Restless Trailer/Women of Oscar at TFF#38?/Play Dates/Marlon and Me

Good Morning Ladies and Germs,

RESTLESS TRAILER

Gus Van Sant has been to Telluride more than once with films that he's directed.  In 2008 we thought he could be there with "Milk."  Of course, that didn't happen.  Now the auteur has a new film described, probably pretty accurately, as "quirky".  "Restless" could be a part of Telluride's lineup this year.  It features red hot actress Mia Wasikowska (one of the busiest actresses during this year's coming awards season), Henry Hopper (Dennis Hopper's son), Jane Adams and Ryo Kase.  It involves a dying girl, a Japanese ghost and a young man who likes to attend funerals.  Sounds "Van Santy."
The film also appeared at Cannes as the opener to the Un Certain Regard segment.  It is also in the Sony Pictures Classics stable.  All of which are good indicators that "Restless" could be programmed at TFF #38.  But...
The critical reception at Cannes wasn't raving...so maybe not.
All of that to say this:  a couple of outlets posted the trailer for it yesterday.  You can access it at firstshowing.net here:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/newest-theatrical-trailer-for-gus-van-sants-quaint-indie-restless/
or via The Playlist here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/watch_new_trailer_for_gus_van_sants_relentless_quirk_fest_restless/


WOMEN OF OSCAR

Movieline.com had an interesting piece on the perceived looming Best Actress battle between Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) and Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) both of which could be on the Telluride slate in September.
You can see that story here:
http://www.movieline.com/2011/07/who-gets-your-unqualified-vote-in-the-2011-oscar-race-thus-far-meryl-or-glenn.php#.ThYu9Xx1gFE.email

Add to that the chance that we could also have "My Week with Marilyn" starring Michele Williams and "We Need to Talk About Kevin" starring Tilda Swinton and (I suppose) the still outside shot that Lars Von Trier's "Melancholia" with Kirsten Dunst all at the Opening Night Feed on Colorado Avenue and this could be the year that the Best Actress battle starts and ends in Telluride.
Wouldn't that be cool?
And that would also defy recent Telluride convention.  Best Actor Oscar winners have been coming out of Telluride with a lot of frequency in recent years, 4 of the last 6...

2010: Colin Firth-"The King's Speech"
2007: Daniel Day-Lewis-"There Will Be Blood"
2006: Forest Whitaker-"The Last King of Scotland"
2005: Philip Seymour Hoffman-"Capote"

And, yes, I know that Natalie Portman won for "Black Swan" last year, but you have to go back to 2005 and Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line" to find the next previous Best Actress Oscar winner from Telluride.  The women could be dominant this year...no jokes please...

PLAY DATES

A nice article yesterday from Brad Brevet at ropeofsilicon.com about release dates for Oscar bait-type films including these which I think have at least some potential to play at this year's Telluride Film Festival:

Carnage
The Artist
Coriolanus
W.E.
My Week with Marilyn
The Iron Lady
That post is here:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/oscar-update-start-engines-release-dates-set-flag-waved

MARLON AND ME

I sometimes forget that this happened when I was in college but I met Marlon Brando.  Yeah, I know.  It happened on Labor Day (there's your tenuous connection to Telluride) 1978.  I was in school at Southwestern Oklahoma State University ("Standing firmly on the hilltop..." Go Bulldogs!) in Weatherford, Oklahoma.  I was in my senior year as a Speech/Theater Ed major and working almost full time at a local motel as Asst. Manager and general flunky.  Thanks to my wife (who was working at the Weatherford Police Dept. at the time) I found out that Brando was in Weatherford and staying secretly at the motel where I was employed and though I hadn't planned to go in on that Labor Day...I changed plans in a heartbeat.  As a result, I got a chance to meet and talk to a man who is arguably America's finest actor...ever.

Brando was purportedly in the area scouting locations for a project he wanted to do and to attend a large Pow Wow that was going on just down the road from Weatherford.  At the time he had just finished shooting as Joe-El for the original "Superman" and was about to film his stunning turn as American Nazi George Norman Rockwell in "Roots II."  He won an Emmy for that.

Needless to say, as a theater major, I was on the verge of exploding.  And I'm fairly certain that Brando thought I was mentally challenged as I don't think I strung together a single coherent sentence.  But what a thrill for a 20 year old college kid in nowheresville south central Oklahoma to stand next to one of the all time greats.

