Ten (or more) Bets/Tree of Life Musings/Deep Blue for You/W.E. Pic

Good Morning...

11 days...

I was in Telluride this past weekend for about 8 seconds.  I can report that they're already in the process of setting up for this year's festival.  We're getting closer...

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

TEN (OR MORE) BETS...

Last week's Bets:

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

Here's the "+"
11) Dark Horse
12) The Birds Upstairs
13) The Skin I Live In
14) The Lady
15) W.E.
16) The Ides of March
17) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
18) Albert Nobbs
19) Coriolanus
20) A Dangerous Method

This week's Bets:

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

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

"A Dangerous Method" drops because of its addition to the New York Film Festival.  "Albert Nobbs" drops because it was announced as a "World" premiere for Toronto last week.  "The Ides of March" drops as I haven't seen any traction for the notion that it will play Telluride anywhere else.  All of them still COULD make TFF38...I'm just saying that their chances seem to me to be less than they were a week ago.

SEAN VS. TERRY

It seems that Sean Penn doesn't have a great deal of warmth toward "The Tree of Life."  Penn is reported to have been less than complimentary about the film over the weekend. 

"Tree" won this year's "Golden Palm" at Cannes and has some support as a possible Best Picture nominee for the Oscars.  And of course, I stalked the film mercilessly for a couple of years in this space.

You can access the Penn commentary from Kris Tapley at Incontention.com here:
http://incontention.com/2011/08/21/sean-penn-bitch-slaps-tree-of-life/

And also from The New Yorker via Thompson on Hollywood here:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/2011/08/sean-penn-vs-terrence-malick.html

DEEP BLUE SEA

Rachel Weisz is a busy girl this fall.  One of her projects that we could see in 11 days is "The Deep Blue Sea" directed by Terence Davies.  The film is based on a Terence Rattigan play and also features Tom Hiddleston.

The Guardian has a substantial look at the film via The Daily Mubi here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/aug/21/deep-blue-sea-terence-rattigan?CMP=twt_fd

Deep Blue Sea's IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1700844/



W.E. PIC

And finally,
3 weeks ago, Kris Tapley at Incontention.com put up his first stab at sussing out the T-ride lineup.  Included as a very real possibility on that list was Madonna's sophomore directing effort "W.E."  I have been less inclined to believe that it and she will be in the San Juans...however...

I am reminded of how the festival played Bennett Miller's "Capote" in 2005 and then turned around and featured Douglas McGrath's "Infamous" the next year.  Two films that focused on much the same subject matter one year apart.

How does that relate?  Think of "W.E." as the counterpart to last year's "The King's Speech."  A lot of the story and characters are the same just like the "Capote/Infamous" situation from 2005-06.  So maybe...

Sasha Stone at AwardsDaily posted a new still from "W.E." this weekend.  Access it here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=544674&l=82ba03f8fc&id=191614247571901

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


More on the morrow...

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER:
@Gort2

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

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

FUTURE FESTIVAL FILMS?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Ioncinema story (with a synopsis) is here:

http://networkedblogs.com/kWypX

The Hollywood Reporter version of the story is here:

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

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

PIX OF POSSIBLES

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

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

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

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

Check out the full story at:

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

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

Again a teaser:

The whole post with more pix can be found here:

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

MORE LE HAVRE NEWS


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

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

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


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


TTSS

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

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

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

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

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

Until tomorrow...

The Ides In August/Dark Horse/Warren's New Movie/Full Herzog/Fall Fest Wish List

George Clooney and Ryan Gosling on the set of "The Ides of March" (thanks to: mentalfloss.com)

A lot of focus on the Venice Film Festival in the last 24 hours

"THE IDES OF MARCH" TO OPEN VENICE

Multiple sources have reported that George Clooney's "The Ides of March" will open the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 31.  I have included links to couple of those posts:

Incontention.com http://incontention.com/2011/06/20/clooneys-ides-of-march-to-open-venice-fest/#more-39996
and the Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/george_clooneys_ides_of_march_will_open_venice_film_festival/

So what does this mean?  Well, it doesn't take "Ides" out of the Telluride conversation.  Last Year the Venice Fest was opened by a little film called "Black Swan" that ended up sneaking in Telluride with Darren Aronofsky present.  So, it's not a killer.  BUT it does reduce the odds of other films that are likely to be at Venice also being at Telluride.  As we have noted, the overlap between these two festivals is usually pretty small.  Other films that are on my Telluride watch list that have been getting a lot of heat as probable Venice entrants are: "Carnage," "A Dangerous Method," "Wuthering Heights," "Shame," "Faust," "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," and "The Descendants" (though I'm still really confident that "Descendants" will be a part of the Telluride program).  The Playlist also put together their list of films that they think are Venice-likely last month.  Here's the link to that:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/polanskis_carnage_cronenbergs_a_dangerous_method_set_for_premieres_at_venic/

Included on their list is the first mention I have seen of Todd Solondz's new film "Dark Horse" featuring Justin Bartha, Selma Blair, Donna Murphy, Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow.  Solondz goes on our Telluride watch list as a result.  He has had a significant presence at Telluride for a number of years including a presentation of "Life During Wartime" in 2009 that skipped from Venice to Telluride without Solondz accompanying the film.  It was one of my favorites of that festival.

WARREN BACK IN THE GAME...
Warren Beatty is ready to get back into the director's chair (and writing and producing and starring).  And almost nothing is known about the project.  It wasn't but a few weeks ago that there was some buzz that Beatty was contemplating a "Dick Tracy" sequel but I haven't found anyone who thinks that this is that.  The Playlist speculates that it is an original comedy.
 http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/the_wanderer_returns_warren_beatty_planning_new_comedy_for_paramount/

Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere thinks it may focus on Howard Hughes:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/06/mulholland_proj.php

Guess we'll wait and see...

WERNER HERZOG'S FULL TITLE IS...

I mentioned the last day or two that I think that it's a good possibility that we'll see some of Herzog's Death Row documentary at Telluride.  IMDB still had its title listed as "Death Row."  But we know that the title has been undergoing a change.  The Playlist at Indiewire now says we have a complete title. It is: "Gazing Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life."  Thats' a mouthful.  The post is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/werner_herzogs_prison_doc_now_titled_gazing_into_the_abyss_a_tale_of_death/

FALL FESTIVAL WISH LIST

Indiewire has a list of 50 films that they'd like to see/think will be at one, two or three of the triumvirate of film festivals that includes Telluride (and Venice and Toronto).  You can view it here:
http://www.indiewire.com/article/fall_festival_wish_list_50_films_to_hope_for_in_toronto_venice_and_tellurid/

Usual suspects on their list (not already listed above in the Clooney portion of this post) are: "Albert Nobbs," "Chicken with Plums," "The Congress," "Gazing Into the Abyss," "The Iron Lady," "Moneyball," "My Week with Marilyn," "Shame," and "Young Adult."

Interestingly the article includes occasional predix for both specific films for either Venice or Toronto..but not once does it venture to guess a film for Telluride save for one mention (and hold onto your hats), Madonna's directorial debut "W.E."   Variety has reported that it has been submitted to Venice.  Hey, It's a Weinstein Company deal, Abbie Cornish is in it ("Bright Star in Telluride in 2009) so, you know, it's not impossible. 

I'm not sure how I feel about the notion of running into The Material Girl at The New Sheridan...  

"W.E's" IMDB page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1536048/

Final note:  How weird is it that I have a post that includes Warren Beatty and Madonna???