And Now for 2015: The Film Awards Clearinghouse Vol. 7 (21 Major Categories)/The Telluride #41 Oscar Breakdown/Updating the Opening T-ride #42 Salvo/Rudderless Kudos

Welcome to the first Monday of 2015...feels like it, doesn't it?

AND NOW FOR 2015: THE FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE VOL. 7 (21 MAJOR CATEGORIES)

Ten days from Oscar nominations and here's the most complete FAC of the season.   I'll try to get the Short Form Films before the nomination announcement.

The FAC uses the published predictions of the following to develop its list of likely Oscar nominees:

Kristopher Tapley/InContention/HitFix
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Bred Brevet/Rope of Silicon
Nathaniel Rogers/Film Experience
Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood
Peter Knegt/IndieWire
Clayton Davis/Awards Circuit
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter

Telluride #41 films are Bold (with their last rating in parentheses were applicable).


BEST PICTURE

1) Boyhood (1)
2) Birdman (2)
3) The Imitation Game (3)
4) Selma (4)
5) The Theory of Everything (5)
6) The Grand Budapest Hotel (6)
7) Whiplash (7)
8) Unbroken (9)
9) Gone Girl (10)

Note here:  The Academy has nominated nine films in each of the last three years, so I'm calling this the cutoff point for a Best Picture nomination.  The other BP possibilities are:

10) Foxcatcher (8)
11) Nightcrawler (12)
12) Into the Woods (11)
13) American Sniper (NR)
14) Interstellar (13)
15) Mr. Turner (14)

Hot: "American Sniper" apparently has set well with some Academy screenings.

Not: "Foxcatcher" which seems to be too "cool" in tone and "A Most Violent Year".


DIRECTION

1) Richard Linklater/Boyhood (1)
2) Alejandro G. Inarritu/Birdman
3) Ava DuVernay/Selma (3)
4) Morten Tyldum/The Imitation Game (4)
5) Wes Anderson/The Grand Budapest Hotel (5)
6) David Fincher/Gone Girl (6)
7) Damien Chazelle/Whiplash (7)
8) Bennett Miller/Foxcatcher (8)
9) Clint Eastwood (NR)
10) Angelina Jolie/Unbroken (9)

Hot: Eastwood...underscoring the positive buzz around "Sniper"

Not: James Marsh/The Theory of Everything.


BEST ACTOR

1) Michael Keaton/Birdman (1)
2) Eddie Redmayne/The Theory of Everything (2)
3) David Oyelowo/Selma (4)
4) Benedict Cumberbatch/The Imitation Game (3)
5) Jake Gyllenhaal/Nightcrawler (6)
6) Steve Carell/Foxcatcher (5)
7) Timothy Spall/Mr. Turner (7)
8) Ralph Fiennes/The Grand Budapest Hotel (8)
9) Bradley Cooper/American Sniper (NR)
10) Oscar Isaac/A Most Violent Year (9)

Hot: Cooper/Sniper

Not: Chadwick Boseman/Get on Up


BEST ACTRESS

1) Julianne Moore/Still Alice (1)
2) Reese Witherspoon/Wild (2)
3) Felicity Jones/The Theory of Everything (3)
4) Rosamund Pike/Gone Girl (4)
5) Jennifer Aniston/Cake (5)
6) Marion Cotillard/Two Days, One Night (8)
7) Amy Adams/Big Eyes (6)
8) Hilary Swank/The Homesman (7)
9) Emily Blunt/Into the Woods (9)
10) Shailene Woodley/The Fault in Our Stars (10)

Hot: Cotillard

Not:  Adams and Swank who continue to slide, ever so slightly, out of the picture.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) JK Simmons/Whiplash (1)
2) Edward Norton/Birdman (2)
3) Ethan Hawke/Boyhood (3)
4) Mark Ruffalo/Foxcatcher (4)
5) Robert Duvall/The Judge (5)
6) Josh Brolin/Inherent Vice (8)
7) Tom Wilkinson/Selma (6)
8) Miyavi/Unbroken (9)
9) Christoph Waltz/Big Eyes (7)
10) Chris Pine/Into the Woods (10)

Hot: Brolin

Not: Waltz


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1) Patricia Arquette/Boyhood (1)
2) Meryl Streep/Into the Woods (2)
3) Emma Stone/Birdman (3)
4) Kiera Knightley/The Imitation Game (4)
5) Jessica Chastain/A Most Violent Year (5)
6) Laura Dern/Wild (6)
7) Tilda Swinton/Snowpiercer (8)
8) Naomi Watts/St. Vincent (NR)
9) Carmen Ejogo/Selma (7)
10) Rene Russo/Nightcrawler (NR)

Hot: Wattts and Russo

Not: Ejogo, Anna Kendrick and Chastain's "Interstellar" performance.


