Three-time gold medal-winning Olympian SUMMER MCINTOSH gets a hero’s welcome home in Toronto! The 17-year-old Swimming star is fresh off three historic victories at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris including:

200-metre butterfly

400-metre medley

200-metre individual medley

She also earned a silver in the 400-metre freestyle!

McIntosh was spotted with her parents Greg McIntosh and former Canadian Olympic team Swimmer Jill Horstead, returning home from Paris as their daughter was greeted by fans, friends and Media at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The family is said to be heading to their Muskoka cottage for some relaxation.

After fielding some questions from Media and posing for some photos, McIntosh was ushered-off quickly with her handlers advising that she is tired and unable to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.

Some snaps of McIntosh‘s return to Toronto:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Lucie, nestled in the heart of Toronto’s financial core, is proud to announce ‘August in Paris’ – a four course curated menu for $95 per person (excluding beverages, taxes, and gratuities) which brings authentic French heritage to Toronto, exclusively for the month of August.

From Tuesday, August 6 to Saturday, August 31, guests can indulge and reminisce in French culture. Chef Arnaud Bloquel invites you to savour the exquisite flavours of France with an exclusive four-course menu that promises to transport you to Paris through your tastebuds. This exceptional culinary offering is combined with the warm hospitality at Lucie, promising unparalleled artistry and passion for French cuisine.

The menu for August in Paris includes canapes, an amuse-bouche, L’Aubergine Violon (marinated Chinese eggplant, cherry tomato and pecan cream, prawns and smoked cucumber jelly), Les Saint Jacques (scallops, chanterelle, roasted almond, granny smith apple and cider emulsion), L’Agneau (provencal Roasted Ontario lamb saddle, green olive cream, chickpea and reduction jus), La Noisette (choux pastry, hazelnut praline espuma, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream) and mignardises.

Join Lucie this August for “August in Paris” and let chef Bloquel’s extraordinary menu transport you to the heart of France. Guests can reserve their table HERE.

Bon appétit!

The Sky Lounge Experience will return to Hotel X Toronto for Labour Day weekend!

Join Hotel X for a lap of luxury at the exclusive Sky Lounge Experience on the breathtaking High Park Terrace. Guests can experience unobstructed views of the CNE’s annual Airshow while enjoying first-class treatment and indulge in great vibes, tasty eats, and live music while enjoying the luxurious views from the Sky Lounge.

Event Name: The Sky Lounge Experience at Hotel X Toronto

Date: Saturday, August 31st and Sunday, September 1st

Time: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Location: High Park Terrace at Hotel X Toronto 111 Princes’ Blvd. Toronto.
Tickets: Business Class (GA) is $144.45 and VIP starts at $445.58. Tickets are available to purchase here.

Guests looking to upgrade their experience into a weekend stay at Hotel X can book the Layover Package or the Cockpit Experience Package.

Today we get a new Trailer for TIFF ’24 selection, REZ BALL!

Logline:
In the heart of Chuska, New Mexico, the Chuska Warriors, a high school basketball team rich in Native American heritage, face their greatest challenge. After the loss of their star player, the team must unite like never before to keep their dreams of a state championship alive. This is more than just a game; it’s a journey of resilience and unity, a true underdog story deeply rooted in Native American culture.

Release Date: Friday, September 27, 2024

Director: Sydney Freeland
Writers: Sydney Freeland and Sterlin Harjo
Producers: Katie Elmore and Maurício Mota, Spencer Beighley, Jamal Henderson and LeBron James, and Nancy Utley
Executive Producers: Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping, D. Scott Lumpkin, Maverick Carter, Jodi Archambault
Production Companies: Springhill Company Production, Wise Entertainment Production, Chernin Entertainment and Lake Ellyn Entertainment Production

Cast: Jessica Matten, Kauchani Bratt, Cody Lightning, Dallas Goldtooth, Ernest David Tsosie, Kusem Goodwind, Zoey Reyes with Amber Midthunder and Julia Jones.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

TIFF is proud to unveil its 2024 Centrepiece programme lineup presented by Marriott Bonvoy,® featuring 43 titles from filmmakers representing 41 countries. The selection includes 18 World Premiere titles from Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and USA. Centrepiece honours and celebrates global cinematic achievements, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a dynamic array of contemporary films. The programme is a reflection of TIFF’s commitment to providing an elevated platform for international cinema, acclaimed titles from festivals around the globe, highly anticipated premieres from Canadian and international talents, and the latest work of influential filmmaking luminaries. The 49th edition of TIFF is proud to unveil its 2024 Centrepiece programme lineup presented by Marriott Bonvoy,® featuring 43 titles from filmmakers representing 41 countries. The selection includes 18 World Premiere titles from Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and USA. Centrepiece honours and celebrates global cinematic achievements, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a dynamic array of contemporary films. The programme is a reflection of TIFF’s commitment to providing an elevated platform for international cinema, acclaimed titles from festivals around the globe, highly anticipated premieres from Canadian and international talents, and the latest work of influential filmmaking luminaries. The 49th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, will take place September 5-15, 2024.

