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!

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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

The Good Lie Comes to Life/Coens and More Semi-Coens News/Late News: Goodbye Eli Wallach

Good Wednesday Everyone...

The Mrs. and I head east today...for a long, long art extravaganza.  We'll be in Grand Haven, MI. for their Art Fest this weekend and then in Great Barrington, MA. on the July 4th weekend for The Berkshires Art Festival.  If you're Telluride Film Fans and are in the area...come by and see us at The Flying Shoes Studio Booth at either festival.  Say "Hi!"...buy some of Kristy's art.  It's good stuff.  Here's a reminder:

THE GOOD LIE COMES TO LIFE

"The Good Lie" trailer from joblo.com via YouTube

Last year, toward the end of summer, we got word that Reese Witherspoon's "The Good Lie" was in the can.  There was some fleeting speculation that it might be a possible Telluride film, but that was clearly never in the cards.  Now, in the last 24 hours, we've seen the release of a trailer along with some discussion of Witherspoon's Oscar prospects from the film.

The film is described (via IMDb) as a story in which:

"A Sudanese refugee is taken in by a straight-talking American woman in their new home in the United States."



Is it a likely play at T-ride.  Probably not, but you can't rule it out completely either.  It's release date was recently moved from a non-Telluride friendly Sept. 10th to a much more T-ride friendly (and award friendly and Venice and Toronto friendly) Oct. 3.  Additionally, it's under the Warner Brothers banner and they've tun a couple of pretty good years in a row at Telluride with "Argo", "Gravity" and "Prisoners".  Frankly, Witherspoon's other big film for this fall, "Wild" (from Fox Searchlight) might be the likelier Telluride play.

I have linked to a couple of posts about the film and the trailer release here:

Variety:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/reese-witherspoon-the-good-lie-trailer-1201239103/

IndieWire:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/watch-keep-your-eye-on-oscar-contenders-beginning-with-trailer-for-the-good-lie-starring-reese-witherspoon-20140624

Thompson on Hollywood:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/reese-witherspoon-looks-towards-oscar-gold-with-wild-the-good-lie-trailer


COENS NEWS AND MORE SEMI-COENS NEWS

George Clooney in "O Brother, Where Art Thou" (from fineartamerica.com)

Lots of new and surprising casting news out yesterday for the Coen Brothers next enterprise' "Hail Caesar.  It had been previously announced that George Clooney and Josh Brolin would star in the film about a Hollywood "fixer".  Yesterday the interweb lit up with news of the casting of Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes (who I finally caught in "The Grand Budapest Hotel" this past weekend and it lived up to lofty expectations).

I have linked three different stories about the casting:

Variety:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/channing-tatum-in-talks-to-join-the-coens-hail-caesar-exclusive-1201245179/

The Hollywood Reporter:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/channing-tatum-tilda-swinton-ralph-714566?utm_expid=19303748-46.c16wOsTPSwa4UOZ_HM0mmw.0

Rope of Silicon:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/channing-tatum-ralph-fiennes-tilda-swinton-join-coens-hail-caesar/


Meanwhile, in other Coens-related news, The Playlist reported yesterday that frequent Coens Brothers cast member John Turturro reportedly wants to make a feature based on the character he played for the brothers in their classic "The Big Lebowski".  Turturro reportedly has a story in mind and would write, direct and star... if he can get the "go-ahead" from Joel and Ethan.  I'd go see that.

John Turturro as Jesus Quintana in "The Big Lebowski" (from getthebigpicture.net)

The Playlist story is here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/john-turturro-wants-to-direct-jesus-centric-big-lebowski-spinoff-next-year-if-the-coens-give-him-permission-20140624

LATE NEWS: GOODBYE ELI WALLACH

Eli Wallach from spaghettiwesterns.com.ar

Eli Wallach, a terrific character actor who had a six decade career in film and on stage has died.  He was 98.  Wallach starred in innumerable films including: "The Magnificent Seven", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and "The Misfits" among others.  His range was extraordinary.

His lengthy IMDb.com entry is here:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0908919/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1


More from the road tomorrow...

