BOLO (BE ON THE LOOKOUT): NOMADLAND
Frances McDormand in Nomadland (photo via Fox Searchlight)
I don't always include news here when I come across news of films that seem to have the right mix of ingredients to become a selection for the Telluride Film Festival. Most of the time I note whatever it is and store away its information and whatever news I have uncovered in a "Future Telluride" file that I keep. Periodically I'll check that file and see what, if anything has or looks like it might pan out for Labor Day weekend.
Sometimes, however, something pops up that feels like such a realistic possibility that I skip the filing altogether and one of those instances happened this week with the revelation that director Chloe Zhao was working on an under-the-radar film.
That's notable as Zhao's last film was The Rider which played TFF #44 to tremendous acclaim and was released in 2018 and earned mentions among many critics "Best Of" lists and five Spirit Award nominations including one for Best Picture.
That, by itself would have been enough for me to take notice but other factors moved the needle a bit more. The reason that the film came to light this week was its acquisition by frequent TFF participant Fox Searchlight. Add to that some speculation the film might be bound for Cannes (The Rider played at Cannes in the Directors Fortnight section) put it over the top for me to include on my TFF #46 watch list and also seemed to be enough fuel to warrant mentioning it here and now rather than relegating it to my "Future Telluride" collection.
The film is titled Nomadland and stars Oscar winner Frances McDormand and Oscar nominee David Stratharin and is based on Jessica Bruder's non-fiction book "Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century".
I have linked coverage of the announcement here from:
And, PS...it appears that Telluride favorite and past TFF Guest Director Alexander Payne looks to be set up with his newest project described as a "Horror-Comedy". The Playlist reports that Payne will be directing The Menu. Both Will Ferrell and Adam McKay are also involved as producers on the project.
MELISSA MC CARTHY ON LEE ISRAEL
Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy is featured in a new interview with Lexy Perez for The Hollywood Reporter talking about her character, Lee Israel, from Can You Ever Forgive Me? and other topics as well.
OSCAR BUZZ
Final Oscar voting is underway (it started Tuesday) and runs until next Tuesday, Feb. 19th with the Awards themselves...in whatever form and structure it ultimately takes, on Feb. 24th.
I'll have my final predictions a week from today.
At this point my current calculation is:
Picture: Roma
Director: Cuaron/Roma
Actress: Close/The Wife
Actor: Malek/Bohemian Rhapsody
Supporting Actress: Adams/Vice
Supporting Actor: Ali/Green Book
Original Screenplay: Green Book
Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman
Animated Feature: Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse
Documentary Feature: RBG
Foreign Language Film: Roma
Cinematography: Roma
Film Editing: Vice
Original Score: If Beale Street Could Talk
Original Song: Shallow/A Star Is Born
Costumes: The Favourite
Production Design: The Favourite
Makeup/Hair: Vice
Visual Effects: Avengers: Infinity War
Sound Editing: First Man
Sound Mixing: A Star Is Born
Animated Short: Bao
Doc Short: Period. End of Sentence.
Live Action Short: Marguerite
TFF #45 Films winning if I'm 100% accurate:
Roma (4): Picture, Direction, Foreign Language Film, Cinematography
The Favourite (2): Costumes. Production Design
First Man (1): Sound Editing
Other winners:
Vice (3): Supporting Actress, Film Editing, Makeup/Hair
Green Book (2): Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay
A Star Is Born (2): Song, Sound Mixing
Single wins:
Bohemian Rhapsody-Actor
The Wife-Actress
BlacKkKlansman-Adapted Screenplay
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse-Animated Feature
RBG-Documentary Feature
If Beale Street Could Talk-Original Score
Avengers: Infinity War-Visual Effects
Shorts- Bao, Period. End of Sentence, Marguerite.
That's your MTFB for this Thursday. More on Monday...
EMAIL: mpgort@gmail.com OR michael_speech@hotmail.com
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