Happy New Year!

One of the best films of 1990 is Postcards From the Edge.  Everything about it is brilliant from the opening, to Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, the rest of the cast, Mike Nichols' shrewd direction, Carrie Fischer's witty dialogue, to the uplifting ending where Streep sings "I'm Checking Out" written by Shel Silverstein (! Where the Sidewalk Ends !), backed up by Toronto's Blue Rodeo (!).  The band's "Trust Yourself" was one of my fave songs when I was a kid.  Loved, loved that tune to death.  The finale to the film shines a light (literally and figuratively) on Streep's talents as a singer and serves as the coda to her character's continuing struggle with drugs.  While the movie doesn't strive for grand realism concerning the addictive personality, it's a personal story none-the-less that shows off Fischer acerbic, heightened, observational style, as well as a window into how she deals with her life and problems.  Being born into Hollywood royalty was a mixed blessing for her, but through all of her sarcasm she can conveniently afford unlike others dealing with the same problems, her Postcards offers reconciling with the past, looking ahead, and hope.  No Obi-Wan Kenobi necessary here. Sometimes, Princess Leia, you are *our* only hope.  And, that's what the New Year is all about: hope for a brighter future and the willingness to follow suit with your actions.

The film was shamefully nominated for only two Academy Awards.  MacLaine, Fischer, among others were robbed.  Thankfully, the AMPAS did recognize Streep for her turn as Suzanne Vale, as well as Silverstein for his song.  Reba McEntire performed the tune on Oscar night.  There is no cutaway to Streep, because she wasn't in attendance that night, so there would be no preservation of meta-aspects for pop culture history.

They both lost to equally brilliant contenders: Kathy Bates (Misery) and Stephen Sondheim ("Sooner or Later" from Dick Tracy).  Of course, Madonna was there.  She offered one of the most memorable Oscar footnotes and "Best Song" performances ever with a burlesque tease opening and closing, in only the way Her Madgeness can deliver.  I can't tell if she's lip-syncing (she sounds great).  However, her lack of "movie legitimacy" kept her from ever being truly accepted by her non-music peers.  What an awkward, sassy, delicious moment in AMPAS history.  

No cutaways to recent former lover Warren Beatty, nor his new squeeze, future wife, and soon-to-be baby mama Annette Bening.  Hello!?  Opportunities, stuffy bores!

Annette Bening while her name is announced in the Supporting Actress category

Happy New Year!