Alexander Payne and The Holdovers / Screen Talk. She Said and NYFF / BFI-London Chooses Empire of Light

ALEXANDER PAYNE AND THE HOLDOVERS

(Photo via World of Reel)

Many of you know that I usually include Oscar winning director/writer Alexander Payne as a "Usual Suspects" that frequently attend the Telluride Film Festival.  Payne guest directed the fest in 2009 and is listed as a member of TFF's Board of Governors. But I didn't include Payne this year though I knew he was working on a new film starring his Sideways lead actor Paul Giamatti.  The Holdovers is described at IMDb as follows:

"Nobody likes teacher Paul Hunham (Giamatti) -- not his students, not his fellow faculty, not the headmaster, who all find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With no family and nowhere to go over Christmas holiday in 1970, Paul remains at school to supervise students unable to journey home. After a few days, only one student holdover remains -- a trouble-making 15-year-old named Angus, a good student whose bad behavior always threatens to get him expelled. Joining Paul and Angus is head cook Mary (Randolph)-an African American woman who caters to sons of privilege and whose own son was recently lost in Vietnam. These three very different shipwrecked people form an unlikely Christmas family sharing comic misadventures during two very snowy weeks in New England. The real journey is how they help one another understand that they are not beholden to their past-they can choose their own futures."

Well...Jordan Ruimy at World of Reel revealed  that The Holdovers test screened last week indicating that some semi-complete version of the film does exist.  And, as a consequence Jordan has asked (and others have as well) whether or not there is a possibility that it could play at Telluride in less than three weeks.

When I was asked if it could play at TFF #49 my response was if anyone could make that happen it would be Alexander Payne.  Do I think it WILL happen?  No.  Do I think it COULD happen?  Sure...it's Payne.  There's a chance and I, for one, would welcome it.

SCREEN TALK, SHE SAID AND NYFF

Maria Schrader's She Said has been something of a badminton birdie for me this summer-back and forth, back and forth.

The latest salvo was its lack of inclusion on NYFF's Main Slate announcement last week.  I had assumed that the film's supposed World Premiere at NYFF would mean its inclusion as a Main Slate selection.  So when it was not I thought...hey...maybe it's still in play for TFF.

But a comment posted to my blog by "Unknown" on Thursday suggests:

"NYFF’s press release re: its Main Slate stated “Currents, Revivals, Spotlight, and Talks sections will be announced in the coming weeks.” My best guess is that She Said will be announced w/i the next two weeks as a NYFF Spotlight film accompanied by a Talk with the main cast and the journalists they portray."

Makes a lot of sense.

Then Anne Thompson on Indiewire's ScreenTalk podcast said this:

"I announced awhile ago that She Said was going to have a big event at the New York Film Festival and I believe that that is going to turn out to be true."  Which makes me think Anne knows even more than what she's saying.  Does it mean it's a World Premiere at New York and nit a TFF selection?  Probably.  

I also kind of think that Anne might be leading the Q+A after the film at NYFF-pure speculation on my part.

BUT, then Anne goes on to say that Sarah Polley's Women Talking will be announced sometime soon as an addition to NYFF and I feel very confident that its initial bow will be at Telluride.

Sooo...She Said is a "probably not" again for TFF #49.  But....

BFI-LONDON CHOOSES EMPIRE OF LIGHT

The BFI-London Film Fest announced on Thursday that Sam Mendes Empire of Light will be this year's American Express Gala Screening at the British Film Institute/London Film Festival as a European Premiere.

Variety had the story which is linked here.

The premiere designation underscores the belief that the film will appear first at Telluride.  

The film stars Olivia Colman, Colin Firth and Toby Jones.  

Variety described the film this way:

"Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s, the film is about human connection and the magic of cinema."

It's on my list to see during The SHOW.

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Star Gazing at TFF #49 / The Story of Film: A New Generation Trailer / Armageddon to NYFF / A Compassionate Spy Appears Confirmed

STAR GAZING AT TFF #49

Who might be joining us mere mortals in the San Juans in just a few weeks?  Working from my current Ten (Plus) Bets list, here are some possibilities (listed by film) with past TFF Guests indicated with ***:

Armageddon Time: Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong, Anthony Hopkins (who may have been a Tribute recipient had there been a TFF #47) and Jessica Chastain.

Bones and All: Timothee Chalamet, Taylor Russell***, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mark Rylance, Chloe Sevigny***.

Empire of Light: Colin Firth*** (Tribute 2010), Olivia Colman, Toby Jones.

One Fine Morning: Lea Seydoux***.

The Pale Blue Eye: Christian Bale***, Henry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Robert Duvall

TAR: Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong

Women Talking: Jesse Buckley, Rooney Mara*** (Tribute 2015), Clare Foy, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand.

The Wonder: Florence Pugh.

Hot prospects for Tributes include Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Olivia Colman and Frances McDormand.

THE STORY OF FILM: A NEW GENERATION TRAILER

TFF "Usual Suspect" Mark Cousins has a couple of projects that could make a splash at TFF #49.  One is an updating of sorts of his The Story of Film.  That film is The Story of Film: A New Generation and comes 10 years after the original.  The new version has a new trailer which dropped last week.  Here that is via YouTube:

Additionally, Cousins has a new documentary that will land at Venice and then could end up at Telluride.  March on Rome which is described at IMDb as a film that:

"Depicts the ascent of fascism in Italy, and its fallout across 1930s Europe."

I wouldn't be stunned if both films were screened at the fest.

