In Contention

Tag: Leatherheads

  • TELLURIDE: Clooney takes center stage

    George Clooney has been tapped this year for one of Telluride’s three big tributes, and it’s certainly the biggest of the trio. Whether it’s press and patrons schmoozing with the star at yesterday’s Patron Brunch, whispers around town (“Did you hear George Clooney is here?” “I really hope ‘The Ides of March’ is a TBA.”) or the ecstatic response to Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants,” this mountain burgh has been taken by Clooney fever.

    It’s a curious thing to see happen here at a festival that is so smooth and cool and not at all phased by celebrity. Clooney changes all those rules, though. And most of it has to be owed to his trooper disposition and charming charisma. He’s always “on,” and just about everyone wants to just throw back a few with the guy. Men want to be him, women want to…well, you get my drift.

    I tend to stay away from the tributes and spend that time taking in a film at Telluride. But since the actor is set to be feted later this evening, I thought I’d at least dedicate some space to his still in-progress career and the highlights that have brought him to this point.

    (more…)

  • Jeez…UNCLE already!

    Do we really need another George Clooney profile?

    I feel as though I can’t turn a corner in this town without finding his still handsome but clearly aging mug plastered on this magazine or that (while simultaneously popping up in the same typical tabloid outlets to boot — but that’s not his, or his publicist’s, fault).

    First it was a Time Magazine worship session from political writer Joel Stein that made some sense in the midst of an Oscar derby that clearly held Clooney and his film, “Michael Clayton,” in the thick of things. Then, in the run-up to the release of “Leatherheads” (a film that I still haven’t seen and, despite the poor critical reception, kind of want to check out), he got one of those uber-cool Esquire covers that you might expect. But the PR overhaul was starting to reach an apex, I felt.

    And hitting my doorstep today? A solid week after “Leatherheads” has already landed and underwhelmed? Clooney gets what might be close to a 10,000-word profile in the pages of The New Yorker.

    We get it! He’s our movie star. As some outlets have proclaimed (searching for the narrative, as always), he might be “the last movie star.” I know the media want to keep the fellatio going as long as possible on this cat, but can’t they at least come up for air form time to time??

    Who am I kidding? Everyone loves this guy. I love this guy. I just need some space, George. I need to find myself. I need to know myself…without you.