E. Jean Carroll Doc Drops a Trailer / The Lives of Others On Stage /

 E. JEAN CARROLL DOC, ASK E. JEAN, DROPS A TRAILER

Ask E. Jean, a documentary that screened as a part of TFF #52, has released a trailer.  That release comes ahead of a May 22nd release date.

Here's the IMDb description:

"E. Jean Carroll won two lawsuits against Donald Trump for defamation and battery. Beyond that, she built a career as a successful magazine writer and authored one of America's longest-running advice columns."

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

SEE THE LIVES OF OTHERS ON STAGE...IN ENGLAND...THIS FALL

One of my favorite Telluride experiences was catching Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's The Lives of Others back in 2006 at my very first TFF.  Didn't know anything about it and thought it was great.  The film would go on to win the 2007 Best Foreign Language Oscar.

Now comes news that there is a stage adaptation on its way.  Both Variety and The Hollywood Report had the story this week.  

Big names are involves to as it was announced that the play will star Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson.  

Plans are for the film to open in October and run until January 2027.

Here's the link to the Variety report.

https://variety.com/2026/theater/global/keira-knightley-luke-thompson-the-lives-of-others-play-1236732265/

And also to the story from The Hollywood Reporter.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/keira-knightley-stephen-dillane-luke-thompson-play-west-end-1236580017/

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The Film Awards Clearinghouse Vol. 2B/New "Birdman" Clip/More from "The Imitation Game"

Hell on a Thursday...

THE FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE VOL. 2B

Today, I'm updating the Supporting and writing categories.  These latest numbers show some effect of the end of the Toronto Festival as well as the screening of "Gone Girl" at the New York Fest and its subsequent release last weekend.

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 SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1) Patricia Arquette/Boyhood (1)
2) Keira Knightley/The Imitation Game (2)
3) Emma Stone/Birdman (4)
4) Laura Dern/Wild (3)
5) Meryl Streep (NR)
6) Jessica Chastain/Interstellar (7)
7) Carmen Ejogo/Selma (8)
8) Katherine Waterston/Inherent Vice (6)
9) Anna Kendrick/Into the Woods (9)
10) Kristen Stewart/Still Alice (10)

Hot: Streep who jumps into a nominees spot as the announcement came that she would be campaigned in Supporting rather than Best Actress.

Not: Emily Blunt completely drops from this list.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) J.K. Simmons/Whiplash (1)
2) Edward Norton/Birdman (2)
3) Mark Ruffalo/Foxcatcher (3)
4) Ethan Hawke/Boyhood (4)
5) Logan Lehrman/Fury (6)
6) Tom Wilkinson/Selma (7)
7) Robert Duvall/The Judge (8)
8) Channing Tatum/Foxcatcher (9)
9) Domnhall Gleeson/Unbroken (10)
10) Josh Brolin/Inherent Vice (5)

Hot: Logan Lehrman moves into the fifth spot.

Not" Josh Brolin takes a big dive but does stay on the list...barely.


ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

1) Gone Girl (6)
2) The Imitation Game (1)
3) The Theory of Everything (3)
4) Unbroken (1)
5) Wild (8)
6) Inherent Vice (5)
7) Into the Woods (7)
8) Still Alice (NR)
9) Sniper (4)
10) Men, Women and Children (9)

Hot: "Gone Girl" benefits hugely in this category following a great critical reception for its New York Film Festival opening.  "wild" and "Still Alice" also show strength.

Not: "Unbroken" remains as a "nominee" but dropped precipitously.  Also, "Sniper" inexplicably dropped six spots.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1) Boyhood (2)
2) Birdman (1)
3) Mr. Turner (5)
4) Interstellar (6)
5) The Grand Budapest Hotel (4)
6) Foxcatcher (3)
7) Whiplash (NR)
8) A Most Violent Year (7)
9) Fury (8)
10) Selma (9)

Hot: "Boyhood" jumps to the top spot and creates a bit of separation from "Birdman".  Also hot are "Whiplash" and, to a lesser extent, "Interstellar" and "Mr. Turner".

Not: "Foxcatcher" takes a three spot drop out of the "nominee" position it held a couple of years ago.


NEW BIRDMAN CLIP

Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman" is a week away from limited release here in the U.S. and Fox Searchlight continues to roll out promotional material.  This week came another clip from the film featuring Michael Keaton, Zach Galifinakis and Naomi Watts.  Check it and an accompanying story here from Rope of Silicon:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/new-birdman-clip-features-three-people-talking-doorway/


MORE FROM THE IMITATION GAME

New  posters from "The Imitation Game"via The Playlist  

The Playlist posted this week an "Imitation Game" story with several new stills from the film in addition to the latest U.K. trailer (linked in my last post here on MTFB) and a couple of new posters (see above).  You can take a look at the entire story with its attendant goodies here:


http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-new-uk-trailer-for-the-imitation-game-starring-benedict-cumberbatch-keira-knightley-20141002


More on Monday...have an exceptional weekend...

