The Iron Lady

In addition to the following releases, Into the Abyss and Sleeping Beauty are also available.

The Iron Lady

Meryl Streep won the Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in this political biopic. The film spans the life of the influential prime minister, spending a fair amount of time showing Thatcher's descent into dementia but also utilizing flashbacks to her personal life at the peak of her career. It gives great insight into the way Thatcher broke down gender barriers and the challenges she faced, making it a good pick for historians and film buffs alike. The DVD includes a making-of featurette, a look at Thatcher's husband, and a bit on the subject's historical context.

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The Darkest Hour

Starring Emile Hirsch, The Darkest Hour is an action-packed thriller that follows a group of 20-somethings as they travel to Moscow and get more than they bargained for when aliens wage an attack. The twist is that the invaders can see the humans, but not vice versa. DVD extras include a short epilogue to the film, commentary by director Chris Gorak, deleted and extended scenes, and a "Visualizing the Invasion" featurette.

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Love or hate Margaret Thatcher's conservative politics, you can't deny her life story is intriguing. Meryl Streep's performance as the UK's only female prime minister in The Iron Lady has rightfully garnered award season buzz. Through flashbacks and scenes in the present day, Meryl brings to life a woman at the height of power and in the depths of grief. Here are four reasons any strong woman should watch the film about the lady with an iron will.

1. It's honest about aging. I thought The Iron Lady would spend most of its time back in the 1980s. So I was surprised to see how much of the film focused on modern-day Margaret Thatcher, who is dealing with what appears to be dementia, grief, and irrelevance in modern society. Juxtaposing Margaret at her prime and then in her older age demonstrates that she's lived a full life with many highs. But it also makes you reflect on the inevitability of aging. Our lives can be filled with success and a great romance, but The Iron Lady offers young women an insightful peek at the melancholic chapter of life that comes after that. It gives the audience an elderly woman we can empathize with, not just a grandma caricature.
2. There's an unusual love story. Unlike the typical relationship dynamic we see in movies or TV, in The Iron Lady the woman is the power player in the relationship. Margaret Thatcher's husband takes backseat to her career, and during her prime minster days we see her struggle to make time for her relationship and give her devoted husband more attention. When the film flashes forward to present day, it deals with Margaret Thatcher's horrifying grief and denial over her husband's passing. Meryl Streep's performance as an older woman longing for her beloved husband will help you relate to a grandparent, parent, or anyone else who has lost a partner.
3. Femininity is an asset. In The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher breaks down gender barriers to become Britain's first woman prime minister. But while she take lessons to make her voice sound more authoritative, she insists that keeping her pearls is non-negotiable. It seems Margaret Thatcher knew women had assets men don't posses. For example, in one scene she uses shared motherhood to connect with mothers who had lost their sons at war. As Margaret writes a letter, she notes she is the only PM in history who is a mother with a son, assuring the grieving mother that she can truly imagine her pain.
4. It's an important moment in history. Margaret Thatcher witnessed views about a woman's role broaden dramatically in her lifetime and helped changed perceptions, too. Starting with a fresh-faced Maggie eager to go to Oxford, The Iron Lady tells the story of a woman with ambitious goals, and the entrenched and sexiest biases she must overcome to accomplish them. In the film, Margaret says "one's life must matter" — and she means that for both men and women.

The first glimpse we had at Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher was very brief, but the full trailer for The Iron Lady fully introduces us to Streep as Britain's first female prime minister. The preview follows Thatcher in her career struggles, makeovers and all, and we also get to see behind the scenes of Thatcher's personal life. Jim Broadbent plays her husband Denis, who gives her as much criticism as support.

While the film looks like it follows a standard biopic formula, I'm always eager to see another Meryl transformation. Her acting appears to be as superior as always, and there were even times during the trailer that I forgot who I was watching. The Iron Lady will be released on Dec. 30, but watch the trailer now after the jump.

We all oohed and ahhed over the first photo of Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, but now we've got a full-on impression to dissect. The first trailer for The Iron Lady is a brief but satisfying first glimpse of Streep's impersonation of the former British prime minister. The movie is set to hit theaters in December, the perfect time for the historical drama to be waved under the noses of Oscar voters.

See Streep's accent (and teeth!) at work when you read more

Is there anything Meryl Streep can't do? For her next role, she's stepping into the shoes (and amazing coif) of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Here is the first shot of her in character as Thatcher alongside a shot of the real historical figure. Pretty uncanny, right?

The upcoming biopic focuses on Thatcher's life and career just before the Falklands War in the early '80s, and is directed by Phyllida Lloyd, who was also Streep's Mamma Mia! director. American actress Streep is leading a cast of English actors like Jim Broadbent. Like I said, is there anything she can't do? I hope she has room on that Oscar shelf at home.