6 Weeks To TIFF: a 20 weeks to oscar prequel (part 3 of 3)
In my third TIFF preview (1. High-Profile/No Awards & 2. Awards Chasers W/O US Distribution), the pay-off… the films with US distribution in place and an interest in getting into the awards mix. This is the group where Oscars bloom.
But first… here are some titles that have to be downgraded because they are – so far – avoiding TIFF ’11.
Let me explain myself. TIFF is now, by far, the biggest media festival in North America as well as the most influential media event in terms of United States distribution. If you take a film to Cannes, it’s great for Europe, but unless you have very low ambitions, you really have to totally relaunch for America. The New York Film Festival is wonderful… if you are only interested in Manhattan… cause that’s all the coverage you’re going to get.. and even then, no one much cares about anything other than The Times.
So… if you have Marilyn (née My Week With Marilyn) and you are choosing to World Premiere as the centerpiece at NY, congrats, but you’ve pretty much marked the picture as “Michelle Williams’ performance only.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
As for Focus’ Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, one has to wonder what they are thinking… unless what they are thinking is that it’s not really a Best Picture movie in spite of early buzz. Nine award seasons into their existence, they’ve had a film in the Best Picture race a remarkable seven times. The only titles that opened in the fall that didn’t go to TIFF were Milk and The Pianist, both of which skipped the domestic festival circuit entirely. The Pianist premiered at Cannes and was picked up there by Focus. It didn’t play in the US until it premiered in December of the same year. But Lost In Translation, Brokeback Mountain, Atonement, A Serious Man… all at TIFF.
Carnage takes the opening night slot, which precludes it from TIFF, even after it plays at Venice. You may well get a “surprise” screening at Telluride. But unlike The Social Network, which started its road to losing Best Picture by choosing the snotty path instead of just letting a fairly mainstream picture do its job on the broadest possible audiences, this adaptation of the Broadway smash “God of Carnage” (saw it twice) is not an inherently big movie. If it has a comparative relationship with an Oscar movie, it’s American Beauty… which launched at TIFF. NY doesn’t advance its cause to get past the art house circuit. A wave of love at TIFF would.
The only exception to these suspicions is Clint Eastwood, who may well have the Closing Night of NYFF with J. Edgar, then release the film Nov 9, and get away with it. He’s Clint F-ing Eastwood, man.
The other kind of exception are films that may be ready to viewing in September, but which are focusing on their release platform and not on the festival roll-out. Jason Reitman’s Young Adult is such a film. There was some consensus that Up In the Air may have shot its awards load early, jumping to the front of the pack at TIFF ’09. Not this time. Spielberg, who is also in the Eastwood category (which means that any first screening date is of the highest profile), has War Horse pretty much locked and loaded. But I don’t expect them to show it until November. Tintin opens Europe in October, but there is no rush to get it to TIFF or anywhere else before its domestic commercial launch in December. Same with Scorsese’s Hugo. (Neither Tintin or Hugo are awards-forward movies. If a wave comes, they will try to ride it. But the plan is to open the movies first, worry about awards later.)
Also not going to TIFF, most likely because they just aren’t ready are the new Fincher, the new Crowe (though he does have a concert film there), and Daldry’s December-dated Bullock/Hanks starrer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
And then there are titles that it’s nearly impossible to gauge. Film District has Johnny Depp in The Rum Diary, scheduled for the end of October… and nowhere to be seen. Not a good sign, but keeping it commercial if it’s more arty could be the reality for the distributor. Meanwhile, The Weinsteins might feel the need to take their time on The Iron Lady before rolling it out there. (Release date: 12/16).
And now… the list of Oscar-bait movies that do have distribution, release dates, and potential…
Albert Nobbs, director Rodrigo García – Roadside Attractions
Every time there is a new Rodrigo Garcia film featuring parades of the world’s greatest actresses, there is a lot of Oscar buzz. And so far… lots of Indie Spirit and no Oscar nominations.
