“The Homesman” has celebrated its world-premiere at the Cannes Film Festival today. Tommy Lee Jones, who’s written, directed and stars in the film, was in attendance, alongside Hilary Swank. A selection of reviews have been collected below.

The Hollywood Reporter, Todd McCarthy
An absorbing, melancholy look at the hard lot of women in the Old West. In what’s probably her best big screen role since Million Dollar Baby, Swank is obliged to keep Mary Bee’s emotions in tight check, but the pain her valiant character bottles up emerges in piercing flashes to lasting effect. Jones’ scalawag is a man on the run from everything he’s ever done in his life, and director guides himself to a performance that is mildly amusing and glancingly poignant by turns. The rest of the cast constitutes a colorful gallery off-center characters for whom life has not worked out just as they might have hoped.

Variety, Peter Debruge
Unlike other actor-directors, Jones never seems to indulge excess on the part of his cast. Though the characters are strong, the performances are understated. Even the three ladies settle into a state of near-catatonia after awhile, rather than indulging their various “hysterias.” In the past, people have whispered about Jones’ attitudes toward women; with this film, he says a thing or two on the subject with a sensitivity that comes as a welcome surprise.

Screen Daily, Allan Hunter
The Homesman opts for a less conventional, less sentimental narrative that shows how everyone is marked by the West. Lyrical and touching with nicely-etched moments from a supporting cast that includes John Lithgow and Meryl Streep, The Homesman also contains one unexpected development that further underlines the tragic lives of the men and women who tamed the West.

The Telegraph, Robbie Collin
Tommy Lee Jones’s new Western, The Homesman, tells a tale John Ford perhaps never could have, although in just about the most full-throatedly Fordian way imaginable. Jones’s western about a woman’s lot on the wild frontier refuses to sugar-coat its subject, and is all the more satisfying for it. Swank and Jones are sensational.

Indiewire, Oliver Lyttleton
Too meditative to tick boxes for the gunplay crowd, and too silly and uneven for the arthouse gang, the film will likely be dismissed by many as a misfire. But in a festival with a lot of thoroughly decent, well-made, tasteful pictures that didn’t quite have us swooning, we savored the chance to sit through something a little more unruly […] Meryl Streep in a cameo that likely took all of an afternoon to shoot.

Slant Magazine, Budd Wilkins
For a while, it seems the film intends something uncommon: to speak for the experiences of frontierswomen caught in the clutches of harsh terrain and even harsher menfolk and driven thereby beyond the brink of sanity. But therein lies the rub. The Homesman speaks for its female characters, but, with the notable exception of Hilary Swank’s upright and uptight Mary Bee Cuddy, never lets them speak for themselves. Even worse is Meryl Streep’s Methodist matriarch, who doesn’t even want to hear about the women’s plight. When asked, reasonably enough, if she has the skill set to care for their needs, she replies rather ominously: “I think this room can hold them.” (As though the Black Mariah that serves as their transport from Nebraska to Iowa weren’t indignity enough.)

Tactic Film, Pete Turner
Saving the souls of three women driven to insanity by desperate circumstances, The Homesman delivers a strong heroine prepared to make an incredible sacrifice. With Swank and Tommy Lee Jones giving the grand standing central performances, the remainder of the cast is dotted with big names given relatively little to do but all getting to make some impact in their limited scenes. Most notably, Meryl Streep and Hailee Steinfeld are dependable as women encountered on the journey while Tim Blake Nelson gets a wonderfully funny interlude when he gets into fight with Jones’ slowly warming wise cracker.

The first batch of production stills from “The Homesman” have been released, and five pictures of Meryl as Minister’s wife Altha Carter have been added to the image library. The career page for “The Homesman” has been updates as well with the production notes for the film. Scroll down for an excerpt.

Meryl Streep needs no praise; she’s got plenty of it. She’s one of the finest movie actors in the history of cinema, and I’m very happy to call her a friend, because to be a friend of hers is another total joy. (Tommy Lee Jones, Production Notes)

Screenwriter Wes Oliver recalled the early development of “The Homesman”, when both Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep were shooting “Hope Springs”: “They were shooting in Connecticut and we spent time with Tommy on the set. In between their scenes, we would work on The Homesman. Tommy would do a scene with Meryl, come across the street, work with us, go back across the street and jump a hundred and fifty years forward in time back into a romantic comedy. It was a remarkable achievement on his part to be able to do that. I was very impressed. And it was also helpful for us because it I think energized our writing process. We were surrounded by a film crew, and by the excitement of a film already in production.”

Meryl has attended two events this week and the last. She was a guest at the FAPE Dinner at the U.S. Department of State on May 07. And yesterday, she joined Phaidon (who recently published the book “Meryl Streep: Anatomy of an Actor“) for the book launch of “Bruce Nauman: The True Artist”. Pictures from both events can be found in the image library.

Just in time for the world-premiere of “The Homesman” at the Cannes Film Festival, a first batch of clips have been released, one of them including a scene with Meryl (which, I guess, is a great deal of her screen time already). In the scene, Altha Carter (Meryl Streep) gives shelter to George Briggs (Tommy Lee Jones) and the three women (Miranda Otto, Sonja Richter, Grace Gummer) he has escorted. Additionally, four more clips have been added to the archives: Meryl’s speech at the Women’s Refugee Commission back on May 01, her very odd opening number with Joe Grifasi for Lewis Black’s Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser and a narration video she did for the N.Y. Summer Tourism campaign. Then, the “Sophie’s Choice” roundtable interview have been updated with more excerpts. More information and pictures on “The Homesman” will follow this weekend. For now, enjoy the clips. Many thanks to Michael and Juha for the heads-up.

