As sad as it is to be on the last day already, the good news is we had 4 excellent films.
1. “White Boy Ricky”—based on a true story— a sad case of a father & son living on the wrong side of the law in Detroit in the 80s. Matthew McConaughy was here to introduce the film to us.
2.” The old man & the gun” stars Robert Redford as a career bank robber—based on a real person named Forrest Tucker. It was charming. Will have wide appeal. Also with Casey Affleck &Sissy Spacek.
3. The Front Runner” is about Gary Hart’s failed run for president in 1988 after tabloid accusations of his womanizing. Starred Hugh Jackman & Vera Farmiga—well acted.
4. “Boy Erased”— powerful real tale (based on a memoir) of an 18 year old son of a preacher in Arkansas who is sent to “conversion therapy” for being gay. Excellent cast: Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman & Russell Crowe. Excellent!
Overall we felt it wasn’t the most spectacular year of films this time. But I did enjoy most of them. A theme this year: stories based on real cases.
It’s really hard to believe it’s over already. Went really fast! More rain this year than ever.
My ratings: in no special order
Favorites:
Girl
The Favourite
White Boy Rick
Watergate
The Front Runner
Destroyer
BoyErased
Very good:
First Man
Old man & the gun
Trial by Fire
The White Crow
Worth seeing:
Limited appeal: Roma, Cold War
I didn’t see here but want to:
Can you ever forgive me
Nonfiction (French)
Reversing Roe
Monday, September 3, 2018
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Telluride Day 3 Sept 2
We managed to see 4 films today. An excellent day!
1. A tribute to Emma Stone & her new film, “The Favourite.” The festival honored Stone & we saw a short interview with her before the movie. She has been here the last 2 years with La La Land and Battle of the Sexes. (And the Birdman was the year prior).
Her new film was excellent. She played a conniving servant in Queen Anne’s court. The filmmakers did an excellent job of suggesting the historical period but making it current enough to be accessible.
It was really entertaining! I look forward to seeing it again. It will get a lot of attention.
2. “Girl” was a very moving story of a young man who wanted to become a female and wanted to become a ballerina. I thought it was very touching and easy to empathize. Outstanding acting. It had won several awards at Cannes. Not surprising.
3. “First Man” tells about Neil Armstrong on his path to the moon. This will be popular. We all enjoyed it. It does take poetic license but still worth it.
4. “The White Crow” told the story of Rudolf Nureyev from his childhood until his professional ballet, and then his defection. Of course I enjoyed the dancing. Well done!
So this was a day of 4 excellent films!!
We had thunder & lightening, so it reminded us where we were!
1. A tribute to Emma Stone & her new film, “The Favourite.” The festival honored Stone & we saw a short interview with her before the movie. She has been here the last 2 years with La La Land and Battle of the Sexes. (And the Birdman was the year prior).
Her new film was excellent. She played a conniving servant in Queen Anne’s court. The filmmakers did an excellent job of suggesting the historical period but making it current enough to be accessible.
It was really entertaining! I look forward to seeing it again. It will get a lot of attention.
2. “Girl” was a very moving story of a young man who wanted to become a female and wanted to become a ballerina. I thought it was very touching and easy to empathize. Outstanding acting. It had won several awards at Cannes. Not surprising.
3. “First Man” tells about Neil Armstrong on his path to the moon. This will be popular. We all enjoyed it. It does take poetic license but still worth it.
4. “The White Crow” told the story of Rudolf Nureyev from his childhood until his professional ballet, and then his defection. Of course I enjoyed the dancing. Well done!
So this was a day of 4 excellent films!!
We had thunder & lightening, so it reminded us where we were!
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Telluride Day 2 Sept 1
Today we decided just to see three films. We’re taking it a little slower this year. They’re just were some films that didn’t appeal to us very much.
1. First was a tribute to Alfonso Cuaron(who directed “Gravity” for example)
and the screening of his new film: “Roma.” He explained that the film was drawn from memories of his childhood in a district in Mexico City called Roma. It was in the 1970s. The four of us had very mixed reactions to this film. It was a character study and certainly not action packed. Visually it was interesting and the human story was compelling. But I doubt that many people will flock to see it. It was in Spanish.
2. “Cold War” was a Polish film about a man who researched, played and taught folk music to a young choral group, to ensure the tradition continues. He falls in love with a young lady in the group and their very passionate and tortured relationship is set against the backdrop of the challenging political turmoil of Eastern Europe from the late 40s -50s. Because of the music and locales (including Paris in the 50s) I was drawn to it, but some others thought it less appealing.
3. “Destroyer” starred Nicole Kidman as an LA detective who ( as the program explains) was haunted by an old case that had gone wrong. Her transformation into this character is certain to garner an Academy award nomination. It’s a gritty cop show with a woman in the lead, instead of a man. We Just read a review of it that was very positive. This is one to watch for.
Sleep time. . .
1. First was a tribute to Alfonso Cuaron(who directed “Gravity” for example)
and the screening of his new film: “Roma.” He explained that the film was drawn from memories of his childhood in a district in Mexico City called Roma. It was in the 1970s. The four of us had very mixed reactions to this film. It was a character study and certainly not action packed. Visually it was interesting and the human story was compelling. But I doubt that many people will flock to see it. It was in Spanish.
