Prisoners

[birchie]

Aug 26, 2013 22:09:50 GMT -5 jo said:

Keller Dover was a Bible-quoting family man -- so it is not surprising to see the crucifix necklace, as an affirmation of his faith.

Jo

I guess I was surprised because I think of it as very Catholic and wasn't sure how they were going to play up the religious aspect of the character. I guess if they show the setting as the Boston area that would make sense. Haven't seen anything in the trailers to get a sense of place yet even though the script is set in the Boston area.
Sue

[jo]

On the other hand --

I have seen one or two similar reactions like this :

Amanda Van Ham‏@missamanda_Mae7m
@wbpictures @realhughjackman Amazing actors but I can't watch it, the trailer terrified me... I went home and hugged my two little kids!!

Although this one is a bit more brave --

Jocasta‏@omalley_jo4m
@wbpictures @realhughjackman Going to be a hard one to watch as a parent but I'm sure it'll be a great film. Will definetly go and see.

Jo

[jo]

IMDB is now reporting that the screen time of PRISONERS has been changed to a much shorter length than the originally-reported 146 minutes --

Prisoners(2013)

107 min - Crime|Drama|Thriller - 20 September 2013 (USA)

It must have been edited or incorrectly reported because 146 min ( 2 hours and 26 minutes) seemed quite long for a fast-paced storyline ( based on the script). The new screen time would be 1 hr and 47 minutes . But Box Office Mojo still reports an " R" rating.

Jo

[mamaleh]

1:46 or 7 must have been misreported as 146 minutes.

Ellen

[jo]

The positive buzz is coming


The twitter message comes from a NYC screenwriter who sends a message to David Poland, a film observer!

larryagross‏@larryagross1h
@davidpoland Jackman and Gyllenhaal gala do career best work. If only Villeneuve were an American it would be a total Hollywood victory.



larryagross‏@larryagross1h
@davidpoland The great TBA is Prisoners the best studio financed character centered thriller since Zodiac and No country.

Jo

[jo]

The positive buzz is coming


The twitter message comes from a respected screenwriter, Larry Gross, who sends a message to David Poland, a film observer!

larryagross‏@larryagross1h
@davidpoland Jackman and Gyllenhaal gala do career best work. If only Villeneuve were an American it would be a total Hollywood victory.



larryagross‏@larryagross1h
@davidpoland The great TBA is Prisoners the best studio financed character centered thriller since Zodiac and No country.

Jo

[jo]

With the mention of ZODIAC and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN ( their type of movies), the snobbish netizens of IMDB's MOVIE AWARDS BOARD have started chattering about this one, too --

www.imdb.com/board/bd0000005/nest/218981795?p=1

Herd mentality - LOL!

Of course, there are the usual Hugh skeptics - always that he is good only as Wolverine smiley-rolleyes010


Jo

[jo]

It has not been announced among the final lineup for the Telluride Film Festival ( known for being a good precursor of Oscar most likelys) - there is some buzz that Prisoners might make it as a surprise screening.


www.deadline.com/2013/08/telluride-film-festival-oscar-contenders-flock-to-the-rockies-as-season-officially-begins/

Still, using a little Sherlock Holmesian power of deduction, another good guess could be Warner Bros and Alcon’s dramatic thriller Prisoners, which stars Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and many others. It opens September 20, so getting the word out before its official Toronto debut next week makes sense. It comes from French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, who made a major splash in Telluride in 2010 with Incendies eventually leading to an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. That gives him cred with the festival. Plus it has been showing to select press in LA this week after being delivered to the studio over the weekend, so it’s ready.

Jo

[jo]

It looks like someone has seen an advance screening --

Will Cozens‏@willcozens7m
saw 'prisoners' tonight, totally gripping - hugh jackman is outstanding! www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpXfcTF6iVk …

Jo

[jo]

And it looks like it might also be screened this weekend at the well-regarded Telluride Festival!


www.filmlinc.com/daily/entry/telluride-prisoners-jake-gyllenhaal-hugh-jackman-12-years-a-slave

At a fest brunch this morning, on a grassy hill nestled amidst the stunning San Juan mountains, festival-goers pondered the recently announced lineup and the perpetual tough choices ahead of them this weekend. Screenings begin later this afternoon and insiders were already buzzing about the expected addition of Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners and Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave as sneak previews this weekend.

