“We need some sort of Grand Illusion”.

We all need campy fun now and then. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone stars Steve Carell in the Titular Role as a Magician who splits with his Partner after a guerilla Street Magician steals their thunder. After spending time with his childhood Idol, Burt realizes what it is that made him love Magic so much in the first place!  Think Zoolander, but with Magicians and Tricks instead of Runways!

Directed by Don Scardino (30 Rock, Royal Pains), The Incredible Burt Wonderstone also stars Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin, Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi, Brad Garrett and James Gandolfini.

Watch the Trailer below:

See the amazing new Character Posters below:

Warner Bros. releases The Incredible Burt Wonderstone on March 15, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros.)

Approximately 160 Nominees gathered  to attend the annual Luncheon in advance of the 85th Academy Awards, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel today in Los Angeles. The Event, considered a Rite of Passage for Hollywood’s Elite, is highlighted by a Nominees Group Portrait.  Attending this year included the likes of Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, Naomi Watts and several more.

According the Oscars Producer Craig Zadan, a focus this year will be placed on eliminating small time-consuming lags, which consistently drive the Ceremony into Overtime and just generally everyone watching into Panic Mode.  He says, “You start adding up those 30 seconds, and you have an accumulation of time that you can use for Entertainment. So that’s what we’re doing. We’re learning a lot about the things that we don’t need in the show.  The main goal is to honor the Nominees and the Winners.”. 

This remains to be seen as hopefully we won’t have to deal with the embarassing sight of the Orchestra playing as Hathaway forcefully zips her way through that one Speech she’s waited her whole life to make!

The Oscars air on ABC Sunday February 24, 2013 at 7:00 PM EST.

(Photo credit: @TheAcademy)

The amazing Katherine LaNasa might be a familiar face. She’s built a solid Career based on Television and Film Work, including turns on NYPD Blue, Judging Amy, Justice and Two and a Half Men.  More recently, she starred in 2012 Box Office Hit The Campaign as Cam Brady’s (Will Ferrell) delightfully funny Wife, Rose.  Later this year she will be seen in Thriller  The Frozen Ground alongside John Cusack, 50 Cent and Nicolas Cage.  The Film is based on true events surrounding the Hunt for Alaskan Serial Killer Robert Hansen.

LaNasa currently stars in NBC‘s Deception as Sophia Bowers.  The Primetime Soap stars Argo Alumni Victor Garber and Tate Donovan, while Meagan Good plays the starring Role of Joanna, a Detective who finds herself welcomed into the wealthy Family of her Best Friend, Vivian who dies mysteriously of an Overdose.

I caught-up with the lovely LaNasa (just at TIFF last September for Jayne Mansfield’s Car) whose Actor Husband Grant Show (Melrose Place) was by her side, as she exited Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition).  The still-handsome Show was nice enough to offer to take a Snap of us and after chatting with his Wife, I noticed her posing with an injured Middle Finger, which was dressed colourfully in a Cast and Ribbon.  “This is my Gay Pride Finger, do you like it?”, she asks.  I joked back, “Yes, I totally feel represented!”, which she laughed at before heading into her SUV.   She revealed that she hurt her Finger filming the Season Finale of Deception recently.   Now that’s really digging into your Role!  Champ.

LaNasa is in Toronto the entire week Co-Hosting  the popular Program between 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM EST.

Global Television airs Deception Monday nights at 9:00 PM EST/PAC.  Click here for more.

Follow LaNasa on Twitter here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/NBC)

Canadian-born Actor/Musician Bruce Greenwood has solidified his standing as a certified Screen Veteran, having built a long and lasting career with work in some of Hollywood’s biggest Blockbusters all the way to the smaller Canadian Indies.  You’ve seen him in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, I, Robot, Double Jeopardy, Super 8 and Star Trek, but he’s long been at it, making his screen debut back in 1982’s First Blood starring Sylvester Stallone.  You’ve also seen him in Atom Egoyan‘s The Sweet Hereafter.

