman really was. The notion that Davis delivers is the best performance of the year is excessively laughable. Award politics right? child, please!
*Standing up to an ardent racist
at least Viola is deserving of an Oscar (albeit Supporting Actress), unlike Sandra Bullock who robbed Meryl last time
You feel the same way about her performance as I do about The Artist. But I really think my couple of super shitty comments about The Artist was enough. You have been obsessive. We get it. I don’t think she’s the best and I thought that movie was very problematic, but you are consistently so nasty it makes me almost want to hold up for her. Your attitude certainly does Meryl no favors.
About Harvey. As someone else pointed out Harvey is just doing his job. Campaigning for Oscar isn’t new and others have been criticised for the same thing for years. Last year is was Melissa Leo. I can remember others being cited for their personal ads in Variety when Variety was the place you found all the ads. I actually remember waiting for that issue where the campaigning started for “deserves to be nominated”. So all the whining about Weinstein doing his job is kind of silly.
I personally don’t think that Meryl or Viola are going to win. I think it’s gonna be Glenn Close. Glenn is doing the talk shows like every other actress nominated. Williams is doing them [not as successfully as the others], Mara is doing them. Streep is doing them and Davis is doing them. Not one of them seems to be “begging” and if they’ve been asked they all respond appropriately. They simply claim it would be “wonderful” and “that they would love to win”. So what. Do you really think they’re going to sit there and say “hey guess what I’d really I like to loose?” C’mon people.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
I’m glad they’re FINALLY playing up the fact that it’s been almost 30 years since Streep won. She deserves this, just like she did for Adaptation., The Devil Wears Prada, Julie & Julia, etc.
Hail to The Streep!
Sel.. I’m not disagreeing, I didn’t think that it was a leading role when I first saw the movie. But Since it happened she was great and I can truly say that I don’t mind her winning.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo won!!!
Oops, wrong thread.
Glenn Close has taken exactly zero precursor awards. Also, she stars in a movie that’s even worse than The Iron Lady.
If an actress comes out of nowhere and wins in an upset (Kathy Bates?), said actress usually has at least some critics’ awards or a base of support. There is no support for Albert Nobbs.
No way Close is winning this. If anyone is going to “surprise” Meryl or Viola, it’s Michelle Williams.
domdom
Glenn Close NEEDED that SAG to win the Oscar, unfortunately now she is out…although it might be important to remember that her film, the one that has “no support”, received more nominations than ‘The Iron Lady’ AND ‘My Week with Marilyn’…although latter had much better reviews, and BOTH had the Weinstein-machine in their corner.
I was hoping Close would win Best Original song but alas…
Viola Davis had 1 or 2 great scenes in The Help , but Streep had great in the HOLE movie, with 2-3 different Thatcher.
I think it´s too early to predict the best actress Oscar.
And I think some people here in this forum exaggerating a bit about the quality of the films.
I just want this year’s Oscars to be over already!
Last night I had a nightmare. I dreamed I missed the Oscar live telecast! And since 1985 I only missed it once and that’s because I was ipflying over the Pacific ocean. Anyway in the dream I woke up next day I kept trying to access Awardsdaily to see the winners and couldn’t! Terrifying!
Now to the lead actress race. My favorite (every time she’s nominated) is Meryl. Earlier in the year was Glenn ( I still have a bone to pick with the Academy about her loss for Dangerous Liasons) but it seems that bringing her back to the fold seems to be her consolation prize. I loved Viola and thought The Help was a ok film and I actually only watched it because I read the book and wanted to compare them. Rooney is fine and I love a girl kicking ass but the nomination as a career boost and preview of things to come is enough. Michele is a great actress and there will be no shortage of nominations and wins for her in the future. I haven’t seem MWWM yet so can’t really comment on her performance. So although I would be over the moon for Meryl win of her well deserved 3rd Oscar ( 2nd lead!!) I would also be very happy for Viola to win, especially if it somehow helps other African- American actresses (and other minorities) to get better roles. Although that’s a shot in the dark because who can know that?
But giving Meryl her second lead actress award will not only be awarding the best performance by a lead actress (who’s been nominated this year) but crowning an amazing career on top of that.
For the rest of the race I am not much caring anymore. although I would love to see Marty on the stage again.
Please 26th be over already! And please Awardsdaily try not to crash on the morning after!
Why I am still obssessed with the Oscars is a mystery! Bloody thing!
@wolf
Well, hope dies last, no?
I don’t think any actress will ever break Meryl’s record of nominations. Not as long as she’s alive, that’s for sure.
And I wouldn’t want it. Meryl is just a classy woman, not even showing when she looses. She has survived all these years with grace and humor.
I’m really not sure if any other actress would loose her mind with such a track of lost Oscars.
@Sel
In Germany it’s pretty much the same, lately.
In my new TV programme magazine ther will be eared 5 movies of Meryl in February, including Sophie’s Choice.
I’ve searched in any star magazind and I could not find a single picture of Viola at the SAGs. Not even a small one. That’s sad.
Won’t happen when Viola wins the Oscar, I hope.
But now it’s not really a kind of mystery to me anymor why Meryl suddenly won the Drama Globe….
In Hungary too. When Streep won the Drama Globe it’s in the TV and in every newspaper, but there is no Davis with SAG, not even in the news. And there are a lot of Streep film in February on TV…
Same here in the Philippines. When the Oscar noms are announced, it was all Streep, Williams and Clooney. After a news segment, a commentator said that Streep usually wins Oscars. And I was like…. O_O
I hope that commentator did a little bit of research before saying that.
@Sonja: Ich nehme mal an, daß Du auch aus Deutschland kommst? Dann werde ich mal auf deutsch meine Worte los zu werden.
Natürlich, die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt. Aber ich persönlich habe irgendwie ein anderes Gefühl was die Oscars angeht als es bei den vorherigen Oscarverleihungen war.Dadurch, daß Streep den Golden Globe gewonnen hat, sieht die Sache anders aus. Ich denke wirklich, daß es ein Kopf-an-Kopf-Rennen ist. Und Streep spielt in einem Film, der ein gewisses “Momentum” besitzt. Das spricht für Streep und das sie ihre 17!!!Oscarnominierung hat. In meinen Augen wäre es ein Schlag ins Gesicht für Streep, wenn sie schon wieder verlieren würde. Denn ich glaube nicht, daß sie so schnell wieder so nah an die Möglichkeit eines Oscargewinns kommen würde.
Warum ist es für Dich eigentlich keine Überraschung mehr, daß Streep den Globe gewonnen hat?
Sorry people, I just had to write to someone something in german!
Auf der anderen Seite ist es schon fast Tradition für mich, daß sie jedesmal verliert.
I hope it’s allowwed to ansrewr my fellow citizen in german? Just shortly and without any bashing of course.
But feel free to delete the post, if you think it doesn’t belong here.
Although I have no problems translating it, if you want.
@wolf
Ich weiß wie sich das anfühlt. Aber dieses Jahr ist es trotzdem irgendwie anders.
Das letzte Mal war, obwohl es dort noch mehr fesstand, wer die beste Hauptdastellerin wird, immer noch sehr enttäuschend. Für mich jedenfalls.
Keiner weiß wirklich, was in Meryl vorgeht und ob es sie wirklich noch groß kümmert.
Sie scheint Viola Davis sehr zu respektieren, wie sie mehrfach betont hat. Sie würde ihr den Sieg gönnen, da bin ich mir sicher.
Nun ja…. Das mag komisch sein, aber für die letzten 5 Nominierungen hat sie immer einen der großen Preise bekommen, hauptsächlich den Globe und für Doubt den SAG. Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass sie den Drama Globe jemals wieder gewinnen würde, aber nachdem Davis schon den Critics Choice gewonnen und den SAG so ziemlich sicher hatte, blieb halt “nur” noch der Globe. Und vielleicht der BAFTA. Ich glaube Davis hat da schlechtere Chancen zu gewinnen.
Oder die Auslandspresse war an Davis einfach nicht interessiert, wie man ja nun schon mehrfach festgestellt hat, was den Fokus auf Meryl betrifft.
Kann aber natürlich auch alles nur Zufall sein. Meryl kommt immerhin bald zur Berlinale.
“Streep had great in the HOLE movie.”
Now, that was Hard Core.
Same in Finland. Streep is known here – very famous, in fact. No-one knows Viola Davis, though. The Help was not a big hit here (none of my friends went to see it), it’s a very AMERICAN story. The percentages will tell you more than I can:
The Iron Lady (which has not even opened in many countries yet)
Domestic: $19,320,000 / 42.9%
Foreign: $25,663,113 / 57.1%
= Worldwide: $44,983,113
The Help (opened everywhere months ago)
Domestic: $169,620,611 / 82.6%
Foreign: $35,700,000 / 17.4%
= Worldwide: $205,320,611
So, no wonder HFPA chose Streep.
@Sonja: O.K. now again in English again.
It´s everytime the same that I´m sad if she loses again. And staying up all night just to hear that she´s losing again is exhausting!