ARMAGEDDON AT NYFF

The New York Film festival has announced that James Gray's Armageddon Time will play as a "Main Slate selection".  The announcement from NYFF is a little bit cagey with its language about the premiere status of the film:

"The premiere has been designated a special 60th anniversary screening event celebrating the history of the festival, featuring Gray and cast in attendance, along with NYFF filmmakers and supporters who have been integral to the festival’s success." 

There's no actual mention of its premiere status despite using the word premiere" in the announcement.  If the film isn't playing TFF/TIFF then New York could and likely would bill it as an North American premiere.  Also, the "60th anniversary screening event" language makes me think that the film plays somewhere else before NYFF.

So I'm going to stand pat, for the moment anyway, that Armageddon Time still screens at TFF #49.

NYFF's announcement is linked here.

A COMPASSIONATE SPY APPEARS CONFIRMED

Jordan Ruimy/World of Reel continues to be a fount of info regarding festival season.  In one of his later posts he seems to confirm that Steve James' A Compassionate Spy is headed for Telluride:

"Then there’s Steve James’ “A Compassionate Spy,” set to premiere at Venice, Telluride, Toronto and Chicago."

I reported here a week ago that the documentary looked like it was  headed to TFF #49 based on a Chicago Tribune story which included this:

"Though the filmmaker could not confirm the near-future for his latest project, many world premieres start at Venice and then go straight to a U.S. premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado a few days later."

And:

"James wrapped up principal photography in April, and his producers at Participant Media suggested submitting the film for Venice (Aug. 31-Sept. 10) and Telluride (Sept. 2-5)."

Jordan's full story is here.

PS...another doc that Jordan mentions is Laura Poitras' All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" has also been announced as NYFF's Centerpiece and os absent any premiere designation for that fest as far as I can tell.  

That leads me to think that we might consider it as a TFF #49 prospect.  The film focuses on the work of photographer Nan Goldin and her fight against the Sackler family (Purdue Pharma).  

Goldin's story was recently included as a part of the Hulu miniseries Dopesick.

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MTFB Up Close/Goodbye Says "Hello"/Posters Again?/Can't Stop It

Hello It's Me...with apologies to Todd Rundgren.

The 38th Telluride Film Festival will be under way in 2 weeks and 2 days....

MTFB UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

It looks increasingly as if there will be a "Michael's Telluride Film Blog" shin dig"/"meet and greet"/seminar/thingy in Telluride on Friday, Sept. 2.  I'm working on the details right now and will be passing them along as they get firmed up.  If it comes together like I think it's going to, it will be a pleasant way to get together and talk a little bit about the Festival before it really cranks up.

I'll let you know as we get closer to the festival.

"GOODBYE" SAYS "HELLO"

Ioncinema reports late yesterday that they're fairly certain that writer-director Mia Hansen-Love's "Goodbye First Love" is headed to the Telluride Film Festival.

Ioncinema tweeted:
"Goodbye First Love-looks like it's Telluride Bound"

The French/German film follows the ups and downs of a romantic relationship of a couple beginning in their adolescence.

Adding some background info that sort of provides a semi-Telluride connection to past festivals is the nugget that Hansen-Love is purportedly engaged to Olivier Assayas ("Carlos"-TFF #37).

Goodbye First Love's IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1618447/

MORE POSTERAGE

The Playlist, First Showing.net and Movie Web all had versions of posts up yesterday with new posters for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" that are character specific (so I imagine that there will be others rolled over over the next few days)

and the first (to my knowledge) of Mark Forster's "Machine Gun Preacher" which I think has a chance to be at Telluride.

Tinker's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/

Machine Gun Preacher's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1586752/

Check the full stories at:

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/weapon_tagline_wielding_machine_gun_preacher_poster_cast_gets_coded_in_tink/

FirstShowing.net
http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/check-this-out-gerard-butlers-new-poster-for-machine-gun-preacher/

MovieWeb:
http://www.movieweb.com/news/two-tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-posters-with-colin-firth-and-tom-hardy

YOU CAN'T STOP IT...

Sasha Stone of Awards Daily has a nice post up that focuses on her view of the state of the race for Oscar glory as we approach the thundering tumult that will be Telluride, Venice, Toronto and New York.  She gives a clear eyed assessment of what's what and the players in the line-ups of those fests that we know about.  Take a look at it, see what you think:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2011/08/cantstop/

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More on the morrow...

Opposing Drives/Looking at Tinker/Descendants Look/Thompson on Coriolanus

Good Morning America...and all the ships at sea!

Friday was a really interesting day.  A nice little bit of badinage with Sasha Stone of Awards Daily and a note that Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere has added me as a follower on Twitter.  Freaking out a little.

Also finished the first (and largest step) of a big, BIG summer project.

So all in all, a really nice day.  Now some film stuff...

DRIVE'S POSTERS COMPARED

I have high hopes that I have been reading the tea leaves correctly and that Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive" will unspool (a term that doesn't make sense in an age of digital film) in Telluride in less than three weeks.

I was lukewarm about it as I read descriptions coming out of Cannes in May (very good notices) but really came around after seeing the trailer.  Now I think it might have a shot to be one of the two or three best films of the year.  So hopes and expectations are high.

Yesterday, via different film sites, we got 2 views of differing posters for the film.  From Awards Daily this view of the "drive" poster for the U.K.

From FirstShowing.net this view of the official U.S. poster:

Personally I prefer the U.S. version.

"Drive" stars Ryan Gosling (as you can clearly see in the posters), Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks (Oscar buzz) and Ron Perlman (who I swear I saw in Telluride the first time I was there for the film fest in 2006).

