After "Missing Pieces"/A New Trance/Thompson's List/Oscilloscope

Larry Mallard's photo of fireworks in Telluride last night...Oooh....AAAHhhhhh

Good Morning everyone.  I hope you had a terrific Independence Day celebration.  The Patterson's did their traditional morning grilled steak and eggs breakfast complete with mimosas.  We were coast to coast yesterday with all members of the clan firing up grills to celebrate America by eating a ridiculous amount of food to start the day.  It's a tradition in our family that goes back 40 years or so.  Try it.  Nothing beats a grilled slab of beef as a way to start your 4th of July holiday (unless, of course, you're a vegetarian/vegan...then grill up some asparagus and join the party!)

THANKS!

A big thank you to start today to all of you that took a peek at my All Time Top Ten (11) Films of All Time List.  It's been one o the most popular posts of the summer.

AFTER "MISSING PIECES"

Last week I got the chance to publish an actual review for Kenton Bartlett's independent feature film "Missing Pieces" (check June 28).  Couple of things about that...I have my first attributed blurb.  Check out Kenton's "Missing Pieces" website... http://kentonbartlett.com/ Feel like a big shot. 

Additionally, apparently ascribing to the "moss won't grow on a rolling stone" theory, Bartlett is moving on to his next film project.  Take a peak at those details on his website as well...
http://www.kentonbartlett.com/futureproject.htm
The new film project is entitled "When It's Cold, I'll Keep You Warm."

NEW "TRANCE" NEWS

We reported last week that recent Telluride fave Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours)was setting up his next film (not expected until 2013 so he can direct the Olympics ceremonies in London next year).  It's called "Trance" and was scheduled to feature James McAvoy (Last King of Scotland, The Last Station) and Michael Fassbender (Hunger).  The word over the long weekend was that Fassbender is out and Boyle is looking to replace him with...drum roll please...Oscar Winner Colin Firth (The King's Speech, When Did You Last See Your Father?).

The switch in casting, should it pan out, may actually increase the chances that we see this film in Telluride in 2013.  Also reported this weekend was that Boyle was hot to cast Scarlett Johansson as well.

Incidentally, in other Colin Firth/Telluride related news.  He will be appearing this Oscar season in support of Gary Oldman in Telluride possible "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and is filming the Coen Brothers scripted "Gambit" directed by Michael Hoffman.  If Hoffman's name sounds familiar, that's because he was in T-ride in 2009 as director of "The Lsst Station."  So, perhaps "Gambit" is a 2012 Telluride possible as well.

THOMPSON'S LIST

Anne Thompson of Indiewire's Thompson on Hollywood has her Oscar watch list up.  I have included her Best Picture list here Best Bets for Telluride have a *):

BEST PICTURE

Front Runners:
The Artist*
Jane Eyre
The Tree of Life
Win Win


Contenders:
Beginners
Carnage
A Dangerous Method*
The Descendants*
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Hugo Cabret
J. Edgar
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball*
On The Road*
Super 8
The War Horse

Long Shots:
A Better Life
Contagion
The Ides of March
The Impossible
The Iron Lady
One Day
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
We Bought A Zoo
Wuthering Heights
Young Adult*

You can find her entire list that includes Acting, Directing and Screenplay possibles at:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2009/09/09/oscar_predicts_chart/
 
ANOTHER FILM COMPANY AND TELLURIDE
 
Looking today at Oscilloscope Pictures which has had a limited presence at the Telluride Film Festival over the last few years.  They were a significant presence in 2008 with 2 films appearing at T-ride: "Youssou Ndour:I Bring What I Love" and "Kisses."  Since then films under their banner that made some noise but were not at Telluride included: "The Messenger," "Exit Through the Gift Shop,"and "Meek's Cutoff" (which, rumor has it, almost appeared at TFF #37 last year).
 
As to this year, they are part of the team responsible for "We Need to Talk About Kevin" which played Cannes and received a good deal of potential Oscar buzz about Tilda Swinton's performance.  I actually think it's chances of being at Telluride are reasonably good. 
 
Have a good Fifth of July friends and neighbors!

REVIEW: MISSING PIECES

MISSING PIECES: REVIEW


WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY KENTON BARTLETT

STARS: MARK BOONE, JR., MELORA WALTERS, DANIELA HASSEL AND TAYLOR ENGEL

CONTRACTION ENTERTAINMENT

2 ½ OUT OF 4 STARS



The Story: A man at a crossroads in his life following a catastrophic car accident that has left him mentally and emotionally changed tries to put his life back together again.