The 2024 Centrepiece selection has been programmed by Jason Anderson, Kelly Boutsalis, Diana Cadavid, Robyn Citizen, Giovanna Fulvi, Nataleah Hunter-Young, June Kim, Dorota Lech, Jason Ryle, and Norm Wilner. Discover more about the films from the programmers themselves here:

Notable World Premieres include Front Row, from one of the filmmakers selected as a Luminary — TIFF’s spotlight on new work from the world’s most influential art-house directors — Algerian director Merzak Allouache, marking his 19th feature film, a family-friendly comedy about feuding matriarchs battling over the best beachfront spot. Seven Days, the latest from Iranian filmmaker Ali Samadi Ahadi and writer Mohammad Rasoulof (also in the Centrepiece programme with his film The Seed of the Sacred Fig), centres on an Iranian human rights activist named Maryam who has spent the last six years in prison and has been granted a rare seven-day medical leave. Pimpinero: Blood and Oil, a gripping thriller set in the early 2010s from acclaimed Colombian filmmaker Andrés Baiz (Griselda, Narcos), starring Colombian music icon Juanes, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Speitzer, and Laura Osma, takes place in the treacherous desert bordering Colombia and Venezuela, where gasoline smugglers or pimpineros risk their lives transporting illegal fuel. Under the Volcano, a tense and timely second feature from Polish filmmaker Damian Kocur following Bread and Salt, which garnered a Special Jury Prize at Venice ’22, tells the story of a Ukrainian family on vacation in the Canary Islands who become refugees overnight when Russia’s ongoing occupation of Ukraine turns into a full-scale invasion. Another timely film covering pressing social issues is Antoinette Jadaone’s Sunshine, from the Philippines, starring up-and-coming Maris Racal (her third collaboration with the filmmaker), who plays a young gymnast who discovers she’s pregnant on the week of the national team tryouts. The latest from Belgian director Guillaume Senez (Keeper, TIFF ’15), A Missing Part is a thoughtful and moving drama about a father’s search for his daughter, with an exceptional lead performance by Romain Duris. From Canada, Measures for a Funeral, from acclaimed filmmaker and Short Cuts alumni Sofia Bohdanowicz and her frequent collaborator, actor Deragh Campbell, tells a singular story about a forgotten Canadian violinist. Also, Canadian pop duo Tegan and Sara are at the centre of the gripping documentary Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara, which charts the global rise of the trailblazing twins, their advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, and their simultaneously liberating and fraught relationship with social media, from American documentary filmmaker and writer Erin Lee Carr (At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal, Britney vs Spears), who directed and produced the film.

Other Centrepiece standout World Premieres include Jane Austen Wrecked My Life from France. In an utterly charming debut, writer-director Laura Piani draws from Austen’s works while crafting a wholly contemporary romantic comedy — featuring a Frederick Wiseman cameo — that stands on its own merits. Kiwi-Australian filmmaker Marcelle Lunam, who has directed multiple music videos and short films, as well as the feature documentary Habana Shakes, presents Addition, a warm-hearted and illuminating adaptation of the bestselling novel by Toni Jordan, starring Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches), who plays a mathematician struggling to balance her compulsive counting habit (and imaginary friendship with Nikola Tesla) with a new romance. The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos, a debut from Nigeria’s Agbajowo Collective, is a thriller with flecks of magical realism, telling a story about the government’s forced evictions of informal settlements. Inspired by the directors’ lived experiences, the film stars Temi Ami-Williams (Eyimofe – This Is My Desire) and celebrity activist-actor Adebowale Adedayo (a.k.a. Mr Macaroni, also at the Festival with Discovery selection Freedom Way). From China, renowned scriptwriter Huo Xin presents Bound in Heaven, a poignant tale of love and resilience starring Ni Ni, Zhou You, and Liao Fan. This deeply touching film tackles domestic violence and terminal illness with assured direction and outstanding performances.

