A U.S. Trailer for Non-Fiction / A Bit More Thinking About Cannes / Out of Pocket

Welcome to Thursday...


A U.S. TRAILER FOR NON-FICTION

Last week Sundance Selects dropped a new U.S. trailer for Olivier Assayas' latest film which ran the festival gamut last fall debuting at Venice then playing Telluride, Toronto and New York.  The film is scheduled to open here in the states on May 3rd.

Non-Fiction stars Juliette Binoche and Guillaume Canet.


Here's the new trailer via YouTube:

I have linked a story about the U.S. trailer release from Jordan Raup writing at The Film Stage.  That link is here.

Non-Fiction's IMDb page is linked here.

Assayas is currently filming his next film Wasp Network.


 A BIT MORE THINKING ABOUT CANNES

Jordan Ruimy writing at his blog World of Reel recently shared a couple of thoughts about films that could make the 72nd Cannes Film Festival lineup.  Chief among them is his claim that multiple sources are suggesting that Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie will likely make the lineup and may well play in competition for the Palme d'Or and could also be the opening night film.

Ruimy also tosses in a couple of other titles that I have my eye on as potential Cannes/Telluride crossovers The Dardennes brothers' Ahmed chief among them.

I have linked Ruimy's reporting here.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's IMDb page is here.

Ahmed's IMDb page is here.


OUT OF POCKET

That's your MTFB for this Thursday.  I'm going to be out of pocket for the next few days as I go on spring break.  MTFB will return in full force on Monday, Mar. 25th.


EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com OR michael_speech@hotmail.com

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COMMENT TO THE BLOG

Talking Tributes / The Echo Chamber / Pre-TFF #42 Assessment / What a Lineup! / Couple of Odds and Ends

It's the Monday before Telluride.  We start a week that'll go too slowly at the beginning and go too fast at the end.  Four days until SHOW!


TALKING TRIBUTES

So...who DO YOU THINK gets a tribute this year?  Last year's set was unusual from the perspective of the "Apocalypse Now" 35th anniversary tribute since it wasn't for a specific person though you could, of course point to Coppola.  (By the way...I still think we might see FFC show up this year with the "Distant Vision" experiment that he conducted here in my home state of Oklahoma. Wouldn't surprise me a bit).

TO remind...the other tributes last year were for actor Hilary Swank and director Volker Schlondorff.  In 2013 we saw the Coen Brothers with T. Bone Burnett, Robert Redford and Mohammad Rasoulof.

As I begin my serious casting about for possibilities I start with the list of possible guests that I posted a week ago (Monday, Aug. 24)...

It seems to me that among the directors that I listed that Guggenheim, Boyle and Haynes might all be possible candidates and maybe even writer Aaron Sorkin.

Among the acting types that are possible guests the best shots, to me anyway, would be Kate Winslet, Johnny Depp, Tom Courtenay (his "45 Years" co-star Charlotte Rampling was a 2005 Tributee), Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo.  I thought Keaton was a possibility last year with "Birdman". Cate Blanchett seems like a no-brainer for a tribute but is doing a play in Sydney, Australia so isn't a likely T-ride participant.

I also think a Quentin Tarantino tribute could take place with some scenes from "The Hateful Eight" being screened.

The truth is that I'm relatively sure that I have named two of the tributes in the lists above.  I have been sniffing around for the third and frankly I've heard one rumor that seems really surprising.  We'll see how that shakes out.

What are your best guesses?  Shoot me a Tweet, FB message, email and I'll pass some of those along over the next couple of days.


THE ECHO CHAMBER

Jeff Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere was up with apiece over the weekend talking about the travails of plying his trade during the short window of the four day festival.  In the post Wells also runs through a number of films he suggest will be playing.  That list should look very familiar to readers of MTFB.

Wells names "Suffragette", "Steve Jobs", "Black Mass", "Spotlight", "Son of Saul", "Beasts of No Nation", "Carol", "Amazing Grace", "Marguerite", "Room" and "Hitchcock/Truffaut" as "presumably" (i.e. not confirmed) playing the fest.  He also lists "Anomalisa" as "probably" and "He Named Me Malala" as "maybe".

As I wrote above, sounds familiar doesn't it as every one of those films was on last week's "Ten Bets" (Plus Five) list.

We've reached that point where the pre-fest naval gazing seems to have become self-referential.  Still, it's always good to see some of the national press types saying the same things that I'm saying.

Wells complete article is here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2015/08/telluride-sleep-tweet-festival/


PRE-TFF #42 ASSESSMENT

Sasha Stone at Awards Daily has posted a reflection on the upcoming awards season which gets underway this week with the double dose of Venice and Telluride.  She also might allude to a certain set of "bets" made at someone's blog.

Take a look at what she has to say here:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2015/08/the-one-two-punch-of-venice-and-telluride-on-oscar-season/

Meanwhile, David Poland and Movie City News have their first Gurus of Gold up for the Best Picture race and it is divided into three sections based on what's been seen, what's going to be seen in the run of Festivals and other films expected to make noise outside the festival run.

