In the Links

• The New Yorker Kathleen Turner is singing... yes, singing, at Cafe Carlyle for a week or so. OMG I'd love to cover that for y'all but that place is pricey.
• Film School Rejects the troubled history of the film adaptation of Lin-manuel Miranda's In the Heights may finally be ending with Warner Bros snatching up the rights
• MNPP on the trailer for the art slasher flick Knife + Heart premiering at Cannes

 

• The Guardian thoughtful piece by Xan Brooks about provocative cinema, Cannes, and Lars von Trier in our new age of moralizing
• Playbill California readers take note. At the upcoming Hollywood Bowl production of Annie, Megan Hilty, Ana Gasteyer, and Lea Salonga star. Fun casting! And those voices!!
• Boy Culture Trinity Taylor makes over Nico Tortorella who now identifies as gender fluid, or as he says 'sort of cisgendered but not so... CISSY
• AV Club Jordan Peele producing a series set in the '70s about Nazi-hunting in NYC. What now?
• DListed obsesses over a strange Cannes moment with John Travolta and 50 Cent
• MovieMaker profiles Geena Davis's Bentonville Film Festival 
• W Magazine interviews Brie Vinaite on her busy post-Florida Project life
• Film School Rejects "How Marvel Broke Storytelling" a good piece on exactly what the problem is with how they've trained audiences and deferred endings
• Playbill This is so heartbreaking. Just a few months ago Tony-winning actress Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I) lost her daughter (to a driver who hit five pedestrians including Miles) and now due to complications from that tragic event she's lost her unborn child
• ExtraTV silly bro clip of Josh Brolin talking about his naked ad for Fish Love

Exit Video
Here's the trailer for the series finale movie of Sense8. Sad that this singular series from the Wachowski sisters and J Michael Straczynski is ending but glad we'll have closure.

Cannes Carpet #3: Thandie, Ava, Jane, and lots of Kristen Stewart

by Nathaniel R

Kristen, Laura, Jane, Thandie

We've already gawked at Cannes beauty thrice (Jury Arrival, Red Carpet Collection 1, Red Carpet Lineup 2) and now the final group of 16 delicious gowns before closing night. (And yes we'll eventually get to Cate Blanchett!). Let's start with these four: Kristen Stewart, Laura Harrier, Jane Fonda, and Thandie Newton...

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Cannes: How's the Palme d'Or Competition Shaping Up?

by Nathaniel R

Which of the 21 films that Cate Blanchett and her jury are screening, will win the Palme d'Or? It's the most coveted film festival prize in the world and it's always a nail biter even when the prize seems obvious due to the vagaries of jury voting. Only one film will win the Palme but juries are expected to spread the wealth so there's a lot to consider each year among the best-received films when you're talking "winners" since acting prizes, writing, and special prizes await us next weekend. Juries have been known to surprise by handing a random award here or there to a film that critics didn't like at all... or ignoring some obvious giant especially in the two acting awards. So in other words, take the "Cannes sensation!" reviews with a block of salt because you never know.  

Not all of the 21 films have screened yet but these 4 look like contenders of some sort to us from our vantage point across the Ocean...

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Cannes Carpet #2: Lupita, Amber, Dame Helen, and lots of Marion Cotillard

by Nathaniel R

Fan Bingbing, Lupita Nyong'o, Amber Heard, and Marion Cotillard

The Cannes red carpet waits for no man. So we'll keep trying to bring you 16 key looks each couple of days -- wish us luck! If you missed part one that's here. Outside of movies, which we'll get to on Monday, the weeked at Cannes was filled with the 82 woman protest and of course more and more gowns. Above we have Fan Bingbing in an amazing assymetrical dress from Alexis Mabille Haute Couture with sharp black ribbon details. In the past five years of fame Lupita Nyong'o has, we believe, now worn every single color that exists. Prada peach perfect, this time. Amber Heard is making quite a statement (though what is it?) in a puffy black and white floral number from Giambattista Valli Haute Couture. And Marion Cotillard looks fresh and fun in this Adam Selman gingham dress --love the smart belted hint of green for summer and red sandals for flash. Cotillard's film this year is called Angel Face which is an apt description. And Cotillard has been working it every day at the festival... 

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Cannes "82 Women" protest on behalf of female filmmakers

by Nathaniel R

82 women walked the red carpet today at Cannes protesting the lack of female filmmakers represented at the festival over the years. The number 82 is the number of films directed by women that have been in the main competition lineup since Cannes began 71 years ago (3 of which are this year). All the famous talented women from this year's jury led by Cate Blanchett were there along with the Godmother of the French New Wave,  recent Honorary Oscar recipient AND nominee Agnes Varda. Blanchett and Varda gave the speech in English and French which went like so:

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