"Rudderless" About to Sail/Sapphires' O'Dowd/Cannes Hopes/70,000

Good Monday everyone.

"RUDDERLESS' ABOUT TO SET SAIL

I've been writing about William H. Macy's directing debut "Rudderless" in this space for a long time.  It's co-writer and co-producer, Casey Twenter is a friend of this blog and we've kept up a correspondence over the past several years.  I think that he'd agree that the process of trying to get the film before cameras has been twisty-turny and has had its share of ups and downs.  But now...now, it looks like it's all really happening as there were a flurry of stories about the film in terms of casting and shooting news.

First, the casting news.  We have known for awhile that Macy was going to direct and star and that his real life wife, Felicity Huffman was going to appear in the film as well.  Multiple stories (linked below) confirmed additional casting this week: Laurence Fishburne, Anton Yelchin, Billy Crudup and Selena Gomez.

Further, reports have it that filming will begin in and around Oklahoma City later this month.  This has been confirmed by Mr. Twenter.

I'm particularly struck by the casting of Fishburne and Crudup...who I joked with Casey, ought to be revealed at some point in the film as being Russell Hammond, the character that he played in Cameron Crowe's indelible "Almost Famous"

And, though it kind of pains me to admit this, the Selena Gomez casting virtually guarantees a high visibility factor for this film as regards the Hollywood press and gossip machine.  Gomez has so much heat currently because of her appearance in "Spring Breakers".

Check the numerous reports:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/selena-gomez-billy-crudup-anton-432019

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/billy-crudup-anton-yelchin-selena-gomez-laurence-fishburne-are-rudderless-for-william-h-macy-20130401

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/selena-gomez-anton-yelchin-join-william-h-macy-directorial-debut-83406

http://upandcomers.net/2013/04/01/selena-gomez-and-anton-yelchin-to-star-in-william-h-macys-rudderless/

http://www.flickdaily.com/news/four-join-william-h-macy%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98rudderless%E2%80%99/

SAPPHIRES O'DOWD

Yet another look at Chris O'Dowd and the TFF #39 crowd-pleaser "The Sapphires" :

http://www.rte.ie/ten/2013/0402/odowdc.html

CANNES HOPES

Guy Lodge posts the 10 films he'd like to see at the Cannes Film Festival...as you might expect, the list includes some films that could be in the Telluride mix:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/10-films-were-most-hoping-to-see-at-the-cannes-film-festival

70,000

The blog rolled past its 70,000 view last night sometime...which is small beans to the people who make a living online...but still amazes me.

More on Monday.

Sapphires/Frances Ha/Pilgrim Hill/Mood Indigo

Good Monday morning...the blog is running a little late today...

THE SAPPHIRES CONTINUED ROLLOUT

Interviews, articles and posts continue to pop up about Wayne Blair's "The Sapphires" to coincide with its release in the United States.  On this post I have included an interview with star Chris O'Dowd from The Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/29/the-sapphires-stolen-generation_n_2978688.html

and also an interview with director Wayne Blair from The Chicago Sun Times:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/foreignc/the-sapphires-interview-with-wayne-blair.html

FRANCES HA HAS A TRAILER

And we know this thanks to this report put up by Cinema Blend:

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Greta-Gerwig-Noah-Baumbach-Reteam-First-Trailer-Frances-Ha-36194.html


Here's the trailer via YouTube

PILGRIM HILL

Featured in the Great Expectations portion of the TFF #39 program this year, "Pilgrim Hill's" Gerard Barrett talked to The Irish Times this past week about his film:

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/alone-on-the-hill-1.1341869


STILLS FROM "MOOD INDIGO"

A film that has an outside shot at being a part of the Telluride #40 extravaganza is Michel Gondry's "Mood Indigo" which The Playlist has featured in a post that highlights numerous images from the film.  Take a look here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/lots-of-new-wonderful-weird-images-from-michel-gondrys-mood-indigo-20130329


More on Thursday!

More on " Lynne Leaves a Gun"/Cannes' New Poster/Sapphires' O'Dowd

Good Monday morning...

MORE ON "LYNNE LEAVES A GUN"

There's a lot of speculation and back and forth vis-a-vis the departure of director Lynne Ramsay from "Jane Got a Gun" which as far as I know still stars Natalie Portman.  It does NOT star either Michael Fassbender or Jude Law as they have both bolted from the project.  It probably does star Joel Edgerton and probably is being directed by Gavin O'Connor.  It may star Jeff Bridges, Tobey Maguire or Jake Gyllenhall...or none of them.

