Delayed Film Awards Clearinghouse Vol. 3A/"Wild" Sounds and Views/Filming "The Homesman"/Return of a Weiner

Welcome to Monday...

DELAYED FILM AWARDS CLEARINGHOUSE VOL. 3A

Again, my apologies.  This should have run last Thursday but I just flat ran out of time. Nevertheless, here is this season's first half of the third installment of The Film Awards Clearinghouse looking at the categories of Best Picture, Direction, Lead Actress and Lead Actor.  There has been some movement over the last two weeks since these four categories were last posted.


As always, 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.
A film/person's rating in the last FAC is listed to the right in parentheses.

BEST PICTURE

1) The Imitation Game (1)

2) Boyhood (3)

3) Birdman (2)

4) The Theory of Everything (4)

5) Unbroken (5)

6) Interstellar (6)

7) Gone Girl (8)

8) Whiplash (12)

9) Foxcatcher (7)

10) American Sniper (17)

11) Selma (11)

12) Mr. Turner (9)

13) Into the Woods (14)

14) Wild (15)

15) The Grand Budapest Hotel (16)

Hot: "Whiplash", "American Sniper"

Not: "Mr. Turner" and "Fury" which dropped to #16 and off the list.

Comment: "Whiplash" into release and doing well has aided its cause.  "American Sniper" benefited from a very good looking trailer.

BEST DIRECTION

1) Alejandro G. Inarritu/Birdman (1)

2) Richard Linklater/Boyhood (2)

3) Christopher Nolan/Interstellar (4)

4) Morten Tyldum/The Imitation Game (5)

5) Angleina Jolie/Unbroken (3)

6) David Fincher/Gone Girl (7)

7) Bennett Miller /Foxcatcher (6)

8) Clint Eastwood/American Sniper (NR)

9) Mike Leigh/Mr. Turner (10)

10) Ava Duvernay/Selma (NR)

Hot: Eastwood and Duvernay.

Not: James March/Theory of Everything and David Ayer/Fury who both dropped out of the top ten.

BEST ACTRESS

1) Julianne Moore/Still Alice (3)

2) Reese Witherspoon/Wild (1)

3) Felicity Jones/The Theory of Everything (2)

4) Rosamund Pike/Gone Girl (4)

5) Amy Adams/Big Eyes (5)

6) Hilary Swank/The Homesman (6)

7) Emily Blunt/Into the Woods (12)

8) Jessica Chastain/A Most Violent Year (7)

9) Shailene Woodley/The Fault in Our Stars (9)

10) Jessica Chastain/Eleanor Rigby (10)

Hot: Julianne Moore/Still Alice who has completed the march up the chart to sit at #1 and is, what many regard as, the undeniable favorite to win the award in February.  Also hot: Emily Blunt/Into the Woods.  She benefits hugely form the clarifying announcement that her co-star in the film, Meryl Streep, will be campaigned as a candidate for Best Supporting Actress.

Not: Nobody is really hurt.  The only actress dropping was Streep for the above mentioned reason.

BEST ACTOR

1) Benedict Cumberbatch/The Imitation Game (1)

2) Michael Keaton/Birdman (2) 

3) Eddie Redmayne/The Theory of Everything (3)

4) Steve Carell/Foxcatcher (4) 

5) Timothy Spall/Mr. Turner (5)

6) Jack O'Connell/Unbroken (8)

7) David Oyelowo/Selma (6)

8) Bradley Cooper/American Sniper (15)

9) Bill Murray/St. Vincent

10) Ralph Fiennes/The Grand Budapest Hotel (10)

Hot: Cooper who also benefits from "American Sniper's" raised profile following the trailer's release. Otherwise, this category, which is regarded as the most competitive this year, is remarkably stable.

Not: Joaquin Phoenix/Inherent Vice.  The overwhelming reaction from Oscarologists after the film's screening at the New York Festival is that it's best shot at a nomination is for Best Adapted Screenplay.  "Vice" suffered significant setbacks in expectations for Phoenix as well as for Best Picture and Direction.

My bets right now are that "Birdman" surprises as Best Picture with wins for Inarritu and Keaton as well and I concur that Julianne Moore is likely your Best Actress winner...but that could all change as the season marches on.

