Merry Christmas! (or shall I say Meryl?)

*sinks through the ground of shame*

Today I decided that it was time for an update and I made a shameful discovery. The seventeenth of August. That was my last post. It has been almost five months since I’ve written anything for about-streep. Yes, I’m sorry. Yes, I’m embarrassed. Yes, it’s shameful. Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a joyful day full of warmth, happiness, love, family and friends, and may 2015 bring you these things as well! Nothing is more important than love. I know it sounds cliché, and although it is very cliché to say so, most clichés are true.

So here is my Christmas gift to all Streepers, the year in review through the eyes of a Streeper.

Golgen Globe nominations, Oscars in sight… Everyone is already gossiping and talking about the award season that is yet to come., but let’s see if you remember what happened during last year’s award season.

August Osage County

“I adored it, definitely my favourite movie of 2013!” or “What an awful movie”. Much controversy caused by the movie August Osage County, in which Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts play opposite each other.

I can imagine why people don’t like this movie. It’s dark, it’s overwhelming and sometimes a little exaggerated. It comes at you as fast as a train and you don’t have the time to decide whether you want to be a part of this story. That’s how I experienced it. I was overwhelmed by the secrets, the shocking truths, the family issues and the dialogues, yet I did enjoy the movie. It is not difficult for me to understand why my aunt, for example, left the movie theater silent and in a state of shock.

Although August Osage County didn’t always receive good reviews, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not agree and rewarded Streep and Roberts with a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Streep) and Best Supporting Actress (Roberts).

The Oscars!

It was not Meryl Streep but Cate Blanchett who took the golden statuette home for her, may I say, brilliant performance in  Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmin. Perhaps no Oscar for Streep, but she did tweet for the first time and as always, Streep does it with grace. What should have been just a selfie of Ellen DeGeneres and Meryl Streep, became a real Hollywood selfie and became the most retweeted picture in history! With that, Ellen also beat President Obama.

Two, three, four, five… Wait how many upcoming movies?

That Meryl Streep’s retirement is not yet in sight, I have already said. When The Homesman released, I immediately rushed to the movie theater and found myself watching a bre  athtaking performance by not only the great Tommy Lee Jones, but also Hilary Swank, Grace Gummer, Hailee Steinfeld. Even Meryl Streep stole our hearts during the five minutes she appeared in the movie.

I saw The Giver about two weeks ago and I was positively surprised. I adored it! Every part of it, the message, the dialogues, the actors, the performances, the moral. A gorgeous movie with a coldhearted, brilliant Streep as the Chief Elder opposite the amazing Jeff Bridges.

Suffragette and Ricki and the Flash started filming last year. Masterclass, about Maria Callas, has been confirmed but has not started filming yet.

And then… guess which movie released in the States today, on Christmas Day? Yes, Into the Woods. An astonishing cast, beautiful performances and divine voices are the main ingredients of Stephen Sonheim’s musical. An adaptation of the play directed by Rob Marshall, director of Chicago.  So what do you wish for this Christmas?

A loss…

Director Mike Nichols recently left us. My prayers go out to his family and friends. Whether he was a friend, a husband or the director of your favourite movie, we all thank him for the joyful moments. Thanks for the beautiful movies you gave us.

So many great people left us this year, let’s take a moment to think of those who lost a close friend or a family member. Losing someone is like an incomplete puzzle, it’ll never be complete, just like you.

A Great Honor

We already knew that President Obama's favourite actress is Meryl Streep, but he never confessed his love for the actress like he did while honoring her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "I love Meryl Streep. Her husband knows I love her, Michelle knows I love her, and there's nothing they can do about it!" So Barack Obama has been a secret Streeper for years... Good to know! Welcome to the fandom, Mister President! 

And what happens next?

Into the Woods received a Golden Globe nomination for best musical, best supporting actress (Streep) and best actress (Emily Blunt). We are impatiently waiting for all upcoming movies (Suffragette, Ricki and the Flash, Masterclass, The Good House (if this is still happening)). 

An Inspiration

To end this post, I want to thank Meryl Streep. I've said it two thousand three hundred fifty six times, I know it, but thank you, Meryl. This year you've inspired me a lot, through movies, interviews, things you said. Thanks for being not only my, but also thousands of other people's inspiration.

I wish you a Merry… Meryl Christmas!