LAS VEGAS — Focus Features had a lot to celebrate in 2017. “Atomic Blonde” was a summer hit, “Victoria and Abdul” showed Judi Dench can still be a box office superstar with the right movie, “The Beguiled” was pretty close to profitable (a rarity for a Sofia Coppola film), “Darkest Hour” earned $147 million globally and “Phantom Thread” was a surprise Best Picture nominee. In fact, Focus reestablished itself in the prestige scene with 14 nominations and three wins including “Darkest Hour’s” Gary Oldman for Best Actor. It’s hard for any studio to duplicate that success year after year, but the Universal mini-major is hoping to do so with a slate of intriguing players on deck. And, like last year, they made a concentrated effort to tease them to the exhibitors at CinemaCon. Not a difficult endeavor when you have films with Margot Robbie, Felicity Jones, Adam Driver and Nicole Kidman on the way.
Cannes: Spike Lee, David Robert Mitchell lead the 2018 festival lineup
The studio already received strong reviews for the Mr. Rodgers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” at Sundance and Wim Wenders’ “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word” will debut at Cannes next month. That being said, there are four upcoming narrative movies that Focus spotlighted in Vegas:
“BlacKkKlansman”
Spike Lee was surprisingly not on hand (word is his NYU class took precedence), but producer Jason Blum and John David Washington were. We’ll get to see the film at Cannes in less than two weeks and we can now fully recommend you put it at the top of your most anticipated list. Lee appears to have shot the film in almost a pseudo comedic ’70s blaxploitation style. The footage finds Det. Ron Stallworth (Washington) arriving at his new gig at a Colorado police department. He calls up the local KKK chapter head David Duke (Topher Grace), much to the shock of his white colleagues, and tells them he wants to join up. His plan? Have a fellow officer, Flip (Adam Driver), play the “white” Ron and he’ll continue to be Ron on the phone. The film is clearly poking fun at how idiotic racists like the KKK can be, but will the fact it’s set four decades ago diminish its impact today?
“Boy Erased”
Star Lucas Hedges and director Joel Edgerton stopped by to discuss the film. Of working with his co-stars Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, Hedges admitted, “I’m a very anxious, nervous actor and I tend to get very paranoid and afraid of scenes before working them. I have several memories with Nicole I forgot everything looking at her.” The footage begins with Garrard (Hedges) telling his mother (Kidman) and father (Crowe) that he’s broken up with his girlfriend and, after a dramatic pause, he’s attracted to men. Then begins a montage were we see Garrard’s father at the pulpit as a Baptist preacher and his romance with Xavier (Théodore Pellerin) (although when this occurs is unclear), Garrard running, Garrard playing basketball for his High School team and a counseling group with Edgerton playing the lead therapist. The footage ends, however, with Garrard’s father telling him that if he wants to stay in this home he has to decide if he wants to still like men. And then it ends on Garrard who doesn’t have an answer. “Boy Erased” is highly anticipated and the movie may turn out fantastic, but it feels slightly smaller than the hype. Oh, and, from my memory, no shots of cast members Troye Sivan or Xavier Dolan to be found (although they may have wizzed by).
“On the Basis of Sex”
This is Mimi Leder‘s first feature film since 2009. It’s great to have her back, but something’s wrong that we had to wait almost 10 years for it. In any event, she was at CinemaCon alongside star Felicity Jones who plays none other than Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court Justice’s life story (and, yes, she visited the set but it appears she didn’t want that to get out). The good news is Jones is very good as the progressive icon as she battles discrimination in college and as a lawyer (with Armie Hammer on hand as her very supportive husband). The bad news is it all came across more like a TV movie than a theatrical one (and not even an HBO one). This was mostly because the cinematography was flat and uninspired (my kingdom for someone for Focus to have someone do a deep dive color timing this) and it ended with a courtroom scene that pretty much looked like that courtroom set you’ve seen on every TV procedural. Perhaps the final version will tell a different tale, but at the moment? Let’s just say that beyond Jones’ portrayal we’re concerned.
“Mary Queen of Scots”
The battle for the crown between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots has been told numerous times. It has not, however, been given the epic “Game of Thrones” treatment. That appears to be the case with famed theater director Josie Rourke‘s interpretation of the tale in her directorial debut. There are armies, there are dramatic confrontations and there are two of last year’s Best Actress nominees Margot Robbie (Elizabeth) and Saoirse Ronan (Mary). This is another example of some footage that could use some cinematic color timing, but overall it looks almost intentionally filmed in the general “GoT” style (which isn’t a bad idea commercially to be honest). Ronan and Robbie seem on their game and the best scene in the preview was an in-person confrontation between the two of them. The only other concern is for many watching Robbie as Elizabeth may take a slight adjustment. Three Oscar winners have played the Queen over the past twenty years, Cate Blanchett, Dench and Helen Mirren, the later winning and Emmy for her portrayal in an acclaimed Channel 4 and HBO mini-series. The iconic image of Queen Elizabeth I on screen that sticks the most, however, is Blanchett in Shekhar Kapur’s “Elizabeth.” Especially when she dawns the white makeup as the Virgin Queen. It’s been two decades, but Robbie’s Virgin Elizabeth look left us…wanting? Again, we’re hoping in context it blows us away and maybe Ronan will steal the show.
Look for more coverage from CinemaCon all this week on The Playlist.