The Disney+ Original Movie “Crater” will debut exclusively on the service on May 12, 2023. Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, the coming-of-age sci-fi adventure stars Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Mckenna Grace, Billy Barratt, Orson Hong, Thomas Boyce and Scott Mescudi. A 21 Laps Production, the film was written by John Griffin and produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Dan Cohen. The film’s executive producers are Emily Morris, John G. Scotti, Rpin Suwannath, Gordon Gray, Paris Latsis and Terry Douglas. Today we get a new Trailer.

“Crater” is the story of Caleb Channing (Russell-Bailey), who was raised on a lunar mining colony and is about to be permanently relocated to an idyllic faraway planet following the death of his father (Mescudi). But before leaving, to fulfill his dad’s last wish, he and his three best friends, Dylan (Barratt), Borney (Hong) and Marcus (Boyce), and a new arrival from Earth, Addison (Grace), hijack a rover for one final adventure on a journey to explore a mysterious crater.

(Photo credit: Disney+)

TIFF has unveiled its May spring programming lineup featuring the return of See the North, MDFF Selects, Boosie Fade Film Club, TIFF Family Films, notable special guests, and exciting new restorations, as well as the new screening series, TIFF Next Wave Presents, curated by a committee of young film programmers.

In honour of Asian Heritage Month, TIFF Next Wave Presents Justin Lin’s 2002 standout debut film Better Luck Tomorrow, an unofficial prequel to his blockbuster Fast and Furious franchise. Lin skillfully flips the script on “model-minority” stereotypes surrounding Asian-American teens, while thoughtfully exploring issues of race, class, masculinity, and the experience of young people growing up in capitalist America. Twenty years later, Better Luck Tomorrow is an energetic and disturbing film that remains as topical and resonant as ever.

Also screening as part of Asian Heritage Month is TIFF’s recently announced POP Japan series, celebrating the convergence of the cult, pulp, and popular in Japanese film and art, running at TIFF Bell Lightbox from May 10 to June 27. POP Japan features three film series: Seijun Suzuki, World of Anime, and a spotlight on anime auteur Hayao Miyazaki. TIFF is marking Suzuki’s centenary with six newly restored 35mm prints, the second stop in a national tour, and with an in-person introduction of Kagero-za by Dr. William Carroll, author of Suzuki Seijun and Postwar Japanese Cinema, to launch the series on May 10. Seijun Suzuki and the World of Anime series are supported by the Japan Foundation, Toronto. Audiences are invited to attend free public programming events at TIFF Bell Lightbox in connection to POP Japan, including a reception in the atrium on Wednesday, May 10 from 7pm to 9pm, featuring music from DJ Sakiko Nagai to mark the opening of an art exhibition showcasing the works of multidisciplinary artists Mitsuo Kimura and Toko Hosoya.

A live-painted mural by artist Timothy Fukakusa (a.k.a. Ekwal) programmed in partnership with StreetARToronto and supported by the Japan Foundation, Toronto will also be on view throughout the run of the series, and audiences are invited to attend a free Ikebana demonstration with artist Aya Sugino on Saturday, May 13th.

From May 13–23, the TIFF Cinematheque New and Restored series will feature the Toronto premiere of the new 4K restorations of Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull and Bob Fosse’s directorial debut Sweet Charity.

On May 21, the latest installment in See the North ― TIFF’s free monthly series of Canadian cinematic treasures ― presents the viral horror sensation Skinamarink from Edmonton director Kyle Edward Ball. The filmmaker will join TIFF’s Norm Wilner, Acting Lead Programmer, Canada, for a virtual Q&A following the screening. Following its world premiere in competition at Cinéma du Réel, MDFF presents the May 25 Toronto premiere of Anyox, a debut documentary about a former mining town in remote northwest British Columbia. Filmmakers Jessica Johnson and Ryan Ermacora join TIFF for an in-person Q&A with MDFF’s Kazik Radwanski.

TIFF Cinematheque’s full programming listings can be accessed here.

