The Film Awards Clearinghouse Major Category Thanksgiving Update / Oscar Experts / Todd Haynes Interviewed by Gus Van Sant

Good Monday to everyone and welcome to Thanksgiving Week 2015...


THE FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE MAJOR CATEGORY THANKSGIVING UPDATE

Nearly a month has passed since our last snapshot of the four major Oscar categories and there have been some developments.  "Steve Jobs" took a dive at the box office and that has definitely altered the view among Oscar experts regarding its chances in the Best Picture and Directing categories.  "The Martian" appears to be coming on strong.  Let's take a look.


For the purpose of The FAC I gather data from the publicly posted predictions of the following:

Erik Anderson/Awards Watch
Clayton Davis/Awards Circuit
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter
Peter Knegt/Indiewire
Joey Magidson/Hollywood News
Nathaniel Rogers/Film Experience
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Kristopher Tapley/Variety-InContention
Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood

TFF #42 films are in Bold.

The positions that these possible nominees had in our last look at these categories is indicated in parenthesis.


BEST PICTURE

"Spotlight" trailer via YouTube

1) Spotlight (1)
2) The Revenant (3)
3) The Martian (12)
4) Room (5)
5) Bridge of Spies (6)
6) Brooklyn (4)
7) Joy (7)
8) Steve Jobs (2)

9) Inside Out (11)
10) Carol (10)
11) The Hateful Eight (9)
12) The Big Short (NR)

Hot: "The Martian", "Inside Out", "The Big Short"
Cold: "Brooklyn", Steve Jobs", "The Hateful Eight" and "The Danish Girl" which dropped off the list entirely.
Comment:  "The Martian" change and the "Steve Jobs" box office debacle have really shaken this race up.  I'm not so sure that "Jobs" is completely out of this as Fassbender still has a lot of Best Actor support (see below).  At this point, I could see any of the top four films taking the big prize...and yes, I'm including "Room" in that assessment.  People really love the film and its strength is reflected in Lenny Abrahamson's climb in the director's race and Brie Larson's support in the Best Actress race.  Remember too, that it won the Toronto audience award and finished in the top spot in my collection of viewers' ratings for The People's Telluride.


BEST DIRECTION

"Room" trailer via YouTube

1) Tom McCarthy/Spotlight (1)
2) Alejandro Inarritu/The Revenant (3)
3) Ridley Scott/The Martian (7)
4) Steven Spielberg/Bridge of Spies (5)
5) Lenny Abrahamson/Room (NR)

6) David O. Russell/Joy (4)
7) George Miller/Mad Max: Fury Road (10)
8) Todd Haynes/Carol (8)
9) Danny Boyle/Steve Jobs (2)
10) Quentin Tarantino/The Hateful Eight (6)

Hot: Scott, Abrahamsom and Miller.
Cold: Russell, Boyle and Tom Hooper (Danish Girl)
Comment:Danny Boyle's fall also underscores the drop in prospects for "Steve Jobs" as Abrahamson's ascendance emphasizes the popularity of "Room".  Also, "The Danish Girl" is taking a hit in both Picture and Directing categories.  Eddie Redmayne still seems to be competitive in the Best Actor category (see below).


BEST ACTRESS

"Carol" trailer via YouTube

1) Brie Larson/Room (1)
2) Jennifer Lawrence/Joy (2)
3) Saorise Ronan/Brooklyn (3)
4) Cate Blanchett/Carol (4)
5) Charlotte Rampling/45 Years (6)

6) Carey Mulligan/Suffragette (5)
7) Blythe Danner/I'll See You in My Dreams (10)
8) Lily Tomlin/Grandma (7)
9) Maggie Smith/The Lady in the Van (9)
10) Cate Blanchett/Truth (8)

Hot: Danner
Cold: Blanchett in "Truth"
Comment: A remarkably steady category.  Larson is the closest thing to a lock in any of the four major categories in a year where "locks" have been few and far between.


BEST ACTOR

"Steve Jobs" trailer via YouTube

1) Leonardo DiCaprio/The Revenant (3)
2) Michael Fassbender/Steve Jobs (1)
3) Eddie Redmayne/The Danish Girl (2)
4) Johnny Depp/Black Mass (4)
5) Matt Damon/The Martian (6)

6) Michael Caine/Youth (5)
7) Will Smith/Concussion (8)
8) Tom Hanks/Bridge of Spies (7)
9) Ian McKellen/Mr. Holmes (9)
10) Steve Carell/The Big Short (10)


Hot: DiCaprio
Cold:  No one really.
Comment:  Both Fassbender and Redmayne stay in the thick of the race despite their films having suffered some serious doubts in the Picture and Directing categories.  The same could be said for Johnny Depp.

Currently, if The FAC is 100% accurate Telluride #42 films will get 10 nominations from these major categories with another four possibilities.

I'll update the Supporting and Screenplay categories on Thursday so come back for that.



OSCAR EXPERTS

The latest Oscar assessments in detail from the pros: Kristopher Tapley, Scott Feinberg and Sasha Stone:

http://variety.com/2015/film/in-contention/oscar-predictions-oscars-academy-awards-1201600870/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/awards/predictions/awards/predictions/oscars/2015/academy-awards-112015/

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2015/11/20/predictions-friday-still-guessing-at-what-we-dont-know-for-sure/


TODD HAYNES INTERVIEWED BY GUS VAN SANT

Todd Haynes and Rooney Mara at the Patron's Brunch 

For Issue Magazine, Todd Haynes sat down with film maker Gus Van Sant to talk about "Carol" and other topics.  It's here:

http://issuemagazine.com/todd-haynes/#/


That's a wrap for Monday...remember to come back for Thursday's MTFB for a look at where The FAC says we are in the Supporting Acting and Screenplay races.

