Thompson on Hollywood

Fall Fest Update, Clooney, Burton, Von Trier, Weinsteins

Festival News:The AFI Festival has selected as its opener Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the Roald Dahl book. The fest takes place October 30 - November 7, 2009 in Hollywood. The movie is yet another George Clooney vehicle coming out this fall (along with Up in the Air and The Men Who Stare at Goats). The bad news: the star has to promote them all.

By Anne Thompson
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September 24, 2009 8:27 AM
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Reitman Talks Up in the Air, Clooney

Six years ago, Jason Reitman picked up the Walter Kirn novel Up in the Air and showed it to his father Ivan (Ghostbusters), who acquired film rights. Jason took a short stab at a film treatment of the book about a businessman who is obsessed with collecting frequent flier miles.

By Anne Thompson
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September 15, 2009 11:54 AM
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TIFF#: Toronto Day Five: Get Low Builds Buzz

With distributor ranks cut to the quick and a dicey domestic market for indie films, sales are slow at this year's TIFF. There are plenty of excellent and not so good films on view, but buyers are hanging back. "It's a buyer's market," says ex WMA agent Cassian Elwes. "They'll figure out which ones they want and wait until the sellers are desperate and then buy them."

By Anne Thompson
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September 14, 2009 9:14 AM
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Oscar Talk 2: Bright Star, An Education, The Road, Up in the Air

In Contention's Kris Tapley and I talk 0scars again post-Telluride (Up in the Air, An Education, Bright Star and The Road) and pre-Toronto. And we disagree this time!

By Anne Thompson
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September 12, 2009 10:13 AM
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Toronto Buzz

There are three Torontos. The launch/press/interview side of the festival is in full swing (yes, George Clooney is here). Oscar prospects are being weighed. And buzz is building--or waning--on the hunt for acquisitions titles. Besides button-holing folks around town, Twitter is one way to gauge reaction. Among the titles for sale so far: cool response to opener Creation, Dorian Gray and Love and Other Impossible Pursuits. Early good word on Lu Chuan's City of Life and Death and UK film Cracks.

By Anne Thompson
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September 12, 2009 4:57 AM
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Telluride Watch: Up in the Air Will Fly

Folks lined up for two hours on a rainy Telluride Saturday to get into Up in the Air. Hundreds were turned away. Writer-director Jason Reitman (and obsessive airline mile collector) played the crowd like a pro, hoping that the movie would live up to their expectations. He didn't need to worry. The director, who debuted Juno here two years ago at the same theater, delivers a winner. Loosely based on Walter Kirn's novel, Reitman's updated movie, which he started working on six years ago, has become, with the economic downturn, far more timely. It's a witty, charming and moving exploration of a world we all recognize.

By Anne Thompson
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September 6, 2009 4:25 AM
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Vanity Fair New Establishment Favors Editor Cronies

The one year that I covered the Hollywood side of the Vanity Fair New Establishment List, I found that the final list reflected less accurate reporting than who was a possible cover subject or socialized with editor Graydon Carter. This year the nasty economy allowed VF to trim some familiar names while the Hall of Fame protects some Carter cronies.

By Anne Thompson
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September 3, 2009 8:16 AM
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Trailer Watch: Men Who Stare at Goats

Grant Heslov's comedy The Men Who Stare at Goats looks pretty funny, I must say. I love George Clooney in full-on dimwit mode (see: O Brother, Where Art Thou?). The film is based on non-fiction writer Jon Ronson's book of the same name about a special paranormal military unit.

By Anne Thompson
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August 28, 2009 4:28 AM
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#TIFF: 30 Must-See Movies

It's hard to narrow down the must-see Toronto Film Fest list to 30. After all there are 335 films at TIFF09. (I'm including movies that I've already screened in L.A., Sundance or Cannes.) Some fall openers are launching at TIFF, 100 pictures are available for acquisition, and a select few will emerge with their Oscar hopes intact. Reaction from media and audiences will determine which films earn a full-on Oscar push. And I'm listing the pictures in alphabetical order.

By Anne Thompson
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August 27, 2009 8:12 AM
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Up in the Air Heads to Toronto

Jason Reitman's Up in the Air, starring George Clooney, will launch at the Toronto Film Fest (where loyal Canadian Reitman debuted Thank You for Smoking and Juno). This is classic pre-Oscar positioning.