Drive's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/

LOOKING AT TINKER

Another film I have a vibe for and that I am crossing my fingers for is Tomas Alfredson's spy thriller/existential meditation "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" from the John LeCarre novel and featuring Gary Oldman (Oscar buzz), Colin Firth (Oscar buzz), John Hurt, Mark Strong and Toby Jones.  Next week's announcement from the New York Film Fest about its closing film may tell us about TTSS' chances of actually being in the San Juans.  Again, I'm hoping...

The Playlist (at IndieWire) has a post up with a discussion of clips from the film.  They seem positively giddy with what they've seen.  That whets my appetite even more.

Here's the link to The Playlist's story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/empire_big_screen_11_first_footage_from_tinker_tailor_soldier_spy_is_flat-o

Tinker's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/


DESCENDANTS LOOK

It's no secret that I'm 99.99% certain that Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" starring George Clooney will be in Telluride...the film...Clooney?...who knows.

This is also a film I am very high on and I've had it on the Telluride radar for more than a year.  Good buzz on it from some insider types has also built my anticipation.

Again, The Playlist was up this weekend with a new post and a new still from the film.  The post also has a good description via the press info out from the Toronto fest where it will also play after T-ride ( as well as a mention that they "won't be surprised" if it is headed to Telluride...go with that, I say).

Here's The Playlist story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/new_photo_george_clooney_shailene_woodley_in_alexander_paynes_the_descendan

The Descendant's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/

BTW... for those interested...The Playlist also has a couple of new posts up this weekend about "Carnage" and "My Week with Marilyn" both of which I have virtually dropped from serious Telluride consideration because of their positions in the New York Film Festival.

And Playlist...I'm still available...

THOMPSON ON CORIOLANUS

Anne Thompson is one of my favorite film bloggers (Thompson on Hollywood/IndieWire).  I had a chance to meet and talk with her briefly two years ago at Telluride #36.  She was very kind. 

Last year she went to Venice and missed Telluride #37 but I hear that she's returning to southwest Colorado this year and I say "Yea!"

Yesterday Thompson posted an informative piece about the initial reactions from those who have seen Ralph Fiennes' adaptation of Shakespeare's "Coriolanus."  Suffice it to say that the early buzz is very good (Vanessa Redgrave-Oscar buzz).
I have seen the trailer for the film and as a result I am extremely hopeful ends up on the TFF#38 playbill.  You can link to the trailer if you'll look at my Aug. 10th post of this blog. 

The Thompson story is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/12/coriolanus_fiennes_and_redgrave_stand_out

Coriolanus IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1372686/


AND TWO TIDBITS

News out of Hollywood the last 24 hours that really doesn't have Telluride implications but that I find interesting:

Disney has apparently pulled the plug on the Johnny Depp/Lone Ranger project...that's all over the Interweb...wow.

And the announcement that Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) has grabbed the option to adapt and direct the new Stephen King novel "11-22-63."  This combination of material and auteur intrigues me.

The novel is out in November for us mere mortals and centers on time travel and the attempt to re-write history.

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Tinker Spec/Another Kevin/Into the Abyss/Poland's View

Good morning all.  Still kind of back to waiting...

The 38th annual Telluride Film Festival happens in 22 days!

Three weeks away and I keep getting reminders in various ways that people are coming to the blog in increasing numbers in hopes that it does what it's intended to do: give some insight about the likely films that will play at the uber-secret Telluride Film Festival.  As the days get fewer, the traffic gets bigger.  No pressure!

TINKER SPECULATION

Last year's TFF Tributee, Colin Firth, in TTSS

                                                            

Tomas Alfredson's film adaptation of the John LeCarre novel, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" has been on my Telluride radar for quite some time now.  If you range through past posts of this blog you can find poster, stills and trailer links.  I thought it was only about a 25% possibility to be at TFF #38 for a long time. 

Lately, I've been thinking that its chances are increasing especially since it wasn't tagged for Toronto and wasn't chosen to open New York ("Carnage" was) or stand as its middle of festival special presentation (My Week with Marilyn" was).  Last week I suggested that it might be a part of a Gary Oldman tribute...and I'm not saying definitively that one of Telluride's three tributes will be devoted to Oldman...just that that is a scenario that makes some sense to me.

Nevertheless, bigger show biz brains than mine are thinking in a similar direction.  Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood elsewhere posted just yesterday that he's thinking along the same lines. Wells' view for TTSS: Telluride, close the NYFF (Wells says that the closer will be announced by NYFF next week) or no U.S. festival presentation at all.

Consequently, I have bumped the chances of seeing TTSS in Telluride up to 40%...and it would definitely be on my must-see list.

The link to the Wells post is here:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/08/tinker_cant_hid.php

Tinker's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/

PS...the comments section of the Wells story indicates that Wells is now leaning toward the belief that TTSS won't play anywhere domestically prior to its London debut.


ANOTHER KEVIN

"We Need to Talk About Kevin" has been on our Telluride radar in a serious way since it made waves in May at the Cannes film festival.  Starring John C. Reilly and Tilda Swinton (in what has been touted since Cannes as an Oscar caliber performance), the film got a boost, in my estimation, of its chances of being in
T-ride during the Toronto fest announcements as the result of a cryptic tweet from Ioncinema.  Currently I have it sitting at #5 on my "Ten Bets" list.

Well, as fall fests draw closer, we're seeing more info from film distributors and studios including a new (and what most are saying is an improved) poster for the film.

