Nothing more than what’s in this trailer can be said, promotion-wise. You just have to take everyone’s word for it that Close (A24) is essential, extraordinary and deeply moving. All hail director and cowriter Lukas Dhont, cowriter Angelo Tijssens and costars Eden Dambrine, Gustav de Waele, Emilie Dequenne and Lea Drucker.

Why would Harry Styles throw a half-dead goat into the lap of Chris Pine? Why would Styles do something so louche and vulgar? Doesn’t tally.

Seriously — it all boils down to Pine’s reaction. There’s nothing in the clip that indicates covert spitting on Styles’ part. Nothing at all.

Friendo: “Could have been accidental? Pine fans are saying it’s because Pine kept rolling his eyes whenever Styles spoke during a cast interview.”

A humorous pseudo-trailer about Nope and when it comes to Keke Palmer they don’t throw in any kind of Bill Murray joke? Seriously? No balls.

As in higher energy, faster cutting. I still don’t know what the basic shot is, but we’ll get there. “Rule the world” doesn’t count.

In other words, Don’t Worry Darling might turn into a moderate or minor-level Oscar contender?

American #998 (Dallas to JFK) appears to be leaving on time. (Surprise.) Except my “window seat” (12A) doesn’t have a window…terrific. JFK arrival around 7:15 pm. A train, Metro North, etc.

“On the whole, I’d rather be in Tunbridge Wells.” — Dryden (Claude Rains) in Lawrence of Arabia.

“Gray Surprise,” posted on 5.19.22

After debuting at the Toronto Film festival on 9.12, Edward Berger‘s All Quiet On The Western Front will stream on Netflix on 10.28.22. Germany’s submission for the Best International Feature Film Oscar costars Daniel Brühl, Albrecht Schuch, Sebastian Hülk, Felix Kammerer, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic and Devid Striesow.

Thanks again to Telluride’s Julie Huntsinger for her classy, cultured programming picks (corralled under tough circumstances), gracious hospitality and never-say-die ebullience.

The last four days felt warm, familial and kinda glorious. For the most part I managed to put aside my enraged feelings about wokester critics (many of whom won’t even admit to their prejudicial “big changes!” agenda) and just submitted to the high–altitude satori of it all. Happy to be here…to be alive.

In terms of genuine movie excitement did Telluride ‘22 seem relatively thin? Aside from HE’s idea of the Big Five — Empire of Light, Close, Tar (despite certain reservations), Bardo (ditto) and Armageddon Time — some felt that way.

I would’ve loved to have seen The Whale, She Said, Banshees of Inisherin, Blonde, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, White Noise, The Fabelmans and even Don’t Worry Darling. But that’s the rough-and-tumble of programming early fall festivals.

The most interesting aspect of Owen Gleiberman’s Venice Film Festival review of Don’t Worry Darling is his enthusiasm for Harry Styles:

“What’s convincing is how easily Styles sheds his pop-star flamboyance, even as he retains his British accent and takes over one party scene by dancing as if he were in a ’40s musical.

“There’s actually something quite old-fashioned about Styles. With his popping eyes, floppy shock of hair, and saturnine suaveness, he recalls the young Frank Sinatra as an actor. It’s too early to tell where he’s going in movies, but if he wants to he could have a real run in them.”

The Styles film to really watch, in other words, is My Policeman:

Capsule description of Wilde’s film: “A kind of candy-colored Stepford Wives in the Twilight Zone meets The Handmaid’s Tale.”

HE on 7.22.22: