Academy voters are already putting in their ballots for these two performances: Meryl Streep has signed on to play former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for director Phyllida Lloyd, who Streep worked with on Mamma Mia!, while Sean Penn has signed on the play Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, the patriarch of “surfing’s first family.” Streep’s film is called The Iron Lady, the script written by Abi Morgan, co-financed by Pathe and Film4 and described as a “story of a woman who smashed through the barriers of gender and class to be heard in a male-dominated world. The story concerns power and the price that is paid for power, and is a surprising and insightful portrait of an extraordinary and complex woman.” [THR] Thatcher made as many enemies as she did friends (if not more), and was regarded by many to be brutal in her tactics and conservation decisions. Streep should destroy the role, appropriately.

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This year Meryl Streep is up for her 16^th Oscar nomination for her work in Julie and Julia. If you read my previous article on Streep you would know I don’t support this nomination or a win. Streep has been much better before and if she truly wants a third Oscar she is going to need to be much riskier in her acting choices. The last few years we have seen the actress slumming around in middle-of-the-road comedies and Oscar bait. Her Julia Child impersonation is adequate but it is not the type of role that calls for a third Oscar.

For months it seemed Streep was unstoppable, until her tie at the Critic’s Choice Awards with Sandra Bullock. Bullock then went on to claim both the Golden Globe and SAG award for her portrayal of the do-gooding, right-wing football fanatic Leigh Ann Tuohy in The Blind Side. Much has been said about whether or not Bullock’s performance is up to par with the title of Best Actress, but when considering previous wins for Reese Witherspoon, Gwenyth Paltrow and Halle Berry it hardly seems dubious to reward Bullock. She is a very likable star who has given great performances before (her turn in Infamous is much better than Catherine Keener’s Harper Lee in Capote, but unfortunately Bullock was in the other Truman Capote movie) and achieved incomparable success this year with The Proposal and The Blind Side. If it between Bullock and Streep, I would have to go with Bullock for the sheer fact that she will probably never have another opportunity at the golden guy and to send a message to Streep that she is going to have to do more than show up to the set to earn another statue. Bullock’s film gaining a Best Picture nomination over Julie and Julia doesn’t bode well for Streep’s chances either.

Newcomers Gabourey Sidibe and Carey Mulligan gave the two best performances out of the nominees but haven’t gained enough precursor support to have a real shot at winning the award. It is possible for one of them to pull ahead if Streep and Bullock cancel each other out much like the win for Adrien Brody over Jack Nicholson and Daniel Day-Lewis in 2002. Mulligan benefits from being a demure, thin, white woman and should have no problem finding her way back into the Oscar race if she is given the right projects. I would love more than anything if the Academy would reward Sidibe, the best of the nominees, for her haunting portrayal in Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire but it is highly unlikely due the prejudices in place against someone of her race and size.

Helen Mirren’s nomination is similar to that of Charlize Theron in North Country or Jodie Foster in Nell; a recent Best Actress winner filing the fifth slot despite the quality of the work. She doesn’t stand a threat to win but serves more as a validation of her recent win. Filler nominations such as these make it hard to accept snubs of much greater work. It’s hard to believe they couldn’t find room for someone like Tilda Swinton in Julia or Michelle Pfeiffer in Cheri yet Mirren was able to squeak in with a film hardly anyone saw or seemed to have much passion for.

Will Win: Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side
Should Win: Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Should Have Been Nominated: Tilda Swinton for Julia

Roger Ebert once said that if Charlize Theron didn’t win the Oscar for her performance in Monster than they should just retire the award. I would further that if Meryl Streep wins the Oscar for Julie and Julia they should just retire the award out of shame.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Meryl Streep. No, really, I do.

However,with the fervor surrounding her potential 3rd Oscar win for her performance as famed chef Julia Child in Nora Ephron‘s Julie and Julia I feel it is necessary to rain on the Streep parade. She is capable of very great things but is often over-praised for mediocre works (Doubt, Music of the Heart and One True Thing). With the celebrated actress gearing up for her 16^th Oscar nomination for her performance as famed the late, great chef and the deafening tune of her supporters claiming that now is the time for her coveted 3^rd Oscar, I must let my anti-Streep flag fly. Read the full story

Universal Pictures | USA | 118 min

Who doesn’t love Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin? They’re generally hilarious and equally likable performers. And who doesn’t declare Meryl Streep one of the most accomplished actors ever to live?  The combination of these three should have equaled gangbusters, but somehow the end product is a forgettable contrived middle age rom-com.

Jane (Meryl Streep) is a divorcé with three kids, a bakery shop and no one at her side to love her. Jake (Alec Baldwin), the ex-husband, is a highly successful lawyer with a supermodel-esque wife.  They’ve been divorced nearly a decade and Jane is the only who hasn’t found someone. On the other hand, Jake landed a jackpot with his mistress Agness (Lake Bell), who is completely beautiful and intelligent. Brought together for their son’s graduation, Jane and Jake start rekindle their love/lust for one another. This affair continues for some time since they both get a rush out of it, but Jake looks at it as more than just a “fling.” He once again falls for Jane and is now looking to get back to her. Caught in this love triangle is Adam (Steve Martin), the likable and hurt architect who is designing a new part of Jane’s house. Read the full story

20th Century Fox | USA/UK | 99 min

The Fantastic Mr. Fox is Wes Anderson’s best film since The Royal Tenenbaums. It features his usual shtick including the array of eccentric characters, scene chewing dialog, and being shot on a level of pure beauty. This is an instantly charming, hilarious, and highly entertaining film that bursts with originality.

Mr. Fox (George Clooney) is a thief, he’s the of the best. From stealing chickens to knocking out dogs with poisoned blue berries, he loves the adrenaline rush. Unfortunately, he has to give all that up once his wife Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) becomes pregnant. Once he hangs up the old trade he’s now just a regular old Fox. Making dues as a writer, living the normal family life, and none of this involves his favorite thing: stealing. But once he moves into a new tidy tree home he’s found a thief’s delight. Sitting right across his street is three large factories that include a sweet apple beverage, plenty of meet, and loads of chickens. This is where Mr. Fox turns back to his old ways to pull off one of the biggest heists in Fox History. From then on, it becomes all out warfare between Mr. Fox and the three crazed company owners. Read the full story

Another poster has arrived today thanks to Fox Searchlight via Firstshowing. Wes Anderson‘s The Fantastic Mr. Fox is based on a Roald Dahl book with George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzmann, and Bill Murray providing the voices.

Check out the poster below >>

The new trailer for Wes Anderson‘s animated film The Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story, has hit the web. George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzmann, and Bill Murray provide the voices. Check out the trailer after the jump.

Check out the trailer below >>