Shoplifters Arrives / Destroyer Clip / Deadline Interviews: Grant and Jackman / The Wrap Talks with Ali Abbasi

Happy Thanksgiving everyone...grateful to have you along for a look at what's in MTFB today.


SHOPLIFTERS ARRIVES

Hirokazu Kore-eda's Cannes Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters opens in the U.S. this holiday weekend.  The TFF #45 entrant has been a critical smash and has become one of the few films thought to be able to challenge for the foreign language Oscar against Alfonso Cuaron's Roma Pawel Pawlikowki's Cold War.

As you might expect, with its U.S. release, there has been, over the past few days, a glut of news and interviews surrounding the film.

Included in that is this David Ehrlich interview for Indiewire.

Awards Daily also provided the route to a new clip released for the film which is here from YouTube:

DESTROYER CLIP

Nicole Kidman makes a play for inclusion as Best Actress with her turn as a detective seeking redemption in Karyn Kusama's Destroyer.  The film is set to open on Dec. 25th.  Annapurna pictures previewed a new clip from the film this week via Indiewire.

The link to that story from Zach Sharf and clip is here.

Destroyer's official trailer is here from YouTube:

DEADLINE INTERVIEWS: GRANT AND JACKMAN

Deadline.com has a couple of interviews of recent vintage that focus on participants from TFF #45.

Joe Utichi talks to Richard E. Grant for Can You Ever Forgive Me?  That's linked here.

And Utichi also filed this interview with Hugh Jackman who plays Sen. Gary Hart in The Front Runner.  You can find that here.

AND THE WRAP TALKS WITH ALI ABBASI

Continuing the string of interviews with TFF #45 personal, here's an interview from this week conducted by Steve Pond of The Wrap with Ali Abbasi, the director and co-writer of Cannes Un Certain Regard winner Border.

That interview is accessed here.

That's your Turkey Day MTFB.  Have a great holiday and I'll have more on Monday including some new Oscar predictions/updates.

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

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One Half Million / Roma Has a New Trailer / Richard E. Grant Talks Can You Ever Forgive Me? / Aretha at a Film Fest Finally

It's a hallmark Thursday for MTFB.

ONE HALF MILLION

That's how many views that Michael's Telluride Film Blog has had.  MTFB crossed that threshold on Wednesday.

500,000 views.

I have said before that I realize that in the larger world of the internet, half a million views is a drop n the proverbial bucket but for a blog run out of my home office in the Panhandle of Oklahoma and which is the absolute definition of a niche site...well...it boggles my mind.  I am 100% fully boggled.

Of course, that demands a "thank you" from me to all of the people who have embraced the thing.  It also amazes me to find out who tells me that they read it when I run into so many of you at the festival each year.

I'd like to be able to tell you that's it's all for you readers but that would be disingenuous.  It's for me and to feed my obsession but it is particularly gratifying that there are so many of you out there that take the time to foster my obsession with your attention.

I can say that if an audience hadn't developed for it over the years (and it's just over a decade that I've been doing the thing...first post was Aug. 8, 2008) that I wouldn't have continued these ramblings.

I hope that over the years and the half a million views that you have enjoyed what has been written here and also found it informative.  Maybe even fun.

Again, thanks all and now on to 1,000,000!


ROMA HAS A NEW TRAILER

Ahead of its release in theaters in a limited Oscar qualifying run on Nov. 21st and its Netflix streaming release on Dec. 14th, Alfonso Cuaron's Roma has a new trailer which was unveiled on Tuesday.

Here that is from YouTube:

I have also linked the Indiewire story reporting on the release of the trailer here.



RICHARD E. GRANT TALKS ABOUT CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

Writing for The Film Stage Joshua Encinias talked recently with Richard E. Grant who is fantastic as Melissa McCarthy's partner in crime in Marielle Heller's Can You Ever Forgive Me?  The film was embraced warmly by Telluride 2018 patrons including myself.  I personally thought it was in the top five of the films I caught this year at TFF #45 (It finished rated #8 among The People's Telluride, #5 among The Professionals and #5 in The Composite ratings).

