Trailers Times Three / Oscar Matters: Brie Larson and "Room" / Oscar Matters: InContention's Latest Look

Good Thursday to everyone.  MTFB/The FAC is on the road this week in Dallas, TX.  No film reason, though there was filming here last week for the forthcoming adaptation of Stephen King's "11/22/63" which is set to show up on Hulu.

Nope, we're in Big D for a Don Henley concert...then back to OKC for family fun.

It's fall break.

Thank God.


TRAILERS TIMES THREE

New trailer came down the pike this week for three Telluride 2015 films and I pass them on to you via YouTube with a story to accompany them.

First, a new look at the final trailer for Cary Fukunaga's "Beasts of No Nation":

And the story from MTFB friend (and one of "The Professionals" who rates films for the blog each year at T-ride) Alex Billington and FirstShowing.net:

http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/final-trailer-for-beasts-of-no-nation-go-see-this-film/


Also, a new trailer for Guatemala's Oscar Foreign Language entry "Ixcanul":

The Film Stage has a fantastic and extensive collection of the trailers for the 81 films that have been submitted for the Foreign Language Oscar.  You can find that here:

http://thefilmstage.com/features/your-guide-to-the-81-best-foreign-language-film-2016-oscar-contenders/


And we circle back to FirstShowing.net and the release of the official trailer for Stig Bjorkman's "Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words".  Here's that trailer:

And the story from Alex:


http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/watch-official-trailer-for-ingrid-bergman-in-her-own-words-doc/


OSCAR MATTERS: BRIE LARSON AND "ROOM"

Two big Brie Larson interviews showed up in the last day or two as "Room" gets ready to open this weekend.  Larson talks about the film with Jenelle Riley of Variety and Lauren Moraski of CBS News and both of those articles are linked here:

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/brie-larson-room-oscars-1201615960/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/brie-larson-on-going-silent-for-buzzy-room-film/

Incidentally, I'm pretty sure I ran into Larson at Telluride playing darts at one of the local pizza places.  I didn't interrupt the game.


OSCAR MATTERS: IN CONTENTION'S LATEST LOOK

Now that the New York Fest is over, the Oscar prognosticators are re-calculating.  They'll do that again after the AFI Fest next month and again with the screening of big December releases such as "The Revenant" and "Joy".

Kristopher Tapley has re-calibrated at Variety/InContention and I have culled his latest for Telluride-centric Oscar predictions.  Here's what he's saying as of yesterday:

Telluride films/performers in the following categories will be nominees:

Best Picture: "Black Mass', "Room", "Spotlight", "Steve Jobs"
Best Director: Abrahamson/"Room", McCarthy/"Spotlight", Boyle/"Steve Jobs"
Best Actor: Depp/"Black Mass", Fassbender/"Steve Jobs"
Best Actress: Larson/"Room", Rampling/"45 Years"
Best Supporting Actor: Edgerton/"Black Mass', Keaton/"Spotlight"
Best Supporting Actress: Mara/"Carol", Winslet/"Steve Jobs"
Adapted Screenplay: "Room", "Steve Jobs"
Original Screenplay: "Spotlight"
Costumes: "Carol"
Film Editing: "Spotlight", "Steve Jobs"
Makeup/Hair: "Black Mass"
Production Design: "Carol"
Documentary: "The Look of Silence" (TFF #41)
Foreign Language Film: "Son of Saul", "Rams", "Viva"


For Tapley's complete predictions look here:


http://variety.com/2015/film/in-contention/oscar-predictions-oscars-academy-awards-1201600870/


That's Thursday's post...if you see me at the Henley concert tonight, say hello!


Contact me at:

michael_speech@hotmail.com OR

mpgort@gmail.com OR

via Twitter @Gort2 OR to

Michael's Telluride Film Blog's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse/107846269309712

The People's Telluride / "Amazing Grace" Saga Continues / Oscar Matters

It's Thursday and time for another episode of Michael's Telluride Film Blog/The Film Awards Clearinghouse...


THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE

Ten days after the conclusion of TFF #42, I have the results of the fourth annual "People's Telluride". Since the fests close, I have been gathering the data that Telluride film followers have been sending my way since then.  Over two dozen respondents sent their evaluations.  Using the same criteria as I did for The Professionals Telluride, films were collated only of they received evaluations from at least a third of those respondents.  With that, here are the results of The People with the rating average in parenthesis:

1) Room (4.47)
2) Spotlight (4.45)
3) Beasts of No Nation (4.35)
4) Ixcanul (4.31)
5) Son of Saul (4.30)
6) Marguerite (4.23)
7) Black Mass (4.13)
8) Carol (4.02)
9) Rams (3.98)
10) Steve Jobs (3.86)
11) 45 Years (3.78)
12) Suffragette (3.58)
13) He Named Me Malala (3.39)
14) Anomalisa (3.36)

The People included three films that the Pros did not: "Ixcanul", "Marguerite" and "Rams".  The Pros had "Taxi" and "Time to Choose" on their list that The People excluded.