TIFF CINEMATHEQUE SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

TIFF Wavelengths Presents – Silent Avant-Garde – May 10

Curator, preservationist, and historian Bruce Posner will be present to comment upon the expressive possibilities of 20th-century avant-garde experimental cinema with an outstanding selection of titles digitally restored in 2K and 5K as part of the landmark touring film retrospective Unseen Cinema: Early American Avant-Garde Films 1894-1941. Music, added afterwards, features original compositions recorded by George Antheil, Marc Blitzstein, Cuarteto Caney, Guy Livingston, and Donald Sosin. Highlights are brand new digital restorations of classic experimental films including Charles Sheeler and Paul Strand’s Manhatta (1920-21); Warren A. Newcombe’s The Enchanted City (1922); Man Ray’s Return to Reason (1923); Fernand Léger and Dudley Murphy’s Ballet mécanique (1924, 1931); Miklós Bándy and Stella Simon’s Hands: The Life and Loves of the Gentler Sex (1927-29); Mary Ellen Bute and Theodore Nemeth’s Synchromy No. 4: Escape (1934), and Joseph Cornell’s The Eclipse (1936-1949).

Courtesy is extended to the multitude of archives, cultural centres, and individuals who made the restorations possible.

Boosie Fade Film Club – Hollywood Shuffle – May 11
Introduction by Boosie Fade Film Club Co-Programmers James Rathbone and Jordan Sowunmi.

Directed by Townsend, Hollywood Shuffle is a biting critique of Hollywood and the rampant typecasting that young Black actors have long faced. While the issues it raises were pervasive in 1987, the year it was released, it remains ever relevant to the realities of the careers of Black artists in the entertainment industry to this day.

TIFF Cinematheque New and Restored – May 13 – 23

A selection of recent restorations that have been painstakingly brought back to life in revived cinematic presentations. Screening in 4K on May 13, Fosse’s Sweet Charity stars Shirley MacLaine stars as Charity Hope Valentine, a hostess in a Times Square dance hall whose recent string of bad luck in love has humbled the hopeful romantic within. Encouraged by fellow dreamers Helene and Nickie (Paula Kelly and Chita Rivera, dancers whose sharp performances stun), Charity seeks to leave the dance hall behind for more upwardly mobile trade and accidentally meets cute with Oscar (John McMartin), a rule-abiding actuary who falls for Charity’s effervescent joie de vivre in a case of opposites attract.

On May 21 and 23, the 4K restoration of Scorsese’s brutal and bruising masterpiece Raging Bull uses the life of 1950s middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta to etch a searing portrait of male fear, violence, and self-torment. In an unforgettable, Academy Award–winning performance, Robert De Niro plays LaMotta as a man helpless before his own uncontrollable anger, his ferocity in the ring bleeding disastrously over into his domestic life with his wife (Cathy Moriarty) and brother (Joe Pesci).

TIFF Next Wave Presents – Better Luck Tomorrow – May 17
Introduction by TIFF Next Wave Committee member Arjun Persaud

Better Luck Tomorrow, while now known as an unofficial precursor to the Fast and Furious series, marked the humble and provocative beginning for blockbuster staple Justin Lin. A grassroots indie funded largely by Lin, the film follows the academic ― and eventually criminal ― exploits of Asian-American teenagers during the 2000s, while aptly capturing the haze of the era through a nostalgia-trodden 35mm lens. By day, the group of suburban high school seniors are straight-A students, but by night, their hunger to break from the mould leads them down a path of escalating criminal activity. At once sleek and subversive, this comedic coming-of-age–meets–crime thriller packs a punch.

See the North – Skinamarink – May 21
Introduction by Norm Wilner. Virtual Q&A with director Kyle Edward Ball following the screening.

Two children wake up alone in their house — and eventually come to realize they might not be — in this viral dream-state creeper from writer-director Kyle Edward Ball. If there exists a Venn diagram of Michael Snow’s Wavelength and Bob Clark’s Black Christmas — and there probably shouldn’t — then Skinamarink would occupy its infernal centre. An amorphous, almost subliminally unsettling work of modern horror, Ball’s first feature is rooted in the illogic of childhood, using lo-fi video in long, deliberate takes to evoke an unspeakable, inexplicable dread.