The picture above is my college copy of "A Streetcar Named Desire".  Below is me and the 2 time Oscar winner (On the Waterfront and The Godfather):

Who is that young kid standing to Brando's left...HE PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME!

Here's the inside cover of my copy of "Streetcar":

Yes, that's right, an autographed copy of "A Streetcar Named Desire"

Other than the pictures (and there are one or two others), the only objective proof I have that any of this actually happened was this blurb that ran the next day in the local Weatherford newspaper:

Brando had already achieved his reputation for prickliness when this happened, but I will tell you that he was nothing less than pleasant, kind and charming to a grinning kid who was clearly overwhelmed to have the opportunity to be in the same room with him.

It's all in a small shrine in my living room bookshelves.

First Look at Iron Lady/What Oscars New Rules Could Have Changed/Rinko Gets a Job/Film Companies and T-ride

Good Morning Peeps!

FIRST PEEK AT "THE IRON LADY"

One of the possible films for Telluride with a considerable amount of buzz already is "The Iron Lady" starring Meryl Streep as British PM Margaret Thatcher.  Buzz because a lot of Oscar handicappers think that this might be the role that earns Streep her third Oscar.  I've detailed in this space reasons that it could be in the TFF#38 lineup (it's a Weinstein project, Oscar buzz, Streep is a past TFF Tributee) .  Now comes the first teaser/trailer of the film at FirstShowing.net.  It's modestly entertaining. Here's the link:

http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/must-watch-first-teaser-trailer-for-the-iron-lady-with-meryl-streep/

OSCARS NEW RULES-WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE CHANGED

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced new rules for Best Picture nominations on June 15.  Now the folks at HitFix have done some detective work to make some retro-predictions about what would have happened if those rules had been in place from 2001-2008 (2009 and 2010 had 10 nominations under what are now superseded rules).  HitFix starts their analysis with the revelation from the Oscar accountants, Price Waterhouse, that had the new rules been in effect during those years that no year would have produced 10 Best Picture nominations but that years with 5,6,7,8 and 9 nominations would have happened.

It's fascinating stuff if you're an Oscar watcher, which this blog becomes once the Telluride Film Festival  (and Venice and Toronto) concludes.

That article is here:
http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/new-oscar-rules-who-would-have-been-nominated-for-best-picture-2001-2008

REMEMBER HER IN BABEL

The very first film I ever saw at a Telluride Film Festival was in 2006 when I stood in line at the Chuck and got into see "Babel."  We had no idea at the time what we were in for in as far as the festival or the film was concerned.  Kris and I stood in line with a young guy who was part of the underwriting company for the film.  He thought he might be in the credits.  We were so impressed.  Then we go in and the MC introduces Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, himself, and he introduces the film.  Kris and I looked at each other, realizing at that moment that we had been allowed to be a part of something very, very special.

Two acting Oscar noms came out of that film both for Supporting Actress: Adrianna Barraza (who, whimsically, Kris was mistaken for on the Gondola ride back to Telluride) and Rinko Kikuchi (pictured above) who, for my money should have won the Oscar that year (Jennifer Hudson won for Dreamgirls).

Now comes word that Kikuchi has been cast in the lead for the big budget Guerillmo Del Toro's "Pacific Rim."  Kikuchi has been virtually undetectable to American audiences since Babel.  This new role will likely change that.  "pacific rim" is set to be released in July of 2013.

The link to The Playlist story announcing the casting is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/babel_oscar-nominee_rinko_kikuchi_bags_female_lead_in_guillermo_del_toros_p/

ANOTHER BRITISH FILM COMPANY AND TELLURIDE

Recently I've been back tracking the slate of films from the past 4-5 years of Telluride Film Festivals in an effort to correlate to whatever degree possible past  participation from film companies and if it tells us anything about what we might expect to see this year.  Today I'm looking at BBC Films which has had a substantial presence in that time period...well, really, the last couple of years.

2009: An Education, Fish Tank, Bright Star
2010: Tamara Drewe, The First Grader

2011 possibles: We Need to Talk About Kevin and My Week with Marilyn.  Both of these could be on the Telluride film lineup.  Both Tilda Swinton (Kevin) and Michelle Williams (Marilyn) will likely be in the Best Actress conversation this year.  I'd place a higher likelihood on seeing "Kevin" at T-ride.

Have a great Thursday everybody!