2024 CENTREPIECE PROGRAMME (in alphabetical order)

Addition Marcelle Lunam | Australia
World Premiere
Sales Title

A Missing Part Guillaume Senez | Belgium/France
World Premiere
Sales Title

An Unfinished Film Lou Ye | Singapore/Germany
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Anywhere Anytime Milad Tangshir | Italy
International Premiere
Sales Title

April Dea Kulumbegashvili | Italy/France/Georgia
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Beloved Tropic Ana Endara | Panama/Colombia
World Premiere
Sales Title

Bound in Heaven Huo Xin | China
World Premiere
Sales Title

By the Stream Hong Sangsoo | South Korea
North American Premiere

Cloud Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Japan
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Crocodile Tears Tumpal Tampubolon | Indonesia/France/Singapore/Germany
World Premiere
Sales Title

Don’t Cry, Butterfly Dương Diệu Linh | Vietnam/Singapore/Philippines/Indonesia
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Edge of Night Türker Süer | Germany
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara Erin Lee Carr | USA
World Premiere

Flow Gints Zilbalodis | Latvia/France/Belgium
Canadian Premiere

Front Row Merzak Allouache | Algeria/Saudi Arabia/France
World Premiere
Sales Title

Happyend Neo Sora | Japan/USA
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Happy Holidays Scandar Copti | Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life Laura Piani | France
World Premiere
Sales Title

Julie Keeps Quiet Leonardo van Dijl | Belgium/Sweden
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End Michael Jonathan | New Zealand
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Kill the Jockey Luis Ortega | Argentina/Mexico/Spain/Denmark/USA
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Little Jaffna Lawrence Valin | France
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Los Tortuga Belén Funes | Spain/Chile
World Premiere
Sales Title

Matt and Mara Kazik Radwanski | Canada
North American Premiere

Measures for a Funeral Sofia Bohdanowicz | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title

My Sunshine Hiroshi Okuyama | Japan/France
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Pimpinero: Blood and Oil Andrés Baiz | Colombia
World Premiere

Presence Steven Soderbergh | USA
International Premiere

Santosh Sandhya Suri | United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere
Sales Title

Seven Days Ali Samadi Ahadi | Germany
World Premiere
Sales Title

Souleymane’s Story Boris Lojkine | France
International Premiere
Sales Title

Sunshine Antoinette Jadaone | Philippines
World Premiere
Sales Title

Sweet Angel Baby Melanie Oates | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title

The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos Agbajowo Collective: James Tayler, Ogungbamila Temitope, Okechukwu Samuel, Mathew Cerf, Tina Edukpo, Bisola Akinmuyiwa, A.S. Elijah | Nigeria/Germany/South Africa/USA
World Premiere
Sales Title

The Mother and the Bear Johnny Ma | Canada/Chile
World Premiere
Sales Title

The Mountain Rachel House | New Zealand
North American Premiere
Sales Title

The Seed of the Sacred Fig Mohammad Rasoulof | Iran/France/Germany
Canadian Premiere

The Swedish Torpedo Frida Kempff | Sweden
World Premiere
Sales Title

The Village Next to Paradise Mo Harawe | France/Austria/Germany/Somalia
North American Premiere
Sales Title

To a Land Unknown Mahdi Fleifel | United Kingdom/France/Germany/Netherlands/Greece/Qatar /Saudi Arabia/Palestine
North American Premiere
Sales Title

Under the Volcano Damian Kocur | Poland
World Premiere
Sales Title

Universal Language Matthew Rankin | Canada
North American Premiere

When the Light Breaks Rúnar Rúnarsson | Iceland/Netherlands/Croatia/France
North American Premiere
Sales Title

TIFF Takeover #2: This week’s programming alerts
Wednesday, August 7, at 10am ET: Docs
Thursday, August 8, at 10am ET: Wavelengths & Classics
Friday, August 9, at 10am ET: Short Cuts & Primetime

More Festival details will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for TIFF ’24 go on sale to TIFF Members by level beginning on Friday, August 16. For more details, visit tiff.net/join. The full Festival schedule will be released on Tuesday, August 13.

Trailblazing Comedian Ellen DeGeneres brought her ELLEN’S LAST STAND… UP Tour Toronto, just as she’s closing the curtain on what has been a legendary career spanning Television, Film and Stage, touching the hearts of fans around the globe. The Tour has her looking back at her success, sharing comedic anecdotes with her signature brand of wit, culminating in two live tapings later this month in Minneapolis, to stream at a later date on Netflix.