Anna Teased/Gus Promise/Warner's

Good Thursday Everyone!


Finally saw "Prometheus" last night...liked it...a lot.  Kind of want to see it again and will be excited when the next chapter comes along...

ANNA TEASED

"Anna Karenina" is getting the P.R. roll out this week with a trailer and poster.  "Anna" is directed by Joe Wright and follows the generally well received 2007 film "Atonement" (83% all critics/88% "top" critics on Rotten Tomatoes),and his less well received  2011's "Hanna" (71%/59%) and 2009's "The Soloist" (56%/62%).

It's certainly a possible Telluride choice.  Factors pointing toward its possible inclusion: the occasional T-ride connection to distributor Focus Features ("Into the Wild" TFF '07, "Catch a Fire" TFF '06).  Focus also is distributing "Hyde Park on Hudson" which will appear on this summer's first "Ten Bets" list on Monday...so my bet is that Focus is in Telluride for that at least and might desire to double dip.


Both of "Anna's" production companies, Working Title and Studio Canal,  were a part of "Catch a Fire's" production.  


So, let's say it's a 25% possible...


Here's the trailer:

Also two recent posts from
Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/anna-karenina-trailer-keira-knightley-joe-wright/

And The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/glitzy-first-poster-unveiled-for-anna-karenina-starring-keira-knightley-aaron-johnson-jude-law-20120620

"Anna's" IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1781769/


GUS PROMISE

Gus Van Sant was once a frequent invitee to the Telluride Film Festival ("Elephant" in 2003, "To Die For" in 1995)...but hasn't been back in a long time ( last year's "Restless" was not well received critically and 2008's Best Picture contender "Milk" didn't come to T-ride).

But he's got a new film in play this year featuring his old "Good Will Hunting" collaborator Matt Damon and written by Damon and "The Office's" John Krasinski  (who also co-stars) entitled "Promised Land" and this week The Playlist contends that it just might be ready for the end of the year and that a "fall festival" appearance is a possibility.

Here's The Playlist story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/gus-van-sants-the-promised-land-could-hit-theaters-by-the-end-of-the-year-not-an-anti-fracking-movie-says-john-krasinski-20120618

And the "Promised Land" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2091473/

The producer and distributor is the above mentioned Focus Features...so...maybe they go for three films in TFF #39.


WARNER BROTHERS

Deadline. com reported last week that at least one "major" studio was showing film to TFF programmers in an effort to polish Oscar chances who were in L.A. during the L.A. Film Fest and so this week I have been trying to nail down some possibilities.  Today: Warner Brothers.

According to their IMDb page (http://www.imdb.com/company/co0026840/) WB is distributor for a ton of Oscar bait  films: Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" (DiCaprio, Maguire and Telluride favorite Carey Mulligan), Ben Affleck's "Argo"( Affleck, Goodman, Arkin) , The Wachowski Bros."Cloud Atlas"(Hanks, Sarandon, Berry), Robert Lorenz's "Trouble with the Curve" (Eastwood, Adams), and Ruben Fleischer's "Gangster Squad" (Penn, Gosling, Brolin).  Oh, and that "Hobbit" thing.

There's a lot there and WB has played in Telluride before...just not recently.  They distributed "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008 and "Rails and Ties" in 2007...Allison Eastwood's directing debut...I have a nice New Sheridan story about her.  WB also produce "Benjamen Button" and "zodiac" which were a pert of the festival's David Fincher tribute in 2008.

For my money...if it was Warners...I'd guess "Argo" and "Curve" would be the best possibilities and "Gatsby" on the outside.

Tomorrow, I'll spend a little time assessing these "majors" and why it might be true.

More later...


Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

Cosmo No/Anna Pix/Coming Attractions

Good Friday!


COSMO NO

David Cronenberg's Cannes competition piece "Cosmopolis" is off the table as a Telluride possibility.  It was announced yesterday that the film will have an August 17 release here in the U.S. thus insuring a no show for T-ride.

"Cosmopolis" received mixed reviews at Cannes.

I had always thought that its Telluride prospects were dicey at best.  Then  with the critical reaction from Cannes being what it was, I was even less convinced that we'd see it in the mountains.

You have to wonder if there was a lack of interest  from the fall festivals (T-ride, Venice and New York particularly...it is scheduled to open in Canada today, which would also preclude a Toronto run) and if that might not have been a part of the decision process.

Additionally, Aug. 17 doesn't exactly scream awards positioning.