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Best of the Week/The Unified Clooney Theory Part Two/Come and Play/Ranking the Film/Philomena Trailer

Good Saturday from Salida, Colorado...

As I have been doing all summer, here's a look back at the best material that ran this week on Michael's Telluride Film Blog:

BEST OF THE WEEK

TEN BETS #7

This week's "Ten Bets" shows some changes as I ran across some (what appears to be) solid information this week...including the next story listed below.  Consequently, there is some movement on this week's "Bets".

Further, I've about reached the point that I'm ready to go past ten bets...perhaps next week.

Last week's "Ten Bets" were:

1) Nebraska
2) The Invisible Woman
3) The Past
4) The Immigrant
5) Inside Llewyn Davis
6) Labor Day
7) The Story of Children and Film
8) Blue is the Warmest Color
9) The Unknown Known
10) The Lunchbox

This week:

1) Nebraska

2) Inside Llewyn Davis

3) Labor Day

4) The Invisible Woman

5) The Unknown Known

6) The Past

7) The Immigrant

8) All is Lost

9) Gravity

10) The Story of Children and Film

Just below the "Ten Bets"; "Blue is the Warmest Color", "Life Itself", "Philomena", "The Lunchbox", "12 Years a Slave", "Aguirre; The Wrath of God", "Daughter of the Dawn", ""Quay d'Orsay", "The Good Lie", "Enough Said", "Heli", "Only Lovers Left Alive", "Child's Pose","You Are Here" and "Gloria".

GUEST DIRECTOR...WHAT UP?

I'm having a hard time believing we still don't know the Guest Director for this year's Telluride Film Festival. I've offered up a couple of theories over these past few months.  Initially I thought it might be "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner who was reportedly a guest at TFF's Hollywood party back in June.  (Check out my June 12th post).  No announcement came, however.

Then I got it into my head that the Fest might be holding off to make a BIG announcement during the week of Venice/Toronto festival lineup announcements.  Along with that, I suggested the notion that the Guest Director might be someone that has an immense popular profile.  I confess, I was thinking crazy BIG names and I also suggested that the person might come from music or politics.  Names like Jagger and Clinton were in my head.

Didn't happen.

Now, I'm completely mystified.

And if you're having trouble with the Guest Director spot TFF, I have further suggestions:

1) Werner Herzog...you know he'll be there.  He's got a new theater named in his honor.

2) Have 6 of them...I'll bet you have at least 6 past Guest Directors in attendance.  Have each of them select one film from the list they originally programmed.   Or cross-pollinate them...have an Alexander Payne program one film from Errol Morris' original list.

Here's the last of all past directors:

1988- Donald Richie

1989- Errol Morris

1990- Bertrand Tavernier

1991- Laurie Anderson

1992- G. Cabrera Infante

1993- John Boorman

1994- John Simon

1995- Phillip Lopate

1996- B. Ruby Rich

1997- Peter Von Bagh

1998- Peter Bogdanovich

1999- Peter Sellars

2000- Edgardo Coranzinsky

2001- Salman Rushdie

2002- Alberto Barbera

2003- Stephen Sondheim

2004- Buck Henry

2005- Don Delillo

2006- J. P. Gorin

2007- Edith Kramer

2008- Slavoj Zizek

2009- Alexander Payne

2010- Michael Ondaatje

2011- Cataneo Veloso

2012- Geoff Dyer

I have to believe that Morris, Tavernier, Sellars, Rushdie, Payne and maybe Bogdanovich, Henry and Boorman will be in town.  

Idea #3- Pick me, I'll do it.  Nobody will see that coming.

HOLLYWOOD ELSEWHERE ADDS FUEL TO THE FIRE

Overnight, Jeff Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere posted his musings on three films that appear to be avoiding the Toronto International Film Festival but that he says are all but certain Telluride fare.  The films: Alexander Payne's "Nebraska", The Coen Brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis" and J.C. Chandor's "All is Lost".