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mpgort@gmail.com OR

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More from the North Tomorrow / Late Breaking: Trailer for "Carol" / "Suffragette" Director Sarah Gavron / New Views from "I Saw the Light: / AFI or Nothing?

Welcome back from the weekend ladies and germs...

MORE FROM THE NORTH TOMORROW

The last big announcement of films for the Toronto International Film Festival is scheduled for tomorrow morning.  TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey tweeted over the weekend that they will reveal more Galas, Special Presentations and their Contemporary World Cinema program.  All of those could well (and probably will) reveal more titles that could play Telluride.

We could learn something about "Our Brand is Crisis", "Carol" and "I Saw the Light" (see below) which both had new photos/stills arrive late last week which could be an indication of imminent news concerning those films...or not.

Also, a couple of films released new poster art at the end of the week: "By the Sea" and "The 33". Does this indicate some TIFF news?

Perhaps we might also hear some news about some of the other films that have yet to have been revealed to have fall festival destinations such as "45 Years", "Truth", "Macbeth", "Secret in Their Eyes"and "In the Heart of the Sea" for example.

As I have been doing, I will post Tuesday's regular news in the morning and then follow it later in the day with a Toronto news special with more coverage and analysis about whatever we learn tomorrow on Wednesday.


LATE BREAKING-TRAILER FOR "CAROL"

As I am going to press this morning, I find the new teaser for Todd Haynes' "Carol".  Also news this morning that "Carol" will be featured at the BFI London Film Fest with a Gala presentation.  With out frills, here's the teaser and The Playlist story the reported it:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-cate-blanchett-rooney-mara-fall-in-love-in-first-trailer-for-todd-haynes-carol-20150817


IN-DEPTH WITH "SUFFRAGETTE" DIRECTOR SARAH GAVRON

Currently sitting at #7 on last week's "Ten Bets' for Telluride is Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette".  The film is the story of the women of Britain and their struggle for voting rights.  The film stars Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson and, in a small role, Meryl Streep.  The film is scheduled to be released in the U.S. on Oct. 23rd.

The Economist's Intelligent Life posted a profile of director Sarah Gavron over the weekend which I have included below.  Gavron, should "Suffragette" be a part of the Telluride lineup, would be returning to Telluride after having screened "Brick Lane" there in 2007.

Here's the profile:

http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/features/julie-kavanagh/vote-gavron



NEW VIEWS FROM "I SAW THE LIGHT"

We got a look at a few more stills from Marc Abraham's Hank Williams biopic "I Saw the Light" over the weekend as well.  Tom Hiddleston stars as the seminal country singing star with Elizabeth Olsen said to be outstanding as Williams' wife Audrey.

The film has been riding high on the "Ten Bets" lists all summer long (bumped slightly off this week) and the appearance of these new looks might indicate that it will be named tomorrow with a spot at TIFF which would/could indicate that it's also ready for a Telluride play.  I have been irrational excited about this film since I knew it was happening which is weird as I am not a particular fan of Williams' music nor am I necessarily a huge Hiddleston fan.  But still, I'm amped for this and have been for quite some time.

We'll see, maybe tomorrow, if it's coming to T-ride.

Here's the story with the new pics from The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/first-look-tom-hiddleston-as-hank-williams-in-i-saw-the-light-20150812



FILMS LIKELY HEADED TO AFI FEST OR NO FEST AT ALL:

"Joy"
"Snowden"
"In the Heart of the Sea"
"Crimson Peak"
"The Revenant"
"The Hateful Eight"


That's all for Monday...more tomorrow in a probable double post!

Please feel free to leave a comment or question here at the blog.

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"Truth" is Coming / Abi Morgan on "Suffragette" / Screen Talk Focuses on Film Festivals

The weekend is in your rear view...It's Monday people...


"TRUTH" IS COMING

Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford in "Truth"

I have James Vanderbilt's "Truth" listed on last Friday's latest version of the "Ten Bets" list at #10.  The "based on actual events" drama stars Robert Redford as CBS newsman Dan Rather and Cate Blanchett as CBS news producer Mary Mapes and focuses on the 2004 election year news story that claimed that George Bush's Vietnam era National Guard service was a sham.

The story all but wrecked Rather's career.  The film is based on Mapes book, "Truth and Duty".

The big new over the weekend was that Sony Pictures Classics, which is handling the film's distribution, has dated it for limited release on Oct. 16th landing it squarely in the awards season melee.  The date is certainly compatible with a festival screening at either Telluride or Toronto or both.  Even the New York Fest  is a possibility.