The biggest agreement between the sets of data came toward the bottom of the list as The Pros and The People both placed "Suffragette" and "He Named Me Malala" at the #12 and #13 spots respectively.

The greatest disparity came at the top and bottom and vice versa for each set of data.  The People really loved "Room" as it reigns at the top of the People's list but The Pros had it as their #11 film (of 13).  Meanwhile, the Pros were all about Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson's "Anomalisa" rating it #2 (just behind "Son of Saul") but the People had it at the bottom of their list at #14 (of 14).

Last year The People preferred "The Imitation Game" with a stellar 4.73 rating.  "Birdman" was #2 with a rating of 4.46.

In 2013, "Tim's Vermeer" led the People's poll with a 4.67 rating and "12 Years a Slave" was second with a rating of 4.55.

In 2012, "Stories We Tell was tops with a 4.80 closely followed by "Argo" with a 4.75.

Coming on Monday...The Combo Telluride...what happens when we put the two lists together?  We shall see.

Seems to me that being #2 on The People's Telluride is a real harbinger as "Argo", "12 Years a Slave" and "Birdman" all won the Best Picture Oscar.  So if you're Tom McCarthy and the crew from "Spotlight"...maybe a sign of things to come.




"AMAZING GRACE" SAGA CONTINUES

The legal saga that began at Telluride on its opening day between the producer of "Amazing Grace" and its subject, Aretha Franklin.  Took a new twist this week.  Franklin sued in Colorado court and obtained an injunction on T-ride's opening day which torpedoed the planned screening of the documentary just hours before it was set to appear.

Subsequently, planned screenings at both the Toronto and Chicago Film Fests were also scuttled.  This week, amid reports that the film was about to be screened privately for prospective distributors brought yet another threat to sue from Franklin and her lawyers.

In light of all this, producer Alan Elliot has agreed to a 30 day moratorium on screening of the film. Speculation is that the 30 day hold will  be used for both sides to negotiate terms under which the film could be screened.

Here's the story from Variety:


http://variety.com/2015/film/news/aretha-franklin-lawsuit-amazing-grace-documentary-1201594489/




OSCAR MATTERS

MTFB continues to make its annual transition from a Telluride film prediction outlet to a Telluride film in the awards season blog by looking at the latest and best prediction professionals and what they are saying after Telluride, Venice and now that Toronto is winding down.

Gold Derby shows a sharp rise for "Spotlight" and "Steve Jobs" from the Telluride plays and reactions.  Meanwhile, Sasha Stone reports that Vulture's Kyle Buchanan has claimed that "Spotlight" is out front in the Oscar race right now.  Take a look at both stories here:


Gold Derby

http://www.goldderby.com/news/10367/oscar-predictions-best-picture-steve-jobs-the-revenant-leonardo-dicaprio-975386420.html


Buchanan

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2015/09/kyle-buchanan-declares-spotlight-frontrunner-out-of-toronto/


More on Monday including The Combination Telluride...combining of the Professionals and The People's Telluride.  Contact me at:

michael_speech@hotmail.com OR

mpgort@gmail.com OR

via Twitter @Gort2 OR to

Michael's Telluride Film Blog's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse/107846269309712

Toronto's Final Word? / What's "Most Likely"? / Making "Steve Jobs" / Taking the Measure: Pre-Fest Awards Assessment / And Remember...

It's Hump Day with nine days left until the 42nd Telluride Film Festival launches...Make it go faster!

TORONTO'S FINAL WORD?

Barring some sort of surprise announcement, we now know all of the films that are scheduled to play the Toronto Film Fest on Sept. 10-20.  The last set of films was announced yesterday with what would seem to be very little impact in terms of telling us much of anything about what will show at The SHOW.

The only film to emerge from yesterday's TIFF announcement that may have some T-ride potential is "Ixcanul", The film is listed by TIFF as a Canadian Premiere and though it appears to have been screened in Mexico, that same set of circumstances does not seem to have prevented the probable screening of Jafar Panahi's "Taxi" next week.  So...

"Ixcanul" is directed by Jayro Bustamante and is from Guatemala and France in terms of origin.  TIFF's description says that it focuses on the lives of two young Mayan lovers who flee Guatemala for the U.S.  The film played Berlin and Karlovy Vary among other international fests and currently has no U.S. distribution per IMDb.  Here is "Ixcanul's" page there:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4135844/?ref_=ttrel_rel_tt

Does it play Telluride?  I put it's chances at 50/50.

