Less Than a Week: The Descendants Rises

Good Morning!

Oscar is less than a week away.  Voters ballots must be in by 5pm Pacific time tomorrow.  Here are some Telluride and Oscar related items:

THE DESCENDANTS RISES

It was a good night for Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" last night.  The film won Best Adapted Screenplay from the Writer's Guild of America and it picked the USC Scripter Award honoring Payne as well as Nate Faxon and Jim Rash for the screenplay and Kaui Hart Hemmings for the novel that was adapted into the George Clooney vehicle.  Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" won the WGA award for Original Screenplay.

"The Descendants" also won an A.C.E. guild award for editing, along with "The Artist" and "Rango".
 Even with the nice evening, don't expect "The Descendants" to knock "The Artist" off its Best Picture perch.  As a matter of fact, I'm starting to get the feel that "The Artist" may be headed for a "Slumdog Millionaire" type of night on Sunday with 7-8 wins.

Nevertheless, here are details from last night...

An overview from The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/022012/the-descendants-midnight-in-paris-win-top-prizes-at-wga-awards-caesar-must-die-takes-golden-bear-at-berlin

The Hollywood Reporter has the editing awards story here:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/the-descendants-the-artist-ace-eddie-awards-292612

Variety has the story from the USC Scripter announcement:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118050493/

And Brad Brevet at Rope of Silicon has a nice combo story here:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/the-descendants-wins-the-usc-scripters-award-and-ace-editing-with-the-artist-and-rango/

Meanwhile, The Cinema Audio Society awarded its top prize to "Hugo".
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/cinema-audio-society-hugo-boardwalk-empire-292626

CLOONEY

Once regarded (and not that long ago) as the Best Actor frontrunner (that's now "The Artist's" Jean Dujardin), THR has a big profile up on George Clooney:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-clooney-oscars-brad-pitt-stacy-keibler-descendants-290676


FEINBERG'S FINAL FORECAST

Here's Scott Feinberg's (The Hollywood Reported) "final" predictions for Oscar on Sunday night:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/oscar-predictions-the-artist-academy-awards-292628

Sunday Extra to The FAC

Good Morning...down to under 48 hours until Oscar nominations are announced by The Academy.


CEASE THAT CORONATION!

This morning I have two pieces that suggest that there is still a reasonable level of suspense about what will ultimately win the Oscar next month (Feb. 26) for Best Picture.

First from The Playlist's Oli Lyttleton: 5 Reasons The Artist might not win best picture (in fairness, he strains to get to 5):
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-amazing-race-its-not-over-yet-five-reasons-the-artist-might-not-win-best-picture

And also from Sasha Stone at Awards Daily a rumination on the possibility that The Descendants could pull off the upset:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2012/01/the-descendants-poised-to-upset-in-best-picture/

MY TOP TEN FOR 2011

Well, after much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, here is my Top Ten list for the films that I saw in 2012 (somewhere north of 50...not "critic" type numbers...but a lot of films)...But admittedly, I haven't seen everything.  Haven't caught War Horse or Extremely Loud yet.  Nor critical darlings like Melancholia, Take Shelter or Martha Marcy Mae Marlene.  Someday, I'll get 'em in.

#10 HUGO (dir. by Martin Scorsese)... Scorsese steps into a completely different filmic milieu and succeeds very well.  It's a beautiful film to look at.  The 3D isn't a bother (as it so often is in most 3D films) and sounds one of the biggest themes from serious films this year...the nostalgic reverence for the history of film and its place in our lives.  (my runner -up #11 picture...Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).
Hugo's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/

#9 ALBERT NOBBS (dir. by Rodrigo Garcia)  Glenn Close's passion project that took decades to get made was largely dismissed by most critics, but I contend that her performance as a woman masquerading as a mild mannered MAN and Janet McTeer's supporting performance are enough to put it on my list.  I think that a number of critics just didn't get how difficult it is to do what Close does in this film.  Probably headed to 3-4 Oscar nominations.
Albert Nobbs' IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1602098/
Check out my actually published Albert Nobbs review from Telluirde for The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/telluride_11_review_albert_nobbs_glenn_close_mia_wasikowska

#8 RANGO (dir. Gore Verbinski)  I'm also a bit surprised that this hasn't gotten more critical love at the end of the year.  It also hasn't benefited from what has been a yearly "Will The Academy nominate an animated film for Best Picture?" push.  This despite the fact that it is a clear front runner to win the Oscar for Animated Feature.  Nonetheless, it's funny, quirky, and inventive.
Rango's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1192628/