The Playlist (at IndieWire) posted the new version of the poster in a story yesterday.  The post also contains the new poster for Steven Spielberg's animate "Adventures of Tintin."  Here's the new "Kevin" version via their website:

Yup..works better.  You can find The Playlist story at:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/new_posters_for_the_adventures_of_tintin_we_need_to_talk_about_kevin/

Kevin's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1242460/


INTO THE ABYSS

Werner Herzog is a Telluride mainstay.  He's on the festival's advisory board.  I think he's been there all five of the years I have.  He almost always has something in the can to show.  This year doesn't appear to be any different.

I fully expect his Texas death row documentary "Into the Abyss" (at least I think that's what he's calling it now) to be on Telluride's program when it is unveiled on Sept. 2.  We already know that it will be playing in Toronto, so we know that Herzog has it ready for public display.  So my feeling is "bank on it."  It's sitting at #2 on this week's "Ten Bets" for a reason.

All that is to get to this: Movie City News has a post up with three clips from the doc that you can look at.  Here's the link:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/08/tiff11-three-clips-from-herzog-on-death-row-into-the-abyss/


The Abyss IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1972663/


POLAND'S VIEW

Could we see "Chicken with Plums" in Telluride?

Speaking of Movie City News, their David Poland had a really great three part awards-type preview last week up on their site.  The links for all three parts are provided below.  Some notes that may have Telluride implications:

From Part One: Includes discussion of Telluride possibles "Chicken with Plums," "Dark Horse," and "The Oranges."   He also talks "Friends with Kids" and "Trishna" both of which could show at The SHOW.  I actually was teetering on calling "Trishna" a T-ride "possible" as well.

Part Two: Is chocked full or Telluride "maybes" including: "360," "The Deep Blue Sea," "Eye of the Storm," "Killer Joe," "The Lady," "Peace, Love and Understanding," "Rampart," "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," "Shame," and "Take this Waltz."

Part Three: Starts out looking at "big" films that probably won't be in play for Telluride (with the exception of the above noted "Tinker, Tailor..." and maybe "The Rum Diary").  After that, Poland switches back to some films that definitely are possibles for Telluride: "Albert Nobbs," "The Artist," "Coriolanus," "A Dangerous Method," and, of course, the George Clooney double bill of "The Descendants" and "The Ides of March."  Additionally, Poland concludes with comments about "Moneyball," "Take Shelter" and "We Need to Talk About Kevin."

The three parter is fun and informative.  Take a look at it.

Part One link:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/08/6-weeks-to-tiff-a-20-weeks-to-oscar-prequel-part-1-of-3/

Part Two link:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/08/6-weeks-to-tiff-a-20-weeks-to-oscar-prequel-part-2-of-3/

Part Three link:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/08/6-weeks-to-tiff-a-20-weeks-to-oscar-prequel-part-3-of-3/


More on the morrow...

Ralph Gets a Trailer/Contagion Contagious/Carey Talks/On Broadway

Well, not so much waiting now...choices...

The Telluride Film Festival starts in 23 days!

RALPH (PRONOUNCED "RAFE") GETS A TRAILER

Coriolanus: Oscar bait for Fiennes and Redgrave?

One of The Weinstein Company's films that I have thought has at least some possibility of playing at Telluride is the directing debut of English actor Ralph Fiennes.  He has undertaken an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Coriolanus."  It's not a play that gets many productions...maybe this film will change that.  And here's why I say that.  The TWC people have a Coriolanus trailer out for the Brits and FirstShowing.net has it up on their site.  It looks fantastic! 

Up to now I've been moderately interested in seeing what Fiennes had up his sleeve.  Additionally, there has already been some Best Supporting Actress buzz for Vanessa Redgrave who appears as Coriolanus' mother (the title role also played by Mr. Fiennes).  well, after looking at the trailer, I am more than moderately interested...now I am really hoping that it shows up in Telluride in three weeks.

Have a look at the FirstShowing story and the "Coriolanus" trailer here:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/watch-intense-uk-trailer-for-ralph-fiennes-shakespeare-coriolanus/

The Coriolanus IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1372686/

CONTAGION CONTAGIOUS

A blitz of "Contagion" (dir. Steven Soderbergh) material has been hitting the last few days.  Individual character posters and some TV clips as the opening (Sept. 9) approaches.  Admittedly, I think that "Contagion" is an unlikely entrant for the Telluride program but stranger things have happened.  that being said, here are some "Contagion" links for you to enjoy:

Links to two TV spots for the film via The Playlist at IndieWire:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_matt_damon_is_highly_contagious_in_2_new_tv_spots_for_steven_soderber/

And a link to The Playlist again with a view of  the character posters that are out for the film:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/dont_talk_to_anyone_dont_touch_anyone_new_posters_pics_from_steven_soderber/

Contagion IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/


CAREY TALKS

Carey Mulligan (An Education, Never Let Me Go) has made a habit of being in Telluride the last two years.  this year she could (and I feel like will) make it a third straight year with either "Drive" or "Shame" or both.

Hit Fix has put up a lengthy interview with the British sprite focused primarily o n Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive."  You can find that interview here:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/awards-campaign/posts/carey-mulligan-on-the-power-of-quiet-love-with-ryan-gosling-in-drive

I currently have "Drive" at #8 on the Ten Bets list and "Shame" at #9.

Drive's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/

Shame's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1723811/

ON BROADWAY

Colin Firth at last year's Labor Day Picnic in Telluride

Word all over the internet the past 48 hours of a tidbit that has been expected for some time...2010 Best Picture Oscar winner and Telluride #37 presentation "The King's Speech" will be coming to Broadway in play form in a little more than a year if all goes according to plan.

