Indiewire Critics Panel Pick Their Most Anticipated Films for Fall / The Mystery of Lion and TWC / Hidden Figures Heads to Toronto / The People's Telluride

Hello and welcome to your Thursday.  I will be arriving in Telluride, if all goes according to plan, two weeks from today.  Additionally, if all goes according to past patterns, we'll have the official release of the Telluride Film Festival #43 schedule two weeks from today.  So close and still so far.



INDIEWIRE'S CRITIC'S PANEL PICK THEIR MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS FOR THE FALL

Earlier this week the folks at Indiewire asked a panel of film critics to name some of the films they are most looking forward to as we head into the fall season.  A n umber of films that are probably headed to Telluride made a mark in their answers.  Mentioned were:

Barry Jenkins' Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea
Damien Chazelle's La La Land and
Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann

Among the critics queried were Indiewire's own David Ehrlich (who actually wrote the piece) and Tomris Laffly of Film Journal Int'l. both of whom will be contributing to this year's Professionals' Telluride rating of films for TFF #43 reported right here.

Check Ehrlich's complete post here:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/indiewire-critics-survey-most-anticipated-movie-2016-1201716804/



THE MYSTERY OF LION AND TWC

Loyal MTFB reader Jason Osiason messaged me yesterday asking if I knew what was up with Garth Davis' Lion in Toronto.  Me: Nope.

Osiason pointed out that, "quietly" Lion has gone from a Gala to Special Presentation status and wondered if that signaled that it could be back in play as a possible addition to the Telluride lineup.

I did some due diligence and sure enough, Jason has it right.  The film was originally announced at TIFF to be a Gala but is now listed at the TIFF website as a "Special Presentation".  But it's also still listed by TIFF as a World Premiere.

My original answer to Jason was that it could have been done to move things around concerning the availability of talent.

A couple of other possibilities struck me since that original answer.  The switch may also signal something of the internal distress and possible financial status of The Weinstein Company.  A number of sources of late have mentioned that TWC is under some strain.  I don't pretend to know the veracity of those claims and I'm sure no expert in the workings of the Toronto fest but I believe that Galas and Special Presentations require that the distributor take on certain costs and that the Gala is a pricier situation.  It could be that the switch is simply a matter of dollars and cents.

Or it could be a mistake.

Or it could signal a TFF #43 play...though I think that's an unlikely scenario, I still find it difficult to believe that TWC won't have some sort of presence this year.



HIDDEN FIGURES IS HEADED TO FILM FEST...IN TORONTO

I've been following the increased profile of late of Theodore Melfi's Hidden Figures.  The film is about the story of African-American women who worked at NASA in its early days and their little known contributions to the American space effort.

The film has shown up lately in the press with a trailer and images and that rarely happens without a reason.  And now we know what that reason is.

The Toronto organizers announced yesterday that the film will be screened in an unfinished state during TIFF.  It's being billed as an "exclusive sneak peak" which seals its fate in as far as Telluride is concerned.  Not going to happen at TFF #43.  So be it.


The story is here from both The Hollywood Reporter and Awards Circuit:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/taraji-p-hensons-hidden-figures-920326

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/17/hidden-figures-headed-tiff-exclusive-first-look/


THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE

Remember to report your ratings for the films you see at TFF #43 and be a part of MTFB's People's Telluride.  Rate films on a 1 to 5 scale (1=BAD, 5=GREAT) once the fest has concluded.  Send ratings via email to:

mpgort@gmail.com OR
michael_speech@hotmail.com

OR send via Twitter to @Gort2

You can also comment to the blog itself or to MTFB's facebook page.

Also, remember to click on the new FOLLOW button in the upper right hand corner of the Blog's page.  That'll make it easier to get the latest Telluride Film Festival news and speculation quickly.

Tomorrow:  A new "Ten (Plus) Bets", films that are still in play and a look at the rumor mill...come on back!

Latest Toronto News and Telluride / Arrival's Second Wave Arrives / Miss Sloane Emerges / The People, The Pros and The Follow

It's a Wednesday in August.  The month is half over and we're staring down the barrel of slightly two more weeks until TFF #43...and it may have just gotten awesomer! (Is that a word?  Should be).

LATEST TORONTO NEWS AND TELLURIDE

The organizers of the Toronto International Film Festival reveled more of their selections yesterday and is my custom, I began parsing the information and premiere statuses for Telluride clues.

Here's what I think we can say...

First, and most attention grabbing, it appears that Wakefield from writer/director Robin Swicord (The Jane Austen Book Club, co-writer of The Promise...which I will mention in a bit) and starring Bryan Cranston will probably be playing Telluride.  That stems from its classification as an International premiere in Toronto.  An International Premiere means the first play outside of its nation of origin (which is the USA) so unless there is some other screening of the film someplace I can't track down, the most likely scenario is that it's coming to southwestern Colorado.