Writer/Director Kenton Bartlett’s first time attempt at making a feature film offers far more positive than negative and provides indications that he is a talent to be watched in the next few years. Bartlett has taken an intriguing concept and has been fortunate enough to get a couple of solid professionals to lead his cast. Made for less than $100,000, you’ll be amazed at what Bartlett has gotten on the screen. It looks like a much more expensive film.

The title of the film tells you what you upfront what the film’s focus will be. David Lindale is not the same man he was before the car accident that changed him. At the most immediate level, the film is focused on his attempt to replace or repair those missing pieces within himself. Beyond that, however, you find that all four of the central characters have “missing pieces” and those absent “pieces” are revealed through the process David uses to attempt to fix himself and inadvertently the other characters that inhabit his world.

One reviewer has likened Bartlett’s style to the approach that Christopher Nolan used in “Memento.” I think it’s much more like Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s style in “Babel” and “21 Grams.” Disjointed and temporally non-sequential, the framing and editing choices work very well to act as an underscore to the emotional and psychological challenges that David is facing.

It doesn’t all work, though. I had questions about the location shooting that (for me at least) made geographically little sense. I recognized some of the locales and the characters’ access to them strained credibility. On the upside, the locations looked great on film…some very nice exterior even beautiful shots pepper the film.

Additionally, plot developments just seem to come too easily and glibly without what I would judge the kind of strife that they would engender. Also, David’s skill set to make the things happen that he needs or wants to happen, while necessary to moving the story forward, seem difficult to believe.

In the featured role of David Lindale, Bartlett has long time character actor Mark Boone, Jr. Boone, Jr. has a long, long resume as primarily a heavy in any number of films. He’s perhaps most recognizable from his continuing role on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy” but he also has a lengthy list of feature film credits as well including roles in: “Frozen River,” “30 Days of Night,” “Batman Begins,” and (perhaps tellingly) “Memento.” It’s refreshing to see the big man get a chance to act in a character context that we are not accustomed to seeing from him and Boone, Jr. pulls it off well. It’s a sharp performance in a challenging role.

Also featured is Melora Walters who is best known for the role of Claudia Gator in Paul Thomas Anderson’s brilliant 1999 “Magnolia” and her recurring role on HBO’s “Big Love.” Walters plays Boone Jr.’s estranged girlfriend and is one of the titular “missing pieces”. Walters is fine here. Her character provides the necessary impetus for the plot that forms the basis of the film. One wish-that she had had more to do, more presence in the film. I would have liked to have seen more of her.

Rounding out the main cast are Daniel Hassel and Taylor Engel as Daylen and Maggie (Magnolia is the character’s full name in a shout out from Bartlett to PT Anderson) both of which are making their feature film debut. Both of the novices turn in surprisingly well rounded performances.

But it’s Boone, Jr. performance that is the glue that holds the film together and makes you want to stay with his journey.

Peter Falk/Small World/Danny Boyle!/More Beatty

RIP Peter Falk (1927-2011)..."As you wish..."


Sorry for the late post today...busy, busy!

IT'S A SMALL WORLD

You know, I've always heard the cliche that Hollywood is a small town and everybody knows everybody in the "Biz" but I've always kind of thought that that statement was probably more apocryphal than real.  However, in the last month I've started to thunk there's more truth to the claim than I thought possible.  Allow me to explicate...(and all of this revolves around my good fortune to get to play at the Telluride Film Festival for the past five years).

1) Made a friend  (Casey Twenter..."Hi Casey, if you're reading this") who is an aspiring screenwriter after he reached out to me following TFF #36.  You've read about his project in this space the last couple of weeks.  "Rudderless" is the screenplay currently set to be the directorial debut for Oscar nominated actor William H. Macy (remember this for later).  Casey has been kind enough to keep me in the loop and correspond over the past 2 years as this project has been moving forward.  It's been fun.  This week, we were catching up and as a part of that conversation, he asked me if I had seen or heard anything about a film called "Girlfriend".