More Companies and their Telluride connections

"The Artist" has a chance to be at Telluride

A slow day around the interwebs about much of anything that rings a bell as far as the Telluride Film Festival is concerned.  Really, no good nuggets to share at this point. 

We had the last call for submissions for the festival this week with the deadline for student and short films passing yesterday and the deadline for feature film submissions looming on July 15.  And,of course, the Festival announced its guest director for 2011 this week.  It is Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso. 

We do have time, then to look at three more film companies that have had a presence at the festival recently and see what's in their respective quivers for possibles for this year.

FRANCE 3 CINEMA

2007: Persepolis, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
2008: I've Loved You So Long
2009: The White Ribbon
2010: Of Gods and Men, The Princess of Montpensier, The Illusionist

In play for 2011: The Artist and We Have a Pope.

Analysis:  Both films could be on the Telluride list.  Both were featured at Cannes.  "The Artist" had a better critical response and therefore, I think, has the greater chance of playing at T-ride. "Artist" had a cumulative 2.6 rating from participating critics in Ioncinema's poll that was held as Cannes was unfolding.  "We Have a Pope" had a 2.1.  Intuitively, I really think that "The Artist" is very likely to be at this year's Telluride Film Festival.

CANAL+

Canal+ has also had a substantial presence at Telluride recently:

2007: Terror's Advocate, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
2008: Flame and Citron, I've Loved You So Long
2009: Coco Before Chanel, A Prophet, The White Ribbon, Farewell
2010: The Illusionist,The Princess of Montpensier, Of Gods and Men, Carlos

Potential 2011 films at Telluride: Pater, Melancholia, The Kid with a Bike, We Have a Pope.

Analysis: "Pater" suffered from the same lukewarm response at Cannes that "We Have a Pope" did.  Lars Von Trier burned a lot of goodwill with his antics about Nazism during the Cannes fest.  So I have all but discounted "Melancholia" which leaves "The Kid with a Bike."  It WAS well received critically at Cannes (2.9 on the Ioncinema critics board)  and the Dardennes Brothers films have often played at Telluride.  I think it is very likely to be on the lineup on Labor Day.

UK FILM COUNCIL

Again, this company has been a frequent player at Telluride in the last five years...

2006: Venus, The Last King of Scotland, Severance
2007: When Did You Last See Your Father, Brick Lane
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky
2009: Bright Star, Fish Tank
2010: The First Grader, Tamara Drewe, Another Year

Possibles in 2011 include: The Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn and Wuthering Heights

Analysis: I think all three films are 50/50 possibilities at best.  My strongest sense right now for any of them is for "Wuthering Heights" from director Andrea Arnold but even that is tepid.

Have a good Independence Day holiday everyone!

War Horse Trailer/Film4/Not Forgotten

"War Horse" first look below

THE WAR HORSE TEASER TRAILER

I mentioned in this space earlier this week that, if pressed, I could make a case for Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" as a possibility for Telluride.  Admittedly, I think it's a weak case, that's why it isn't remotely close to the top ten most likely films that I posted earlier this week as well. 

Nonetheless, yesterday the first teaser trailer for the intriguing film leaked online and in an effort to be a full service blog (and also because it's gorgeous) and seriously going to be all in for Oscar time), here's the link to a YouTube version of that trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRf3SfeMRD4

Here is the "War Horse" IMDB page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568911/

ANOTHER FILM COMPANY TO EVALUATE

I've been spending some time this week looking at some of the film production/distribution companies that seem to always have a presence at the Telluride Film Festival as a prism for trying to lay odds about what films could unspool (what an archaic term in a world of digital projection!) in the San Juans.  today let's take a gander at British film company Film4.

Here are the films over the past few years that Film4 has had a hand in that have played at Telluride:
2007: "When Did You Last See your Father?" "Brick Lane" and "Happy-Go-Lucky"
2008: "Hunger" and "Slumdog Millionaire"
2009: No Film4 at TFF
2010: "127 Hours," "Another Year" and "Never Let Me Go"

Film4 has 4 films that I feel might have some designs on a Telluride appearance: "The Iron Lady," "On the Road," "Wuthering Heights" and "Shame."  Of these four, I'd say that the greatest chances are "Shame" and "Wuthering Heights" as both films have directors that have appeared previously and recently with films at Telluride; Steve McQueen (Shame) with "Hunger" in 2008 and Andrea Arnold (Wuthering Heights) in 2009 with "Fish Tank"  I think there's a slight chance that we might see "The Iron Lady" (Streep is a past Telluride tributee, so it's not impossible that she might return) and I have the highest odds against "On the Road" which hasn't much Telluride pedigree.