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

1) The Imitation Game (3)
2) Gone Girl (2)
3) The Theory of Everything (1)
4) Wild (4)
5) Inherent Vice (6)
6) Unbroken (8)
7) American Sniper (NR)
8) Into the Woods (9)
9) Still Alice (7)
10) Obvious Child (NR)

Hot: The Imitation Game. American Sniper and Obvious Child

Not: The Theory of Everything, Unbroken and Still Alice


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1)  Boyhood (1)
2) Birdman (2)
3) The Grand Budapest Hotel (5)
4)  Whiplash (3)
5) Selma (4)
6) Nightcrawler (NR)
7) Foxcatcher (6)
8) Mr. Turner (8)
9) A Most Violent Year (7)
10) The LEGO Movie (9)

Hot: The Grand Budapest and Nightcrawler

Not: A Most Violent Year and Wild Tales

ANIMATED FEATURE

1) The LEGO Movie

2) How to Train a Your Dragon 2

3) Big Hero 6

4) The Boxtrolls

5) The Story of Princess Kaguya

6) The Book of Life

7) The Song of the Sea

8) Rio 2

9) Cheatin'

10) The Penguins of Madagascar

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

1)  Citizenfour

2) Life Itself

3) Keep On Keepin' On

4) The Last Days of Vietnam

5) The Overnighters

6) The Case Against 8

7) Virunga

8) Finding Vivan Maier

9) Tales of the Grim Sleeper

10) Salt of the Earth

Foreign Language Film

1) Ida (TFF #40)

2) Wild Tales 

3) Force Majeure

4) Leviathan

5) Timbuktu

6) Tangerines

7) The Liberator

8) Accused

9) Corn Island

CINEMATOGRAPHY

1) Birdman

2) Mr. Turner

3) Unbroken

4) Interstellar

5) The Theory of Everything

6) Selma

7) The Grand Budapest Hotel

8) Gone Girl

9) A Most Violent Year

10) Into the Woods

COSTUMES

1) Into the Woods

2) Mr. Turner

3) The Grand Budapest Hotel

4) Malificent

5) Selma

6) Big Eyes

7) The Imitation Game

8) The Theory of Everything

9) Exodus; Gods and Kings

10) Inherent Vice

FILM EDITING

1) Boyhood

2) Birdman

3) The Imitation Game

4) Whiplash

5) Gone Girl

6) Selma

7) Unbroken

8) Foxcatcher

9) Interstellar

10) American Sniper

Makeup/Hair

1) The Grand Budapest Hotel

2) Guardians of the Galaxy

3) Foxcatcher

4) Malificent

5) The Theory of Everything

6) Noah

7) The Amazing Spiderman 2

ORIGINAL SCORE

1) The Theory of Everything

2) The Imitation Game

3) Interstellar

4) Gone Girl

5) Unbroken

6) The Grand Budapest Hotel

7) The Judge

8) The Homesman

9) How to Train Your Dragon 2

10) Fury

ORIGINAL SONG

1) Glory/Selma

2) Lost Stars/Begin Again

3) Everything is Awesome/The LEGO Movie

4) Mercy is/Noah

5) Big Eyes/ Big Eyes

6) Miracle/Unbroken

7) Yellow Flicker Beat/Hunger Games; Mockingjay Part One

8) I'm not Gonna Miss You/Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me

9) Split the Difference/Boyhood

10) Opportunity/Annie

PRODUCTION DESIGN

1) The Grand Budapest Hotel

2) Into the Woods

3) Mr. Turner

4) Birdman

5) The Imitation Game

6) Interstellar

7) Malificent

8) Unbroken

9) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

10) Snowpiercer

SOUND EDITING

1) Interstellar

2) Fury

3) Unbroken

4) Godzilla

5) Birdman

6) American Sniper

7) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

8) Guardians of the Galaxy

9) Transformers 4

10) Into the Woods

SOUND MIXING

1) Into the Woods

2) Unbroken

3) Transformers 4

4) Interstellar

5) Get On Up

6) Fury

7) American Sniper

8) Whiplash

9) Guardians of the Galaxy

10) The Hobbit; The Battle of the Five Armies

VISUAL EFFECTS

1) Interstellar

2) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

3) Guardians of the Galaxy

4) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

5) Godzilla

6) Transformers 4

7) X-Men: Days of Future Past

8) Malificent

9) Captain America; The Winter Soldier

10) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

TELLURIDE #41 OSCAR BREAKDOWN

If The FAC was 100% accurate (and it's NOT...remember, past experience has shown The FAC to be 75-80% accurate on Oscar nomination morning with about 80% of the "misses' coming from the #6 spot in each category...except for Best Picture, of course)...

Anyway, if The FAC is 100% accurate, here's what would be the breakdown on Jan. 15:

Telluride #41 Films would have 28 nominations ("Ida" in foreign film would go back to add to the TFF #40 total...which sits at 34 as a result) with another 12 possibilities.