Here's coverage of the announcement including a Rope of Silicon story that suggests the Telluride possibility:

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/cate-blanchett-robert-redford-rathergate-truth-1201554377/

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/31/truth-cate-blanchett-robert-redford-release-date?hootPostID=5783b5ca06b89499d8ca4d092bef88b0

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/robert-redfords-dan-rather-scandal-812469

http://www.thewrap.com/cate-blanchett-and-robert-redfords-dan-rather-drama-truth-gets-fall-release/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/first-look-sony-classics-dates-truth-in-oscary-october-slot/


On an interesting note, Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere now suggests that "Truth" may not be as much of a lock for Telluride as I have thought.  Look at the Wells; post here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2015/08/walk-right-back/


ABI MORGAN ON "SUFFRAGETTE"

"Suffragette" trailer via YouTube

Screen writer Abi Morgan sat down recently with John Nathan of the Financial Times and talked abut her new play as well as the film that she wrote that currently sits at #8 on the latest "Ten Bets" list. "Suffragette" stars Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter and was directed by Sarah Gavron.  The film is due to hit theaters on Oct. 23 after having shown at the London Film Fest for its "European Premiere" on Oct. 7.

The film focuses on the struggle to gain the vote in early 20th Century Britain.  That interview is here:

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/c9ac0654-3059-11e5-91ac-a5e17d9b4cff.html#axzz3hZVmBeFF



SCREEN TALK FOCUSES ON FILM FESTIVALS

This week's edition of Anne Thompson and Eric Kohn"s Screen Talk podcast spends a good deal of time talking about films that have been announced for Toronto and Venice and, as a result, talk about a number of films that will or could make the Telluride lineup.

Oddly, they reference Telluride in relation to Jay Roach's "Trumbo" which is not at all probable for T-ride as it is announced for Toronto as a world premiere.

Here's the link to the podcast:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/podcast-how-the-toronto-lineup-changed-oscar-season


That'll do for Monday...more tomorrow...

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"Hateful Eight" is a Dish Served Cold...Really Cold and Other "Hateful" News/"Black Mass" Poster and Pics/"Suffragette" Musings

Hoo-dee-hoo on a Tuesday...


"HATEFUL EIGHT" IS A DISH SERVED COLD...REALLY COLD AND OTHER "HATEFUL" NEWS

Samuel L. Jackson told the world last week that Quentin Tarantino kept his "Hateful Eight" set chill...very chill.  Jackson was quoted as saying that the set was refrigerated to create and keep the reality of the freezing, snowy conditions.  Check the story here from Rope of Silicon:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/samuel-l-jackson-reveals-hateful-eight-shot-refrigerated-set/

We still wish that we'd see it on Labor Day weekend...but doubt that will happen.

In other "Hateful" news, Rope of silicon was reporting yesterday that Tarantino is going to aid in the retro-fitting of up to 50 screens nationwide to be able to screen the new film in the 70mm format that he's shot it in.  I'd also point out that T-ride has the capability to screen in 70 mm.

Here's the story from ROS:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/tarantino-rumored-to-be-retrofitting-50-theaters-with-70mm-projection-for-hateful-eight-release/



"BLACK MASS" POSTER AND PICS

"Black Mass" poster

Scott Cooper's "Black Mass", the story of gangster Whitey Bulger played by Johnny Depp remains one of four films from Warners that are on my watch list for T-ride '15.  The others: "In the Heart of the Sea", "Our Brand is Crisis" and "Midnight Special".  

The film dropped what was described by The Playlist as a teaser poster, which you see above.

Take a look at the new pics from the film that are also included as a part of The Playlist's post from yesterday:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-johnny-depp-turns-cold-blooded-mob-boss-in-the-new-trailer-for-crime-drama-black-mass-20150522

"SUFFRAGETTE" MUSINGS

"Suffragette" trailer via YouTube

I keep coming back to the London Film Festival announcement form last week that Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette" will open the BFI LFF in early October and their listing of the film as its "European" premiere. (MTFB-June 4)

As Anne Thompson mentioned in her "Screen Talk" podcast that I linked here yesterday...the "European" designation means that the film will have played somewhere in North America before LFF.  As others noted in the analysis of the original announcement, that also means that it will not have played Venice.

I think the key to parsing this out is whether or not the LFF announcement and its designating the film as an "European" premiere means that it is NOT the film's "International" premiere.  If LFF is designating it as "European" as opposed to "International" because they wish to be specific in terms of that designation, then I believe the chances that "Suffragette" plays Telluride go way up. If the choice to designate as "European" makes this distinction, then it likely means that the film will have played Toronto and either New York or T-ride (or both).  In the scenario of choosing one over the other, Telluride may have the upper hand.

If, on the other hand,  it is NOT an LFF distinction of any real consequence, then the odds for "Suffragette" in the San Juans remain moderate at best.  Of course, there's no way (at least that I have found yet) to determine whether LFF officials made this calculation when they announced the film as a "European" premiere last week,

Something to think about, though...


More on Wednesday...


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Toronto Changes Course...Sort of/Laurent Durieux Named 42nd Telluride Film Festival Poster Artist‏/"Suffragette" Has New Trailer and to Open London Fest (Plus Other Clues)

Hello Thursday...Wednesday was a busy day and night at the MTFB Ranch...

It's unusual to have two big Telluride related stories break the same day...and then a third...but it happened yesterday.  We'll start with the last one first...

TORONTO CHANGES COURSE...SORT OF...

Scott Feinberg broke the story late yesterday afternoon at The Hollywood Reporter: The Toronto International Film Festival was backing down and reversing its premiere policy that they established last year and which was clearly aimed at Telluride.

Feinberg reported that TIFF will allow films that play Telluride to play during the first four days of their fest but with a caveat: NOT IN ANY OF TIFF'S THREE LARGEST VENUES.