What I notice from these first takes is that we have a lot to look forward to this week if I'm anywhere close to right about what's going to play:

On Gurus list #1 (what's been seen) are "Carol" at #1, "Son of Saul" and "45 Years" get a mention.  From the fest list: "Steve Jobs", "Spotlight" and "Black Mass" at the #2, #3 and #4 spots respectively and "Suffragette" at #6.  Also making some noise on this list was "Room".

Of course the third Gurus list by definition excludes any probable or even possible TFF films though you know that "The Revenant" would play if were ready and I still think there's an outside shot at some footage of  "The Hateful Eight".  Also included in the "also receiving votes" category here are "The 33" and "Burnt" which might still raise their heads this week.

Check the entire lists here:

http://moviecitynews.com/2015/08/gurus-o-gold-pre-festival-projections/


WHAT A LINEUP!

As many of you know, I will be compiling your film ratings from this year's festival.  As always, please send those along using a 1-5 scale.  I'll compile them and publish after the fest is all over.

I also ask some friends and acquaintances to share their ratings during the fest as well as The Professionals.  This year the list of folks who have a greed is outstanding and, I believe, the largest collection of "pros" that have ever agreed to share their ratings.  As I write on this Monday, the following have agreed to share (in alphabetical order by last name):

Nick Allen/Chicago Film Critics Assn. member/RogerEbert.com
Alex Billington/FirstShowing.net..
David Ehrlich/Time Out New York
Greg Ellwood/HitFix
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter
Eric Kohn/Indiewire
Tomris Laffly/Movie Mezzanine/Film Journal
Christopher Schiller/ScriptMag.com
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Kristopher Tapley/Variety/InContention
Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood

I have to say, that's one fine group of human beings who know film and who have agreed to share with us.  Also, a shout out to David Ehrlich and Nick Allen who join the Merry Band for the first time.  I'd also like to tip my cap to Kris Tapley and Alex Billington who are doing this for me for the fourth consecutive year.

 COUPLE OF ODDS AND ENDS:

Reports this week that Justin Kurzel's "Macbeth" will have a limited release on Dec. 4.

Also, Guatemala announced that "Ixcanul" will be its choice for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. We think it might be a possible entrant for Telluride.

Peter Bogdonavich is on record this week saying Orson Welles' final unfinished film "The Other Side of the Wind", which caused quite a bit of response in this space a couple of weeks ago will be edited beginning next month.  Let us hope.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/welles-whiz-peter-bogdanovich-says-other-side-of-the-wind-will-start-editing-this-fall-20150828


And finally, at the end of the week last week this form Vanity Fair, that I found hilarious..."10 Best Pickup Lines at the Telluride Film Festival":

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/08/telluride-film-festival-pickup-lines



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First Looks at "Burnt" / New "Hateful" Poster / Added Views from "Macbeth" / Toronto Part Three Later

Good Tuesday everyone

It's all about films from The Weinstein Company today as the TWC machine got working in a big way yesterday apparently.


FIRST LOOKS AT "BURNT"

This film stars Bradley Cooper and was originally titled "Adam Jones".  The film is directed by John Wells ("August, Osage County) and is set for domestic release on Oct. 23.

A number of outlets reported yesterday the film had a new poster (above)  as well as a first teaser via The Today Show.  Find the trailer in the stories linked here:


http://www.today.com/video/first-look-at-bradley-coopers-next-film-burnt-501431875698

http://theplaylistfilm.tumblr.com/post/126358877126/watch-bradley-cooper-in-the-first-brief-teaser-for

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/bradley-cooper-is-burnt-in-first-trailer-and-poster/


Of the three TWC films I'm talking about today, I suspect that this is in the middle spot in terms of Telluride possibility.


ADDED VIEWS FROM "MACBETH"

The film from today's post that probably is the most likely to show at The SHOW is Justin Kurzel's "Macbeth".  The film stars Michael Fassbender as the Scottish King and Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth.  I've had this on my Telluride watch list for more than a year and were it not for "Carol" I'd probably think it was a lock to play Telluride.

Fassbender and Cotillard have been receiving some potential awards attention for their performances since the film debuted in Cannes back in May.

Take a look at a couple of new stills from the film from this article from The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/fassbender-tv-spot-for-steve-jobs-with-new-footage-plus-pics-from-macbeth-trespass-against-us-20150807


NEW "HATEFUL" POSTER

We also have a new poster that appeared from Qunetin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" (above).  The film isn't due until Christmas so the probability of a complete version playing Telluride seems incredibly remote.

Still, I wouldn't be completely surprised if it showed up in some uncompleted form over the Labor Day weekend.  A number of my fellow journo types have suggested the possibility of a Tarantino tribute with clips or an extended scene as a part of that.

That seems a reasonable possibility to me.  Fingers crossed.

Coverage for the poster release is here:

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/10/hateful-8-poster-exclusive

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/new-poster-for-quentin-tarantinos-the-hateful-eight-promises-ultra-panavision-70-picture-20150810


TORONTO PART THREE

The Toronto International Film Festival is set to drop more titles today.  Expected are their non-Canadian films in the Documentary program and their Midnight Madness program.  There have also been some hints that we might see/hear films that will be in their Vanguard program and further galas or special presentations.