[carouselkathy]

For PRISONERS to be mentioned along with 12 YEARS A SLAVE is a very good indication that there's good buzz in the festival circuit.

[jo]

It's confirmed for screening at Telluride on August 30.

variety.com/2013/film/news/hugh-jackmans-prisoners-12-years-a-slave-added-to-telluride-lineup-1200592831/

[jo]

It's even screening at practically the same time as 12 Years a Slave - one cannot see both because of the screening schedule! Kris Tapley did chose to see PRISONERS.

If Prisoners gets the stronger buzz (not expected), that could really get the movie going!

I didn't know that Paul Dano is also in 12 YEARS A SLAVE.


Jo

[jo]

Behind the scenes, with Jake and Denis Villeneuve --




Too bad, only Denis and the producers turned up at Telluride, while 12 YEARS A SLAVE had the whole contingent at the first showing of their movie, including Brad Pitt!


Jo

[Jamie]

First official review from Variety tweeter

Scott Foundas ‏@foundasonfilm 7m
My one-word review of Denis Villeneuve's PRISONERS: Wow. My 1000-word review: variety.com/2013/film/reviews/prisoners-review-telluride-1200593140/

[jo]

The reviews are coming in!

Maybe we should set up a new thread?

Jamie - I hope you don't mind if the Variety review is reproduced in that section? Thanks!


Jo

[mamaleh]

Love that "career best" and "Jackman has never been better" verbiage. Stellar review for all involved. Here we go again!

Ellen

[Jamie]

Gotta Luv It !!!!!

Jackman has simply never been better than as this true believer forced to question his beliefs. Effortlessly, the Australian actor projects a solid, rugged Americanness, the acme of a man whose home is his castle and who sees himself as his family’s protector. It is a performance void of vanity or the desire to be loved by the audience, and moment to moment it is exhilarating to watch.

[jo]

The people on IMDB are saying they have just been served a warm plate of crow


The movie is actually about 2 1/2 hours! It might almost be too hard to sit through this kind of edge-of-the-seat stuff for that long!

One question raised in the reviews - will people want to see such gritty stuff, given the timeliness of the subject and esp if one has young children. Kris Tapley was asked by someone who has a 6-year old if he should watch the movie...and Kris gave a categorical YES!




Will post the official reviews ( with spoilers) on the other thread. I have a feeling that the people from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter were part of the advance LA screening but their reviews were embargoed until after Telluride. Maybe WB has read those reviews and that was why they had no problems about the practical overlap with 12 YEARS A SLAVE screening at Telluride?



Jo

[jo]

I am reposting this from the review thread - a report on how the audience reacted to the extreme violence depicted on the movie --

Telluride: World's First Screening of 'Prisoners' Leaves Audience Stunned


.
Denis Villeneuve's character-intensive thriller sneak previews at the fest to overwhelming effect.


Telluride, Colo. -- Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, screened as a sneak preview Friday at the Telluride Film Festival, and director Denis Villeneuve told the audience, "This movie was finished last Friday, and it means you are the first audience ever to see this movie. For political reasons I don't understand, this is a sneak preview, but deep in my heart this is the premiere tonight."

The thriller, which breaks the rules of genre by focusing on character and the degrading effects of violence on people's souls, played well. Even viewers who could not stand its violence agreed afterwards that it was a stunning, overpowering film. Jackman plays a father whose daughter's kidnapping, apparently by a psycho (Paul Dano), turns him into a vigilante, while cop Gyllenhaal races to find the killer and keep Jackman's character from stepping over the line of criminality. The audience was clearly deeply affected by their intense performances in the unconventional, mazelike intellectual whodunnit, and also by the topflight cast: Maria Bello as Jackman's traumatized wife, Terrence Howard and Viola Davis as their friends whose daughter was also abducted, and Melissa Leo as Dano's mother.


