It's Meryl vs Viola, again

Meryl Streep reunites with Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel for a relationship comedy opposite Tommy Lee Jones, and everyone is already thinking "Oscar". Fair enough, it is Meryl Streep. Comparatively, this fits in alongside One True Thing, but minus the cancer and plus Something's Gotta Give's middle-aged  sexuality. Are you ready to see Meryl almost do bad things to a banana? I could be more excited if it had a less abysmal title that hadn't already been used once too often.

With another terrible title and potentially wearying premise, Viola Davis continues her bid for an Oscar with Won't Back Down, the story of a determined teacher and mother who risk everything to change their children's inner city school. Davis plays every inspirational teacher ever while Maggie Gyllenhaal does her take on Erin Brockovich-y feistiness. There is reason to hope for more than teeth-gritting sincerity though, as it's made by intriguing Phoebe in Wonderland writer / director Daniel Barnz and co-stars the always great Holly Hunter.

Way too soon to say Oscar, but people are saying it anyway and why not? Being nominated is at least 60% about popularity & marketing.