2) Last year at TFF #37 I sat next to and struck up a friendly conversation with a fellow named Seth Chatfield (Hi Seth, if you're reading this).  I asked Seth the normal..."What do you do?  Why you here?" type questions.  Seth said he's there as part of a group that's the producing team for a film that's going to debut  a week or so later at Toronto.  The film..."Girlfriend".  So, as you might imagine, when Casey asked me about it yesterday, I was stunned..."What are the chances?"  I thought.  Seth and I have also kept up something of a correspondence the last ten months.  "Girlfriend" was well received at Toronto and has its premiere in NYC on July 15.  But wait, there's more...

3) Another friendship I forged a couple of years back came as a result of being on line for some film with  my mom and dad and as we were waiting we struck up a pleasant conversation with a nice couple from California.  Again, asked them the routine questions.  She says he's an editor and director.  She's an arts advocate.  We smile and nod.  My wife and I teach arts in the public schools.  We have a very nice conversation about that and what films might be "sneaked" later in the weekend.  They seem to know some things.  So, I get back to the room that evening and curiosity forces me to search the IMDB.  He turns out to be the real deal and I feel like an idiot that I had no idea (at the time, I do now).  His name: Mark Helfrich (her name: Alexandra.  "Hi Mark and Alexandra, if you're reading this").  Mark has edited a ton of stuff...BIG TIME STUFF.  Currently he is editing "Tower Heist" the next big thing from director Brett Ratner.  Yes, he edits Ratner's stuff.  All the time.  His other editing credits include: All three "Rush Hour" films, "Red Dragon," "X-Men: The Last Stand," and the original "Scary Movie" among others.  He has directed for television and the feature film "Good Luck Chuck." (remember this for later as well).  Mark and Alexandra and I have also kept in touch over the past two years...

4) Most readers know that I am a speech/debate/drama teacher and have been for a good long time.  I have former student who has just graduated from college and is working to set aside money and head for the west coast in January.  She's interning this summer  in Oklahoma City with a local casting director and as a result has gotten extra work on the Nick Cassavetes film that is lensing in that vicinity.  It's title: "Yellow."  As a part of all that she met the casting director, a fellow named Matthew Barry.  He has along list of credits including casting for...wait for it..."Good Luck Chuck".  Yeah...I know.  Mark confirmed it was the same guy late last week.  Also, "Yellow" features, among others, Sienna Miller.  Sienna just dropped out of the film adaptation of Elmore Leonard's "Freaky Deaky".  Also dropping out...wait for it...William H. Macy.  Again...I know.

5) And finally, I got asked to review a new independent film this week by writer/director Kenton Bartlett. The film is called "Missing Pieces" and features, among others, Melora Walters perhaps best known for roles in two Paul Thomas Anderson films "Boogie Nights" which I like and "Magnolia" which I love.  Both films co-star...William H. Macy.  And as a topper, I sat behind Paul Thomas Anderson at Telluride in 2007 in a screening of Noah Baumbach's "Margot at the Wedding."

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?  I feel like I'm this close (I'm holding my thumb and index finger on my right hand a half an inch apart) to knowing almost everyone in the film industry.

"Rudderless" IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798243/
"Rudderless" Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rudderless-The-Movie/194390831736
"Girlfriend" IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470859/
"Girlfriend" Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/GIRLFRIEND/247774270511
"Good Luck Chuck" IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452625/
Mark Helfrich's IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0375068/
"Yellow" IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588898/
"Missing Pieces" IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1579242/
"Missing Pieces" Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kenton-Bartlett-Movie/74342639138?ref=ts
"Missing Pieces" website: http://kentonbartlett.com/
Matthew Barry's IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0058089/
William H. Macy's IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000513/
Sienna Miller's IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1092227/
Melora Walters IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001828/

BOYLE UP A NEW FILM FOR TFF #40?

The word last night was that Danny Boyle's next project will feature actor James McAvoy in a film called "Trance."  It appears to be under the Fox Searchlight banner.  All of these factors make it a film that should be considered likely as a Telluride prospect.  To wit: Boyle has attended the festival with his last two films, "Slumdog Millionaire" and "127 Hours," to great success critically.  McAvoy hasn't physically been present to my knowledge but he has had films with high profiles at Telluride recently.  McAvoy's "The Last King of Scotland" (for which Forest Whitaker won the Best Actor Oscar) and "The Last Station" (nominations for Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren) played at Telluride.  And Fox Searchlight seems to always be represented strongly at the Festival.
Sources indicate that 2013 is the prospective release date.   Of course, Boyle has his hands full currently as he is set to direct London's opening ceremonies for next year's summer Olympics.

Here are posts about  "Trance" from both Rope of Silicon and The Playlist.