Now, there's no guarantee that Cranston make the trip to T-ride.  We've been disappointed before when we thought an actor was going to make the trip and then didn't (Benedict Cumberbatch/Imitation Game...I'm looking at you).  And to be sure, Cranston is a busy man as he is cast in the currently filming Power Rangers film.  Still, I'm hopeful that he could be in town.  Would be cool.

Wakefield's IMDb plot description says: "A man's nervous breakdown causes him to leave his wife and live in his attic for several months".  IMDb also does not list a current distributor for the film.

Other big news for additions to our T-ride spec list is that it looks like Joseph Cedar's Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer will make an appearance at Telluride.  The film was previously titled The Oppenheimer Strategies.  The film has been on the MTFB radar since as early as last March because of Cedar's previous Telluride presence with his 2011 film Footnote. Norman was listed by TIFF as an International Premiere as well...see above for why I think this means a T-ride play.

Other things we learned, Wim Wenders The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez appears to be headed directly from Venice to Toronto as it was listed as a North American Premiere.  Terrence Malick's The Voyage of Time appears to be doing the same.

The Promise, which we have been keeping an eye on of late is also not T-ride bound as it was announced as a World Premiere.

No other International or Canadian Premieres seem to be likely for Telluride.

One piece of weirdness.  Pedro Almodovar's Julieta, was NOT listed last week by the New York Film Festival with ANY premiere designation which lead me to conclude it was probably Telluride-bound (or else it would probably be called a "U.S. Premiere by NYFF) was listed yesterday by TIFF as a North American premiere.  So, it's now more likely that Julieta is going to play somewhere else in the U.S. after Toronto and before New York, thereby meaning no Telluride play.

If Toronto follows their traditional pattern, they'll have one more set of films added to the lineup next week.

TIFF coverage from yesterday is here:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/tiff-2016-i-daniel-blake-personal-shopper-julieta-the-unknown-girl-1201717188/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/tiff-2016-adds-voyage-of-time-certain-women-julieta-the-promise-and-more/

http://theplaylist.net/tiff-2016-adds-promise-christian-bale-voyage-time-20160816/

https://www.thewrap.com/toronto-film-festival-adds-james-franco-pedro-almodovar-ken-loach-movies/

ARRIVAL'S SECOND WAVE ARRIVES

We saw a great teaser and a few images last week from Denis Villenueve's Arrival and it definitely has our interest piqued.  In all honesty, it's now the film I'm most excited about seeing if it plays Telluride as we presume from its announced status as a Canadian Premiere for Toronto.

Yesterday, the folks behind the hype parade for the film smacked us with two trailers and posters as well.

I'll be honest, I'm not watching the trailer(s).  I loved the teaser last week, but that's all I want to know now.  I'm going to try to keep the blinders on until I see it at The Zog (I assume).

Nevertheless, here's the trailer via YouTube:

And, the international trailer, also from YouTube:

And, to further whet your appetite...posters:

There are several more...

Check these stories for more news about Arrival, it's trailers and images:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/08/16/trailer-watch-arrival/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/arrival-trailer-amy-adams-denis-villeneuve-jeremy-renner-oscars-1201716795/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/aliens-appear-in-full-length-trailer-for-denis-villeneuves-arrival/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/16/watch-new-trailer-posters-arrival-starring-amy-adams-jeremy-renner/

http://theplaylist.net/amy-adams-talks-aliens-new-full-length-trailer-denis-villeneuves-arrival-20160816/

http://www.thewrap.com/arrival-trailer-amy-adams-must-stop-all-out-war-in-first-full-video/


MISS SLOANE EMERGES

It's looking increasingly unlikely that John Madden's Miss Sloane starring Jessica Chastain will be playing Telluride.  The film has always been a very outside chance with an announced release date of Dec. 9th...which is pretty deep in the season and no inclusion in either NYFF or Toronto (at least at this point) it seems to be improbable.

It's not impossible, however.  So, I'm still trailing it mostly because I'd like for it to be at T-ride.  We had a new image of the film published online yesterday.

Here's some of the online coverage from yesterday:

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/16/miss-sloane-jessica-chastain-gun-lobby-thriller

https://thefilmstage.com/news/first-look-at-jessica-chastain-in-gun-control-drama-miss-sloane/

http://theplaylist.net/first-look-jessica-chastain-oscar-contender-miss-sloane-20160816/



THE PEOPLE, THE PROS AND THE FOLLOW

Here's today's reminder to join your fellow Telluride Film Fest attendees and rate the films you see for MTFB.  I'm asking you to rate each film you catch on a 1 to 5 scale with 1 being awful and 5 being great.  Send those ratings via email (see below), comment to this blog, Twitter (see below).  I'll compile them and let you know The People's consensus.

I'l  also be doing The Professionals Telluride.  I've asked a number of industry pros to rate the films as well and I'll be reporting their consensus as well.

Agreeing this year to participate are :

Alex Billington/FirstShowing
David Ehrlich/Indiewire
Greg Ellwood/AwardsCampaign.com
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter
Eric Kohn/Indiewire
Mark Johnson/AwardsCircuit.com
Tomris Laffly/Film Journal
Kenny Miles/TheMovieBlog.com
Christopher Schiller/ScriptMag.com
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Kristopher Tapley/Variety-InContention
Anne Thompson/Indiewire

There could be a couple of others.

