Willem Dafoe stars in INSIDE. Here is a new Poster, with a new Trailer coming tomorrow!

Synopsis:

INSIDE tells the story of Nemo, an art thief trapped in a New York penthouse after his heist doesn’t go as planned. Locked inside with nothing but priceless works of art, he must use all his cunning and invention to survive.

Focus Features release INSIDE March 10, 2023.

(Photo credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

Filmed in and around Montreal, THE RECRUIT stars Noah Centineo and here’s your first look at the Trailer for the upcoming Series!

Synopsis:

The Recruit centers around Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo), a young CIA lawyer whose first week on the job turns upside down when he discovers a threatening letter by former asset Max Meladze (Laura Haddock), who plans to expose the agency unless they exonerate her of a serious crime. Owen quickly becomes entangled in a dangerous and often absurd world of power politics and mischievous players, as he travels the world in hopes of completing his assignment and making a mark at the CIA.

THE RECRUIT arrives December 16, 2022 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Disney and Pixar have released a Teaser for their upcoming 27th Feature Film, ELEMENTAL!

Synopsis:

Directed by Peter Sohn (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Partly Cloudy” short) and produced by Denise Ream (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Cars 2”), the film journeys alongside an unlikely pair, Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together. The fiery young woman and the go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common.

“Elemental” is an original film inspired by Sohn’s childhood in New York. “My parents emigrated from Korea in the early 1970s and built a bustling grocery store in the Bronx,” said the director. “We were among many families who ventured to a new land with hopes and dreams—all of us mixing into one big salad bowl of cultures, languages and beautiful little neighborhoods. That’s what led me to ‘Elemental.’

Walt Disney Studios Canada release ELEMENTAL JUNE 16, 2023.

(Photo credit: Disney)

DARBY AND THE DEAD arrives next month on Disney+. Here’s a first look at the Trailer for this Supernatural Teen Comedy.

Synopsis:

After suffering a near-death experience as a young girl, Darby Harper (Riele Downs) gains the ability to see dead people. As a result, she becomes introverted and shut off from her high school peers and prefers to spend time counseling lonely spirits who have unfinished business on earth. But all that changes when Capri (Auli’i Cravalho), the Queen Bee of the school’s most exclusive clique, unexpectedly dies in a freak hair straightening accident, resulting in the obvious cancellation of her upcoming “Sweet 17.” Capri, however, pleads with Darby from the other side to intervene and convince Capri’s friends to proceed with the party as planned. In order to appease the wrath of the undead diva, Darby must emerge from her self-imposed exile and reinvent herself — which along the way allows her to find new joy back in the land of the living.“Darby and the Dead” stars Riele Downs, Auli’i Cravalho, Chosen Jacobs, Asher Angel, Wayne Knight, with Derek Luke and Tony Danza, and is directed by Silas Howard. The screenplay is by Becca Greene, based on a story by Wenonah Wilms, and the producers are Adam Saunders and Eddie Rubin, with Michele Weisler and Mac Hendrickson serving as executive producers. 

DARBY AND THE DEAD arrives December 2, 2022 on Disney+.

(Photo/video credit: Disney)

MISSING stars Euphoria‘s Storm Reid. See the Trailer for the twisty thrill ride where a daughter learns a thing or two about her mom!

Synopsis:
From the minds behind Searching comes Missing, a thrilling roller-coaster mystery that makes you wonder how well you know those closest to you. When her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it’s too late. But as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers…and when June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.

Sony Pictures Canada release MISSING January 20, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Canada)

The Immersive Nutcracker, A Winter Miracle will premiere this holiday season in 12 cities across North America including Calgary at the BMO Centre from December 1 to 28. Produced by Lighthouse Immersive in partnership with Storywall Entertainment and presented by Paquin Entertainment Group and Stampede Park District, Immersive Nutcracker is an experiential retelling of a young girl’s magical Christmas Eve journey, all surrounding the audience in 360-degree, three-dimensional splendor. Tickets go on-sale today at 9:00 a.m. local times and can be purchased at https://www.immersive-nutcracker.com/calgary/

Immersive Nutcracker is an ideal family outing, featuring whimsical animated characters alongside footage of professional ballet dancers. This joyful 30-minute immersive experience is an ideal outlet to introduce young children to the art of ballet and the captivating storytelling that  often accompanies it. Set to the sweeping music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Immersive Nutcracker encompasses visitors in over 500,000 cubic feet of projections composed of over 1 million frames of video, curating a grand immersive display that relays the tale of The Nutcracker from opening to finale. The projection features beloved scenes set to their classical scores like  “The March of the Toys,” “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and more.