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/mcavoy-caught-boyles-trance-superman-casting-terminator-talk


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


MORE DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT WARREN AND HIS HOWARD MOVIE

Rope of Silicon also has more details concerning the announced film from Warren Beatty that broke this week.  The picture will be directed, written produced and feature Beatty as Howard Hughes.  And maybe it's a comedy.  Check the story at:


http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/beattyhughes-update


"BLACK SWAN" COLLABORATORS COLLABORATING

Mark Heyman who wrote the screenplay for "Black Swan" is reported to have a new script that he's shopping around and has Darren Aronofsky attached to produce.  The Playlist reports that the film titled "XOXO" is something of a mashup between "Swan" and "The Social Network."  Heyman and Aronofsky are said to be looking for financing and distribution.  Assuming that they find that, you'd have to think that the finished product would also be on a future Telluride watch list.  No word on director (maybe Heyman himself) or cast.  Check The Playlist's story at:

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

Coming up tomorrow...more detail on the new Oscar voting rules...maybe clarification, maybe more confusion?  And also, more on Casey Twenter's "Rudderless".

Dangerous Trailer/Venice Confirms/The Master at 65/Missing Pieces

Fassbender and Knightley in David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" (via movieweb.com)

An interesting peek at the latest Cronenberg/Mortensen collaboration leads us off today...

"A DANGEROUS METHOD" HAS A TRAILER

The Internet was rife with links yesterday to the trailer for David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" starring Viggo Mortensen (as Sigmund Freud), Michael Fassbender ( as Carl Jung) and Keira Knightley (as neither Freud or Jung, but a patient of Jung's).  I think the conventional wisdom remains that this film plays at Venice and then Toronto, but as I pointed out last week, there is at least some sentiment that it could additionally play Telluride (or T-ride rather than Venice).  Nevertheless, it looks fantastic.  If you haven't sen it, here's the link to one of the trailer's YouTube incarnations: (thanks to VisoTrailers and Twitter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=664eq7BXQcM&feature=youtube_gdata&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

VENICE: CITY OF BEAUTY AND THE OBVIOUS

Yesterday, the web was also lousy with the news that George Clooney's "The Ides of March," would open that festival.  Today, the Venice Film Festival made it official.  Their online announcement is here:

http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/news/clooney.html

Eric Lavellee at Ioncinema seems relatively certain that "Ides" will then go to Toronto and tacitly implies that it's likely that the other Clooney awards bait, Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" will go Telluride then Toronto pitting the Oscar winning actor against himself.  The Ioncinema story is here:
http://ioncinema.com/news/id/6445/clooneys-ides-of-march-opens-venice-followed-by-tiff

For what it's worth, at this point, my guess is that is exactly what happens.

And again, as I said yesterday, it doesn't absolutely take "Ides" off the Telluride list of possibles, but it probably reduces the chances that we see it there.  The previous 5 years the Venice openers were: "Baaria," "Burn After Reading," "Atonement," "Black Dahlia," and "Seven Swords."  So, as you can see...it doesn't happen often.

"THE MASTER" VIA KUBRICK?

I've already gotten obsessive about Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix (it's on the Telluride film 2012 wish list).  It reportedly is shooting as I write in Central and Northern California.  News the last day or so that Anderson is shooting (perhaps exclusively) in 65 mm and that he's using the same camera for that that Stanley Kubrick used for 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1967-68.  If true, that would make "The Master" a potential feast of cinematic eye candy.  Think about Anderson's cinematographic sensibility from "There Will Be Blood" with the use of that kind of equipment.  Check the report from the PT Anderson fan site Cigarettes and Red Vines:

http://cigsandredvines.blogspot.com/2011/06/master-shooting-entirely-in-65mm.html

"MISSING PIECES"

I've only dabbled at film criticism in this space (and the obligatory "reviews" I put on Rotten Tomatoes at the end of each Telluride fest) but, through a series of e-communication, I've agreed to give it a whirl.  Director/writer Kenton Bartlett's "Missing Pieces" will get the full "review" treatment (whatever that turns out to be) in this space sometime in the next few days.
"How do you justify this in a blog that purports to be about the Telluride Film Festival?" you ask.  Turns out that Bartlett and company have submitted it to Telluride for consideration for inclusion at TFF#38.  So, who knows, maybe readers of this space will get a jump on a film that unspools in the San Juans this Labor Day.

Looking forward to it.  Hope you are as well...