'WILD" SOUNDS AND VIEWS

New stills and soundtrack news from the Jean Marc Vallee film "Wild" starring Oscar hopeful and past Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon are out via The Playlist.  Here's the story and a couple of those new images:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/wild-soundtrack-feature-bruce-springsteen-portishead-leonard-cohen-lucinda-williams-more-20141023


FILMING "THE HOMESMAN"

Paula Bernstein of IndieWire posted her interview this week with cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto about his work on Tommy Lee Jones "The Homesman".  Prieto has been Oscar nominated for his work on Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain".  Check that interview here:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/the-homesman-dp-rodrigo-prieto-on-working-with-tommy-lee-jones-and-reinventing-the-western-20141024


RETURN OF A WEINER

One of the highlights of the Telluride fest in 2009 was Todd Solondz's "Life During Wartime".  For my money, it's his best film.  Solondz's films have been frequently featured in Telluride.  In addition to "Wartime" his " Palindromes" and "Happiness" have also appeared at TFF.  His last film "Dark Horse" in 2011 did not make the lineup which leaves one wondering if Solondz's offbeat film making maybe has worn out its welcome at T-ride.  We may find out next year as news broke this week that he has a new film in the works titled (at least for now) "Wiener Dog" .  The film will reportedly connect a series of stories around a dog as the unifying object.  Additionally, Dawn Wiener, a character who we have seen in previous Solondz films is expected to return to this film in some fashion.

Here's the story from The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/dawn-weiner-returns-in-todd-solondzs-wiener-dog-with-greta-gerwig-and-julie-delpy-20141023


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

I'm Official/Three More Off the Books/More Kevin/Posters

Well...some waiting is done (see below)...other waiting...still waiting

I'M OFFICIAL

I received word yesterday that the blog has been fully accredited as a member of the press for the 38th Telluride Film Festival. 

I am truly very excited and simultaneously kind of freaked out.  In reality, I'm not entirely sure what it will ultimately mean.  It's my hope that the designation will allow me to have access to the guests at the festival.  Just don't know.  I am going to reach out to a couple of real journos who have experience at Telluride and see if I can get some guidance from them.

I do know two things:  I have to attend press orientation on Friday Sept. 2 and I get a yellow colored lanyard to wear my pass on (also a red one which is normal for my pass level).  "Yellow" journalism?  Subtext?  Hmmm?

Anyway, a giant thank you to the fest for the credential.  Also thanks to Mitzi and Larry Mallard who make the whole festival experience possible (when Telluride stay at The River Club, it's the best!) and the biggest thank you to my wife and kids who indulge this obsession.

THREE MORE FILMS EXIT STAGE LEFT

No Dev Patel or "Marigold Hotel" in Telluride

Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood (at IndieWire) is reporting that Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar," Kenneth Lonergan's "Margaret" and John Madden's "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" will all skip the fall festival scene.

That news ripples in terms of Telluride in a couple of ways.

Just yesterday I was talking about the possibility that "J. Edgar" might close the New York Film Festival which would mean that "Tinker, Tailor..." was still in the Telluride possible list (and it still is).  Now that Eastwood's film is out of the running for that coveted closing slot, you have to think "Tinker" is a real possibility and so a lesser possibility for Telluride.

As to "Marigold"...We haven't very much about this film.  I have some expectations for it because of the cast (Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire and a million Brits of a certain age including the fantastic Bill Nighy) and director John Madden.  It's also in the Fox Searchlight stable.  But Thompson makes it clear that it won't be playing in T-ride.

Same for "Margaret." 

All tenor of the Thompson piece makes it sound like all three films aren't quite ready to hit the circuit.

Here's the link to the Thompson post:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/08/eastwoods_j._edgar_and_searchlights_marigold_hotel_to_skip_fall_fests_twixt

And your IMDb links for...
Exotic Marigold: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1412386/
J. Edgar: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1616195/
Margaret: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466893/

MORE KEVIN

Guy Lodge had a piece up yesterday at Incontention.com about the trailer and poster for Lynne Ramsey's "We Need to Talk About Kevin." 

Lodge saw the film at Cannes and liked it quite a lot.  I have it currently at #5 on my "Ten Bets" list for Telluride and that position is the result of Ioncinema reportage/tweeting during Toronto's announcements.  Lodge's post throws a little gasoline on the fire as he also speculates that "Kevin" could be on the Telluride program.

Here's the link to Lodge's story:
http://incontention.com/2011/08/08/french-trailer-and-poster-for-we-need-to-talk-about-kevin/

And Kevin's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1242460/

POSTERS

The Playlist (at IndieWire) has revealed poster work for two Telluride possibles. 

