movie: Telluride festival update

email update courtesy of our reporter on the spot, my pal Kitty:

Hello, pals, your faithful, if dizzy from the altitude friend Catherine here, live from the amazing box canyon of Telluride! I write you with good cinematic
news! While my socks have yet to be knocked off, the viewing thus far has been
quality and enjoyable.

Open memo to Ang Lee: hire a good editor. As a friend here said, Didn't he learn
his lesson with the HULK? The much anticipated BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is about 42
minutes too long. I was working that particular show, and said to the floor
manager, get ready to usher people out, I believe this is the last reel. I was
then informed we still had an HOUR to go! My response? "An hour?! We need more
character development if we're going to go another hour!!" [Did I already
mention the altitude going to my head?] The surprising development was that
Heath Ledger carried the film, and will possibly get a nice Oscar nomination out
of his performance. I went in looking for Jake G to shine, but, in a Mildly
Unpredictable turn, didn't quite do it. PS to Ang Lee: if you're going to get a
lot of hype rolling for your cowboy gay love story, make sure there's some
uuhhhhh....chemistry. I'm sure most will like BROKEBACK, but it wasn't as good
as.....

CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER WOMEN was a gem that I expected nothing from and
totally enjoyed. Starring Helena Bonham-Carter and Aaron Eckhart [both in
person, looking di-vine] it's a one-act play style film, with one difference:
the whole thing is present in split screen. A gimmick, I admit, but it worked
for me. The story is concerned with "the path you didn't take in life" with the
refreshing portrayal of 40 year olds exploring love relationships [so common to
see the fire-fueled romance of hard-bodied 20somethings.] Aaron Eckhart is
super-- very true, carefully playing vulnerable moments: think the anti-IN THE
COMPANY OF MEN. It was so engaging, unlike.....

CAPOTE, starring the great Phillip Seymore Hoffman [who looks in person EXACTLY
as one would imagine.] Not so much a biopic as telling the tale of how IN COLD
BLOOD came to be, this film had so many flawed characters, so much manipulation,
and vulgar displays of selfishness. The execution [ugh-- terrible pun] of the
film was good-- a slow pace and distinct styling-- but didn't come together, for
me, in the end. I am not familiar with the Truman Capote who was sort of a
characature, ubiquitous to the talk show circuit, but for those who were, said
Mr. Hoffman's performance was spot on. Not a surprise, but not as much as a
surprise as.....

BREAKFAST ON PLUTO, which if you can excuse the lunatic title will bring the
even more wonderful than expected Cillian Murphy in Neil Jordan's
gender-confused [natch] comedy-with-dramatic-moments to your attention. Very
charming, fantastical with a soundtrack that made all the music lovers giddy.
[There were even cameos of famed rockers-- I, of course, oblivious, but caught
by my in-the-know hubby.]

Upcoming on my viewing wish list is WALK THE LINE [oooh! I can't wait!!!];
EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED [which could be my sock remover]; THE LOST CITY [Andy Garcia directs, so far raved by all who've seen]; and some obscure 70's
Scandinavian numbers. Bob is clamoring to see all 4 hours of Scorsese's Bob
Dylan Doc, premiering here in an hour. People are in a panic as to whether or
not "Marty" is here, but we'll just hafta wait. And see....