Which leads me to today's final segment...

NOT FORGOTTEN

"On the Road" is an example of a film that sounds like it should have a profile for Telluride, bit on closer inspection, doesn't have many connections or clues that suggest it would actually be a part of the program or a sneak.  As a matter of fact, it's Film4 connection gives it more of a leg up than these other films that we expect to see released before the end of the year and which seem like Film Fest bait, but have very little Telluride "tells":
"The Rum Diary" Johnny Depp as a Hunter S. Thompson-like character base on the book by Hunter S. Thompson.
"The Help" Big cast dealing with race and class issues set decades ago.
The aforementioned "On the Road."
and I've added "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" to this "unlikely" list.  I had listed it earlier as a possible TFF film but it's generally the kind of BIG movie that doesn't play Telluride.

So, could any of these be at Telluride?  Sure.  But I don't think it's likely.

Big Day/The WeinsteinCo./Steven Soderbergh Maybe?

Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion" Could it be at TFF #38?

BIG DAY ON THE BLOG

Yesterday turned out to be a crazy day for this blog.  Very busy.  I was planning two separate posts anyway.  One, a long piece focusing on the presence over the last 5 years of Sony Pictures Classics and Fox Searchlight at the Telluride Film Festival. 
The second post, also lengthy, was a review for the new film "Missing Pieces" (so new that it's still looking for distribution).  So it was going to be the most involved day of the summer insofar as the blog was concerned to begin with. 
Then, mid-afternoon, the surprise word that the Festival had chosen and announced their Guest Director for this year...Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso.  Suddenly, I had a third post to get out quickly and a re-write of the first big post to include the breaking story. 
Whew!  Got it all done but it was a strain.  At the end of the day, it was one of the "most viewed" days in the three year history of this endeavor.  Thanks!

ANOTHER COMPANY ON THE PROWL AT T-RIDE

After looking at Fox Searchlight and SPC yesterday, I thought we might evaluate another company that has been something of a player at Telluride.  I reference none other than The Weinstein Company...Harvey Weinstein's shingle now that he's not with Miramax.  There participation the past 5 years hasn't been as involved as SPC, but the films they have had as a part of past TFF's have made a mark.  Look:

2007: "The Band's Visit," "Persepolis," "My Enemy's Enemy" and "I'm Not There"
2008: No TWC at TFF
2009: "The Road,"
2010: "The King's Speech"  (Won 4 Oscars: Picture, Actor, Director, and Screenplay)

Harvey has learned to come to Telluride and play with one or two films and you have to believe after the rousing success that was TKS last year that he'll try to repeat that with one or two pictures.
Currently it seems that there are 5 TWC films that could fit the bill ( with a caveat of a possible 6th or even 7th): "The Iron Lady," "My Week with Marilyn," W.E." "The Artist," and "Coriolanus."  The possible 6th could be "The Wettest County in the World." but IMDB lists it as a 2012 release.  The 7th could be "Le Havre"  which had a hint last week that it would be picked up by TWC, but to the best of our knowledge, that hasn't happened yet. 
What are the chances for each of these? 
At this point I'm guessing Harvey goes for two to play at TFF #38 but if he pushes only one there, my best bet is Cannes favorite "The Artist."   It's a mostly silent, black and white film but from all reports, it's a charmer.  There is even a good deal of early speculation that it could be in the Best Picture mix come Oscar night.  I really think it makes the cut.
After that I have no strong feelings about the rest of the TWC field.  At this point I'd say the next most likely is "Coriolanus" followed by "My Week with Marilyn,"  and "The Iron Lady."  I think there is virtually no chance that we'll see Madonna's "W.E." at Telluride.  Of course this guestimate could all change in a flash.  I personally think there's an excellent chance that "Le Havre" makes the list whether its under the TWC banner or not.

STEVEN SODERBERGH WHERE ARE YOU?
I haven't mentioned Soderbergh's two films ("Contagion" and "Haywire")  that have been bandied about as possible awards fodder because Soderbergh has no history with Telluride.  A report from The Playlist at Indiewire on the Soderbergh films has underscored the fact that this year is likely to be no different.  Reports are that "Haywire" has been bumped to 2012 for release and that "contagion" will be released Sept. 9...just 4 days after the Festival closes. 
That story is here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/pacific_rim_gets_july_12_2013_date_steven_soderberghs_contagion_moves_up_to/


Though it doesn't mean it's impossible for "Contagion" to be a part of Telluride's lineup...it may make it less likely.  It may mean that the film doesn't play at any of the big three festivals.

