The Film Awards Clearinghouse Vol. 2-Four Major Categories/HitFix-InContention Survey the Oscar Field/Inherent Trailer/Last Note: Trumbo

Hello on a Monday...October is just around the corner.


THE FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE VOL. 2A-FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES

As the New York Film Festival roared to life over the past weekend, I took the opportunity to take another snapshot of the four biggest races in the Oscar contest for 2014.  In the wake of the conclusion of the triumvirate of September fests (Telluride, Toronto and Venice) and the first reviews coming out for the NYFF opener, David Fincher's "Gone Girl", there has been some movement in some of the categories.

As always, The FAC uses the published predictions of the following to develop its list of likely Oscar nominees:

Kristopher Tapley/InContention/HitFix
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Bred Brevet/Rope of Silicon
Nathaniel Rogers/Film Experience
Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood
Peter Knegt/IndieWire
Clayton Davis/Awards Circuit
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter

Telluride #41 films are Bold.
A film/person's rating in the last FAC is listed to the right in parentheses.


BEST PICTURE

1) The Imitation Game (3)
2) Birdman (1)
3) Boyhood (2)
4) The Theory of Everything (6)
5) Unbroken (5)
6) Interstellar (7)
7) Foxcatcher (4)
8) Gone Girl (8)
9) Mr. Turner (9)
10) Fury (NR)
11) Selma (NR)
12) Whiplash (NR)
13) Into the Woods (NR)
14) Wild (NR)
15) The Grand Budapest Hotel (10)

Comment:  Big boost to "The Imitation Game" coming out of Telluride and then winning the audience award at Toronto.  "Theory" also got a good bump from Toronto.  "Foxcatcher" and "Grand Budapest" getting the worst of it over the last couple of weeks.

Watch out for J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year" which has been announced as the opening film for the American Film Institute festival on Nov. 6th.


BEST DIRECTION

1) Alejandro Inarritu/Birdman (1)
2) Richard Linklater/Boyhood (2)
3) Angelina Jolie/Unbroken (5)
4) Christopher Nolan/Interstellar (4)
5) Morten Tyldum/The Imitation Game (6)
6) Bennett Miller/Foxcatcher (3)
7) David Fincher/Gone Girl (NR)
8) James Marsh/The Theory of Everything (NR)
9) David Ayer/Fury (7)
10) Mike Leigh/Mr. Turner (8)

Comment: Wes Anderson and Paul Thomas Anderson drop out.  I expect PTA will jump back into the conversation once "Inherent Vice" plays as the centerpiece for the New York Film Festival.  There's been big momentum for Jolie, Fincher and Marsh in the past two weeks and, as I expected and wrote in the first FAC for Best Director, Morten Tyldum moved up a spot to #5 and would be a nominee if these stats prove accurate.

BEST ACTRESS

1) Reese Witherspoon/Wild (1)
2) Felicity Jones/The Theory of Everything (4)
3) Julianne Moore/Still Alice (8)
4) Rosamund Pike/Gone Girl (3)
5) Amy Adams/Big Eyes (2)
6) Hilary Swank/The Homesman (6)
7) Jessica Chastain/A Most Violent Year (9)
8) Meryl Streep/Into the Woods (5)
9) Shailene Woodley/The Fault in Our Stars (7)
10) Jessica Chastain/The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (10)

Comment:  Julianne Moore rockets up the chart after her Toronto performance.  I expect that she'll move to the top spot by the time I get the next FAC for Best Actress up.  Amy Adams and Meryl Streep take a dive...and I get the feeling that that may be prophetic.  Who benefits?  Chastain would be my bet.  My five would be: Moore, Witherspoon, Pike, Jones and Chastain (for "Most Violent Year").