2. “Cold War” was a Polish film about a man who researched, played and taught folk music to a young choral group, to ensure the tradition continues. He falls in love with a young lady in the group and their very passionate and tortured relationship is set against the backdrop of the challenging political turmoil of Eastern Europe from the late 40s -50s. Because of the music and locales (including Paris in the 50s) I was drawn to it, but some others thought it less appealing.
3. “Destroyer” starred Nicole Kidman as an LA detective who ( as the program explains) was haunted by an old case that had gone wrong. Her transformation into this character is certain to garner an Academy award nomination. It’s a gritty cop show with a woman in the lead, instead of a man. We Just read a review of it that was very positive. This is one to watch for.
Sleep time. . .
Friday, August 31, 2018
Telluride Day 1 Aug 31,2018
Today is the start of the festival! They did something new: at “our” venue—right by where we’re staying—- in the afternoon they screened a very long new documentary film: “Watergate—-Or How We Learned to Stop an Out of Control President.” It was 260 minutes long!! But amazingly we were all captivated. It wove together excerpts from the hearings, interviews at the time, current interviews such as with Woodward & Bernstein and some re-exactions of some key conversations from the Watwergate tapes. The parallels with Washington’s corruption today were powerful and chilling. This film will be on the History channel in November, so watching it in several smaller pieces will be easier for most viewers. After our screening, there was a panel with the filmmaker, a congresswoman from that era, and Lesley Stahl, who you’ll recognize in the photo (if I can add it ok).
The second film we saw today was “Trial by Fire,” based on a real case. Chilling. Cameron Todd Willingham was on death row in Texas for the arson murder of his 3 children. From all evidence, he actually was innocent. Laura Dern played a woman who took on his cause to appeal the conviction. Chilling, but well done.
So we started the film festival with 2 real American tales.
The second film we saw today was “Trial by Fire,” based on a real case. Chilling. Cameron Todd Willingham was on death row in Texas for the arson murder of his 3 children. From all evidence, he actually was innocent. Laura Dern played a woman who took on his cause to appeal the conviction. Chilling, but well done.
So we started the film festival with 2 real American tales.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Telluride 2018–Coming Attractions!
Greetings from beautiful Telluride! I am with the same 3 friends as the last couple years: Michelle, Julie & Pat. I think this is my 15th year here! We arrived yesterday (and were very disappointed with the condo we reserved this time, but c’est la vie). Now we’re settled and anxious for the films to start tomorrow. We got our program today and are excited about films and who will be here (although I see very few of the actors with this kind of pass we got---unlike the past, sigh).
A sampling:
*Emma Stone is being honored this year. We saw her here the last 2 years with “La La Land” and “Battle of the Sexes.” This year her new film is “the Favourite”—a period piece about Queen Anne & her lady consort (Stone).
*Melissa McCarthy in her dramatic debut: “Can You Forgive me?”
*Damien Chazelle (wrote La La Land) with his new “First Man” starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong.
*Hugh Jackman and Jason Reitman —“The Front Runner” about the derailed presidential campaign of Gary Hart in 1988, also with Vera Farmiga & J.K. Simmons
*Nicole Kidman has TWO films here: ‘The Destroyer” as an LA police detective
And “Boy Erased” about parents putting their boy through “Christian conversion therapy”, starring Russell Crowe & Lucas Hedges (from Manchester by the Sea)
*Ralph Fiennes directed & starring in “The White Crow” about Rudolf Nureyev’s defection
*Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek & Casey Affleck in “The Old Man & the Gun” based on a true story about Forrest Tucker—-who broke out of jail at age 70 to be a bank robber!
Tomorrow the festival starts with “Watergate—or How We Learned to Stop an Out-of-Control President.” Hmmm.... Hope people take notes. :-)
So—-this looks like an excellent lineup.
Jane
A sampling:
*Emma Stone is being honored this year. We saw her here the last 2 years with “La La Land” and “Battle of the Sexes.” This year her new film is “the Favourite”—a period piece about Queen Anne & her lady consort (Stone).
*Melissa McCarthy in her dramatic debut: “Can You Forgive me?”
*Damien Chazelle (wrote La La Land) with his new “First Man” starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong.
*Hugh Jackman and Jason Reitman —“The Front Runner” about the derailed presidential campaign of Gary Hart in 1988, also with Vera Farmiga & J.K. Simmons
*Nicole Kidman has TWO films here: ‘The Destroyer” as an LA police detective
And “Boy Erased” about parents putting their boy through “Christian conversion therapy”, starring Russell Crowe & Lucas Hedges (from Manchester by the Sea)
*Ralph Fiennes directed & starring in “The White Crow” about Rudolf Nureyev’s defection
*Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek & Casey Affleck in “The Old Man & the Gun” based on a true story about Forrest Tucker—-who broke out of jail at age 70 to be a bank robber!
Tomorrow the festival starts with “Watergate—or How We Learned to Stop an Out-of-Control President.” Hmmm.... Hope people take notes. :-)
So—-this looks like an excellent lineup.
Jane
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