TKS was originally conceived by author David Seidler as a play but, of course, became the four time Oscar winning film last year that serves as the centerpiece of Telluride's tribute to Best Actor winner Colin Firth.

Now Seidler's original intent appears to be on the road to being fulfilled.  I have included a link to The Hollywood News' version of the story:
http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2011/08/07/the-kings-speech-coming-to-broadway-in-fall-2012/


 More on the morrow... (sounds very "Coriolanus-y" doesn't it?)

Meyer Makes a Move/Conatgion Breaks Out/Pix from TTSS

Good Morning from "Area 51"...

MEYER MAKES A MOVE

Gary Meyer, co-director of the Telluride Film Festival, is making a big change in his life.  The San Francisco Gate/Chronicle reports this morning that Meyer is leaving his post as operator of the specialty and independent Balboa Theater in San Fran.

According to the story the anticipated cost for a potential switch over to digital projection has played a part in Meyer's decision.

You can read the entire story here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/20/BAAK1KD5RI.DTL


NEW CONTAGION BREAKOUT

Stephen Soderbergh's "Contagion" is set to be released on Sept. 9 and could conceivably have a presence at this year's festival.  I had a copy of the teaser poster up not long ago.  Now comes a new poster making its way across the internet today.

We have it from Brad Brevet at Rope of Silicon and have included it here as well as the link to the accompanying story.  Here's the link:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/infected-cities-named-official-poster-contagion

Poster looks cool.

TINKER TAILOR HAS SOME STILLS

The buzz on Tomas Alfredson's "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (adapted from the John LeCarre novel and featuring a very, very buzzed about performance from Gary Oldman as Geroge Smiley) has me hoping that the rumor that it could be included at Telluride is accurate. 

The Playlist has a post with a number of stills from the set.  One of those, featuring Colin Firth, John Hurt, and Toby Jones is above.  Very intriguing.

Here is the link to The Playlist story and a bunch more pix:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/new_look_more_images_from_tomas_alfredsson_tinker_tailor_soldier_spy/

Heading home tomorrow...woo...hoo!

Contagious Contagion/Penn Preview/Another Trance Shift

Hello film fans. 

Today I have a look at a couple of films that have borderline prospects to play as a part of this year's Telluride Film Festival...

CONTAGIOUS CONTAGION

Stephen Soderbergh's "Contagion" has been all over the internet the last 24 hours.  Stills and a trailer have emerged and its release date has been moved up to Sept.9...which makes it an awfully tight but not impossible fit for Telluride. 

Soderbergh's film boasts an all star cast to tell the story of a pandemic breakout and how the world deals with it.  Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Laurence Fishburne lead the ensemble.

Here is the trailer from Awards Daily:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2011/07/trailer-breaks-out-for-steven-soderberghs-contagion/

Should "Contagion" somehow make it onto the SHOW's play list, it would definitely be on my must see list and would certainly add a number of intriguing possibles to my list of people that could be there in support of the film.

PENN PREVIEW

If Paolo Sorrentino's "This Must Be the Place" had received a warmer critical reception at Cannes, it is a film that would probably have made my "Ten Bets" list for Telluride.  As it is, it's still on my list of possible films.  It stars Sean Penn as a quasi-washed up rock star who decides to try to track down a past Nazi who was involved in the interment of his father during the World War II
. 

As these posters attest, it certainly has a novelty factor going for it.  And after yesterday, it also has a trailer going for it.  Here's the link to that trailer:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_trailer_for_sean_penns_weird_goth_holocaust_dramedy_the_must_be_the/#.Th3f6ex2HoY.email


ANOTHER TRANCE SHIFT

Vincent Cassel...In?

I've been chronicling the ebb and flow of Danny Boyle's next scheduled film, "Trance,"  over the past few weeks because Boyle has been such a dynamic presence at the film festival for his last two films (Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours).  Additionally, Boyle's casting news has included people who have also had or been in films that have had significant Telluride presence the past few years as well. 

Originally Michael Fassbender (Hunger, 2008) was in.  Then he dropped out and the story was that he would likely be replaced by Colin Firth (When Did You Last See Your Father, 2008 and The King's Speech, 2010).  Now comes word that Firth may be on the outs only to be replaced by another actor who was in a film that made a T-ride splash last year.  The Playlist at Indiewire reports that Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, 2010) may be the object of Boyle's pursuit for what is expected to be a 2013 release.

That story is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/will_vincent_cassel_fall_under_danny_boyles_trance/#.Th3gNe4edvE.email

"Trance" will likely be on the Telluride #40 watch list assuming that it is finished in time for the Labor Day festival.

Trance Links/Le Havre News/Dardennes "Bike"/Nobbs

Me and my buddy Oscar winner Colin Firth...will he be at T-ride this year (TTSS) or in 2013 (Trance)?

Good Morning Peeps!

TRANCE LINKS

Yesterday I posted news that Danny Boyle's next film project, "Trance," has apparently lost Michael Fassbender and that Boyle was seeking Colin Firth to replace him.  I thought you'd like more detail and so have provided some links to various versions of that news (and the additional news that Boyle was seeking to sign up Scarlett Johannson as well).  Here are the various links:

Slashfilm:
http://www.slashfilm.com/danny-boyle-eyeing-colin-firth-scarlett-johansson-trance/#more-106947


Cinemablend:
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Colin-Firth-Scarlett-Johansson-For-Danny-Boyle-s-Heist-Thriller-Trance-25525.html

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/danny_boyle_wants_colin_firth_and_scarlett_johansson_to_join_james_mcavoy_i/

Trance" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1924429/
 

LE HAVRE NEWS

One of the well received films from the Cannes film festival that I think has a reasonably good chance of being a Telluride film pick this year is Aki Kaurismaki's "Le Havre."  I reported a few weeks back that there was a hint that The Weinstein Company was about to secure distribution for the U.S. for the film but since that time there has been no news, no confirmation.

