Ladies and gentlemen, fight fans of all ages, tonight we convene a contest for the heavyweight actress championship of the world. In the red corner, fresh from her summer hit Wanted as well as delivering a set of twins while serving as surrogate mom for the civilized world… Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie in Changeling.
And in the blue corner sits a veritable veteran, a lithe lioness who’s taken all comers and emerged victorious. Most recently singing her way to box-office glory in Mamma Mia… Academy Award winner Meryl Streep in Doubt.
See if you agree with my handicapping, after the jump.
For us mere moviegoers, this doesn’t have to be a competition. We cansee both of these — and, Lord help me, I do so very much want to —without having to pick favorites. And, since the overwhelming majorityof us don’t get to vote for who’ll win Best Actress, we can do sowithout a horse in this particular race. All of that said, I’m a weebit more stoked about Doubt —while the righteous campaign Jolie’s melancholy mom wages to get herson back looks to be devastating, I’m more engaged by the quicksilvermorality play of Doubt.
Plus, I just like the fact that the Doubt trailer doesn’t have anyone crying, and that’s the one thing I don’t like about the Changelingspot: that Jolie spends so much time in tears. I understand its about awoman grieving over the loss of her child, and given that this is whatthe film is about, it’s appropriate. It’s just… so often, greatfemale roles are saddled with an attendant hysteria (and I mean thatliterally) in a way that makes the roles about their femininity. Sometimes that’s a completely valid choice: The lead in The Accused had to be a woman, as did the main character in Little Children. But what’s so refreshing to me about Doubt is the same thing that drew me to Kathy Bates in Misery or Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction:What defines Meryl Streep’s Sister Aloysius is not that she has girlparts, it’s a larger mania; what drives her is a more universal hunger.
And you? Which of these will get your Oscar-bait money: one, both, or neither?
Comments (1-30) of 55 Add your comment
My money is in both…this is the first time I’m actually looking forward to see and Angelina Jolie movie so that’s a good sign….and Meryl Streep keeps getting better and better, her character in this movie seems so good…can’t wait to watch them both.
i will see changeling simply because it has Jeffrey Donovan in it.
I think I’m a bit more excited about Angelina Jolie’s performance in “The Changeling.” When Jolie is on she can be electrifying. Still, “Doubt” looks intriguing. I get what you’re saying about female roles. It’s true, but I’m just happy to see 2 great looking ones coming to a theater near me this Fall.
Is it wrong to predict an Oscar nomination based on a trailer? Hoffman, Streep, and Adams all look worthy!
Both are strong picks for nomination, but I still feel like someone waiting in the wings will end up winning the Oscar. If not in a Marion Cotillard way (granted, her movie came out early), I feel like we’re missing that level of performance from this year’s race so far. Anne Hathaway might be nominated (certainly Golden Globe), but won’t win. Melissa Leo = Amy Ryan-like newcomer who might be nominated but can’t win. Maybe Nicole Kidman will surprise critics in Australia; Baz knows her well. Actually, I think this is Kate Winslet’s year. Her scenes in Revolutionary Road look no better than the clips here, but she’s playing a Holocaust survivor in The Reader — true Oscar bait from someone who’s really overdue (arguably more overdue for her first Oscar then Meryl is for her third — just because Kate needs one already). She might go supporting for The Reader, though. In that case especially, then, when in doubt, go with Meryl. But I’m withholding predix in this race for now.
i can’t stand jolie’s voice in changeling. as an actress, she’s so ‘meh’ to me. i cannot wait to see meryl streep and kate winslet this fall movie season. also, i wish Laura Linney had been given jolie’s part in ‘changeling’. she’s a far superior actress and does brittle and unnerved really well.
definitely angelina jolie. the trailer for changeling flew by but i felt every second of the one for doubt. bonus jeffrey donovan and john malkovich are in it too.
Angelina isn’t even a contestant from what I have seen of the trailer and usually they put the best of the best in the trailer. Her accent is way annoying and sounds forced. Too bad it seems like it could have been a great movie.