Grant's interview can be accessed here.


ARETHA AT A FILM FEST FINALLY

Amazing Grace will finally bow at a film festival it just won't be at Telluride.  After two failed attempts to secure the documentary about Aretha Franklin's legendary live recording of her album Amazing Grace (in both 2015 and 2016) for the Telluride Film Festival, it was announced Tuesday that the film will play as a part of the AFI Fest tonight in Los Angeles.

Wish I was going to be there.

That story from Variety is linked here.



That's your milestone MTFB for this Thursday.  I'll have the start of the next half million views for you on Monday!  Thanks again!


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

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Oscar Predictions Update: Supporting Actress and Actor / TFF #45 Represents in the European Film Awards Noms / Time Breaks Down the Story of The Front Runner / Indiewire Focuses on Free Solo and Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Howdy everyone.  Welcome back from the weekend.


OSCAR PREDICTIONS UPDATE: SUPPORTING ACTRESS AND ACTOR

Here's MTFB's latest set of predictions for Best Supporting Actress and Actor updating the last shot I took at them from Oct. 22nd.

The new rankings list the performer's last position and, as always, TFF #45 performers are Bold.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS


1) Regina King/If Beale Street Could Talk (1)
2) Emma Stone/The Favourite (3)
3) Claire Foy/First Man (2)
4) Nicole Kidman/Boy Erased (4)
5) Rachel Wiesz/The Favourite (5)

In the Mix: Amy Adams/Vice, Emily Blunt/A Quiet Place, Elizabeth Debicki/Widows, Marina DeTaviria/Roma, Linda Cardellini/Green Book


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) Mahershala Ali/Green Book (1)
2) Sam Elliott/A Star Is Born (3)
3) Richard E. Grant/Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2)
4) Timothee Chalamet/Beautiful Boy (4)
5) Adam Driver/BlacKkKlansman (-)

In the Mix: Sam Rockwell/Vice, Michael B. Jordan/Black Panther, Russell Crowe/Boy Erased, Daniel Kaluuya/Widows


TFF#45 REPRESENTS IN THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Several films from the 2018 edition of the Telluride Film Festival made their presence known as the European Film Awards nominations were announced.  TFF #45 films pulled in 16 total nominations with an additional nomination for a TFF #44 film.

Cold War led the way with five nominations for Best European Film, Direction, Actress, Actor and Screenwriting.

Both Border and Dogman garnered four nominations each.  For Border they were: Best European Film, Direction, Actress and Screenwriting.  For Dogman: Best European Film, Direction, Actor and Screenwriting.

Girl was nominated in three categories: Best European Film, Direction and Actor.

TFF #44's Foxtrot was nominated for Best Direction.

Here, from the official EFA website, is the complete list of nominees.


TIME BREAKS DOWN THE STORY OF THE FRONT RUNNER

With The Front Runner's  limited release on election day last week and its imminent expansion at hand, Time.com posted a look at the story of Sen. Gary Hart's run for President in 1987 (for the '88 election) that is the basis for the film.

Time establishes a timeline for all of the key moments that occurred and assesses those events.

That story is linked here.



INDIEWIRE FOCUSES ON FREE SOLO AND CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

Indiewire this past week included in their IDA Screening Series a conversation with the people behind Free Solo.  That video can be found in this story.

Meanwhile, Indiewire's Toolkit podcast this week included Can You Ever Forgive Me? Director Marielle Heller.  That podcast is linked here.


That's a wrap for this Monday's MTFB.  I'll have more for you on Thursday.

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

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Updated Oscar Predictions: The Supporting Races / Gotham Awards Nominations Revealed / Coverage for Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Welcome Back from the weekend.  It's Monday...all...day...


UPDATED OSCAR PREDICTIONS: THE SUPPORTING RACES

Here's the latest of my Oscar predictions for the Supporting Acting categories.  The last pass at these categories was Oct. 4th. 