On its face the post is an interesting look a what Wells thinks may be going in vis-a-vis film programming and Toronto.  For my purposes, it just adds fuel to the fire that the three films play Telluride.

"Nebraska" isn't a surprise.  I've had it at #1 on the "Ten Bets" list all summer.

For "Inside Llewyn Davis" it's another validation of its place on the "Ten Bets" list. As a matter of fact, it might be solid enough now to move up the list a bit this week.

As for "All is Lost", you know if you've been following this space this last couple of weeks that it has been gaining some steam as a possible/probable Telluride selection.  I wouldn't be surprised if it appears somewhere on this week's "Ten Bets" list.

Here's the link to the Wells post:
http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2013/08/three-toronto-no-shows/

THE UNIFIED CLOONEY THEORY

If you've been reading this blog for the past couple of years, you've almost certainly seen my "Oceans 11" theory the past two summers.  You know, that moment each summer when I go crazy and suggest an incredible string of unlikely scenarios that involve that cast of the Clooney/Pitt/Damon "Oceans" films.

Well, here I go again...only this year...even worse.

Start with Clooney himself...was tributed 2 years ago.   Reportedly really enjoyed his own festival experience.  He's on record saying he'd like to come back.  Reportedly nudged Ben Affleck toward Telluride for "Argo"(on which Clooney was a producer) last year.  That seemed to work out pretty well for all involved.

What's he got that could play?  Scratch "The Monuments Men" which was reported last week  to be unready for Venice.  He is a producer on "August: Osage County".  It has The Weinstein Company as its distributor.  I wouldn't have thought it a likely Telluride choice but I was a little surprised that it appeared on the Toronto playlist last week...so not impossible.  Clooney also appears in Alfonso Curaon's "Gravity" which, likewise, I normally wouldn't regard as a possibility but Kris Tapley at HitFix/InContention suggested that it could happen last week (he reported that Warner's team for it and Denis Villenueve's "Prisoners" will be on the ground in Telluride...ALSO SEE THE "WEIGHTLESSNESS" STORY BELOW).  So, you won't be surprised that I conclude that Clooney could be in town with a flick or two.

How about Mr. Pitt?  Seems like every year on about Tuesday of the week of the Festival there's a "Brad Pitt" sighting in Telluride.  I haven't seen him yet...but that's not to say it couldn't happen.

Pitt is all over Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave".  He's in the film.  He's a producer on the film (as is T-ride-frequenter Bill Pohlad).  Further, my "12 Year" vibe has gotten stronger over the last couple of weeks. I just think it's going to play.  It's lack of inclusion for Venice (barring some late announcement) and its inclusion for Toronto make me feel like it has a very good chance to play The SHOW.

Pitt also is in Ridley Scott's "The Counselor" which I would love to see make Telluride's list but which also hasn't had many mentions in regard to a Telluride slot.

So Pitt has a couple of projects in the "possible" bag.

And Mr. Damon?

He's in "Elysium" out this weekend.  He's in "The Monuments Men"...see above...but hold on...he also appears in Terry Gilliam's "The Zero Theorem".  Gilliam's been to T-ride before.  Damon co-stars with Clooney's co-tributee from 2011...Tilda Swinton.  The cast is led by double Oscar winner Christoph Waltz. So, again, improbable but not impossible.

As sort of a subsidiary to the "Oceans 3" Ben Affleck appears in "Runner Runner"...so...you know...maybe.

And then there are the other webs that spring from all of this.

Like The Coen Brothers...

As you know, I've been thinking that "Inside Llewyn Davis" might be happening for a few weeks now.  It actually has made its way onto the "Ten Bets" list.  I think the Coens might be one of the Tributes this year.

And they do have a place in the "United Clooney Theory".  Clooney has appeared for them in "O Brother Where Art Thou?", "Intolerable Cruelty" and "Burn After Reading".  Also don't forget that Pitt was the lead in "Burn After Reading" and that Damon was in "True Grit" for them.