Here's the story from both Hollywood Elsewhere:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2012/06/cosmopolis_will.php

and The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/david-cronenbergs-cosmopolis-starring-robert-pattinson-hits-u-s-theaters-on-august-17th-20120607


ANNA KARENINA

Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina" had some stills up yesterday on the Playlist and Awards Daily this morning.  "Anna" doesn't have a large Telluride profile, but it's not completely outside the realm of possibility.

It's Nov. 9 scheduled release date means some awards positioning is occurring and production/distribution outfits Focus Features,  Studio Canal and Working Title have had some, albeit slight, presences at Telluride in the last 5-6 years with "Brokeback Mountain", "Babel", "Into the Wild" and "Catch a Fire".

So put "Anna" down as a bout a 10% chance.

Here's the link to The Playlist story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/new-pics-of-keira-knightley-aaron-johnson-jude-law-in-joe-wrights-anna-karenina-20120607

and Awards Daily:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2012/06/new-pics-from-joe-wrights-anna-karenina/


COMING ATTRACTIONS

Periodically, as this summer unfolds, I'm going to try to highlight a future film that may be in Telluride's sights for 2013 or beyond and provide some links to stories that have already appeared about them.

Starting with Jason Reitman's "Labor Day".  It stars Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet and is expected to be a 2013 release.  You have to think it will also be an awards stalker next year.

Also, since Reitman skipped Telluride this past year with "Young Adult", I'd be willing to bet serious money he returns to Colorado if it's at all possible with this new film.  Reitman has been very successful with previous Telluride bows for "Juno" and "Up in the Air".  And, come on, the film is titled "Labor Day".  How can it NOT play Labor Day weekend in Telluride?

On a purely personal level, I'd like to see him return to Telluride because I've had a couple of very nice, although short, conversations with him including a moment in 2007 when he introduces me to Diablo Cody.

Come back, Jason! And bring Josh and Kate with you!


Labor Day's IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1967545/

And stories from:

Just Jared:
http://www.justjared.com/2012/06/06/kate-winslet-labor-day-in-boston/

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/exclusive-jason-reitman-talks-casting-labor-day-and-developing-projects-hopes-to-do-make-dark-ninja-film-bonzai-shadowhands-one-day

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jason-reitman-confirms-labor-day-as-his-next-film


Thompson on Hollywood:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/paramount_produces_jason_reitmans_labor_day_with_kate_winslet_and_josh_brol

Deadline.com:
http://www.deadline.com/2011/09/paramount-takes-on-jason-reitmans-labor-day/


More later...

Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

NBR Today/Shame/Dangerous Method/Back Later

Good Morning a week after Thanksgiving...still digesting.  Today's entry will be bifurcated with this morning's post somewhat truncated so that I can do another post later today following the unveiling of the National Board of Review's choices for Best Picture, 10 Best Films and acting and directing kudos...So I'm in two parts today...

PART ONE

NBR TODAY

The National Board of Review announcement will come later today and I'll have that info posted later along with trying to read whatever tea leaves that creates.  I also expect to Tweet the announcement live do check that at twitter.com @Gort2.

SHAME: HOT AND HEAVY

I'd be stunned  if this film gets on the NBR list...as it should.  But that doesn't mean that Fox Searchlight, writer/director Steve McQueen and stars Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan don't continue to be virtually everywhere promoting the work.  Here's todays' sample:

Mulligan interviews with:
The Playlist: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/carey-mulligan-talks-ugliness-effortlessness-of-shooting-sex-addiction-film-shame

Fassbender with HitFix: http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/awards-campaign/posts/michael-fassbender-on-facing-fear-in-shame-and-a-dangerous-method

and also with HollywoodNews.com: http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2011/11/28/oscars-steve-mcqueen-opens-up-about-internet-sex-the-nc-17-rating-and-the-power-of-shame-awards-alley/

Also look at The Playlist's review here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/review-steve-mcqueens-shame-a-fascinating-follow-up-to-hunger-with-a-tour-de-force-from-michael-fassbender

A DANGEROUS METHOD

Also still beating the media is David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method"

Viggo Mortensen talks to Sasha Stone of Awards Daily here:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2011/11/oscars-2011-viggo-mortenson-sets-the-standard/

And he talks to Fandango here:
http://www.fandango.com/movieblog/qa-viggo-mortensen-on-playing-sigmund-freud-in-dangerous-method-and-his-chances-of-appearing-in-hobbit-687316.html

Keira Knightley talks to On the Red Carpet here:
http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/Keira-Knightley-breaks-up-Sigmund-Freud-and-Carl-Jung-in-A-Dangerous-Method-Video/8443661
 
And Cronenberg is featured in an interview with HitFix:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/in-contention/posts/interview-david-cronenberg-on-a-dangerous-method-psychoanalysis-and-being-an-adjective


I'll be back later today with the National Board of Review announcement.  In the meantime here is what Awards Daily's Sasha Stone thinks will happen:

Moneyball
The Artist or War Horse (depending on which one wins)
Harry Potter
The Descendants
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Bridesmaids
Hugo
J Edgar
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Here complete NBR post is here:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2011/11/national-board-of-review-preview-and-no-guts-no-glory/

OCCUPY!/Film Awards Clearinghouse 2011 Vol. 3/Dangerous Let Lose/Descendants/Artist/Kevin/Foreign/Oscar

A Thankful Turkey is wished for all!  Good Gobbly Morning everyone. 