Though DeGeneres has undergone some public scrutiny in recent years for which she has apologized, she has been quiet since her 33-time Emmy Award-winning The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended in 2022. Toronto fans showed-up in droves, selling-out her performance at Meridian Hall tonight, getting one last chance to see the icon live.

I’ve idolized DeGeneres for many, many years. Not only for her outstanding body of work – I religiously watched The Ellen DeGeneres Show for many years – but I have always admire her lending a voice to animal rights.

I’m simply overjoyed that I finally got to meet DeGeneres – donning a baseball cap with a maple leaf! – and her amazingly-gracious partner Portia de Rossi, and I’m glad I did, knowing that this might have been my last chance! Though her handlers were eager to rush her off, DeGeneres and de Rossi both insisted on coming out to take pictures with their fans. They are both everything I’ve always known they would be, and am anxiously waiting on this upcoming Netflix special. So appreciative of all DeGeneres has given us over the years, and I hope secretly this really isn’t her curtain call.

See our Snaps:

Will remember this one for a long time. What a memory to have! A dream.come true!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

This was so amazing!! I would be lying if I said I didn’t experience a little FOMO missing this year’s record-breaking VELD Music Festival at Downsview Park. The three-day affair saw the likes of Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, Alesso, Marshmello, Kaskade and more perform. Myself, I was really thrilled to meet one of its brightest stars, BOYS NOIZE (Alexander Ridha) her performed prime time Sunday, closing night of the Festival.

The German DJ, Songwriter and Producer is a major player, showing true staying power in Electronic Music, jetsetting around the world as an in-demand act. This year, he collaborated with Grammy and Oscar-winning duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on CHALLENGERS [MIXED], one of the year’s outstanding albums and a personal favourite of mine. An 11 out of 10! There are only a few physical copies out there, thrilled to have one. I recall posting a request for Boys Noize to sign this when he came to Toronto, and he stuck to his word!

His new track FVCKVRVND is now out! Fire!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Boysnoize Records)

So amazing meeting Chinese Pop legend HINS CHEUNG (張敬軒), regarded widely as one of C-Pop’s brightest stars! He made a rare visit to Toronto as part of his The Prime Classics Tour, which took place at Fallsview Casino.

Cheung has won tons of accolades in his native Hong Kong, winning multiple time Best Male Vocalist and Most Popular Male Vocalist awards over a career that has thus far spanned 23 years. A fun fact, he also is a restauranteur who is very actively involved in the interior design of his establishments. He also owns a bridal brand!

Cheung‘s fans came out in droves awaiting on his Toronto arrival hot off a show the night before in Vancouver. Witness the fandHINmonium with his Toronto arrival! So lucky to get a chance to meet this legend.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By Mr. Will Wong

Would you believe one of this Summer’s most anticipated blockbusters can be enjoyed right from home?

JACKPOT! stars Awkwafina, John Cena and Simu Liu. Directed by Paul Feig, this Action-Comedy arriving August 15, 2024 on Prime Video Canada, is set in the near future where a new lotto, the Grand Lottery, has arrived in California. To win it though, you’ve got to kill the winner before sundown to claim the riches, which are worth billions! Katie (Awkwafina) finds herself in trouble moving to L.A. and finding herself in possession of the winning ticket. She tnen finds herself in a race to save her life from these jackpot hunters. She’s protected by lottery protection agent Noel (Cena), and he must fend-off rival Louis (Simu Liu), the latter trying to get a commission off Katie!

We were delighted to sit-in on a conversation with Feig, Awkwafina, Cena and Liu today as they did the rounds to promote JACKPOT!

Paul Feig, who has brought us his comedic genius in Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters (2016) and The Heat, is asked what drew him to this project.

Feig: I originally receive a script titled Grand Theft Lotto, thought it sounded stupid and was not going to read it. It was days later that my producing partner Laura Fischer said, ‘You should read the script, it is really funny!’. I got into page 40 out of 100 and said, I have to do this Movie. It was too much fun. It was the Jacky Chan movie I always wanted to make. It’s funny, silly, emotional – a story about someone in over their head.

Awkwafina explains her excitement about getting to work with Feig.

Awkwafina: I was attached to the Movie already and we were looking for a Director, and Paul was interested, I was so happy. I’m a huge fan of everything he’s done since Freaks and Geeks. Also, I’ve been friends with him for some time.