Then there's the Alexander Payne part of the "UCT"...Payne and Clooney working together on "The Descendants".  Payne is very likely to be in Tellruride with "Nebraska"

And finally, let's not forget Jason Reitman who cast Clooney in his 2009 Oscar nominee "Up in the Air" and whom I'm betting will return to Telluride this year with "Labor Day" starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin (also a Coens favorite of late with "No Country for Old Men" and "True Grit").

So, how much of any of this happens?

The most likely story is that "Llewyn", "12 Years" and "Labor Day" play.  "Osage County", "Zero Theorem", "Gravity", "Runner" while all possible, seem unlikely and Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Affleck and Brolin are not in town.  But, you never know...

WEIGHTLESSNESS IN TELLURIDE?

Jeff Wells and Sasha Stone sat down and re-opened their Oscar Poker collaboration on Sunday which included some talk of Telluride.  The big news is that they all but claim Alfonso Curaon's "Gravity" starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (see above) will play the Telluride Festival.  Both seem a bit coy about it but they don't leave much doubt that they think it will play.

Both are also high on "All is Lost".  Wells says he's "heard" "Inside Llewyn Davis" is on its way and that a Coens Tribute is possible. They also toss around "An Invisible Woman" as a probable choice for T-ride.
Meanwhile, Wells says he thinks "Blue is the Warmest Color" is likely but Stone disagrees.

Stone says "Labor Day" is sure and they both agree "Nebraska" is likely.

You can find the entire podcast here:
http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/images/column/newyork2013/stone2.mp3

MORE FROM HOLLYWOOD ELSEWHERE

Yesterday I posted a link from Jeff Wells' Hollywood Elsewhere that declaimed the likelihood of "Inside Llewyn Davis", "All is Lost" and "Nebraska" as part of this year's Telluride lineup.  Today add to the pile: Ralph Fiennes "An Invisible Woman".  This adds credence to our posting for some time now that the film is a choice for T-ride going back to an English online newspaper account quoting Felicity Jones.

The Wells piece is here:
http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2013/08/an-appearance-of-propriety/

TRIBUTES?...

Three tributes (and occasionally an additional "Special Medallion")...who could they be for this year's 40th Telluride Film Festival.

I've been batting this around in my head for a while now and some friends of the blog have given it some serious thought too.  So, as a way to organize some thoughts about this, let's look at some of my "Ten Bets" films (and some others as well) to see who some possible Tribute candidates are:

Like Alexander Payne's "Nebraska".  You have to believe Bruce Dern is a real Tribute possibility.
"The Invisible Woman"...Ralph Fiennes seems like a possibility.
"Inside Llewyn Davis"...The Coen Brothers...and here's a crazy thought: John Goodman.
"Labor Day"...Kate Winslet (Josh Brolin doesn't feel right).

From other films just below the "Ten Bets"

"12 Years a Slave"...Brad Pitt...if you can fete Clooney...you can fete Pitt.  The rest of the cast and Steve McQueen need more on their resumes...but watch for future tributes for Cumberbatch and Fassbender.

"All is Lost"...Redford...seems like a natural choice.

"Philomena"...Judi Dench would also seem to be a very likely candidate.

With this week's surge that "Gravity" is a very real possibility...Sandra Bullock becomes a part of the tribute conversation.

Then there's Roger Ebert.  I am a firm believer that the Festival will recognize him this year.  My guess is a "Special Medallion"...but it's not a crazy thought that he could be tributed.

Other less likely scenarios:
Julia Roberts if "August: Osage County" makes the lineup.
Ridley Scott with "The Counselor"
Nicole Kidman with "Grace of Monaco" or "The Railway Man"
Matthew McConnaughey with "The Dallas Buyers Club"
Jessica Chastain with "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby"
Philip Seymour Hoffman with "A Most Wanted Man"
Paul Giamatti or Billy Bob Thornton with "Parkland"

So those are my thoughts about the most likely candidates.  I have a reader who suggests that there will a third "out of nowhere" selection that non one can see coming...and I'll bet he's absolutely right.


COUNSELING VIEWS

The release came yesterday of new clips from Ridley Scott's "The Counselor" which stars Michael Fassbender, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz and Brad Pitt.  I'm still holding a dwindling hope for this to make the Telluride lineup.