#7 BEGINNERS (dir. Mike Mills)  Christopher Plummer is headed to an Oscar nomination (and probable win) as Supporting Actor as a widower who finally comes out in his 70's and Ewan MacGregor plays the son dealing with the new circumstances.  It's a beautiful, touching funny and very human film from Mills.  It would be nice to see him get an Original Screenplay nomination as well and it could happen; it's not very likely, though.
Beginners' IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1532503/

#6 MONEYBALL (dir. Bennett Miller)  A top flight job from all involved.  Steve Zallian and Aaron Sorkin's adaptation is brilliantly done.  Miller directs with confidence (I am fast getting to the point where I'll go see a film just because he's the director) and Brad Pitt is more than fine as Billy Beane.  And the surprise is how good Jonah Hill is.  Probable Oscar nods to Zallian, Sorkin, Pitt and Hill.  Miller's odds for a directing nomination are fairly long, though.
Moneyball's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1210166/

#5  A SEPARATION (dir. Asghar Farhadi)  A miracle of a film from Iran.  I contend that this is the best written film of any type this year.  Almost certain to be a Best Foreign Language Film nominee (and the likely winner), I've been advocating n Original Screenplay nomination for months...not likely, but it's also not impossible.  And here's the thing...it's Iranian...I saw it with subtitles and it still translated to great writing...do you have any idea how difficult that is?  Steady direction and great committed performances also.  Talk about your films that transcend boundaries...
A Separation's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1832382/

#4 THE DESCENDANTS (dir. Alexander Payne)  A nice return from Mr. Payne who had been away from directing for 7 years.  George Clooney stars as a man with family issues.  He's probably going to win his second Oscar for this and perhaps he should, it's one of his best turns on screen.  Good support up and down the cast as well with relative newcomer Shailene Woodley a very possible nominee for Supporting Actress.  This will probably net 4-7 nominations Tuesday morning.  Check my Playlist review from Telluride for further details here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/alexander_payne_george_clooney_riff_on_family_love_loss_death_and_the_choic#
The Descendants IMDb page is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/

#3 THE TREE OF LIFE (dir.Terrence Malick)  No one tried anything bigger, bolder and more adventurous this year than Terrence Malick.  So many people have said, "what's it about?"...best answer  "Life" sort as the title implies.  Malick juxtaposes macro and micro versions of "life" with each illuminating the other.  Brad Pitt is very good as a domineering 50's era father.  it also helps that the film is incredibly beautifully shot and that Malick (clearly drawing from his own experiences as a young boy in Texas and Oklahoma) gets the look and tone of the place and time of the micro story just right.  This film and my #1 are the two films that I saw this year that kept returning to me mind to turn over again and again.
The Tree of Life's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478304/

#2 THE ARTIST (dir. Michel Hazanavicius)  I was intrigued from the moment I heard the premise and started to hear the reactions and descriptions out of Cannes.  Firstly, how bold do you have to be to pitch a black and white silent film in the 2000's???  Pretty bold.  And then the execution!  And it works so so well.  Hazanavicius' vision is beautifully realized especially from Jean Dujardin in the lead.  To my mind, 75 years removed from the days when this was the ONLY way films were done, this was like re-inventing the form from scratch.  Remarkably well done.  The Artist will likely be in double digit nominations (and it may be the only film to get there this year, though Hugo has a real chance as well) on Tuesday morning and deservedly so.
The Artist's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/

#1 SHAME (dir. Steve McQueen).  Yeah, I know.  It's NC-17.  And a lot of people do NOT like it, love it, care for it.  Many actively hate it.  It was certainly not universally embraced at Telluride.  But, I'm telling you, this film stuck with me all fall.  Shattering, searing, unflinching.  And the performances from Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan are phenomenal.  Fassy will probably get the only nomination here and he'd be winning the Best Actor Oscar if I had a ballot.  Mulligan would also be at the top of my Supporting Actress ballot, but she appears to have only a marginal chance of being one of the five nominees on Tuesday.  I'd also include McQueen and Abi Morgan for screenplay.  Perhaps McQueen for direction and likely cinematography as well.
Shame's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1723811/

What are your Ten Best of 2011??

Coming tomorrow...Michael's Telluride Film Blog and The Film Award Clearinghouse predicts the Oscar nominations!