They'd be spread as such:

"Birdman" Ten nominations (the most of any film and likely the only film with double digit nominations): Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing, Production Design and Sound Editing.  

"The Imitation Game" Eight nominations (the second largest number of nominations of any film):  Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Original Score and Production Design.  It could also be nominated for Best Costumes.

"Mr. Turner" Three nominations: Cinematography, Costumes and Production Design.  "Turner" could also get into the act with nominations for Best Actor and Original Screenplay.

"Foxcatcher" Two nominations: Supporting Actor and Makeup/Hair.  "Foxcatcher" has one of the larger "possibility" profiles of any film with "maybes" for Picture, Director, Actor, Original Screenplay and Film Editing.

"Wild": Two nominations: Actress and Original Screenplay.  Also a "maybe" for: Supporting Actress.

Foreign Films : "Wild Tales" and "Leviathan" with the aforementioned TFF #40 title, "Ida", a likely nominee.

Documentary Feature:  "Keep on Keepin' On" looks like a a nominees with "Tales of the Grim Sleeper" and "Salt of the Earth" as also possibles.  You can semi-add "Life Itself" as it screened in Telluride the night before the festival opened in Elks Park.

Two other TFF titles have possible Oscar nominations.  "The Homesman" is still in the mix for Best Actress and Best Original Score and "Two Days, One Night" could also see a Best Actress nomination for Marion Cotillard.

Non-Telluride films are led by "Boyhood", "Selma", "The Theory of Everything" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" all with six probable nominations.

Expected to get five noms are: "Unbroken", "Interstellar" and "Gone Girl"

Four noms to" "Whiplash" and "Into the Woods"

Two nominations for: "The LEGO Movie", "How to Train Your Dragon 2", "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Godzilla"

The film with most "possible" nominations without currently sitting in ANY nomination spot is "American Sniper" with seven possibilities.  I'll bet it gets some on Jan. 15th.

I'll provide some updates in the next couple of posts on the major categories and a FINAL FAC on Jan 14.

UPDATING THE OPENING T-RIDE #42 SALVO

On Dec. 29th I posted a link to a Jeffrey Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere piece about anticipated films for 2015 and any clues therein about potential TFF #42 titles.  Wells re-visited the topic days later with more film and information, so I'm doing the same.  Wells' updated musings are here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2014/12/2015-trying/

I posted both Inarritu's "The Revenant" and Cooper's "Black Mass" as initial TFF possibilities from Wells' original list.  Now, from his expanded list, let's add:

David Gordon Green's "Our Brand is Crisis".  Warner Brothers is distributing and, as I wrote in the Dec. 29th post, I think WB will back in Telluride this fall with something.  It's also produced, in part, by George Clooney, thereby invoking my "Unified Clooney Theory".

"Demolition" from "Wild" director Jean Marc Vallee and Fox Searchlight.  Jake Gyllenhaal comes to Telluride?  Maybe.  If the film's any good, Gylly could be in serious Oscar consideration again this time next year.

Todd Haynes "Carol" which I mentioned earlier this year as a TFF #41 possibility.  The Weinsteins have the distribution and Haynes played in Telluride in 2007 with "I'm Not Here".  Please invite Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara...thank you.

"The Hateful Eight".  Quentin Tarantino is shooting this outside of Telluride right now.  Weinsteins have the distribution.  Though QT wouldn't normally be on the Telluride potential list, I find it hard to believe that, if it's ready, he'd fail to unveil it in the town that hosted the actual making of the film.

Werner Herzog's "Queen of the Desert"...My expectation at this point is that it'll play either Cannes or Venice and then Telluride.

"Macbeth" from Justin Kurzel, which I had in my 2014 Telluride speculation.  Now, I'm thinking maybe Cannes then Telluride in 2015.  It's also a Weinstein joint.

Also, the gang at HitFix posted their first attempt at laying out 40 films to anticipate for 2015.  You can find it here:

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/2015s-most-anticipated-movies-from-star-wars-to-spectre

Titles included that echo the Wells post:

"Carol"

"The Revenant"

"Black Mass" (listed as "Untitled Whitey Bulger Project)

"The Hateful Eight"

RUDDERLESS KUDOS

William H. Macy's "Rudderless" (and MTFB obsession) made another end of 2014 top ten list.  This one from Zach Hollwedel at The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/zach-hollwedels-top-10-films-of-2014-20141231

1,000 Posts/Variety Series/Sundance Stories

Good Monday Everyone...

A quick note here...Michael's Telluride Film Blog/Film Awards Clearinghouse will not post on Thursday this week or next week. I'll be holidaying on both of those days.  I will post a new MTFB next Monday, Dec. 29th and return to the normal twice a week posting on Monday, Jan. 5th  followed by a new post on Thursday, Jan. 8th.