And a reminder that you can now more easily follow Michael's Telluride Film  Blog and the Film Awards Clearinghouse.  I've set up a "FOLLOW" button on the blog page in the upper right hand corner.  Just click on it for an easy way to get every post as we preview, view and then review TFF #43.  Then you can follow the prospects of Telluride's films as they wend their way through awards season.  Just click that "FOLLOW" button!

That's it for Wednesday...more to come tomorrow.

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

When They Do Your Job for You / Hidden Figures Poster Revealed / The Playlist's 50 Fall Films / Rate Films from The SHOW and Follow, Follow, Follow

Happy Tuesday World!

I think we have another Toronto announcement today...we'll see what we see...


WHEN THEY DO YOUR JOB FOR YOU

It doesn't get easier than this though the confirmation comes from a surprising source.  Werner Herzog's Into the Inferno, which I had penciled into last Friday's Ten (Plus) Bets as probable for Telluride owing to its announced premiere status from Toronto is confirmed by...wait for it...Werner Herzog.

Herzog, speaking on Mark Maron's podcast pronounced that the film would be a part of the TFF #43 lineup.  The admission was reported by a number of film outlets (see below).

It's something of a shocker, as Herzog, who has a lengthy history with the fest, has to be abundantly aware that Telluride doesn't reveal the lineup until the day before the festival begins.

Still, I'll take the confirmation and move on.

Reports of the admission from Mr. Herzog are here:

http://theplaylist.net/werner-herzog-says-volcano-doc-inferno-will-debut-telluride-2-dramatic-features-works-20160815/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/listen-to-werner-herzogs-career-spanning-talk-with-marc-maron/


HIDDEN FIGURES POSTER REVEALED

Hot on the heels of its Olympic debuting trailer the Theodore Melfi film Hidden Figures revealed a poster yesterday:

Again, you have to figure that it's not really a likely Telluride play...as Melfi (or someone purporting to be Melfi) said himself on Twitter over the weekend but there is a difference between "Not likely" and "never gonna happen".

Hidden Figures is currently scheduled to open on Jan. 13, 2017.


THE PLAYLIST'S 50 FALL FILMS

The Playlist was up yesterday with a list of 50+ films that they say are their most anticipated for this coming fall/awards season.  Probable Telluride films are well represented in the article:

Moonlight, Arrival, Manchester by the Sea, La La Land, Things to Come, Neruda, Julieta and Toni Erdmann all make the list.

Also included are a number of films with no fall film fest agenda for the moment:

Sully, Rules Don't Apply, The Accountant, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Allied, Silence, Miss Sloane, Fences, Collateral Beauty, Passengers, Gold and The Founder.

Some of these films aren't ready for screening.  Some will almost certainly be announced for The AFI Fest.  Some won't play a major festival at all.  I can see anywhere between none and five still showing at The SHOW.

The Playlist list is here:

http://theplaylist.net/50-anticipated-films-fall-season-20160815/#cb-content


RATE FILMS FROM THE SHOW AND FOLLOW...FOLLOW...FOLLOW

It's your annual call to rate the films you see at the Telluride Film Festival.  MTFB is once again asking YOU to participate in The People's Telluride...a gathering of film ratings from the ticket buying public at the fest.

It's simple...rate the films you see on a 1 to 5 scale (1 being awful and 5 being masterpiece) and then send those to me via email: mpgort@gmail.com or michael_speech@hotmail.com OR via the comments section here on the blog or to my twitter account @Gort2.

IT'S EASIER TO FOLLOW MTFB NOW

I've added a "FOLLOW" button to the blog page.  You'll see it in the upper right hand area of the page. Just click on it and you can make it much easier to keep up with what's going on here.

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

Hidden Figures Unhidden / Pitt and Cotillard are Allied / Venice and Toronto Meditations / The People's Telluride Returns / It's Easier to Follow MTFB

Good Monday everyone.  Hope you had an excellent weekend.


HIDDEN FIGURES UNHIDDEN

It's a late entry in the end of the year film sweepstakes and not really a highly likely Telluride candidate but you never know.  Theodore Melfi's Hidden Figures (from Fox 2000) debuted a trailer during Olympic coverage last night and then any number of press outlets offered it as well.  The film tells the true story of African American employees of NASA and their contributions to America's successful entry into the space race.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Hidden Figures stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Keven Costner.  It's set for release (at least for the time being) on Jan. 13, 2017.  However, the film has been reportedly test screening.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hidden-figures-trailer-taraji-p-919428

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/08/14/hidden-figures-movie-sneak-peek/88568332/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/14/watch-first-trailer-hidden-figures-debuted-olympics/

http://theplaylist.net/taraji-p-henson-octavia-spencer-calculate-history-first-trailer-nasa-drama-hidden-figures-20160814/

http://awardswatch.com/news/the-hidden-figures-trailer-and-new-pics-of-taraji-p-henson-octavia-spencer-janelle-monae/


PITT AND COTILLARD ARE ALLIED

We saw the release of trailers over the weekend for a couple of films that could well be Oscar contenders and are also not terribly likely films to end up in the Telluride #43 schedule.