Greenwood  who was born in Noranda, Quebec and is based out of Los Angeles, returned  to Toronto today once again for a round of Press in support of the DVD/Blu-ray release of  Flight.  The Drama which has him starring alongside Denzel Washington, is up for two Oscars including Writing and Best Actor, seeing a release tomorrow.  Amazon‘s got it available for only $14.99!

The Actor was up and at ’em early today, appearing on multiple editions of City‘s Breakfast Television from Toronto to Vancouver, before heading-off for more appearances, including a visit to CBC for George Stromboulopoulos Tonight.

Thrilled to get a Snap with the still-lookin’-great Greenwood who has a busy 2013 ahead with the release of The Place Beyond the Pines (March), Star Trek Into Darkness (May) and another re-teaming with Egoyan in Devil’s Knot (TIFF 2013?!!?).  Another Thriller Wildlike does not yet have a scheduled date.

Watch Greenwood‘s Interview on Breakfast Television Toronto right here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Beyoncé. Love on Top. Crazy in Love.  End of Time. Baby Boy. Single Ladies. A Destiny’s Child Reunion. Halo. An Exploding Guitar. Live Singing.  These are some of the things that the 2013 Super Bowl Halftime Show was comprised of!

Let’s re-live Queen B‘s phenomenal 2013 Super Bowl Halftime Show again in full right here.

Michelle Williams is such a Liar. Never believe a word she says again!

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Let’s face it. I know little about Football, so every year I hear the words “Super” and “Bowl” my not-so-secretly get excited about one, the famous Halftime Show and what Wardrobe Malfunction/Lipsynching Controversies might occur and two, how entertaining the TV Spots will be!

True to form, Advertisers pull out all the stops to create an impression on us and here are some of the biggest Winners for me this year – in particular the adorable Goat 4 Sale TV Spot from Doritos being the clear winner:

…and only because I love Horses. This Budweiser Spot almost made me cry. Tons of War Horse references here.

Zombie-RomCom Warm Bodies heats-up the Box Office, taking the top spot of the North American Box Office with a stellar $19 million for Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate Films/eOne Films this Super Bowl Weekend. The Montreal-filmed Adaptation of the Isaac Marion Novel, struck a chord with Moviegoers, fulfilling their needs for a February Romance, while also providing laughs amidst the Winter Blahs at once.  CinemaScore gave it a B+, while the Critics at Rotten Tomatoes tallied-in at 76% on the Tomatoeter. The Film was made  for $30 million from 3,009 theatres, meaning some massive profits for the Studio and the possibility of further installments to come – perhaps an Adaptation of its recently-released Prequel?

Last week’s Champ Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters continues to perform well in second with $9.2 million from 3,375 theatres for Paramount Pictures. In two weeks, it has grossed over $34 million domestically.  Worldwide it is on its way to surpassing the $100 million-mark.

Silver Linings Playbook continues to benefit from its Oscars boost, landing in third with $8.1 million. Coincidentally, the RomCom also has a Football theme, tying-in perhaps to the Super Bowl this weekend.  It also surpasses the $80 million mark domestically for The Weinstein Co./Alliance Films (eOne Films) and Pundits are forecasting it passing the $100-million mark.

Toronto-filmed Mama continues exceeds all expectations, still a major player at the Box Office after two weeks.  The Horror earns $6.7 million in fourth for Universal Pictures/eOne Films, a cumulative total of $53.8 million to date.  Jessica Chastain who stars in this  and also Zero Dark Thirty, is right behind herself in fifth with $5.3 million, almost surpassing the $80 million-mark domestically.

In sixth is Bullet to the Head with $4.5 million for Warner Bros./eOne Films. The Sylvester Stallone-starring Action Flick didn’t fare as well with Critics, earning 48% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, but Audiences responded fairly well with a B- CinemaScore.

Rounding-out the Top Ten this weekend are Best Picture Contenders and Veterans: Django Unchained, Les Misérables and Lincoln, taking-in $3, $2.41 and $2.4 respectively.

Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) is a straight-A College Student whose Best Friends Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) surprise him for a visit on his 21st Birthday. Throwing aside his books for once, the Boys decide to go on a wild night of Debauchery. One thing though, Jeff has his Medical School Interview the next morning. Uh-oh.

21 and Over is directorial debut from The Hangover Writers Scott Moore and Jon Lucas.   The Comedy also stars Toronto’s own Jonathan Keltz, Sarah Wright, Francois Chau, Daniel Booko and Dustin Ybarra.  Fans of last year’s Box Office Hit Project X should love this!

21 and Over opens in theatres March 1, 2013 via eOne Films in Canada and Relativity Media in the U.S.

Watch the hilarious Trailer below:

“Like” 21 and Over on Facebook here.

(Photo/video credit: Relativity Media)

Scarborough’s own Ellen Wong (no relation) recently received a significant profile boost landing a starring role on Sex and the City Prequel The Carrie Diaries as Carrie Bradshaw‘s (AnnaSophia Robb) BFF, Mouse.  Prior to that, she had also starred as Knives Chau in Edgar Wright‘s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World in 2010, gaining cult notoriety as the Girl whose heart was broken harshly by Michael Cera‘s Pilgrim.

The adorabl(er) Wong was just in-town earlier this month doing Press for the newly-launched Series which can be seen in Canada on City and The CW in the U.S.. Although she is busy filming The Carrie Diaries in New York City right now where she also is living, she’s back in her Hometown just this weekend and of all places I spotted her on the TTC this afternoon.  “You look so familiar”, she tells me after I say drop a quick “hi”.  I had her guessing until finally she narrowed it down: “I might’ve seen you in Interviews or something before…”.  She just might be right!

Wong, learned grew-up just blocks from me in Scarborough and she used to visit my old area often apparently as she loved visiting the Zoo, which was minutes from my Parent’s Home!  Although she isn’t on Twitter just yet, I reminded her that with the exploding popularity of The Carrie Diaries, the Fans may just soon demand it.   The Crowd of Girls forming around Wong on the Train who were unable to contain their excitement, for one would love the idea!

The youthful Actress tells me she fell in-love with Sex and the City this past Summer when she caught-up with all six seasons of the iconic HBO Series in preprartion for her Role.  Without giving anything away, she hints that there definitely will be more juiciness to come of Mouse‘s budding relationship with Seth (Kyle Harris).

The Carrie Diaries can be seen on City on Monday nights at 10:00 PM EST.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/CW)

After seven epic seasons including six Golden Globe wins and ten Primetime EMMY Awards, NBC‘s 30 Rock said farewell tonight in an hour-long Finale.  Despite  a continual slip in ratings, acclaim never stopped pouring-in for the Series-within-a-Series Sitcom which debuted in October 2006.

Despite the laughs tonight, there was an underlying current of emotion beneath the Humour.  We  saw an often-quiet Lutz (John Lutz) finally have a Blow-up over what the Crew would have for their final Lunch (he insisted on Blimpies), Jenna (Jane Krakowski) capping everything off with a stirring rendition of the Theme Song to a fictitious Legal-Thriller she starred in prior, named The Rural Juror and of course Liz tying-up loose ends with both Tracy (Tracy Morgan) and Jack (Alec Baldwin).  “I love you too, Jack“, says Liz to Jack after he fumbles to say so in a long-winded Speech aboard a Boat, before having a Eureka! moment in which we learn his next big idea – See-Thru Dishwashers.  They even flash-forward and we see Page Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) running the ship as Liz‘s mixed-race Great Granddaughter pitches a Series to him, while Spaceships fly outside the windows of 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Over the years I had the pleasure of meeting many of the Cast Members of 30 Rock as they came to Toronto for various reasons. Some came to promote their Books, some came for Stand-Up Comedy, some came to film, some came to sing – a perfect Snapshot of just how diversely-talented this Cast was. Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey, but one can always hope!

Farewell, 30 Rock. Thanks for the laughing fits.

xMr. Will

(Photo credit: NBC/Mr. Will Wong)