Now comes the news from The Hollywood Reporter that "Le Havre" has won the Best International Film award at the Munich Film Festival which should put it back into the conversation for Telluride and for someone to pick up its distribution rights. I maintain that it's still a definite possibility for TFF #38.

Here is the story from The Hollywood Reporter:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/aki-kaurismakis-le-havre-paddy-207913

Le Harve IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1508675/

DARDENNES "BIKE"

Another Cannes film that I think has an excellent chance of being at Telluride is the Dardennes Brothers "The Kid with a Bike."  Anne Thompson reports that the brothers are continuing to pick up a slew of awards for the film and their career in the next few months leading me to believe that the film would be a tremendous addition to the TFF playlist.  However, Thompson notes that one of the awards that the Brothers Dardennes are set to receive happens at the Venice Film Fest.  But since the film is already playing in Europe (and specifically in Italy) and since one would expect the award presentation to come at the end of the Venetian festivities ( it closes on Sept. 10) I have to believe that there is still a large window of opportunity for the film to play in T-ride.

The link to the Thompson story (which also includes a link to the trailer) is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/07/05/dardennes_the_kid_with_the_bike_wins_awards_needs_us_distribution/#more

The Kid with a Bike IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1827512/

ALBERT NOBBS WHERE ARE YOU?

Way back in March when I foolishly began to pontificate about what pictures could make their way to the San Juans, one of the films that I thought just sounded like a Telluride possibility was "Albert Nobbs" starring Glenn Close.  Since then there has been very little news about the project and its disposition.  Over the last two days, however, there has been some movement that indicates that we could see the film lined up for a serious Oscar run especially for Close.

The Playlist and The Hollywood Reporter both had stories yesterday detailing the involvement of Roadside Attractions and Liddell Entertainment which have secured the U.S. rights to the film.  Close co-wrote the screenplay and produces as well as acts the title role which she reprises from her 1982 performance in the play.

The Telluride connection?  Roadshow and Liddell teamed up last year on Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu's "Biutiful."  It's not beyond the realm of possibility that they will seek to  follow the same path that resulted in an Oscar nom for Javier Bardem.

Here is the Playlist's story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/albert_nobbs_picked_up_by_liddell_entertainment_and_roadside_attractions/

And the Hollywood Reporter version:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/risky-business/glenn-close-drama-albert-nobbs-208022

Albert Nobbs IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1602098/

After "Missing Pieces"/A New Trance/Thompson's List/Oscilloscope

Larry Mallard's photo of fireworks in Telluride last night...Oooh....AAAHhhhhh

Good Morning everyone.  I hope you had a terrific Independence Day celebration.  The Patterson's did their traditional morning grilled steak and eggs breakfast complete with mimosas.  We were coast to coast yesterday with all members of the clan firing up grills to celebrate America by eating a ridiculous amount of food to start the day.  It's a tradition in our family that goes back 40 years or so.  Try it.  Nothing beats a grilled slab of beef as a way to start your 4th of July holiday (unless, of course, you're a vegetarian/vegan...then grill up some asparagus and join the party!)

THANKS!

A big thank you to start today to all of you that took a peek at my All Time Top Ten (11) Films of All Time List.  It's been one o the most popular posts of the summer.

AFTER "MISSING PIECES"

Last week I got the chance to publish an actual review for Kenton Bartlett's independent feature film "Missing Pieces" (check June 28).  Couple of things about that...I have my first attributed blurb.  Check out Kenton's "Missing Pieces" website... http://kentonbartlett.com/ Feel like a big shot. 

Additionally, apparently ascribing to the "moss won't grow on a rolling stone" theory, Bartlett is moving on to his next film project.  Take a peak at those details on his website as well...
http://www.kentonbartlett.com/futureproject.htm
The new film project is entitled "When It's Cold, I'll Keep You Warm."

NEW "TRANCE" NEWS

We reported last week that recent Telluride fave Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours)was setting up his next film (not expected until 2013 so he can direct the Olympics ceremonies in London next year).  It's called "Trance" and was scheduled to feature James McAvoy (Last King of Scotland, The Last Station) and Michael Fassbender (Hunger).  The word over the long weekend was that Fassbender is out and Boyle is looking to replace him with...drum roll please...Oscar Winner Colin Firth (The King's Speech, When Did You Last See Your Father?).

The switch in casting, should it pan out, may actually increase the chances that we see this film in Telluride in 2013.  Also reported this weekend was that Boyle was hot to cast Scarlett Johansson as well.

Incidentally, in other Colin Firth/Telluride related news.  He will be appearing this Oscar season in support of Gary Oldman in Telluride possible "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and is filming the Coen Brothers scripted "Gambit" directed by Michael Hoffman.  If Hoffman's name sounds familiar, that's because he was in T-ride in 2009 as director of "The Lsst Station."  So, perhaps "Gambit" is a 2012 Telluride possible as well.