This film takes a new tack. Garcia veteran Glenn Close passes as a man in this period drama. Cool. Excellent actress. Happy if it’s special. My guess is that Roadside will be happy if Glenn gets the only nod and pushes for screenplay on the side. (Release, TBA)
The Artist, director Michael Hazanavicius – The Weinstein Company
A sensation at Cannes, this black + white period comedy about the coming of talkies features the biggest comedy star in France, Jean Dujardin, the writer/director of some of his biggest hits, and their shared leading lady (Bérénice Bejo, who met and paired with Hazanavicius as the co-star of OSS 117: Nest Of Spies). My point is, this trio isn’t new. They are tested pros who have had nothing other than success. So the breakout of this film as “more than another Dujardin comedy” shouldn’t shock. In fact, the best money Harvey Weinstein could spend on the Oscar push would be to put the two OSS 117 films back on LA and NY screens now… maybe a few shows a week… and give voters access to the very enjoyable, smart precursors.
I don’t think it would be unfair to characterize Dujardin as the best comic actor working in movies today. He’s shown a lot of range and while he plays dumb as well as anyone, you can see a fierce instinctual intelligence underneath, making choices.
This film will be relatively low profile at TIFF, even with Cannes-conscious media keeping it on their Must lists. But it’s exactly the kind of film that ends up leaving Toronto as the answer to many people’s “What did you love at TIFF?” queries. The trick for TWC, starting at TIFF, will not to allow it to be relegated to, “It was great fun… but not weighty enough for Oscar” status.
I haven’t seen the film, so I don’t know how the film might acquit itself in that way… but I am a big fan of the team and have been since seeing OSS 117 at Seattle and spending a lunch with a jet-lagged Hazanavicius and Bejo. I’m rooting for them. (Release, Nov 23)
Coriolanus, director Ralph Fiennes – The Weinstein Company
It’s been 42 years since a Shakespeare-based film has been nominated for Best Picture… unless you count Shakespeare in Love. There have been some great Big Willie films in that time, from Branagh’s Henry V to McKellan’s Richard III to Zefferelli’s Gibson Hamlet. No BP noms.
There have been some acting noms and that’s what people will be mostly hoping for here. Fiennes, Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox, and Jessica Chastain will all get attention. But there is also a secret weapon…Gerard Butler… who could make this challenging Shakespeare play into a commercial movie, if Fiennes has found a tone than makes the Bard more accessible. (Release, Dec 2)
A Dangerous Method, director David Cronenberg – Sony Pictures Classics
The intellectual’s version of X-Men: First Contact teams Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen as Jung & Freud, with Keira Knightley as the patient in the middle and Vincent Cassel to boot. Cronenberg took longer between films than usual this time, but he might have the Oscar formula this time. A real boom or bust movie… but signs are pointing to boom. (Release, TBA)
The Descendants, director Alexander Payne – Fox Searchlight
Another looong wait between pictures, Payne returns without Jim Taylor and with George Clooney. The story, based on the Kaui Hart Hemmings novel, has Clooney trying to reconnect with his daughters after their mother dies in an accident. As is Payne’s way, he’s in for some lessons about living along the way.
At ClooneyFest 2011, there is hope that both of his films as an actor will emerge as serious contenders for Best Picture slots. The last time Payne brought a film to TIFF, it came in as a major underdog – even on the Searchlight calendar – to being their key awards movie. Thanks to George, the oven is set to High from the start, not unlike Payne’s About Schmidt, which launched at Cannes, leapt to NYFF, and then to a December release… and ending up with 2 acting nods and zippo for picture, directing, or screenplay. Changing up! (Release, Nov 23)
The Ides of March, director George Clooney – Columbia Pictures
ClooneyFest continues, this time behind and in front of the camera. But as with Good NIght, And Good Luck, Clooney has another actor in the lead, Ryan Gosling, and a beyond-muscular supporting cast of himself, Phil Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei., Evan Rachel Wood, and Jeffrey Wright.