Meh to ‘Doubt.’ The setup looks promising but the second half of the trailer runs out of steam. ‘Changeling’ is a mystery/thriller/film noir with a load of twists the trailer (thankfully) doesn’t even hint at. And Jolie spends the trailer in tears? Really? We must have watched different trailers. She looks to me to be turning in a rollercoaster of a performance.
Oh, & Clint Eastwood’s directing. So, yeah, definitely ‘Changeling.’
OMG
Meryl Streep gives me Chills!
She is Such a Brillant Actress
Whe she says “You Will lose”
Its so Freaky!! she is just sO PERFECT!
xx
MERYL STREEP!!!! There is nobody like her and it’s been way too long since she last got an Oscar. She has been AMAZING in Mamma Mia! and she will take our breath away in “Doubt” from what we can see of the trailer. Meryl is getting better and better with every movie, she deserved every Oscar nominations she’s ever got, and she deserved to win every time too, so 2009 should be the year of her 3rd Oscar! It HAS to be!!!!
Considering everyone was perdicting Angelina would be nominated due to the Pearl movie last year and she wasn’t even close, and the movie bombed. So don’t put all your eggs in the basket due to a trailer as people say; the trailer scenes are sometimes the best things about the movie. Angelina has shown only her risque, action movies make money. Her tear jerkers not even close. So I am even even buying it. Now Meryl most likely, since the movie has to bomb for her not to get a nomination.
I saw “Doubt” onstage in Atlanta a few months ago. It was so powerful. And the casting for the film looks pitch-perfect. If I had to choose between MS and AJ, Meryl all the way. (But I agree with some of the other posters; I think that 2008 will be someone else’s year — hopefully Kate Winslet’s.)
MS gives an outstanding performance. if it’s a poopularity contest, then AJ will get a nod. that accent is annoying as is the makeup. guess clint wanted a pretty face to film. if it’s in HD i’ll watch. but you’ll never see her without makeup and her acting is not very honest it is rather theaterical and overblown.
There is no contest here. Streep. Hands down. Streep. You could have titled this post Streep and that would’ve been enough.
Definately Angelina!
Streep hands down. AJ is just not that great of an actress, everything with her seems forced and over the top.
Meryl Streep of course!! Long, long overdue for an Oscar. How many knock out performances does she have to give before the academy gives her another statue?? It’s crazy…they gave Reese Witherspoon an Oscar for playing June Carter..a woman who never even had a good singing voice to begin with. As an actress I love Jolie but I don’t think she deserves a nomination for this role. The true race will be Winslet VS Streep and I’ll be happy with either one,
Thanks for bringing us to the ring. I am more in favour of Doubt after seeing both the trailers. Streep has been delivering sterling performances every time she gets a movie and yet we are to see her win her third Oscar, which she so rightfully deserves. The Doubt trailer is just so right.
I really hope Jolie gets nominated for an Oscar for Changeling. She was unfairly snubbed for her great subtle performance in A Mighty Heart.
Angelina isn’t even a contestant from what I have seen of the trailer and usually they put the best of the best in the trailer. Her accent is way annoying and sounds forced. Too bad it seems like it could have been a great movie.
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Um..Did you not read the reviews from critics at Cannes? Everyone from Variety to Hollywood Reporter praised the film as Best Picture worthy and an Oscar worthy performance for Jolie. They all said it was better than Jolie’s performance in A Mighty Heart.
Considering everyone was perdicting Angelina would be nominated due to the Pearl movie last year and she wasn’t even close, and the movie bombed. So don’t put all your eggs in the basket due to a trailer as people say; the trailer scenes are sometimes the best things about the movie. Angelina has shown only her risque, action movies make money. Her tear jerkers not even close. So I am even even buying it. Now Meryl most likely, since the movie has to bomb for her not to get a nomination.
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Jolie was still in the Oscar race, and snubbed, Just because she was snubbed, it does not mean her performance was not raved. She received various critics nominations, SAG, GG, Critixs Choice Award, ISA, etc. Also the difference between AMH and Changeling is that for AMH only Jolie’s performance got the Oscar Buzz. For Changeling, it’s reviews all predicted it to get Best Picture and other Oscar nominations. AMH was directed by Michael W, Changeling by Oscar fav Clint E.