All of this about a film that at one  point was likely to be on the Telluride #41 watch list...now, who knows if it even gets completed.

I can tell you this, filming IS going on around Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I was in Santa Fe the past couple of days and film crew signage was up to direct cast and crew to locations near there so something appears to be going on amid all the turmoil.  And there reportedly has been a good deal of turmoil.  The Hollywood Reporter had a large post up this week about all of the problems that have bedeviled the project.  That is here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/natalie-portmans-jane-got-a-430317

The Playlist also delved into the story as well:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/did-lynne-ramsay-quit-jane-got-a-gun-over-final-cut-20130322

The Playlist also carried the story that Bridges, Maguire and Gyllenhall might be prospects to replace Law:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jake-gyllenhaal-tobey-maguire-jeff-bridges-eyed-to-replace-jude-law-in-jane-got-a-gun-20130321


Stay tuned...

CANNES' NEW POSTER

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward class up the new poster released this week for the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.  Here's the poster:

And an accompanying story from The Wrap:

https://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/paul-newman-joanne-woodward-kiss-featured-cannes-poster-82166

SAPPHIRES' O'DOWD

Wayne Blair's "The Sapphires" is finally in theaters (in limited release) and Chris O'Dowd, who is outstanding in the film, is getting a lot of love and attention for his work in the film.  Guy Lodge at HitFix/InContention has a nice profile of the Irish actor here:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/chris-odowd-on-the-sapphires-making-it-in-america-and-why-hes-no-ken-doll


More on Thursday...

New Digs in 2013?/New Player in the Oscar Race/This Week's Feinberg/Thompson and Tapley Talk Oscar/Awards Circuit on the Record/Argo for the Win?/The Sapphires' Chris O'Dowd/Telluirde Films Get Distribs/Lincoln Trailer

Good Monday Everyone!  I hope that everybody had a great weekend.  Let's talk Oscar and Telluride!

NEW DIGS IN 2013?

There have been rumblings about it for more than a year.  And again this year at the end of the SHOW I was hearing that the possibility of adding a new large venue for 2013 in Telluride was a serious possibility.  Now we know that there is movement in that direction via this story from The Telluride Daily Planet:
http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2012/09/13/news/doc50510eb898413245239262.txt

Hockey rink into movie theater?  It could happen and my understanding is that it would create another very large venue for the Fest to program.  Think seating capacity in the Palm, Chuck, Galaxy area.

As you can see from the story, it all depends on money and time as well as balancing other interests.  I'll keep an open ear for further developments on this front.

NEW PLAYER IN THE OSCAR RACE

Already regarded as something of a player, David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" got a major boost yesterday as it won the audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival.  SLP beat out "Argo", "The Master" and others.  "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008 and "The King's Speech" in 2010 won the TIFF Audience Award before going on to win the Best Picture Oscar.

Coverage of the awards announcements from Toronto is here:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/goldstandard/la-et-mn-silver-linings-playbook-wins-toronto-award-20120916,0,2759919.story


And in a side note that will blow your mind, Kris Tapley tweeted yesterday that "Silver Linings" nearly played TFF #39 with a Robert DeNiro tribute as a possibility...WOULD HAVE BEEN AWESOME!

A FEW MINUTES WITH FEINBERG

Here's the link to this week's installment of a few minutes with The Hollywood Reporter's Oscar Guru Scott Feinberg:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/toronto-film-festival-winners-best-worst-370412

Telluride film s that Scott talks about include "Amour", "Argo", "The Gatekeepers", "Hyde Park on Hudson",  "Rust and Bone" and "The Sapphires".

And here's the link for Feinberg's first full Oscar forecast:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/feinberg-forecast-scott-feinberg-oscars-venice-telluride-toronto-lincoln-silver-linings-playbook-358642

ANNE AND KRIS START OSCAR TALK

The first episode of the "Oscar Talk" podcast featuring Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood and Kris Tapley of InContention/HitFix is up and running.  Among other topics Kris and Anne tackle the subject of why Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" wasn't at Telluride with each expressing one of the two versions that emerged two weeks ago: "The fest didn't want it" versus "PTA wouldn't let it play since he couldn't (?) be there".  Check it here:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/oscar-talk-ep-87-fall-fests-the-master-silver-linings-argo-and-more-kick-off-the-season

Anne Thompson also has updated her Oscar predictions after Telluride, Venice and most of Toronto.  Here that is:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/oscar_predicts_chart#







AWARDS CIRCUIT ON THE RECORD

One of the places that I usually include as a part of the list of bloggers and writers that concern themselves with the film awards season is The Awards Circuit.  They're up with  their first set of Oscar prognostications and I have linked them here: http://www.awardscircuit.com/


AC says that this is where Telluride films stand in their estimation in the Best Picture race:
#3 is "Argo"
#4 is "Amour"
#23 is "Hyde Park on Hudson"
#27 is "Frances Ha"
#32 is "Rust and Bone"
#36 is "A Royal Affair"

I'm thinking I may make my first stab at collating Oscar experts later this week.  Stay tuned.


