THE UNIFIED CLOONEY THEORY
If you've been reading this blog for the past couple of years, you've almost certainly seen my "Oceans 11" theory the past two summers. You know, that moment each summer when I go crazy and suggest an incredible string of unlikely scenarios that involve that cast of the Clooney/Pitt/Damon "Oceans" films.
Well, here I go again...only this year...even worse.
Start with Clooney himself...was tributed 2 years ago. Reportedly really enjoyed his own festival experience. He's on record saying he'd like to come back. Reportedly nudged Ben Affleck toward Telluride for "Argo"(on which Clooney was a producer) last year. That seemed to work out pretty well for all involved.
What's he got that could play? Scratch "The Monuments Men" which was reported last week to be unready for Venice. He is a producer on "August: Osage County". It has The Weinstein Company as its distributor. I wouldn't have thought it a likely Telluride choice but I was a little surprised that it appeared on the Toronto playlist last week...so not impossible. Clooney also appears in Alfonso Curaon's "Gravity" which, likewise, I normally wouldn't regard as a possibility but Kris Tapley at HitFix/InContention suggested that it could happen last week (he reported that Warner's team for it and Denis Villenueve's "Prisoners" will be on the ground in Telluride...ALSO SEE THE "WEIGHTLESSNESS" STORY BELOW). So, you won't be surprised that I conclude that Clooney could be in town with a flick or two.
How about Mr. Pitt? Seems like every year on about Tuesday of the week of the Festival there's a "Brad Pitt" sighting in Telluride. I haven't seen him yet...but that's not to say it couldn't happen.
Pitt is all over Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave". He's in the film. He's a producer on the film (as is T-ride-frequenter Bill Pohlad). Further, my "12 Year" vibe has gotten stronger over the last couple of weeks. I just think it's going to play. It's lack of inclusion for Venice (barring some late announcement) and its inclusion for Toronto make me feel like it has a very good chance to play The SHOW.
Pitt also is in Ridley Scott's "The Counselor" which I would love to see make Telluride's list but which also hasn't had many mentions in regard to a Telluride slot.
So Pitt has a couple of projects in the "possible" bag.
And Mr. Damon?
He's in "Elysium" out this weekend. He's in "The Monuments Men"...see above...but hold on...he also appears in Terry Gilliam's "The Zero Theorem". Gilliam's been to T-ride before. Damon co-stars with Clooney's co-tributee from 2011...Tilda Swinton. The cast is led by double Oscar winner Christoph Waltz. So, again, improbable but not impossible.
As sort of a subsidiary to the "Oceans 3" Ben Affleck appears in "Runner Runner"...so...you know...maybe.
And then there are the other webs that spring from all of this.
Like The Coen Brothers...
As you know, I've been thinking that "Inside Llewyn Davis" might be happening for a few weeks now. It actually has made its way onto the "Ten Bets" list. I think the Coens might be one of the Tributes this year.
And they do have a place in the "United Clooney Theory". Clooney has appeared for them in "O Brother Where Art Thou?", "Intolerable Cruelty" and "Burn After Reading". Also don't forget that Pitt was the lead in "Burn After Reading" and that Damon was in "True Grit" for them.
Then there's the Alexander Payne part of the "UCT"...Payne and Clooney working together on "The Descendants". Payne is very likely to be in Tellruride with "Nebraska"
And finally, let's not forget Jason Reitman who cast Clooney in his 2009 Oscar nominee "Up in the Air" and whom I'm betting will return to Telluride this year with "Labor Day" starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin (also a Coens favorite of late with "No Country for Old Men" and "True Grit").
So, how much of any of this happens?
The most likely story is that "Llewyn", "12 Years" and "Labor Day" play. "Osage County", "Zero Theorem", "Gravity", "Runner" while all possible, seem unlikely and Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Affleck and Brolin are not in town. But, you never know...
WEIGHTLESSNESS IN TELLURIDE?
Jeff Wells and Sasha Stone sat down and re-opened their Oscar Poker collaboration on Sunday which included some talk of Telluride. The big news is that they all but claim Alfonso Curaon's "Gravity" starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (see above) will play the Telluride Festival. Both seem a bit coy about it but they don't leave much doubt that they think it will play.
Both are also high on "All is Lost". Wells says he's "heard" "Inside Llewyn Davis" is on its way and that a Coens Tribute is possible. They also toss around "An Invisible Woman" as a probable choice for T-ride.
Meanwhile, Wells says he thinks "Blue is the Warmest Color" is likely but Stone disagrees.
Stone says "Labor Day" is sure and they both agree "Nebraska" is likely.
You can find the entire podcast here:
http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/images/column/newyork2013/stone2.mp3
MORE FROM HOLLYWOOD ELSEWHERE
Yesterday I posted a link from Jeff Wells' Hollywood Elsewhere that declaimed the likelihood of "Inside Llewyn Davis", "All is Lost" and "Nebraska" as part of this year's Telluride lineup. Today add to the pile: Ralph Fiennes "An Invisible Woman". This adds credence to our posting for some time now that the film is a choice for T-ride going back to an English online newspaper account quoting Felicity Jones.
The Wells piece is here:
http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2013/08/an-appearance-of-propriety/
COENS AND TELEVISION?
As we get closer to this year's festival and the very real possibility that The Coen Brothers "Inside Llewyn Davis" as a part of the program I am very attuned to all things Coen so it was easy to notice this news: Word early this week that the Coen Brothers world will come to television, FX specifically, with a program based on "Fargo". Coen Brothers semi-regular Billy Bob Thornton is reportedly set to star (and is said to be playing the Steve Buscemi role). Take a look at the story as reported from The Wrap and The Playlist:
https://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/tca-billy-bob-thornton-signs-fxs-fargo-107986
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/billy-bob-thornton-reteams-with-coens-to-star-in-fargo-tv-series-20130802
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More on Wednesday.
Just finished Claire Tomalin's "The Invisible Woman" in preparation for a possible showing at TFF40. The book was fascinating, so here's hoping the movie will do the story justice. A bit surprised by the casting of Ralph Finnes though... I mean, he's a great actor and I'm sure he'll perform the part well, but going on looks alone, they should have cast Richard Schiff. He looks exactly like Dickens:
ReplyDeletehttp://photo.goodreads.com/books/1229925996l/390446.jpg
http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Richard-Schiff.jpg
These men are identical!