So film makers still have a price to pay should they opt to play T-ride prior to a TIFF presentation.

Feinberg's post:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/toronto-film-fest-reverses-controversial-799905

Left uncertain was whether TIFF would continue their "honest premiere" status in terms of categorizing the films they chose to play.

That uncertainty was addressed in a post from Steve Pond of The Wrap a bit later in the day.  The Wrap reporting that TIFF will retain that portion of their policy.  Of course, to place films in a smaller venue or later in their week, they'd still need to require film maker's disclosure about whether the film was going to appear at Telluride and The Wrap story indicates that TIFF will continue to announce that actual status when they announce films for their lineup.

Pond's post:

http://www.thewrap.com/toronto-film-festival-makes-adjustments-to-anti-telluride-policy/

Many in the media reported it as a "reversal" and I suppose, strictly speaking it is.  To me it seems rather more insidious than the original position TIFF took last year.  T-ride films still get "punished" with relegation to smaller venues or later in the TIFF schedule and they still have to reveal their Telluride plans.  Further, TIFF comes off looking as if they have "backed down".  Pete Hammond of Deadline.com called it "clever", seeming to agree with my feeling here.

http://deadline.com/2015/06/toronto-film-festival-vs-telluride-tiff-theatres-exclusive-premieres-1201437598/

And many could fairly say, vis-a-vis the "honest premiere status", "Come on, Mikey, that's exactly what you do."  And that makes some sense...sort of.  

What I actually have done, up until last year, was detective work, guess work...

Last year's and now this year's TIFF policy allowed anyone to easily deduce a number of films that would play Telluride and many much bigger media fish than I did just that.

I think it's fundamentally a different animal all together for me to scurry about and out bits and pieces together and make some educated guesses as opposed to the spoiler party that TIFF announcements brought and will bring. 

That's my take anyway...

Here's reporting on the new TIFF policy from Variety and The Guardian:

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/toronto-film-festival-telluride-policy-1201512041/

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/04/tiff-blows-over-as-toronto-film-festival-modifies-telluride-ban

LAURENT DURIEUX IS YOUR TFF #42 POSTER ARTIST

Normally, this would have been your MTFB lead today...The announcement came via email yesterday morning.  We have poster artist and we have a poster AND IT IS COOL:

Here's the actual announcement from the Telluride FIlm Festival:

42nd Telluride Film Festival presented by National Film Preserve LTD., proudly announces illustrator Laurent Durieux as its 2015 poster artist. Telluride Film Festival’s prestigious annual gathering for film industry insiders, cinema enthusiasts, filmmakers and critics takes place every Labor Day weekend in the picturesque town of Telluride, Colorado. The 42nd edition of TFF will run September 4 – 7, 2015.

Laurent Durieux was born in 1970 in Waterloo, 20 km from Brussels in Belgium. Laurent has been an illustrator and a graphic designer for over 20 years, and when he doesn’t teach graphic design, he spends most of his time creating posters for movies, old and recent. In 2010 he directed his first short animated movie titled HELLVILLE for Canal+ France produced by renowned French director Jean-Jacques Beineix (Betty Blue, Diva, IP5). Laurent has since taken part in many shows in Belgium, France and in the USA. Laurent's posters can be found in several prestigious cinema related institutions such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood or the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, France as well as many worldwide private collections. After his first retrospective exhibition in France last year, Laurent has been invited to present his work in an individual exhibition, which will be held at the Cultural Centre De Warande in Turnhout, Belgium this June 2015.

“It’s a great honor for me to have been asked to design this year's poster for the Telluride Film Festival,” said Durieux. “To be associated with so many great names of graphic design and fine arts is, on its own, something I will cherish for a very long time. I am a big cinema enthusiast too and as such, it certainly was a thrill to work on a poster for a film festival of this calibre. My image for the poster is a tribute to the work of the great Edward Hopper whose work, like mine, is very cinematic. I came up with what I hope to be my own take of his painting, New York Movie (1939), by giving it a surreal twist and a dash of modernity to it. The way Hopper used shadows and lights has had a big influence on my work in general and he certainly has on this poster. I love nature too and so, naturally, I look forward to attending the festival and discover all the wonderful things this place has to offer!”

“We first noticed Laurent’s work when he created the art for Criterion Collection,” commented Telluride Film Festival executive director Julie Huntsinger. “DVD jacket and one-sheet design is an art-form unto itself; capturing the mood of the film with one image. Laurent has done the same with this year’s poster. He’s managed to conjure the feeling and atmosphere of Telluride Film Festival with one breathtaking shot. It’s simply stunning.”

Durieux joins a prestigious list of artists who have shared their talents with Telluride Film Festival. Past poster artists include Christian Marclay, Dean Tavoularis, Ed Ruscha, John Mansfield, Julian Schnabel, Dottie Attie, Doug and Mike Starn, David Lance Goines, Chuck Jones, David Salle, Alexis Smith, Jim Dine, Seymour Chwast, Frederic Amat, Francesco Clemente, Dave McKean, Gary Larson, Chip Kidd, John Canemaker, Mark Stock, Laurie Anderson, William Wegman, Ralph Eggleston, Maira Kalman and Dave Eggers.

42nd Telluride Film Festival posters will be available for purchase throughout the four-day Festival or by visiting the TFF website atwww.telluridefilmfestival.org.

