By Amanda Gilmore

Cannes ’23 opening night film tells the true story of Jeanne Bécu (Maïwenn). Jeanne was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743. As she grew up, and got kicked out of the convent she was forced into, she had two choices — work as a maid like her mother or become a courtesan. She choose the latter as she believed that was a way to live her fullest life. It was that life that lead her to become a mistress to King Louis XV (Johnny Depp). Becoming his favourite but hated among the court.

Maïwenn, who in addition to acting as directs and co-writes, brings us into the Age of Enlightenment in Versailles. Maïwenn shot the Film on location at the Château de Versailles when it was closed to the public on Mondays. From the moment Jeanne steps into the Palace, wealth drips from every angel. The King even gifts her a decadent diamond necklace following their first night.

Many Period Films lose focus on their subject. Especially when another character is more known in history books. Thankfully, Maïwenn doesn’t divert from telling Jeanne’s story. It’s a sad story to watch. She has only two choices due to her class within society, but also due to being a woman. Jeanne Du Barry is really a story about a woman locked inside society’s cage. Yet, Jeanne never loses her light. She had an exuberant personality that Maïwenn embodies. She perfectly captures the daring Jeanne and allows her light to shine through even in the dark.

Learning about this woman who rose the ranks within society is enthralling. Yet, a shorter run time may pack a harder punch. There are recurring moments that only needed to be included twice at most (like the King’s daughters finding ways to embarrass and hurt Jeanne).

Although Jeanne’s life story was challenging, Maïwenn and her co-writers find levity. This is shown through Jeanne’s zest for life and in the relationship she shares with the King. There’s even a recurring gag that runs throughout revolving around how one should never turn their back to the King but rather bounce backwards. The Film highlights the relationship they shared and how the King went against his family to have her at his side. Depp and Maïwenn have good chemistry that helps aid in the romantic storyline.

Jeanne Du Barry screens at Cannes ’23:

Tue May 16 at 7PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Tue May 16 at 11:30PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Wed May 17 at 9AM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Wed May 17 at 12PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Thu May 18 at 10AM at CINEUM IMAX

Thu May 18 at 4:30PM at LICORNE

Sphere Films today announced the acquisition of the Canadian rights for WE LIVE IN TIME by John Crowley (Academy-Award nominated Brooklyn) starring award-winning actors Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, currently in production in London, England.

WE LIVE IN TIME is a romantic drama scripted by playwright and screenwriter Nick Payne with Benedict Cumberbatch on board as Executive Producer. Developed and produced by STUDIOCANAL with partners at SunnyMarch: Leah Clarke (The Mauritanian, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain), Adam Ackland (The Mauritanian, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, Patrick Melrose) and Guy Heeley (Cyrano, Together, Locke), the project is co-financed by Film4 and STUDIOCANAL. International sales are handled by STUDIOCANAL while the U.S. distribution rights have been acquired by A24.

Sphere Films also picked up three titles ahead of the Cannes Film Festival. They include ABOUT DRY GRASSES (Official Competition) by the esteemed, award-winning Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan, CLUB ZERO (Official Competition) by Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner, who has regularly premiered her films in Cannes, and BONNARD PIERRE ET MARTHE (Cannes Premiere) by Martin Provost (The Good Wife, Séraphine) which stars Vincent Macaigne, Cécile de France and Stacy Martin.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Prime Video plunges into summer with the return of Canadian Amazon Original series The Lake on June 9, 2023. The trailer for Season Two of the sun-kissed lakeside comedy premieres today. Justin (Jordan Gavaris), Maisy-May (Julia Stiles), and Billie (Madison Shamoun) are joined for the summer by Maisy-May’s mom, Mimsy (Lauren Holly), whose presence adds even more drama to the mixed-family dynamic. The Lake Season Two is the latest addition to the Prime membership. Prime members in Canada enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership for just $9.99/month or best value $99/year.

“Much like taking a well-deserved vacation to your favourite summer getaway, it’s a thrill to revisit these wildly funny characters with another season at The Lake,” said Brent Haynes, head of local originals, Canada. “We’ve been extremely lucky to work with our production partners at AMAZE, showrunner Julian Doucet, and the stellar cast and crew on a hilarious and, at times, touching series that will snap customers in Canada and around the world out of their winter doldrums.”

“We’re thrilled to return with a sophomore season of The Lake,” said Teza Lawrence and Michael Souther, co-founders and executive producers, AMAZE. “We can’t wait for audiences to join us on this next chapter of the series and to yet again showcase the beauty of Northern Ontario as the perfect backdrop for our story.”

In Season Two, Justin and Riley (Travis Nelson), decide to make their relationship official. But their plans, along with the beloved boathouse, go up in flames. Carrying equal parts shame and blame, Justin sets out to prove his innocence, rebuild the heart of the lake, and win back the man he loves. Meanwhile, Maisy-May is dealing with a wildfire of her own: The return of her mother Mimsy, who claims she’s dying and wants to spend her final summer with her family on the lake. Billie returns for what is meant to be a one-week vacation. Her holiday changes after a gorgeous tree planter, Forrest (Jhaleil Swaby), and a fierce climate activist, Ivy (Max Amani), suddenly give her two reasons to blow up her summer. Series regulars back this season include Terry Chen, Jon Dore, Carolyn Scott, Natalie Lisinka, and Declan Whaley.