In the meantime in my opinion the Academy has become a ridicolous organization. The Academy nominates and nominates actors/actresses and they never win! For example Peter O´Toole or even Glenn Close.
@Tero Heikkinen: You´re right! “The Help” is an american story. So that´s why “The Iron Lady” is here in Europe more popular.
BAFTA and Berlin are next. Lots of headlines that can’t be ignored.
Meryl Streep gave THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE LAST YEAR, she is wonderful, talented and superior of all the nominated including the male actors.
#teamStreep
@wolf
I know… We’re kind of masochistics, aren’t we?
Although in 2007 it was simply impossible to beat Helen Mirren. And Kate Winslet was in a Holocaust movie.
I was hoping for a wonder in 2010, even an upset from another actress choice, but it didn’t come. *sigh*
But this time I’m simply prepared. I know she won’t win, so I can sit back and relax.
*lol*
I still think the most hilarious award she took home for her performance in TIL is the Dorian Award from the Gay&Lesbian Entertainmenr Critics Association for “Performance of the Year”.
I mean she was up against Leonardo DiCaprio, Janet McTeer, Christopher Plummer, Rooney Mare and Mr. Long Ding Dong himself, Michael Fassbender! o.O
Thier previous winners were Colin Firth for “A Single Man” and Annette Benning for “The Kids are all right”.
But now they went with the straightest character of the all! *rofl*
(or they must have a secret uncensored copy in which Maggie makes out with her secretary-I want to have that!)
@Sonja: So do I! I try to think that she has already lost the Oscar. I hope that it makes easier for me to watch it, but I think on Oscar night I won´t be relaxed!
But unlike you I think she can win this year.
And I´m really excited that she´s coming to Germany!
Carl-
We can agree to disagree on The Iron Lady, sure, but know that you’re disagreeing with just about *everybody* on this film.
Viola should have won for DOUBT; she was so deserving and much more than the actual winner. This time I think the Oscar should go to Streep. Her film isn’t great but her performance is flawless.
Streep’s performance > Davis’ performance
And Carl, since you didn’t like the “elegance” of my calling TIL a piece of crap, how about if we say that it fails to bring any narrative coherence or depth to either its story or Thatcher, who should have been fascinatingly complex. The screenplay presents her as a sympathetic, dithering old woman visited by an apparition for about 80% of its running time. This “biopic” fails to show us anything remotely compelling, including:
1) the birth of her conservative principals and why
2) the emotional or psychological toll of her policies on Thatcher herself (she must have been human and seen the ravages on the underclass, the IRA, etc., in her private moments)
3) the hardships she endured as a woman in the role
4) the chronology of her rise to power
5) the long-term effect on society of her policies…
Can someone please show me a single merit in this film beyond Meryl’s herculean efforts to drag the muddled narrative up to her level of brilliance? She is undeniably towering in the role. The movie, on the other hand, betrays her at every turn.
Just FYI, for all the Streepies, Sasha’s friend Nate is running an article ranking Meryl’s 16 nominations.
http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2012/2/4/readers-ranking-streeps-oscar-noms-10-6.html
I know that link. Do you know this one?
http://www.goldderby.com/films/news/2507/five-reasons-why-meryl-streep-can-and-probably-will-win-best-actress.html
When I saw this spot on TV it gave me chills! So happy for the hard campaign for her. She really is the only true reason to see the Iron Lady! Her performance alone saved the mediocre film!
Tero, thanks for the link. My favourite quote from the article
“I suspect that some are reading too much into the SAG win by Davis; “The Help” had simply been seen by far more Guild members than “The Iron Lady.” Hilary Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry,” Nicole Kidman in “The Hours” and Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose” all stumbled at SAG after winning Globes, but still rebounded on Oscar night. Streep can do the same…”
This is what I have been saying all along.
@FilmFatale
I’m perfectly fine with disagreeing with “everybody” about the film (although I doubt you count as “everybody” or that you have asked “EVERYBODY” about whether or not they liked the movie).
And about your other comment about the movie, you are just proving my point about why some people didn’t like the movie, because it wasn’t supposed to be your typical biopic, it’s a movie about life and the reality of it, of course it has flaws but in this case some of them are a part of the whole concept of the movie, the flashbacks are fussy and messy at times because that’s how an 86 year old woman with dementia and lost of memory sees them, it wasn’t supposed to be perfect and it wasn’t supposed to tell the life of Thatcher chronologically (that’s what documentaries are for) and I respect your opinion, if you didn’t like it, you didn’t and that’s fine, it’s a movie after all, and my main point is about the performances anyway, and about the brilliant performance Streep gave in this movie (again that’s my opinion).