Allied is directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt in a WWII set romance/thriller.  Cotillard and Pitt have both attended a Telluride Film Fest and the film is from Paramount, which we're pretty sure is going to have Arrival on the T-ride schedule...so...you know...maybe.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Allied is set to open on Nov. 23.

Coverage of Allied and the trailer's release:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/allied-teaser-trailer-brad-pitt-919133

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/allied-trailer-brad-pitt-and-marion-cotillard-test-each-other-in-alluring-spy-thriller-1201716188/

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/08/12/first-look-at-allied-brad-pitt-and-marion-cotillard/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/brad-pitt-and-marion-cotillard-find-love-in-war-in-first-trailer-for-robert-zemeckis-allied/

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/12/allied-trailer-brad-pitt-marion-cotillard

http://theplaylist.net/brad-pitt-marion-cotillard-face-love-war-first-trailer-allied-20160812/



VENICE/TORONTO MEDITATIONS

The Venice Film Fest have unleashed the screening schedule and that, perhaps, it gives us some clues, questions and validations.

The first concern is whether films that the TIFF announcement's have hinted are probable Telluride films that are also playing in Venice have been scheduled in a manner that would allow their play in both fests.

Those films:

Arrival
La La Land
Frantz.

We already knew that La La Land would open Venice on Aug. 31 which fits with a Telluride play easily.  We now know that Arrival is set for its first screening on Sept. 1.  That works as well.  Of some concern is the Sept. 3 screening date for Frncois Ozon's Frantz.  That's dicey for The Ride.  All of those Venice competition films are slated as world Premieres which, if true, would suggest that Frantz would be on a tight schedule to get set-up for a 9/4 play at T-ride.  We think it's headed to Telluride due to its TIFF designation as a Canadian Premiere.  So...maybe it navigates the tight window, plays T-ride first (thus negating its Venice "world" premiere status) or that it doesn't really play at Telluride.

A couple of additional notes:  Wim Wenders The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez is scheduled for a Sept.1 screening  making it a very real possibility to fly to T-ride after that.  Also, jazz documentary I Called Him Morgan looks like it could make a play at Telluride as it is also scheduled for a Sept. 1 screening.  Three other Venice documentaries could still be in the Telluride conversation are: Chasing Trane, Beauties of the Night and American Anarchist.

THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE RETURNS FOR 2016

It's your annual call to rate the films you see at the Telluride Film Festival.  MTFB is once again asking YOU to participate in The People's Telluride...a gathering of film ratings from the ticket buying public at the fest.

It's simple...rate the films you see on a 1 to 5 scale (1 being awful and 5 being masterpiece) and then send those to me via email: mpgort@gmail.com or michael_speech@hotmail.com OR via the comments section here on the blog or to my twitter account @Gort2.

IT'S EASIER TO FOLLOW MTFB NOW

I've added a "FOLLOW" button to the blog page.  You'll see it in the upper right hand area of the page. Just click on it and you can make it much easier to keep up with what's going on here.

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

Ten (Plus) Bets #8 / Moonlight Trailer Impresses / Toronto Platform Lineup Provides Clues

It's Friday everyone...aren't you glad?


TEN (PLUS) BETS #8

Here is my weekly update focused on what appear to be the most probable films to play the 43rd Telluride Film Festival.

Last week's Ten (Plus) Bets:

15) Defying the Nazis (Ken Burns PBS Doc)
14) High Summer (Animated short)
13) The Red Turtle
12) Manchester by the Sea
11) Moonlight
10) Fire at Sea
9) Maudie
8) Frantz
7) Una
6) Things to Come
5) Neruda
4) Bleed for This
3) Arrival
2) La La Land
1) Toni Erdmann


And here is this week's Ten (Plus) Bets:

20) Journey Through French Cinema
19) Defying the Nazis
18) The B-Side
17) Into the Inferno
16) Julieta
15) Graduation
14) High Summer
13) Manchester by the Sea
12) Maudie
11) Una
10) Frantz
9) The Red Turtle
8) Fire at Sea
7) Moonlight
6) Bleed for This
5) Neruda
4) Things to Come
3) La La Land
2) Toni Erdmann
1) Arrival

Still in play: The Circle, The Promise. Miss Sloane. Hidden Figures, The Sense of an Ending, Exile, Peshmerga, Gold, Norman, Eternity, The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez, The Founder



MOONLIGHT TRAILER IMPRESSES

As I mentioned here yesterday, Barry Jenkins Moonlight (A24) got a trailer release late yesterday morning.  Here it is from YouTube:

The response to the trailer was nothing short of rapturous.  We may have a serious stealth Oscar player.   Here's coverage of the trailer drop:

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-barry-jenkins-moonlight-shows-a-life-in-three-parts/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/moonlight-trailer-barry-jenkins-trevante-rhodes-a24-1201715487/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/11/watch-first-breathtaking-trailer-moonlight-a24/

http://theplaylist.net/gorgeous-first-trailer-barry-jenkins-moonlight-love-heartbreak-20160811/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/must-watch-first-trailer-for-barry-jenkins-moonlight-set-in-miami/


Despite The PLaylist's claim that the film is world premiering in Toronto, I'm still relatively confident it will actually screen at Telluride first.  The story below underscores my belief.