The timing couldn’t be better. It’s not election year, when everyone will be oversaturated with these issues. It’s months after the Debt Debate, which means that people are thinking seriously about political issues, but won’t be sick of thinking about it when this lands. All we need now is the film. (Release, Oct 7)
Moneyball, director Bennett Miller – Columbia Pictures
Speaking of Sony, the film that would be Social Network is at the festival with Brad Pitt, Phil Hoffman, and Jonah Hill in the follow-up film from Bennett Miller, another Oscar nominated director who went 6 years between movies. (A 9 year break is coming to this list soon.) Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay. And while many of us objected to its unhappy inception – Soderbergh gets backdoored – the return of Bennett is welcome.
The big questions are, is this a chance for Pitt to get his third acting nomination… does Hoffman get nominated for this or the Clooney movie or both… and is this a career-changer for Jonah Hill. One more question (the biggest, really) is, “Why is Sony releasing this film 2 weeks before The Ides of March?” They would seem to speak to a similar adult audience looking for intelligent content. Do they have little faith in this one? Are they risking a crowded house in early October? Three weeks after Ides, they launch Roland Emmerich’s prayer for being taken seriously, Anonymous, which is also at TIFF>. IS this all just laying down a path for December’s barn burner The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? (Release, Sept 23)
Take Shelter, director Jeff Nichols – Sony Pictures Classics
Nichols is one of the hottest young artist/directors in the business right now, after breaking out with Shotgun Stories. He’s once again working with Michael Shannon, who continues to gain new fans with every project he does. Add Jessica Chastain and Shea Whigham (almost unrecognizable from role to role) and a cast of great actors and you have the movie that took Sundance by storm in January.
Oscar nominations from Nichols (as screenwriter) and Shannon would not be shocking. (Release, Sept 30)
We Need To Talk About Kevin, director Lynne Ramsey – Oscilloscope Laboratories
Tilda Swinton is the difference between this film getting an aggressive push by Oscilloscope and an Anchor Bay pre-DVD push (see: Beautiful Boy). And that ain’t a small thing. Of all the films listed here, it is the least likely to turn into a Best Picture candidate because material like this – Ramsey’s specialty – scares the crap out of people. But people will want to see what this is about, people who care about art will want to see what Ramsey is up to, and most of the media will want an audience with Tilda, if only for her to be painted as a symbol or artistic virtue. (Release, Dec 2)
Wait, what about Madonna’s W.E.? Isn’t Weinstein positioning it for Oscar at both TIFF and Venice? What are the chances it’s any good? Could it ride a King’s Speech vibe to a nom?
“née My Week With Marilyn” They change the title?
Jim Taylor didn’t co-write with Payne this time, but he’s still listed as a producer on THE DESCENDANTS.
really not impressed with The Ides of March trailer – its made for old people which should be on hbo … but they got
the big name actors who do drama stuff good ..
these actors will fool all the movie critics thinking this is good.
A Dangerous Method – why Keira Knightley ? why ?
another boring movie for old people …
more good actors wasted…
David, do you think some of the films you listed above which haven’t been announced for TIFF will be announced later? They usually do another Gala/Special Presentation announcement later on. Last year they did announce 127 Hours and Hereafter in mid Aug.
I am really surprised about Young Adult not going to Toronto. Reitman’s previous 3 films were all showcased there, and gotten huge receptions. Up In The Air may have peaked a little too early, but I thought Juno stayed pretty strong through out.
That still from Coriolanus is so awesome. Excited for that one. But it also reminds me, by virtue of its source, of THE TEMPEST, which I never saw, don’t remember being released theatrically, and am not even sure if it ever made it to dvd. Weird.
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, if they somehow translate the book properly, is going to be a real heartbreaker. Don’t know how they’re going to do it but THE HOURS didn’t exactly scream cinema and that worked out okay. Really curious to see the trailer to get a feel for the tone, as I loved the novel.
I realize Albert Nobbs is gimmicky, but I seriously cannot resist those pictures. It has somehow become my top “must see” film.
a line-up for the Booker Awards?
Nevermind. Got an answer to my own question. It’s still “My Week with Marilyn.” Just wondering why the change of title in your copy.
I’m a little shocked that NYFF picked “Marilyn” (by a British TV director with zero auteur cred) as their centerpiece title.