Each prediction is followed by its previous position 0n Oct. 4th in parentheses.  Telluride performances are in Bold. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1) Regina King/Beale Street (2)
2) Claire Foy/First Man (1)
3) Emma Stone/The Favourite (4)
4) Nicole Kidman/Boy Erased (3)
5) Rachel Weisz/The Favourite (5)

Others: Amy Adams/Vice, Marina de Tavira/Roma, Tomasin McKenzie/Leave No Trace, Elizabeth Debecki/Widows


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) Mahershala Ali/Green Book (1)
2) Richard E. Grant/Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2)
3) Sam Elliott/A Star Is Born (4)
4) Timothee Chalamet/Beautiful Boy (3)
5) Sam Rockwell/Vice (5)

Others: Michael B. Jordan/Black Panther, Russell Crowe/Boy Erased, Adam Driver/BlacKkKlansman, Nicholas Hoult/The Favourite

Meanwhile, after having told everyone that a new Gurus of Gold would be up at Movie City News last Friday, it seems that I was premature and that the newest Gurus will post sometime this week.

I'll let you know when I know.



GOTHAM AWARDS NOMINATIONS REVEALED

Telluride films from both TFF #45 and TFF #44 scored well as the Gotham Awards nominations were announced this past week.  The Gothams focus on rewarding excellence in independent film making.

Both The Favourite (TFF #45) and First Reformed (TFF#44) were out front with three nominations each.

The Favourite had nominations for Best Feature, Best Screenplay and a Special Award for the three actresses that are highlighted in the film: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz.

First Reformed was nominated for Best Feature, Best Screenplay and Ethan Hawke for Best Actor.

Chole Zhao's The Rider (also from TFF #44) was nominated for Best Feature.

Richard E. Grant was nominated for Best Actor for TFF #45 favorite Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Yalitza Aparicio was nominated for Breakthrough Performance for Alfonso Cuaron's Roma.

Here is the complete rundown of nominees from Indiewire.



LOTS OF COVERAGE FOR CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

With its limited release this week, we saw a real surge in profiles, interviews and other pieces about Marielle Heller's Can You Ever Forgive Me? starring Oscar contenders Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant.

Indiewire

Entertainment Weekly

Time

That's today's MTFB.  I have more for you on Thursday.


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

TWITTER @Gort2 (and follow me there as well)

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First Oscar Predictions for 2018-Part Two / Peterloo Moves / Lowery Talks The Old Man

Hello on this first Thursday in October!


FIRST OSCAR PREDICTIONS FOR 2018-PART TWO

Continuing from Monday's post, here are my first attempts at parsing the Oscar nominees for the Supporting Acting and Screenplay categories.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Emma Stone in The Favourite

1) Claire Foy/First Man
2) Regina King/Widows
3) Nicole Kidman/Boy Erased
4) Emma Stone/The Favourite
5) Rachel Wiesz/The Favourite

Others: Olivia Colman/The Favourite***, Marina deTavira/Roma, Amy Adams/Vice, Michelle Yeoh/Crazy Rich Asians, Elizabeth Debicki/Widows

***depending on category placement

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Me with Richard E. Grant of Can You Ever Forgive Me?

1) Mahershala Ali/Green Book
2) Richard E. Grant/Can You Ever Forgive Me?
3) Timothee Chalamet/Beautiful Boy
4) Sam Elliott/A Star Is Born
5) Sam Rockwell/Vice

Others: Michael B. Jordan/Black Panther, John C. Reilly/Stan and Ollie, Adam Driver/BlackKklansman, Joel Edgerton/Boy Erased

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1) Roma
2) Green Book
3) The Favourite
4) Eighth Grade
5) First Reformed

Others: Vice, A Quiet Place, Ben Is Back, Stan and Ollie


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

1) If Beale Street Could Talk
2) First Man
3) Can You Ever Forgive Me?
4) BlackKklansman
5) Boy Erased

Others: A Star Is Born, Widows, The Front Runner, Wildlife, Beautiful Boy


The TFF #45 breakdown should the predictions in these four categories be 100% accurate:

The Favourite (3): Stone and Wiesz/Supporting Actress and Original Screenplay
First Man (2): Foy/Supporting Actress and Adapted Screenplay
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2): Grant/Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay
Roma (1) Original Screenplay
Boy Erased (2) Kidman/Supporting Actress and Adapted Screenplay