THOMPSON'S LIST

Anne Thompson of Indiewire's Thompson on Hollywood has her Oscar watch list up.  I have included her Best Picture list here Best Bets for Telluride have a *):

BEST PICTURE

Front Runners:
The Artist*
Jane Eyre
The Tree of Life
Win Win


Contenders:
Beginners
Carnage
A Dangerous Method*
The Descendants*
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Hugo Cabret
J. Edgar
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball*
On The Road*
Super 8
The War Horse

Long Shots:
A Better Life
Contagion
The Ides of March
The Impossible
The Iron Lady
One Day
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
We Bought A Zoo
Wuthering Heights
Young Adult*

You can find her entire list that includes Acting, Directing and Screenplay possibles at:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2009/09/09/oscar_predicts_chart/
 
ANOTHER FILM COMPANY AND TELLURIDE
 
Looking today at Oscilloscope Pictures which has had a limited presence at the Telluride Film Festival over the last few years.  They were a significant presence in 2008 with 2 films appearing at T-ride: "Youssou Ndour:I Bring What I Love" and "Kisses."  Since then films under their banner that made some noise but were not at Telluride included: "The Messenger," "Exit Through the Gift Shop,"and "Meek's Cutoff" (which, rumor has it, almost appeared at TFF #37 last year).
 
As to this year, they are part of the team responsible for "We Need to Talk About Kevin" which played Cannes and received a good deal of potential Oscar buzz about Tilda Swinton's performance.  I actually think it's chances of being at Telluride are reasonably good. 
 
Have a good Fifth of July friends and neighbors!

Spies at TFF #38?

The Playlist speculates that director Tomas Alfredson's adaptation of the John Le Carre spy classic "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" might find its way onto the program for Telluride in September. Today's article claims that the film that stars Gary Oldman and TFF #37 tributee Colin Firth will open the Venice Festival and speculates that it is also likely to show up at either Telluride or Toronto.

"Tinker..." follows the story of British spy master George Smiley (Oldman) and his attempt to dig out a Russian mole from British Intelligence during the height of the Cold War.

The film is from production companies Studio Canal and Working Title...both of which have been represented at Telluride in the past.

The Playlist article can be found here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/2011/04/25/tinker_tailor_solider_spy_invited_to_open_the_venice_film_festival_fall/

The IMDB listing for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" is here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/

The OC and What They Are Saying About Oscar

Can't wait to find "the way back" to Telluride for TFF #38

After a couple of days to reflect, I spoke with some of the people that I have met over the past 3 years since starting this blog. People that are Academy members and Industry insiders... and asked them some questions about the 83rd edition of Oscar. Here are some of the things they had to say...

Universally, there was keen disappointment in the "show" itself. "Lifeless" was a term I heard more than once and I couldn't agree more. A good deal of scorn was heaped on James Franco, who seemed to just give up abut 1/2 way through the telecast. Anne Hathaway escaped being tarred as heavily as Franco, but my sources weren't exactly falling all over themselves to praise her work either. One of my peeps said, "It was like an episode of SNL where none of the skits is working." Good point.

Reflecting the general consensus from the Oscar blogosphere, my sources echoed the notion that there were no upsets or real surprises. Aside from mild (and I do mean mild) "surprises" in Cinematography and in terms of The King's Speech not winning as many statues as some of my source folk (and I) though would happen (I.E. Art Direction, Costume and Score). There was a little bit of surprise from one source that Melissa Leo won Supporting Actress over Hailee Steinfeld.

I had one passionate defense of The Social Network as the film of our time and the one film that would be remembered down the road.

I also had a source that commented on the success of Harvey Weinstein in terms of the actual Oscar campaign for "The King's Speech." In recent years Weinstein hasn't been able to put that together like he had in the past (think "Shakespeare in Love"). But this year's success makes one think that he's found his mojo again.

Lot's of praise for acceptance speeches of Colin Firth and Tom Hooper. And one note about how funny Randy Newman was.

Disappointment? One source was dismayed that "Inside Job" won out over "Restrepo." Another just said he wasn't all that passionate about any of Sunday night's results. Another was disappointed in Best Animated Short Subject.

I asked everyone to look forward one year and predict a film that we'd be talking about the day after the 84th Oscar ceremony...huge response for David Fincher's re-make of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

I'm dubious.

Coming Friday...the first look at what might play at Telluride's 38th Film Festival. Passes went on sale yesterday. My hookup says I'm solid for Labor Day! Counting down the days!!!

Oscar 83 Post-Mortem/The Oscar Clearinghouse

Move along, there's nothing to see here.

It was the Oscar Night of no surprises. The biggest "surprise," if you could call it that, was the Inception/Wally Pfister win for Cinematography over Roger Deakins for True Grit. And even that wasn't much of a stunner as Pfister had won the Guild award from cinematographers a few days ago. Otherwise, it was according to expectations.

The Clearinghouse was 17 of 21 in the non-Short subject categories. In the three categories where I personally differed from the Clearinghouse numbers, I was 1 of 3 (The OC got Costume and Supporting Actress right, I missed those. I got Tom Hooper's Directing Oscar right, The OC said it would be David Fincher). So, personally, I was 16 of 21...17 of 24 when you throw in the Short Subject categories.

Overall, both The OC analysis and I improved over last year's 14 of 24 so maybe we're getting better.

End of the night numbers:

The King's Speech-4

Inception-4

The Social Network-3

Alice in Wonderland-2

The Fighter-2

Toy Story 3-2

One each for Black Swan, Inside Job, In a Better World, & The Wolfman.

7 Oscars from Telluride #37 films (TKS-4, Black Swan-1, Inside Job-1, God of Love-1)

The King's Speech wave did not really materialize, but The Social Network didn't/couldn't take advantage of that (except, perhaps in the Best Score Category). The biggest beneficiaries were Alice in Wonderland and Inception.

And...James Franco...No, Anne Hathaway...Yes.

