Time and again, we’ve seen that trying to smash the entirety of a life—especially that of a notable person—into the running time of a feature film is a fool’s errand, resulting in puddle-deep characterization, painfully expositional dialogue and narratives that offer little more than bullet points. But these movies win Oscars, so financiers see them as something resembling a low risk, and here we are. “Lee,” the narrative directorial debut of acclaimed cinematographer Ellen Kuras, stars Kate Winslet as WWII combat photographer Lee Miller, first seen snapping a picture during a firefight before getting knocked over by an explosion. 

READ MORE: Toronto International Film Festival 2023: 26 Must-See Films To Watch At TIFF

The title fades in among the clouds of smoke, and we cut ahead to 1977, where Miller is now a senior citizen and cantankerous interview subject.

Continue reading ‘Lee’ Review: Kate Winslet Gets Her Oscar Clips In Ellen Kuras’ Visually Immaculate, But Standard-Issue Biopic [TIFF] at The Playlist.

Marion Cotillard is one of the most respected actors in the world. For decades, she’s not only been a force in French cinema, but she has crossed over into Hollywood productions in films such as “Inception,” “Contagion,” and “The Dark Knight Rises.” But all that success doesn’t mean Cotillard has been immune from shitty experiences during production.

READ MORE: 2023 Cannes Film Festival: 21 Must-See Movies To Watch

In a new interview with Variety, Marion Cotillard talked about her new Cannes film, “Little Girl Blue,” which is a docudrama from filmmaker Mona Achache.

Continue reading Marion Cotillard Tells Story Of Feeling “Manipulated” By A Filmmaker: “I Felt Like An Object, And I Really Hated It” at The Playlist.

With all the headlines dedicated to the #MeToo movement over the past few years, it can sometimes feel like the industry has made progress — certainly, enough to launch several biopics and television shows about its own misconduct. But this is still a time when “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” actress Adèle Haenel feels compelled to quit the French film industry in protest, and when the director of the Cannes Film Festival feels the need to say, out loud, that Cannes is not a “festival for rapists.”

READ MORE: Cannes Director Says Event Is Not “A Festival For Rapists”

Needless to say, there’s still work to be done, and it’s good that these conversations continue to happen – especially when they involve an icon of the French film industry, Marion Cotillard.

Continue reading Marion Cotillard Says #MeToo Has Taught Young Actresses What’s ‘Not Right’ at The Playlist.

In 2020, Steven Soderbergh’s “Contagion” became much more than just a vision of a potential future. As the COVID-19 pandemic dragged on, viewers pointed to how much the film’s writer Scott Z. Burns got right about a world-reshaping pandemic. And, if anything, he underestimated how dumb some people would be about it, but that’s another story. But if Burns’ latest project proves similarly prophetic, well, we’re all seriously screwed.

Continue reading ‘Extrapolations’ Review: Apple TV+’s Star-Studded Mini-Series Offers A Terrifying Vision of The Future at The Playlist.

With the rise of post-apocalyptic cinema at the turn of the century, humanity has gotten very good at depicting our own demise. We continue to be much worse at depicting the transitional period before complete collapse — and finding hope in the possibility that destruction is not a foregone conclusion. But if anyone understands that opportunity as a storyteller, it’s Scott Z. Burns, the screenwriter behind “Contagion” — a film that put humanity to the brink and walked us back — and the mind behind “Extrapolations,” an eight-episode Apple TV+ limited series that envisions a future on earth forever impacted by climate change.

Continue reading ‘Extrapolations’ Trailer: Scott Z. Burns’ Climate Change Series Features Meryl Streep, Marion Cotillard, Ed Norton & More at The Playlist.

Often, when we talk about the ills of the film industry and how cinema is losing its meaning and becoming dominated by features that struggle to be called “art,” the examples that are brought up include franchise films and sequels (many of which are based on existing IPs) with massive all-star casts. But guess what? American film isn’t the only segment of filmmaking to blame. The French will sometimes put out some questionable, silly films in an attempt to earn a quick buck.