Written and executive produced by Julian Doucet, the series is produced by AMAZE, with Teza Lawrence and Michael Souther serving as executive producers along with Karen Troubetzkoy and Andrew De Angelis.

The Lake is part of Prime Video’s Canadian Amazon Original slate that includes The Kids in the Hall, LOL: Last One Laughing Canada, Three Pines, LOL: Qui rira le dernier?, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, and upcoming series The Sticky, Luxe Listings Toronto, Nuit Blanche, and more. Since 2015, Amazon Studios has filmed more than 25 Amazon Original series and films in Canada, including The Man in the High Castle and Upload in British Columbia; The Boys, Reacher, and The Expanse in Ontario; Tales from the Loop in Manitoba; as well as parts of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and The Voyeurs in Quebec. 

The series will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and around the world in the Prime Video catalog, including award-winning and critically acclaimed Amazon Originals like Citadel, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the award-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, and more.

TIFF proudly presents the exclusive Canadian launch of Elliot Page’s highly anticipated and groundbreaking coming-of age memoir Pageboy. A generation-defining actor and one of the most famous trans advocates of our time, Page joins TIFF in person to discuss his personal journey, his starring role in the hit series The Umbrella Academy, and the process of establishing himself as a key creative force behind the camera as a director and producer with his company Pageboy Productions.

Moderated by filmmaker Chase Joynt (No Ordinary Man, Framing Agnes), this In Conversation With… is part of the Pride month celebrations taking place at TIFF Bell Lightbox in June.

In Conversation With… Elliot Page is done in partnership with HarperCollins Canada and with community partner Glad Day Bookshop, Trans Film Mentorship, and Inside Out Toronto. 10% of proceeds from the book sales for this event will go towards trans artists in Toronto, courtesy of Glad Day Bookshop.

TIFF will partner with several organizations across Canada to provide a livestream of the event. Confirmed partners include: Vancouver Public Library (Vancouver), Calgary Wordfest (Calgary), THIN AIR Winnipeg (Winnipeg), and King’s Co-op Bookstore (Halifax). More information about the livestreams will be available on the websites of the respective organizations.

Tickets for TIFF’s In Conversations With… Elliot Page will go on sale Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 10 am to Members, and May 19, 2023 to the public. For more information, visit tiff.net. Each ticket purchase includes an assigned seat and a copy of Pageboy pre-signed by Elliot Page.

Our Amanda Gilmore has arrived in Cannes to deliver us some coverage of the Festival, its stars and most buzzy films! The Festival is on now through May 27, 2023. Today, she attended the Press Conference for this year’s Jury, featuring some very accomplished names in the industry including Paul Dano, Brie Larson, Ruben Östlund and Julia Ducornau.

Some quotes from today, starting with Paul Dano.
Dano: “I’m so excited to be here and be surrounded by these people”. “I’ve been going every year since I was a teenager to the Cannes Festivalto see what films I wanted to seek-out, especially foreign filmmakers.”.

He also comments on the current Writers’ Strike taking place in Hollywood and both him and his wife Zoe Kazan working hard to create awareness for the cause.
Dano: “My wife is currently on the picket line with our (child) and when I get home I will join her on the picket line.”.

Julia Ducournau, Palme d’Or-winning Director of acclaimed Titane also is a jury member and comments about the Festival.
Ducournau: “I was extremely happy they let me do this”. “I don’t want to know anything about the films before I see them. You come here for open-mindedness.”.

She comments on handing on the torch and what the impact of winning a Palme d’Or can have on one’s career.
Ducournau: “Giving the Palme d’Or to someone can really change their life. It’s the Holy Grail!”.

Ruben Östlund, Director of Oscar-nominated Triangle of Sadness, speaks about being Jury President.
Östlund: “You try to crate a certain atmosphere”. “People shouldn’t be scared to say what they want.
We don’t have to be smart, we just have to have the first instinct and speak what we think.”.

He is asked what he thinks of this year’s in-competition films:
Östlund: “We’re going to keep our mouths completely shut this year.”.

Academy Award-winning Actress Brie Larson comments on her approach to work and having expectations going into see a film.
Larson: “I take the same level and care in everything. It doesn’t matter the budget, a film is a film”. “I love going into films without knowing anything”.

Remember to bookmark this link and check daily for updates, reviews and sightings from this year’s Festival!

Some sights from Cannes from Amanda:

(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)

The trailer is now available for Disney’s frighteningly fun adventure “Haunted Mansion,” which opens in theatres on July 28, 2023.

Directed by Justin Simien, the film features an all-star cast ensemble cast including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon and Dan Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost.

Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, “Haunted Mansion” is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters. The film’s producers are Dan Lin andJonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.