Of course, if something blog-worthy pops, I could change all that.

Here's todays' MTFB/FAC:

1,000 POSTS

Today's post is MTFB/FAC's 1000th post!  The first post came on August 8, 2008.  Here it is in its entirety:

The festival opens three weeks from today and the Pattersons are uber excited. Last year's fest was such a great experience that we're really looking forward to whatever awaits us in the San Juans in a few days. See you there! When in Telluride, stay at the lovely River Club!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back to today:  This all started with the notion that someone might be able to decipher some of the films that would make the secret lineup each year with enough investigation.  I know I've written this before, but it's still difficult for me to believe that people actually read this; that it's been going for more than six years and that people seem to find it useful.

I'm not sure what the future holds for MTFB/FAC.  If you'd have asked me back in 2008 if it'd still be going 6 years and 1,000 posts later, I probably would have said that was nope, so predicting what happens with it over the next six years...

As always, huge gratitude to the people who have allowed me to indulge in this exercise:  Mitzi and Larry Mallard of Telluride who have made my attendance at the festival possibly each year since 2006.  Passes for me and my wife, Kristy, as well as sumptuous lodging for us and our guests for nine straight fests.  I'm guessing that the monetary value of this generosity would be around $100,000. You kids have changed my life.

Thanks also to the staff of TFF especially over the last four fests that MTFB/FAC has been accredited as a part of the official TFF press corps.  A specific shout out to Erica Gioga, Shannon Mitchell and Julie Huntsinger for their graciousness each time I've talked with them.

Thanks to the great friends that we have made along the way including those of you who attended the "Guide to the Ride" meet-ups in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

To those of you who have read and supported this experiment, my gratitude.  It means more to me than you can imagine when someone who reads the blog comes up to me at the fest to say hello.  It also constantly amazes me.

And finally, the biggest "thank you" to my wife and biggest fan, Kristy...at least I think she's the biggest fan.  She's endured this obsession of mine with patience and support for six years. Thank you!

Another six years and a 2,000th post?  Who knows, but I'm going to try.

VARIETY SERIES

Variety has been publishing/posting a series of conversations between people who are likely Oscar contenders which has necessarily included a number of Telluride #41 film participants.  You might have seen my link in an earlier post to the convo featuring Edward Norton (Birdman) and Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game).  There have been more and I have included links to several with T-ride connections here:

Michael Keaton (Birdman) and Reese Witherspoon (Wild):

http://variety.com/video/actors-on-actors-reese-witherspoon-and-michael-keaton-full-video/


Hilary Swank (The Homesman) and Tilda Swinton (TFF 2011 Tribute recipient):

http://variety.com/video/actors-on-actors-hilary-swank-and-tilda-swinton-full-video/


Producers Roundtable including producers for: "The Imitation Game", "Wild" and "Foxcatcher":

http://variety.com/video/producers-roundtable-at-the-variety-studio/


Another Variety feature called The Contenders; Directors on Directors has had contemporaries of various Oscar candidates write a bit about them.  Included are Alejandro Inarittu/Birdman (by Alfonso Curaon), Bennett Miller/Foxcatcher (by Andrew Dominik), Tommy Lee Jones/The Homesman (by Ron Shelton), Morten Tyldum/The Imitation Game (by Michael Roskam), Xavier Dolan/Mommy (by Damien Chazelle) and Jean Marc Vallee/Wild (by Jeff Nichols).


http://variety.com/gallery/contenders-directors-on-directors/#!1/birdman-fox/


SUNDANCE STORIES

Announcements within the last ten days about films that will play the Sundance Film Fest in and around Park City, Utah have moved some films that I have thought could be Telluride players into the "not very likely" camp.  "Slow West" (Michael Fassbender) and "True Story" (Jonah Hill, James Franco) have both been named as Sundance premieres.  Sundance founder and recent (2013) Telluride Tribute recipients Robert Redford's "A Walk in the Woods" starring Redford and Nick Nolte and directed by Ken Kwapis will also, unsurprisingly, play Sundance.

I've included some of that coverage here:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/sundance-adds-robert-redford-drama-jonah-hill-and-james-francos-true-story-1201379800/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/a-walk-in-the-woods-true-story-are-also-headed-to-sundance/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/sundance-2015-lineup-includes-slow-west-z-for-zachariah-results-strangerland-and-more-20141203

Film Awards Clearinghouse Vol. 5A: Picture, Director, Actress, Actor/WGA Excludes/Oscar Doc List at 15/NYFCC and NBR Announce

FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE VOL. 5A

Here's the latest FAC focused on Best Picture, Director, Actress and Actor.

The FAC uses the published predictions of the following to develop its list of likely Oscar nominees:

Kristopher Tapley/InContention/HitFix
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Bred Brevet/Rope of Silicon
Nathaniel Rogers/Film Experience
Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood
Peter Knegt/IndieWire
Clayton Davis/Awards Circuit
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter

Telluride #41 films are Bold (with their last rating in parentheses).