TORONTO PLATFORM LINEUP PROVIDES CLUES

Toronto's International Film Festival revealed their competitive young film makers Platform section yesterday.  Included in the list of films were two that have been on the TFF #43 radar.  Pablo Larrain's Jackie, which I had concluded will not be making the trip from Venice to T-ride was listed as a North American Premiere thus buttressing my conclusion.

Barry Jenkins Moonlight was also named to the section and listed as an International Premiere, which, I believe indicates a film's first play outside its nation of origin which comports perfectly with a Telluride screening.

The complete Platform lineup and film descriptions are here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tiff-2016-platform-lineup-natalie-918884

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/tiff-2016-platform-lineup-jackie-moonlight-daguerrotype-1201715395/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/tiff-2016-reveals-platform-line-up-with-jackie-nocturama-moonlight-and-more/

http://www.thewrap.com/natalie-portmans-jackie-kennedy-drama-jackie-added-to-toronto-film-festival-slate/

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

Moonlight Shines / Foreign Films Oscar Speculation and Telluride Plays / The Guardian's Oscar Players and Telluride / Time to Start Thinking About Your Inner Critic

Welcome to your Thursday world...


MOONLIGHT SHINES

A24 tweeted this poster/image yesterday for Barry Jenkins Moonlight.  The film is near certainty to screen in Telluride.  The film is getting some notice in awards chatter circles prior to being seen by the public and I've been hearing good buzz from people who have seen it.

Additionally, the word is that a trailer might be expected to drop for the film today as well.  Look for that here tomorrow should it happen and check my Twitter account throughout the day as well (@Gort2).

Moonlight has been announced to screen at the New York Film Fest without a premiere designation which indicates a Telluride play.  Further, Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells implied it strongly in a post from last Tuesday.


FOREIGN FILMS OSCAR SPECULATION AND TELLURIDE PLAYS

Clayton Davis and his crew at Awards Circuit have updates their Oscar predictions as of yesterday including an extensive look at pre-national submission guesses for Best Foreign Language Film.

I took a look at the list in the context of probable/possible films we could see at Telluride and here's what I came up with.

From the AC "Predicted Nominees" are two very probable T-ride players: Toni Erdmann and Graduation.

From the "Also in Contention" list: Julieta

From the "Other Possibilities" list: The Red Turtle.

Take a look at the complete list of predictions here:

http://www.awardscircuit.com/oscar-predictions/best-foreign-language-film/



THE GUARDIAN'S OSCAR PLAYERS AND TELLURIDE

Nigel Smith of Britain's The Guardian posted a list of 25 films that he suspects are Oscar contenders on Wednesday.  Much like the above Foreign Language Film analysis, I've gone through Smith's list and searched out the films that are probable/possible Telluride players.

From his "Front-runners": La La Land, Arrival (and maybe The Founder and The Mercy)

Not included: Arrival, Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight.

The complete post/list is here:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/10/oscars-2017-predictions-movie-reviews-film-festival-favorites


TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT YOUR INNER CRITIC.

It's your annual call to rate the films you see at the Telluride Film Festival.  MTFB is once again asking YOU to participate in The People's Telluride...a gathering of film ratings from the ticket buying public at the fest.

It's simple...rate the films you see on a 1 to 5 scale (1 being awful and 5 being masterpiece) and then send those to me via email: mpgort@gmail.com or michael_speech@hotmail.com OR via the comments section here on the blog or to my twitter account @Gort2.

I'll pull it all together and publish the results a couple of weeks after the fest is in the books.

ALSO...as has become a tradition...I will also be putting together The Professionals Telluride.  I'll have more than a dozen industry pros weighing in with their ratings as well.  People from The Hollywood Reporter, Indiewire, Awards Daily, Awards Circuit, and many more will be participating.