Here are links to the new clips via The Playlist and Rope of Silicon:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-michael-fassbender-gets-warned-by-brad-pitt-javier-bardem-in-2-clips-from-the-counselor-20130806

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/counselor-movie-clips-fassbender-pitt-bardem-cruz/


"ENOUGH SAID" TRAILER

Also dropping yesterday was a trailer for the James Gandolfini starring "enough said".  There has been a good deal of buzz that this film could very well play Telluride.  The film also stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Catherine Keener.  Stories linked below from HitFix, FirstShowing and The Playlist:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/james-gandolfini-courts-julia-louis-dreyfus-in-the-trailer-for-nicole-holofceners-enough-said

http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/nicole-holofceners-enough-said-full-trailer-with-james-gandolfini/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-charming-trailer-for-nicole-holofceners-enough-said-starring-james-gandolfini-julia-louis-dreyfus-20130806


TAKING STOCK

The potential film landscape has really shifted a lot in the past couple of weeks with revelations/expectations for some films that were merely thought as outside possibilities coming into focus in that time period.

In the last 15 days or so we have seen the ascendancy of "Inside Llewyn Davis", "All is Lost" and "Gravity" into serious consideration as Telluride possibles.  We have seen some of the films essentially confirmed that we have been pretty certain of for some time: "Nebraska", "Labor Day" and "The Invisible Woman".

There are some films that we have been high on that we haven't heard very much about in as far as Telluride is concerned.  Nobody is really talking "The Past", "The Unknown Known", "The Immigrant", "Philomena" or "12 Years a Slave"...but I still feel pretty good about all of them.

The New York Fest has claimed "Captain Phillips" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" for its opener and centerpiece.  They still have a closing night film to announce and the rest of their lineup expected in the next 10 days or so.

And there are films that I'd still like to see show up that could but about which there hasn't been any scuttlebutt, at least that I can suss out: "Foxcatcher", "The Fifth Estate", "The Dallas Buyers Club" and "The Counselor" come to mind.

All in all, you'll see a definite effect on tomorrow's new "Ten Bets" list.  It's shaping up to be an incredible 40th anniversary festival.


Meanwhile, from the "A Guy Can Continue to Dream" Dept.  Here's this...

COUNSELOR TRAILER

"The Counselor" had its second straight day of high profile P.R. as the Ridley Scott film dropped an official trailer.  Would love to see this on the Telluride program.

I have included posts from The Playlist, Rope of Silicon and FirstShowing

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-new-full-length-trailer-for-ridley-scotts-the-counselor-gets-up-to-testify-20130807

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/counselor-trailer-michael-fassbender-brad-pitt/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/must-watch-riveting-new-full-trailer-for-ridley-scotts-the-counselor/

A note here...this two day blitz makes me wonder if "The Counselor" might be in line to be announced as the closing night selection for the New York Film Festival.


VIEWS OF "HUSTLE" AND "MONUMENTS"

A couple of films I'm also not expecting to see in Telluride are David O. Russell's "American Hustle" and George Clooney's "The Monuments Men'.  I'd like to see them in T-ride but as I've reported here, "Monuments" is reportedly unready and I just haven't ever thought there was a big chance for "Hustle"  Nevertheless, both films have been among my "coming Attractions" for some time now.

Both of them releases official images yesterday.  I have linked Rope of Silicon and The Playlist below:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/american-hustle-picture-adams-bale-cooper/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/first-official-picture-from-george-clooneys-monuments-men/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/first-official-look-at-george-clooneys-monuments-men-plus-new-pics-from-american-hustle-desolation-of-smaug-20130807

MONUMENTS TRAILER

As expected the trailer for George Clooney's "The Monuments Men" came down the pipeline yesterday.  It is intriguing.  I have to say that I'd really like for the film to surprisingly show up in Telluride in three weeks.  Purportedly the film isn't ready but you know that Telluride has produced more than one surprise over the years.  Perhaps 2013 could be another example of that magic.

