TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST WRAP UP

 

Still haven’t been able to make it to TIFF, on my radar in the next few years, but Indie Wire has put out a thorough, comprehensive review of all the important films shown.  On page 2 of the article there is a grade ranking of both premieres and films that were at TIFF but premiered elsewhere.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/tiff-wrap-up-our-5-favorite-films-of-the-festival-plus-our-complete-coverage-20120917#

A few of the films that jump out: ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ (directed by Cianfrance, see ‘Blue Valentine’), ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (David O. Russel pic, see ‘The Fighter’), ‘Looper’ (sitting at 100% on RT currently), ‘Anna Karenina’ (Knightley teams up with ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Atonement’ director Joe Wright), ‘End of Watch’ (cop drama dropping this weekend with Gyllenhaal, received low grade), ‘Cloud Atlas’ (Hanks, low grade as well), ‘Argo’ (Affleck pic, was at TFF), ‘The Sessions’ (Oscar potential), ‘Rust and Bone’ ‘Amour’ ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’ ‘Frances Ha’ ‘Ginger and Rosa’ ‘The Sapphires’ (all at TFF).

I have seen a couple of these at TFF and some are opening wide within the next few weeks, reviews to come.   This weekend; ‘End of Watch’, ‘Dredd’, and ‘Trouble with the Curve’ all release wide, doubt much Oscar clout will be present but stranger things have happened.

TELLURIDE SCREENINGS: OSCAR CHANCES

TFF has a history of previewing some of each year’s Oscar favorites, last year for example had ‘The Artist’, ‘The Descendants’,  ‘A Dangerous Method’, and ‘Albert Nobbs’, needless to say I was on the lookout last weekend for this season’s frontrunners.  Unlike recent years however there was a smaller sample size of films with expansive Oscar hopes, unless we are talking about best Foreign Language Film.

There were at least three films in Telluride that have great chances in the Foreign Language category, two I saw, ‘Rust and Bone’ (France) and ‘The Hunt’ (Denmark), and one I was shut out of, ‘Amour’ (Germany, Austria, France collaboration, won Cannes).  Unfortunately with great foreign films there isn’t much need to delve into specific elements of their makeup, the category is simply judged by the film as a whole. 

It is unfortunate that foreign films don’t get as much pull in the other major categories, other than the occasional acting nomination which comes every few years, foreign films are rarely recognized for their screenplays or technical aspects.  Mads Mikkelsen (‘Casino Royale’) has an outside chance at a Best Actor nomination depending on how strong the field is, simply because he was recognized at Cannes.  Unfortunately he will most likely be overshadowed by less powerful roles in English speaking films.  I’d also venture to say if ‘The Hunt’ was an American adaptation we could also be looking at noms for screenplay and cinematography.

As stated before, multiple larger Hollywood productions that show in Telluride can sometimes garner a large number of nominations.  This year however I can only see one film with such potential, ‘Argo’.  Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort sees him break away from his Boston safety net (‘Gone Baby Gone’ and ‘The Town’) to tackle a film with a much larger scope.  Based on a real declassified mission, ‘Argo’ is the story of the rescue of six Americans working at the United States Embassy in Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979.  Affleck stars and directs while Chris Terrio wrote the screenplay.

The nom chances; although the acting is top notch at all levels the film plays more as a tense thriller than something that lends itself to showcase dramatic range.  On the whole it is very much an ensemble piece with no one actor afforded enough screen time to steal the show.  Aside from the lack of a strong possibility for an acting nom, ‘Argo’ can expect a handful of nominations in other categories.  I think this is Affleck’s time to be recognized for his ability as a director, I thought there was a chance for ‘The Town’ but the Academy usually makes directors/writers/actors establish themselves with a few strong efforts before being recognized, pay their dues so to speak.  The other strong possibilities include: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography.

The only other film with Oscar hopes coming out of Telluride was ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’.  Starring Bill Murray as Franklin D. Roosevelt, ‘Hyde’ depicts King George VI and Queen Consort Elizabeth’s visit to FDR’s Hyde Park country estate in the months leading up to the start of WWII.  Early buzz has Murray as a possibility for Best Actor and Laura Linney, playing FDR’s distant cousin and mistress Margaret Suckley, as Best or Best Supporting Actress.  Due to it being a period piece there’s always a chance for Costume Design as well.  I didn’t have a chance to see it in Telluride so more to come after its release later this fall.