BEST ACTOR

1) Benedict Cumberbatch/The Imitation Game (2)
2) Michael Keaton/Birdman (1)
3) Eddie Redmayne/The Theory of Everything (4)
4) Steve Carell/Foxcatcher (3)
5) Timothy Spall/Mr. Turner (5)
6) David Oyelowo/Selma (6)
7) Bill Murray/St. Vincent (8)
8) Jack O'Connell/Unbroken (10)
9) Joaquin Phoenix/Inherent Vice (9)
10) Ralph Fiennes/The Grand Budapest Hotel (7)

Comment: This has been a fairly stable category the last two weeks despite bring generally regarded as one of the most competitive categories.  The top three men are so tightly packed that it's likely going to be tight right to the end.  Big boost for O'Connell (who would replace Timothy Spall in my guesses at the five nominees) and Fiennes suffers the biggest drop.


HITFIX AND IN CONTENTION SURVEY THE OSCAR FIELD

The crew at HitFix and In Contention have put together a lengthy list of Best Picture contenders and assess the chances of each of the films at winning the big prize on Feb. 22.  The TFF #41 films on their list (alphabetically):

"Birdman"
"Foxcatcher"
"The Homesman"
"The Imitation Game"
"Mr. Turner"
"Rosewater"
"Wild"

The complete post is here:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/best-picture-2015-oscar-contenders-include-interstellar-gone-girl-and-the-imitation-game


INHERENT TRAILER

OK...OK...it's not a Telluride film but I couldn't help linking to the trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice" that dropped earlier this week.  I'll be honest, I've been a little reluctant about embracing/anticipating this film.  I love me some PTA but I found, in reading the Thomas Pynchon novel, that the loosey goosey structure to be entertaining for awhile and then a little annoying.  Occasional comparisons to PTA's "Punch Drunk Love" didn't help...it's his one film that I think is really just bad.

But recent reports that "Vice" is inspired/informed by Zucker-esque films such as "Airplane" and "Top Secret" have me re-intrigued.  The trailer is also...interesting.  Check it here and take a look at a number of posts/stories about the film and the trailer that I have also linked:

"Inherent Vice" trailer (via YouTube)

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/first-trailer-inherent-vice-has-736562

http://moviecitynews.com/2014/09/trailering-paul-and-toms-inherent-vice-201/

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/paul-thomas-anderson-thomas-pyncheon-and-joaquin-phoenix-collide-in-inherent-vice-trailer#YvFDolziFfKXy3AW.99

http://time.com/3448964/trailer-paul-thomas-anderson-inherent-vice/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-joaquin-phoenix-gets-his-stoner-detective-groove-on-in-paul-thomas-andersons-psychedelic-comedy-inherent-vice-20140929

LAST NOTE: TRUMBO

On Monday I posted a list of five films that might have a future at Telluride and at #3 on that list was Jay Roach's "Trumbo" which will star Bryan Cranston as the blackballed author and screenwriter.  I admitted than that I had no real Telluride connections that I could point to such as a producer, director or dustributor with a Telluride history.

Fortunately MTFB reader Patrick Pringle was on the ball and pointed out that Dalton Trumbo came from that part of Colorado.  Patrick reminded me that Trumbo was born in Montrose, CO. and raised in nearby Grand Junction.  For all practical purposes, Dalton Trumbo was a hometown boy.  

Thanks Patrick!

More on Monday...Have a great weekend.

Cannes #67 Announces/Could "Inherent Vice" Come to Telluride?/Telluride's Annual Call

Welcome to Thursday!

CANNES #67 ANNOUNCES

Here's the official lineup from the 67th Cannes Film Festival via The Playlist:

Official Competition: 