Feig: We had dinner and we were both on the same page. We both wanted to make sure it felt real and grounded. It’s always dangerous doing a story about an Actor because it can be difficult to get an audience invested in someone wanting to become famous. Our goal was to make it relatable, and I think we did that.

John Cena talks about joining the project.

Cena: It’s just another day in my life – a bunch of Comedy and Action! Another day at office! I don’t think there’s anybody better to play amatueur protection agent than me!

Awkwafina takes us through her fitness journey prepping for her role as Katie in Jackpot!

Awkwafina: This did kick off my fitness journey for sure, especially in the opening sequence. Simu and I were already in action movie together and for that one I did not train. We were just hanging out at Westfield. This one I felt like it was important for me to work with the team, who are amazing and my stunt double Kiera O’Connor, and also working with John (Cena) too. I really appreciate the way John handles action scenes and is about safety. I felt very, very safe when doing scenes as a group.

Cena: You killed it, you looked great out there. You did a lot of stunts yourself and nailed the physicality.

Simu Liu describes for us his character Louis Lewis, who is seen as the villain.

Liu: Is he a bad guy or just a solid, ambitious Entrepreneur? When you’re introduced to him, he’s kind of a boss – everything John’s character wants to be. Noel is an amateur ambulance-chasing insurance salesman, who’s running after people to hire him. Louis has money and resources to rent out billboards and has got a whole compound working for him. If you won the Grand Lottery, who would you rather go with to protect you?

Feig: And nobody rocks a three-piece white suit like Louis.

Cena: What I love about the Action here is that it’s comical and realistic. There is a scene in a strip mall where we’re going through a karate studio, a yoga studio, etc. What I love about Paul‘s creativity when he said this is his Jacky Chan movie that he wanted to film – when you look at the way Jacky Chan tells a story, he’ll choreograph a fight when he gets on-set. He’ll see the audio guy or a loose chair and he’ll incorporate all those things into the action. I thought the stunt team did an incredible job at incorporating various things you’d find in a karate dojo and all that stuff yields itself to Comedy. When situations were safe, I was happy to do it. But I’m not going to sit here and say I wasn’t grateful to my stunt double. All it takes is for you to lose one of your testicles to find out that you’ve only got two more. Safety is now my prime concern. I’ll do whatever is asked of me, but when they want the stunt double to come in, Spencer (Thomas) is my guy!

Simu Liu recalls an incident where he sent a stunt perfomer to the hospital.

Liu: 90 to 95% of my movements were more straightforward – a couple falls and I had an amazing stunt double Will (Tang) who stepped in. Do you remember when I sent a stunt guy to the hospital?

Cena: Don’t let that sleuth fool you, he’s an athlete! He was taking Choreography and amplifying it!

Simu: What was his name? I did a batckick and couldn’t see where I was kicking, the wires got crossed and I felt so so bad!

Cena: He was back on-set within an hour!

Awkwafina: The whole stunt team was the best, without them, action movies cant exist.

Cena: They were actually happy finally to do Action-Comedy so that they could laugh at the stunts.

Paul Feig comments on his casting eclectic and talented Casts.

Feig: When I do Comedy, I have people that I work with who are ‘money in the bank’, where they can literall have one line and I know they’re going to make it into something… It was like a team of these up and coming Comedy people.

Dolly De Leon whom I saw in Triangle of Sadness and was so great. I couldn’t believe we got her. I just like to have a deep team of really talented Comedy people who will take what we have and make it into something else.

Don’t forget to stream JACKPOT! when it arrives August 15, 2024 on Prime Video Canada.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video Canada)

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE continues to devastate the competition, taking the top spot again with $94 million from 4,230 theatres. This takes its two week tally to a stellar $392.5 million for Disney/Marvel.

Second is TWISTERS with $22 million from 4,009 theatres, a total $194.9 million over three weekends for Universal Pictures.

TRAP debuts in third with $16 million from 3,181 theatres for Warner Bros. This latest from M. Night Shyamalan gets 48% on the Tomatometer. Do note that screening access was limited for this title and this score is based on 88 reviews only on Rotten Tomatoes. By contrast, other wide releases like the top two had well over 340+ reviews each.

Fourth is DESPICABLE ME 4 with $11.1 million from 3,369 theatres for Universal Pictures, a total $313.8 million over five weekends.

INSIDE OUT 2 rounds things out with $6.7 million from 2,615 theatres over eight weekends for Disney. Its total North American run is brought to $626.8 million.