It’s almost ridiculous how good Streep is, so I give her the edge in this matchup.
However, Jolie looks like she’s pretty great in “Changeling”, which is the first movie of hers I’ve been interested in seeing in theatres since, um…
Meryl Streep of course!! Long, long overdue for an Oscar. How many knock out performances does she have to give before the academy gives her another statue?? It’s crazy…they gave Reese Witherspoon an Oscar for playing June Carter..a woman who never even had a good singing voice to begin with. As an actress I love Jolie but I don’t think she deserves a nomination for this role. The true race will be Winslet VS Streep and I’ll be happy with either one,
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How can you say that Jolie doesn’t deserve a nomination? Jolie was Oscar worthy in A Mighty Heart, and was unfortunatley snubbed. So she more reasons to be nominated this year. Also the critics all praised Jolie’s performance, claiming it was her best to date. At AwardsDailyForums, a suer who saw it at Cannes said it was way better that Marion Cotillard’s performance in La Vie En Rose. Jolie is underrated as an actress because of her tabloid overexposure.
Jolie is underrated as an actress because of her tabloid overexposure. She’s had several award winning/critically acclaimed performances such as Girl Interrupted, Gia, George Wallace, Playing By Heart, Hackers, The Bone Collector, Pushing Tin, Foxfire, The Good Shepherd, The Fever, and A Mighty Heart. She just has a bad habit of choosing some films for the paycheck and not the great script.
The trailer for Changeling is misleading because it makes people think its a mental hospital film like Cuckoo’s Nest. In fact for those who have read the script like myself (I own a copy), we know that there are at most 5 small scenes in the film that take place in the mental hospital. The trailer is also misleading people to think this will be an overthetop role for Jolie. In fact her role in the script is very subtle. I understand why they showed her flashier scenes in the trailer because it definitley got people’s attention.
Jolie is a mediocre actress at best. DEAL WITH IT. to the person (anonymous?) who keeps posting these replies, are you Jolie’s publicist, or Jolie herself? the films you named Jolie in, they’re all lackluster, so there’s your proof. Jolie isn’t one-tenth of the actor Streep is, and she never will be.
I think it’s ironic that Marc Bernadin the author of this blurb, talks about how “great women’s roles,” are so often saddled with -”lots of crying.” Then admits that sometimes that’s a valid choice, and further states that they are “great” roles. So what’s the problem? Is it that you don’t like women crying in films? I bet Sophie’s Choice made you quite disgusted eh? Nevermind the holocaust part — just all that wailing away by Streep. Hmmm. Read your history books, women have a lot to cry about – and this woman, Christine Collins in particular. So I really don’t get your point. You’re telling us you don’t like women cryining even in great roles, when that choice is valid and justified. Um, okay.Also, you know what I don’t like. Sensationlistic ‘critics,’ pitting women against each other, to fire up a msg board sentiment ‘against,’ one or ‘for,’ the other. The writer of this piece had to know it would degenerate into snark. It’s gratifying seeing SOME posters refusing to take bait.
Last time I checked, both Streep and Jolie had Oscars, and multiple other awards between them. So, may I ask the posters at this msg board to cease and desist, and to not take the bait by this writer in his attempt to make this into a premature two-woman mud wrestling contest, probably designed to get Angelina beat up on. Dude this is so NOT a cool article. I guess a write-up about how they both gave great performances, is out of the question eh? More fun when people are signing on to rip Jolie to shreds, because you chose to put her up against an icon of acting. That’s it Marc! Dangle that red meat in front of jealous envious snarky women. Attaboy.
Jolie is a mediocre actress at best. DEAL WITH IT. to the person (anonymous?) who keeps posting these replies, are you Jolie’s publicist, or Jolie herself? the films you named Jolie in, they’re all lackluster, so there’s your proof. Jolie isn’t one-tenth of the actor Streep is, and she never will be.
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Since when was I comparing Jolie to Meryl Streep? I was just saying that Jolie herself is underrated as an actress.