Otherwise, as best as I can tell, no other new films seemed to be indicated by the TIFF press releases yesterday.


WHAT'S "MOST LIKELY"?

If you've been following along with this summer's progressive "Ten Bets" lists you're aware that I think we've got a pretty good idea of somewhere between 15-20 TFF #42 films (and, who knows?...I could be wrong about some of them).  What that also means is that there are likely 5-10 films that we haven't pinpointed so the question naturally arises...what's the best guess at what some of those might be?

Here's me answer...at least for now.

Sony Pictures Classics.  Are we really to believe that they will have one and only one film at TFF?  "Son of Saul" and that's all?  That'd be really hard to believe.  But the only other card they hold is "13 Minutes"...so maybe that makes it a "Most Likely".

Same calculus about The Weinstein Company...though slightly less dramatic.  They don't usually show at Telluride in the same force as SPC...no one does.  TWC has "Burnt". "Tulip Fever" and"Macbeth" they could add to the almost certain "Carol".  also...we'll continue to dare to dream that we might be treated to some "Hateful Eight" footage.

Fox Searchlight has "Malala" likely at T-ride but not "Youth".  What's left? "A Bigger Splash"?  I've heard whispers that it's playing Venice and Venice alone.  So maybe Fox Searchlight plays "Malala" and that's all.

Herzog???  You still have to think "Queen of the Desert" shows up next week at The Zog.  "Salt and Fire" less likely, but not outside the realm of possibility.

"The Last Face"?  Maybe...River Road/Bill Pohlad producing...could get it into the lineup.

If Warners brings more than "Black Mass"?  "Creed"? "In the Heart of the Sea"? "The 33"?

Could the Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions/Saban gang bring "A Hologram for the King"?  "Genius", "The Sea of Trees"?  You could make some case for any or all.

Barbet Schroeder's "Amnesia"?

Some part of the touring Wim Wenders retropsective?

Also...still nagging at me "Secret in Their Eyes"...


MAKING "STEVE JOBS"

Screen Crush focused an unusual article this week on Danny Boyle's "Steve Jobs".  The story details the unique approach that Boyle took with his actors and the intense involvement of screenwriter Aaron Sorkin.  I'm hoping that, in addition to Boyle, that actor Michael Fassbender and scribe Sorkin might be persuaded to attend the gathering next week.

Here's the story from Screen Crush (pulled from Collider):

http://screencrush.com/steve-jobs-filming-approach/

And for hoots, the original Collider post is here:

http://collider.com/steve-jobs-movie-rehearsal-process-revealed-by-michael-stuhlbarg/


TAKING THE MEASURE: PRE-FEST AWARDS ASSESSMENT

It's a fool's game...peering into the uncertain film future of the next few months...but there are really smart people who do it.  So, prior to the first screening at Venice, which leads this whole "fall fest" season off, I thought I'd crunch a few numbers to see where the experts are in terms of anticipated Best Picture type films before we really get rolling.

To do that I focused on the experts that are already up at GoldDerby.com.  I looked at each experts top five choices and did simple math from that point.

The entire list of experts (a dozen including Sasha Stone and Anne Thompson who will be part of the Professionals rating films for this blog next week in Telluride) with their lists of ten films apiece can be seen here:

http://www.goldderby.com/awardshows/experts/oscars-2015-nominations-nominations/best-picture.html


Here's the consensus for Best Picture:

1) "The Revenant"
2) "Joy" (actually tied with "Revenant" tie broken by looking at 6-10 rankings)
3) "Carol" (#9 on my last "Ten Bets")
4) "Steve Jobs" (#7 on my last "Ten Bets")
5) "Bridge of Spies"
6) "The Hateful Eight" (footage please QT)
7) "The Danish Girl"
8) "Inside Out"
9) "Black Mass" (#2 on my last "Ten Bets")
10) "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Other probable Telluride 2015 titles that were in the Gold Derby convo for Best Picture:
"Son of Saul"
"Suffragette"
"45 Years"
"Room"
"Beasts of No Nation"
"Spotlight"


AND REMEMBER...

For the fourth straight year Michael's Telluride Film Blog is asking you to join in rating the films you see at the fest.  I want your input as I gather your ratings on a 1-5 scale.  You can email them or tweet them or put them in a comment on this blog.  I'll compile and a week or so after the fest, I'll report to you what you, The People (The Peeps), thought about the films that play TFF #42.

I'll also be compiling ratings from some of the industry professionals that'll be in town for the festivities as well.  Included in this year's pros will be writers from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, Awards Daily and more.


Please feel free to leave a comment or question here at the blog.

Email me at michael_speech@hotmail.com or mpgort@gmail.com

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