Video Archive – Career Videos – The Homesman – The Homesman Film Scene 01
Video Archive – Career Videos – Sophie’s Choice – 30th Anniversary Roundtable
Video Archive – Public Appearances – 2014 – Women’s Refugee Commission
Video Archive – Miscellaneous – 2014 – Lewis Black’s Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser
Video Archive – Miscellaneous – 2014 – N.Y. Summer Tourism Advertisment

All movie albums from 1984 to 1990 have been updated. Images have been sorted and replaced by better resolution version. Lots of new pictures have been added as well. For a complete list, click any of the previews below. Enjoy the new additions.

Image Library – Feature Films – 1990 – Postcards from the Edge
Image Library – Feature Films – 1989 – She-Devil
Image Library – Feature Films – 1988 – A Cry in the Dark
Image Library – Feature Films – 1987 – Ironweed
Image Library – Feature Films – 1986 – Heartburn
Image Library – Feature Films – 1985 – Plenty
Image Library – Feature Films – 1985 – Out of Africa
Image Library – Feature Films – 1984 – Falling in Love

On May 01, Meryl Streep attended the Women’s Refugee Commission 25th Anniversary Voices Of Courage Awards luncheon as a guest speaker. Held at New York’s famed Cipriani restaurant, the event honoured three remarkable former refugees: Liberian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Sierra Leone’s Chernor Bah and Mary Tal from Cameroon. Pictures from the event can be found in the image library with more information, and additional gallery updates, below. Edit: Additional pictures from the Voices of Courage Awards have been added, plus a picture from last week’s Poetry & the Creative Mind with thanks to Joan for the heads-up.

Meryl took the time to pose on arrival with peace activist and one of the event’s honorees, Leymah Gbowee, as well as Women’s Refugee Commission board member Jocelyn Cunningham. The Women’s Refugee Commission is a research and advocacy organisation which aims improve the lives and protect the rights of women, children and youth displaced by war, persecution and natural disasters. Alongside the new additions, pictures from previous events have been uploaded as well. Many thanks for Claudia for sending in some of the Monte Christo Award additions.

Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – Poetry & the Creative Mind (April 24, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award – Ceremony (April 21, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – Indiana University – IU Cinema Panel (April 16, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – Indiana University – Master Class (April 16, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – UMass Lowell – A Conversation with Meryl Streep (April 01, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – UMass Lowell – Q&A with Theater Arts majors (April 01, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – “Sophie’s Choice” Anniversary Roundtable (March 05, 2014)

Three of Meryl’s stage productions have been updated in the image library. Most of the images have been replaced with better resolution images and some great additions have been made as well. There are rehearsal pictures from Meryl’s time at the Eugene O’Neil Theater Center (who has honored Meryl with their Monte Christo Award this week), pictures from the Public Theater’s 1979 production of “Taken in Marriage”, as well as some stunning new pictures from the Shakespeare in the Park production of “Taming of the Shrew”. Many thanks to Holly for submitting the latter pictures. Enjoy the new uploads.

Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Production Stills
Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Promotional Pictures
Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Rehearsals Pictures
Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Posters & Key-Art
Career – 1978 – The Taming of the Shrew – Production Stills
Career – 1978 – The Taming of the Shrew – Behind the Scenes
Career – 1975 – Eugene O’Neil Theater Center – Production Stills
Career – 1975 – Eugene O’Neil Theater Center – Rehearsals Pictures

Additional pictures from the 14th Annual Monte Christo Award have been added to the image library.

Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award – Arrivals(April 21, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award – Ceremony (April 21, 2014)

Meryl Streep and Neil Young will help pay tribute to Hollywood heavyweight Jonathan Demme at The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) in Pleasantville on June 14. Streep will present the JBFC Vision Award to the legendary director of films including “Philadelphia” and “The Silence of the Lambs.” The Westchester resident will not only be recognized for his Oscar-winning work, he will also be celebrated for his ongoing involvement with the nonprofit cultural arts center. “Whether working with students at the Media Arts Lab, mentoring our faculty and staff, hosting our monthly Rarely Seen Cinema series, or serving on the JBFC Board of Directors, Jonathan’s impact on the Burns has been nothing short of transformative,” the center said in its announcement. “We are joyful and grateful for this opportunity to publicly thank and celebrate Jonathan for his many contributions to the JBFC and world of cinema.” Neil Young and other special guests will also participate in the tribute, which will be part of the Jacob Burns Film Center’s 2014 Anniversary Celebration. The event, including a cocktail reception and seated dinner, will benefit the center’s film, education and outreach programs. To learn more about invitations and tickets, visit the Jacob Burns website. Many thanks to Glenn and Frank for the heads-up.

Three new video clips have been added to the video archive. There’s a compilation of news reports on Meryl receiving the Monte Christo Award by the Eugene O’Neil Theatre Center. Then, a report on the Indiana University Honorary Degree. The third clip is an excerpt from the 30th Anniversary roundtable discussion on “Sophie’s Choice”, which will be featured on the film’s Blu-Ray, out on April 29 in the USA.