The MTFB Ratings have provided an excellent snapshot of the reactions of the festival-goers to the program since 2012.  Here's what they have looked like in the past:

The Professionals:

2012

1) Central Park Five-4.7
2) Argo-4.5
3) Stories We Tell- 4.3
4) The Sapphires 4.25
5) (Tie) Frances Ha and The Attack- 4.2
7) Rust and Bone- 4.0
8) The Iceman- 3.8
9) At Any Price- 3.7
10) (Tie) Amour and Baraka- 3.5
12) No- 3.4
14) (Tie) Hyde Park on Hudson and The Gatekeepers 3.0
15) Everyday- 2.8

2013

1) 12 Years a Slave (4.7)
2) Blue is the Warmest Color (4.4)
3) Gravity (4.35)
4) Tim's Vermeer (4.3)
5) Nebraska (4.3)
6) All is Lost (4.2)
7) Inside Llewyn Davis (4.1)
8) Starred Up (4.0)
9) The Past (3.9)
10) Labor Day (3.6)
11) Bethlehem (3.6)
12) Prisoners (3.5)
13) The Lunchbox (3.5)
14) Salinger (3.3)
15) The Unknown Known (3.3)
16) Palo Alto (3.2)
17) Tracks (3.2)
18) Under the Skin (3.1)
18) (tie) The Wind Rises (3.1)
20) The Invisible Woman (3.0)

2014

 1)      Birdman (4.72)

 2)      Foxcatcher (4.63)

       3)      ’71 (4.25)

       4)      Wild Tales (4.20)

       5)      Leviathan (4.17)

       6)      Mr. Turner (4.10) 

       7)      The Imitation Game (4.06)

       8)      Mommy (3.92)

       9)      Two Days, One Night (3.90)

       10)    The Homesman (3.80)

       11)    Red Army (3.67)

       12)    Madame Bovary (3.30)

       13)    Wild (3.21)

       14)    Rosewater (3.06)

2015

1) ) Son of Saul (4.44)
2) Anomalisa (4.42)
3) Spotlight (4.41)
4) Steve Jobs (4.31)
5) Beasts of No Nation (4.27)
6) Carol (4.11)
7) 45 Years (4.06)
8) Taxi (4.00)
9) Black Mass (3.85)
10) Time to Choose (3.57)
11) Room (3.50)
12) Suffragette (3.49)
13) He Named Me Malala (2.83)


The People's:

2012

1) Stories We Tell- 4.80
2) Argo- 4.75
3) The Attack- 4.70
4) The Act of Killing-4.41
5) Wadjda-4.2
6) Amour 4.17
7) Barbara- 4.17
8) The Sapphires-4.11
9) Frances Ha-4.07
10) (Tie)The Hunt and Baraka - 4.00
12) Annecy Animation-3.83
13) The Central Park Five 3.75
14) (Tie) A Royal Affair and Corman's World-3.67
16) Rust and Bone-3.65
17) The Iceman- 3.61
18) The Gatekeepers-3.58
19) Superstar-3.50
20) Hyde Park on Hudson-3.33
21) No-3.21
22) Love, Marilyn-3.08
23) Ginger and Rosa-2.54
24) At Any Price-2.13
25) Everyday-2.08
26) Paradise, Love-1.1


2013

1) Tim's Vermeer (4.67)
2) 12 Years a Slave (4.55)
3) Gravity (4.40)
4) The Lunchbox (4.25)
5) Inside Llewyn Davis (4.15)
6) Nebraska (4.08)
7) All is Lost (4.06)
8) The Wind Rises (4.0)
9) Ida (4.0)
10) The Past (3.81)
11) Blue is the Warmest Color (3.75)
12) Tracks (3.64)
13) Prisoners (3.5)
14) Labor Day (3.40)
15) The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (3.33)
16) Starred Up (3.25)
17) Palo Alto (3.20)
18) The Invisible Woman (3.19)
19) Before the Winter Chill (2.67)
20) The Unknown Known (2.43)
21) Under the Skin (2.0)

2014

1) The Imitation Game (4.73)
2) Birdman (4.46)
3) Wild Tales (4.23)
4) Foxcatcher (4.20)
5) Merchants of Doubt (4.04)
6) '71 (3.90)
7) Red Army (3.63)
8) Wild (Tie 3.50)
8) Escobar: Paradise Lost (Tie 3.50)
8) Mommy (Tie 3.50)
11) 99 Homes (3.47)
12) Rosewater (3.46)
13) Two Days, One Night (3.31)
14) Mr. Turner (3.00)
15) Madame Bovary (2.88)
16) The Homesman (2.58)

2015

1) Room (4.47)
2) Spotlight (4.45)
3) Beasts of No Nation (4.35)
4) Ixcanul (4.31)
5) Son of Saul (4.30)
6) Marguerite (4.23)
7) Black Mass (4.13)
8) Carol (4.02)
9) Rams (3.98)
10) Steve Jobs (3.86)
11) 45 Years (3.78)
12) Suffragette (3.58)
13) He Named Me Malala (3.39)
14) Anomalisa (3.36)


It seems pretty clear that you want your film to finish second in The People's ratings as the Oscar for Best Picture has gone to the film that finished with that rating each of the last four years:

12- Argo
13- 12 Years a Slave
14- Birdman
15- Spotlight

So what film will be #2 for The People this year?


That's all for Thursday.  More tomorrow including an update Ten (Plus) Bets for TFF #43.

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

New York and Toronto Announcements Shine Some Light / Arrival Teaser Looks Phenomenal / My Life as a Courgette Ups Its Profile

Welcome to Wednesday...