Continue reading ‘Asterix And Obelix: The Middle Kingdom’ Trailer: Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel & More Star In Guillaume Canet’s Family Comedy at The Playlist.

Arnaud Desplechin’s latest film superficially resembles some of his most beloved and best work, family dramas featuring very colorful, neurotic, sometimes impulsive characters by turn extremely sincere and sardonic, loquacious and secretive — films such as “My Sex Life… or How I Got Into an Argument” (1996) and “A Winter’s Tale” (2008). But unlike them, “Brother and Sister” is also a puzzle, even if the director does not make it easy for us to solve it.

Continue reading ‘Brother & Sister Review: Arnaud Desplechin’s Captivating Sibling Drama Starring Marion Cotillard & Melvil Poupaud [Cannes] at The Playlist.

If you can count on death and taxes, you can also count on French filmmaker Arnaud Desplechin having a new film at the Cannes Film Festival. Desplechin has had ten films play at Cannes either in competition or in other sections, his most recent being 2021’s “Deception” and 2019’s “Oh Mercy.” His latest, “Brother And Sister” (“Frère et Sœur”) stars Marion Cotillard and Melvil Poupaud as estranged siblings who are forced to reunite after 20 years following the death of their parents.

Continue reading ‘Brother And Sister’ Trailer: Marion Cotillard, Melvil Poupaud & Golshifteh Farahani Star In Arnaud Desplechin’s New Cannes Drama at The Playlist.

Apple TV+ is not afraid to show off its seemingly endless bank account to hype up an upcoming project. From the first moment Apple TV+ was announced, the marketing was a parade of famous actors and filmmakers, all promoting some new TV series or film. And taking the “Field of Dreams”-esque maxim of “If we fill out a TV series or film with A-list actors and filmmakers, the subscribers will follow,” is continuing on two years after the fact.

Continue reading ‘Extrapolations’: Forest Whitaker, Marion Cotillard, Tobey Maguire & Eiza Gonzalez Join The Already Stacked Cast Of Apple TV+ Series at The Playlist.

Oscar-winner Kate Winslet (“The Reader“) was previously attached to film project based on the life of Vogue cover model turned wartime photojournalist Lee Miller, who helped spotlight the Holocaust atrocities against Jews committed by the Nazis during WWIII that had been hidden away from the front lines in evil concentration camps from the rest of the world.

READ MORE: Kate Winslet & ‘Mare Of Easttown’ Writer Brad Ingelsby Have Already Talked About Season 2 Ideas

The WWII project from director Ellen Kuras (“The Betrayal“) and screenwriter Liz Hannah (“Mindhunter,” “The Post“) will be heading to the American Film Market (where multiple films are auctioned off to distributors/financiers), according to Deadline, with Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Andrea Risborough, and Josh O’Connor are joining Winslet on the drama’s call-sheet.

Continue reading Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Andrea Riseborough & More Join Kate Winslet In WWII Holocaust Atrocities Drama at The Playlist.

Marion Cotillard was not the first actress cast in the role of Ann Defrasnoux in the musical fantasy “Annette.” In fact, she wasn’t even the second. But when she was eventually offered the part in Leos Carax’s long in the works oeuvre she simply couldn’t say no.

READ MORE: Marion Cotillard and Leos Carax on the secret of “Annette” (there is one) [Cannes]

“He’s one of the greatest artists, and I never thought I could work with him one day.

Continue reading Marion Cotillard & Simon Helberg On ‘Taking Big Swings’ In ‘Annette’ at The Playlist.

Since it opened the Cannes Film Festival in July, presumably by now you’ve heard all about “Annette,” the avante garde rock opera musical by the great Leos Carax (“Holy Motors“) featuring the music of the avante-pop band Sparks (featured in Edgar Wright‘s recent documentary “The Sparks Brothers“) and featuring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard.

Continue reading Final ‘Annette’ Trailer: Adam Driver & Marion Cotillard Star In A Surreal Musical For Leos Carax Featuring Sparks Music at The Playlist.