BEST PICTURE

1) Boyhood (1)
2) Selma (9)
3) Birdman (2)
4) The Imitation Game (3)
5) The Theory of Everything (4)
6) Unbroken (5)
7) Whiplash (6)
8) Gone Girl (8)
9) Foxcatcher (10)
10) Interstellar (7)
11) American Sniper (12)
12) Into the Woods (13)
13) Mr. Turner (11)
14) A Most Violent Year (14)
15) The Grand Budapest Hotel (15)

Hot: Selma's march to serious contender status is complete as it zooms past a number of serious Best Pic contenders to challenge "Boyhood".

Not: "Interstellar" takes the biggest slide which seems about right to me.  "Mr. Turner" also slides  a good bit.

It'll be interesting to see if this week's awards announcements from the New York critics, the Gotham Awards and The National Board of Review (in addition to the L.A. critics  and The American Film Institutes's list coming this weekend) have an effect when we next post these categories in a couple of weeks.  Additionally, all of the players have now been seen in some form by some people.

I'd expect that "Boyhood", "Birdman" and "A Most Violent Year" have had the best of it from NBR, NYFCC and The Gothams.  NBR's omission of "Theory" and "Selma" is curious.

BEST DIRECTION

Director Morten Tyldum/The Imitation Game

1) Richard Linklater/Boyhood (1)
2) Alejandro Inarritu/Birdman (2)
3) Ava DuVernay/Selma (7)
4) Morten Tyldum/The Imitation Game (3)
5) Angelina Jolie/Unbroken (5)
6) David Fincher (6)
7) Damien Chazelle/Whiplash (8)
8) James Marsh/The Theory of Everything (12)
9) Christopher Nolan/Interstellar (4)
10) Bennett Miller /Foxcatcher (9)

Hot: DuVernay

Not: Nolan

The director's race gives, I think, a real window as to the Best Picture race.  "Selma's" Ava DuVernay has also rocketed from the edge of consideration into the thick of the race.  Meanwhile, Chris Nolan's plunge here is even more precipitous than "Interstellar's" drop in the Best Picture category.


BEST ACTRESS

Hilary Swank/The Homesman

1) Julianne Moore/Still Alice (1)
2) Reese Witherspoon/Wild (2)
3) Felicity Jones/The Theory of Everything (3)
4) Rosamund Pike/Gone Girl (4)
5) Hilary Swank/The Homesman (6)
6) Amy Adams/Big Eyes (5)
7) Emily Blunt/Into the Woods (7)
8) Shailene Woodley/The Fault in Our Stars (8)
9) Jennifer Aniston/Cake (17)
10) Gugu Mbatha-Raw/Belle (12)


Hot:Aniston and Mbatha-Raw.  Aniston rises like a rocket over the last three weeks.  If she continues at this rate, she could sneak into the fifth spot.

Not: Cotillard.  It'll be interesting to see if Cotillard's NYFCC win has an impact on this chart in a couple of weeks.   Chastain also falls out with the realization that her role in "A Most Violent Year" is supporting.


BEST ACTOR

Steve Carell/Foxcatcher

1) Michael Keaton/Birdman (1)
2) Eddie Redmayne/The Theory of Everything (2)
3) Benedcit Cumberbatch/The Imitation Game (3)
4) David Oyelowo/Selma (5)
5) Steve Carell/Foxcatcher (4)
6) Bradley Cooper/American Sniper (8)
7) Timothy Spall/Mr. Turner (6)
8) Oscar Isaac/A Most Violent Year (7)
9) Jake O'Connell/Unbroken (9)
10) Jake Gyllenhaal/Nightcrawler (10)

Hot: Cooper.

Not: Nobody.

It says a lot about the toughness of this category that Oyelowo barely benefits from the rocket ship that "Selma" has become the last couple of weeks.  I'm also interested to see if Spall's NTFCC win translates into increased support.


Next week, the supporting and screenplay updates.


WGA GUIDELINES EXCLUDE SOME SCRIPTS

As is the case every year, some screenplays that will be Oscar eligible are not eligible for the Writers' Guild honors.  InContention posted this story outlining some of the Oscar favorites that won't be a part of the WGA awards: (including Telluride films: "Mr. Turner" and "Wild Tales"

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/exclusive-selma-theory-mr-turner-among-2014-scripts-not-eligible-for-wga-awards


OSCAR DOC LIST IS DOWN TO 15

The Academy pared the number of possible Best Documentary nominees to a list of 15 films this week.  I have linked Variety's story that provides the list of 15.  On the list are three TFF #41 films: "Keep on Keepin' On", "Tales of the Grim Sleeper" and "The Salt of the Earth".  Also included is "Jodorowsky's Dune" which was on the program at TFF #40.