THE UNIFIED CLOONEY THEORY; PART TWO

Earlier this week I proposed the "Unified Clooney Theory", a suggestion of the connective web between Clooney and many of his friends and a number of the films that have the potential to be a part of this year's Telluride program.  You can see that I've re-posted it above as a part of the "Best of the Week" segment.

Well...there's more.  Julia Roberts is another part of the UCT.  She's appeared with Clooney, Pitt and Damon in the Ocean films and will be getting a lot of notice in the Clooney produced "August: Osage County".  Many Oscar observers believe that she'll be a player in the awards conversation at the end of the year.

Tilda Swinton is another actress that is a part of the UCT and has a lively Telluride possibility or two.  Swinton appeared with Clooney in Michael Clayton and they were both tributed at Telluride the same year.  Swinton also has appeared with fellow UCT members Brad Pitt in "Benjamin Button" and both Clooney and Pitt in the Coen Brothers "Burn After Reading"  (Coens...more UCT!)

Swinton is set to appear in Terry Gilliam's "The Zero Theorem" (with UCT member Matt Damon) and Jim Jarmusch's "Only Lovers Left Alive".  Both of those have some level of Telluride potential.

And we can't forget Cate Blanchett in this feminine examination of the Unified Clooney Theory.  Blanchett who is currently basking in breathless reviews for her performance in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine" has had her moments in Clooney-land.  Blanchett is, of course, the female lead in Pitt's "Benjamin Button" and also plays the lead in the Steven Soderberg directed and Clooney  starrer "The Good German".  Blanchett has Clooney's "The Monuments Men" in the can (or nearly so) as well as co-starring as Pitt's wife in "Babel".  Blanchett also appeared in "The Talented Mr. Ripley" with Matt Damon.

Again, as with the male version of the UCT, the chances of all of these films playing and all of these women being in Telluride is very unlikely...actually, my guess is that Swinton and "only Lovers" is your best chance.  But, again, they're all possible at least to varying degrees.

COME AND PLAY

We're still ironing out details but you can be sure that you have a personal invitation to the Third Guide to the Ride, Flow of the Show.  Tentative plans look like we'll be moving the soiree to Thursday (the opening day if the fest).  I expect to host again at The River Club (550 Depot St. in Telluride).  Time and duration are still being ironed out.  Keep an eye on the blog for more details as we get closer to Festival time.

RANKING THE FILMS

For the second year Michael's Telluride Film Blog is putting together an array of Film Critics, blogger and Experts who have agreed to offer their ratings of the films that they see during the festival.  i'll be collating that information and passing it on to you.  

Among the fine film folk that have agreed to particiapate are :

Alex Billington/FirstShowing

Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter

Scott Foundas/Variety

Eric Kohn/IndieWire

Eugene Novikov/Film Blather

Kristopher Tapley/InContention-HitFix

Sasha Stone/Awards Daily

I have other invitations out and hopes that we'll have more players in this endeavor.

ALSO...

As I did last year, I want YOUR ratings too.  As we move through the festival in a few weeks, I'm inviting you to rank the films you see from 0 to 5 and email those ratings to me at either:

michael_speech@hotmail.com or

mpgort@gmail.com

It should be fun!

PHILOMENA TRAILER

Judi Dench and Steve Coogan star in Stephen Frears "Philomena".  dench is reportedly fantastic in this film about a woman looking for the son she surrendered fro adoption when she was young.  "Philomena" dropped a trailer yesterday.

Here it is:

  

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Have a great weekend...more on Monday...unless there's breaking news...

12 Years Trailer/Schiller's 2fers/Judi and Philomena/The Hunt

Good Tuesday to All...

