Cannes, Day 2: Mixed Praise for ‘Wonderstruck’; Sandra Bullock’s ‘Cash’ Grab; First ‘Okja’ Trailer

TheWrap recaps Croisette action including Todd Haynes’ latest, another heist for Sandy B and Tilda Swinton vs. Giant Pig

Cannes Recap Day 2

After Arnaud Desplechin’s “Ismael’s Ghosts” left first-blush Cannes Film Festival goers hungry for something juicier, here comes Todd Haynes with his emotional “Wonderstruck,” which premiered Thursday in France.

There’s more good news as TheWrap recaps Cannes day two: Sandra Bullock is back to work on another heist flick (but it’s not an “Ocean’s Eight” sequel because no damn sequels ever again, understand?) and Tilda Swinton is facing off against a “super-pig” for Netflix.

Let’s frolic the Riviera in our hearts and minds, starting with:

Everyone Is a Teary Mess Over “Wonderstruck,” Except Everyone Who Isn’t

After blink-and-miss footage of Haynes’ “Wonderstruck” was screened by distributor Amazon Studios at CinemaCon this year, the “Carol” filmmaker hit the French festival with his leading ladies Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams and 13-year-old deaf breakout Millicent Simmonds — who threatens to erase all memory of Jacob Tremblay and Sunny Pawar if this film makes it the distance to the Oscars.

At a press conference, Williams reflected on her own motherhood and how it moved her in the filmmaking and Simmonds marveled at the fact that her life had taken her to Cannes (a comment that reportedly inspired tears from journalists in the room). The film was screened for media ahead of a Thursday night premiere, and reactions were a mixed kind of praise for a masterful Haynes who could not quite live up to his title.

“Very ambitious double narrative story of two deaf kids escaping to NYC. Partially dialogue-free but a wonderful experience,” one critic wrote.

Another likened it to a “lavish, expensive” version of the 2011 Tom Hanks awards-bait “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.” There was also praise for the original score and costumes by decorated queen Sandy Powell, which is exactly the type of drill-down fawning that sets up a project for awards attention.

TheWrap’s own Steve Pond found it “a bold formal exercise that doesn’t quite connect.”

https://twitter.com/kylebuchanan/status/865126562450092032

 Sandra’s Heist Game Won’t Quit

A last-minute package has come together for domestic and international buyers at Cannes’ Marche du Film, what looks to be an edgy leading turn from Oscar winner Bullock.

“Cash Truck,” based on the 2004 French film “Le Convoyeur,” will see Joel Silver reboot the tale in English with Bullock via his Silver Pictures, TheWrap has learned.

Josef Wladyka (“Narcos”) will direct from a screenplay by Ethan Erwin, Albert Hughes, and John Hodge. IMR International will handle global sales while CAA — Bullock’s rep — will take U.S. rights.

Here’s the lengthy logline:

Academy Award-winner Sandra Bullock stars in this intense, emotionally-charged action-thriller that explores greed, revenge and the dark heart of human nature. The intrigue begins when Alex (Bullock), an American who has fallen on hard times, starts a job at a London armored car company that was the recent target of a deadly heist. She works her way into the confidence of the tight-knit crew and we discover that there is much more to Alex than it seems. As she goes to dangerous and morally complicated lengths to pursue her own mysterious agenda, an explosive secret from Alex’s past surfaces propelling the story in shocking, thrilling new directions‎.

‘Okja’ Unveiled

The giant monster of Netflix’s mysterious “Okja” has finally revealed itself and we did not suspect something so adorable. Tilda SwintonTheWrap’s Cannes magazine cover star — plays the heir to a corporate conglomerate who has amassed a new species of giant pig.

Swinton and Co. intend to feed millions and claim the animals will have a reduced giant footprint. A young girl, however, meets and falls in love with one of the pigs (the titular Okja) and embarks on a dangerous mission to save to creature and stop Swinton in her blonde-bob-sporting tracks.

Watch the trailer below, and check back wth the TheWrap for daily recaps from the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.

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