Based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s 1816 fairy tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, The Nutcracker has become a holiday classic, taking the form of ballets, films and more. The Immersive Nutcracker, A Winter Miracle is the newest rendition of this timeless classic, using the latest  projection mapping technology to chronicle Marie and her beloved toy nutcracker who comes to  life to battle the Mouse King and then takes her on an enchanting adventure across a holiday themed dreamscape.

“Like so many others, I have grown up with the tradition of enjoying the Nutcracker story,” says Svetlana Dvoretsky, Producer at Lighthouse Immersive. “This production does not replace any of those classics, but it provides a family-friendly experience that pays homage to the story’s ballet roots.”

Five fantasy-filled worlds await audiences in The Immersive Nutcracker, A Winter Miracle, lovingly designed by Storywall Entertainment’s creative and technical teams. World-renowned ballet  dancers Denis Rodkin (principal dancer) and Eleonora Sevenard (leading soloist) perform expert choreography amid the brilliant animations; with young Canadian talents Elizabeth Pivovar and  Alexander Marinosyan playing young Marie and her brother Fritz.

The Immersive Nutcracker, A Winter Miracle is a Storywall Entertainment production presented by Paquin Entertainment and Stampede Park.

Tickets for The Immersive Nutcracker, A Winter Miracle start at $29.99 (plus ticketing fees) for General Admission and will go on sale to the public on November 16, 2022. Family packs are $26.99 (plus ticketing fees) per person for two adults accompanying two children. For more information, visit https://www.immersive-nutcracker.com/calgary/. Follow the exhibit on Facebook and Instagram @nutcrackerimmersive.yyc

Jeanick Fournier won the hearts of Canadians and Season Two Canada’s Got Talent judges alike with her powerful vocals. But above this, she comes with a heartfelt story. The Pallative Care Worker is a mother to two children with Down Syndrome. Her story has compelled a nation, propelling her to stardom. The Saguenay Songstress for years had been performing in a Celine Dion tribute show, before finally landing her big break.

We were so lucky to get to hear those magnificent vocals in-person at Universal Music Canada’s offices as she performed an abbreviated set for tastemakers and fans. In October she had released her debut self-titled LP for the label, a mix of covers and originals.

See some higlights from the evening:

Fournier asked me to speak a bit slower as English is her second language, but walked me through her journey, singing since she was only seven years of age. I wondered how long it takes for her to get her vocals warmed-up and in prime form to belt a rangey ballad like “I Surrender” and her routine usually is about 20 minutes. You need to hear her to believe it!

Hear more on her official YouTube channel here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Just in time for some Holiday cheer, PIB is here!

Synopsis:

This holiday season, everyone’s favorite leche-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns.

For the first time in more than a decade, DreamWorks Animation presents a new adventure in the Shrek universe as daring outlaw Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives, though he lost count along the way. Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots on his grandest quest yet.

Academy Award® nominee Antonio Banderas returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Softpaws (Oscar® nominee Salma Hayek Pinault).

In their quest, Puss and Kitty will be aided—against their better judgment—by a ratty, chatty, relentlessly cheerful mutt, Perrito (Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows). Together, our trio of heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldi (Oscar® nominee Florence Pugh, Black Widow) and the Three Bears Crime Family, Jack Horner (Emmy winner John Mulaney, Big Mouth) and terrifying bounty hunter, the big, bad Wolf (Wagner Moura, Narcos).

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish features an all-star comedic cast that includes Oscar® winner Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone (Black Widow), Samson Kayo (Sliced), Emmy nominee Anthony Mendez (Jane the Virgin) and Tony nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Trolls World Tour).

