I feel pretty well settled into my summer in LA. The past couple weeks since I started have been a whirlwind of activity and excitement. I hardly know where to begin! 

The most exciting news comes by way of Participant Media: I got a promotion! My direct supervisor and the assistant to the president of the company called me in Thursday to chat. They asked me if I’d be interested in interning two days a week on the president Ricky’s desk, reporting directly to him and his first assistant Jack. Would I be interested? Of course! Jack trained me today, explaining the phones and how everything works, and even got to take a few calls myself (baby steps, right?). I’m really excited to have this opportunity because I already love this company so much and I’m eager to learn as much about it as possible. Getting the chance to interact directly with the head of the organization and see how he works will be invaluable. Not to mention, Jack and Ricky are fantastic, and I know I’m going to really enjoy working with them. I’m so excited! I’ll still be reading scripts and working with the narrative department, so this will just be an added bonus.

Other things to know about Participant: they offer free yoga and pilates classes on Mondays and Thursdays; I’m meeting with their HR director tomorrow to talk about my resume and cover letter; last week I was in the office for the “all staff” meeting where each department talked about what they’re doing and the founder spoke; and before the summer’s up, I’ll likely get to see Contagion, The Help, Page One and Circumstance before they hit theaters because they’re having screenings at work.

Things are going really well at MGM as well. Last week I read a script I really liked, and when it came up in our evening staff meeting, the president of the company says, “well, if you liked it, pitch it to us.” I know I must have been so red in the face, but I managed to produce words (high point), and I was convincing enough that several of the execs took home the script to read it that evening. The photo that headlines this post was taken in the lobby at MGM. It’s the Best Picture Oscars for Gone with the Wind, a film the company produced back in 1939. So much history in that place. 

I’m still reading scripts for Phoenix Pictures, but I’m finding it difficult to make time to read and write coverage for them. There’s just so much else going on!

I was able to go visit my dear friend Dennis Byrd in San Francisco this past weekend, and although the trip was short, I had a wonderful time. I use to love San Francisco, and while I still think it’s a great city, I have to say LA has really grown on me and is definitely ahead of San Fran now. I just love how LA is truly a combination of many smaller cities and neighborhoods that meshed together create a vibrant, diverse and interesting place. I’m feeling better about the possibility of moving out here in December. 

I also got to attend opening night at the Hollywood Bowl with the folks I’m living with this summer. In addition to great performances by Harry Connick Jr and Gloria Estefan, Hilary Swank and Helen Mirren were there to introduce the entertainers. What a treat! I also saw Donald Sutherland and Carol Burnett roaming around looking for their seats before the show started. 

This Thursday I’m going to a cast and crew screening of Bad Teacher with my friend Stacey before the film hits theaters on Friday, and that should be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to friends visiting in the next few weeks and seeing what adventures I can get myself into in and out of the office. Most of all, though, I’m looking forward to reading as many scripts as possible, meeting as many people as possible, and learning as much as possible. I can’t believe I’m really here — I’m truly living my dream, y’all!

Blake

The only thing I love more than watching movies is guessing which ones will garner nominations and awards when the ‘old Academy Awards roll around each spring. This past year I was in front of the television at 8:00 a.m. to hear the nominees, and I’d already blogged my predictions. 

I take it a little too seriously.

Since there have been several months to buzz about Cannes, and because Toronto, Telluride, and Venice are coming up in the next three weeks, indieWIRE, one of my favorite film news sites, has started writing weekly articles about who and what projects are leading the Oscar race at this point. Yes, it’s September. Yes, the Oscars are in February. But we have to occupy ourselves for the next 5 months, right? 

The latest post by indieWIRE is mostly based off of reactions to films that came through Sundance and Cannes, as well as speculation about projects that are premiering in the next few weeks. 

The biggest buzz I’ve recognized at this point is surrounding The Kids Are All Right. It makes me so happy. I have heard a great deal of sources say that Annette Bening is a sure bet for the Best Actress category, but there are also a number of people who think Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo have a great shot at noms, too. With that said, there are films premiering soon that star a number of A-list talents including Nicole Kidman, Hilary Swank, Helen Mirren, Natalie Portman, Diane Lane, Carey Mulligan, Jennifer Connelly… I rest my case. 

It will be interesting to see how things pan out. Will Pixar get another Best Picture nom with Toy Story 3? Will James Franco get his first acting nom for 127 Hours? Only time will tell.

The next three weeks at Toronto, Telluride, and Venice will offer a lot more insight, I’m certain. 

You know when you can feel your friends getting sick of hearing you talk? Well, I get that feeling often when I start spouting off about how the trailer we’re watching is for a film that I saw in Cannes. Then I’ll share some story about how Michelle Williams, who stars in the film, was in the theater while I was watching it. As Tina Fey so smartly coined it in Mean Girls,this is what we call “word vomit” — you want to make it stop, but it just keeps coming up.

As the summer comes to a close, more and more Cannes titles begin to trickle into the U.S. market and my excitement begins to rise. There are many films I saw that I’d love to see again; there are others that I wasn’t able to see while I was in France and hope to catch stateside.

One of my Cannes favorites that has done surprisingly well in the U.S. is The Kids Are All Right starring Annette Bening, Julianna Moore and Mark Ruffalo. The film tracks one lesbian couple and their two children as they deal with relationship issues and the struggles of parenthood. I lied and connived my way into this “buyers only” screening at the festival market, and it was so worth any damage I did to my conscience in the process. I’ve heard mixed reviews from friends and family about the film, but I’m a huge fan. Independent filmgoers in the U.S. seem to like it as well — it’s grossed over $19 million at the box office, a hefty sum for a special-interest independent film. I’ve so enjoyed tracking this project since I discovered it in May. Oops, there I go with my pretentious word vomit again…

Of the 29 films that I saw in Cannes, Of Gods and Men was hands down my favorite. The film is based on a real-life story of a group of monks who are faced with the difficult decision of leaving their congregation when terrorists threaten their livelihood. This French film is never going to be a box office champ in the states — with subtitles, a slow-moving plot, long shots and many long scenes of monks praying, it’s not exactly what U.S. audiences are generally drawn to. But for anyone who appreciates quality film, it’s a masterpiece.

Last I checked, Ryan Gosling and Michelle William’s Blue Valentine will hit theaters on New Years Eve, just in time to make the two eligible for Academy Award nominations. And they will certainly be strong contenders for the honor in this heart-wrenching account of a couple falling out of love and struggling to salvage their relationship.

Other films to be on the lookout for are Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps starring Shia Labeouf, Carey Mulligan, Michael Douglas, Frank Langella, and Josh Brolin; Javier Bardem in Iñárritu’s Biutiful; the magnificent Helen Mirren in Love Ranch; and The Housemaid.