"Captives" (Canada) dir. Atom Egoyan
"Foxcatcher" (U.S.A.) dir. Bennett Miller
"Goodbye To Language" (France) dir. Jean-Luc Godard
"The Homesman" (U.S.A./France) dir. Tommy Lee Jones
"Jimmy's Hall" (U.K) dir. Ken Loach
"Leviathan" (Russia) dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev
"Maps To The Stars" (Canada) dir. David Cronenberg
"The Marvel" (Italy) dir. Alice Rohrwacher
"Mommy" (Canada) dir. Xavier Dolan
"Mr. Turner" (U.K) dir. Mike Leigh
"Saint Laurent" (France) dir. Bertrand Bonello
"The Search" (France) dir. Michel Hazavanicius
"Sils Maria" (France) dir. Olivier Assayas
"Still The Water" (Japan) dir. Naomi Kawase
"Timbuktu" dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
"Two Days One Night" (Belgium) dir. Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardennes
"Wild Tales" (Argentina) dir. Damian Szifron
"Winter Sleep" (Turkey) dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Opening Film: 

"Grace Of Monaco" (U.S.A./France) dir. Olivier Dahan

Out Of Competition: 

"Coming Home" (China) dir. Zhang Yimou
"How To Train Your Dragon 2" (U.S.A.) dir. Dean DeBlois

Un Certain Regard: 

"Amour Fou" (dir. Jessica Hausner) 
"Bird People" (dir. Pascale Ferran)
"The Blue Room" (dir. Mathieu Amalric
"Charlie's Country" (dir. Rolf De Heer) 
"Eleanor Rigby" (dir. Ned Benson) 
"Fantasia" (dir. Wang Chao) 
"A Girl At My Door" (dir. July Jung) 
"Harcheck mi Headro" (dir. Keren Yedaya) 
"Jauja" (dir. Lisandro Alonso) 
"Lost River" (dir. Ryan Gosling) 
"The Misunderstood" (dir. Asia Argento) 
"Party Girl" (dir. Marie Amachoukeli, Claire Burger and Samuel Theis) 
"Run" (dir. Philippe Lacote) 
"Salt Of The Earth" (dir. Wim Wenders & Juliano Ribeiro Salgado) 
"Snow In Paradise" (dir. Andrew Hulme) 
"Titli" (dir. Kanu Behl) 
"Tourist" (dir. Ruben Ostlund) 
"Unhappy Youth" (dir. Jaime Rosales) 
"Xenia" (dir. Panos Koutras) 

Midnight Screenings: 

"The Rover" (dir. David Michod) 
"The Salvation" (dir. Kristian Levring) 
"The Target" (dir. Chang) 

Special Screenings: 

"Bridges Of Sarajevo" (anthology film) 
"Caricaturists: Fantasies Of Democracy" (dir. Stephanie Valloatto)
"Eau Argentee" (dir. Mohammed Ossana)
"Les Gens Du Monde" (dir. Yves Yeuland) 
"Maidan" (dir. Sergei Loznitsa)
"Red Army"  (dir. Polsky Gabe)

Of immediate interest to Telluride watchers in the competition category are:

"Foxcatcher"
"Maps to the Stars"
"Mr. Turner"
"The Search"
"(Clouds of) Sils Maria"
"Two Days, One Night"

Trailer for Tommy Lee Jones Cannes Competition Selection "The Homesman"

Out of competition titles that may also have some Telluride potential:

"Coming Home"
"Charlie's Country"
"Salt of the Earth"


As expected, Inarritu's "Birdman" and Anderson's "Inherent Vice" were both not announced this morning.

Cannes head honcho Thierry Fremaux is quoted as saying that other titles could be named later.


Other titles will almost certainly come into Telluride consideration as Cannes approaches and then as the films unspool on the Croisette.




COULD "INHERENT VICE" COME TO TELLURIDE

If you read this blog with any frequency, you know that I have not been a big believer that Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice" is likely to appear as a part of the Telluride lineup this Labor Day weekend.  Lately, though, even I have had to admit that there has been some buzz that it's a possibility.  With last week's murmuring that it won't play Cannes, I've been seeing/hearing Telluride as an option with some frequency.  There was Jeff Wells' Hollywood Elsewhere blurb to that effect earlier in the week and now The Irish Times has opined in that direction as well reporting on Wednesday that "Most everyone has it (Inherent Vice) marked down for Telluride or Venice in the autumn."