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/15-documentaries-land-on-oscars-short-list-1201368807/


AWARDS REVIEW FROM THIS WEEK:  NYFCC AND NBR



Here's a re-post of results from the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review from earlier this week":

New York Film Critics Circle 2014 Awards

Best Animated Feature: “The Lego Movie”

Best Foreign Film: “Ida” (TFF #40)

Best Non-Fiction Film: “Citizenfour”

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons/”Whiplash”

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette/”Boyhood”

Best Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Cinematography: “The Immigrant”

Best Actor: Timothy Spall/”Mr. Turner” (TFF #41)

Best Actress: Marion Cotillard/”The Immigrant” and “Two Days, One Night” (TFF #41)

Best First Film: “The Babadook”

Best Director: Richard Linklater/”Boyhood”

Best Picture: “Boyhood”

NBR'S BEST FILMS OF 2014

Telluride Films are Bold

Best Picture: A Most Violent Year

Top Ten Films:
Boyhood
Birdman
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
American Sniper
Unbroken
Fury
The Lego Movie
Inherent Vice
Nightcrawler

Director: Clint Eastwood/American Sniper

Actor: Oscar Isaac/Most Violent Year and Michael Keaton/Birdman (Tie)

Actress: Julianne Moore/Still Alice

Supporting Actor: Edward Norton/Birdman

Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain/Most Violent Year

Original Screenplay: The Lego Movie

Adapted Screenplay: Inherent Vice

Ensemble: Fury

Breakthrough: Jack O'Connell (Starred Up/Unbroken)

Top Ten Indie Films:

Blue Ruin, Locke, A Most Wanted Man, Obvious Child, The Skeleton Twins, Snowpiercer, Stand Clear of Closing Doors, Starred Up, Still Alice

Foreign Film: Wild Tales

Top Five Foreign Films: Force Majuere, Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem, Leviathan, Two Days One  Night" We Are the Best

Documentary: Life Itself

Top Five Documentaries: Art and Craft, Jodorowsky's Dune, Keep On Keepin' On, The Kill Team, Last Days of Vietnam

Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon 2

NBR Freedom of Expression Awards: Rosewater, Selma

LA AND AFI

I'll post the announcements from both the L.A. critics and The American Film Institute as they happen over the weekend...as always...More then, on Monday...

Bits and Pieces About TFF #41 Films: Crossing the Streams-Birdman and Imitation Game/ Foxcatcher/Wild/The Imitation Game/The Homesman/and Marion Cotillard

Good Monday Everyone and Welcome to Monday...


BITS AND PIECES FROM TFF #41 FILMS:

CROSSING THE STREAMS-BIRDMAN AND IMITATION GAME:



Variety inventively got Benedict Cumberbatch of "The Imitation Game" and Edward Norton from "Birdman" together in its "Actor on Actors" video forum.  See it here:

http://variety.com/video/benedict-cumberbatch-and-ed-norton-actors-on-actors-conversation/

FOXCATCHER

The Playlist's profile of "Foxcatcher" director  Bennett Miller:


http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/bennett-miller-the-invisible-auteur-behind-foxcatcher-moneyball-capote-20141119


WILD

The Playlist talks with the director of "Wild" Jean Marc Vallee about the film.  Check that here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/interview-jean-marc-vallee-talks-shooting-wild-making-playlists-and-the-one-song-he-really-wants-for-a-film-20141121

THE IMITATION GAME

The Weinstein Company has posted this interview on YouTube with Benedict Cumberbatch and Kiera Knightley talking to Walter Issacson:

THE HOMESMAN

Gold Derby posted this interview with "The Homesman" director, co-writer and star Tommy Lee Jones:

http://www.goldderby.com/news/7673/tommy-lee-jones-the-homesman-oscars-hilary-swank-entertainment-13579086-story.html


AND MARION COTILLARD

Marion Cotillard talks to HitFix's Greg Ellwood about "Two Days, One Night" and "Macbeth":

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/marion-cotillard-on-macbeth-i-lost-control-of-everything

A Moment for Mike/Film Awards Clearinghouse Vol. 4B/More "Foxcatcher" Blitz/Starting to Pump for "The Imitation Game"/Hilary Talks "The Homesman"/Coming Attractions: Steve McQueen

Good Thursday Y'all...

A MOMENT FOR MIKE

Word early this morning that visionary director Mike Nichols has died.  Nichols was one of the most important directors that has ever worked this biz.  Among his credits were "The Graduate" (Oscar winner for Best Director) and "Angels in America" both were ground breaking.  I'd place each of those projects on their respective top ten all time lists for their medium.  Then there was "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?".  There was so much more.  In a year that had already produced two gut punches: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Williams...count Nichols death as a third.  He was 83.