OCCUPY!

Well, I continue to plug along over on Twitter with my "Occupy Oscar" (#occupyoscar) movement.  Urging any and all who happen to stumble across it in the Twitterverse to contemplate some of the potential nominees that have received a smaller amount of attention thus far in this year's Oscar race.  I'm stumping for "Shame" in virtually every imaginable category, including the performances of Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan.  Also, I've been vocal about consideration for Corey Stoll in "Midnight in Paris" and Ezra Miller in "We Need to Talk About Kevin" for Supporting Actor.  I continue to shout for a nomination for Asghar Farhadi for Original Screenplay for "A Separation" as well as for Mike Mills for "Beginners" and Janet McTeer for Supporting Actress in "Albert Nobbs".  And here and there I am seeing some positive traction for some of these "Occupy" candidates.

I'd like to take some credit, but I've seen the amount of traffic the #occupyoscar hashtag is generating...so I know it would be a falsehood...still...look at some of the categories below in this new posting of...

THE FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE 2011 VOL. 3

The Clearinghouse collates the latest Oscar projections publicly available from:

Sasha Stone at Awards Daily
Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere
Kristopher Tapley at Incontention/HitFix
David Poland at Movie City News
Scott Feinberg at The Hollywood Reporter
Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood
Film Misery
Film Experience
As always Telluride #38 films are Bold!

BEST PICTURE

1) The Descendants
2) The Artist
3) Midnight in Paris
4) The Help
5) War Horse
6) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
7) Moneyball

I expect there to be 7 Best Picture nominations this year...

8) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
9) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
10) The Tree of Life
11) Hugo
12) J. Edgar
13) The Ides of March
14) Shame
15) The Iron Lady

Dropping Out:  Since I have expended the list to 15 spots, it means no film drops out since the last FAC.
Hot: Midnight in Paris, Tinker, Tree of Life, Hugo
Cold: Moneyball, J. Edgar, Ides of March
Comment: Looks like Hugo is surging as it gets released this weekend...I expect that to continue.  I think J. Edgar and Ides are done and honestly, since we haven't seen War Horse and Extremely Loud, I'd say only The Descendants and The Artist are locks.  I'm still less than convinced that the summer releases Midnight in Paris and The Help will end up on the list of Best Pic nominees.  I also wouldn't be stunned to see Tattoo and Tree sneak into the field.
#Occupy:  I am pleased that Shame makes an appearance at #14.  I don't have any realistic expectation that it will get a Best Pic nom but it WILL be on a lot of critic's top ten lists in the next 6 weeks or so and it's also starting to show up in the conversation for a number of other categories as you will see below.

DIRECTOR

1) Alexander Payne/The Descendants
2) Michael Hazanavicius/The Artist
3) Stephen Daldry/Extremely Loud
4) Steven Spielberg/War Horse
5) Woody Allen/Midnight in Paris
6) Bennett Miller/Moneyball
7) Terrence Malick/Tree of Life
8) David Fincher/Girl...Tattoo
9) Tomas Alfredson/Tinker Tailor
10) Clint Eastwood/J. Edgar

Dropping Out: Nope
Hot: Daldry
Cold: Miller
Comment: Again, outside of Payne and Hazanavicius, the field is pretty "spongy/squishy".  One of the reasons that I'm hedging on Midnight in Paris as a Best Pic nominee is that The Woodman squeaks onto the list with the #5 spot...barely edging Bennett Miller.  And Taylor Tate of The Help is nowhere to be found on the list...makes me think that The Help's Best Pic nom isn't as secure as a lot of people think it is.  Also, like above in the Best Pic race, I think Malick is a real possibility here.
#Occupy: Steve McQueen is my drumbeat here...though even less likely than Shame getting a Best Pic nomination.

