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Monday, February 10, 2014

The Playlist's Top Fifty/Berlin in Progress/"12 Years" Wins USC Scripter

THE PLAYLIST'S TOP FIFTY



On Thursday I took a look at the films that The Playlist had deemed the 100 Most Anticipated films of 2014 focusing on the films that they had placed 51-100 that seemed, at least to me, to be the most Telluride likely films..  Today a look at the films in their list from 1-50 that may have Telluride potential.

#42-"Love and Mercy"-Bill Pohlad directs this biography of Beach Boys legend Brain Wilson with Paul Dano and John Cusack splitting the role.  Pohlad's participation makes this a likely film for Telluride.

#40-"Squirrel to the Nuts"- Peter Bogdonavich returns to directing.  Bogdo has had a long history with Telluride, though I don't think he's been there since 2006 (he is, however, still listed as being on TFF's Council of Advisors) so I'm actually on the fence about whether to include this as a possibility.  "Nuts" stars Jennifer Aniston and Imogen Poots.

#36-"Men, Women and Children"- Jason Reitman's next project would normally be a no-brainer for Telluride but...given that "Labor Day" didn't exactly overwhelm and Toronto's ultimatum from a couple of weeks ago, this film is not as certain for T-ride as it might have been in the past.  Plus, I'm NOT a fan of Adam Sandler...

#34- Justin Kurzel's "Macbeth" with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard.  I have no real, objective reason for this film to be a Telluride possibility save for it's distribution from The Weinstein Company.  Still, I'm keeping it on this (and other) lists...because hope dies hard.

#31-"Mr. Turner"-Mike Leigh's biography of Brit art legend J.M.W. Turner starring Timothy Spall.  SPC has the distribution.  It's a solid bet to play Telluride.

#26-"Eden" Mia Hansen-Love directs with Greta Gerwig in the cast.  Hansen-Love was at Telluride in 2011 with her "Goodbye First Love".  She could easily return.

#17- "Sils Maria" Olivier Assayas could return to Telluride with this film featuring Chloe Grace Moretz, Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart.  Assayas has been involved at T-ride previously with "Irma Vep" in '96 and "Carlos" in 2010.  IFC Films has the distribution.

#14 "Two Days One Night"- Marion Cotillard stars in this film from the Dardennes brothers.  I expect a Cannes premiere and a Telluride bow.  The Dardennes were tributed at Telluride in 2005 and also showed "The Kid with a Bike" in 2011.  Sundance Selects has the U.S. distribution for the film.

#10-"Birdman"- Directed and co-written by Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu...his first comedy stars Michael Keaton, Emma Stone and Edward Norton among others.  Inarritu has been a Telluride fixture since "Babel" in 2006.  "Biutiful" played there as well in 2010.  I spoke to him this past year at TFF #40.  He was there...just to be there (and I expect in support of his buddy Alfonso Cuaron).  Fox Searchlight has "Birdman" under its wing.

#8-"While We're Young"-One of two Noah Baumbach projects that could land in the Telluride lineup.  This one stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts.  Baumbach has also made Telluride a semi-frequent hangout with "France Ha" in 2012 and "Margot at the Wedding" in 2007.



#5-"Foxcatcher"- Bennett Miller's Olympic wrestling film with Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum that got bumped from 2013.  Still regarded as a potential awards vehicle and under the distribution of SPC.  I think/hope this could emerge on Telluride's playlist.



The Playlist's 50 Most Anticipated Films for 2014 can be found here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/we-rank-the-100-most-anticipated-films-of-2014-the-best-films-of-the-2014-20140102


BERLIN IN PROGRESS



The Berlin International Film Festival in Germany has begun.  Berlin has a fair history of providing Telluride programmers with film fare for Labor Day weekend.  In the recent past Berlin exhibited these films that then played Telluride:

2012: "Barbara" and "A Royal Affair"
2011: "A Separation", "The Turin Horse" and "Pina"
2010: None
2009: "Gigante" and "London River"
2008: "Happy Go Lucky" and "I've Loved You So Long"

"The 2013 Berlin Connection":  The overlap between Telluride and Berlin was a little larger last year than usual: "Fifi Howls with Happiness", "Gloria", La Maison de la Radio" and "Slow Food Story".  Four films played both fests.

The Hollywood Reporter filed this story with a comprehensive look at the films playing at Berlin 2014:


What might end up at Telluride?  That'll likely depend on buzz and awards at the end of the festival.  At the moment, the films that I think sound intriguing are : "71", "Aloft" and "Two Men in Town".


12 YEARS A SLAVE WINS USC SCRIPTER AWARD



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