"SUFFRAGETTE" HAS NEW TRAILER AND OPENS LONDON FEST (PLUS OTHER CLUES)

The Sarah Gavron film "Suffragette" was all over the interweb yesterday with the announcement that it would open the BFI London Film Festival the first week of October.  That announcement coupled with the above mentioned poster announcement kept me busy much of the day.

"Suffragette" seems like a very good candidate for Telluride's lineup.  Even the LFF announcement yesterday could be seen as stoking the fire of its possibility.  A number of the film outlets that I follow reported that the film's LFF screening will be its "European Premiere" (though at least one claimed it would be a "World" premiere...which makes a lot of difference).

If it is the "European" premiere, that implies a number of things...that it will NOT have played Venice but that it will have "World" and "Internationally" premiered other places prior to its bow in London on Oct. 7.  We can infer then that it is almost certain to play Telluride and/or New York and Toronto seems a given.

Additionally, I'd point out that last year's LFF opener was "The Imitation Game" which managed to first be seen in Telluride.

Another note, director Sarah Gavron's "Brick Lane" (her last feature) played Telluride in 2007 complete with her appearance.  

"Suffragette" was also produced, in part, by Pathe' and Film4, both of which have had their share of films play Telluride Pathe' most recently last year with the sneak inclusion of "Escobar: Paradise Lost" and Film4 was a part of the "Mr. Turner" production  group).

All of that would likely make you think it's a 90% certainty to play...ummm...nope.

"Suffragette" is being distributed in the U.S. by Focus Features (Gavron's "Brick Lane" was distributed by Sony Pictures Classics) and their T-ride footprint has been smallish.  Here's their Telluride list from the past dozen years:

2003: Lost in Translation
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2006: Catch a Fire
2012: Hyde Park on Hudson

So, though I personally would love to see this film make the Telluride lineup...let's not count on it.

Here's the new trailer:

"Suffragette" Trailer via YouTube

And a good deal of the coverage tat accompanied the announcement and the trailer drop yesterday:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/carey-mulligan-starrer-suffragette-opens-london-as-fall-fests-compete-for-galas-new-trailer-20150603

http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/carey-mulligan-meryl-streep-starrer-suffragette-to-open-london-film-festival-1201511292/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-full-trailer-for-womens-rights-drama-suffragette-with-carey-mulligan-helena-bonham-carter-meryl-streep-more-20150603

http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/carey-mulligan-helena-bonham-carter-in-full-suffragette-trailer/

http://www.indiewire.com/article/watch-carey-mulligan-and-meryl-streep-in-powerful-suffragette-trailer-20150603


That's all for now..more tomorrow...


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Cannes Countdown/Mulligan Talks "Suffragette" and More/New from "Sicario"/Coming Attractions: "Into the Inferno"

CANNES COUNTDOWN

We're less than a week away from the opening of the Cannes Film Festival (May 13) and the screening of a number of titles that could also screen in 4 months in The Chuck, The Palm or The Zog.  Consequently, The Playlist posted its examination of 20 Cannes film that it is most energized about.  Included in its list are such tiles as: "The Sea of Trees", "Carol", "The Cowboys", "Dheepan", The Lobster", "Macbeth", "Sicario", "The Tale of Tales" and "Youth".  Take a look at their entire list and the films' details here:


http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-25-most-anticipated-films-of-the-2015-cannes-film-festival-20150506




MULLIGAN TALKS "SUFFRAGETTE" AND MORE

Anne Thompson posted this phone interview this week with British actress and two time Telluride attendee Carey Mulligan.  Mulligan could make a third trip to T-ride on Labor Day weekend with Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette" which is among the topics Anne discussed with Mulligan, who is currently in NYC on Broadway in "Skylight".  The interview is here:



http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/carey-mulligan-just-says-no-goes-full-feminist-with-far-from-the-madding-crowd-and-suffragette-20150504


NEW FROM "SICARIO"

A new image from Denis Villeneuve's Cannes competition entry "Sicario" comes via HitFix this week.  Emily Blunt stars in what the director says is his best film.  Does it show at The SHOW?  I suspect that its possible, but might be a more likely a Toronto premiere.  Here's the story:


http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/exclusive-first-look-emily-blunt-and-josh-brolin-in-cannes-premiere-sicario



COMING ATTRACTIONS: "INTO THE INFERNO"

As we contemplate whether Werner Herzog's "Queen of the Desert" will be a part of TFF #42's lineup, word comes yesterday that the auteur has his sights set on his next project which immediately becomes a Telluride possibility for 2016.  Herzog will shop "Into the Inferno" to producers over the Cannes Film Festival with an eye to beginning production soon.  Details linked below:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-werner-herzogs-volcano-doc-793802

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/werner-herzogs-volcano-doc-into-the-inferno-heads-for-cannes-market-20150506

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/werner-herzogs-volcano-doc-into-the-inferno-heads-for-cannes-market-20150506


More to come on Monday...

Rudderless Appears/On the Fringe: Suffragette, Miss Julie/Coming Attractions

Good Tuesday Morning all...

RUDDERLESS APPEARS

I couldn't say anything about it until it happened and it happened last night.  William H. Macy's "Rudderless" screened in a private setting in Oklahoma City last night and through the kindness of co-writer Casey Twenter, my wife and I were in attendance.

