Pictures of Carnage/Melancholia Happens/Companies/More Marlon

Hope everyone has started off the weekend well.  To my friends in LA...hope you are surviving "CARMAGEDDON!!!!"

PICTURES FROM CARNAGE (NOT CARMAGEDDON)

Still via The Playlist

The Playlist put up some stills from Roman Polanski's "Carnage" this week and I thought I'd pass them along.  "Carnage" is based on Yasmina Reza's stage play "God of Carnage" and features Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly.

I think that the chances of "Carnage" being at Telluride are about 1 in 3.  And the reason the odds are even that good are because it's on Sony Pictures Classic's slate of fall films.  So I have to at least consider it.

As I have said here before, you know Polanski won't accompany the film here because of his on-going legal problems.  I could see Jodie Foster there to represent the film as she was a tributee in 1991.  That would be cool.

The "Carnage" pix and accompanying story at The Playlist are here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/meet_the_leads_of_roman_polanskis_carnage/

"Carnage" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1692486/companycredits

LARS' MELANCHOLY

I have been really pouring cold water on the notion that we'd see Lars Von Trier's "Melancholia" at The SHOW this year since his infamous press blunder at Cannes and his subsequent banishment as persona non grata from that festival in May.  but I'd be less than honest if I didn't admit that there is still a small chance that the film could play in Telluride.

Clearly there wasn't a massive backlash against Von Trier or the film as Kirsten Dunst won Best Actress at Cannes.  Additionally, as I have reported before, Von Trier has often had films in Telluride's lineup. So let's not dismiss it out of hand.

Well, now the film has a release date.  The Playlist at Indiewire reporting that it will open on Nov. 11.

I have a reader who confidently tells me that Von Trier doesn't fly...so, much like "Carnage" you have to wonder who'd accompany the film.  My guess would be Charlotte Gainsbourg.

The Playlist story is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/lars_von_triers_melancholia_will_end_the_world_with_sadness_on_november/

The "Melancholia" IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1527186/

COMPANIES ON PARADE

Icon Film Distribution has had  a couple of films that have played as part of the Telluride Film Festival in recent years. 
"Hunger" in 2008 and "The Road" in 2009.

They have a hand this year in the Jack Kerouac inspired "On the Road"...so maybe it gets a little bump in the "it's possible" department.

Could we see Angelina Jolie at the Labor Day Picnic?

GK Films hasn"t really been a player at Telluride but has connections to 2-3 properties that might see their bow at in the San Juans on Labor Day weekend. 
From most likely to least likely they are:
Angelina Jolie's directing and writing debut "In the Land of Blood and Honey," (IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1714209/ )
Bruce Robinson's "The Rum Diary" featuring Johnny Depp in the Hunter Thompson-esque role (IMDb  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376136/ )
and Martin Scorsese's "Hugo." (IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/ )

MORE MARLON

Last week I posted my picture with screen legend Marlon Brando and recounted the story of how I met him in 1978 in my last year of college.  I mentioned that I had a couple of other pictures of the two time Oscar winner.  Well, I found them and since there seemed to be a good deal of curiosity, here they are.  Now, I'm not in these.  These were a couple of pics that are sort of hard to believe on their own.  They show Brando exiting the rear of the camper that he and the couple he had with him were travelling in.  You read it right...camper...ON THE BACK OF A PICKUP...look for yourself:

Marlon Brando Goes Camping?

Have a great rest of your weekend everyone!

Parsing the Cannes Prizes

Will "The Source" be in Telluride?

The 64th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is in the books.  Now we look at the outcome and see if we can read the tea leaves and divine any conclusions for the Telluride Film Festival 3 months from now.

One conclusion...for the second consecutive year the Palme D'Or winner will NOT be on Telluride's list.  Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" begins its roll out in the U.S. on May 27th and will continue on a 5 week schedule to add theaters nationally.  You can find that schedule on the Fox Searchlight website at:
http://content.foxsearchlight.com/inside/node/4851
(I'll always say that "The Tree of Life" played at Tff#37 because that's where the deal was made for Fox Searchlight to pick it up after an incredibly small special screening occurred there).