I'll publish a special TIFF News post later today if the information we glean warrants.


More later...and for sure tomorrow...


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"Youth" Wins Audience Award/Distribution: Focus Features and Telluride/"Hateful" Happens at Comic Con

And we're back...from the weekend.  Hope yours was good.

"YOUTH" WINS AT KARLOVY VARY

Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth" stuck another feather in its it metaphorical hat with an audience award win this weekend at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.  The film continues to gain steam and attention as one of Fox Searchlight's most likely awards friendly films.

I've felt for some time that it has an excellent chance to play Telluride in September.  It's currently sitting at #3 on the most current MTFB "Ten Bets" list.

I have linked the Karlovy Vary story from The Wrap as well as a link to Variety's coverage of the Harvey Keitel interview that was conducted there as a part of the film's festival presentation:

http://www.thewrap.com/karlovy-vary-film-festival-gives-top-prizes-to-bob-and-the-trees-youth/


http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/harvey-keitel-on-brilliant-auteurs-and-the-importance-of-independents-1201538358/



FOCUS FEATURES AND TELLURIDE

Focus Features films at Telluride since 2003:

2003: Lost in Translation
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2006: Catch a Fire
2012: Hyde Park on Hudson

Focus Features has had a spotty track record at Telluride with 5 films over the past 12 years so chances aren't great, you'd think anyway.  However, a couple of their films have some potential.  Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette" and Tom Hooper's "The Danish Girl".  Both directors have been to Telluride previously.  Gavron in 2006 with "Brick Lane" and Hooper in 2010 with the Oscar Best Picture winner "The King's Speech".  So both could actually be in play.  My assessment is that "Suffragette" is the most likely of the two at 60% (and I have actually had it on and near the "Ten Bets" list so far this summer).  Meanwhile, "Eddie Redmayne's starring role in "The Danish Girl" has people talking that he could be in the running for a second straight Oscar nomination for Best Actor. I put "Danish Girl's" chances of playing Telluride at 35%.

Tomorrow I'll take a look at Strand Releasing and maybe a couple of others...



"HATEFUL" HAPPENS AT COMIC CON

Yes.  Quentin Tarantino and a huge chunk of the cast from his upcoming "The Hateful Eight" made a splashy presentation at Comic Con in San Diego over the weekend.  The presentation included a seven minute reel from the film that QT cut just last week for the event.

Additionally, the film has a new poster and Tarantino dropped the news that Ennio Morricone will be scoring the film.  Perfect!

The presentation renewed speculation among some professional movie blogger types that the film might still be a special sneak at TFF in a few weeks.  That'd be cool but it would still be cutting it mighty close.  Fingers crossed, though.

Here's coverage from Rope of silicon and HitFix:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/new-the-hateful-eight-poster-ennio-morricone-providing-original-score/

http://www.hitfix.com/awards-campaign/five-takeaways-from-quentin-tarantino-and-the-hateful-eight-comic-con-panel


That's it for Monday, come back again tomorrow...

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"Hateful" Release Date and Strategy Revealed/First Look at "Freeheld"/Trailering the "Queen"

Welcome back from the weekend...It's Monday!


"HATEFUL" RELEASE DATE AND STRATEGY REVEALED

Last week, I reported that Quentin Tarantino had committed to retro-fitting 50 screens across the nation to be able to screen "The Hateful Eight" in 70mm.  News emerged over the weekend that revealed the release date and strategy for the film that was shot near Telluride last winter.

The film will be released on Christmas Day in 70mm and then go wide two weeks later digitally.  Over the weekend a number of the Telluride Film Fest faithful and I engaged in a fairly involved Twitter convo about the chances that we might still see "Hateful" at TFF #42.

My feeling is that time doesn't favor that approach but that we might see a sequence or a selection of clips.  It would be a thrill to get Tarantino in Telluride during Labor Day weekend.  We'll see...

Here's coverage of the "Hateful" release story from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Indiewire, The Playlist, Rope of Silicon and The Wrap:

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/quentin-tarantino-hateful-eight-christmas-release-1201518619/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/quentin-tarantinos-hateful-eight-gets-802117

http://www.indiewire.com/article/quentin-tarantinos-the-hateful-eight-to-be-widest-70mm-release-in-over-20-years-20150612

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-hateful-eight-sets-christmas-day-release-2-week-70mm-roadshow-to-be-followed-by-digital-wide-release-20150612

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/quentin-tarantinos-hateful-eight-gets-70mm-digital-release-dates/

http://www.thewrap.com/quentin-tarantinos-hateful-eight-to-hit-theaters-in-70mm-on-christmas-day/


FIRST LOOK AT "FREEHELD"

Julianne Moore and Ellen Page in "Freeheld" via Entertainment Weekly

Lionsgate has the distribution for the Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell starrer "Freeheld" based on the true life experience of policewoman Laurel Hester (Moore) who fought the power when she was faced with dying and wanted her survivor benefits to go to her same sex partner (Page).