One, I think, is very, very possible.  Todd Solondz's "Dark Horse" (#10 on this week's Ten Bets). 

The other is David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" which I had, at one point, all but written off for Telluride, but have reconsidered since Kris Tapley's (Incontention.com) Telluride spec piece that suggests that Sony Pictures Classics may play the film in Telluride as well as its already announced positions at both Toronto and Venice. 

You can find Tapley's guesswork here:
http://incontention.com/2011/07/28/telluride-guessing-game/

You can also peruse The Playlist article here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/cronenbergs_a_dangerous_method_solondzs_dark_horse_gilliams_wholly_family_g/

Dark Horse IMDb:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1690455/

Dangerous Method IMDb:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1571222/

More as it becomes available...

PS...

Re-reading David Poland's three part Toronto piece at Movie City News and ran across his blurb that Polanski's "Carnage" might still be a possible for Telluride...What???

It's here:
http://moviecitynews.com/2011/08/6-weeks-to-tiff-a-20-weeks-to-oscar-prequel-part-3-of-3/

Werner's Second Stop/Second Thoughts on "The Artist"/Dark Teaser and Wuthering Pix

Still waiting...waiting...waiting...

WERNER'S SECOND STOP

Word this morning from multiple sources that Werner Herzog's new documentary about people on death row in Texas "Gazing into the Abyss"  (or maybe it's now just "Into the Abyss"...not sure) has been added to the lineup for the Toronto International Film Festival.

I am and have been pretty certain that if it were ready for screening that it would be on the Telluride playlist.  It's inclusion in Toronto's lineup indicates that that threshold has been reached and makes it a virtual certainty for Telluride.

You can read a couple of posts about the new additions to Toronto from The Playlist at IndieWire here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/tiff_11_new_films_from_werner_herzog_morgan_spurlock_alex_gibney_more_added/#.Tjles-WG9dd.email

And The Hollywood Reporter here:
http://shar.es/HKLye

The "Abyss" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1972663/

SECOND THOUGHTS ON "THE ARTIST"



I have also been very bullish on the chances that Michael Hazanavicius' "Cannes sensation "The Artist" would be on the Telluride program.  Last week, two tweets from Ioncinema as the main Toronto lineup was being announced only deepened my certainty.

Then there was yesterday.

The Montreal World Film Festival announced that it has booked "The Artist" for what it bills as its North American premiere.  Montreal's fest runs in the middle of August.  Talk about a throwing a monkey wrench into my thinking. I saw one tweet from a guy who is now certain that this inclusion at Montreal means that "The Artist" is NOT Telluride-bound.

So after contemplating this all night, here's what I've decided...I STILL think this film will be at T-ride in a month.  However, I was about 98% sure yesterday.  Today that's certitude is at about 75%.

And I'd be less than honest if I didn't mention that I'm less certain about "Drive" and "we Need to Talk About Kevin" as I was a week ago since that boost in assuredness also derived from a tweet from Ioncinema.

I'll see if we can't pick up any other clues...

Man, I hope I'm right.  This film is high on my wish list.

Here's the story as posted from The Playlist at IndieWire:
http://dlvr.it/dYr9v

"The Artist" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/


DARK TEASER

Despite the fact ( or actually because I am banking on 2009 history repeating itself) that Todd Soldonz's "Dark Horse" is already announced for both Toronto and Venice, I still have a strong feeling that it will turn up in Telluride as well; just like "Life During Wartime" did in 2009.

We've seen some stills from the new film but yesterday, the first teaser showed up online. 

It's...um...sparse and enigmatic...you know...Solondz...

Here's a link to the teaser and story at Slash Film:
http://bit.ly/pDImz9

"Dark Horse" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1690455/

WUTHERING PIX

Actress turned director Andrea Arnold's "Wuthering Heights" adaptation is still on my list of possibles for Telluride this year.  Arnold's last effort "Fish Tank" was at TFF #36 in 2009.

In her version of the Emily Bronte classic she has a cast of little-knowns and no names.

Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood (at IndieWire) has linked to Shadow and Act to show us the first stills of James Howson as "the first black Heathcliff". 

That should put a new spin on an old story.

Here's the still from Shadow and Act:

 Here's the link to the accompanying story at S & A
http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/archives/1st_look_at_james_howson_as_1st_black_heathcliff_in_andrea_arnolds_wutherin/

And the link to Thompson's tweet:
http://twitter.com/akstanwyck/status/96781834368716800

"Wuthering Heights" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1181614/