The Invite/Late Breaking/Miss Bala with a Bullet and Some Butter/Drive Posters/Eye on Ides/And a Teaser

Hello to everyone dropping into MTFB to scan the Telluride possibilities for 2011.  Jeez, I hope I'm close to right on some of this...

2 DAYS! Come on!

THE INVITE

Come and join me for the first ever Michael's Telluride Film Blog wing-ding called: "The Guide to the Ride; The Flow of the SHOW" on Friday, Sept. 2 from 5:00 to 5:30 PM in The River Club in Telluride. Larry and Mitzi Mallard of the Club will be our hosts and I am told that refreshments will be provided. The River Club is located at 550 Depot in Telluride. That's 4 blocks west of the Gondola station. Come by and say hello and we'll talk a little film.

LATE BREAKING

The New York Post reporting on George Clooney in Venice for "The Ides of March" claim sources have said that Clooney will be "honored" at Telluride and that "Ides" will lay in the festival.

See here:
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/clooney_rolls_with_his_pals_cNHop2Y03Ie9UvnfqBZy3M?utm_campaign=Post10&utm_source=Post10Alpha

AND...

Eugene Novikov at FilmBlather.com reports that the newly released trailer for "A Dangerous Method" says it is a Telluride selection.  Thanks, Mr. Novikov!


MISS BALA AND BUTTER

Late late Monday night came some evidence that the competitive butter carving comedy (you read that right) "Butter" would play in Telluride.  The film stars Jennifer Garner, Hugh Jackman and Olivia Wilde.  That info came via a randomly culled tweet from what would appear to be a legit crew member...so, I slipped it into yesterday's blog post at the last minute.  "Butter" has been a film that I have mentioned in this space before as one of those that intuitively seemed like it would be a Telluride possibility.  So it was easy to buy into the notion that it might make the list (I added it to this week's "Bets" at #19).
Butter's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1349451/

Then this morning Shadow and Act, a blog that makes its home at IndieWire made the claim that Mexican thriller "Miss Bala" would be playing Telluride as well.  No attribution, but it is IndieWire and the story was unequivocal...so...slap it on the list at #20.
You can see the Shadow and Act story and link to the "Miss Bala" trailer here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/archives/2011/08/30/watch_trailer_for_thriller_about_kinapped_mexican_beauty_queen_miss_bala_mi/#

You can also catch the trailer at FirstShowing.net as well:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/must-watch-first-trailer-for-cannes-fave-mexican-thriller-miss-bala/

Miss Bala's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1911600/

Recapping this week's revise Ten (plus) Bets list:
1) The Descendants (dir. Alexander Payne, Stars: George Clooney)
2) Into the Abyss (dir. Werner Herzog)
3) The Artist (dir. Michael Hazanavicius, Stars: Jean Dujardin)
4) A Trip to the Moon (compiled by Serge Bromberg)
5) We Have to Talk About Kevin (dir. Lynne Ramsay, Stars: Tilda Swinton)
6) Le Havre (Dir. Aki Kaurismaki)
7) Shame (dir. Steve McQueen, Stars: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan)
8) Goodbye First Love (dir. Mia Hansen-Love)
9) The Skin I Live In (dir. Pedro Almodovar, Stars: Antonio Banderas
10) Footnote (dir. Joseph Cedar)
11) A Dangerous Method (dir. David Cronenberg, Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley)
12) Prohibition (dir. Ken Burns & Lynn Novick)
13) The Birds Upstairs (short/dir. Christopher Jarvis)
14) Drive (Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, Stars: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan)
15) Dark Horse (dir. Todd Solondz, Stars: Christopher Walken, Selma Blair)
16) The Kid with a Bike (dir. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes)
17) The Lady (dir. Luc Beeson, Stars: Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis)
18) Martha Marcy May Marlene (dir. Sean Durkin, Stars: Elizabeth Olsen)
19) Butter (dir. Jim Field Smith, Stars: Jennifer Garner, High Jackman, Olivia Wilde)
20) Miss Bala (dir. Gerardo Naranjo, Star: Stephanie Stigman)

And let me just say...I'm getting hinky about: Kid with a Bike, Dark Horse, Drive and Le Havre...no buzz, no murmur...I'm feeling awful lonely on these four pictures right now....

SPEAKING OF DRIVE...

Want it to be there (and Ides of March and Coriolanus).  Still crossing my fingers.  That said, the fine folks at Rope of Silicon put up a nifty post with multiple character posters for the Nicolas Winding Refn film that stars Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and Albert Brooks.  They're interesting and may have to suffice in lieu of the actual film if it's not playing in the San Juans this weekend...at least for a while...

Here's the link to that post:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/posters-drive-spoil-film-9
Drive's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/

EYE ON IDES

In a similar vein, I'd really love to see George Clooney's "Ides of March" show up.  I think the only way that happens is if Clooney also appears to take part in the presentation of "The Descendants." and happens to also bring along his own film.  Yesterday's blog mentioned that the appearance of "Michael Clayton" as the Thursday night pre-SHOW presentation might portend his appearance as a tributee.  I had a good deal of traffic today that suggested that could also just as easily pre-sage a tribute to Tilda Swinton as she won her Supporting Actress for that film...point well taken! (and I'm fairly confident that her "We Need to Talk About Kevin" is going to play in the fest).