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/mike-nichols-graduate-director-dead-at-83-1201360933/

http://www.hitfix.com/news/mike-nichols-director-of-the-graduate-passes-away-at-83

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/movies/mike-nichols-celebrated-director-dies-at-83.html



THE FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE VOL. 4B

Here's the latest FAC focused on the Supporting Acting and Screenplay categories.

The FAC uses the published predictions of the following to develop its list of likely Oscar nominees:

Kristopher Tapley/InContention/HitFix
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Bred Brevet/Rope of Silicon
Nathaniel Rogers/Film Experience
Anne Thompson/Thompson on Hollywood
Peter Knegt/IndieWire
Clayton Davis/Awards Circuit
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter

Telluride #41 films are Bold (with their last rating in parentheses).

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1) Patricia Arquette/Boyhood (1)

2) Kiera Knightley/The Imitation Game (2)

3) Emma Stone/Birdman (3)

4) Meryl Streep/Into the Woods (4)

5) Laura Dern/Wild (5)

6) Jessica Chastain/A Most Violent Year (NR)

7) Jessica Chastain/Interstellar (6)

8) Carmen Ejogo/Selma (7)

9) Kristen Stewart/Still Alice (NR)

10) Katherine Waterston/Inherent Vice (8)

Hot: Chastain/Most Violent...The AFI screening has her knocking on the door of another nomination.  K Stew returns to the top ten for "Still Alice"

Not: Octavia Spencer and Anna Kendrick who both drop from the top ten.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) J.K. Simmons/Whiplash (1)

2) Edward Norton/Birdman (2)

3) Ethan Hawke/Boyhood (4)

4) Mark Ruffalo/Foxcatcher (3)

5) Tom Wilkinson/Selma (5)

6) Miyavi/Unbroken (6)

7) Josh Brolin/Inherent Vice (8)

8) Robert Duvall/The Judge (NR)

9) Christoph Waltz/Big Eyes (7)

10) John Goodman/The Gambler (9)

Hot: Duvall, who makes a return to the top ten.

Not: Waltz and Tyler Perry.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

1) The Theory pf Everything (1)

2) The Imitation Game (2)

3) Gone Girl (3)

4) Unbroken (4)

5) Wild (5)

6) American Sniper (6)

7) Inherent Vice (7)

8) Still Alice (8)

9) Into the Woods (9)

10) Rosewater (10)

Comment: The category hasn't moved in two weeks.  Wow.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1) Boyhood (1)

2) Birdman (2)

3) Whiplash (3)

4) The Grand Budapest Hotel (4)

5) Foxcatcher (5)

6) Mr. Turner (6)

7) Selma (7)

8) A Most Violent Year (8)

9) Interstellar (9)

10) Wild Tales (10)

Comment: Also no movement in this category in the last two weeks.

MORE FOXCATCHER BLITZ

Here are two interviews with writer/director Bennett Miller as the "Foxcatcher" media blitz continues:

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/11/bennett-miller-interview/382742/

http://thedissolve.com/features/interview/818-foxcatcher-director-bennett-miller-on-the-essentia/

STARTING TO PUMP FOR THE IMITATION GAME

With the release of "The Imitation Game" now just days away, that film also is cranking up the P.R. campaign.  I have included interviews and clips with co-stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Kiera Knightley:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/imitation-game-benedict-cumberbatch-explains-749513

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/benedict-cumberbatch-keira-knightley-making-748838

http://news.moviefone.com/2014/11/18/benedict-cumberbatch-imitation-game-clip/


HILARY TALKS THE HOMESMAN

Hilary Swank continues to be a part of the Oscar conversation for her role in Tommy Lee Jones' "The Homesman"  She has consistently been at the #6 spot in the FAC assessment of the Best Actress race.  She talked recently to Gold Derby about the film:

http://www.goldderby.com/news/7653/hilary-swank-the-homesman-tommy-lee-jones-oscars-movies-entertainment-13579086-story.html


COMING ATTRACTIONS: STEVE MC QUEEN AND PAUL ROBESON

Mark it down as a real possibility for TFF #43...Steve McQueen's next feature project appears to be set and it's a film about the life of the legendary Paul Robeson.  The only casting news at this point?  Harry Belafonte will have some role to play.  My question is: "What role will Michael Fassbender play in the film?"  Fassbender has been featured in all three of McQueen's features: "Hunger", "Shame" and "12 Years a Slave" and all three played Telluride.  Here's some of the posts announcing the McQueen/Robeson project:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/steve-mcqueen-teams-with-harry-belafonte-on-paul-robeson-biopic-1201359755/

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/steve-mcqueen-to-direct-film-centered-on-paul-robesons-life

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steve-mcqueen-making-paul-robeson-750183


More on Monday...

Coming Attractions: Bring the Payne; New Jobs/Birdman Flies/Foxcatcher Interview/The Homesman: TLJ and the Times

Welcome one and all to the three dimensional production we'll call Monday...