Later this week on MTFB/The OC...post Oscar interviews with Academy voters and industry insiders. Check back in!

And Finally, It's Oscar Time

Labor Day weekend 2010 in the San Juans of southwest Colorado seems like a long, long time ago. Since our incredible experience at the 37th Telluride Film Festival, Michael's Telluride Film Blog/The Oscar Clearinghouse has been tracking the possible outcomes for tonight's Oscar presentation and now it's time for the final pre-Oscar run-down of what we expect to happen after crunching numbers from Movie City News' The Guru's of Gold, Incontention.com, Scott Feinberg, Awards Daily, Awards Circuit, The Gold Derby.Com and Dave Karger at Entertainment Weekly. In all 24 categories (with TFF #37 in CAPS AND BOLD). And the Oscar will go to:

(Absolutely no real number crunching on these first three categories, so based on a limited range of "expert" opinion)

Short Doc: Killing in the Name

Short Animated: Madagascar: A Journey Diary

Short Live Action: GOD OF LOVE

Sound Mixing: The OC says: Inception...

Sound Editing: The OC says: Inception...

Visual Effects: The OC says: Inception...

Makeup: The OC says: The Wolfman...

And I have to agree.

Original Score: The OC says: Alexandre Desplat, THE KING'S SPEECH...

Original Song: The OC says: Randy Newman, "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3...

Again, I agree that this is what will happen, but, you could see The OC wrong in both of these categories pretty easily. In Score, there is still significant feeling for The Social Network and Inception. And in the Best Song category, you can find supporters in the Oscar prediction community for any of the four nominated songs.

Foreign Film: The OC says: In a Better World/Denmark

And I will agree...but it is a tiny, tiny favorite with INCENDIES/Canada and BIUTIFUL/Mexico very, very close.

Documentary: The OC says: INSIDE JOB...

Again, I'm buying this, but it's also a really tight category. Serious heat exists for the art doc Exit Through the Gift Shop (and the attendant curiosity as to what Banksy might try in accepting...or declining...or both? Undoubtedly it would be entertaining)...and just as it is for Best Song, each of the five nominees has some serious Oscar prognosticators on its side.

Animated Film: The OC (and everyone on the planet that tries to divine this stuff) says: Toy Story 3...

Uh...Yes.

Costume: The OC says: Alice in Wonderland...

THE KING'S SPEECH is a close second in our analysis, and it's my actual pick...my first divergence from The OC.

Art Direction: The OC says:THE KING'S SPEECH...

Yes. But watch out for Alice or Inception...they also have a lot of support here.

Film Editing: The OC says: The Social Network...

I'm going to agree, but you can make a good case for any of the other four nominees and if it turns into a TKS Sweep...who knows?

Cinematography: The OC says: Roger Deakins/True Grit...

Again...yes. Deakins should finally win an Oscar for his great camera work. And it was impressive in True Grit. Possible spoiler would be Wally Pfister for Inception.

THE BIG EIGHT CATEGORIES:

Adapted Screenplay: The OC says: Aaron Sorkin/The Social Network...

Not much doubt here.

Original Screenplay: The OC says: David Seidler/THE KING'S SPEECH...

Close to a lock

Supporting Actor: The OC says: Christian Bale/The Fighter...

Again, close to a lock...except if TKS is in sweep mode, which could force Geoffrey Rush into an acceptance speech.

Supporting Actress: The OC says: Melissa Leo/The Fighter...

The predictors have come back around to Leo after a brief stretch were she was perceived as having lost some momentum. But Leo has bounced back in the last ten days in the estimation of most Oscar pundits. Still, I'm going to buck The Clearinghouse. I'm going with Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit. And, as you might expect, here's the added caveat that Helena Bonham Carter could surprise here if the TKS sweep is more of a tsunami.

Actress: The OC says: Natalie Portman/BLACK SWAN...

Yes. And she should win it too. There's still some Oscar picker love for Annette Bening, but I don't think that it's going to happen for her tonight.

Actor: The OC says: Colin Firth/THE KING'S SPEECH.

Ummm...if Firth doesn't win, then the Academy needs to start looking for new accountants for the Oscars...because he only loses if they count it wrong or bribery is involved.

Director: Maybe this has become the hottest race of the night. Big support for a Best Picture/Best Director split in the Oscar pundit club. Also significant support for the notion that if a film is the Best Picture, then it's Director has to have been the best as well...and most years that is the path that Oscar follows.

The OC says: David Fincher/The Social Network...

I say: Tom Hooper/THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PICTURE: THE OC SAYS: THE KING'S SPEECH...

And I agree.

If the OC is right:

THE KING'S SPEECH-5

The Social Network-3

Inception-3

The Fighter-2

Toy Story 3-2

One each for: BLACK SWAN, INSIDE JOB, True Grit, The Wolfman, Alice in Wonderland, and In a Better World.

TFF #37 total: 7 (maybe up to 2 more depending on the outcome in Short Film categories)

If I'm right:

THE KING'S SPEECH-7

Inception-3

True Grit-2

Toy Story 3-2

The Social Network-2

One each for: BLACK SWAN, INSIDE JOB, The Fighter, The Wolfman, In a Better World

TFF #37 total: 9 (and again, maybe a couple more in Short Films).

Comments anyone?

I'll be tweeting during the Oscar cast tonight if anyone is interested set your Twitter search for @Gort2 and follow me.

MTFB/The OC will have preliminary reaction tomorrow and more in depth response from my actual industry source types and Academy members Tuesday or Wednesday.

So, now, we wait.