The Lionsgate as distributor might seem to be a TFF disqualifier (listed as a distrib for "all is Lost" in 2013...and that's all) but the Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions (also "All is Lost" as well as "Mommy", "The Homesman", "'71") /Saban ( "The Homesman") connections make it a possibility.  "Freeheld" is directed by Peter Sollett ( "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist").

Entertainment Weekly had the image (above) and the story:


http://www.ew.com/article/2015/06/11/ellen-page-julianne-freeheld-first-look


TRAILERING THE "QUEEN"

Lots of new pics last week from Werner Herzog's "Queen of the Desert" and over the weekend, an international trailer for the film which you can see in any of the below linked stories from The Playlist, First Showing and Rope of Silicon:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-first-international-trailer-for-werner-herzogs-queen-of-the-desert-with-nicole-kidman-robert-pattinson-and-more-20150613

http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/watch-werner-herzogs-queen-of-the-desert-international-trailer/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/nicole-kidman-is-the-queen-of-the-desert-in-first-trailer-poster/



More on Tuesday...

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"Hateful Eight" is a Dish Served Cold...Really Cold and Other "Hateful" News/"Black Mass" Poster and Pics/"Suffragette" Musings

Hoo-dee-hoo on a Tuesday...


"HATEFUL EIGHT" IS A DISH SERVED COLD...REALLY COLD AND OTHER "HATEFUL" NEWS

Samuel L. Jackson told the world last week that Quentin Tarantino kept his "Hateful Eight" set chill...very chill.  Jackson was quoted as saying that the set was refrigerated to create and keep the reality of the freezing, snowy conditions.  Check the story here from Rope of Silicon:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/samuel-l-jackson-reveals-hateful-eight-shot-refrigerated-set/

We still wish that we'd see it on Labor Day weekend...but doubt that will happen.

In other "Hateful" news, Rope of silicon was reporting yesterday that Tarantino is going to aid in the retro-fitting of up to 50 screens nationwide to be able to screen the new film in the 70mm format that he's shot it in.  I'd also point out that T-ride has the capability to screen in 70 mm.

Here's the story from ROS:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/tarantino-rumored-to-be-retrofitting-50-theaters-with-70mm-projection-for-hateful-eight-release/



"BLACK MASS" POSTER AND PICS

"Black Mass" poster

Scott Cooper's "Black Mass", the story of gangster Whitey Bulger played by Johnny Depp remains one of four films from Warners that are on my watch list for T-ride '15.  The others: "In the Heart of the Sea", "Our Brand is Crisis" and "Midnight Special".  

The film dropped what was described by The Playlist as a teaser poster, which you see above.

Take a look at the new pics from the film that are also included as a part of The Playlist's post from yesterday:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-johnny-depp-turns-cold-blooded-mob-boss-in-the-new-trailer-for-crime-drama-black-mass-20150522

"SUFFRAGETTE" MUSINGS

"Suffragette" trailer via YouTube

I keep coming back to the London Film Festival announcement form last week that Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette" will open the BFI LFF in early October and their listing of the film as its "European" premiere. (MTFB-June 4)

As Anne Thompson mentioned in her "Screen Talk" podcast that I linked here yesterday...the "European" designation means that the film will have played somewhere in North America before LFF.  As others noted in the analysis of the original announcement, that also means that it will not have played Venice.

I think the key to parsing this out is whether or not the LFF announcement and its designating the film as an "European" premiere means that it is NOT the film's "International" premiere.  If LFF is designating it as "European" as opposed to "International" because they wish to be specific in terms of that designation, then I believe the chances that "Suffragette" plays Telluride go way up. If the choice to designate as "European" makes this distinction, then it likely means that the film will have played Toronto and either New York or T-ride (or both).  In the scenario of choosing one over the other, Telluride may have the upper hand.

If, on the other hand,  it is NOT an LFF distinction of any real consequence, then the odds for "Suffragette" in the San Juans remain moderate at best.  Of course, there's no way (at least that I have found yet) to determine whether LFF officials made this calculation when they announced the film as a "European" premiere last week,

Something to think about, though...


More on Wednesday...


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Looking Back We Find Something That Sounds Familiar/Toronto Sun Article Hits Closer to the Mark/Anne and Eric Look Ahead

Good Monday All!

LOOKING BACK WE FIND SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR

I spent some time this weekend looking back at last summer's Toronto/Telluride drama.  I wanted to remind myself how that had played out in a number of ways.

One of the things that I remembered and re-visited was the reaction from Sony Pictures Classics Tom Bernard and his characterization that the policy TIFF adopted last year was "imperialistic". Interestingly, as I was reviewing some of my posts and the posts of others that I linked, I discovered that Bernard may well have provided the template for this year's "adjustment".  Bernard is credited in the Toronto Star (and subsequently in The Hollywood Reporter) as suggesting:

"Bernard suggested a compromise to the premiere tussle.

TIFF could create special evening premiere slots for the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the festival at major venues such as Roy Thomson Hall and the Princess of Wales and Elgin theatres. That would give TIFF some exclusive premieres, while also allowing Telluride and other fests first dibs on showing other movies."