ACTRESS

1) Viola Davis/The Help
2) Glenn Close/Albert Nobbs
3) Michele Williams/My Week with Marilyn
4) Meryl Streep/The Iron Lady
5) Charlize Theron/Young Adult
6) Tilda Swinton/We Need to Talk About Kevin
7) Elizabeth Olsen/Martha Marcy
8) Rooney Mara/Girl...Tattoo
9) Kirsten Dunst/Melancholia
10) Olivia Colman/Tyrannosaur

Dropping Out: Zip
Hot: No one.
Cold: also no one.
Comment:  An incredibly stable category over the last month.  A lot of naysayers about Close's chances, but the 8 prognosticators I look at still collectively have her solidly in the race.  Streep continues to show some small weakness.  The Iron Lady is drawing mixed responses but Streep is generally being well reviewed. Same for Michele Williams turn as Marilyn Monroe.  Personally, I'm suspicious of the Charlize Theron nomination...I'm not sue that the academy is going to cotton to what has been described as an unpleasant character...I also still wonder if the choice not to play Telluride was smart strategy after all.  At this point my guess is that Davis, Close, Williams and Streep are in and everyone else is fighting for that last spot.
#Occupy: I don't have a real soapbox here unless Fox Searchlight decides (incorrectly) to campaign Carey Mulligan in this category instead of Supporting for Shame.  Then we'd need to talk.

ACTOR

1) George Clooney/The Descendants
2) Jean Dujardin/The Artist
3) Brad Pitt/Moneyball
4) Leonardo DiCaprio/J. Edgar
5) Michael Fassbender/Shame
6) Gary Oldman/Tinker Tailor
7) Michael Shannon/Take Shelter
8) Woody Harrelson/Rampart
9) Joseph Gordon-Levitt/50/50
10) Ryan Gosling/Ides of March

Dropping Out: Nada
Hot: DiCaprio, Shannon
Cold: Oldman. Gosling
Comment: Also a stable category.  Much like Picture and Director, I think that Clooney and Dujardin are in good shape and then the next three spots are a wrestling match from # 3 (Pitt) to #8 (Harrelson). I don't see Gordon-Levitt or Gosling in the final five.
#Occupy:  Fassbender has been my cause here and yet, for the second straight Clearinghouse, he gets the #5 spot and what would be the last nomination...so maybe not as big an underdog as I thought.  Still going to push it, though.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1) Olivia Spencer/The Help
2) Shailene Woodley/The Descendants
3) Vanessa Redgrave/Coriolanus
4) Berenice Bejo/The Artist
5) Janet McTeer/Albert Nobbs
6) Melissa McCarthy/Bridesmaids
7) Sandra Bullock/Extremely Loud
8) Carey Mulligan/Shame
9) Jessica Chastain/The Help
10) Jessica Chastain/Tree of Life

Dropping Out: Judi Dench/J. Edgar, Judy Greer/The Descendants
Hot: McCarthy, Bullock
Cold: Nada (well, except for Dench and Greer of course)
Comment: Jessica Chastain is beating herself.  She also has the #11 spot for Take Shelter.  If you added all of her possible points up she'd be in the list at #5 and a nominee...but I think she's going to slit her own vote in so many places that the actress who has had (arguably) the Best Year Acting won't be an Oscar nominee at all.  I also really do not think that Melissa McCarthy will be an Oscar nominee.  A perfect Telluride day when the noms are announced would be: Woodley, Bejo, McTeer, Mulligan and Greer.  It won't happen.  Spencer has a nomination locked down.
#Occupy: MULLIGAN!

SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) Albert Brooks/Drive
2) Christopher Plummer/Beginners
3) Max Von Sydow/Extremely Loud
4) Patton Oswalt/Young Adult
5) Kenneth Branagh/My Week with Marilyn
6) Jonah Hill/Moneyball
7) Armie Hammer/J. Edgar
8) Kevin Spacey/Margin Call
9) Brad Pitt/Tree of Life
10) Philip Seymour Hoffman/Ides of March

Dropping Out: Jim Broadbent/Iron Lady, Tom Hanks/Extremely Loud, John Hawkes/Martha Marcy
Hot: Oswalt, Hammer, Spacey
Cold: Pitt, Hoffman
Comment: Patton Oswalt???  Really???  Also, despite the fact that this is a really fluid category, still no T-ride love.  And I continue to say "Albert Brooks: Nice guy, funny guy...not really doing much acting in this film...over -rated performance"...and I wanted him to live up to the hype.
#Occupy:  Still banging the drum for Ezra Miller in "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and Corey Stoll in "Midnight in Paris".

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1) Midnight in Paris
2) The Artist
3) The Tree of Life
4) Shame
5) Bridesmaids
6) Young Adult
7) Martha Marcy May Marlene
8) J. Edgar
9) Margin Call
10) Win Win

Dropping Out: The Iron Lady and Like Crazy
Hot: Shame, Martha, Margin Call
Cold: Young Adult, J. Edgar
Comment: After Paris...this is a free for all.
#Occupy: Shame, of course and Asghar Farhadi for "A Separation"

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

1) The Descendants
2) Moneyball
3) Tinker Tailor
4) Extremely Loud
5) War Horse
6) Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
7) Ides of March
8) The Help
9) We Need to Talk About Kevin
10) Hugo

Dropping Out: Drive, Carnage
Hot: Hugo, Kevin
Cold: Just the droppers
Comment: This category shows some strength for Moneyball and the weakness of The Help.
#Occupy: Maybe a little drumbeating for Kevin and Albert Nobbs.