Anderson's"The Master" Caster/Weinstien's Oscar Play Dates/Barton Fink:The Musical

Early art for a poster for "The Master"

Just a couple of notes to pass along today.

NEW CAST MEMBERS FOR PT ANDERSON PROJECT

Variety reported last night additions to the cast for what apparently is now officially entitled "The Master," Paul Thomas Anderson's first film since 2007's brilliant "There Will Be Blood." (Best Film of the Aughts).
Already cast were Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams in the film that explores the genesis of a modern day belief system said to be not unlike Scientology.  Added cast members announced last night are Josh Close and Fiona Dourif.  The post from the PT Anderson fan site Cigarettes and Red Vines is here:
http://cigsandredvines.blogspot.com/2011/06/2-more-join-to-cast-film-now-officially.html

Various sources have it released in 2012 or 2013.  I'll be following it as I think it will be on the short list of Telluride possible films for TFF #39 or #40...
It's IMDB page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1560747/

WEINSTEIN SETS RELEASE DATES

The Weinstein Company has established release dates for four films that it has and I expect will be pushed in various ways for Oscar success.  The four films: "The Artist," "The Iron Lady," "Coriolanus," and "My Week with Marilyn."  All four are on our Telluride watch list and,  according to the article from The Playlist, all four have dates that would accommodate a Telluride screening.  I would expect that 2 of the 4 will end up in the San Juans and that the most likely is "The Artist."  As to the other three...I'd bet one of them also shows at The SHOW, but at this point I don't have any feel for which of the three is the most likely.
The Playlist article is here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/weinsteins_set_oscar_dates_for_the_iron_lady_coriolanus_my_week_with/

TODAY'S COEN BROTHERS FILM AS MUSICAL: BARTON FINK!
Song titles from this sure to be a crowd pleaser: "That Barton Fink Feeling," "It's a Wallace Beery Wrestling Picture," "Wall Paper Melancholy," and "If the Girl in the Picture Would Just Turn Around."

More Early Oscar Predix/Le Havre Goes Weinstein/Rudderless/AND ANOTHER COEN MUSICAL!

Poster for Simon Curtis' Telluride possible: "My Week with Marilyn"

Ioncinema is hinting this morning that The Weinstein Company will be picking up "Le Havre."  It was a critically and publicly popular film at Cannes last month and a film that I think has a better than average chance of being at this year's Telluride Film Festival.

Also, The Playlist is reporting that Christian Bale and Darren Aronofsky may be getting together for Aronofsky's "Noah" project.  http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/christian_bale_in_talks_to_star_in_darren_aronofskys_noah/

Film Misery has its first stab at Oscar predictions up this morning.  You can find those here:
http://www.filmmisery.com/?p=7500
On the list there are these TFF#38 possibles: "The Descendants," "The Iron Lady," "The Ides of March," "We Need to Talk About Kevin," and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy."  Other TFF #38 "maybes" on his list of other possible Best Picture nominations would be: "Drive," "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "The Artist," "Moneyball," "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," (John Madden's new film, Fox Searchlight is involved) "Young Adult," "My Week with Marilyn," and "Carnage."

I also discovered that Scott Feinberg had his first attempt up a couple of weeks ago.  You can find that here:
http://scottfeinberg.com/2011projections1
Added films from the Feinberg list of Telluride interest that are not included in Film Misery's list: "Coriolanus" and"The Wettest County in the World."

And now for something completely different (and I feel OK about including this in the blog because it is such a Telluride Film Festival story)...In November 2009 I received an email from someone who actually read this blog in the run-up to TFF#36.  He said he enjoyed it and was an aspiring screenwriter, had some things working, etc. etc.  His name: Casey Twenter.  Would I want to read the script he was currently working on?  Me...I said sure.  Entitled "Rudderless," I read it, liked it and we struck up an email, twitter, facebook friendship.  Got to meet Casey last summer in Kansas City (during the National Speech Tournament).  We had lunch and a really pleasant discussion about film, and the background about how "Rudderless" had come to be up to that point.