Lots to talk about.  The film, the Q and A after with Macy in attendance and the plans going forward.for the film which is in the Samuel Goldwyn Films distribution company.

Most of that's coming in tomorrow's post.  Suffice it to say we had a great time and were thrilled to be a part of the first screening in Oklahoma.

I will say what I tweeted last night...I've been waiting to see this film, literally for years...and  I finally got to. It didn't disappoint...it is very, very good.

ON THE FRINGE

Here's a quick look at a couple of films that haven't been very obvious in the discussion of year-end fare that we might expect to be in the mix for a slot to screen at Telluride but have some entries on their resumes that suggest that they're worth thinking about as possibilities.  First, director Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette".



SUFFRAGETTE

Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter in "Suffragette" from Rope of Silicon

"Suffragette" was written by Abi Morgan who Telluride attendees will likely recall as the screen writer for TTF selections "The Invisible Woman (TFF #40) and "Shame" (TFF #38).  Additionally, it stars, among others, Carey Mulligan, who attended Telluride with "An Education" (TFF #36) and "Never Let Me Go" (TFF #38); Helena Bonham Carter, who attended the fest in 2005 with Hans Conosa's "Conversations with Other Women" and Meryl Streep who was tributed by the fest in 1998.  The film is also produced, in part, by Pathe and Film4 both of which are not infrequent players in the Telluride sweepstakes.

Rope of Silicon put up the first image from the film yesterday and that post also includes a descriptive paragraph:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/first-look-carey-mulligan-helena-bonham-carter-suffragette/

Also posting: Alex Billington for FirstShowing.net:

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/first-look-carey-mulligan-helena-bonham-carter-in-suffragette/



MISS JULIE

Another intriguing T-ride possibility at the edge of the radar is legendary actress Liv Ullmann's direction of an adaptation of the August Strindberg play (Ullmann adapted the screenplay as well).  Jessica Chastain and Colin Farrell star.

The film doesn't really boast a production company with Telluride history.  It doesn't have a U.S. distributor and Ullmann hasn't played in the San Juans on Labor Day to my knowledge so there's no real clue that would lead anyone to think that it would make the Telluride lineup.  Actually, The Playlist article begins be opining that Venice,Telluride and Toronto are "on the horizon" and that "Miss Julie" is "expected" somewhere in that mix.    And...I can easily envision a Liv Ullmann tribute and (crossing my fingers) Jessica Chastain in town as well.  As a matter of fact, I have Chastain down as a possible multi-film participant for this year's Telluride with J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year" and Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" (TFF #41's "Gravity"?) as T-ride considerations...admittedly "Interstellar" is a bit of a stretch, but after last year...not impossible.

Nevertheless, here, from The Playlist, is a series of stills from "Miss Julie:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/new-images-of-jessica-chastain-colin-farrell-in-liv-ullmans-miss-julie-plus-poster-20140530


COMING ATTRACTIONS

I'm a pretty firm believer that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's :Birdman" will play at Telluride.  He has become one of the -what I call-"Usual Suspects".  So unless the film is just awful, I expect it'll be there.  (What will be interesting is to see if his buddy Alfonso Cuaron shows up to support him as Inarritu did last year for "Gravity").

Now the next Inarritu project seems to be taking shape as casting rumors have Tom Hardy teaming up with Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Revenant".  Shooting is said to begin in September (conveniently post-Telluride, isn't it?

"The Revenant" is set in the early 1800's and will feature DiCaprio as a frontiersman left to die in the wilderness who manages to survive and then seeks revenge against those that abandoned him.

20th Century Fox is the distributor (as they are for "Birdman") and not a complete stranger to the Telluride parade: "12 Years a Slave", "127 Hours", "The Descendants".  So mark "The Revenant" down as a TFF #42 possibility and keep an eye out for future news about the project.

Casting news from The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/rumor-tom-hardy-to-reteam-with-leonardo-dicaprio-in-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-the-revenant-20140530


More tomorrow...

Follow/Like Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook and Twitter @Gort2


PS...saw "Godzilla" last night...meh...

2014: The Oscars and TFF #40/Looking to TFF #41/Trailers from TFF #40/Conversations: Dern and Mulligan/Sound and Silence at Telluride

Good 2014 to Everyone...

I hope all the readers/followers and peeps that just stumbled onto this space had a safe and joyous start to their New Year.  The CEO and I saw in 2014 by watching the last few episodes of "Breaking Bad". Good stuff.  Hale Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.


2014: THE OSCARS AND TFF #40

As we wait for the next two weeks for Oscar nomination morning (Jan. 16), I'll be posting Oscar prediction updates in each of the posts between now and then.  Today...looking at a different metric.  Just to see what it would tell me, I've put together the results of "Best Film" announcements from: The National Board of Review, The American Film Institute, The New York Film Critics Circle, The Los Angeles Film Critics, The HFPA's Golden Globes and The Screen Actors Guild.

Working with the choices from these six organizations and setting a standard that possible nominees had to be named by at least 2 of them, here's what they reveal as the "probable" Oscar nominees on Jan. 16.

Best Picture:  Four films were named four times and would, therefore seem the most likely nominees: "12 Years a Slave", "Gravity", "American Hustle" and "Her".

Three films have three mentions: "Nebraska", "Inside Llewyn Davis" and "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Three films are mentioned twice: "Captain Phillips", "Fruitvale Station" and "Saving Mr. Banks".