All that to say this...there's a new clip out and about from "The Ides of March" and you can take a look at it here via a link from Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood at IndieWire:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/30/ides_of_march_clip_evan_rachel_wood_outsmarts_the_charms_of_ryan_gosling#

AND A TEASER

Late day rumors as I was going to bed last night had it that Glenn Close would be in T-ride which would mean "Albert Nobbs"!  But remember... IT"S A RUMOR!

Also, we haven't touched on the whole Lauren/Bush nuptials that are taking place there in Telluride this weekend as well...former Presidents (plural) in town???  Of both parties??? Again, IT'S JUST A RUMOR! Well, not the wedding, that's real...but some high profile attendees are certainly likely!  Maybe they politicos and fashionistas will join us film geeks on Colorado Ave.

More on the Morrow...and then on to Telluride!

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@Gort2

Invitation/Ten (and more) Bets/More Shame/Process/Echo Chamber

Hello everybody! Busy weekend...getting ready.  The Patterson bus leaves the Panhandle of Oklahoma on Thursday to head for Southwestern Colorado.  It's about a ten hour drive...yeesh!

4 Days...

AN INVITATION FOR YOU

Come and join me for a Michael's Telluride Film Blog soiree called: "The Guide to the Ride; The Flow of the SHOW" on Friday, Sept. 2 from 5:00 to 5:30 PM in The River Club in Telluride. Larry and Mitzi Mallard of the Club will be our hosts and I am told that refreshments will be provided. The River Club is located at 550 Depot in Telluride. That's 4 blocks west of the Gondola station. Come by and say hello and we'll talk a little film.


TEN (AND MORE) BETS

Last Week's Ten (and more):

The Descendants

1) The Descendants
2) Into the Abyss
3) The Artist
4) A Trip to the Moon
5) We Have to Talk About Kevin
6) Le Havre
7) Prohibition
8) Shame
9) Drive
10) The Birds Upstairs

Here's the "or more"
11) Goodbye First Love
12) Dark Horse
13) The Skin I Live In
14) The Kid with a Bike
15) The Lady
16) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
17) W.E.
18) Coriolanus

This week's Ten (and more) Bets (in order of likelihood):

The Artist

1) The Descendants (dir. Alexander Payne, Stars: George Clooney)
2) Into the Abyss (dir. Werner Herzog)
3) The Artist (dir. Michael Hazanavicius, Stars: Jean Dujardin)
4) A Trip to the Moon (compiled by Serge Bromberg)
5) We Have to Talk About Kevin (dir. Lynne Ramsay, Stars: Tilda Swinton)
6) Le Havre (Dir. Aki Kaurismaki)
7) Shame (dir. Steve McQueen, Stars: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan)
8) Goodbye First Love (dir. Mia Hansen-Love)
9) The Skin I Live In (dir. Pedro Almodovar, Stars: Antonio Banderas
10) Footnote (dir. Joseph Cedar)

And the "And More"

A Dangerous Method

11) A Dangerous Method (dir. David Cronenberg, Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley)
12) Prohibition (dir. Ken Burns & Lynn Novick)
13) The Birds Upstairs (short/dir. Christopher Jarvis)
14) Drive (Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, Stars: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan)
15) Dark Horse (dir. Todd Solondz, Stars: Christopher Walken, Selma Blair)
16) The Kid with a Bike (dir. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes)
17) The Lady (dir. Luc Beeson, Stars: Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis)
18) Martha Marcy May Marlene (dir. Sean Durkin, Stars: Elizabeth Olsen)

Films still possible that would make my list to see (but for which there's no good intell about RE; Telluride):
W.E.
The Ides of March
Coriolanus

Notes:
Descendants...I have thought it would be at T-ride for more than a year.  Payne on record as submitting it.  Everybody thinks it will be there.

Into the Abyss: Herzog is a regular, Ioncinema says it's in.

The Artist: Weinstein Co., Cannes hit, Ioncinema says it's in, everyone thinks it's playing.

A Trip to the Moon: Bromberg is a regular, he's said he wants it there, fits the fests bill of unusual and restorations

We Have to Talk About Kevin: Cannes, Ioncinema and now Jeffrey Wells all but confirming it.

Le Havre: Cannes fave, Jarvis Films has the distribution and a history with Telluride

Shame: Daily Mail says it's in, director Steve McQueen also...see below

Goodbye First Love: Ioncinema says it's in.

The Skin I Live In: Tapley thinks it, Almodovar has history with TFF, IMDb lists it's US premiere as Sept. 3 at TFF

Footnote: (new to the Ten Bets, but I've had it on the Telluride radar since it won the screenplay award at Cannes) Comment on Jeff Wells Hollywood Elsewhere is the source (see below)...I believe it.

A Dangerous Method: Tapley's vibe is what has this back on my "bets"

Prohibition: I have a difficult time believing that Burns has a new doc ready and at least part of it doesn't show at The SHOW.