CANNES – There is a surprise in Leos Carax’s “Annette” that many will not be expecting. The fact that the press-shy cinematic auteur can pull it off is a credit to his unique skills as a filmmaker. And at the official Cannes Film Festival press conference for the film this morning, he spoke about how the musical’s magical secret came to be.

READ MORE: “Annette”: Leos Carax wraps the Star is Born vision into an ironic, dark pop musical fantasia [Cannes Review]

That being said, despite some reviews already revealing Carax’s choice, we’re going to save the spoiler until the last portion of this report.

Continue reading Marion Cotillard & Leos Carax On The ‘Secret’ Of ‘Annette’ (There Is One) at The Playlist.

An angry comedian fails to “kill it” with his audience, a breathy opera singer dies on stage every night, their torrid affair is a whirlwind of sex and romance, their prodigious child is presented as a creepy puppet, and their collective love may be torn apart by the abyss of fame. Qui, “Annette,” is another weird, dreamy, surreal vision from French maverick filmmaker Leos Carax (“Holy Motors,” “Pola X”).

Continue reading ‘Annette’: Leos Carax Warps The Star Is Born Vision Into An Ironic, Dark Pop Musical Fantasia [Cannes Review] at The Playlist.

The Cannes Film Festival begins this week and one of the films that is going to debut there will be “Annette,” the movie is helmed by French filmmaker Leos Carax (“Holy Motors“) with a script penned by Carax alongside Ron Mael and Russell Mael, aka The Sparks Brothers, who will also have roles in the film. The siblings were recently the subject of a rock documentary “The Sparks Brothers” directed by Edgar Wright. 

READ MORE: Review: ‘Holy Motors’ Is Beautiful Madness, Rabid And Resplendent

The contender has a cast consists of two-time Oscar-nominee Adam Driver (“Marriage Story,” “Logan Lucky,” “BlacKkKlansman,” “Silence,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens“), Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (“Flesh & Bone,” “Contagion,” “Macbeth,” “La Vie en Rose,” “Inception,” “The Dark Knight Rises“), Rila Fukushima (“The Wolverine,” “Ghost In The Shell“), Simon Helberg (“A Serious Man,” “Big Bang Theory“), and the aforementioned Sparks Brothers. 

READ MORE: ‘The Sparks Brothers’: Edgar Wright Transforms Ride Or Die Fandom Into A Moving Dedication To The Kinship Of Eccentric Visions [Sundance Review]

Here’s the official synopsis:

Los Angeles, today.

Continue reading ‘Annette’ First Clip & New Pics For Cannes Contender Starring Adam Driver & Marion Cotillard at The Playlist.

One of the most anticipated films of 2021, “Annette,” is opening the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival next month. “Annette” marks the first English-language film from visionary director Leos Carax (“Holy Motors“), with music by Sparks’ Ron and Russell Mael, recently featured in Edgar Wright’s terrific documentary, “The Sparks Brothers.” “Annette” stars Adam Driver, and Marion Cotillard is based on Sparks’ original story.

Continue reading ‘Annette’ Trailer: Adam Driver & Marion Cotillard Star In A Cannes-Bound Musical For Leos Carax & The Band Sparks at The Playlist.

It’s going to be the summer of Sparks. Everything is really coming together for the hard-working U.S. art-rock band who have been plugging away at things for years. The idiosyncratic band is the spotlight of Edgar Wright‘s upcoming “The Sparks Brothers” documentary portrait about the creative group and their struggle to survive the ups and downs of the music business over at least five decades. But that’s not all.

Continue reading “So May We Start”: Listen To Adam Driver & Marion Cotillard Sing On Sparks’ First Single From Leos Carax’s ‘Annette’ at The Playlist.

Well, the race to summer and Cannes is on. Legendary filmmaker Leos Carax returns to Cannes with his first feature film since the critically acclaimed “Holy Motors” (2012). Amazon Studios’ “Annette” was announced as the opening night film at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Leos Carax, and starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, “Annette” will make its world premiere on July 6, 2021, on the Croisette, marking the return of the film festival after last year’s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continue reading ‘Annette’ Trailer: Leos Carax’s Musical Arrives With Marion Cotillard & Adam Driver Will Premiere At The Cannes Film Festival at The Playlist.

