Thompson on Hollywood

Summer Wraps, Michael Moore, Fest Clips, Brit Wit, Remakes

Catching up after the holiday weekend and travel to and from fall film fests:

By Anne Thompson
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September 10, 2009 1:14 AM
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Weekly Oscar-Talk Podcast Debut

I am happy to announce the debut of a weekly Friday kudo-podcast with In Contention's Kris Tapley. Here's the first Oscar Talk. We discuss the awards hopefuls so far and likely contenders coming out of upcoming fests; Meryl Streep’s remarkable emergence as a 60-year-old movie star; how the ten best picture slots could effect the Oscar race; new indie distribs Overture, Summit and Apparition; changing trends in Oscar campaigns; Paramount pushing Shutter Island to 2010; how Avatar Day went; and a Toronto preview.

By Anne Thompson
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August 28, 2009 6:22 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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Toronto Watch: Docs Alert

There's a plethora of strong docs in the Toronto line-up this year. I am most looking forward to:

By Anne Thompson
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August 26, 2009 8:49 AM
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Twitter Effect, Toronto Preview, Hardwicke, Singer Choose Branded Projects, Moore Trailer

Hollywood execs are coming to the uncomfortable realization that the Twitter Effect will inexorably change their business. No more tricking audiences into buying one weekend on a bad movie, they're realizing. Now movies may actually have to be good. The horror! Michael Sragow lays out the ways that Twittering on a Friday has changed the movie landscape.

By Anne Thompson
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August 21, 2009 2:39 AM
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Moore Names Greed Doc: Capitalism: A Love Story

"It's the perfect date movie," says Michael Moore as he announced the title to his follow-up to Sicko, Capitalism: A Love Story. Overture will release the muckraking doc on October 2.

By Anne Thompson
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July 9, 2009 8:11 AM
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Moore 's Global Meltdown Doc Gets Release Date

At last year's Cannes, Paramount Vantage and Overture Films made the announcement that they were backing Michael Moore's follow-up to 2007's Sicko. (Here's my video interview.) Overture execs Chris McGurk and Danny Rosett had worked with Moore when they released Bowling for Columbine at MGM/United Artists. (They're sharing a nice slice of the gross with Moore.) While the doc's still untitled, it now has a release date, October 2, and comes out twenty years after Roger and Me, another doc recounting the perils of capitalism run amuck. The opening will be a year and a day after the Wall Street $700 billion bailout. According to a press release, Moore's film:

By Anne Thompson
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May 21, 2009 9:20 AM
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Happy Inauguration Day: Moore's Latest Missive

Just Hours Away ...a note from Michael Moore

By Anne Thompson
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January 21, 2009 2:41 AM
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Moore Begs Caroline Kennedy to Join Obama

With his latest attention-grabbing letter posted to his huge email list, Michael Moore makes a modest proposal to Caroline Kennedy, who heads Barack Obama's vice-presidential search committee: choose herself.

By Anne Thompson
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August 19, 2008 5:35 AM
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Oscar Watch: Predicts

At long last, the Oscar ballots are in and it is the week before the Oscar kudocast! It's time to make your fearless forecasts and plunk your money down in your office pool. (I can tell you one thing--it's not easy to come out on top here at Variety, where everyone is an Oscar expert.)