Follow me on Twitter  @Gort2

NBR Awards/

Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 Part Two

NBR ANNOUNCES

The National Board of Review announced their 2011 awards late this afternoon and here they are directly from the NBR website:


Awards for 2011:
Best Actor
George Clooney, The Descendants

Best Actress
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

Best Animated Feature
Rango

Best Director
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Documentary
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Best Ensemble
The Help

Best Film
Hugo

Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation

Best Original Screenplay
Will Reiser, 50/50

Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Supporting Actress
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Breakthrough Performance
Felicity Jones, Like Crazy

Breakthrough Performance
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Debut Director
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call

NBR Freedom of Expression
Crime After Crime

NBR Freedom of Expression
Pariah

Special Achievement in Filmmaking
The Harry Potter Franchise - A Distinguished Translation from Book to Film

Spotlight Award
Michael Fassbender (A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, Shame, X-Men: First Class)

Top 10 Independent Films
(in alphabetical order) 50/50, Another Earth, Beginners, A Better Life, Cedar Rapids, Margin Call, Shame, Take Shelter, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Win Win

Top 5 Documentaries
(in alphabetical order) Born to be Wild, Buck, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Project Nim, Senna

Top 5 Foreign Language Films
(in alphabetical order) 13 Assassins, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, Footnote, Le Havre, Point Blank

Top Films
(in alphabetical order) The Artist, The Descendants, Drive, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Ides of March, J. Edgar, The Tree of Life, War Horse

Telluride Films in the NBR mix: 

The Descendants for Best Actor (George Clooney), Supporting Actress (Shailene Woodley)  and Adapted Screenplay (Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash)
We Need to Talk About Kevin for Best Actress(Tilda Swinton)
Spotlight Award for Michael Fassbender for (among others ) Shame and A Dangerous Method
Top 10 Films: The Descendants, The Artist
Top 10 Independent films: Shame, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Best Foreign Film: A Separation
Top 5 Foreign Films: Le Havre, Footnote
Top 5 Documentaries: George Harrison: Living in the Material World

Oscar Boosts to:

HUGO...a big boost with its double win as Best Film and for Scorsese as Best Director.  If you've been a reader of this space, you know that I've been making some noise about it's growing prospects over the past week or so.

THE DESCENDANTS...After getting a rough treatment from the threesome of the NYFCC, Gothams and Indy Spirit Awards the other day, this three win day is a good boost.

FASSBENDER...Stays in the Best Actor conversation with this acknowledgement today.

TREE OF LIFE probably got a little push toward a Best Pic nom with its inclusion in the Top Ten.  (again, along with Hugo trending, I think Tree has a really good shot here and for director as well.  But you know that if you've been reading this blog recently).

TOP TEN STUFF

Surpirses included the omissions of "The Help" (thought it was recognized as the Best Ensemble?) and Midnight in Paris.  I was also surprised by the inclusion of Harry Potter, Ides of March and J. Edgar.  Personally I would have included Beginners and Shame on the Ten Best list irrespective of their "independent" status.
 
Back on Monday with the next regular installment of MTFB/FAC.

Hugo Unleashed/On the Road/Descendants Date Change/Errol Talks Tabloid

Viggo Mortensen and Amy Adams are in Walter Salles "On the Road"...will that road lead them to Telluride?

Good Morning All.  I didn't go to Harry Potter's conclusion at midnight last night...does that make me a bad muggle?

HUGO-NOT CABRET ANYMORE-UNLEASHED

Martin Scorsese's much anticipated 3D children's story adaptation has been all over the internet the past 2-3 days.  There's the poster above and now, at iTunes, the first trailer.  As you might expect, the trailer is very impressive.

I have said on a number of occasions in this space that I feel like there's almost zero chance that this film is at Telluride.  But, Scorsese was represented there last year with his collaboration on "A Letter from Elia" so you can't completely close the door on the chance that it could be there.

Here's a link to Incontention.com's story about the trailer.  It includes the link to the iTunes trailer.
http://incontention.com/2011/07/14/hugo-trailer/

The "Hugo" IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/

ON THE ROAD

Kristen Stewart in a scene from "On the Road" via daemonmovies.com

One motion picture that I haven't spent much time on in this space that will be rolling around this fall season and that could be a Telluride possibility is the Walter Salles directed adaptation of the classic book by Jack Kerouac.  It stars Sam Riley and Garrett Hedlund and features a stunning list of actors in support including: Viggo Mortensen (2009 TFF Tributee), Kristen (Twilight) Stewart, Kirsten (Melancholia/Best Actress Cannes 2011) Dunst, Steve Buscemi, Amy Adams, and Terrence Howard.  Francis Ford Coppola is an Executive Producer. 

Film4 is one of four production companies listed as having a hand in the project.  Film4 has been involved with Telluride presentations of: "Never Let Me Go and "Another Year" (both TFF #37), "Slumdog Millionaire," "Hunger" and "Happy-Go-Lucky" (TFF #35).