At a Q&A with Villeneuve and producers Kira Davis, Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, and Adam Kolbrenner moderated by Leonard Maltin, Villeneuve said Jackman was hesitant to accept the violence of the role. "He asked, 'How will you do it?' I said, 'I have no idea. We'll do it together.' Sometimes you have to say the truth. Honestly, I think I brought vulnerability, fragility, a lot of sadness, too. Because the tension was in the script."

Davis said they chose Villeneuve because of "the tenderness that he could show in a scene that was so dark" in his previous film Incendies. Kosove said, "We didn't want to make a genre picture, we wanted to make a character piece."

After the screening, Kosove told The Hollywood Reporter, "At Alcon, we're known for making The Blind Side and movies about the better angels of humanity, but I think sometimes you have to explore other issues. Denis explores a dark side of humanity. It's tricky, because I think the way Hollywood deals with violence is deplorable, cartoonish, garish and ignorant. It plays a role in feeding a society that's far too violent. So we could only deal with violence in a way that shows its true horror and banality."

One horrified viewer protested, "Are there any comedies at this festival?" But Kosove said, "When people recoil from it, I'm glad, because violence is a horrible thing. If art depicted it more realistically, I think there might be less of it. The point of the movie is that violence is a cancer. You care very much about the characters, because you see how this horror envelops their hearts and turns them into monsters."

The film moves next to the Toronto Film Festival, and will be released by Warners on Sept. 20.

This is an "R" rated movie, maybe because of the violence shown.

*Do you shy away from movies with such a subject treatment? Can you recommend the movie to others -- maybe with a caution included? Ironically, it is much easier to see the carnage of war than to see individual stories into whose lives violence happens.

*If you are the parents of young children or have young relatives, can you stand to see such a story? I wonder if the thought crossed Hugh's mind, as he himself has two kids?

*Some of us who have read the script have an idea of what type of violence is depicted -- although maybe seeing it actually shown on screen is a different kind of story. Much more stomach-wrenching or the type of scenes that one turns one's head away from. Although when one watches some of the crime procedural dramas on TV, there is already so much gore and even violence shown, no matter how briefly.

*What about terrorism scenes which are no longer edited and displayed on CNN and other newscasts?

*Ironically, Wolverine movies also depict a lot gore and violence ( even if sometimes they are simply implied, such as when the show of blood is omitted) but there is a lot of carnage -- does this bother us? Or because it is a fantasy story, comic book fare -- we seem to ignore the issue when he assess the movie.

*Do you think there is too much realism depicted in movies and television today?




Just some food for thought.

Jo

[jo]

The Envelope section (re Oscars) of the LA Times poses two interesting questions --


www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/moviesnow/la-et-mn-hugh-jackman-prisoners-awards-race-20130831,0,3826518.story

Did the long-delayed 'Prisoners' just enter the awards race?


By Nicole Sperling
August 31, 2013, 12:31 p.m.



It's been a long road to the big screen for Aaron Guzikowski's script "Prisoners," which landed on the "Black List" of the best unproduced screenplays of the year, back in 2009.


After seeing a slew of leading men (such as Mark Wahlberg and Leonardo DiCaprio) enter and exit its cast over the years, the film finally made its debut at the Telluride Film Festival on Friday to overwhelmingly positive reviews. The response suggests that the 2-1/2 hour thriller about two Pennsylvania families' search for their missing daughters could be another contender in an awards race that, if you believe the festival hype, will be extra crowded this year.

Starring Hugh Jackman as one of the fathers searching for his daughter, "Prisoners" features a star-studded cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello and Paul Dano.


The R-rated drama directed by Canadian Denis Villeneuve ("Incendies") is drawing comparisons to other high-end genre fare such as David Fincher's "Seven" and Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River" -- rare Hollywood products these days.