Sounds like somebody drank a little too much of Michelle Williams’ Kool-Aid.
I realize that it’s a minority opinion, but Williams has become–for me anyway–one of the most irritatingly mannered actresses at work today.
Haven’t liked anything she’s done since “Brokeback Mountain;” maybe (big “maybe”) “Wendy and Lucy.”
Not even BLUE VALENTINE, movieman? Or her affecting role in SHUTTER ISLAND? And if you’re somewhat pro-W&L, what about MEEK’S CUTOFF? Curious because I would rank her towards the top of her age group, without question, and I also think she has genuinely good taste in projects (BV easily would have made my best of 2010 list…).
I’m surprised a larger production of Coriolanus has not appeared before now. As a play it is as fine as any of his more celebrated comedies and tragedies.
Because, Kris, it was changed in the NYFF press release. So I guess NYFF has it wrong.
EDIT – And apparently, it is wrong… and I am wrong. I got the change from somewhere… not sure where anymore after looking up the NYFF release in my inbox. Weird. Apologies.
JKill- Nope, none of the above. Sorry.
Post-“Brokeback,” Williams reminds me of Mira Sorvino and Angelina Jolie after their Oscar wins. Aggressively, irritatingly mannered and–like Sorvino–desperately, pathetically trying to physically transform
herself into something she’s clearly not.
Williams’ perverse desire to make herself into some kind of sexpot (note the ghastly bleached blonde ‘do) is really kind of appalling, particularly if you remember (and have affection for) the lovably dumpy, frumpy early Michelle Williams like I do. And all of those Method-y affectations bore me senseless.
Admired the filmmaking in “BV” (and certainly Gosling’s terrific perf), but Williams left me utterly cold: you could see the evident physical strain from all that “acting.” Williams’ narcoleptic turn in “Meek’s Cutoff” hardly qualifies as acting at all.
As much as I enjoyed “Shutter Island” (DiCaprio and his “Titantic” costar Kate Winslet remain the finest male/female actors of their generation), Williams made next to zero impression on me. I sometimes even forget that she was in that film.
Interesting, movieman. For me she made a particular impression in SHUTTER ISLAND, especially considering her rather minimal screen time. I thought she was solid in MEEK’S CUTOFF, although my screening was in such poor quality (the worst I’ve ever payed for) that I’m going to have to re-evaluate both her and the entire movie in more optimal conditions on a 2nd viewing. I find her to be very affecting and interesting, even in less than great movies like MAMMOTH. I thought W&L and BLUE VALENTINE (where, yes, Gosling is amazing) were basically tour de forces for her. And, as I said, I really respect her choices and taste. Maybe she’ll change your mind in the Polley sophmore effort, which I think is lighter, in which she’s opposite Seth Rogen. Don’t disagree with you on the DiCaprio/Winslet love, though. They’re wonderful.
JKill- I had a dreadful “Meek’s Cutoff” viewing experience, too.
Watched a screener that was of such poor quality the nighttime/campfire scenes were like staring at a blank screen with some (barely discernible) mumbled dialogue overlaid on the soundtrack. Singling Williams out for thesping narcolepsy was possibly unfair since everyone in the film seemed to be under hypnosis (a la the cast of Herzog’s “Hearts of Glass”).
Thanks (not, lol) for reminding me of “Mammoth.” Anyone who disses Inarritu (and his haters are seemingly legion) should be forced to watch a continuous loop of Moodysson’s cosmic bummer of an artflick.
“W&L” felt a bit like a throwback to the Williams I remembered (and loved) up through “Brokeback,” though.
Hopefully Seth Rogen will (even momentarily) break her out of her angsty, “look-at-me-act” rut. But Polley’s involvement makes me nervous. I’m one of the few critics who thought “Away From Her” was (excepting Julie Christie’s lovely perf) criminally overrated (way too Canuck-precious for my taste).
(P.S.= Were you unlucky enough to have sat through Williams’ bonkers, utterly ludicrous femme fatale turn in “Deception”? Quite honestly, I’ve had a hard time taking her seriously ever since.)