The long-awaited follow-up to the 2011 Academy Award®-nominated blockbuster, The Last Wish is directed by Joel Crawford and produced by Mark Swift, the creative team behind DreamWorks Animation’s smash, The Croods: A New Age. The film’s executive producer is Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri.

The character of Puss in Boots first appeared in 2004’s Oscar®-nominated Shrek 2 and instantly became a global, scene-stealing sensation. Puss then co-starred in two other Shrek sequels and his solo film, as well as in multiple DreamWorks Animation videos and TV series. The Shrek and Puss in Boots films have collectively earned more than $3.5 billion worldwide.

Genre: Animated Comedy Adventure

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Olivia Colman, Harvey Guillén, Samson Kayo, Wagner Moura, Anthony Mendez, John Mulaney, Florence Pugh, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ray Winstone

Director: Joel Crawford

Producer: Mark Swift

Executive Producer: Chris Meledandri

Universal Pictures Canada release PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH on December 21, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

Sony Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see TIFF ’22 selection DEVOTION starring Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell and Joe Jonas.

Screenings take place as follows:

TORONTO – Monday, 11/21, 7PM @ Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Dundas

VANCOUVER – Monday, 11/21, 7PM @ Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas

Synopsis:

Devotion, an aerial war epic based on the bestselling book of the same name, tells the harrowing true story of two elite US Navy fighter pilots during the Korean War. Their heroic sacrifices would ultimately make them the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen.

Directed by: JD Dillard

Screenplay by: Jake Crane & Jonathan A. H. Stewart

Based on the book by: Adam Makos

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and in the comments there, indicate your City. Re-Tweet the below for an additional chance.

Rules and regulations here.

Sony Pictures Canada release DEVOTION November 23, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Canada)

Last night, the winners of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian) were revealed at the digital awards ceremony. This year, Canada’s leading pan-Asian film festival returned with a hybrid in-person and virtual format and included programming available across Canada. Co-host of CTV’s The Social, Etalk co-anchor, and founder of LaineyGossip.com, Lainey Lui hosted the online awards ceremony, revealing the winners for the juried features and shorts prizes. The ceremony also included performances by local Toronto artists Sakako and Ley Vara. The Festival which opened on November 9 and runs until November 20 is screening 77 films from regions including Canada, the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore. Tickets for online screenings and other events — including the closing night live musical presentation of Canadian Spotlight artist Romeo Candido’s web series Topline at Isabel Bader Theatre — are still available at reelasian.com.

“Every year we’re enamoured by the diverse stories being told and our 26th hybrid-edition is no different,” said Deanna Wong, Executive Director, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. “It’s undeniable that this year’s jury chose films that are exceptional, showcased a range of styles and highlighted timely subjects that reflect perspectives across the Asian diaspora.”

Feature films honoured include the Opening Night film Riceboy Sleeps, which won the Reel Asian Best Canadian Feature Film Award; winner of the Reel Asian Best Documentary Award, The Grizzlie Truth; and the CineSend Best First Feature Award, presented to Bad Axe.

Independent juries comprised of distinguished creatives, filmmakers and industry professionals selected this year’s award winners.

Features Jury: Ada Tseng, Sami Khan, Aashna Thakkar

Shorts Jury: Micah Kernan, Kim Sun-woo, Chris Chong Chan Fui

2022 Reel Asian Award Winners

Air Canada Short Film or Video Award:

All short films and videos are eligible for this prize and will have the opportunity to broadcast on Air Canada’s in-flight entertainment screens on all Air Canada flights. ​​The jury selected four films for this year’s Air Canada Short Film award, highlighting a great mix of perspectives and styles. All films showcase the reality of unsettled moments in life, while leaning into humour, beauty and the resilience of relationships.

Everything will be All Right (Farhad Pakdel, Canada)
Jury statement: This short film did a great job of capturing the moments at the start of COVID, when so much felt uncertain. Farhad was able to seize a moment in time that reflected the unknown.

Desi Standard Time Travel (Kashif Pasta, Canada)
Jury statement: This film was so heartwarming. It really allows an audience a moment to reflect on family and how at the end of the day we are all doing the best we can.