The Birds Upstairs: A short animated film that I include due to a tweet from the film maker that he's got something in this year's fest.

Drive

Drive: This drops this week because no one is talking like it could be in Telluride.  My original insight came from Ioncinema.  But I have had people remind me that this screened at Comic Con...soooo...it drops down.
But, man, I really want to see it and living in the Oklahoma Panhandle, it could be a really long time before it gets anywhere close to where I get a chance....come on Tom, Gary and Julie!

Dark Horse: Solondz has been a Telluride mainstay in the past.

The Kid with a Bike: The Dardennes Brothers have a good Telluride history and this film was well received at Cannes.

The Lady: I've intuitively felt like this was a Telluride possibility for a while now.  And over the weekend the Jeffrey Wells column and comments for it that you can access below has me wondering if this is the film he references toward the end of his post.  from what I can dig up "The Lady" would fit his description:

"I'm told that at least one movie that currently has no firm 2011 release date but is a semi-likely 2011 awards contender will play Telluride. The movie being referred to, by the way, is not Albert Nobbs, even though it hasn't yet landed a U.S. distributor."
 

Further research indicates that the film could also be: "Wuthering Heights," "360," "The Deep Blue Sea," or "The Eye of the Storm."  There are most likely others that fit Wells' description.


Martha Marcy...Tapley seems pretty confident.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is off the list...too many people, including Tapley are just flat saying it will NOT be in Telluride...too bad.

As to W.E., Ides and Coriolanus...I'm crossing my fingers for all three but, realistically, even one of them would be cool.

"Ten Bets" could be jumpy this week depending on what we find and what, if anything leaks out...I'll post as warranted, perhaps more than once a day...stay tuned!

MORE SHAME

Shame

I think we've reached the point that we can be confident that this film will be showing this weekend in Telluride.  As I pointed out on Friday, The Daily Mail Online says it's playing.  Over the weekend director Steve McQueen removed any doubt with a "statement" posted to IndieWire's "Shadow and Act" for the "Telluride screening."  Pretty much says it all.

Here's the link to McQueen's Statement:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/archives/director_steve_mcqueen_releases_directors_statement_for_shame_screening_at_/#


PROCESS STORIES

Have you ever wondered?

Well, if you have, take a look at these two stories.  The first is from The Telluride Daily Planet as they interview TFF co-directors Tom Luddy, Gary Meyer and Julie Huntsinger about how it all works.  I found it fascinating.  Maybe you will too.
http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2011/08/28/news/doc4e59b2e53d875839155214.txt

Also an interesting story in Variety this weekend about the dance that film festivals, directors and production companies go through to program for the fall film fest season.  The article was a little difficult to get to, but this should get you there if you're interested:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118041874?refCatId=13


ECHO CHAMBER

You know cliches are cliches for a reason...and the one about it being a small world...well...
Above I have referenced Jeffrey Wells Hollywood Elsewhere post about his first trip to Telluride this week.  You can take a look at it yourself at this link:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/08/fair_warning_1.php

It's interesting, fun to read...informative (as you can see today, I have referenced material from him for today's edition of my blog, properly attributed).  What's weird is if you click on the linkage "  summary of a recent "Telluride Best Bets" tweet " it will take you to Friday's edition of Michaels' Telluride Film Blog.  


Kind of makes me dizzy...




FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER:
@Gort2

Two Trailers/Anne's Interviews/Gurus/Red Riding???Carlos???And???

"Howdy" is what we say in Oklahoma...not the musical, the place...well...OK, the musical too!

8 Days and ...tick...tick...tick...counting...

Come and join me for a Michael's Telluride Film Blog meet and greet called: "The Guide to the Ride; The Flow of the SHOW" on Friday, Sept. 2 from 5:00 to 5:30 PM in The River Club in Telluride. Larry and Mitzi Mallard of the Club will be our hosts and I am told that refreshments will be provided. The River Club is located at 550 Depot in Telluride. That's 4 blocks west of the Gondola station. Come by and say hello or "howdy" if you prefer.

TWO TRAILERS

New versions of trailers for two films that are on the "Ten (plus) Bets list this week.  "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "Drive."

I must say I want both of these films to be in Southwest Colorado next week.  "TTTS" stars Gary Oldman. Colin Firth, John Hurt (one of my favorite under-used actors), Ciaran Hinds (another favorite), Toby Jones, Tom Hardy and Mark Strong in the John LeCarre spy story.  Tomas Alfredson directs.  The new trailer is up from First Showing.net here:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/another-great-international-trailer-for-tinker-tailor-solider-spy/

Meanwhile, The Playlist (IndieWire) has a new trailer up for the Nicolas Winding Refn noirish, existential thriller "Drive."  It features Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and comedian Albert Brooks in a performance that is generating Oscar buzz.  The Playlist folks say that the new trailer might be "spoilerish" so I have chosen to avoid looking at it.  You can, though, if you want to here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_another_great_though_potentially_spoiler-ish_trailer_for_drive/#

TTTS IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/

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

ANNE'S INTERVIEWS

Anne Thompson (Thompson on Hollywood/IndieWire) gets to talk to interesting people and lately interesting people that may well have film(s) involved in the 38th Telluride Film Festival.  For example, recently she spoke with Antonio Banderas who stars in Telluride possible and Pedro Alomdovar film "The Skin I Live In."  Take a look at what Banderas has to say here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/24/banderas_talks_almodovar_reunion_betrayal

Skin's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1189073/

Also up on Anne's site is an interview with the red hot Jessica Chastain.  Chastain has had a crazy, meteoric rise this year.  She's already been seen in Malick's "The Tree of Life" and "The Help."  She could potentially be seen on the streets of Telluride in support of "Take Shelter," "Coriolanus," "The Wettest County," and/or "Texas Killing Fields."