Here is the list of winners from this afternoon's announcement (and from all categories in addition to the main competition) from Cannes:

In Competition :


Feature films

Palme d'Or

THE TREE OF LIFE directed by Terrence MALICK

Grand Prix Ex-aequo

BIR ZAMANLAR ANADOLU'DA (ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA) directed by Nuri Bilge CEYLAN

LE GAMIN AU VÉLO (THE KID WITH A BIKE) directed by Jean-Pierre et Luc DARDENNE

Award for Best Director

Nicolas WINDING REFN for DRIVE

Award for Best Screenplay

Joseph CEDAR for HEARAT SHULAYIM (Footnote)

Award for Best Actress

Kirsten DUNST in MELANCHOLIA directed by Lars VON TRIER

Award for Best Actor

Jean DUJARDIN in THE ARTIST directed by Michel HAZANAVICIUS

Jury Prize

POLISSE (POLISS) directed by MAÏWENN

Short Films

Palme d'Or - Short Film

CROSS (CROSS - COUNTRY) directed by Maryna VRODA

Jury Prize - Short Film

BADPAKJE 46 (SWIMSUIT 46) directed by Wannes DESTOOP

Un Certain Regard :

Prize of Un Certain Regard Ex-aequo

ARIRANG directed by KIM Ki-Duk

HALT AUF FREIER STRECKE (STOPPED ON TRACK) directed by Andreas DRESEN

Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize

ELENA directed by Andrey ZVYAGINTSEV

Directing Prize of Un Certain Regard

BÉ OMID É DIDAR directed by Mohammad RASOULOF

Cinefondation :

1st Prize Cinéfondation

DER BRIEF (THE LETTER) directed by Doroteya DROUMEVA

2nd Prize - Cinéfondation

DRARI directed by Kamal LAZRAQ

3rd Prize Cinéfondation

YA-GAN-BI-HANG (FLY BY NIGHT) directed by SON Tae-gyum

Golden Camera :

Caméra d'or

LAS ACACIAS directed by Pablo GIORGELLI





From this list I'd venture to guess that the Dardennes "The Kid with a Bike" still stands an awfully good chance to be at TFF #38.  I'm also betting on "The Artist."  Other "in competition titles that I still think have a good shot at being in T-ride despite not winning a prize include: Lynne Ramsey's "We Need to Talk About Kevin," Aki Kaurismaki"s "Le Havre."
 
I am less inclined to think we'll Almodovar's "The Skin I Live In (or Inhabit...depending on how you want to translate it) or Winding Refn's "Drive" (despite the fact that it stars Carrie Mulligan).
 
I also continue to think the Lars Von Trier probably closed the book on his chances to have "Melancholia" play at Telluride with his press conference antics concerning Nazism from earlier this week.
 
In the "It wouldn't surprise me" category: "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" and "The Source."
 
And let's not forget that over the years Telluride programmers have not limited their Cannes selections to the main competition category.  Telluride films have also been culled from Un Certain Regard and Special Screenings as well.   Among those from this year that might be part of the Telluride program are Gus Van Sant's "Restless" and don't forget Serge Bromberg's restoration project of "A Trip to the Moon" that we reported about earlier this week.

Attention now turns to upcoming announcements about what will play at other fests especially Toronto, Venice and New York as those announcements can sometimes provide insight into whether a particular film may be in the San Juans on Labor Day.  Meanwhile, congratulations to Terrence Malick and "The Tree of Life."

Counting Down to the Palme

Does Terrence Malick win the Palme D'or today???

With just hours left before we find out the jury's decision ab out which films receive what awards at the 64th Cannes Film Festival I can confidently say that there is absolutely no consensus about where this jury, headed by Robert DeNiro, is going to land.  Every one of the films that Cannes regulars seem to think have a chance also has some serious baggage to overcome.  Added to that is the fact that predicting a jury's decision when the members are new each year is a fool's game.  Nevertheless, no one ever said I wasn't a fool, so here's some speculation...

The big prize, of course, is the Plame D'Or.  Films thought o have the best chance are "The Skin I Inhabit" from Pedro Almodovar, "The Tree of Life" from  Terrence Malick, "Melancholia" from Lars Von Trier, "The Artist" from Michel Hazanavicius, "The Kid with a Bike" from The Dardennes Brothers, "Drive" from Nicolas Winding Refn, "La Havre" from Aki Kaurismaki and "We Have to Talk About Kevin" from Lynne Ramsay. 

