Telluride Film Festival 2025

[marty]

I just returned from The Telluride Film Festival which is a lauchpad for many Oscar winners as it generates significant buzz for films that build momentum for the awards season. Several films that won the best picture Oscar that premiered in Telluride include Seven Years a Slave (2014) Moonlight (2016), Nomadland (2020) and The Shape of Water (2017). This was my 3rd visit to the Telluride Film festival and there were 2 films that knocked me out and will surely be Best Picture contenders this year.

The first was Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere starring Jeremy Allen White (who does his own singing) and directed by Scott Cooper. It is scheduled for national release on Oct 24th. It might be best not to read any reviews but this remarkable film not only changed my opinion of Springsteen, but will surely be heard from again when the Oscar nominations come out next year for best picture, best actor, best adapted screenplay (by Scott Cooper) and best director. Don’t miss it.

The second film that blew me away was Tuner, an ingenious film that received several standing ovations after its showings. It features Dustin Hoffman as an aging piano tuner who trains an apprentice named Nick played by Leo Woodall. Nick has hyperacousis, a condition characterized by an increased sensitivity to sound, where everyday noises that are typically tolerable become uncomfortably loud or even painful. Much to Nick’s surprise, this trait also has the unanticipated benefit of making him a gifted safe cracker. Made by first time full-length feature director Daniel Roher, this remarkable film has many physical and emotional twists and turns so hold on for a wild and thrilling ride. A fabulous script and impeccably made film, this will also be well treated when Oscar nominations are announced.

There were several other outstanding films shown at Telluride, but I thought WBF readers would have a particular attraction to the two I mentioned since they involve music and/or sound as major thematic components.

 

[marty]

I received a few emails asking what other films were highly regarded at Telluride. Since Telluride does not award prizes, there is no consensus as to the best film of the festival other than talking to people there who watched them and learning their thoughts. One film that received universal praise was Hamnet. Hamnet was the real son of William Shakespeare who died at age 11 and the film was based on a historical fiction novel by Maggie O'Farrell written in 2020. The film adaptation by Chloé Zhao explores the family's grief and its connection to the play Hamlet. The novel and film focus on the impact of Hamnet's death from the plague in 1596 and its devastating effect on William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes. I didn't see it due to screening time issues but I heard nothing but wide praise for the film, as well as a recommendation to bring a lot of tissues when I go see it.

Another film that was very popular and well regarded was Jay Kelly. Whereas Springsteen was a far cry from your typical glitzy Hollywood biopic full of self adoration, Jay Kelly was just the opposite as it was a self-indulgent film about a self-indulgent actor played by the ever self-indulging George Clooney that unfortunately will also receive several Oscar bids including best picture, best actor and best original screenplay because, frankly, it's all about Hollywood's love for self-indulgence! It was however, enjoyable, particularly if you like movies about self-adoration in which Clooney basically plays himself as he does in many of his movies. Fortunately he is easy to look at on the screen which doesn't hurt. It also had some funny moments, good supporting cast performances by Adam Sandler and Billy Crudup and was finely directed by Noah Baumbach. It will likely be successful at the box office as it was entertaining, but I thought that as far as substance, it was basically Hollywood tripe.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I don't know nuth'in about movies, but the Springsteen trailer reminds me a little bit of the Bob Dylan trailer, which seems promising.

The Jay Kelly trailer suggests a movie which is pretentious and pompous and boring.