Jessica Chastain with "Coriolanus" co-star and director Ralph Fiennes

Chastain's interview with Thompson can be found here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/23/jessica_chastain_talks_tree_of_life_the_help_the_debt_coriolanus/#

IMDb pages for:
Coriolanus: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1372686/
The Wettest County: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212450/
Texas Killing Fields: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1389127/
Take Shelter: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1675192/

GURUS!

Movie City News has its first "Gurus of Gold" chart up for the 2011 Oscar campaign.  MCN canvases a group of Oscar predictors and then collates their responses.  As you might expect a good number of Telluride possibles/probables are on the initial pre-fall film festival list.  If you're inclined the results are here via Sasha Stone at Awards Daily:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2011/08/the-gurus-of-gold-pre-toronto-check/

On the Gurus top fifteen  are TFF#38 possibles: "The Ides of March," "The Artist," "The Descendants," "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," "We Bought a Zoo," and "Moneyball."  (and at #15 Jason Reitman's festival shunner "Young Adult"...though there's still a part of my that thinks it might still actually "sneak" at T-ride).

Anne Thompson's picks are missing from this chart but she has posted hers at her site:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/24/oscar_watch_war_horse_ides_of_march_the_artist_lead_early_gurus_o_gold_top_


AND WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER "RED RIDING" AND "CARLOS"?

New friend and fellow Telluride-bound journalist Eugene Novikov of FilmBlather.com asked me yesterday if I thought that German three part film "Dreileben" might be programmed for TFF #38 in the same fashion that "Red Riding" was in 2009 and "Carlos" was in 2010.

After some consideration, my response is a definite "maybe."  Certainly T-ride has established that pattern the last two years and this fits the bill...so it wouldn't surprise me all that much.  Maybe Eugene is prescient or maybe he has some inside dope.  Or (like me) he may just be guessing.

The Hollywood Reporter had this review up for the three parter after its run in Berlin:
 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/dreileben-film-review-167356

We'll find out next week.
Dreileben's three IMDb pages are here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1718775/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1718776/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1718777/

More on the morrow...

New York Galas/Thompson and Wells on the NYFF/Posters of Possibles

Good Morning All.

I may have further personal developments concerning this year's festival by the end of the week...or maybe not.  We'll see.

NEW YORK GALAS

The New York Film Festival (in October) announced two more gala presentations yesterday afternoon (in addition to "My Week with Marilyn" which had already been announced) and both of the films chosen have been on our Telluride watch list.  Gala presentations were announced for David Cronenberg's Freud vs. Jung duel  "A Dangerous Method" (Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender) and Pedro Almodovar's "The Skin I Live In" (Antonio Banderas).

This leaves New York's fest with its closing night film still yet to be named and that is supposed to happen by the end of the week. 

In all likelihood the addition of "Method" and "Skin" to New York's lineup while not eliminating the chance that one or both might play Telluride diminishes the chances that they turn up there. 

THOMPSON AND WELLS ON NEW YORK

Three posts from yesterday afternoon provide some context and in one case, sort of opposing perspectives from two of the best in the business.  I have included two posts from Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood.  The first is a straight up presentation of the two films that have been added to the NYFF slate as Gala Presentations:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/15/nyff_cronenbergs_dangerous_method_and_almodovars_skin_i_live_in_added_to_ga/

Following that is Anne's discussion in a separate post of the chances that "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" might be offered the closing night slot at NYFF.  She also mentions "The Iron Lady" as a possible for that spot but it almost seems as if that is a secondary consideration.  Clearly, if TTSS closes New York it is my belief that it will definitely be off the Telluride list.  That second Thompson post is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/15/will_tinker_tailor_soldier_spy_or_iron_lady_land_new_york_film_festival_ber/?utm

However, Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere in his post late yesterday about New York's selections seems to at least imply that TTSS is all but off the table as far as any participation in the New York Festival is concerned.  And Wells suggests in the comments section that he thinks TTSS at Telluride is still a possibility.  The Wells post is linked here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/15/will_tinker_tailor_soldier_spy_or_iron_lady_land_new_york_film_festival_ber/?utm

It will be really interesting to see what comes out later this week as the NYFF actual closer.

So, in review:

Chances for "Method" DOWN
Chances for "Skin" also DOWN (but not down as much as "Method" I think)
Chances for "TTSS":  HOLDING STEADY

NEW POSTERS

A big post from Rope of Silicon with new poster art for a number of films including at least three that I have been including on the TFF #38 watch list.  "Drive," "Carnage" and "Moneyball" (see above).  Of the three, "Drive" may be the most likely to actually be in Colorado in two and a half weeks. Then "Moneyball."  "Carnage" is unlikely as it is the NYFF opener.