Sounds familiar doesn't it?  It's not exactly the newly announced "adjustment"...but there's a good deal of similarity.

The posts from both The Star and THR from last summer are re-linked below:

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2014/06/26/tiff_vs_telluride_tussle_turns_movie_premieres_into_a_battle_of_wills_peter_howell_column.html


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/toronto-film-festivals-anti-telluride-720646


TORONTO SUN ARTICLE HITS CLOSER TO THE MARK

Bruce Kirkland writing Friday afternoon in the Toronto Sun explains last week's change in film policy from the Toronto International Film Festival in terms more closely in line with my take.  We're not 100% compatible but he does make some of the same points that I have.   Kirkland writes that "...TIFF did change the rules of combat-but the tension continues.  And TIFF is still positioned as the bully..."

Take a look at the complete post here:

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/06/05/kirkland-tiff-premiere-feud-with-telluride-isnt-over#



ANNE AND ERIC LOOK AHEAD

Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood and Eric Kohn/IndieWire, both of whom have been kind enough to participate in my "Professionals of Telluride" film ratings, have posted their latest installment of their podcast: Screen Talk in which they spend a good chunk of time discussing the Fall Film Fest season.  In fact, the podcast is titled: "Why We're Excited for Fall 2015".

Anne and Eric get to the Toronto "adjustment" at about the 6:40 mark in the cast. 

Take a listen here:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/why-were-excited-for-the-fall-2015-movie-season-podcast-20150605



More on Tuesday....


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Viewing the Awards Landscape/Music News for Oscar/Inarritu: Moving On/Nuts and Bolts: Editing Imitation/Awards Season Overload?/Hateful 8 Has Begun

Good Monday to Everyone...


VIEWING THE AWARDS LANDSCAPE

Everyone, take a breath.  The first real wave of awards season news has come ( Golden Globe. Independent Spirit and SAG nominations and critics lists and awards from NBR, AFI and LA and NY) with that, here are some thoughts:

Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" is your betting favorite for Best Picture (and likely Best Director and Supporting Actress.  Maybe even Original Screenplay).  It made all seven of the above organizations lists/awards .  It also appears that "Birdman" and "The Imitation Game" are the only films with any kind of shot to challenge.

Acting favorites are all pretty solid but not as much of a lock as it might seem.  Even Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) and JK Simmons (Whiplash) who have seemed unbeatable may have a bit more of a challenge than has been previously thought.  For Simmons, that would appear to come from Edward Norton (Birdman)  and for Arquette the challenge looks to be coming from Jessica Chastain for "A Most Violent Year".

Lead acting  favorites are Michael Keaton (Birdman) and Julianne Moore (Still Alice).  Keaton has never been perceived as a prohibitive favorite and his biggest challenge is likely from Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything).  Moore has been a prohibitive favorite, but the rise of Jennifer Aniston's profile for "Cake" over that past couple of weeks, should give Moore pause.


MUSIC NEWS FOR OSCAR

A couple of big announcements for the Music categories for The Academy Awards this past week. The Academy  announced 114 eligible scores and original songs and, as there always seem to be, there were some surprises.

First surprise to be mentioned is the ineligibility of Antonio Sanchez's percussion heavy, and very distinctive, score for Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman".  TFF scores that are eligible include: "The Homesman", "The Imitation Game", "Merchants of Doubt", "Mr. Turner", "Red Army", "Rosewater", "The Salt of the Earth" and "Wild Tales". Also from TFF #40: "Tracks" and "Under the Skin".  The complete list is here from The Gold Derby:

http://www.goldderby.com/news/7931/oscars-birdman-whiplash-entertainment-13579086-story.html

Meanwhile, The Academy also released the list of 79 eligible original songs for Oscar consideration. Among them is: "You Fooled Me" from "The Merchants of Doubt".  Additionally, blog obsession "Rudderless" had three songs make the the list: "Over Your Shoulder", "Sing Along" and "Stay with You".  The complete list is here from Deadline.com:

http://deadline.com/2014/12/oscars-original-songs-movies-1201322686/


Listen to some of the "Rudderless" songs here:

https://soundcloud.com/lakeshore-records/rudderless-soundtrack-preview/s-9L7Pa

INARRITU MOVING ON

Despite the fact that awards season madness is in full swing and that his "Birdman" is in the midst of a hot campaign for a number of trophies and baubles (it will almost certainly garner more Oscar nominations than any other film this year), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is already deep into his next project.  That's the revenge western "The Revenant" starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  Inarritu is in Canada filming away.  Kristopher Tapley reports for HitFix/InContention that Inarritu is set to film until April.  The film has an announced limited release date for Dec. 25, 2015.  I have to believe that it would play Venice/Telluride if Inarritu has it ready but that would be a really tight window.  Check out Tapley's story here:


http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/birdmans-inarritu-says-its-important-to-stay-busy-during-ego-stroking-awards-season


NUTS AND BOLTS: EDITING "THE IMITATION GAME"

As we get deeper into awards season, you can see the P.R./Oscar machine begin to go into every possible cranny to get traction.  Stories about the technical aspects of various contenders pop up with more and more frequency.  Case in point is this Variety story focused on the film editing for Morten Tyldum's "The Imitation Game":

http://variety.com/video/editing-the-imitation-game/


AWARDS SEASON OVERLOAD

Does it get overwhelming?  This past ten days or so have seen the announcements of film excellence winners and nominees for the Independent Spirit Awards, Golden Globes, NBR, AFI, New York and Los Angeles Film Critics and the Screen Actors Guild plus more.