How accurate is this method?  I have no real idea as I've never tried it before.  I can tell you that in 2012 the same method would have suggested that the Best Picture nominees would be: "Argo", "Django Unchained", "The Life of Pi", "Lincoln", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Les Miserables", "Moonrise Kingdom", Silver Linings Playbook", "Beats of the Southern Wild" and "The Exotic Marigold Hotel" (seriously).

As you remember, the actual nominees included "Amour" and excluded "Moonrise" and "Marigold".  So this metric would have predicted 8 of the 9 Best Picture nominees last year.

Monday, I'll post an update for the Big Eight categories using my usual methods.

Finally, Kris Tapley at HitFix/InContention reminds us that the Producers Guild announces their nominees today.

LOOKING TO TFF #41

It's never too early to begin thinking about what might be on the bill of fare for the next Telluride Film Festival.  Even though we're still eight months away, we can begin to parse various pieces of information and start speculating.

For example, HitFix posted their "25 Most Anticipated Movies of 2014".  Form their list we can glean some films that have the potential to make the grade at TFF #41.  Obviously, there are some films that aren't likely, Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" for example...although, after seeing "Gravity" at T-ride last year, maybe I shouldn't close that door.  You can find the HitFix complete list here:

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/25-most-anticipated-movies-of-2014-interstellar-x-men-mockingjay

From their list, films that could conceivably be on Telluride's radar include:

#24 "Foxcatcher"...yea, yea...I know.  I had this on the TFF #40 list for most of last year and then the decision came down to move the film to 2014.  The chances of it being held for an awards friendly release date are probably pretty good (it doesn't have an announced release date to the best of my knowledge) and as I have pointed out before, Bennett Miller had a decent run after "Capote" showed at the SHOW in 2005 and to top it off, its U.S. distributor is Sony Pictures Classics so call it a "maybe".

The only other two on the HitFix list that seem to have some Telluride "feel" are Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken" at #16 and Jon Stewart's (of The Daily Show) "Rosewater" at #8 and neither one would seem to be particularly strong candidate for Telluride inclusion based on the filmmakers, studios and distributors known to be involved at this time.

A COUPLE OF TRAILERS FROM TFF #40

One of the more popular, if not THE most popular film that screened at Telluride last Labor Day was Penn and teller's documentary "Tim's Vermeer".  It's in the conversation for a Best Feature Doc Oscar nomination and it's safe to say that Telluride audiences loved it.  It topped my "People's Telluride" film ratings with a 4.67 average rank on the five point scale, beating "12 Years a Slave" and "Gravity".

The Playlist linked to the trailer for the film in this story this week:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-trailer-for-acclaimed-oscar-contending-documentary-tims-vermeer-20131230

Meanwhile, one of the most divisive and least well received films of the fest also put up a trailer this week.  Jonathan Glazer's "Under the Skin" was dead last (of the 21 films that got enough ratings to warrant inclusion on the list) on The People's Telluride ratings with a 2.0.  I actually admired the film.  I think it succeeded in creating the world that Glazer wanted us to experience.

Thompson on Hollywood reported that the film will be released April 4 and also linked to its trailer here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/under-the-skin-jonathan-glazer-release-date-a24


CONVERSATIONS

Two of my favorite films from TFF #40 continue to get a lot of ink as the awards season goes on and that includes continuing interviews with the stars of "Nebraska" and "Inside Llewyn Davis".

Bruce Dern's awards offensive included an interview with Walter Scott of Parade that you can find here:

http://www.parade.com/243081/walterscott/bruce-derns-take-on-hollywood-today-you-cant-be-bigger-than-life/

And Carey Mulligan talked to Steve Pond of The Wrap about "Llewyn" (and includes a brief mention of TFF #41 possible film "Far From the Madding Crowd"):

http://www.thewrap.com/carey-mulligan-coen-brothers-inside-llewyn-davis-nasty-girl-swear-words


SOUND AND SILENCE AT TELLURIDE

Deadline put up a story this week about their take on the use of silence in films this past year and the impact that could have on the Sound Editing Oscar field.  The three films they focused on: "Gravity", "All is Lost" and "12 Years a Slave"...Telluride much?

Here's the link to that story:

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/oscars-sound-editing-gravity-12-years-a-slave-all-is-lost/


More on Monday and Happy New Year one more time.

McConnaughey Talks "Dallas" and More/Greta Talks Frances (and more)/Coming Attractions:Far From the Madding...

Good Thursday everyone...

MC CONNAUGHEY TALKS "DALLAS' AND MORE

Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood provides this video interview with actor Matthew McConnaughey whose "Dallas Buyers Club" has a shot at being a part of the Telluride lineup.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/matthew-mcconaughey-talks-magic-mike#

GRETA GERWIG CONTINUES THE "FRANCES HA" OFFENSIVE

Keith Jagernauth of The Playlist has a conversation with Frances Ha herself, Greta Gerwig about the Noah Baumbach film and other projects that are in the works:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/greta-gerwig-talks-making-frances-ha-comparisons-to-girls-the-brewing-animated-movie-with-noah-baumbach-more-20130612

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Thimas Vinterberg, who was at TFF #39 with "The Hunt" is developing an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic "Far From the Madding Crowd" according to Hit Fix.  The project is said to star Carey Mulligan (An Education, Never Let Me Go) and Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust and Bone) and is reportedly in the Fox Searchlight stable.  All of these factors suggest hat it should be a serious contender for TFF #41.  Here's the HitFix story:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/thomas-vinterberg-to-adapt-far-from-the-madding-crowd-with-carey-mulligan

Follow/Like Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse/107846269309712

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More tomorrow...

