I’m biased, I admit it! The Accord still to this day remains my favourite in the Honda family and I’ll tell you why. It possesses a sleek sophistication and is literally the perfect size – not too big, not too small, nor too low to the ground. Just enough power. Time and again over the years it’s been the one I’m always most excited to test drive as it continues to evolve.

I had the joy of test driving a 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring in a flashy radiant red, which helped me navigate an extremely busy period. True to form, it is a winner like its predecessors. From Blue Carpets to Restaurant Launches to family celebrations and set visits, we made sure this Honda Accord Hybrid Touring got exactly as its name suggests – a real tour-de-force!

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring exudes a quiet confidence. Quite literally, you’ll find yourself asking, “Is this thing even on?” it’s engine is so silent and emits this sonically-pleasing hum when turned-on. The engine is 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC 4-cylinder and the Hybrid Touring operates at 146 @ 6100 horsepower and 181 @ 5000-8000 electric horsepower, for a combined total of 204 horsepower.

The Accord has always prided itself not only on performance and smart style, but also value. Fuel Economy is impeccable 5.0/5.7/5.3 L/100 km (city/highway/combined). No word of a lie, a week of driving came out to less than $93 and we were what we’d consider great distances in and around the GTA. This is refreshing in this climate. Love you, ECON mode.

We are all about pleasant, ambient daily driving experiences and the Accord Hybrid Touring is exactly that. Privlege is a beautiful one-touch moonroof, connecting playlists on our phone to its 12.3-inch touchscreen Display Audio BOSE^® Premium Sound System with 12 speakers and heated/cooling seats with an 8-way adjustable perforated leather-trimmed driver’s seat. We are also impressed by Honda‘s updated menu and navigation system with added insights and clock interfaces. To be honest, we’ve been so used to using Google Maps on our phone on our drives that this latest version makes it so super-simple to just use Maps on the aforementioned display. It also displays our most recent and common destinations, making it easy to stay informed on our commutes. And did we mention the menu now has the capability of doing searches on Spotify, letting you also navigate your playlists on the app itself? We’ve waited so long for this!

We also are so appreciative of Driver Assist Technology. Honda is obsessed with safety and we can vouch that their Blind Spot Information has continued to keep us safe all these years. This car also has a feature called Traffic Jam Assist, which provides light steering assist all the way to a complete stop if needed. Operating at speeds below 80 km/hr, it helps the driver maintain lane position when traveling at slower speeds, such as might be experienced in congested traffic conditions. Toronto traffic is outright horrible, let’s admit it. Our commutes are longer than they were pre-Covid so this is actually quite helpful. Add to the list things like Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warnings, a 4-Wheel Anti-lock Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation , which are helpful all the seasons we experience in this City. Also, Traffic Sign Recognition is such a genius thing to have on our windshield and the Accord Hybrid Touring has added signs in addition to just speed limits, including Stop signs to be aware of now.

Honda is on a mission to save the lives. Always drive assured knowing that you are protected as much as possible with an abundance of Passive Safety features: i–SRS airbag system, Front knee airbags, Rear side airbags, Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor system, SmartVent™ side airbags, 3-point front seat belts with automatic tensioning system and Honda‘s state of the art Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ body structure which enable the Accord Hybrid Touring to absorb and deflect the energy from a frontal collision should that ever happen.

We are very pleased with the car’s spaciousness, seating five comfortably and plenty of room in the trunk for stocking-up. Multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines have us fooling our friends that we’re actually amazing at parallel parking and we love that front and rear parking sensors are body-coloured for the perfect aesthetic too!

It is so interesting that the recent generation of Honda vehicle’s we’ve driven, now have a rear-seat reminder in the event we don’t forget things (or loved ones) in the back! This and also maintenance reminders are intuitive and thoughtful.

Car theft is definitely on our minds more so than normal of late. The Accord Hybrid Touring is armed with an Immobilizer theft-deterrent system, including a Stolen Vehicle Locator and Remote Immobilizer. This gives us a lot piece of mind. Doors also lock when you walk away and the back doors are protected by childproof locks.

A reel of highlights from our Test Drive in the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring. This one in particular hit us in the feels and we hope you too.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring starts $46,464 CAN. More here.