OVERALL

The breakdown still has "The Descendants" and "The Artist" with five nominations each from the Big 8 categories.  "Extremely Loud" has 4.  3 nominations apiece for "Paris", "The Help", "War Horse" and "Moneyball".  "Shame" "Marilyn" "Albert Nobbs" and "Young Adult" would have 2 each.

Big "lurkers' include: "Girl...Tattoo" "Tinker, Tailor" "J. Edgar" and "Ides of March".  The last two appear to losing steam. 

And as "Hugo" rolls out this weekend...lookout.  I think that it's going to be a player that everyone has kind of overlooked.  I won't be surprised in three weeks (or so) when I do the next installment of The Clearinghouse if it's not much higher on the Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay lists.

And the earlier conclusion that Telluride's Oscar footprint would be smaller this year than last year (and also probably smaller than 2009 too) continues to look prophetic.  T-ride films stand at 14 noms and 4 "possibles" in the Big 8 with this post.  That projects to 20-24 actual nominations in all categories come Oscar announcement day.

DANGEROUS LET LOSE

David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" is being released in LA and NYC this weekend.  So there has been a lot of press/publicity about it this week.  "Method" has had a mixed critical reception thus far.  I wasn't a fan in Telluride.  I was not as put off by Keira Knightley's performance as some but my issue was that the first third of the film was dynamic and interesting and the last two acts were not.  The film crawled to a halt despite the talents of Cronenberg, Fassbender and Mortensen.  You can see that the gild is off the lily as it has completely disappeared from any Oscar talk above (with the exception of a couple of pockets of support still popping up for Knightley).  This despite the fact that it's scoring in the 70's on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic and at IMDb.  Audiences at RT have it at 56% though.

REVIEWS:
A.O. Scott/The NY Times:
http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/movies/a-dangerous-method-by-david-cronenberg-review.html

Brad Brevet/Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/a-dangerous-method-review-2011/

INTERVIEWS:

Cronenberg:
Hollywood Elsewhere:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/11/cronenberg-ed.php

The Daily Mubi:
http://mubi.com/notebook/posts/david-cronenbergs-a-dangerous-method

The Jewish Journal:
http://www.jewishjournal.com/the_ticket/item/david_cronenberg_on_a_dangerous_method_s_m_and_the_birth_of_psychoanalysis_/

HitFix:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/in-contention/posts/interview-david-cronenberg-on-a-dangerous-method-psychoanalysis-and-being-an-adjective

GettheBigPicture.net:
http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2011/11/20/a-dangerous-method-cronenberg-discusses-hysterical-accuracy.html

Bloomberg.com:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-21/cheery-atheist-cronenberg-lauds-grasshoppers-freud-pattinson-interview.html

GQ.com:
http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201111/david-cronenberg-interview-a-dangerous-method-freud-jung?mbid=social_retweet

The LA Times:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/11/viggo-mortensen-dangerous-method-david-cronenerg-video-clip-envelope.html



Knightley:

The AVClub:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/keira-knightley,65493/

HitFix:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/awards-campaign/posts/keira-knightley-brings-the-hysterical-to-a-dangerous-method-and-she-isnt-being-funny-people

Mortensen in The Daily Beast:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/11/22/viggo-mortensen-on-playing-freud-in-a-dangerous-method.html

Interview Magazine.com:
http://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/keira-knightley-a-dangerous-method

Fassbender

Anne Thompson:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/michael-fassbender-interview

MTV.com:
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/11/18/michael-fassbender-sexual-roles-shame/

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/Michael-Fassbender-Talks-Researching-Carl-Jung-For-A-Dangerous-Method

NYmag.com:
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/11/michael-fassbender-on-simulating-sex-in-a-dangerous-method.html

And screenwriter Christopher Hampton via The Huffinton Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-persons/christopher-hampton-dangerous-method_b_1102741.html?ref=tw

 AND A CLIP
from Yahoo.com:
http://movies.yahoo.com/holiday-movies/dangerous-method-212329494.html#yom-videoplayer-inpage

from Rotten Tomatoes:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_dangerous_method/trailers/11159268/


THE DESCENDANTS

The roll out continues for the Alexander Payne film that is continuing to ride at or near the top of most Oscar guessers lists in a number of categories.  After last Monday's post you might not believe there'd be much left unsaid about the film.  And you're probably right.  However, I have included links to a few more articles and posts from the last four days.