ARGO FOR THE WIN

Kris Tapley over at InContention/HitFix put up a post earlier this week outlining the case for why Ben Affleck's "Argo" has a shot to win the Best Picture Oscar.  Look at it here:
http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/making-the-case-for-argo-and-the-zeitgeist


THE SAPPHIRES' CHRIS O'DOWD

Scott Feinberg also had a profile of Irish actor (and my unapologetic campaign for him to get an Oscar nod continues) Chris O'Dowd whose performance in "The Sapphires" continued to turn heads in its run in the Toronto International Film Festival.  Check out Feinberg's post here:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/toronto-2012-chris-odowd-bridesmaids-sapphires-movie-369735

POST-T-RIDE PURCHASE...

A number of announcements out of Toronto concerning various Telluride films that have been picked up for distribution.  Notably Noah Baumbach's "Frances Ha" by IFC...
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ifc-films-to-distribute-noah-baumbach-greta-gerwig-telluride-tiff-hit-frances-ha-20120913#

And Saudi Arabia's "Wadjda" by Sony Pictures Classics:
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=94815

Roadside Attractions has grabbed Sarah Polley's "Stories We Tell":
http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/roadside-attractions-picks-up-stories-we-tell-and-imogene#


AND FINALLY...THE "LINCOLN" TRAILER

Say what you will, but I personally think that Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" is going to be a monster player in this year's Oscar race.  I'm taking a possible stratospheric number of nominations...12, 13, 14...that kind of thing.  And now we have a trailer.  And I don't think it hurts its chances at all...  Look for yourself:

I think it looks phenomenal...

More on Thursday...

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TFF #39 Day 2 in the Books; TBA's for Day 3/A Few Moments with Alexander Payne/The Sapphires Rock (as they sing Soul)/Amour/Hyde Park Surprise/The Sunday Sked

Good Sunday Everyone...

A rare post from MTFB on a Sunday...but it IS festival time!


DAY 2 DONE; DAY 3: SUNDAY TBAs

I meet the legendary Roger Corman...gracious man.

The second day at Telluride 2012...had a fantastic day...Started with the tribute to Roger Corman with Q & A moderated by Leonard Maltin...before it even starts I had a chance to sit down with writer/director and Oscar winner Alexander Payne (see below)...very exciting!  Then the tribute, which was terrifically entertaining.

I followed that with brunch and strolled into the screening of "The Sapphires" at the Chuck where I was called for by name by a rep from The Weinstein Company...she said they wanted to talk to me after the screening, get my opinion...

Really?  Me?  OK.

Then watched the film...see below...

Next "Amour"...see below

And finally, "Hyde Park on Hudson"...and a surprise entrance by Bill Murray...

Nice day, friends.

Tomorrow...here are the Sunday TBAs:

TBAs Sunday, September 2, 2012

• Added Conversation:
Chuck Jones Cinema Lounge/5:30p Sunday FREE
"Animation: Evoking Life?" 
With Chuck Jones' daughter Linda Jones Clough, Leonard Maltin (author "Of Mice and Magic"), Annecy Animated Film Festival director Serge Bromberg, Ethan Clarke (DRIFTERS) and Sara Gunnarsdottir (THE PIRATE OF LOVE)

• 42) Annecy Animation Masons/1:15p Sunday

• 27) The Attack Nugget/6:30p Sunday

• 31) Stalker Pierre/7:45p Sunday

• 14) A Royal Affair Masons/9:30p Sunday

• 16) Frances Ha Galaxy/10p Sunday

• Sunday, Noon, Elks Park "Injustice, Reconciliation and Cinema"
"How are filmmakers addressing terrorism and political strife? Can movies help us move forward?"
With Ben Affleck, Mark Danner, Ziad Doueiri, Dror Moreh, Joshua Oppenheimer; moderated by Annette Insdorf

A FEW MOMENTS WITH ALEXANDER PAYNE

Alexander Payne

Alexander Payne has 2 Oscars...both for screenwriting  One for "Sideways' and the other for last year's "The Descendants".  He's funny, acerbic and very smart.