According to Variety's Scott Foudas, the film features "career-best performances" from Jackman and Gyllenhaal, who plays the cop assigned to the case.

The Oscar-nominated Villeneuve is also partnered with Gyllenhaal on the film "Enemies," which will debut at the Toronto International Festival next week. With "Prisoners," the director has been praised for his precision, control and ability to create "unrelenting tight tension," according to Indiewire's Rodrigo Perez.

The critic adds, "Villeneuve continues to prove his deeply confident footing in modern day cinema, bringing intelligence and muscular and mannered nuance to a somber and extremely tense studio drama that doesn’t deign to ever spell things out."


It seems the biggest challenge "Prisoners" will have is luring in audiences interested in seeing "every parent's nightmare" played out on the big screen in what appears to be an exhausting ride. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film "doesn't flinch from graphic moments of violence and terror."

Produced by Alcon Entertainment and scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. on Sept. 20, "Prisoners" will likely need to first succeed at the box office before it can be considered a true player.

*Will it be good enough to enter the awards race? Sounds rhetorical!

*Will it draw enough of an audience to be considered a true player? Sounds rhetorical!



Jo

[jo]

Another one (Scott Feinberg) which casts doubts on the viability as an Oscar contender --


www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/telluride-prisoners-is-well-made-618836

Telluride: 'Prisoners' Is Well-Made and Gripping, But Is It Academy Fare? (Analysis)

1:34 PM PDT 8/31/2013 by Scott Feinberg


.
Because of the detective-thriller's dark subject matter, the large number of its actors who shine in it and the Academy's longstanding genre biases, it may slip through the cracks.


TELLURIDE, Colo. -- Prisoners, Denis Villeneuve's 158-minute detective-thriller about the week-long search for a pair of suburban kids who go missing on Thanksgiving Day, screened publicly for the first time Friday night at the Werner Herzog Cinema. 12 Years a Slave was premiering at the same time, so I covered that and my THR colleague Tim Appelo covered Prisoners, which, he reported, played really well. Having caught up with Prisoners this morning at its second screening, I have to say that doesn't surprise me: it's a well-made and immensely gripping film, featuring outstanding performances from each member of its distinguished ensemble -- Hugh Jackman, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano and Melissa Leo. Warner Bros. will release it on Sept. 20.



All that being said, I'm not sure that I see a clear path for Prisoners through the awards season. It reminds me a lot of another excellent whodunnit from Warners, Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone (2007), which had a similar underlying premise and also deserved awards recognition -- but wound up with just a best supporting actress Oscar nom for Amy Ryan. Because of that film's dark subject matter, the large number of its actors who shine in the film and the Academy's longstanding genre biases, it mostly slipped through the cracks. Unfortunately, I think Prisoners might too.

That would be a shame, because several of the actors in Prisoners deserve to be remembered: Jackman, who plays the aggrieved and aggressive father of one of the missing kids; Gyllenhaal, who plays the prodigious gumshoe leading the police investigation (he was also great as a law enforcer in last year's End of Watch); Dano, who plays the mentally-stunted prime suspect (he has made an art form of portraying creeps); and Leo, who is virtually unrecognizable as the old and frail caretaker of Dano's character (and is consistently as good as any character actress out there).

Villeneuve, a French-speaking Canadian filmmaker, previously came to Telluride with his films Un 32 août sur terre in 1998 and Incendies in 2010. In their respective years, both of them were the official submission of Canada for consideration in the best foreign language film Oscar category, and Incendies nabbed a well-deserved nom. Prisoners is his first film for a Hollywood studio, but, like his earlier indies, it has his clear stamp on it: it is long, slow-burning, heartrending -- and worth seeing.

Follow Scott on Twitter @scottfeinberg for additional news and analysis.

Why this early casting doubts on the Oscar viability of PRISONERS??

Are people ( other contenders and the bloggers/film commentarists) afraid that its spectacular reception at Telluride may create a juggernaut effect?