TIFF Family Films – Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory – May 21

Unwrapping the annual birthday chocolate bar his family can barely afford, loveable young Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) discovers a coveted golden ticket for a private tour of the super-secret candy factory run by the eccentric Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder). Joining the four other winners (all of them differently disagreeable), Charlie enters Wonka’s wondrous world of chocolate rivers, levitating soda pop, and industrious Oompa Loompas. Filled with colourful characters and charming musical numbers, the first big-screen version of the classic Roald Dahl tale is not to be missed!

MDFF Selects – Anyox – May 25
Introduction by MDFF’s Kazik Radwanski and Q&A with directors Jessica Johnson and Ryan Ermacora following the screening.

MDFF Selects features a showcase of the world’s best, most challenging, and most provocative new international cinema. This debut feature by Johnson and Ermacora is a portrait of a British Columbia that has been exploited and abandoned. A former mining town, Anyox is now home to mountainous slag piles accumulated as a byproduct of the early 20th-century copper smelting process. The film chronicles the lives of the town’s two surviving residents while also illuminating its complex labour history and tale of severe environmental harm. Using historical archival footage and stunning 65mm cinematography, Anyox ties the past together with the present to create a grim yet utterly evocative landscape.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Reimagining: Narratives of tension and wonder – May 9 – July 4 FREE

An exhibition inspired by the bold aesthetics, narrative experimentation, and interplay between playfulness and danger in the films of POP Japan, Reimagining: Narratives of tension and wonder features works by multidisciplinary artists Mitsuo Kimura and Toko Hosoya. From intricate paintings and illustrations to sequential art and small-format objects, the works in this exhibition transform everyday materials and personal experiences into fantastical, character-driven narratives that occupy a space between real and imaginary, past and present, internal and external. This free public art exhibition will be on display in the TIFF Bell Lightbox atrium from May 9 to July 4. All are welcome; no registration is required.

Deep Focus: Ikebana Demonstration with Aya Sugino – May 13, 2pm to 3:30pm FREE

In this free demonstration by Ikebana artist Aya Sugino, a certified teacher from Sogetsu Ikebana School in Tokyo, learn about the history and practice of Ikebana as a form of self-expression, a method of storytelling, and an exploration of duality. Sugino will create arrangements inspired by different films in the POP Japan series. Light fare will be provided by Minami Toronto, the official hospitality partner of the series. Capacity is limited and registration is required.

Silver Screenings – A Bunch of Amateurs – May 19 FREE
Virtual Q&A with filmmaker Kim Hopkins and special guests following the screening.

A free exclusive screening of the award-winning documentary A Bunch of Amateurs for seniors 65+ from filmmaker Kim Hopkins. The film follows the Bradford Movie Makers, Britain’s oldest amateur filmmaking club, as they embark on one of their most ambitious projects to date. “A profoundly poignant film about coming to terms with mortality while finding great comfort in the permanent life of flickering images” (The Times), A Bunch of Amateurs is a live-affirming and inspiring documentary for passionate cinephiles and general audiences alike! All attendees are welcome; no separate registration is required for the Q&A.

TIFF Members and TIFF Under 25-Free Pass Holders receive access to year-round TIFF benefits including free access to more than 300 Cinematheque screenings. To learn more and join as a TIFF Member, visit tiff.net/membership.

INK Entertainment Group is proud to announce the latest addition to its extensive restaurant portfolio in Toronto, with Margo. Located on the fourth floor of private members’ club Clio, the reimagined, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and lounge will be open to the public from April 25th, 2023.

A hidden gem in the heart of King West, Margo guests are invited to step off Clio’s elevator into a luxurious space, with vibrant hues and velvet accents, artfully curated lighting, captivating art adorning the walls, and weekly entertainment creating an inviting and electric atmosphere for culinary adventures, enthralling conversations, and intriguing encounters to take place.

Carefully curated by Executive Chef Marc Cheng (previously George, Patria, NAO Steakhouse and Kōst) and Chef de Cuisine Jo Castrinos (previously Splendido, Storeys, and Portland Variety), Margo’s robust menu pulls inspiration from the diverse cultures, fresh ingredients and unique flavours found along the Mediterranean Coast, from the Iberian Peninsula to the shores of Lebanon.