It’s Disney‘s THE LITTLE MERMAID making a huge splash in its opening, taking $105 million Friday to Sunday from 4,320 theatres. By Monday, it is expected to gross $125 million this U.S. Memorial Day weekend. It gets generally favourable reviews with 67% on the Tomatometer. This is a far cry from its animated predecessor’s $6 million opening in 1989.

Second is FAST X with $21.8 million for the three day weekend, taking its two week total to $112.1 million for Universal Pictures.

In third is GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 with $20 million, a run of $306 million for Marvel/Disney over four weekends.

Fourth is THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE with $6.2 million for Universal Pictures, a tally of $560 million domestically over eight weekends.

THE MACHINE opens at the bottom of the Top Five with $2.6 million for Sony Pictures. The Action-Comedy gets 29% on the Tomatometer.

We absolutely adore the IT series of films and to learn that an Max Prequel series would bring Director Andy Muschietti back to Toronto, made me smile. The Series has been filming in and around Toronto and this week head to scenic Port Hope, where Muschietti‘s IT films were made as well.

We don’t know much about the Series’ premise but it was so incredibly cool seeing downtown Port Hope transformed to another era. The detailing of the streets, with new storefronts and gorgeous antique cars took us to another place and time!

Also, we are such a huge fan of Taylour Paige, who stars in WELCOME TO DERRY hot off wins for Best Female Lead at the Film Independent Spirit Awards for her outstanding performance in ZOLA, one of our fave films. She also left such an impression in acclaimed MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, winning an NAACP Image Award alongside her Co-Stars. Success has been long in the making for this multi-talented star, who once was a Laker Girl!

We trekked-up to Port Hope and were so happy finally to meet Paige and her husband, fashion figure Rivington Starchild. The couple drive to Toronto from California with their two dogs and were just so lovely. This was an incredible memory!

Earlier in the month, we had the pleasure of seeing Muschietti again and as always he’s so gracious to his fans. This weekend he and his sister Barbara will appear at a special fan screening of DC‘s THE FLASH in Toronto!

WELCOME TO DERRY will continue to film in and around the City up till December.

See a reel of highlights from the set of WELCOME TO DERRY!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) has confirmed its 1M dollar contribution to the building of a film and television production studio in Iqaluit, Nunavut. ISO was first-in-funder for the studio initiative, led by Red Marrow Media, which triggered a private partnership investment from fellow Inuk entrepreneur Cody Dean, and marks a notable milestone as ISO’s largest funding commitment yet. This is part of a larger investment in Nunavut through the ISO’s Sector Development program, which also includes support for two broadcast entities, Inuit TV and Uvagut TV.

The capital contribution to create the studio space in Iqaluit ensures Red Marrow’s as-yet untitled scripted series created and written by Inuit writers and producers Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril will be shot in Nunavut rather than in the south, maximizing the benefits of the project for the Inuit production community. The project is majority produced by Red Marrow Media, in partnership with Miranda de Pencier’s Toronto-based production company Northwood Entertainment and is the first ever CBC/APTN/Netflix collaboration. Following production, the studio will continue to create economic development opportunities for Nunavut’s film and TV industry, and be shared for broad community use.

“ISO worked hard to negotiate terms with Canadian Heritage that would allow us to support capital costs because we know this is a critical component to building capacity in the Indigenous screen sector – particularly in the north,” said Kerry Swanson, CEO of the ISO. “We are incredibly proud to be able to help build much-needed production infrastructure in Nunavut that will create industry opportunities for generations to come.”

“We are so grateful to the ISO for supporting our vision for a space in Iqaluit. This studio will enable our production community to create content on a scale that has never been possible before,” said Alethea Arnaquq-Baril & Stacey Aglok MacDonald, co-CEOs of Red Marrow Media. “It is so important to us to be able to create content in our own homelands, which allows us to bring our community into our show, both onscreen and off. A studio like this would have been game changing for us at the start of our careers, and we hope its existence now will help spark the careers of many more Inuit creatives to come.”

In the last five years, the ISO has been a pioneering organization in the screen, arts and culture sectors, delivering over $24.6m directly to over 320 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients across Canada. Over 88% of ISO’s total budget has been delivered directly to applicants and projects over the last two years, with all funding delivered in both official languages. The organization’s work in advocacy, funding policy, program design and delivery, eligibility, narrative sovereignty and protocols have been replicated and advanced across the industry, where ISO is widely acknowledged as a leading organization.