Well, fear not.  The Film Society of Lincoln Center has developed an awards matrix.  It's really useful.  Look at it here:

http://www.filmlinc.com/daily/entry/the-awards-matrix-2014


"HATEFUL 8" HAS BEGUN

As had been announced earlier, Quentin Tarantino has begun actual filming of his next (and last project?) "The Hateful Eight" just outside of Telluride.  Star Samuel L. Jackson tweeted  this picture on Wednesday:

That'll do it for today...check back for more on Thursday...

Leviathan Leads London/Trailers for Two/Oscar Matters/News from the Future/Rudderless Reminder

Good Thursday everyone...


LEVIATHAN LEADS LONDON

Russian Foreign Language Oscar entry and Telluride/Cannes hit "Leviathan" continues to impress as it was just named the Best Film at the recently concluded 58th British Film Institutes's London Film Festival.  The Andrey Zvyagintsev directed film was also the Best Screenplay winner at Cannes last May.  The film was a bit of a surprise as Russia's official Oscar entry as it is less than flattering in its depiction of modern day Russia.  I've linked coverage of the London win from HitFix and Variety:


http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/leviathan-takes-best-film-at-the-london-film-festival#Xd5llxLfyeZgDIBb.99

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/russian-oscar-entry-leviathan-takes-top-prize-at-london-film-fest-1201333550/


TRAILERS FOR TWO

Trailers were released this week for two Telluride #41 films, both of them documentaries.  Joshua Oppenheimer's follow up to "The Act of Killing": "The Look of Silence" as well as Chuck Workman's examination of the life and career of Orson Welles: "Magician".  Stories and links to the trailers are here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-new-trailer-for-act-of-killing-followup-the-look-of-silence-plus-18-min-talk-with-director-joshua-oppenheimer-20141021


http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/orson-welles-magician-documentary-astonishing-life-and-work-trailer


OSCAR MATTERS

The latest edition of The Film Awards Clearinghouse is going to be delayed until Monday with my apologies.  Wedding and play competition finally overwhelmed my ability to have that ready for today.  To tide you over until Monday's post I have linked Scott Feinberg's latest Feinberg Forecast from The Hollywood Reporter here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/feinberg-forecast-oscar-landscape-post-741955


NEWS FROM THE FUTURE

Two projects that I am following had news this week.. The Coen Brothers added more cast members to their next project, "Hail Caesar" and Quentin Tarantino is a step closer to filming his next opus, "The Hateful Eight" just outside Telluride.  Here are stories about each announcement via The Hollywood Reporter and Tempo:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/coen-brothers-hail-caesar-adds-741718

http://entertainment.tempo.com.ph/2014/10/tarantino-film-gets-permit-to-use-telluride-ranch/


RUDDERLESS REMINDER

William H. Macy's Oklahoma filmed and written directing debut "Rudderless" continues its run as it expends into more markets and theaters this week as well is available on demand. Check it out.





That's all for now.  More on Monday...

Five Future Films/And Then There's Another/MCN's Latest Gurus/Birdman Poster and Images/Latest Screen Talk

FIVE FUTURE FILMS THAT COULD PLAY TELLURIDE

Alejandro Inarritu

I'm always on the lookout for announcements of future film projects that seem to me to have the potential to end up in Telluride over Labor Day weekend.  I'll collect some of the posts and press material when I stumble across that kind of thing and hoard it.  Now that we're almost a month removed for the 41st edition of TFF, I thought that I might as well drag some of those out and post the some of the info that's been out there.  So, without further adieu, here are ten films that have been announced that could end up at a future Telluride Film Fest:

1) "The Revenant". Director: Alejandro Inarritu and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  A revenge western.  Reason for a TFF play: Inarritu.  The Oscar nominated director has played Telluride with three straight films: "Babel", "Biutiful" and "Birdman".  A couple of sticking points:  Will it be done in time?  It's set for a Dec. 25th release in 2015 and the distributor is 20th Century Fox which has a spotty record at Telluride at best.  Here are your "Revenant" posts:

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/scorseses-silence-inarritus-the-revenant-both-arrive-in-2015/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/inarritus-revenant-starring-dicaprio-hardy-set-christmas-2015/

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/tom-hardy-confirmed-to-join-leonardo-dicaprio-in-the-revenant-1201255146/

http://www.thewrap.com/were-the-millers-star-will-poulter-joining-leonardo-dicaprio-in-the-revenant/

And the IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663202/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_2

Sir Ian as "Mr. Holmes"

2) "Mr. Holmes". Director: Bill Condon.  Starring: Ian McKellan and Laura Linney.  Reasons it would play Telluride:  Condon and Linney who have been at Telluride in the past with "Kinsey" in 2004.  Linney has also been a Telluride presence in "Jindabayne", "The Savages" and "Hyde Park on Hudson".  Additionally, the film is being co-distributed by Roadside Attractions whose TFF profile grew to three films this year and one of the Production companies is See Saw Films which has had a high profile Telluride presence in recent years with films: "The King's Speech", "Shame" and "Tracks".