“We’re excited to open the doors of Margo at Clio and inject some Mediterranean flavour and hospitality to King West’s thriving culinary scene,” said Charles Khabouth, CEO and Founder of INK Entertainment Group. “Some of my fondest childhood memories involve sitting in my mother’s kitchen, tasting her incredible food which was heavily influenced by her own culinary experiences and travels along the Mediterranean. As an homage to her, we wanted to create a similar culinary adventure at Margo with a menu that transports guests through the region’s vibrant coastal towns, and a welcoming atmosphere to ensure every visit is a memorable one.”

Celebrating the bountiful Mediterranean ingredients from both the land and sea, Margo’s menu features an extensive seafood offering including dishes such as Whole Lobster Linguine for two, Grilled Octopus, and Mediterranean Sea Bass, as well as seasonal items sourced directly from both local and international suppliers. From the land, guests will also be able to indulge in both traditional and modernized Mediterranean plates including a flaming table side Saganaki, locally sourced Ontario Rack of Lamb, and Mushroom Kosheri, an Egyptian Street food dish with shaved black truffles.

Perfectly paired with Margo’s culinary offering is a Mediterranean-inspired wine program, with a dedicated section on Margo’s wine list featuring unique varietals from different Mediterranean countries, including an Indigenous grape-based white from Mallorca, the famous Château Musar from Lebanon, a selection of Greek whites and reds, as well as a few classics from Bolgheri, Sicily and Provence.

A signature cocktail menu completes Margo’s beverage program, with innovative creations inspired by the vibrant flavours and colours of the Mediterranean region. Standouts include Amara, a bright and refreshing cocktail featuring Tsiporo Greek Moonshine; Oud Fashioned, a twist on the classic presented with a tableside smoke show; and Viola, a modern take on a French 75 with gold flakes, creating a beautiful glimmer upon arrival.

Margo marks the first of many new concepts INK will be launching in Toronto this year, including Mr. Vander, a new, late-night lounge, opening on the 2nd floor of Clio in early May; an American concept Restaurant and Bar in the Financial District, in partnership with Michael Cooper and his team at award-winning real estate company Dream; and a Supper Club in Midtown in partnership with Harlo Entertainment alongside their co-founder and legendary entrepreneur Michael Kimel, both slated to open later this Spring.

Located at 600 King St. West, Margo will be open to the public starting Tuesday, April 25th, with reservations available Tuesday to Sunday, 5.30 PM until 11 PM, as well as from 11 AM to 3 PM for brunch on Sunday. Advance reservations can now be made via OpenTable.

For more information visit margotoronto.com or follow Margo on Instagram @margo.toronto.

Today, Disney+ announced the highly anticipated Original series “The Muppets Mayhem” will premiere with all episodes on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. “The Muppets Mayhem” follows The Electric Mayhem Band — Dr. Teeth on vocals and keyboards, Animal on drums, Floyd Pepper on vocals and bass, Janice on vocals and lead guitar, Zoot on saxophone and Lips on trumpet — on an epic, music-filled journey to record their first-ever studio album. With the help of a driven young music executive, Nora Singh (Singh), the old-school Muppet band comes face-to-face with the current day music scene as they try to finally record their first studio album.

“The Muppets Mayhem” stars Canadians Lilly Singh (“A Little Late with Lilly Singh”) as Nora and Saara Chaudry (“The Mysterious Benedict Society”) as Hannah, Tahj Mowry (“Baby Daddy”) as Moog, Bill Barretta as Dr. Teeth, Dave Goelz as Zoot, Eric Jacobson as Animal, Peter Linz as Lips, David Rudman as Janice, Matt Vogel as Floyd Pepper and recurring guest star Anders Holm (“Workaholics”) as JJ.

Based on characters created by Jim Henson, the series is developed and written by executive producers Adam F. Goldberg (“The Goldbergs”), Bill Barretta (“The Muppets,” “Muppets Haunted Mansion”) and co-executive producer Jeff Yorkes. Michael Bostick, Kris Eber and The Muppets Studio’s David Lightbody and Leigh Slaughter also serve as executive producers. Original music by executive music producer and Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry.

The Disney+ Original series from Disney Branded Television is produced by ABC Signature and The Muppets Studio.

We’re so sad to see THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL come to an end. But in the very least, it gets the big emotional conclusion it deserves.