NEW YORK AND TORONTO ANNOUNCEMENTS SHINE SOME LIGHT

The New York Film Festival revealed the bulk of its lineup yesterday after having already revealed it opener (The 13th), Centerpiece (20th Century Women) and Closer (The Lost City of Z).

With its revelations, I feel we can fairly confidently conclude that these films are headed to Telluride:

Fire at Sea
Graduation
Julieta (Almodovar returns to Telluride?)
Moonlight
and maybe a South Korean film called Yourself and Yours.

Additionally the NYFF announcement underscored the probable Telluride appearance for:

Neruda
Manchester by the Sea
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann

Maybe more interesting are the films that WON"T be playing TFF #43 if New York's premiere designations are accurate:

Aquarius
I, Daniel Blake
Sieranevada
Staying Vertical
The Unknown Girl (no Dardennes at T-ride)

Here are links to coverage of the NYFF films:

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/09/new-york-film-festival-reveals-heavy-lineup-including-manchester-by-the-sea-and-i-daniel-blake/

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/08/09/54th-ny-film-festival-lineup-announced/

http://moviecitynews.com/2016/08/new-york-film-fest-announces-main-slate/

Meanwhile, the Toronto International Film Fest announced a number of additions to its Docs, Vanguard and Midnight Madness sections.  That information allow us to suggest that docs from Errol Morris (The B Side) and Werner Herzog (Into the Inferno) will probably play Telluride.  Additionally a number of other docs could/might make The SHOW as well.

These are maybes:

Beauties of the Night
Chasing Trane
I Called Him Morgan
India in a Day
The Ivory Game
Water and Sugar

We can also scratch Paul Schrader's Dog Eat Dog, Nacho Vigolando's Colossal  and Ben Wheatley's Free Fire from Telluride's possible list.


Here's coverage of Toronto's announcement:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/tiff-2016-midnight-madness-documentaries-vanguard-1201714643/

http://www.thewrap.com/toronto-film-festival-adds-movies-by-leonardo-dicaprio-werner-herzog-marlon-brando/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/tiff-2016-adds-the-bad-batch-free-fire-colossal-blair-witch-and-more/

http://theplaylist.net/tiff-sets-world-premiere-ben-wheatleys-free-fire-colossal-starring-anne-hathaway-20160809/


For those keeping track, these films are still in fall film fest limbo:

Rules Don't Apply
Allied
Fences
Gold
Passengers
Miss Sloane
Live by Night
The Accountant
Hidden Figures
Sully
The Founder
The Girl on the Train
The Mercy
Passengers
Wild Oats
Eternity

Three weeks (and a couple of days) out, all three fests may still have further films to reveal.  Venice head Alberto Barbera hinted at one more possibility but that's been two weeks ago and hasn't materialized, so maybe not.  TIFF should have one more announcement next week and NYFF programmers have said that more films could be added to their lineup as well.



ARRIVAL TEASER LOOKS PHENOMENAL

After bowing early yesterday morning on NBC, the first teaser for Denis Villenueve's Arrival arrived online.  I am very, very intrigued about this film and also torn about watching the teaser and leaving it all to be revealed at Telluride (because we're reasonably sure it's going to play).

However, I succumbed and have actually watched it a few times.

It's...uh...cool.

Coverage:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/arrival-trailer-denis-villeneuves-amy-adams-jeremy-renner-best-actress-oscar-1201714471/

http://www.businessinsider.com/amy-adams-alien-movie-arrival-trailer-2016-8

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/arrival-trailer-amy-adams-can-918379



MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE UPS ITS PROFILE

Annecy Animation winner and possible Telluride selection My Life as Courgette (Courgette means Zucchini or Cucumber depending on who's doing the translation) quite probably boosted its Telluride chances/profile with the revelation this weekend that it will be Switzerland's Foreign Language Oscar submission.

I am fully of the belief that full length feature animated film The Red Turtle is on its way to T-ride and Courgette would be a second in that category which is somewhat unusual...but I just have a feeling that it could make The SHOW.

Here's coverage of the Swiss announcement from Variety:

http://variety.com/2016/film/global/switzerland-claude-barras-my-life-as-a-courgette-foreign-languageoscarrace-1201831359/



That's it for this Wednesday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

Arrival First Looks / Frantz Shows Up / Oppenheimer Becomes Norman...Gere in T-ride / Moonlight All But Confirmed

Hello on a Tuesday...



ARRIVAL FIRST LOOKS

Amy Adams in Arrival via USA Today

We're pretty sure that Denis Villenueve's Arrival will arrive in Telluride after its Sept. 2 bow in Venice.  Yesterday we began to see more images from the film that stars Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner.  I'm hoping that an Amy Adams tribute is a part of the festivities in the second half of the weekend.

The rumor mill suggests that we may see a trailer for the film today...Stay tuned.

The film's plot centers on humanities first contact with alien life and the attempts to communicate with those entities.  Renner has been reported as saying it's a cross between Spielberg and Kubrick.  I've also seen comparisons to Malick.  Heady stuff indeed.