So, I’m happy we don’t agree and yet we are interested enough to give our opinion, have a nice day.
So let’s enjoy the freedom of speech, and
You’re not alone Carl. I didn’t get bored with the movie at all (thanks to Streep, of course). OK, it wasn’t a really good movie but it wasn’t ABSOLUTELY BAD. The film editing was terrible, the directing average, the script has flaws… but there were parts enjoyable (the scene of Tatcher with the doctor, the bomb moment, etc.) and of course the acting elevated everything in a magnetic way… not to mention the amazing make-up. I will not deny it, I expected much more from that movie, I expected another kind of thematic but, c’mon!!! it wasn’t “Jack & Jill” of “New Years’ Eve”, it wasn’t the worst of the worst!!!!!!
Carl and Sel
Truer words have never been spoken. I was going through the reviews for the Iron Lady last week and I couldn’t help but notice the overwhelming number of critics who kept bringing up politics. I think people expected a political film, an in depth chronicle of Thatcher’s policies. Critics lashed out like spoiled brats because they didn’t get what the expected which was a movie that demonizes Thatcher. The Iron Lady’s greatest flaw is editing and that’s about it. The writing is certainly better than a lot of Oscar-nominated films *cough* The Help *cough* and the acting is beyond extraordinary. The lighting was somewhat annoying at times but that is a minor issue.
^Streep as old lady Thatcher is just mind blowing. My jaw dropped during the opening scene (old Thatcher buying milk). A truly towering performance, simply astounding. Streep at her very best.
Carl, i agree with you about The Iron Lady. Having heard some disquiet and criticism before seeing it, i was expecting not to like it – but i did – very much. I did want more insight into her political motivations, but I also really got a lot from the exploration of Thatcher’s dementia, and the love story component with Dennis. It was not a biopic – it would have needed to be a mini series to chronicle more fully her early life, her rise to the top of the Labor Party, and the decade + years in power.
I too was dazzled by Streep’s inhabitation, not impersonation of Thatcher. I do find that clips taken out of context do not do the film or the performance justice, and i think that will hurt her chances of the win. But i found it a compelling and enjoyable moviegoing experience. I think there is a real snobbery about Phylida Law, and the trashing of the film outside of Streep’s performance. I liked the way Law wove the fragments and the grief around her husband along with the timeline of her lifestory. I think Streep gave Thatcher an interior life, and being Streep, extracted more vulnerability and empathy for the descent into that haze of muddled memories and sentences. I detest a lot of what Thatcher stood for, but the movie gave a window into her fallibility and humanness.
@daveinprogress
I don’t think you meant Labor Party. Thatcher was a Tory, very conservative.
Thank you Brandz – yes, i was listenig to our 24 hr news channel in Australia, and our Labor Party (The governing party right now) are rife with drama and intrigue, and i must have transposed what i was hearing with writing – absolutely – Thatcher was a conservative through and through.
Fantasy is one of the biggest genres right now and for the Academy to ignore a fantasy film just because they “don’t like it” is shallow. It’s a great movie, well acted, great CGI and well loved. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ is the culmination of a generation and deserves some recognition. Everyone involved with the film did an excellent job and should be recognized.
@OCO300, your right and I’m VERY disappointed and feel that they’re just trying to make excuses now for why the series barely got noticed. The acting was amazing and so was the music, art, writing, and screenplay and no one got noticed (other than the 3 categories they got nominated for which probably wont win on purpose). Look at all the past winners and compare them to Potter, there really isn’t a difference. Avatar…Titanic..LOTR…all similar to Potter in many ways and were loved by the Oscars. It’s just sad to see Potter lose this because they deserve it more than anything.
Performance of the year? Is it a joke? boring bad movie mediocre performance of the year I think.
fanboys fangirls believe me Meryl will not win.
I agree OCO3000000000,
For the academy to ignore HP because they “don’t like it” doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t know what metrics they’re using when they vote?
I agree mattoc, with you agreeing with oco30000000000000
I just don’t think Davis will win. I think The Help will take Best Supporting Actress (sensing Chastain despite head telling me Spencer has it locked). I just get the sense that Harvey’s push for Meryl will win out in the end.
Sasha,
I have a blow torch. XD
As completely flawed as The Iron Lady was, Streep’s performance was leaps and bounds ahead of the other nominees this year, an acting masterclass.
@wolf
It’s great you still have some hope for Meryl to win. I wouldn’t dare to take it away.
I just think it’s better fo me to give it up, although the dissapointment would not hurt much anymore.
Are you going to Berlin?