Now, I don't know who "most everyone" is...but...


http://t.co/2Ijmmuluyp


TELLURIDE'S ANNUAL CALL

It went out Tuesday...the annual call for entries came forth from the Telluride Film Festival.  I have included the official word from my email Inbox and Shannon Mitchell:

41^st TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES

April 15, 2014

BERKELEY, CA – Telluride Film Festival (August 29 – September 1, 2014), presented by National Film Preserve, Ltd. announces its Call for Entries in all categories including student, short and feature length films.

Submission period begins April 15, 2014. Film Entry Form is available for download at www.telluridefilmfestival.org.

Shorts and student film submissions must be received no later than 5:00 pm, July 1, 2014. Feature film submissions must be received no later than 5:00 pm, July 15, 2014. All submissions must have been completed after July 15, 2013 and no works in progress will be accepted. Feature-length films (60 minutes or longer) will only be considered if they are to have their first North American screening at Telluride Film Festival. Final program determinations will be made by August 1, 2014. No early or late entries will be accepted.

Professional and amateur filmmakers working in all aesthetic disciplines and genres including narrative, documentary, animation and experimental are welcome.

Each year Telluride Film Festival plays host to an average of 25 feature films and 25 shorts and student films. Films selected to screen at Telluride Film Festival will be shown out-of-competition. TFF is not a competitive festival.

For more information visit www.telluridefilmfestival.org

More on Monday...have a great weekend!

"Birdman" Flies to October/"Inherent": A Cannes No Show?

Welcome to Monday!

"BIRDMAN" FLIES TO OCTOBER

Less than a week before the announcement of the lineup for the Cannes Film Fest, Fox Searchlight has revealed that they will release Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Birdman" on October 17.  Multiple source reported the news on Friday night/Saturday morning.  In the midst of that reporting was a good deal of disagreement about whether the film is ready for a Cannes debut.  Some reports indicated that the film will not be ready for the Croisette (late May/early June is mentioned as the likely time frame for the film to be finished by Deadline.com).  I tend to fall into that camp, though there were a number of sources that suggested  that they still believed that the dark comedy would  show up on the Cannes list.

Ultimately, there was also a good bit of speculation that the film is very possible for a Telluride bow...including this line from Kris Tapley's report:

"...I certainly expect it to do at least Telluride..." and Tapley also writes that Inarritu has been, "...a big fan of (Telluride) since his first trip there."

I told Inarritu last fall in T-ride when I saw him just before the first ever screening of "12 Years a Slave" (also from Fox Searchlight) that I was in hopes that "Birdman" would be playing this year's fest.  He just smiled.

Here are links to any number of posts focusing on "Birdman's" release date:

HitFix/InContention:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/inarritus-birdman-with-michael-keaton-gets-a-release-date-in-the-middle-of-oscar-season

Deadline.com:

http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/fox-searchlight-sets-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-birdman-for-october-17-bow/

The Playlist:

http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/fox-searchlight-sets-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-birdman-for-october-17-bow/

thefilmstage.com

http://thefilmstage.com/news/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-birdman-wont-be-ready-for-cannes-opening-october-17th/

Variety:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/michael-keatons-birdman-set-for-oct-17-u-s-release-1201156361/

FirstShowing.net:

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/inarritus-birdman-starring-michael-keaton-set-to-open-in-october/



"INHERENT": A CANNES NO SHOW?

Jeff Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere published this weekend that Paul Thomas Anderson's highly anticipated "Inherent Vice" is also unlikely to be announced on Thursday as a part of the Cannes lineup.  Wells claims, however, that its more likely to do fall festivals and he specifically mentions "Telluride/Venice and Toronto.  I'm STILL keeping my anticipation to a minimum but it still raises the films Telluride profile from the "Near zero chance" category to at least a "low possibility".

Check out the Wells story here:

http://t.co/C1LvfBPAQ6

More on Thursday...including the parsing of the lineup from Cannes...

The Playlist's Oscar Look for 2014/Sasha's Early Shot/The Atlantic Takes a Dip in the Oscar Pool

Welcome to Monday...