The ISO is the first organization of its kind in Canada and abroad – an independent Indigenous-led and run funding organization that supports screen-based content owned and controlled by Indigenous storytellers on all platforms. ISO’s mandate is in line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ratified by Canada, which positions storytelling and self-representation in media as a fundamental right. With 67% of funding in 2022 going to projects with Indigenous languages, the ISO further supports the government’s Indigenous Languages Act and language rights affirmed by this government and by UNDRIP.

About ISO

The ISO is the first organization of its kind in Canada and abroad – an independent Indigenous-led and run funding organization that supports screen-based content owned and controlled by Indigenous storytellers on all platforms. ISO’s mandate is in line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ratified by Canada, which positions storytelling and self-representation in media as a fundamental right. With 67% of funding in 2022 going to projects with Indigenous languages, the ISO further supports the government’s Indigenous Languages Act and language rights affirmed by this government and by UNDRIP.

Paramount Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to attend an Advance Screening of TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS! One lucky winner also will get this amazing Prize Pack!

ADVANCE SCREENINGS:

TORONTO

Date: Monday, June 5th

Time: 7:00PM

Location: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

*Doors open at 6:20PM.

MONTREAL ENGLISH

Date: Monday, June 5th

Time: 7:00PM

Location: Cineplex Cinemas Forum

*Doors open at 6:20PM.

Date: Monday, June 5th

MONTREAL FRENCH

Time: 7:00PM

Location: Cineplex Cinemas StarCité

*Doors open at 6:20PM.

VANCOUVER

Date: Monday, June 5th

Time: 7:00PM

Location: International Village Cinemas

*Doors open at 6:20PM.

EDMONTON

Date: Monday, June 5th

Time: 7:00PM

Location: Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton

*Doors open at 6:20PM.

Synopsis:

Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons. Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, the film arrives in theatres June 9, 2023.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Indicate your City in the comments there. Re-Tweet the below also for another chance!

Rules and regulations here.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

Today, Prime Video announced the title of the next chapter of the Citadel Spyverse, Citadel: Diana, and revealed a first look at Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing) as the central character in the forthcoming series.

The Season One finale of Citadel, starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, drops today on Prime Video. The first series in the Spyverse global franchise wraps its first season with huge twists and nail-biting reveals, as the agents of Citadel discover the identity of the mole who brought down the agency at the hands of rival syndicate Manticore. Betrayals will be uncovered and questions will be answered, as the consequences of the finale create ripple effects that will be felt throughout the Spyverse. Following the finale episode, a post-credits teaser of Citadel: Diana reveals an exciting look at what’s to come as the Citadel Spyverse expands with the next chapter.

Citadel: Diana was locally created, produced, and filmed in Italy, with production wrapping earlier this year. The series comes from Cattleya (ZeroZeroZero)—part of ITV Studios—and showrunner and executive producer Gina Gardini, with Riccardo Tozzi, Marco Chimenz, and Giovanni Stabilini also serving as executive producers and Emanuele Savoini as co-executive producer. AGBO’s Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Ostot, Scott Nemes, and David Weil (Hunters) executive produce on Citadel: Diana and all series within the global Citadel universe. Midnight Radio executive produces Citadel: Diana and all series within the global Citadel universe. 

Citadel: Diana is directed by Arnaldo Catinari and developed by Alessandro Fabbri, who is also the head writer, and wrote the series with Ilaria Bernardini, Laura Colella, Gianluca Bernardini, and Giordana Mari. As previously announced, other cast members alongside Matilda De Angelis include Lorenzo Cervasio, Maurizio Lombardi, Julia Piaton, Thekla Reuten, Daniele Paoloni, Bernhard Schütz, and Filippo Nigro.

Canadian pop artist Kenzie Cates today premieres the music video for her latest release “i don’t need u,” chronicling her unnerving experience surviving and departing a cult she didn’t realize she was in. The song is a celebration of her strength, liberation, and hard-won self-trust.

“Being in a cult and then subsequently leaving has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through. The person I had to become to belong was not somebody I recognize today,” says Cates. “Songwriting and music weren’t really allowed in the cult, so after leaving, a big part of coming back to myself was pursuing a career in pop music.”