"Mr. Holmes" links:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/ian-mckellen-mr-holmes-us-distribution-1201296769/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/first-look-ian-mckellen-sherlock-holmes-bill-condons-mr-sherlock/

"Mr. Holmes" IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3168230/?ref_=nv_sr_1

From IndieWire; Trumbo and Cranston

3) "Trumbo" Director: Jay Roach.  Starring: Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, John Goodman.  Reasons ot would play Telluride:  Well, there really aren't ANY.  No history with this director.  As a matter of fact, Jay Roach's resume is odd.  He has a couple of quality HBO gigs under his belt: "Game Change"  and "Recount" but he also is the director of such "classics" as all three "Austin Powers" films as well as a couple of the "Fockers" franchise.

The listed U.S. distributor for "all media" via IMDb is Bleeker Street.  It's listed as exactly their fourth feature to distribute.  The other three: "Pawn Sacrifice" (Ed Zwick's Bobby Fischer/Boris Spassky flick), "Danny Coliins" (from Dan Fogelman) and "Captain Fantastic" (from Matt Ross).  So there's no TFF history there.

The film's production companies don't have any Telluride connection either.  IMDb lists Groundswell Productions (no T-ride past), Inimitable Pictures (ditto) and ShivHans Pictures (the same).

So, why is it on my list?  Because I think a Dalton Trumbo biopic starring Bryan Cranston in the title role sounds like a perfect fit for Telluride if it's well executed.  If Roach is in "Game Change/Recount" mode, then I could see this being a part of the TFF #42 lineup.

Here's some of the stories that have come out about "Trumbo":

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hobbit-actor-play-kirk-douglas-734744

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/casting-mike-epps-frontrunner-for-richard-pryor-biopic-daisy-ridley-returning-for-star-wars-8-9-and-more-20140811

http://www.thewrap.com/john-goodman-in-talks-to-join-bryan-cranston-in-jay-roachs-trumbo-exclusive/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bryan-cranston-star-as-blacklisted-631845

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/bobby-cannavale-joins-pacino-de-niro-in-martin-scorseses-gangster-picture-the-irishman-20140909


"Trumbo's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3203606/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_2

From projectcasting.com: The novel and Affleck

4) "Live by Night" Director: Ben Affleck.  Starring: Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Elle Fanning and Sienna Miller.  Affleck returns to a Dennis Lehane story for this film.  Lehane wrote the novel that was the basis for Affleck's first directing experience, "Gone Baby Gone".  This story is set in the Prohibition era and features cops and gangsters.

Why Telluride?  Affleck and Warner Bros. cannot be unhappy with the way Affleck's last directing gig turned out.  "Argo" launched at Telluride and went on to win three Academy Awards including Best Picture.  That's enough for me to think that they may want to try the same path in 2015 or 2016 (IMDb lists its  domestic release on Oct. 7, 2016 but a number of the posts you'll look at below say it'll be out at the end of 2015).  TFF #42 or #43 could be a very real scenario.

Posts about "Live by Night":

http://www.thewrap.com/ben-afflecks-live-night-hit-theaters-christmas-day-2015/

http://www.slashfilm.com/ben-afflecks-live-by-night-will-shoot-this-fall/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ben-affleck-returns-to-dennis-lehane-territory-eyes-live-by-night-as-next-directorial-outing-20121011


The IMDb page for "Live by Night": http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2361317/?ref_=ttrel_rel_tt


5) Danny Boyle's next project...Boyle has a couple of potential projects bouncing about.  There's "Porno", sequel to his acclaimed "Trainspotting" and then there's the untitled film that centers on the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match between Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs.  "Porno" seems to be closer to actually being on the tracks to being made.  Either way, it seems that Boyle would be a likely candidate to return to Telluride after very successful trips there in 2008 with eight time Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire" and then again in 2010 with "127 Hours" which was nominated for six Academy Awards.  If Fox Searchlight gets involved, that would further increase the chances that we'd see the film in T-ride as they were distributors for both "Slumdog" and "127 Hours".

Here's some press about "Porno":

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27293478

http://www.moviereviewworld.com/news/irvine-welsh-confirms-trainspotting-2-film-sequel-works/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-1-hour-talk-with-danny-boyle-mark-kemode-physicist-brian-cox-about-sunshine-20140211


and other posts about the possible "Battle of the Sexes":

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/danny-boyle-to-direct-film-about-1973-battle-of-the-sexes-tennis-match-between-billie-jean-king-bobby-riggs-20140219

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/19/danny-boyle-biopic-billie-jean-king-film-battle-of-the-sexes

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/danny-boyle-working-on-a-billie-jean-king-bobby-riggs-tennis-drama/

 "Porno's" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2763304/?ref_=nv_sr_2



AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER

It's been rumored for awhile and though still not confirmed, it appears to be very close to that.  We're talking the possibility/probability of Quentin Tarantino shooting seven weeks for his next film "The Hateful Eight" near Telluride.