Stay tuned, lots of Oscar analysis to come!

39TH TFF: MY FIRST TFF EXPERIENCE

Roughly 360 days until August 29^th, 2013. Yes, the opening night of the scheduled five day 40^th annual Telluride Film Festival.  If my knowledge of next year’s start date isn’t suggestion enough, obviously I had a great time at this year’s, my first, Telluride Film Festival.

Struggling to roll out of bed just shy of 5am this past Saturday, I jumped in the car and headed down 70, six hours down the road was Telluride.  The drive went by extremely fast, my brain’s hardwired for a twelve hour Vegas trip any time I get onto 70 so six hours is cake, and we arrived in Ridgway State Park to set up camp.  My first target film was at 2:45pm so I had some time to kill.  A detour at Telluride Brewing Co. to sample some beers and get the inside scoop on the festival was in order. 

Enjoyed some brews and got the basic intel from a local then headed to Mountain Village and waited in line for the 2:45pm film I was anticipating.  I decided to fest passless to save cash and become familiar with the scene, confident I would still get into most of the films I was interested in.  “Sorry folks all filled up”, grabbed some coffee and watched the Buffs humiliate themselves, then back in line for a 6pm show, “only passholders for this one”, ok just unlucky.  Hopped on the free gondola ride from Mountain Village to Telluride for a 6:45pm viewing, “not looking good for ticket buyers”, I was distraught.

After being shut out on my fist three attempts at a screening, and after panic began to take hold, I made my way to the Palm Theatre (TFF’s largest venue, seating 650). Waiting in line yet again, this time for Marion Cotillard’s TFF tribute and her new film, ‘Rust and Bone’, I was worried I would fail to see a single film in the mountains over Labor Day weekend.  Then buzz spread that most if not all non-passholders had a decent shot of getting into the show.  Finally, ten minutes before the scheduled start, we filtered in; I made it to my first film of the weekend!

Following multiple discussions with fellow festers I learned that this was one of the larger TFF turnouts in recent years and it was tougher for lowly “ticket buyers” to salvage screenings.  The procedure dictates all passholders that arrive for a film at least ten minutes before the show are seated first then, if any seats remain, individual tickets are sold to those waiting in the ticket buyers line (otherwise known as those without passes). 

My first three film attempts: ‘Amour’ (winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or), ‘Argo’ (Affleck’s latest directorial effort and TFF’s most hyped film), and ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’ (packing the star power of Billy Murray and Laura Linney), all were passholder heavy.  Apparently I didn’t know how to play the schedule.  This didn’t give me much hope for ‘Rust and Bone’, however from speaking with ticket buyer vets some of the passholders skip the longer tributes because they can catch two films in the same time frame.  This fact coupled with the large crowds still inside other theatres viewing ‘Argo’ and ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’ created a window for the Cotillard picture.

Now understanding how to spin the schedule and venues in my favor, the rest of the festival was extremely exciting and relaxed.  After my first three shut outs I waited in line for five more films…I saw five more films, needless to say next year I will be prepared.

Maybe the most interesting aspect of the entire weekend, aside from the films themselves, was the people TFF brings.  I’ve been to the Denver Film Fest, small indie screenings, midnight showings of Harry Potter, small student film premieres, the famous Castro theatre in San Fran, yet I’ve never seen a crowd of people present simply for the love of cinema.  Sure the mountains are amazing and the celebrity appearances don’t hurt but these are people who simply want to see new, challenging, and emotive films, dissect and discuss them, and genuinely want to share their experiences and thoughts with other festival goers.  Leave your Hollywood smugness in Park City, your glitz, glam, and excess in Cannes, your media hyped Oscar barometer in Toronto, this festival is for the love of film, nothing more.

Throw in a hike, some great eats, microbrews, and some beautiful scenery and I couldn’t ask for a better Labor Day weekend.  I will shortly post an entry discussing the films I saw and any Oscar implications.  The list reads:

‘Argo’ (got into a repeat screening on Monday), ‘Rust and Bone’, ‘The Hunt’, ‘Ginger and Rosa’, and ‘Frances Ha’.

Let the Oscar season begin!