12 YEARS TRAILER

It dropped last night, the first trailer for Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave".  I have multiple links to stories with the trailer attached:

HitFix:
http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/12-years-a-slave-trailer-drops-with-looks-at-chiwetel-ejiofor-brad-pitt-and-michael-fassbender

The Hollywood Reporter:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/12-years-a-slave-trailer-585636

FirstShowing:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/must-watch-steve-mcqueens-12-years-a-slave-theatrical-trailer/

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-first-trailer-for-steve-mcqueens-twelve-years-a-slave-starring-chiwetel-ejiofor-michael-fassbender-more-20130715

Awards Daily:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/12-years-a-slave-trailer-and-screencaps/

The Wrap:
http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/chiwetel-ejiofor-gets-sold-slavery-first-12-years-slave-trailer-video-103401

Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/12-years-a-slave-trailer-and-poster-premiere/

SCHILLER'S 2FERS

Friend of the blog Chris Schiller tweeted out an interesting thought this weekend.  He speculated on some possible TFF#40 "2fers".  People that might star in 2 films showing as a part of the SHOW.  Last year Mads Mikkelsen fit that bill being in both "A Royal Affair" and "The Hunt" (see below, by the way).

Schiller's tweet:

2fer predictions/hopes for #TFF40 Benedict Cumberbatch(THE FIFTH ESTATE, AUGUST:OSAGE COUNTY) Tilda Swinton(THE ZERO THEOREM, ONLY LOVERS…)

So that got me to thinking, "what other '2fers' could pop up?" Not that they will or that I think that they will, but, you know, what could? Here's the list I came up with:

Michael Fassbender: "The Counselor' and "12 Years a Slave"
Joaquin Phoenix: "Her" and "The Immigrant"
Christian Bale: "Out of the Furnace" and "American Hustle"
Amy Adams: "American Hustle" and "Her"
Jeremy Renner: "American Hustle" and "The Immigrant"
Tom Hanks: "Captain Phillips" and "Saving Mr. Banks"
Matthew McConnaughey: "Dallas Buyers Club" and "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Daniel Bruhl: (actually a 3fer): "A Most Wanted Man", "Rush" and "The Fifth Estate"
Jean Dujardin; (also a 3fer): "The Monuments Men", "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Mobius"
George Clooney (kind of a 3fer): "The Monuments Men", "Gravity" and producing "August: Osage County"
And this note...Cumberbatch also a "3fer" as he appears in "12 Years a Slave".

Who else? Drop me a line if there are others that you can think of that are "2fers" or more!


JUDI AND PHILOMENA

The Weinstein Company has a crazy lineup of end of the year/awards season/high profile films in its basket:

"The Immigrant"
"August: Osage County"
"Grace of Monaco"
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"
"The Butler"
"Only God Forgives" and others...

Perhaps the "smallest" of these is "Philomena" starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan of all people.


If you read this blog much, you know that I'm pretty high on the notion that James Gray's "The Immigrant" will make this year's program and if the TWC peeps are going to have a second film at TFF #40...this might be the one.

Over the weekend we began to see pictures from the film.  Both HitFix and Rope of Silicon posted.  Here are the links to those stories:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/is-judi-dench-in-philomena-the-weinsteins-secret-weapon

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/first-look-at-judi-dench-in-her-oscar-bid-philomena/

Why do I think that we could see this film over Labor Day?

I just have a feeling that the TWC train is going to have more than one pony at TFF this year.  Last year they were repped by "The Sapphires" and the 5 min. (or so) of "The Immigrant" that was a part of the Marion Cotillard tribute and though one TWC film is really the norm at TFF...again, I just have a feeling and "Philomena" is the film that's giving me the vibe.

Also, it's directed by Stephen Frears who has had films crop up at Telluride from time to time: "Tamara Drewe" "Sammie and Rosie Get Laid".  He was a 1987 TFF tributee as well.


THE HUNT

Thomas Vinterberg's "The Hunt" opened in limited release last weekend.  I have linked interviews with Vinterberg and his star, TFF#39 tributee Mads Mikkelsen below:

Vinterberg from The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/07/11/movies/100000002322424/thomas-vinterberg-on-the-hunt.html?smid=tw-nytmovies&seid=auto

Mikkelsen from IndieWire:
http://www.indiewire.com/article/mads-mikkelsen-on-his-cannes-winning-performance-in-the-hunt-and-the-three-paths-he-sees-for-hannibal-in-season-two


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More tomorrow...