Clooney and Company clip from Thompson on Hollywood:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/clooney-payne-and-cast-talk-the-descendants-real-is-funny-stealing-clooneys-wife

HollywoodNews.com story:
http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2011/11/16/george-clooney-lucky-for-roles-like-the-descendants-awards-alley/

Omaha World Herald interview with Payne:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20111120/NEWS/311209999/-1

Payne and Clooney from Fox Searchlight:
http://content.foxsearchlight.com/inside/node/5036

Shailene Woodley from Fox Searchlight:

http://content.foxsearchlight.com/inside/node/5038
A Clip from Moviefone.com:
http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/11/21/descendants-new-clip?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000011

THE ARTIST

Michel Hazanavicius' salute to Black and White Silent films is set for limited release this weekend as well.

Here are some tidbits from the last week for it.  An interview with writer/director Hazanavicius from Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/michel-hazanavicius-interview-artist/


And with Berenice Bejo, the female lead (as well as Mrs. Hazanavicius) from The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/berenice-bejo-talks-about-not-talking-in-the-silent-movie-sensation-the-artist


And the review from The Playlist as well:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/berenice-bejo-talks-about-not-talking-in-the-silent-movie-sensation-the-artist

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

David Poland of Movie City News has this interview with actress Tilda Swinton:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/11/dp30-we-need-to-talk-about-kevin-actor-tilda-swinton/


FOREIGN MUSINGS

On the films vying for the Foreign Language Oscar.  from TheWrap:
http://www.thewrap.com/awards/column-post/more-gems-and-longshots-oscars-foreign-language-race-32982 

and Deadline.com:
http://m.deadline.com/2011/11/oscar-analyzing-foreign-language-race/


OSCAR THOUGHTS

Oscar Poker from Stone and Wells:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/podcasts/oscarpoker/episode56.mp3

Analysis from TheWrap:
http://www.thewrap.com/awards/column-post/years-oscar-season-too-many-cooks-32963

Latest Guru's of Gold from Movie City News:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/11/gurus-o-gold-november-22-2011/



FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @Gort2 and check out #occupyoscar

Happy Thanksgiving and MTFB/FAC will be back on Monday!

Shame Making Moves/New Gurus/George and Keira/Busy Terry

Good Morning All on a Thursday in November...

SHAME MOVES

Steve McQueen's "Shame", which I think is the best film of the year thus far (and features two Oscar worthy performances from Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan) continues to build some momentum in its uphill fight for awards season recognition.  This past few days saw the release of a new stateside trailer and a boost from its success in leading the nominations for the British Independent Film Awards.

Consequently, we're beginning to see the effects of Fox Searchlight's campaign in terms of Oscar prognosticators and "Shame's" awards profile...some "experts" are beginning to think that some Oscar love is possible.  Check the stories and links below.

New "Shame" trailer links:

The Playlist: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/u.s_trailer_new_clip_for_nc-17_rated_shame_starring_michael_fassbender/#

Apple.com: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/shame/

Film Misery: http://www.filmmisery.com/2011/11/trailer-poster-synopsis-for-steve-mcqueens-festival-hit-shame/9845/

"Shame's" BIFA nominations story:

Thompson on Hollywood: http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/10/31/how_brit_awards_impact_oscars/

Fox Searchlight: http://content.foxsearchlight.com/inside/node/5009

FemaleFirst.uk.co: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/movies/movie-news/Shame-101119.html

The Playlist: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/the_amazing_race_shame_tinker_tailor_kevin_lead_noms_at_british_independent/
(Also note that TFF #38 film "We Need to Talk About Kevin" got some BIFA love with 6 nomnations)

All of that leads to the next story which is the...

NEW GURUS OF GOLD CHART

Movie City News has its new Gurus chart up and a perusal of it shows that "Shame" is making some headway.  It's not there yet, but it does seem to be gaining some traction for Best Pic, Actor and Supporting Actress...at least they're on the board (and Fassbender is lurking in the #6 spot for a Best Actor nom).

Othe Telluride notes from the Gurus new chart: "The Descendants" and "The Artist" continue to track well.  "Albert Nobbs" is still in good shape for two acting noms (Close and McTeer).  Tilda Swinton is hanging around in the Best Actress category (We Need to Talk ABout Kevin).

Check the new chart: http://moviecitynews.com/2011/11/gurus-o-gold-november-1-2011/

GEORGE AND KEIRA

A couple of interviews from TFF #38 film actors that were posted yesterday.  First, TFF #38 Tributee George Clooney talks "The Descendants" in this video posted by the LA Times The Envelope:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/11/the-descendants-george-clooney-on-why-he-took-the-role-of-matt.html

And Keira Knightley talks about "A Dangerous Method" in this post from Hollywood.com:
http://www.hollywood.com/news/keirta_knightley_a_dangerous_mind_interview/8078827

BUSY TERRY

Terrence Malick..."The Tree of Life"...won Cannes in May...was picked up by Fox Searchlight after a secret screening in Telluride last year (at TFF #37).   It's safe to say that MTFB/FAC is mildly obsessive.  But, hey, it's OK...he makes a film every 8 years or so...until now.  Now, he's going film-making crazy.  He's got what was once called "The Burial" (no news on what it will be called) filmed and now news that he has not one but two films in the offing (plus the semi-doc that is a companion piece to "Tree of Life").  I'm confused.  This does NOT sound like Malick.