Also additional possibilities:

The Favourite (1): Colman/Supporting Actress
Roma (1) deTavira/Supporting Actress
Boy Erased (1): Edgerton/Supporting Actor
The Front Runner (1): Adapted Screenplay


AND...added to Monday's totals, the accumulated predictions for the eight major categories are:

The Favourite-6
First Man-5
Can You Ever Forgive Me?-4
Roma-3
Boy Erased-3

Added Possibilities:

The Front Runner-3
Boy Erased-2
Roma-2
The Favourite-1
Destroyer-1

And from TFF #44

First Reformed is predicted to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Ethan Hawke is a possible nominee for Best Actor.


PETERLOO MOVES

It was announced on Tuesday that Mike Leigh's Peterloo, which played TFF #45 as well as Venice, Toronto and will play as past of the BFI London Fest, will move its release date .  The film was scheduled to be released in the U.S. on Nov. 9th but now Amazon Studios has pushed the release date to April 5, 2019.

The distributor also said that the film will be released this fall in the U.K. so that it will qualify for the BAFTAs.

The film has had something of a rough go this year as it was reportedly not chosen for Cannes.  At Telluride last month the response to my polls of both fest-goers and industry professionals revealed that Peterloo didn't draw enough respondents from either group to merit including it in the ratings lists.

Peterloo details the true story of a Labor movement in Britain in August of 1819 that was organized to gain the right to vote.  That resulted in the deaths of 15 people with another 400 injured as the in an action taken by the cavalry that has become known as the Peterloo Massacre.

For more details concerning the delay of its release, here is the link to the story from The Hollywood Reporter.



LOWERY TALKS THE OLD MAN

Chris O'Falt at Indiewire posted his latest Toolkit podcast this week.  His guest is The Old Man and The Gun director David Lowery.  Lowery also adapted the screenplay from an article by David Grann from his New Yorker article.  Grann was also represented at Telluride by Trial by Fire, also based on another of his New Yorker articles.

Lowery spends some time talking about the making of the film which may or may not but probably is Robert Redford's last acting gig.

The story and the link to the podcast are here.


More to come on Monday.


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

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TFF #45 Comes to a Close / The People's Telluride Reminder-It Is Time!

TFF #45 COMES TO A CLOSE

Here's a brief post from the road as I return from Film Heaven to the real world.

Final film tally: 10 (in no specific order)

The Old Man and the Gun
First Man
Destroyer
Boy Erased
The Favourite
The Front Runner
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Roma
Cold War
White Boy Rick

For me it's a fest that ends up in the middle of the pack as far as the 13 I have attended (2007 still sets the bar).  Personal favorites from the weekend were First Man, Boy Erased,  Can You Ever Forgive Me? and The Front Runner.

Highlights included talking with Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant about their marvelous performances in Can You Ever Forgive Me?  Comforting Laura Dern after Boy Erased (yes, that really happened).  Getting the chance to congratulate Jason Reitman and co-screen writer Jay Carson for their work on The Front Runner.  Walking out of The Zog next to the luminous Nicole Kidman and meeting or re-acquainting with so many fine folks that seem to take the time to read the space.

Sincerely, I am stunned when I meet readers and they are so kind.

Got to see/hear Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek, Casey Affleck, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton, Emma Stone, Hugh Jackman, Matthew McConaughey, Alfonso Cuaron, Jason Reitman, Karyn Kusama and Yann Demange talk about their films.

Also caught sight of Ralph Fiennes, Damien Chazelle, Kathleen Kennedy, Jay Carson, Matt Bai, David Grann, Jimmy Chin, Ken Burns and, of course, Werner Herzog

I say it every year...this doesn't happen anywhere else on the planet.

Telluride Film Festival...I love you!


THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE REMINDER- IT IS TIME!

For the seventh consecutive year MTFB is soliciting your input for The People's Telluride.  All you have to do is report to me your assessment of each film on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "UGH!" and 5 being "GREAT".

Send those ratings to me in any of the following ways listed as contact info for me listed below.

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

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