In addition to "On the Road" Film4 has some connection to three other films that are Telluride possibilities:
"The Iron Lady," "Wuthering Heights" and "Shame."

Anne Thompson from Indiewire's Thompson on Hollywood has a story about Salles and his quest for authenticity for the picture and the form that the quest took.

You can read that story here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/07/14/on_the_road_director_walter_salles_quest_for_authenticity_road_trip_with_st/#.Th91f8PkEaU.email


NEW DESCENDANTS DATE

 I reported here in March that Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" had a December release date.  Now comes news that the roll out for the George Clooney starrer has had a change of strategy and will instead open earlier in limited release on Nov. 23 and then be "platformed."  A "platformed" release means that additional theaters will be added from week to week through December and perhaps into January 2012 as opposed to a mass release like you're seeing this weekend with the final Harry Potter movie in thousands of theaters simultaneously.

Brad Brevet at Rope of Silicon has the details here:
http://t.co/NT8Ewk8

"The Descendants" still remains as the #1 most likely film we'll see on the Telluride bill of fare this year.

ERROL TALKS TABLOID

All week long we've seen and heard about Errol Morris' new doc "Tabloid" which appeared at Telluride last year and was generally well received.  I liked it quite a lot.  Maybe the biggest laugh of last year's festival came during Tabloid's screening. 

The Playlist at Indiewire has an interview up with Morris as the film is set for release in selected cities today.  You can find that interview here:
http://t.co/jWiZRLN

Tintin Trailer/Fassbender's Jump/Dreaming/Tree of Life

Good Morning Everyone from New Mexico!

We took down Kris' one woman exhibition yesterday in Taos, NM at the fantastic Trading Post Cafe and Gallery.  Eat there.  It's terrific and tell Kimberly hello.  Sounds like Kris will have the opportunity to return with another show in the future so she was very happy after to be invited back after having the series of food still lifes hanging there for 6 weeks.  Good day.

TINTIN TRAILER

This morning The Playlist posted a link to the teaser/trailer to the "other" Steven Spielberg film coming out later this year.  The unwieldy title is :"The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn" which sounds kind of goofy.  The film uses motion capture animation and Peter (Lord of the Rings) Jackson is a producer.  The trailer looks very cool, however.  The link to the story and trailer is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_new_tintin_trailer_looks_like_the_indiana_jones_sequel_we_should_have/

The Tintin IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2977741056/tt0983193

Now, I don't really think that there's any chance that this will play in Telluride's 38th edition of the SHOW...but it has dominated a lot of discussion about whether it meets the AMPAS standards for being an "animated" film. 

And it looked cooler than I though it would...

FASSBENDER IS FAST

I passed along the information last week that Michael Fassbender (who has a couple of films on the list that could play T-ride this year: "A Dangerous Method" and "Shame) had exited Danny Boyle's 2013 film project "Trance" and that Boyle was looking to snag last year's Telluride tributee and Best Actor Oscar winner Colin Firth for that role.  Now comes word, also via The Playlist, that Fassbender has moved into another commitment.  He's now expected to be in Brandon Gleeson's directorial debut entitled "At Swim-Two-Birds."  You gotta love the title.

The Playlist story is linked here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/michael_fassbender_joins_brendon_gleesons_at-swim-two-birds/

DREAM SLATE

So what films that DO have a chance at playing Telluride this year would make my "dream" slate of films?  What am I just really hoping will be there?

Three films that have excellent prospects to be a part of the fest that I am definitely looking forward to and that would be on that "dream list" are Alexander Payne's "The Descendants," Jason Reitman's "Young Adult" and Michael Hazanavicius' "The Artist".

Films whose prospects are sketchy that I would love to see on the SHOW list are: Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut of Shakespeare's rarely performed "Coriolanus," George Clooney's sophomore directing gig "The Ides of March"  and David Cronnenberg's "A Dangerous Method."

Then there are four big Oscar baity type films that have almost 0% chance to be in Telluride, but it would be cool if any of them made a bow there:

Leo DiCaprio on the set of "J. Edgar"

Eastwood's "J. Edgar"

Spielberg's "War Horse"
Scorsese's "Hugo"
and Stephen Daldry's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"

What about you?  What films are YOU looking forward to as we rush headlong into awards season?

TREE OF LIFE

Finally saw Terrence Malick's  Palme D'Or winner last night.  Still processing it.  My initial impression is that the Cannes jury was probably right.

Have a great Monday everyone!