Take a look at the new poster art for them plus sevearl other films at this link to ROS:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/posters-drive-american-reunion-moneyball-carnage-harold-kumar


Hope you're having a good week...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!

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures/50/50 Trailer/Gosling Speaks

Good Morning All,

What if they really did make me an offer I couldn't refuse?

PICTURES...

A good number of films that are on my Telluride watch list have released stills in the last day or two and so I thought I'd pass some along and link to some others today.

One film with its first official still out this week that has a good deal of Oscar buzz (but realistically much less Telluride buzz) is Stephen Daldry's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" based on the best selling novel by Jonathan Safran Foer.  It stars Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock and is scheduled for limited release on  Christmas Day.

 Here's the single official photo thanks to SlashFilm:

Here's the kink to the SlashFilm post:
http://www.slashfilm.com/tom-hanks-thomas-horn-extremely-loud-incredibly-close/

And Extremely Loud's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477302/

How about pix from 3 other Telluride possibilities?  The Playlist at IndieWire is up with posts focused on a number of T-ride possibilities.  For example Fernando Mierelles "360" starring the very busy Rachel Weisz, Jude Law, Ben Foster and Anthony Hopkins.  Speaking of Mr. Hopkins, a still of him from the film:

A number of other stills and the article about "360" can be found here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/new_looks_at_rachel_weisz_jude_law_anthony_hopkins_ben_foster_in_fernando_m/


Another Playlist article about photos from a film that I think has some shot at bowing at Telluride is the Jennifer Garner, Olivia Wilde, Hugh Jackman starrer "Butter."  I get a real "Juno" like vibe for this film.  Here's a teaser of the photos:

A good number of other stills are with The Playlist story here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/first_look_at_jennifer_garner_in_butter/

Butter's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1349451/

Finally, The Playlist has posted a number of stills for Michael Winterbottom's adaptation and re-imagining of Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the D'Ubervilles."  It's entitled "Trishna" and starts Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire, Miral).  Again, I think there is at least some chance that it could be programmed at Telluride.

Here's a look:

 Again, access to the other stills and The Playlist story is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/first_look_at_freida_pinto_in_michael_winterbottoms_trishna/

Trishna's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836987/


50/50 TRAILER

I have been back and forth about mentioning "50/50" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen as a Telluride possible. The distributor is Summit Entertainment which has had, at best, a limited relationship with Telluride in the recent past.  And I'm just not a Seth Rogen fan...

Despite these misgivings, I have to admit that it's a least a tenuous possibility and so I have included this week's link to its new trailer from a post from FirstShowing.net:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/must-watch-second-trailer-for-5050-with-joseph-gordon-levitt/

50/50's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1306980/


GOSLING SPEAKS

Actor Ryan Gosling is a busy dude.  "Crazy, Stupid Love" is in theaters now.  "Drive" and "The Ides of March" are due during the next few months as we head into awards season and both films might make an
appearance at Telluride's SHOW.

Despite his hectic schedule, Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood (IndieWire) has passed along his interview with Esquire magazine.  Thompson excerpts that and provides the link to the full interview here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/11/ryan_gosling_is_cooler_than_you_and_too_cool_to_answer_esquires_questions

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

Ides' IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124035/


More tomorrow, mi compadres!

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?)

Future Festival Films?/Pix of Possibles/More Le Havre/TTSS

Waiting...waiting...waiting...

FUTURE FESTIVAL FILMS?

It's become a habit of mine to start to try to identify possible TFF films as far out as possible.  Sometimes I miss (The Tree of Life).  Sometimes I hit (Black Swan).  In that tradition I have been tracking the progress this summer of a few films that look like they would at least be a consideration for inclusion at TFF #39 or #40.

One of these is Danny Boyle's "Trance" which has had some interesting casting bumps this summer in terms of one of the male leads.  First it was supposed to be Michael Fassbender, then Colin Firth and currently Vincent Cassel.  And actually, any of those fellows would probably strengthen the chances of the film getting picked up for Telluride.  The other male lead also does no harm to the film's Telluride profile.  That's James McAvoy.

Now comes word of the casting of Rosario Dawson from The Playlist.  You can find the link to that story here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/rosario_dawson_joins_danny_boyles_trance_vincent_cassel_confirmed

I wouldn't expect to see "Trance" until TFF#40.

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

Also on the horizon is news of a new film that could have some Telluride potential next year.  It's called "Darling Companion" and both Ioncinema and The Hollywood Reporter have tidbits about it.

An ensemble piece from Lawrence Kasdan featuring Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Richard Jenkins and Sam Shepherd among others, "Darling Companion" is under the auspices domestically of Sony Pictures Classics.

The Ioncinema story (with a synopsis) is here:

http://networkedblogs.com/kWypX

The Hollywood Reporter version of the story is here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-pictures-classics-takes-domestic-216104

Darling Companion's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1730687/

PIX OF POSSIBLES

A slew of Telluride film possibles have been flooding the internet and news outlets with stills of their wares.  I thought I'd pass some of those along this morning.