Late entries for which there has been little time for critical response were "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" from Nuri Bilge Ceylan and "The Source" from Radu Mihaileanu.  I mention these despite not having their critical reaction in total because of late Cannes has made something of a habit of awarding the Plame to a late showing film and because the limited critical reception to both pf these late films has had at least some high praise...

I think it's a fair bet that almost all (if not all) of the major awards will come from the above list.  But as mentioned.  These "heavy hitters' also have some issues.  Different ones for different films...but issues nonetheless.  To wit:

"Skin" and "Drive" have both been well received critically ("Skin" is at #1 on Ioncinema's compiled critical chart: http://www.ioncinema.com/images/cannes2011/day10part2.pdf) but both films are regarded as "genre" pictures and lacking as much "art" as Cannes is used to rewarding.

"The Artist" and "La Havre" are also critically well received but the knock on them "too light."  Crowd pleasers for sure, so the thinking goes in some corners, but not enough heft to merit the top honor.

"Melancholia"  In light of Von Trier's "Nazi week" and his status now as a Cannes "persona non grata," I'd be stunned that this jury decided to award it the Plame.  The jury's makeup doesn't say to me "we will buck the negative reaction to reward the cinematic art of Von Trier."  I don't see them separating the Von Trier's meanderings from the top award.  Additionally, it's not like "Melancholia" was a cinch to win the Palme before Lars put his foot in his mouth.

"The Kid with a Bike" suffers from the fact that The Dardennes have won twice previously.  Would this jury make them the first 3 time Palme winner in the history of the festival for this film? 

"We Have to Talk About Kevin" from Lynne Ramsay.  Early presentation may doom it.  It was the first film to be presented in competition after the opening from Woody Allen.  Also, if Tilda Swinton wins Best Actress (and many think she will) then that lessens the films chance at the Plame.  Cannes does have a history of "spreading the wealth" between many films 

And finally Malick's "The Tree of Life."  A lot of people think its going to win.  A lot of people don't.  Again, I'm not sure that the makeup of this year's jury does Malick any favors.  (the jury this year consists of: DeNiro, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Olivier Assayas, Martina Gusman, Linn Ullmann, Johnnie To, Nansun Shi, and Mahamet-Saleh Haroun).

As I write rumors have begun floating that Tilda Swinton has won Best Actress and that Jean Dujardin has won Best Actor for "The Artist."  We'll know soon.

In addition to the Palme, there's the Grand Prix (sort of like a second place) the jury prize, actor, actress, director and screenplay.  The announcement is scheduled tentatively for about 2 hours from now.

One Less Film to Contemplate...

Still from Pedro Almodovar's "The Skin I Inhabit"

In light of the Lars Von Trier "Nazi" commentary and the Cannes Film Festival's determination to declare him "persona non grata" you can almost certainly scratch "Melancholia" off the list for TFF #38 consideration.  Von Trier, perhaps trying too hard to be glib or entertaining or controversial or all three (which would be right down his alley) seems to have taken it a step too far and the film world has responded.  And although the Festival board has said that it isn't removing the film from the competition, I think its chances of winning any major award have taken a giant nuking.

"Melancholia" was a serious possibility for Telluride film inclusion considering that Von Trier has had a relationship with the festival in the past and also considering that this film was being viewed as a step back from the relentless controversy that surrounded his "Antichrist" a couple of years ago.  Now...well, I don't plan to see him in Telluride in September.

Read MSNBC's coverage here:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43090358/ns/today-entertainment/

Meanwhile, the Ioncinema.com folks continue to collate critical reaction to the films in competition.  As of this morning the top 5 films in terms of their board of critics are:
1) The Kid with a Bike-Dardennes Brothers
2) La Harve-Aki Kaurismaki
3) The Tree of Life-Terrence Malick
4) (tie) We Need to Talk About Kevin-Lynne Ramsey and The Artist-Michel Hazanavicius

Still to come from Cannes...reaction to (among others) Almodovar's "The Skin I Inhabit," Rfen's "Drive," and Sorrentino's "This Must Be The Place."

You can find the most recent Ioncinema cumulative critical reaction here:
http://www.ioncinema.com/images/cannes2011/day8part1.pdf