In this fifth and final season of this acclaimed Prime Video Series, we see Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) struggling to get her foot in the door and with the help of Susie (Alex Borstein), she lands a gig as a Writer on The Gordon Ford Show. We witness her contend with the patriarchy in a Writers’ Room full of men, struggling to be seen and heard, and wonder if she ever will get that big break she’s worked so hard for all these years.

Just as Joel (Michael Zegen) is ready to start a new life with Mei Lin (Stephanie Hsu), we see their relationship reach a turning point as she discovers new career opportunities. Susie is beginning to thrive, taking on several new clients and later in the season, she finally gets her own moment of recognition as we flash-forward ahead in time. We see the price of success and things work out for some and not so well for others, but in the end it all makes sense and feels right.

Brosnahan continues to be brilliant, aging Midge gracefully, but even more of that fervour we’ve come to love of her. And it’s so affecting seeing them characters finally take a bow, reflect on their unforgettable journeys together and how we’d never have it any other way.

The first three (of nine) episodes of THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL Season Five arrive Friday, April 14, 2023, with new episodes to come weekly.

(Photo credit: Prime Video)

Jennifer Lopez is back in THE MOTHER, ready to stream in time for Mother’s Day! You know you love her with a vengeance!

Synopsis:

VENGEANCE IS A MOTHER. After years of hiding out in the Alaskan wilderness, a deadly assassin returns to rescue the daughter she loved from afar. This Mother’s Day – watch THE MOTHER starring Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Paul Raci, and Gael Garcia Bernal. Only on Netflix May 12, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Sphere Films Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Passes to the Toronto Premiere of Ari Aster‘s BEAU IS AFRAID, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Aster, who brought us Hereditary and Midsommar, will attend the event, which is set to take place April 19, 2023 at Scotiabank Theatre.

About:

A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from Writer/Director Ari Aster.

Writer/Director: Ari Aster
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Nathan Lane, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Patti LuPone, Amy Ryan, Parker Posey

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet the Tweet below for an extra chance.

Rules and regulations here.

Note: Please do respond to messages from third party accounts telling you in the comments on Facebook that you’ve won and asking for your banking information.

Sphere Films Canada release BEAU IS AFRAID April 21, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films Canada)

Paramount+ today announced that the new docuseries THE FAMILY STALLONE, starring Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone, wife Jennifer Flavin Stallone and daughters Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet, will premiere exclusively on the service Wednesday, May 17, 2023 in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Brazil. The series will also premiere on Thursday, May 18, 2023 in the U.K., Australia and Italy, with further international markets to follow. An official trailer and art for the series were also released. We remember the Crew being there for the Toronto Premiere of TULSA KING. More here.

After playing some of the most legendary characters in cinematic history, three-time Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone is ready to give cameras access to what he would consider the greatest role of his lifetime: Dad. This new series starring Stallone’s three daughters, wife and himself offers a seat at the table of one of Hollywood’s most famous families.

THE FAMILY STALLONE is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, with Benjamin Hurvitz, Jessica Zalkind and Nadim Amiry as executive producers. Julie Pizzi, Farnaz Farjam, and Jonathan Singer serve as executive producers for Bunim-Murray Productions, with Lauren Goldstein, Valana Hunn, Chris Ray and Jason Williams as co-executive producers.

Join the conversation using #TheFamilyStallone, and follow @TheFamilyStallone on Instagram and TikTok.

The first trailer for Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels” debuted this morning and is now available to share with your readers.

In Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels,” Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.” 

The film stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Canada’s Iman Vellani, Samuel L. Jackson, Zawe Ashton and Park Seo-joon. Nia DaCosta directs, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Mary Livanos and Matthew Jenkins serve as executive producers. The screenplay is by Megan McDonnell, Nia DaCosta, Elissa Karasik and Zeb Wells.

Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels” hits theatres across Canada on November 10, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Marvel Studios Canada/Walt Disney Studios Canada)

This looks so good. Australian twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou make their directorial Horror debut in TALK TO ME, coming to theatres this Summer! Here’s a first glimpse of the Trailer coming to Canada via VVS Films, and A24 in the U.S.

Synopsis:

When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

Starring: Sophie Wilde, Miranda Otto, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio

Directed By: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou

VVS Films release TALK TO ME July 24, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)