Or is this part of the Warner Bros strategy -- put the film and its actors in an "underdog" capacity - so good but why give it to this brash newcomer ( new director to Hollywood, first script written by the screenwriter, Wolverine and the Prince of Persia) Ha - it just might work!

But I think it cannot be denied that human nature is drawn to something controversial, esp if it is reflection of contemporary social issues and if the creative talent is too good not to acknowledge!

Besides I am not sure I trust Feinberg -- he is probably eating some crow now -- he placed the movie and its actors as longshots and now it may have way exceeded his forecasts <oops>


Jo

[jo]

Anne Thopmson labels PRISONERS as an OSCAR Hopeful, in the same breath as 12 YEARS A SLAVE

Telluride Roundups: Oscar Hopefuls '12 Years a Slave' and 'Prisoners' Score with Critics (TRAILERS)

Festivals.
by Anne Thompson and Ryan Lattanzio
August 31, 2013 3:51 PM

Starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal in, word has it, career best performances, "Prisoners," the English language debut of Oscar nommed "Incendies" director Denis Villeneuve, floored audiences upon its Telluride debut. Like Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River" (2003) -- says Variety scribe Scott Foundas in his superlative review -- this 2 1/2 hour thriller dwells in big themes and a sprawling cast. Uniformly superb costars include Paul Dano, Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Terrence Howard and Melissa Leo, in an evidently not-so-showy performance that's garnering acclaim. But will audiences take to this dark and disturbing crime story when it hits theaters September 20 via Warner Bros.?




Variety:


With each successive revelation, Guzikowski's brilliant script satisfies the necessary machinations while always flowing effortlessly from his vivid, multi-dimensional characters. That delicate balance extends to Villeneuve's direction, which maintains a vise-like grip on the viewer without ever resorting to cheap shock effects or compromising the integrity of the human drama. Yet this is also a film that breathes, that knows it has the audience in its palm and can take time out for the kind of incidental, character-deepening scenes that usually end up on the cutting-room floor.




The Playlist:



Jackman roars with a Wolverine-like rage and intensity in frustration at the ineffectuality of the police working his daughter’s case, but there’s an authentic, emotionally connected and anguished howl to his pain that he could never access with Logan. Like “Incendies” before it, “Prisoners” is emotionally draining as the family, the detectives and everyone involved is put through the wringer, but it’s an all-consuming ride that’s ultimately compelling, if not slightly exhausting.




The Hollywood Reporter:



As the plot twists multiply and tension mounts, the film reaches a climax that is satisfying without being predictable. Special praise should go to the sound engineer for a shrewd touch in the very last scene that brings the story to an absolutely perfect conclusion. "Prisoners" can at times be a hard film to watch, but thanks to all the talent involved, it’s even harder to shake off.




HitFix:



The ensemble is great across the board but Hugh Jackman gives what honestly might be his best performance as one of the desperate fathers willing to do whatever it takes to find his daughter. Jake Gyllenhaal is also perfectly utilized, carving out a law enforcement character caught between the robotics of the job and the emotion of the case. And also worth noting is Terrence Howard as the other father; he doesn't get a whole lot to do here, but he makes it all count and, along with his work in "Lee Daniels' The Butler," seems to be back on the right track.

"But will audiences take to this dark and disturbing crime story when it hits theaters September 20 via Warner Bros.?


Why are the film observers all of a sudden wary of the film's acceptability to general audiences? Even if it is only a movie for a niche market, should that detract from its award-worthiness?

I wonder why this issue is being raised by many film bloggers?? Hmmm....

Jo

[mamaleh]

How many people saw THE READER, which won Kate Winslet an Oscar? As Hugh joked in his Oscars opening number, everybody was lining up to see IRON MAN a second time, not the heavy drama. Yet, Hugh's chances at a nom for AUSTRALIA were reportedly dashed when the movie didn't do as well as expected in the US.

How a movie fares financially should not have anything to do with its artistic success.

Ellen

[carouselkathy]

So true, Ellen! By the way, i saw THE READER.