In terms of French cinema, you can’t get much better than filmmaker Arnaud Desplechin. The man behind features such as “The Sentinel,” “My Golden Days,” and “Ismael’s Ghosts” consistently brings something new to each film, often switching genres between films. So, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that, coming off of a crime drama and a Philip Roth adaptation, Desplechin is venturing into the realm of family drama for “Brother and Sister.”

READ MORE: ‘Deception’: Léa Seydoux Stars In Arnaud Desplechin’s Secret Drama Filmed During Lockdown

According to Arte (via The Film Stage), Arnaud Desplechin is set to begin production shortly on his next film, titled “Brother and Sister.” In addition to the film being announced, it appears the filmmaker is reteaming with French actress Marion Cotillard for the film.

Continue reading ‘Brother And Sister’: Marion Cotillard Reteams With Filmmaker Arnaud Desplechin For A New Family Drama at The Playlist.

Brady Corbet is a filmmaker that seems to always gain our attention whenever he prepares a new film for release. He has a knack for putting together a talented cast for a project that always sounds interesting on paper. However, depending on your own tastes, the execution might not be 100% solid, with some praising all of his work and others wondering what went wrong (looking at you, “Vox Lux“).

Continue reading ‘The Brutalist’: Marion Cotillard, Joel Edgerton, Vanessa Kirby, Sebastian Stan & More Join Brady Corbet’s New Film at The Playlist.

Nothing busts canons quite like living in interesting times. In our ongoing Inflection Point series, we look back at the films that have taken on new relevance due to our ongoing cultural and political upheaval. Some beloved, some undiscovered, these titles deserve newfound consideration as film criticism evolves to meet the moment.

Over the past month, we’ve watched the world slowly come to realize what the word “essential” truly means for the global economy.

Continue reading ‘Two Days, One Night’ Beautifully Captures The Plight Of The Underpaid “Essential” Worker at The Playlist.

As this maddening list attests—one that nearly broke us trying to order “properly”—putting together a Best of Decade list is dangerous work. There’s just a million factors to consider, a million people and look, we anguish and anguish and at the end of the day it’s all arbitrary anyhow, so don’t give us shit!

READ MORE: 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2020

As the 100 Best Films of The 2010s Decade proved, no matter what you claim about the state of cinema and the sky is falling, the best of the best was unimpeachable.

Continue reading The Best Film Performances Of The Decade [2010s] at The Playlist.

For years, French filmmaker Leos Carax has been threatening to make the English-language romantic musical “Annette” as his next project. The film went into pre-production back in 2016, but perhaps that was premature as the film never surfaced. A few months before that, Rooney Mara and Adam Driver were rumored for lead roles. Mara may have flirted with the part, but it never turned out in the end.

Continue reading Marion Cotillard Replaces Michelle Williams In Leos Carax’s Long-Delayed Musical ‘Annette’; Sparks Composing Score at The Playlist.

Can you replace Marion Cotillard with Sebastian Stan and Edgar Ramirez? That’s the question that film fans will have to answer when they watch the upcoming female-led spy film, “355.”

According to THR, “355” has gained the talents of Stan and Ramirez, but has lost Cotillard, as the film readies itself for production to begin in July. The film, which stars Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Penelope Cruz, and Fan Bingbing, follows a group of female spies as they band together to stop a catastrophic event that will send the world into chaos.

Continue reading Jessica Chastain’s Female Spy Film ‘355’ Loses Marion Cotillard But Gains Sebastian Stan & Edgar Ramirez at The Playlist.

A little over a year ago, we reported that “Nous finirons ensemble” (“We’ll End Up Together“), the sequel to the French hit, “Little White Lies,” had just begun production with much of the same cast returning for the new film. Now, a year later, the film is hitting French cinemas and we finally have a trailer for filmmaker Guillaume Canet’s highly-anticipated follow-up.

Continue reading ‘We’ll End Up Together’ Trailer: Guillaume Canet’s Sequel To ‘Little White Lies’ Brings Marion Cotillard & Co. Back Together at The Playlist.