The Marvelous Meryl Streep

Since my obsession began with the cinema in the early 90's by spending many (THE) HOURS in an EVENING at home watching RENDITIONs of films, I thought I knew PLENTY but I have really ever known ONE TRUE THING. THE MUSIC IN MY HEART has told me that there is one PRIME actress working the cinema today. Her name is Mary Louise Streep.

I once remarked "What can't Meryl Streep do" to which my compatriot replied "...SUCK" and never has a phrase been uttered that has rung more truth in my eyes and in my heart.

On that note it is time for my Top Ten Meryl Streep performances list.


10. Mamma Mia! - The movie is not great. But it doesn't pretend to be! It is an ABBA musical for Chiquitita sake, however if there is one actress that can bring truth and emotional depth to the song The Winner Takes it All, it is La Streep. And as my facebook status suggested on the film's opening day, when Meryl Streep does a canon ball all is right in the world.
9. The River Wild - Again what can't Meryl Streep do. She can sing, do any accent, and speak multiple languages. In this 94 "classic" she also proves she can lead a fierce white water rafting trip and off Kevin Bacon pretty easily. Can you do that?
8. Kramer vs. Kramer - Oscar nom # 2 and Oscar win #1 came for this weepy flick about a mother abandoning her son and father subsequently raising him. The earliest indication of Wow this bitch can really act in in this flick. And if you're going to be abandoned by your mother, it's best that that mother is played by Meryl Streep.
7. The Simpsons - M.S. voices mischievous Jessica Lovejoy, the reverend's daughter. Again La Streep proves her talent and her sense of humor by playing the teenage cock tease. Jessica also gave me the most classic way to get out of awkward small talk. One simply utters the sentence "I have to go over here now" and you simply turn and face the other way. It works every time.
6. The Bridges of Madison County - Wouldn't we all just love to have a weekend away from our husbands and kids and have a passionate romp with a National Geographic/Bridge Loving photog? My ideal weekend would involve a weekend away from sobriety and heterosexuality with a passionate romp through a box of mint Oreos. But that's just me. Streep is incredible in this movie. Should she open the car door and get out? She will literally break your heart during that scene.
5. Adaptation - At 53 years old Streep decides to play an author who falls in love with a toothless Floridian orchid thief and subsequently poses for his porn site and does a lot of drugs with him. This movie is all about the dial tone scene. Seriously if I ever find a toothless guy who I can create a pitch perfect dial tone with, it will be a good day in Yerxaland!
4. Angels in America - Meryl Streep plays a 90 year old rabbi, a communist ghost (a ComBOOnist if you will), and a Mormon mother. This is for sure the most amazing multiple performance since Norbit. She is beyond brilliant in this. The Angel in America is Meryl fucking Streep.
3. The Devil Wears - Miranda Priestly is one of my most favorite things ever to be captured on film. She's up there with "All The Way" Mae from A League of Their Own, Princess Gisele from Enchanted and of course Miss Teen South Carolina. I personally believe that Meryl Streep is superhuman in this role. Her speech about cerulean is better than Hamlet's To Be or Not to Be. Take that Shakespeare!
2. She Devil - Of course many Streep purists may take issue with the fact that I am forgetting classics such as A Cry in the Dark, The Deer Hunter, Out of Africa (I've never seen it and I am sure it's not a yawner) and Silkwood. While others like to measure performances in emotional depth and believability, I like to measure a performance by sheer ridiculousness. How can one not adore Meryl Streep as romance novelist Mary Fisher, who falls in love with sexy Ed Begley Jr. and has her life destroyed by Roseanne of Roseanne fame. When Streep reels off such classic lines as "Would somebody get the goddamn door" to "You're a bastard" it brings joy to my life and Bambi and butterflies to my heart. Fuck South African Accents, dingos eating babies and wars and stuff. Meryl Streep pouring bleach into an entire load of colored laundry in an attempt to be domestic get my vote every time.
1. Sophie's Choice- The best performance ever captured on screen. This is true without one question of doubt in my mind. Nothing else needs to be said!