Here's the latest coverage of the film that accompanied the new views:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/08/08/sneak-peek-exclusive-arrival-amy-adams-jeremy-renner/88308602/

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/08/08/first-look-at-arrival-and-a-hint-about-tone-and-scope/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/first-look-at-amy-adams-and-jeremy-renner-in-denis-villeneuves-sci-fi-drama-arrival/

http://theplaylist.net/first-look-amy-adams-jeremy-renner-denis-villeneuves-arrival-20160808/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/08/check-first-look-denis-villeneuves-arrival-amy-adams-jeremy-renner/

http://www.slashfilm.com/arrival-first-look/


FRANTZ SHOWS UP

We are fully expecting to see Francois Ozon's Frantz in Telluride after its screening in Venice.  The film looks intriguing.  Beautifully shot in black and white, we were treated to a subtitled trailer for the film yesterday.

Frantz trailer from YouTube\

Take a look at these stories that were posted with the trailer yesterday:

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-francois-ozons-post-wwi-romantic-drama-frantz/

http://theplaylist.net/first-trailer-francois-ozons-wwi-film-frantz-screening-venice-tiff-20160808/

OPPENHEIMER BECOMES NORMAN...GERE IN T-RIDE?

Richard Gere via Getty Images

One of the films that has been at the periphery of my Telluride speculation has been Joseph Cedar's (Footnote, TFF 2011) The Oppenheimer Strategies.  The film jumped into the news yesterday with the announcement of its acquisition by Sony Picture Classics.

That news might indicate an increased chance at it playing TFF #43.  However, the film is currently dated for March 2017 which might suggest otherwise.  The film stars Richard Gere and, if yesterday's reports are accurate, has been retitled as Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer...the character Gere plays.

I'll be keeping an eye open the next couple of weeks for other hints that Norman might make the trip to the San Juans.

Here's coverage:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-pictures-classics-nabs-richard-918051

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/richard-gere-norman-sony-classics-1201832789/


MOONLIGHT ALL BUT CONFIRMED

Moonlight director Barry Jenkins via Deadline.com

Weeks ago Jason Osiason led me down the oath of suspecting that Barry Jenkins Moonlight would be playing Telluride.  Jason made a persuasive  case and a s result, Moonlight jas been ensconced as a fixture in the Ten Bets updates throughout the summer.

Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere reported last night reporetd on the film and all but confirmed its slot for TFF #43.

Feeling pretty good about its Ten Bets inclusion and very appreciative to Mr. Osiason for sharing his expertise.

Here's the story from HE:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/08/serious-moonlight/

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

A First Look at Dog Eat Dog / Poland and Wells Talking Oscar / What's to Come This Week

Welcome to Monday film fans...


A FIRST LOOK AT DOG EAT DOG

I've been saying for some time that we may well see Paul Schrader's latest, Dog Eat Dog starring Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe on the list of films that play TFF #43.

The film played at Cannes to reasonably good reviews and Schrader has certainly been a frequent visitor at Telluride.

We got a new trailer for the film over the weekend.  It's above and here's coverage:


http://theplaylist.net/nicolas-cage-willem-dafoe-get-crazy-first-trailer-paul-schraders-dog-eat-dog-20160806/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/dog-eat-dog-trailer-nicolas-cage-willem-dafoe-paul-schrader-1201714115/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/watch-first-trailer-for-paul-schraders-dog-eat-dog-with-nicolas-cage/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/nicolas-cage-and-willem-dafoe-plan-the-perfect-crime-in-first-trailer-for-paul-schraders-dog-eat-dog/



Here's a link to Dog Eat Dog;s IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4054654/?ref_=ttco_co_tt


POLAND AND WELLS TALK OSCAR

David Poland at Movie City News was up this weekend with his first take on the possible Oscar scene for this year.  Jeff Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere was also up this weekend with  a critique of the Poland article as well.

Films that we're pretty sure about for Telluride and films that might be T-ride bound that are addressed by both posts are:  Probable T-riders Poland suggests for Best Picture: Manchester by the Sea, Bleed for This, La La Land, Moonlight.  Possible T-riders:  The Founder, Allied, The Accountant.

Poland's piece is here:

http://moviecitynews.com/2016/08/29-weeks-to-oscar-let-the-wild-rumpus-start/

Well's' analysis of the Poland post is here (needless to say, he's not necessarily on the same page as Poland):

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/08/polands-best-picture-assessments-with-grain-of-salt/


WHAT'S TO COME THIS WEEK

We're expecting the third wave announcement from Toronto this week as well as the announcement from the New York Film Festival of the rest of its lineup.

Last year both sets of information were very valuable in nailing down as many as seven films that would play at TFF #42.  It might be more than that as last year was a tad anomalous in that TFF and NYFF didn't share as many titles as they often have.

Whatever the case, we ought to have good intell by the end of the week on a number of films that will probably play TFF #43.


That's it for this Monday.  More to follow...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.