Nonetheless, here's the scoop from a number of sources...

The Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/terrence-malick-ryan-gosling-christian-bale-255938

The Playlist: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/terrence_malick_to_shoot_lawless_knight_of_cup_back-to-back_in_2012_both_wi/

Rope of Silicon: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/terrence-malick-lines-films-bale-blanchett-gosling-mara/

Mubi.com: http://mubi.com/notebook/posts/daily-briefing-terrence-malick-overdrive

Abyss Trailer/Vreeland Movement/The Artist Speaking/Clooney's Dilemma/Oscars On Parade/Knightley's Move/Timberlake & Llewyn/

Good Morning everyone from the Oklahoma Panhandle on a Monday...

INTO THE TRAILER!

Werner Herzog's death row documentary has been making waves since its debut in Telluride nearly two months ago.  The Toronto screening seemed to be well received and the film is scheduled for release before the end of the year.  Now comes a trailer for it in good rhythm to keep the heat alive as we continue to careen towards awards season.  You can take a gander at the trailer via www.deathandtaxesmag.com (seriously) here:
http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/154665/into-the-abyss-trailer-werner-herzog-explores-the-death-penalty/

or more conventionally from The Playlist here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_trailer_for_werner_herzogs_death_row_documentary_into_the_abyss/


VREELAND MOVEMENT

Another documentary that played at TFF #38 was "Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel".  Word was out this week that the film has been sold to several foreign markets.  You'll find info concerning that move from both IndieWire here:
http://www.indiewire.com/article/2011/10/27/hanway_films_gets_international_rights_to_diana_vreeland#

And Variety.com here:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118045133?categoryid=13&cs=1&cmpid=RSS|News|LatestNews

THE ARTIST SPEAKING

Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist" continues to please audiences and rake in Film Fest awards.  Reuters.com posted an interview from The Wrap's Chris Willman (whom we met at Telluride this year in the screening for "Butter", Yikes!  My less than stellar review for "Butter" for The Playlist can be found here:http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/telluride_11_review_jennifer_garners_butter_churns_and_churns_but_doesnt_pr/ ).

Here's Chris' article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/27/idUS307125124020111027

CLOONEY'S DILEMMA

Oh to be George Clooney...for many reasons not the least of which is the enviable dilemma of having the chance for too many Oscar nominations and campaigns to handle...

Though, frankly, I think his shot at much traction for nominations for "The Ides of March" has come and gone.  But that's just me and my perception of the the way the wind seems to be blowing.

You might want to look at Greg Kilday's piece from The Hollywood Reporter about George's dilemma...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-clooney-oscars-descendants-ides-of-march-254754

OSCARS ON PARADE

 For a snapshot of the expert's view of where the Oscar race might be right now (other than my post from last Thursday of the second volume of this year's Clearinghouse) take a look/listen to Anne Thompson and Kris Tapley's Oscar podcast "Oscar Talk" posted here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/10/28/oscar_talk_shame_nc-17_descendants_whither_chastain_anonymous_rum_diary/

Also you might want to peruse David Poland's 19 Weeks to Oscar column over at The Movie City News here:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/10/19-weeks-to-oscar-the-mean-season/

KNIGHTLEY'S MOVE

Speaking of Oscar and Telluride 2011 films, SPC has reportedly decided to campaign for Keira Knightley in the Best Actress category for David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method".  There has been a good deal of speculation about where her performance would be slotted (Actress or Supporting Actress?).  My view...don't go there, I thought her performance was over the top.  But I also know from the buzz in T-ride and since that there are a good number of people who thought she was quite good.  Does it mean that there are enough of those to land a nomination?  I'm very skeptical...

HitFix has the lowdown on the SPC decision here:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/in-contention/posts/sony-classics-aims-for-lead-with-knightley-in-method-supporting-for-carnage-cast

TIMBERLAKE AND LLEWYN

I tweeted earlier this week that Variety was reporting that the Coen Brothers were high on Justin Timberlake for their new project "Inside Llewyn Davis" (already on board: Carey Mulligan and Oscar Issac).  Now comes a slew of confirmation articles from around the blogosphere.  Take a look:

The original post from Variety:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118045264?categoryid=13&cs=1&cmpid=RSS|News|FilmNews

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

Get The Big Picture:
http://www.getthebigpicture.net/blog/2011/10/29/coen-brothers-want-justin-timberlake-for-inside-llewyn-davis.html

That's all for now...back with more on Thursday!