Today, we get a brand-new final Trailer for eagerly-awaited FAST X, the tenth film in the beloved FAST & FURIOUS franchise!

Synopsis:

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.  

In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price. 

Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance. 

Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), Fast X stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar^® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar^® winner Charlize Theron. 

The film also features an extraordinary new cast including Oscar^® winner Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue representative from the Agency; Alan Richtson (Reacher) as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who doesn’t hold the same fondness for Dom’s crew as his predecessor, Mr. Nobody; Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) as a Brazilian street racer with a powerful tie to Dom’s past; and legendary Oscar^® winner Rita Moreno as Dom and Mia’s Abuelita Toretto. 

Fast X is produced by Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel, Justin Lin, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Samantha Vincent. The executive producers are Joseph M. Caracciolo, Jr., David Cain, Chris Morgan, Amanda Lewis and Mark Bomback. www.thefastsaga.com

MERPEOPLE explores the Mermaid culture, which actually is a booming industry! Meet this fascinating world of underwater performers in this brand-new Netflix Documentary.

Synopsis:

MerPeople dives into the fascinating world of underwater performers who have turned their love for the mystical sea creatures into real-world careers. From putting on dazzling small-town shows in Florida to the crowning of the King and Queen of the Seas in the Bahamas, this series will take you on a journey of passion and perseverance. Get ready to set sail on an unforgettable voyage and immerse yourself in a world where fantasy becomes reality.

MERPEOPLE arrives May 23, 2023 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

JURY DUTY is sure to bring the laughs and here’s a first look at this upcoming Mockumentary Sitcom ariving today on Prime Video Canada.

Synopsis:

Jury Duty is a documentary-style comedy series that chronicles the inner workings of an American jury trial through the eyes of one particular juror. What that juror doesn’t know is that the entire case is fake, everyone except him is an actor, and everything that happens — inside the courtroom and out — is carefully planned.

Created by: Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky

Jury and Litigants: Ronald Gladden, James Marsden, Alan Barinholtz, Susan Berger, Cassandra Blair, and many more.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video Canada)

Mr. Will x Universal Pictures Home Entertainment want to give Readers a chance to win COCAINE BEAR on Blu-ray!

Synopsis:

From Director Elizabeth Banks (Charlie’s Angels, Pitch Perfect 2), comes Cocaine Bear, the “wildly entertaining” (the Mary Sue) story inspired by the time an actual bear did cocaine. The comedy-laced, high-octane film phenomenon stars Keri Russell (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), Margo Martindale (American Crime Story), and the late Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) in “a thrilling binge of adrenaline” (TheWrap). The ‘Maximum Rampage Edition,’ loaded with behind-the-scenes extras including an alternate ending, deleted scenes and gag reel, will be yours to own on Digital May 9, 2023 and Blu-ray™ and DVD May 23, 2023 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE).

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow … and blood.

‘MAXIMUM RAMPAGE EDITION’ EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES TO OWN ON DIGITAL, BLU-RAY & DVD:
Alternate Ending
Deleted & Extended Scenes
Gag Reel
All Roads Lead to Cokey: The Making of COCAINE BEAR – Meet the hilarious ensemble brought together to bring the movie of what is soon to be the world’s most famous bear to life.
UnBEARable Bloodbath: Dissecting the Kills – From rigging to special effects makeup, to some of the actors doing their own stunts, we’ll get a bears-eye view into some of COCAINE BEAR’s hilarious and gory kill scenes.
Doing Lines – Cast and filmmakers read lines from the script to COCAINE BEAR, which was a work of art unto itself.
Feature Commentary with Director/Producer Elizabeth Banks and Producer Max Handelman

FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., with Margo Martindale and Ray Liotta
Music Supervisors: Julia Michels, Julianne Jordan
Score By: Mark Mothersbaugh
Edited By: Joel Negron ACE
Production Designer: Aaron Haye
Director of Photography: John Guleserian
Executive Producers: Robin Mulcahy Fisichella, Alison Small, Nikki Baida
Produced By: Phil Lord p.g.a., Christopher Miller p.g.a., Elizabeth Banks p.g.a., Max Handelman p.g.a., Brian
Duffield p.g.a., Aditya Sood p.g.a.,
Written By: Jimmy Warden
Directed By: Elizabeth Banks

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY:
Street Date: May 23, 2023
Selection Number: 1000823431 (CDN)
Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 16:9 2.39:1
Rating: Rated R for bloody violence and gore, drug content and language throughout.
Subtitles: English, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (DTS Digital Surround 5.1), and Latin American Spanish (DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1)
Run Time: 01:35:21

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: May 23, 2023
Selection Number: 1000823430 (CDN)
Layers: DVD 9
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 16:9 2.39:1
Rating: Rated R for bloody violence and gore, drug content and language throughout.
Subtitles: English, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital 5.1), and Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Run Time: 01:35:21

To enter for your chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet the Contest Tweet below for an extra chance!

Rules and regulations here.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)