THE PLAYLIST'S OSCAR LOOK FOR 2014

The Playlist posted its "Premature Oscar Picks" just prior to the weekend and it has most of what are becoming the "usual suspects".  All in all, they included 15 films as Oscar possibilities, leading me to, inevitably, to parse them for possible Telluride '14 potentialities.  Among the 15 Playlist selections that might have some T-ride chances:

Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken".  I'm a little bit higher on the chances that this might make a Telluride appearance this week after the "12 Years a Slave" Best Picture Oscar win last week.  I can hear (in my head) Brad telling Angie that Telluride was a big part of the process that led to that Oscar.  Will distributor Universal think that Telluride is a good idea?  Who knows?

Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar".  Friend of the blog Christopher Schiller has said he thinks this could surprise at Telluride and my thinking is that it makes some sense in the context of the success "Gravity" had this year.  I can see it being a BIG SURPRISE at The Zog...Paramount is the distributor and has had some presence in Telluride previously (including Jason Reitman's "Labor Day" this past year).  I'd be very excited were it to happen and I have raised my estimation of the possibility of its appearance at T-ride...but...honestly, it's still a loooong shot.

Bennett Miller's "Foxcatcher".  Things working in favor of thinking it could make this year's lineup:  Miller (Capote in '05 played T-ride) and the distributor Sony Pictures Classics.  Working against:  Like a lot of people, the decision to move it from 2013 to 2014 makes me wonder about quality issues.

J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year".  Despite "All is Lost" not really catching fire as an Oscar contender this year, I got the impression that Chandor loved his experience at Telluride.  A24 is the distributor and though its resume is short, they have had a substantial presence at Telluride the past couple of years.  "Ginger and Rosa" and "Under the Skin".  So this is a real possibility...and it would be very cool to get Oscar Isaac back to T-ride.  Also cool would be an appearance by Jessica Chastain.

Michel Hazanavicius' "The Search"...reason for:  "The Artist" and its run through Telluride on the way to Oscar in 2011.  Hazanavicius was in Telluride for that.  He could well return.  However, IMDb doesn't list a U.S. distributor yet.  The Weinstein Company had "The Artist".

Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice".  This would be a big "get".  Despite whatever happened regarding why "The Master" did not appear at Telluride in 2012...and I heard a number of reasons...there are a couple of reasons that we might see this film in the San Juans...First, it's under the Warner Brothers banner and Warners has stepped up the last couple of years at Telluride with: "Prisoners" and "Gravity" this past year and they had to be pleased with how that played out (despite the loss of the Best Picture Oscar to "12 Years").  Then there was that "Argo" thing in 2012.  That seemed to work out too.  Reason #2:  PTA has been in Telluride previously with the tribute to Daniel Day Lewis and he 20 min. preview of  "There Will Be Blood" (though one of the narratives about why "The Master" didn't play is that PTA wasn't thrilled with the reception that the sneak peak of TWBB received and admittedly I was a part of that reaction as I wasn't bowled over by what I saw...I have, however, recanted many times since as I have often said after having seen the whole film...more than once...that it's a masterpiece and maybe the best film of the 2000's...so PTA...if it's my fault, as unlikely as that might be...mea culpa! and come back!)

David Fincher's "Gone Girl".  Fincher was tributed in 2008 and that included "Zodiac" and a preview of "Benjamin Button" and the fest certainly doesn't shy away from the crime genre, into which this film fits.  Ben Affleck in the lead probably boosts the film's chances of making the T-ride list.  20th Century Fox has the distribution and they had a hand in "12 Years a Slave"...so...maybe...  20th Century Fox also has another possibility that we'll get to (and that could cut either way).

