Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady

Here's a picture (finally) of Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. This will possibly become Streep's seventeenth (!) Oscar nomination.


Will she lose again???

The Other Olsen Sister makes big splash at Sundance

Awards heavyweight Fox Searchlight purchased Martha Marcy May Marlene from this year's Sundance festival and rumor has it that its star - Lizzie Olsen is exceptional as the lead in the film. This time last year 19 year old Jennifer Lawrence made a huge splash in Winter's Bone and look where that lead...

Elizabeth (goes by Lizzie) Olsen is the younger sister of popular paparazzi twins: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. 

In the film Olsen plays a young girl who tries to escape an extreme religious cult. The fact that it was a hit at Sundance and that Fox Searchlight (think "Juno", "Slumdog Millionaire", "Black Swan") wanted to buy it immediately should flash the word OSCAR in your mind.

Here's an interview with the director Sean Durkin who won Best Director at the Festival. This is definitely one to watch out for. 

Ralph Fiennes directorial debut 'Coriolanus'

British actor Ralph Fiennes (nominated twice for Academy Awards, his first in 1993’s Best Supporting Actor category for Schindler’s List and in Best Actor in 1996 for The English Patient) makes his directorial debut with Coriolanus - based on the Shakespeare tragedy.

Fiennes has updated Shakespeare’s play by setting it in a modern war. He’s supported by a good cast: Brian Cox, Gerard Butler and Vanessa Redgrave. And he's using the same cinematographer from the Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker.

It makes its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival this month. We’ll see what happens.

Eastwood "goes there" with Hoover biopic

Now, many of us realize that J. Edgar Hoover was a significant man in history. He's basically the founder of the often mysterious FBI. But the actual truth about his sexual orientation is legitimately mysterious. There's no actual proof, just testimony. However, Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and director Oscar-winner Clint Eastwood are apparently taking the rumors - especially the gay and cross-dressing ones on as truth.

Breakout The Social Network star Armie Hammer talked to E! News about playing Clyde Tolson (Hoover's alleged male lover) opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (as Hoover.) 

 Future Oscar-nominee Armie Hammer at the SAG Awards.

“It’s not a kissing scene — it’s a ton of kissing scenes,” Armie Hammer said to an E! News reporter at the SAG Awards. Hammer actually met DiCaprio for the first time at the SAG awards as filming is in pre-production.

The film is supposed to span Hoover's entire career - so look for the film to span Oscar time. Many Leo fans have considered this his best bet for an overdue Oscar win. DiCaprio received his first nomination all the way back in 1993. Oscar nominee Naomi Watts has officially replaced the role Oscar winner Charlize Theron once entertained. No release date has been set as there's been confusion on whether or not this is a 2011 or 2012 release.

Worst Dressed at SAG

Alec Baldwin: Used Car salesman goes out to bar for drink and wins SAG award?

Donald Sutherland: Santa Claus: The War Hero?

Winona Ryder: This is some sad prom scene from a forgotten John Hughes movie?

The Scott Bakula Vampire Groupies: Come in, come in. We vant to suck your blood.

Matthew Morrison: Douche Casual?

From Book to the Big Screen: 2011's Adapted Screenplays

Just like any other year, 2011 brings many books and plays - popular or obscure - to the big screen.
Let's take a look.

 

 

 

The King's Speech becomes frontrunner for Oscar.

It's officially safe to make changes to your Oscar predictions. After sweeping the Guilds - Weinstein Company's Oscar-hopeful The King's Speech knocked out the critical awards darling The Social Network.

The King's Speech recently won Best Film by the Producers Guild, Best Director of the Year by The Director's Guild and now has won Best Actor (Colin Firth) and Best Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Not uncommon for races to change gears when getting down to the final days of Oscar - The King's Speech was once considered the more obvious Academy fodder but was exchanged by many to The Social Network after that film enjoyed a clean-sweep throughout the precursors. However, it looks like the King has dethroned Facebook. Adjust ballot accordingly and win your pool!