Movieman, my experience with MC was similar except the screener was projected and stretched out incorrectly to 1:85 instead of the intended academy ratio, and I also couldn’t see anything during the night scenes (for a bit I assumed it was deliberate) and could barely make out the audio. But yes, everyone in the movie did seem curiously muted, with the notable exception of Bruce Greenwood.
I’ll put myself on the record as not getting the Inarritu haters. I haven’t seen BIUTFIUL yet but based on the other 3 films, I almost think there’s a virtuosity and skill that’s lost on people because he makes it look so easy. The attempts at fragmented, multi-narratives that fail, I think, show how talented he really is. I’ve never understood why he’s so divisive.
I have not seen DECEPTION, although I remember it looking almost like a throwback to that string of early 90s sex thrillers (a subgenre I like) and I’m a fan of the two male leads, so it got my interest but I just ended us missing it. Your anti-recommendation make me want to see it though. Ha.
Moodysson is a frustrating case of a director who can be brilliant (“Lilya 4- Ever,” “Together”) or beyond the pale (“Mammoth,” “A Hole in My Heart”). But Inarritu has been mostly “on” for me ever since “Amores Perros.”
If “Biutiful” is possibly my least favorite Inarritu to date, “Babel,” “Perros” and “21 Grams” pretty much give him a lifetime pass in my book.
You gotta wonder what possesses distribs to mail out clearly substandard, well-nigh unwatchable dvd screeners (e.g., the “Meek’s Cutoff”). Sort of defeats the entire purpose, doesn’t it?
I’d be curious to hear what you think of “Deception.” It’s a fairly junky, generic “erotic thriller,” but the crackpot casting of Williams as a sexpot/femme fatale nearly sends it into camp-tastic, “so bad it’s almost fun” guilty pleasure territory.
Wow, I find Michelle Williams heartbreakingly natural. You want mannered? Try Zoe Kazan in Meek’s Cutoff. She is incapable of playing someone born before 1980.
I used to feel that way about Williams, Rob.
But for me she’s quickly become–see above–one of the most “aggressively, irritatingly” mannered actresses around.
I’m guessing that her simulation of the essence of Norma Jean will be a reprise of her “sexy” (not) “Deception” turn.
Williams makes even less sense as Monroe than her former “Dawson’s” stablemate Katie Holmes did playing Jackie O. in the recent “Kennedy’s” miniseries.
Kazan was very good in a period role in “Revolutionary Road.”
And really quite wonderful in “The Exploding Girl” and “Me and Orson Welles.” (She annoyed me in “It’s Complicated,” but so did everyone else in that elephantine bon-bon.)
YOU WILL NOT SPEAK ILL OF THE GODDESS KAZAN.
BOW.
David – why don’t you expect Spielberg to show War Horse until November?
I am curious about the strategy with this film. There has been pretty much zero publicity around it – ten official stills released earlier in the year, a placeholder page for the film on the DreamWorks website, and then the release of the trailer on the same day as the official website – which so far only has the official synopsis, which has been around for ages, the trailer and only 2 of the 10 official photos released earlier. It all seems incredibly low key and downbeat. The best source for information on the film so far is the wikipedia page on it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Horse_film), rather than anything DreamWorks has put out.
So what are they playing at? There’s been hardly any official word from Speilberg and/or DreamWorks on the film. Why are they keeping schtum about it? I read Empire and they normally have their nose so far up Spielberg’s ass (he’s even guest edited it) and yet they have had nothing in the magazine about it: no on-set reports or detailed interviews (considering it was filmed in the UK and Empire is a UK mag, very strange), nothing more than the odd “Oh it’s coming to the UK in January, should be good cos it’s Spielberg” paragraph or two.
And wasn’t the trailer a disappointment? Horsey runs, boy looks sombre, war is hell. The book is amazing, the play was thrilling – I can’t believe Spielberg will have stiffed it with such an amazing pedigree, both from the source material and his own body of work. So why did they produce such a snoozefest of a trailer with the corniest tag line ever? Seriously lame. I’m so confused over this film. I want it to be brilliant, so why am I worried that it might not be?