Morten Tyldum's "The Imitation Game".  The Weinstein Company is involved as distributor here and that certainly doesn't close the door...but it's also no guarantee that we'll see his film either.  TWC had "Tracks" and "Salinger" (as a late added Sneak Preview reportedly replacing "Philomena" and I would have been interested to see if the the Oscar race would have been different had "Philomena" shown at Telluride) at last year's TFF.  But TWC's presence at TFF is also kind of spotty.  Still, "The Imitation Game", the story of Brit Alan Turing, who was instrumental in the breaking of Germany's Enigma code but who was then pilloried for his sexuality, is the kind of film that seems tailor made for Telluride.

Jean Marc Vallee's "Wild"...It's produced by Fox Searchlight...so, there's that. The film's description reminds me of the aforementioned "Tracks" and Sean Penn's 2007 TFF film "Into the Wild" but my feeling at the moment is that it's unlikely.

Saul Dibb's "Suite Francaise".  I've periodically mentioned this last year as a Telluride possibility.  It, too, is from TWC.  A World War II film with Michele Williams and Matthias Schoenaerts.  It's a light "maybe".

Tim Burton's "Big Eyes" ...Burton on Colorado Ave., maybe Amy Adams with him ,would be cool.  It's yet another Weinstein film so see above...

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Birdman".  This is probably your most solid bet on the list.  Inarritu has played TFF with "Babel" and "Biutiful" and was there this past year in support of Alfonso Cuaron.  "Birdman" is distributed by Fox Searchlight.  I also bet that this plays Cannes...see Cannes note below.  Final note: please bring Michael Keaton and Emma Stone with you.

The Playlist posts some other awards possibilities...you can see the whole thing here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/premature-oscar-predictions-the-2015-best-picture-contenders-20140305

Finally, if any of the above are chosen for Cannes, that increases the chances for a Telluride play.

SASHA'S EARLY SHOT

Over at Awards Daily, Sasha Stone has listed some of the films that she thinks could make Oscar waves this coming year...and you'll see a number of the same films listed.

That post is here:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/most-anticipated-of-2014-or-what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-oscar-predictions/#more-72676

From her notes, what I would add to the films that I have mentioned above is:

"Men, Women and Children" from Jason Reitman.  Reitman has played Telluride with "Juno", "Up in the Air" and last year with "Labor Day".  The first two were well received..."Labor Day's" response was muted. With the"Toronto Ultimatum" in play, you have to wonder which way this film will jump.  As a side note...I am wary of the Adam Sandler casting.


THE ATLANTIC GUESSES TOO

And The Atlantic gets into the act with  a list of Oscar possibles as well.  Here that is:

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/03/the-oscars-in-2015-very-very-early-predictions-for-next-years-awards/284243/

More on Thursday...

Pics from Inherent Vice/Annecy Ends/Salinger Trailer

Good Monday everyone.

PICS FROM INHERENT VICE

Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice" starring Joaquin Phoenix continues to film in and around Los Angeles.  PTA fan site Cigarettes and Redvines posted a slew of on-set photos in the last couple of days featuring Phoenix and Martin Short.

You can see all of them at this link:

http://cigsandredvines.blogspot.com/2013/06/first-look-at-martin-short-in-inherent.html


ANNECY ENDS

Probably the world's most important animated film festival has come to a conclusion in France.  The Annecy Animation festival was a contributor to last year's Telluride fest.  "Rio 2096" won the top prize, the Crystal Award.  Other award winners and a complete wrap-up of the festival, check out this from Variety:

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/rio-2096-takes-top-honor-at-annecy-fest-1200497503/


SALINGER TRAILER

I had been thinking that the upcoming documentary on J.D. Salinger had a shot to be a Telluride film...but I have discovered that the release date is now set for Sept. 6...the weekend after TFF concludes.  That doesn't make it impossible and I can actually see a scenario wherein The Weinstein Company might think the immediate opening after a Telluride weekend might make a lot of sense.  So, don't rule it out completely.

All that to get to this...it has a trailer...

Here are a couple of posts that accompanied the release of the trailer this week:

From Movie City News:
http://moviecitynews.com/2013/06/trailering-salinger-231/

And from The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-captivating-trailer-for-documentary-on-famed-literary-recluse-jd-salinger-20130613

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

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

Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

More tomorrow...