Further & Further Away (Polen Ly, Cambodia)
Jury statement: Further & Further Away is such a unique look at the struggle of needing to leave a place you are comfortable with, but it can be made easier with the thoughts of what are truly important in life.

Madhu (Tanmay Chowdhary & Tanvi Chowdhary, India)
Jury statement: Madhu, dir. Tanmay and Tanvi Chowdhary, is filled with vivid colours and unique shots. It captures a beautiful moment in time showcasing two young women enjoying themselves.

Michael Fukushima AnimAsian Award:
All animated works are eligible for a $600 cash prize.

To Kill the Birds and the Bees (Calleen Koh, Singapore)
Jury statement: For the Michael Fukushima AnimAsian Award, the jury selected To Kill the Birds and the Bees directed by Calleen Koh. This film tackled the way gender cultures and norms are viewed by various generations and delivers a strong message that navigates the conflict caused by differences in thoughts. The film’s tempo and witty comedic elements intensified the film’s intent and left a lasting impression on the jury.

Armstrong Acting Studios Outstanding Performer in a Canadian Feature and Short Film:
The award recipients will receive full class tuition coverage of a class at Armstrong Acting Studios. $2,250 value.

Feature winner – Riceboy Sleeps (Actor, Ethan Hwang)
Jury statement: For his role in Riceboy Sleeps, Ethan Hwang receives the Armstrong Acting Studios Outstanding Performer in a Canadian Feature Film. Hwang’s riveting performance as Dong-Hyun marks the arrival of one of North America’s most promising young actors.

Shorts winner – Knots (Actor, Kim Villagante a.k.a “Kimmortal”)
Jury statement: For the Armstrong Acting Studios Outstanding Performer in a Canadian Short Film Award, the jury selected Kim “Kimmortal” Villagante in Knots. We were very impressed by Kim’s performance in this film, in the way they brilliantly played the main character who struggles with various external factors. In particular, we noted the change in emotional performance in the final scene by Kim was outstanding.

DGC Ontario and WIFT Toronto Film Award:
All films made by female-identified Ontario-based artists are eligible to receive a $1,000 cash prize. $500 in programming gift certificates and two one-year memberships to WIFT Toronto.

Wherever you are, Wherever I am (Kay Chan, Canada)
Jury statement: The jury would like to present the DGC Ontario and WIFT-T Film Award to Wherever You Are, Wherever I Am by director Kay Chan. Chan’s poetics in the spoken word and visual expression of their cross-cultural ancestry sets new perspectives that live within our skin and thrive upon the lands that define us. A lyrical film that crafts a simple sentiment into a grand movement of compassion.

Nathalie Younglai Award:
All Canadian short filmmakers over the age of 40 with fewer than two writer/director credits (film OR television) in the last five years are eligible for a $2,500 cash prize.

Winner – Natalie Pelletier
Jury statement: Congratulations to Natalie Pelletier, an Indigenous middle school teacher who went back to school for filmmaking and is writing her first drama pilot about an Indigenous woman who helps others while being haunted by an evil ghost from residential school. We admire Natalie’s courage and making such a drastic career change to pursue her dreams, the strength of her vision, and I believe her pilot can get her into writing rooms which embodies what this award is about.

National Film Board of Canada Best Canadian Short Film Award:
All short works made by emerging Canadian artists (with credits fewer than four films) are eligible for this prize of post-production services. $5,000 value.

majboor-e-mamool (Haaris Qadri, Canada)
Jury statement: The winner of the NFB Best Canada Short Film Award is majboor-e-mamool by director Haaris Qadri. Director Qadri took great care and attention in a simple trip to the doctor. The duty of a daughter to her mother reveals a delicate balance of resistance, authority, and unconditional care. With an outstanding mature performance by the lead performer, the film handles the eternal and universal story between mother and daughter with great warmth and subtlety.

Honourable mention – Tehura (Wei Li, Canada, French Polynesia)
Jury statement: The jury would also like to give an honourable mention to the debut short film animation Tehura by director Wei Li for the film’s powerful and cutting take on the colonial gaze.