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Periodically, as you know, I like to highlight some news that comes from the film world about films that may have some possibility of ending up as a part of a Telluride Film Festival of the future (or that I just happen to be captivated by).  There was some news toward the end of last week and over the weekend that fit into that category, so, as you might expect, here it is:



BRING THE PAYNE

Alexander Payne

Director/writer Alexander Payne has become an incredibly consistent part of the Telluride Film Fest landscape over the past five years.  He's guest directed, presented "The Descendants" and "Nebraska" and curated films as well so when news broke this week that he's set to put together his next project my ears perked up.

Announced at the end of last week was "Downsizing" expected to star Matt Damon (more about him in a sentence or two).   The film is described as a social satire that features Damon as a man who is shrunk...("Honey, I Shrunk Matt Damon").

I fully expect that Payne (who co-wrote with frequent collaborator Jim Taylor) and Damon's project will shoot in 2015.  My guess would be a shot at Cannes in May 2016 followed by a Telluride #43 presentation.  I'd also expect Damon to show up in the San Juans as Damon pal George Clooney did for "The Descendants" in 2011 and other pal and fellow member of "The Unified Clooney Theory", Ben Affleck with "Argo" in 2012.

Below are links to the announcement story from Variety, The Playlist, The Wrap, Rope of Silicon and Deadline:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/matt-damon-downsizing-casting-alexander-payne-1201348813/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/matt-damon-to-star-in-alexander-paynes-long-gestating-sci-fi-ish-geopolitical-comedy-downsizing-20141105

http://www.thewrap.com/matt-damon-to-star-in-alexander-paynes-downsizing/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/alexander-paynes-downsizing-finally-moving-forward-matt-damon/

http://deadline.com/2014/11/matt-damon-alexander-payne-downsizing-1201274509/


NEW JOBS

Danny Boyle

Meanwhile, another Telluride favorite, Danny Boyle, is still trying to land the lead for his Steve Jobs biopic as Christan Bale, who appeared to be set to play the title role has left the project.  The hot story over the weekend was that Michael Fassbender might be Boyle's answer.

Other casting rumors focus on Jessica Chastain and Seth Rogen (as Steve Wozniak).

Boyle presented "Slumdog Millionaire" at Telluride in 2008 and "127 Hours" in 2010.  Fassbender was in Telluride for Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" in 2013 and was the star of McQueen's other two T-ride presentations: "Hunger" also in 2008 and "Shame" in 2011.

The script is by Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin.

All of that sounds promising for a Telluride slot.  The fly in the ointment is that the film is currently set for domestic distribution from Columbia which has no history to speak of with TFF...

Still, a guy can hope and maybe this is finally the film that gets Jessica Chastain to T-ride.  Please!

Here's some of the hubbub about the Fassbender possibility from Variety and The Playlist:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/michael-fassbender-in-talks-to-play-steve-jobs-in-biopic-1201346741/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/michael-fassbender-now-eyed-to-play-steve-jobs-in-danny-boyles-jobs-20141104


BIRDMAN FLIES

Michael Keaton and Edward Norton in "Birdman"

Alejandro G. Inarittu's "Birdman" continues to soar and expand to more theaters.  As it does so, Fox Searchlight continues to feed the P.R. machine and sometimes in very, very clever ways.

The first article below from Entertainment Weekly focuses on the play within the film that serves as the vehicle for Riggan Thompson's (Michael Keaton) possible redemption.

The second article takes a look at the trickier involved in the mind-blowing editing and cinematography involved to create the illusion that film looks like a series of incredibly long takes.

The third, and one of my favorite things of the week, from The Playlist, is the story about Fox Searchlight releasing a faux teaser for "Birdman Returns".  Presumably the second film of the "Birdman" trilogy that starred Riggan Thompson.  I've loaded the teaser from YouTube.  Watch it and then read the story.


http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/11/06/birdman-michael-keaton-exclusive/?hootPostID=80028e897d946a70d795d93af35511f1

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/watch-birdman-achieved-seamless-one-shot-look/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-awesome-teaser-trailer-for-birdman-returns-starring-riggan-thomson-20141106


FOXCATCHER INTERVIEW

Bennett Miller's "Foxcatcher" is just a couple of weeks away from release and this week Radio Times Marty Ross Coane talked to him and Dave Schultz's widow Nancy.  That interview is here:

http://whyy.org/cms/radiotimes/2014/11/03/bennett-millers-new-film-foxcatcher/

THE HOMESMAN: TLJ AND THE TIMES

"The Homesman" trailer via YouTube

Tommy Lee Jones talks to The New York Times about "The Homesman" starring Hilary Swank and Jones who also directed and co-wrote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/movies/tommy-lee-jones-on-the-homesman.html



More on Thursday...