Saturday morning as I was walking into The Chuck for the Roger Corman tribute I noticed that he was in the house and 4 rows in front of me...so, on a whim, I approached and asked if we could do an interview...he said then would be good and suddenly I found myself talking to one of the industry's brightest lights.

Giddy?  Um...Yes.

And so, here's what I learned from/about Alexander Payne on a Saturday morning in Telluride (Mountain Village), CO.

Payne's involvement in the TFF came as after having been invited twice to present his own features here and having been unable to accept those invitations due to logistical and timing issues.  Payne was then asked to Guest direct in 2009.

He's returned each year since.  In 2010 as a fan.  In 2011 as the writer/director of "The Descendants" and this year as a presenter/programmer.  He explained that the Festival directors have given him license to "eyes" as he put it.  To be on the lookout for interesting film possibilities.  He told me that he'd stumbled across "I Knew Her Well" from Italian director Antonio Pietrangeli, suggested that it be programmed and it was.

I also asked Payne to talk a little bit about his upcoming project.  Payne set aside pre-productiion time this weekend as he seems to really enjoy the difference about the Telluride Film Fest compared to most other major festivals.  That being said, Payne revealed that shooting for his next feature "Nebraska" is set to start in 6 weeks.  "Nebraska" stars Will Forte (of Saturday Night Live and "MacGruber" fame) and Bruce Dern.  Bruce's daughter Laura arrived just as I was concluding my 2 minute/3 question session (I told him I'd be short!)  She was stunning.

Mr. Payne...If you're reading this...I hope you feel that I've done you proud.

Alexander Payne's IMDb entry: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0668247/

THE SAPPHIRES ROCK

Me and "The Sapphires" director Wayne Blair

Following the very entertaining Roger Corman tribute, I caught Wayne Blair's "The Sapphires".  And so should you...

First of all, Chris O'Dowd, playing a washed-up Irish keyboardist who stumbles upon an aboriginal girl group in 1968 Australia is wonderful.  He manages them into a gig entertaining American troops in Vietnam. The Weinsteins need to seriously think about a qualifying run for the film as O'Dowd should be a legitimate contender in the Best Supporting Actor category.  Superlative work.

Secondly, the music...I'm a sucker for old school soul and R+B and it is executed with aplomb.  The 4 women playing the "Sapphires" just nail it.

Thirdly... it's a feel good true story well executed.  Director Wayne Blair has achieved a small miracle.  Blair, in post screening comments, said that the film has been a hit in Aussie land as well it should be.

Fourth, not only has it got soul (music) but heart as well as we learn the back story of these 4 women, sisters and a cousin and how their family story acts as the mechanism to explore Australia's history of racism, exclusion and subjugation of its native peoples.  So some big themes as well.

Director Blair and screenwriters Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson manage to mix this all together winningly.

Catch this if you can today at The Palm at 4:00 (or at a TBA Monday)...thank me later.

The Sapphires IMDb entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1673697/


AMOUR

Michael Haneke follows "The White Ribbon" with this story of an octogenarian couple faced with a wife's increasing disability due to stroke.  This won the Palme D'or at Cannes this year.  Fine performances from Jean Louis Trintignant and Isabelle Huppert and an incredible turn by the 85 year old Emmanuelle Riva...she IS fearless!

Tough story... and perhaps too astringent from Haneke for my pallette.

"Amour's" IMDb entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1602620/


HYDE PARK ON HUDSON SURPRISE

Well, you've heard, Bill Murray showed up last night as an unannounced guest for the screening of "Hyde Park on Hudson" at The Galaxy.

For my money, it's a pleasant enough film...good performances from all concerned with Murray as FDR and Samuel West as the King of England particularly good.

It's pretty to look at, just doesn't seem to have a lot going on dramatically.

Tipped in some quarters as possible Oscar material for Murray, Laura Linney (as FDR's mistress) as well as Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams (Queen Elizabeth and Eleanor Roosevelt respectively), I'd be a bit surprised if it has that kind of traction.

But it was great to be surprised by Murray's entrance and to listen to his humor in the Q+A that followed.  Maybe I'll get a chance to run into him today.

Hyde Park's IMDb entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1477855/


MY SUNDAY SKED

I'm catching the Marion Cotillard tribute and "Rust and Bone" first thing today.  Then the animation program that has been TBAed at The Mason's.  After that...up in the air...maybe the Polley Doc.


More later...

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