Cannes Critics Combined/Gray Talks Immigrant/Doc Sportello Surfaces/New Man for Jane

Good Wednesday...

CANNES CRITICS COMBINED

As I did last year, I have combined the critics panels totals from the Ioncinema group and the Screen Daily and produced the following chart which shows surprising agreement between the critics and Steven Spielberg's jury.

Ioncinema compiled 16 critics and Screen Daily had 10 evaluating the competition films at Cannes last week.  I’ve compiled them together to create a master review of the 26 critics.  Here’s what that revealed:

Position/Film/Combined Average Rating (9 would be perfect)/Ion rank/SD Rank/Award

1) Blue is the Warmest Color/La Vie d’Adele                 7.7        (1)       (1)        Palme d’Or

2) Inside Llewyn Davis                                                 7.0       (2t)      (2)        Grand Prix

3) The Past                                                                6.5       (2t)      (3)        Best Actress

4) A Touch of Sin                                                        6.4       (4)        (4)       Screenplay

5/tie) Nebraska                                                           5.9       (na)      (3)        Best Actor

5/tie) Only Lovers Left Alive                                          5.9       (5)        (na)

7/tie) The Great Beauty                                                5.8       (6t)      (7)

7/tie) Venus in Fur                                                       5.8       (8t)      (5t)

9) Behind the Candelabra                                             5.6       (6t)      (8t)

10/tie) Like Father, Like Son                                         5.5       (8t)      (8t)

10/tie) Young and Beautiful                                           5.5       (6t)      (10t)

Close, but no cigar: The Immigrant (5.3)

The Bottom Three:

Only God Forgives (3.7), A Castle in Italy (3.6) and Shield of Straw (3.3)

The two sets of critics were wildly divergent on Nebraska and Only Lovers Left Alive.

As far as Telluride goes, almost everything that finished in the top ten has a shot to play with the probable exceptions of “Inside Llewyn Davis” and “Venus in Fur”.  Of course “Behind the Candelabra” won’t play as it has premiered on HBO already.

GRAY TALKS "THE IMMIGRANT"

I've said with some frequency that I wouldn't be surprised to see James Gray's "The Immigrant" make the list for Telluride 2013.  We got to see a little bit of it last year as a part of the Marion Cotillard tribute and along with it, Mr. Gray himself.  Its inclusion in Cannes certainly doesn't hurt its Telluride chances nor does its distributor-The Weinstein Company.  I kind of wonder if a deal to display "The Immigrant" at T-ride might have been struck last year.  We'll see.

  Gray was recently interviewed by The Playlist.  You can find that here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/james-gray-on-the-immigrant-the-gray-man-the-lost-city-of-z-and-more-20130603

DOC SPORTELLO SURFACES

I promised myself not to get crazy about Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice".  I get the feeling that my obsessions the past two years ("Tree of Life" and "The Master") bordered on the manic and also ended up not playing Telluride, which is supposed to be what this blog focuses on. (though, I'd remind everyone that "Tree" got distribution at Telluride and last year's "Master" saga was pretty entertaining).

Nevertheless, as bits and pieces squeak out concerning Anderson's adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's "Inherent Vice" I can feel the "crazy" starting to build.  So, with apologies...The Playlist has put up what have to among the first images from the film.  The post features Joaquin Phoenix as the lead character-Doc Sportello.  Here it is:

And the post is here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/first-look-at-joaquin-phoenix-oh-inherent-vice-maya-rudolph-joins-the-cast-20130604

NEW MAN FOR JANE

And speaking of obsession..."Jane Got a Gun", the beleaguered film starring Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton has signed a new actor to the cast.  Check The Wrap's story here:

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/host-star-boyd-holbrook-joins-jane-got-gun-firms-little-accidents-exclusive-95016

So it seems that the film continues to plug along.

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More on Thursday...