(it might be the only chance to see her, so I’m really tempted…)
By the way, Meryl won the RAFTA (Richard Attenborough Film Awards) for TIL, so this could be a very good sign for the BAFTA too imo.
(although it’s not written in stones, of course)
http://www.cine-vue.com/2012/02/richard-attenborough-film-awards-2012.html
i want meryl streep to win at least three more oscars and make a record but her third should not come for iron lady, the movie was so bad that it dilutes the impact of her performance which would’ve been unbeatable had the movie been a little more worthy of watching. it was probably one of the worst movies meryl ever did.
i want to see viola davis or michelle win, viola truly breaks heart in help and is very effective.
@Sonja: No, unfortunately not! Although I´m living near Berlin (in the city, where the Volkswagen is being build!), I can´t manage it to come to Berlin.
And by the way, if it´s next week still so cold I hope Meryl Streep has some warm winter clothes! It´s really freezing cold.
But Sonja, I know what you mean with the “dissapointment”. The same did I in School, when we had to write exams and I tried to thing that I failed the exam.
@murtaza: The Oscar should given for the best performance (Best actress, Best Actor..)not for the movie the actor is in.
@Sonja: I forgot: Streep did also win the London Film Critics Circle Award and of course the AACTA International Award. Maybe, maybe a good sign for the BAFTA too.
@wolf
Oh, I think Meryl will know how the weather is in Germany. I’m sure she’ll do so research before packing.
I keep my fingers crossed for BAFTA.
Unfortunately for Meryl she is in such a terrible movie, playing such a controversial character that the odds are against her.
I was very disappointed with “The Iron Lady”, Phyllida Lloyd should never direct again. And what is the most appalling at it all, it’s that the screenwriter, Abi Morgan, wrote such an incredible film – Shame – and then comes up with this crap!
Viola is playing that typical role the academy loves to award. And she might pull the Halle Berry card.
Streep needs to win the BAFTA – which I think she undoubtedly will. British members of the Academy who know the detail of the real Margaret Thatcher cannot deny Streep’s superb and nuanced performance in what is a lacklustre film.
From the squawking early Thatcher, to the steely tones of later years and the ageing premier we see throughout the film – Streep captures it precisely. Even the tottering, stooped walk at the end of the film is just brilliant.
Many more BAFTA members will have wanted to see this film too – just to see what they made of Thatcher – and I think they most certainly will distinguish the performance from the film and the woman herself.
Viola Davis’ performance in The Help was very capable – but there is no ‘Doubt’ scene stealing moment there. Nothing to hang your hat on if you’re looking for a memorable moment that makes you place that X in the box.
If anything BAFTA owes Meryl more than AMPAS for failing to award her for Sophie’s Choice in 1983 – she was up against Julie Walters for Educating Rita and the Brits backed what was the best performance of 1983. Due to timings Sophie’s Choice should’ve been included in 1982 but there was a year’s lag so momentum had fallen away.
My fingers will be crossed that Meryl Streep will be the one walking up to the stage at the Royal Opera House in a weeks’ time.
“i want meryl streep to win at least three more oscars and make a record but her third should not come for iron lady”
Agree, @murtaza – too bad she can’t be rewarded for a couple of oversights because if we have to wait 20+ years between Oscars, she’ll be 120 by the time she wins the last one. If she wins for TIL, I think that will be it – they won’t reward her again with any wins, only noms. If she doesn’t win this year, she has a chance in the future.
I’m fairly certain Viola will take it. The only surprise in the acting categories this year could be von Sydow, the rest are locked, for the most part.
@Felipe Scofield: “Viola is playing that typical role the academy loves to award. And she might pull the Halle Berry card.”
And this can be reason why she might not win. It´s even this typical thing.
“And by the way, if it´s next week still so cold I hope Meryl Streep has some warm winter clothes! It´s really freezing cold.”
She doesn’t live in California. She’s very much familiar with cold and snow.
And what is cold anyway? – a Finn may ask you
Minus 15? Minus 20? That’s only when Finns start wearing long-sleeve shirts. That’s also when we have our last outdoor barbecue before Winter. From this moment on, laundry is also dried indoors.
Joking aside, it’s not even -10 (Celsius) here right now, but it was almost -30 the other day. Add some heavy sea wind and it’s not nice.
@Tero Heikkinen: O.K. Germany isn´t Finland, but since one week or so we have at daytime -10/-15 and last night in eastern Germany (where Berlin is located) we had -28! It´s for Germany really freezing cold!
And I meant the phrase “And by the way, if it´s next week still so cold I hope Meryl Streep has some warm winter clothes! It´s really freezing cold.” ironic!
-28 is cold. For sure.