No?/More for Toronto/Inside Inside Llewyn

Good Wednesday All!


NO?

Gael Garcia Bernal in Pablo Larrain's "No"

I still have a strong feeling that Pablo Larrain's "No" which played to very good review out of competition in Cannes last May will turn up in Telluride.  This despite the fact that it was once a "Ten Bets" film but has slipped to somewhere in the 11-20 spots.

That being said, I have included a post that popped up in the last 48 hours concerning the film which stars Gael Garcia Bernal.  Here it is...

From The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/actor-gael-garcia-bernal-says-no-film-taught-him-about-chiles-pain-during-dictatorship/2012/07/30/gJQATEKkLX_story.html


"No's" IMDb entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2059255/


MORE TORONTO

Toronto's International Film Festival added nearly 70 more titles to their lineup yesterday.  The story can be found at this link to The Playlist:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/toronto-adds-over-60-new-2012-titles-including-documentaries-midnight-madness-and-tiff-kids#

You can also access their full look at all of the TIFF films announced so far here:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/tiff-list-2012-an-updated-list-of-all-films-at-the-toronto-international-film-festival#

If the recent past is a guide, something around 16-18 films will be on both the Telluride and the Toronto programs; 6-8 of those are likely to come from Galas and Special Presentations.  Of what has been announced thus far, the most likely overlaps include:

Among Galas: "Hyde Park on Hudson", "The Reluctant Fundamentalist", "Midnight's Children" and "The Silver Linings Playbook".

Among Special Presentations: "Cloud Atlas" (yeah, I said it), "Frances Ha" (new from Noah Baumbach and really has been under the radar), "Hannah Arendt", "The Hunt", "The Impossible", "A Late Quartet", "No", "Quartet", "Reality", "Rust and Bone"and  "The Sapphires".

Additionally, the Ken Burns doc "The Central Park Five" has been announced for Toronto's Documentary segment.  I count on it being in Telluride.


INSIDE INSIDE LLEWYN

Carey Mulligan in "Inside Llewyn Davis"

It's no secret that I'm a Coen Brothers fan and eagerly await each of their films and "Inside Llewyn Davis" is no exception.  Is it done?  Probably not.  IMDb lists it as being in post production.  There had been some speculation by people smarter than I that it might, indeed be ready and show up somewhere.  If it is, it hasn't been announced for any fest; so does that mean Telluride is possible?  Probably not.

My expectation is that if it shows up at all, it will be as the opening or closing or the capstone presentation of the New York Film Festival.

That being said, here's a small article/interview with Oscar Issac who plays the titular role in the film from The Hollywood Reporter:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/risky-business/oscar-isaac-inside-llewyn-davis-coen-bros-356396

"Llewyn's" IMDb entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2042568/


More later...

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Cannes Spec Heats Up/The Master/Carey on the Coens' Set

Good Morning!

Bought the new Bruce Springsteen album this weekend...recommended!  also new Lyle Lovett...also worth the money.

CANNES SPEC HEATS UP

A lot of shuffling and potential Cannes 65 news this past week.  Not the least of which was the announcement that Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" will open the fest.  It's not a TFF #39 possible because of its summer release date.

Also this week...Cannes' #65's poster featuring Marilyn Monroe:

Also, some serious speculation that jut announced French release dates indicate the increased possibility that two films will be bowing in the Cannes lineup somewhere: David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis" and Jacques Audiard's "Rust and Bone".

That post is from The Playlist here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/are-they-headed-to-cannes-cosmopolis-rust-and-bone-get-may-release-dates-in-france

I'm pretty high on the Audiard's films chances of being in Telluride in September...less convinced that Cronenberg's follow up to "A Dangerous Method" will be there.

Also...a big P.R. push this weekend for Walter Salles' "On the Road" which has certainly received some Cannes/Telluride speculation.  Stills and a trailer.  I have linked to Rope of Silicon's post with the trailer link:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/on-the-road-trailer-featuring-kristen-stewart-garrett-hedlund-sam-riley/

 

And finally, a really interesting spec piece about possible Cannes selections and their chances of winning this year's Palme D'Or at Neil Young's Film Lounge. Posted at Jigsawlounge.co.uk. Take a look here:
http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/reviews/cannes12odds/

Hot TFF #39 possible titles included on the list include: "Rust and Bone" "Beyond the Hills" "Something in the Air" "Love" and "Big House".


THE MASTER


Big news floating from the Paul Thomas Anderson fan site Cigarettes and Red Vines that it seems pretty likely that his new film which may or may not be entitled "The Master" looks to be released in October...which would keep it in play for a possible Telluride bow.  Here's the link to that story:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/paul-thomas-andersons-the-master-eyeing-an-october-release-date

CAREY ON THE COENS' SET

It's no secret that I'm always intensely interested on whatever the Coen Brothers are working on and endlessly dreaming of the year that they are represented by a new film at Telluride.  This year it's "Inside Llewyn Davis" which, among others, features TFF mainstay from the past three years Carey Mulligan.    I found this till of her from the Llewyn Davis set this week...

Come on Carey back to the San Juans and bring Ethan and Joel with you!

Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

Later...