You have to also think that if he does shoot there that he'd maybe want to play the film there as a part of TFF #42.  I've actually seen a couple of people suggest that possibility in correspondence.

According to the linked story below from the Denver Business Journal, the film would begin shooting in the San Juans in December if all the pieces fall into place.  Further, the film is being produced and will be distributed domestically by The Weinstein Company which just came off a triumphant set of screenings of "The Imitation Game" at last month's film fest.  The film is planned to have a late 2015 release.  It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins and Bruce Dern among others.

Check the Denver Business Journal story here:

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2014/09/26/embargoed-until-9-05-a-mcolorado-expecting-to-have.html

another story from The Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_26611060/quentin-tarantino-set-shoot-hateful-eight-colorado


"The Hateful Eight's" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3460252/?ref_=ttfc_ql


MCN'S LATEST GURUS

The Gurus of Gold have been polled post fall festival season and just prior to this past weekend's kickoff of the New York Film Festival.  They have "boyhood" at the top followed by "The Imitation Game" and "Birdman".  Take a look at that here (as well as some interesting numbers concerning actors and bumps that may have happened as a result of festival plays):

http://moviecitynews.com/2014/09/gurus-o-gold-pre-venicetelluridetoronto-best-picture-field-2/


'BIRDMAN" POSTER AND IMAGES

New images and a new poster for Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman" emerged at the beginning of the weekend.  The poster you see above.  Here are accompanying stories from Vulture.com and The Playlist:

http://www.vulture.com/2014/09/check-out-the-brand-new-birdman-poster.html

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/exclusive-new-images-from-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-birdman-20140926


LATEST SCREEN TALK

Check here for the latest edition of Anne Thompson and Eric Kohn's Screen Talk podcast as the duo tackle the early info from the New York Film Festival and the ever evolving Oscar race:


http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/screen-talk-new-york-film-festival-preview-20140926


More on Thursday...

Focus on Focus/All Django/Master Trailers Reviewed

Good Tuesday All!

38th Telluride Film Fest favorite and Best Picture Oscar winner "The Artist" is available today on VD and Blu Ray.  Check it out.

FOCUS ON FOCUS

Today I begin the breakdown of some of the "usual suspects" in as far as film companies that produce and/or distribute and are, at least sometimes, players at the Telluride Film Festival.  This week I'll be focusing on domestic companies and specifically today on Focus Features.

Focus has had what I would term a "modest" Telluride relationship in the recent past.  It has been represented there previously and in some years has been fairly prevalent.  There have also been some years where Focus has been absent altogether.

Here's the recent Focus films that have been in Telluride's lineup:

As distributor:

2007: Into the Wild
2006: Catch a Fire
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries, House of Flying Daggers
2003: Lost in Translation

As production company:
2010: Bitiful, Another Year

As you can see.  Focus doesn't play every year at T-ride and doesn't play "big" (I define "big" as 3 or more films).

So what does Focus have in store for this year that might tempt the Telluride programmers?

They're distributing Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina" and Roger Michell's "Hyde Park on Hudson".  They're producing and distributing the Gus Van Sant directed Matt Damon and John Krasinski authored and starrer "Promised Land" which IMDb lists in post-production but which at least film news outlet thinks might be ready for fall festivals and Oscar consideration.

Of the three "Hyde Park on Hudson" is almost a lock I think.  It's directed by Roger Michell (TFF's in 1995 for "Persuasion", 2004 for "Enduring Love" and 2006 with "Venus") and stars Laura Linney (tributed at TFF in 2004 (Kinsey and P.S.) and returning to Telluride with films or as a part of their guest list in 2006 (Jindabayne), 2007 (The Savages), 2008, 2009 and 2010).

In all likelihood "Hyde Park" is the lone representative from Focus Features at Telluride this year.

If there is a second, it's probably more likely to be "Promised Land" if it's ready.  Director Gus Van Sant has had some Telluride experience in the past...but it's been a good while (1995 To Die For, 2003 Elephant).

"Anna Karenina" is the least likely, though not completely impossible.  Joe Wright's career is young enough not to have a long track record of films to have even been considered for Telluride.  In AK's favor, I suppose, is the fact that TFF programmers have enjoyed programming films that star Keira Knightley as of late: 2011: "A Dangerous Method" and in 2010: "Never Let Me Go".

Tomorrow a look at Fox Searchlight.


ALL DJANGO ALL THE TIME

If you're breathlessly awaiting the arrival of Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" then you need to go to this website now:
http://ht.ly/bOd27

Links to pictures, logo, trailer and a ton of other stuff on this "Webmasters Toolkit".

There is a lot of stuff here...


THE MASTER'S TRAILERS REVIEWED?

Yes indeed and by a real film critic.  David Thomson spends a significant amount of time breaking down the two teasers that we have seen come forth for Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master".  The article is for The New Republic.  Check it here:
http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/104329/paul-thomas-anderson-the-master-trailers-scientology-film

Trailers:

More later...

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