"Drive" starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan (and implied as a lock for Telluride by Ioncinema) has a new poster out now.  It (not surprisingly) features Mr. Gosling.

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

Also from Rope of Silicon, new pictures from the set of Ralph Fiennes directorial debut "Coriolanus."  Here's a teaser. 

Check out the full story at:

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

The Playlist dropped some beautiful photos from Madonna's directing debut as well.  "W.E." tells the story of Wallace Simpson and Prince Edward (the King who abdicated in England that made "The King's Speech" possible).

Again a teaser:

The whole post with more pix can be found here:

W.E.'s IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1536048/

MORE LE HAVRE NEWS


 "Le Havre" is a film that I have been thinking could/would be on this year's Telluride playlist since it debuted at Canes in May.  Last week's announcement that it had been picked up by Janus Films only strengthened my belief that we'll see it in the Rockies in four and a half weeks. 

In the midst of the news it was being picked up came a tweet from Anne Thompson (Thompson on Hollywood) that she believed that it is to be the first of a trilogy from director/writer Aki Kaurismaki.  That would be interesting by itself and it also would be interesting to see if the rest of the string of films might also make their way to Cannes and then T-ride.  We'll have to wait and see.

Here's the text of the Thompson tweet:
"Me too @GuyLodge Surprised that SPC didn't go for it. Apparently 1st of trilogy: wouldn't be surprised if Aki adopts different tone for next."


Le Havre's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1508675/


TTSS

Soooo..."Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"...not in Toronto...not the opener for The New York Film Festival (Roman Polanski's "Carnage" is).  There is a good deal a speculation that it might close the NYFF.  (There's also speculation that the closing spot might go to Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar).

Personally, I think that this is one instance where a film's absence from Toronto increase it's chances of being in Telluride's program.  Jeff wells at Hollywood Elsewhere isn't ruling that out.

See here:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/07/ohsorry_missed.php

I would love to see Gary Oldman kick his Oscar campaign off on Colorado Ave.  (Do I smell a tribute possibility here?)

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

Until tomorrow...

Descendants Hopscotch/More Toronto Musings/Venice Becomes Official/Le Havre is BACK!/Herzog at Comic Con

A shout out to Dan Peek, original member of America, gone at 60.  "This is for all the Lonely People..."

DESCENDANTS HOPSCOTCH

Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere reports last night that Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" has a NEW release date (11/23) and FLAT OUT SAYS IT WILL BE IN TELLURIDE.  Check his story:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/07/family_time.php


MORE TORONTO MUSINGS

The Toronto International Film Festival announced the bulk of its gala/special presentation lineup yesterday.  As we have noted, there is almost always a significant overlap between Telluride and Toronto and you can bet that it's very likely that 7-12 films will share the two venues. 

We think after posts yesterday from Ioncinema that you can start lining up at The Palm or The Chuck for "The Artist," "Drive" and "We Need to Talk About Kevin."  That leaves us trying to divine 4-9 films that share Telluride/Toronto presentations.

So among the 50+ films listed by TIFF yesterday, what are the ones that are the most likely to play in Telluride as well?

Add to your calculation that you can expect an average of 2 films to play both Telluride and Venice and that sometimes those films will actually be in all three places (Ex: "Black Swan," "Life During Wartime," and "The Road" were at all 3 festivals). 

So with that set of parameters...my best guesses are: Todd Solondz's "Dark Horse," Steve McQueen's "Shame" and Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's "Chicken with Plums" may try to do the hat trick of all three festivals.

Michael Fassbender shooting "Shame"

Now we're looking at trying to puzzle out the half dozen or so pictures that will share Telluride/Toronto presentations.  My guesses (I'm listing 7): "Albert Nobbs," "Moneyball," "Coriolanus," "The Descendants," "Habemus Papum (We Have a Pope), "Machine Gun Preacher, " and "The Skin I Live In" (or Inhabit).  And as I have said here repeatedly, I think "The Descendants" is a lead pipe cinch...but remember, I also thought that the Jason Reitman/Diablo Cody collaboration "Young Adult" was a 90% likelihood too.  Until yesterday when Pete Hammond at Deadline Hollywood categorically claimed that it would not be at Telluride.

I am bummed.

VENICE ANNOUNCES

The Venice Film Festival has had film titles oozing onto the Internet all week.  They're official announcement comes today.  We're expecting, in addition to the films that I listed in Monday's post that Stephen Soderbergh's "Contagion" will be on the Venetian list someplace.

More thoughts about Venice and the intersection of it with Toronto and Telluride after they make it official.

LE HAVRE IS BACK ON THE LIST...

Cannes fave "Le Havre" has distribution

"Le Havre" from director/writer Aki Kaurismaki was a critical and crowd favorite in May at the Cannes Film Festival.  I immediately starred it as a possible Telluride prospect.  In fact, it has appeared on my "Ten Bets" list this summer frequently, but I had pulled it lately as it hadn't found a distributor.  I had thought that The Weinstein Company or Sony Pictures Classics would jump on it and that would set the table for its screening in the San Juans in September.