Back in 2009, Casey (and his writing partner Jeff Robison) were looking for financing to independently produce the film.  Over the last year and a half, that effort has ebbed and flowed and taken on a number of different forms.  Now, it looks increasingly like the film will get made and not just out of Casey and Jeff's pockets and fund raising.  Some big, BIG names are already on board and there are other names in the mix.  Some of them I can talk about, some not.

The biggest reveal that I am allowed to pass on is that veteran actor/writer/director and Oscar nominee (for Fargo..which fits right in with this week's Coen Brothers musical rant that I've been on) William H. Macy has signed on to direct and produce.  You read that right.  WILLIAM H. MACY!

There are other Oscar nominee/winner types in talks for the male lead and the main female supporting character that I can't get into...yet. But it is all terribly exciting.  As things progress I'll pass it on when I can.

My hope is that "Rudderless" gets made, is great and in a Kharmic full circle ends up at Telluride's 39th Film Festival next year.

You can find the "Rudderless" IMDB page here:   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798243/
The "Rudderless" facebook page is here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rudderless-The-Movie/194390831736

Again, as more information becomes available, I'll pass it along in this space.

Now...as you're almost certainly aware, we've had hints the last few days that the Coen Brothers next film might be a musical, which necessarily has caused me to speculate that if it were successful that we should go back and re-imagine their body of work in that light.  I've already made some suggestions for "Raising Arizona:The Musical" and "Fargo:The Musical. 

And now...the next Coen Brothers musical..."O Brother, Where Art Thou?" which is already got some music that you'll just have to include like: "Down to the River to Pray," and "Man of Constant Sorrow."  But because it'll be a big Broadway style musical it will have to include new musical numbers such as: "I'm with you Fellas," "Gopher, Everett?," "I'm a Dapper Dan Man," "Dumber than a Bag of Hammers," and "Damn, We're in a Tight Spot."

More Coen's musicals to come...

The Wettest County???

Shia LaBeouf and extras on the set of "The Wettest County in the World"

A really interesting post from The Hollywood Reporter yesterday about the upcoming Oscar race.  That article necessarily includes a ton of films that I've put on the Telluride film watch list.  Including: "The Artist'" "Young Adult," "The Descendants," "The Ides of March," "The Iron Lady," "Moneyball," "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "My Week with Marilyn," "Carnage," and new to the discussion in the article is John Hillcoat's ("The Road'" "The Proposition,") "The Wettest County in the World."

 "Wettest County" is listed by IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212450/) as having a 2012 release date but author Greg Kilday apparently thinks there is at least some possibility that it might be in play for a 2011 Oscar qualifying run.  Hillcoat's presence at Telluride in 2009 and The Weinstein Company's participation make it a possibility if it's ready for a run at TFF #38.

You can see all of Kilday's article here:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-2012-why-meryl-streep-197024

Meanwhile, as obsessed as I am becoming with the new Paul Thomas Anderson project, I noticed this post from The Playlist yesterday which hints that the next Coen Brothers project may include a serious music component...a Coen Brothers Musical?  What would that be like?  Here's a link to that article as well:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/the_coen_brothers_say_they_are_working_on_a_new_music-based_film/

Another film to stalk incessantly for the next few months...YES!  And maybe I can compose the score  for some of the Coen's past films.  After all, if this new thing is a success, why not "Raising Arizona:The Musical"  featuring such hits as: "Boy, You Got a Panty on Your Head," "Not Unless Round is Funny,"  "The Huggies Shuffle," and the show stopping closer, "Maybe It Was Utah."

I can see it now...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBVesAXZPzA

Cannes:Three Days In

Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady"

Word out of Cannes today from Anne Thompson and others is that The Weinstein Company has acquired the US rights to "The Iron Lady."  That's the Margaret Thatcher story starring Meryl Streep.  Many think that Streep will earn yet another Oscar nomination for this or for "August: Osage County."

The addition of the Weinstein's to the party and Thompson's speculation that Harvey Weinstein wants to position the film for potential Oscar consideration make us think that we had better put it on our list of Telluride film possibles.  Thompson's post is here: http://bit.ly/le0IVy

Meanwhile, Ioncinema, the Indie/foreign film website, has put up a critic's scoreboard for films that are in competition at Cannes.  You can find it at: http://www.ioncinema.com/images/cannes2011/day1.pdf

Early on and no film is firing the critic's up...