The music video for “i don’t need u” sees Kenzie confronting her former cult leader, declaring her independence from him with levity and humour while at the same time earnestly embracing her newfound (and hard-won) self-trust. It was shot and directed by Shiraz Higgins (credits: most of BBNO$’s music videos), and subverts Kenzie’s experience of being in a cult by casting her as the cult leader with dozens of disciples who resemble her former cult leader. Reversing the former power dynamic that defines her life, Kenzie exercises her complete control over her disciples’ minds, subjecting them to her every whim and shaping them into unexpected new versions of themselves.

“I wanted to intentionally speak to my sense of independence that I had worked really, really, hard for, and most importantly, I wanted a chance to say to the cult leader, ‘fuck you and fuck off.’ I sincerely hope this song can empower anybody who is in an abusive relationship make contact with their strength.”

Kenzie Cates has quickly gained international attention for her stunning artistry and powerful songwriting. This year, the BC-native cracked the top 10 in Nashville Songwriter’s Association International Annual Song Contest; and placed as a semi-finalist in American Songwriter’s annual song contest, landing in the 99th percentile of submissions. In 2021, she was a semi-finalist in the CBC/Toyota Searchlight Competition, which followed similar results in Yangaroo’s “New Indie Artist” search at Canadian Music Week in 2019.

She directed, shot, and edited her own music video for her first single release, “ruin it” (WATCH HERE). Encouraged by the song’s success, she applied and was selected to participate in Judy Stakee’s songwriting retreat in Nashville in March 2020, as well as Andrew Allen’s masterclass through the Songwriter’s Association of Canada that May. She has received considerable airplay across Canada for multiple singles, reaching the #3 position on Bellevue Radio’s Indie Chart. After exiting a cult in the fall of 2022, Kenzie has been writing about her experience of abuse, releasing her first single on the topic this March, “right about me,” described as a “masterful” expression of the confusion that results from chronic abuse. She hopes by telling her story, she can raise awareness about the ubiquity of cults.

By Amanda Gilmore

No one does a courtroom drama better than the French. Last year Director Alice Diop brought us the engrossing Saint Omer and this year Director Justine Triet brings us the riveting Anatomy of a Fall.

It follows Sandra (Sandra Hüller), a well-esteemed writer, who lives in a secluded cabin in the French Alps with her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) and their partially blind son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner). One day, Daniel returns from walking the family dog and finds his father face down in the snow dead at the foot of the cabin. The investigation can’t determine if this was suicide or homicide leading to Sandra being arrested and tried for his murder.

The opening of Anatomy of a Fall has Sandra being interviewed by a student about her work. Abruptly, rap music blares and shakes through the cabin. Sandra informs the student that her husband enjoys listening to music loudly while he works on some repairs. At first glance, this scene seems unimportant. Yet, nothing about this Film should be taken at first glance.

Triet and co-writer Arthur Harari have crafted a complex story that’ll leave you second-guessing everything. This initial scene becomes evidence later in court. As does many moments from the mundane to the damaging. The most damaging is an audio recording of a heated argument between the couple that ended with glasses breaking and punches thrown. But by whom? Sandra or Samuel?

At the start of the trial, the prosecutor informs the court that Sandra’s bisexual and has had affairs. It’s clear this is just as important in the determination of her innocence as anything shown as evidence. Just as in many high-profile cases that are considered difficult to determine, the defendant’s private matters are dissected.

Triet doesn’t want to give you answers. She wants to show you the evidence presented and have you decide for yourself. Was it suicide? Was it homicide? What makes things more challenging to make a concrete decision is Hüller who gives a tour-de-force performance. She’s mysterious, intriguing, cruel, funny and nurturing. It’s an incredible portrayal and one of the year’s finest.

No matter what conclusion you’ve come to, Anatomy of a Fall’s superpower is the ability to leave room for the audience to debate. Because some will believe she did and some will believe she didn’t. Even more impressive, regardless of which side of the coin you fall on, every viewer will pinpoint a different part of the ‘evidence’ to prove their reasoning. Much like the reality we face in publicized high-profile court cases.