So far...not so much...Until today.

Janus Films...the specialty film house that has focused on classic films has picked up the rights for "Le Havre" and I think that means you can also put it back in the mix as a probable film come Labor Day.  Janus has had a long time relationship with TFF and it has played in distribution in terms of contemporary film including TFF #35 (2008) offering "Revanche." 

Eric Lavallee at Ioncinema broke the story and even speculates that "Le Havre" is likely to be at Telluride.  That story is here:
http://networkedblogs.com/kVAS3

WERNER PLAYS IN GEEK WORLD

Numerous sightings this past weekend that Telluride mainstay Werner Herzog showed up unannounced and unexpectedly at Comic Con in San Diego.  That blows my mind.  It would have been interesting to hear Herr Herzog as he made his way through the hall.

The first time I was anywhere near Herzog in Telluride was in 2007 waiting on line for the bus to take us to the patron's brunch.  I was mind-boggled then.  And I can tell you, the people in that line looked very different than the one above.

Awards Daily had the pictures and the story.  You can find it here:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2011/07/werner-herzog-and-comic-cons-collective-dreams/

More Tomorrow!

Things We Know (maybe?)/Toronto First Pass

Howdy, Sports Fans...

THINGS WE KNOW (maybe?)

Toronto's International Film Festival announced a large portion of their lineup yesterday.  Not all of it.  There are likely still more films to be named to the TIFF play list over the next few weeks.  But the Canadians did name 10 Galas and 40+ Special Presentations and that churned up the waters the last 24 hours.

In that churning we found confirmation (via Ioncinema) that we can pretty confidently say that we know three films that WILL BE IN THE SHOW.

Ioncinema reports that "The Artist" written and directed by Michael Hazanavicius and starring Cannes Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin will play in Telluride (as I have been predicting since it bowed in Cannes in May).

Also reported for Telluride: Tilda Swinton's Oscar-buzzy performance in "We Need to Talk About Kevin" from Brit Lynne Ramsey (director and co-writer) and ...I'm very excited about this...Ioncinema insists that Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive" ( Hossein Amini scripted)  starring Ryan Gosling, Cary Mulligan (Carey, come back to Telluride!) and possible Oscar nominee Albert Brooks will roll into Telluride as well.

Both "The Artist" and "Kevin" have been on my "Ten Bets" list this summer.  "The Artist" has been consistently in the top five...

Validation?  Vindication?  Some other word that starts with a V?

Initially I had discounted "Drive's" chances of playing at Telluride despite glowing reviews out of Cannes, the knock on it was that it was too much a genre piece.  But after seeing the trailer last week, I began to think it had a real shot at The SHOW.  Then I tumbled across a Kris Tapley reference to a screening and a note that it had played at the LA Film Fest and my expectations crumbled.

Now, I'm jacked up all over again.

Also, an all but certain death blow to any chances that Lars Von Trier's "Melancholia" would make the TFF #38 list.  A tweet earlier today that it would screen in LA and a friendly message from Film Blather's Eugene Novikov telling me that "Melancholia" was screening in L.A. this afternoon to qualify for Oscar consideration means that our earlier thought that it would not among the films in the San Juans this Labor Day was the correct assessment.

So..."The Artist," "Drive" and "We Need to Talk About Kevin" IN...Melancholia OUT.

TORONTO: A FIRST LOOK

TIFF announced it's first wave of films today.  I have a lot of links below.  You can gorge yourself on Torornto lists and analysis.  I'll have some as well over the next three days or so.

Here is the lineup as announced today (via Rope of Silicon)...10 Galas and 40+ Special Presentations:

Opening Film:
From the Sky Down [dir. Davis Guggenheim]

Galas:

Albert Nobbs

Albert Nobbs [dir. Rodrigo Garcia]
Butter [dir. Jim Field Smith]
A Dangerous Method [dir. David Cronenberg]
A Happy Event [dir. Remi Bezancon]
The Ides of March [dir. George Clooney]
The Lady [dir. Luc Besson]
Moneyball [dir. Bennett Miller]
Peace, Love and Misunderstanding [dir. Bruce Beresford]
Take this Waltz [dir. Sarah Polley]
W.E. [dir. Madonna]


Special Presentations:

11 Flowers [dir. Wang Xiaoshuai]
50/50 [dir. Jonathan Levine]
360 [dir. Fernando Meirelles]
The Artist [dir. Michel Hazanavicius]
Americano [dir. Mathieu Demy]
Anonymous [dir. Roland Emmerich]
A Better Life [dir. Cedric Khan]
Burning Man [dir. Jonathan Teplitzky]
Chicken with Plums [dir. Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud]
Coriolanus [dir. Ralph Fiennes]
Countdown [dir. Huh Jong-ho]
Dark Horse [dir. Todd Solondz]
The Deep Blue Sea [dir. Terence Davies]
The Descendants [dir. Alexander Payne]
Drive [dir. Nicolas Winding Refn]
Elles [dir. Malgoska Szumowska]
The Eye of the Storm [dir. Fred Schepisi]
Friends With Kids [dir. Jennifer Westfeldt]
Habemus Papam [dir. Nanni Moretti]
Headhunters [dir. Morten Tyldum]
Hick [dir. Derick Martini]
The Hunter [dir. Daniel Nettheim]
Jeff, Who Lives at Home [dir. Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass]
Killer Joe [dir. William Friedkin]
Like Crazy [dir. Drake Doremus]
Machine Gun Preacher [dir. Marc Forster]
Martha Marcy May Marlene [dir. Sean Durkin]
Melancholia [dir. Lars von Trier]
The Oranges [dir. Julian Farino]
Pearl Jam Twenty [dir. Cameron Crowe]
Rampart [dir. Oren Moverman]
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen [dir. Lasse Hallstrom]
Shame [dir. Steve McQueen]
A Simple Life [dir. Ann Hui]
The Skin I Live In [dir. Pedro Almodovar]
Take Shelter [dir. Jeff Nichols]
Ten Year [dir. Jamie Linden]
Trishna [dir. Michael Winterbottom]
Twixt [dir. Francis Ford Coppola]
Tyrannosaur [dir. Paddy Considine]
We Need to Talk About Kevin [dir. Lynne Ramsay]
Where Do We Go Now? [dir. Nadine Labaki]
Woman in the Fifth [dir. Pawel Pawlikowski]

With the leaks of the probable films expected at Venice (Venice's official announcement comes Thursday) we can say some things with an element of certainty.

Past experience indicates that in addition to "The Artist," "Drive" and "Kevin"we can expect 5-8 of the above Toronto films to also play Telluride and maybe 2 Venice titles as well (and those can overlap...as I expect will happen with Todd Solondz's "Dark Horse")

Dark Horse

I still think Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" is a virtual certainty for Telluride. However, I have been equally certain that Jason Reitman's "Young Adult" would follow the same path he trekked with "Juno" and "Up in the Air" including its spot at # 4 on this week's Ten Bets list.  Late last night I got Pete Hammond's post at Deadline Hollywood about Toronto and the whole fall fest scene and he FLAT SAYS NO "YOUNG ADULT" at Telluride.  Quoting from his story now:

"I would have bet this film (which Paramount just dated for Dec. 9) would show up in Toronto, but I have confirmed it definitely won't be riding the fest circuit -- a first for Reitman. Don't look for it in Telluride either despite being Reitman's "good luck" festival where future Best Picture nominees Juno and Up In The Air had wildly successful unofficial premieres."

Pete's going to know more than I do.  But I have to say, it makes me sad.  I was really looking forward to seeing "YA" at T-ride and passing words with Mr. Reitman and Ms. Cody.  I did in 2007 with both (Reitman introduced me to Cody) and again with Reitman in 2009.  I also got in a really good question about the music used for the credit sequence during the Q & A which made the room laugh including Alexander Payne and former AMPAS Pres. Sid Ganis...but, alas, it would seem, not this year.

The body of Hammond's post is here (and it's pretty informative):
http://www.deadline.com/2011/07/hammond-oscar-contenders-jockey-for-prime-film-fest-exposure-or-not/



Toronto Galas also playing at Venice:
A Dangerous Method, W.E. and The Ides of March

Toronto Special Presentations also playing Venice:
Dark Horse, Chicken with Plums, Killer Joe, and Shame  and maybe Coriolanus (that's unclear and may have to wait for the official announcement on Thursday).

And then there are the films that weren't on either Toronto's list today or the sneaked Venice lists of the past two days:
Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo"
Paolo Sorrentino's "This Must Be the Place"
Jason Reitman's "Young Adult"
Phyllida Lloyd's "The Iron Lady"
Simon Curtis' "My Week with Marilyn"
John Hillcoat's "The Wettest County"
John Madden's "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
Gus Van Sant's "Restless"
and Bruce Robinson's "The Rum Diary"

What about these films?  Telluride-bound?  NY Film Fest?  TBA later for Venice or Toronto?  Not ready?  All of these are possible answers.

And word from a couple of sources today the "On the Road" and "The Grandmasters" would not be ready for the fall festival threesome of Telluride/Toronto/Venice.

Also missing from either Venice or Toronto...the Big 5: "Hugo," "War Horse," "J. Edgar," "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."

Links to Toronto stories and analysis:

Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/2011-toronto-international-film-festival-unveils-spectacular-selection-galas-special-presentations

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/moneyball_360_butter_ides_of_march_a_dangerous_method_lead_tiff_11_line-up/

The Hollywood Reporter:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-film-festival-lineup-george-215274

Awards Daily:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2011/07/george-clooney-madonna-sarah-polley-toronto-announces/

Movie City News:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/07/toronto-international-film-festival-announces-stellar-line-up-of-galas-and-special-presentations/

Thompson on Hollywood:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/07/26/toronto_2011

Hollywood Elsewhere:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/07/toronto_2011_ga.php

Hit Fix:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/awards-campaign/posts/moneyball-albert-nobbs-the-descendants-among-toronto-film-festival-2011-debuts



 More Toronto/Venice impact analysis coming tomorrow!