Reel Asian Best Documentary Award:
All documentary films are eligible for this $1,500 cash prize, donated by Karla Bobadilla, Diang-Yee Iu, Immanuel Lanzaderas, Sonia Sakamoto-Jog, and Victoria Shen.

The Grizzlie Truth (Kat Jayme, Canada)
Jury Statement: This year’s Reel Asian Best Documentary Award goes to The Grizzlie Truth from filmmaker and superfan – Kat Jayme. In this expertly crafted, engaging and delightful documentary, we follow Kat’s journey to discover the truth behind why her beloved NBA basketball team, the Grizzlies, were moved from Vancouver to Memphis. Featuring candid interviews with players, team owners, coaches, and fans, she leaves no stone unturned in her search for answers. But the real revelation is Vancouver’s continuing emotional connection to the sports team and the community of fans which endures. Sports have the power to inspire and unite, to uplift and heartbreak. The Grizzlies were a way for Kat to connect with her family, with her roots in Canada and the Philippines. We applaud her positive, heartwarming, and authentic portrayal of Asians finding connection and community through sports.

CineSend Best First Feature Award:
All first feature films are eligible for this award: $500 cash prize and CineSend Files Team Annual Plan (valued at $4,500)

Bad Axe (David Siev, USA)
Jury statement: The jury awards the CineSend Best First Feature to Bad Axe. In this personal documentary, director David Siev turns the camera on his family in rural Michigan during the pandemic, as the adult children come back to their hometown to help their parents with their family restaurant. Siev courageously and delicately documents each family member’s vulnerabilities, and captures the complex emotions that arise from generational trauma and the racial tensions that are exacerbated during this time.

Osler Best Feature Award:
All feature works are eligible for a $2,000 cash prize.

Free Chol Soo Lee (Eugene Yi & Julie Ha, USA)
Jury statement: The jury awards the Osler Best Feature Film Award to Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s Free Chol Soo Lee, a moving and brilliantly constructed documentary that sheds light on a pivotal moment in American history and offers us all urgent lessons on how to navigate our fraught present. Relying on exhaustive research, stellar editing, and deep empathy, Ha and Yi’s film provides not just compelling historical and social insight, but a profound and ultimately tragic portrait of an Asian-American icon. Free Chol Soo Lee is an absolute must-see film for Asian-Americans, Asian-Canadians, and everyone who is interested in understanding the full cost of fighting injustice.

Reel Asian Best Canadian Feature Film Award:
All Canadian feature films are eligible for a $1,000 cash prize.

Riceboy Sleeps (Anthony Shim, Canada)
Jury statement: This beautifully crafted film highlights the need for community and familial connection. From its heartrending script, its haunting cinematography, and an incredible cast of actors – this film is a clear standout in Canadian cinema this year. Through its genuine reflection of an immigrant single mother and the growing pains of her son as a second generation Korean in Canada, this film attempts to heal the wounds of loss and grief between loved ones. The recipient of the Reel Asian Best Canadian Feature Film Award goes to Anthony Shim’s Riceboy Sleeps.

Honourable mention – Big Fight in Little Chinatown (Karen Cho, Canada)
Jury statement: We’d also like to give an honourable mention to Big Fight in Little Chinatown directed by Karen Cho. This urgent story of gentrification, racism, and the importance of maintaining family legacies dove deep into some of North America’s most overlooked cultural hubs. Through the many deeply personal stories told, this film helps paint a fuller picture of how Chinese communities in the diaspora have taken control over their narrative through organizing and activism.

Blue Ant Media Audience Choice Feature Film Award
The winner of the Reel Asian Audience Award—Feature is selected through a tally of votes from the viewers of the 26th edition Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. $2,500 cash prize.

Reel Asian Audience Choice Short Film Award
The winner of the Reel Asian Audience Award—Short Film is selected through a tally of votes from the viewers of the 26th edition Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. $500 cash prize.

(Both awards will be announced on Reel Asian’s social media at the end of Festival.)

The 2022 Reel Asian Awards Ceremony can be watched here.