Anatomy of a Fall screens at Cannes ’23:

Sun May 21 at 4PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Mon May 22 at 8:30AM at AGNÈS VARDA THEATRE

Mon May 22 at 9AM at CINEUM IMAX

Mon May 22 at 12PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Mon May 22 at 9:30PM at LICORNE

Tue May 23 at 9AM at CINEUM AURORE

Wed May 24 at 9AM at CINEUM SCREEN X

Quentin Tarantino returned to Cannes, site of where he won the 1994 Palme d’Or with Pulp Fiction. He appeared as a guest of the Directors’ Fortnight competition, presenting a secret screening of the John Flynn classic ROLLING THUNDER. On why he chose this Film specifically, he tells the audience that he saw it opening night back in 1977 with his mom, the Film screening as part of a double-billing to ENTER THE DRAGON. He wound-up loving ROLLING THUNDER so much that he almost forgot about ENTER THE DRAGON!

Tarantino comments on political messages in his films. He spoke about how he can watch a buddy cop movie and not think about the political messages behind it, because he doesn’t know if there is one. But when I comes to the films he writes and directs, he says “If there are political messages in the film they are there because I put them there.”.

While Tarantino is known for graphic violence in his films, he does draw the line, stating, “I don’t agree with killing animals”. He adds, “I know I have seen some gruesome Horror films that didn’t have to be that way but almost always it’s not just the violence that I have a problem, with it’s usually badly done. There is an incompetent factor in there.”.

To this day, he cites Brian De Palma as his biggest influence. “I’m not gonna sign up for the most popular dude. That’s not my thing. Part of loving De Palma was getting into fights about him”. “The satire and comedy inside his thrillers even some of his action films are hysterical.”.

He also comments on re-writing history with revenge in his films. “In the case of Inglorious Basterds I didn’t think that I was going to kill Hitler at the end. That wasn’t the plan.”. “Then they’re in the theatre and I’m like ‘Hey, this is kinda working out. They actually might be successful at this. But I wrote myself in a corner…then all of a sudden a thought came to me ‘Just fucking kill him!’ and I’m like ‘Can I do that?’, then I’m like ‘Yea, it’s my story, I can do whatever the fuck I want!'”. “With Once Upon A Time in Hollywood… the reason I wrote the whole story was the save Sharon and kill those motherfuckers and have them go to the wrong house and REALLY THE WRONG HOUSE!“.

Lastly, on his tenth and final upcoming film, he is cryptic about it. “You’ll just have to wait and see…to be continued.”.

It’s officially patio season in the city, and Toronto’s largest waterfront patio and day club, Cabana Pool Bar, from INK Entertainment Group, is gearing up for another epic summer, with stellar talent and experiences lined up for the 2023 season, starting with a grand opening party on Sunday, June 4th. 

Music fans can expect 13 weeks of incredible events, appearances and performances from some of the world’s biggest artists including acclaimed, Grammy-nominated American electronic producer and DJ Kaskade; Jersey Shore favourite and powerhouse DJ Pauly D; Swedish DJ, producer and co-founder of Swedish House Mafia, Steve Angello; renowned dance music and future house DJ and producer, Tchami; the platinum-selling Torontonian production and DJ duo, DVBBS; captivating American rapper Tyga; London-based house DJ, producer and remixer, Sigala; and the popular English producer and DJ, Duke Dumont, with more to be announced.  

“Cabana is Toronto’s ultimate summer playground, and we can’t wait to welcome guests back for another incredible season,” says Charles Khabouth, CEO and Founder, INK Entertainment Group. “Whether you’re looking to soak up the sun on our daybeds with friends, or catch your favourite artists in action, Cabana is the only place to be this summer.”

The 2023 season will be kicking off with an opening party on June 4th featuring Manzone & Strong, Christina Cruise and Kevin Faria. To celebrate, all guests will be able to redeem free entry with a Cabana wristband before 3 pm, which will be handed out at various events at other INK venues Toybox and Rebel. Daylife fans can also keep their eyes peeled for Cabana pop-ups throughout the city between May 26 and June 3, to secure their wristbands and experience additional giveaways. 

Cabana fans can also look forward to the return of popular themed parties from previous years including, the RED Party on Canada Day weekend, The Rosé Party featuring Brooke Evers on June 10th, as well as special events during PRIDE, Caribana weekend and more.  

Located at Polson Pier with unparalleled views of Lake Ontario, Cabana transforms Toronto’s waterfront into a ‘day-to-night’ party spot with a seasonal poolside menu from Oliver and Bonacini, private cabanas, daybeds, and room for up to 2,500 sun seekers, accessible by land or by boat, with a docking service available. 

For more information visit www.cabanapoolbar.com or follow Cabana on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.  

Tickets: 

www.cabanapoolbar.com