#BOXOFFICE: “SPIDER-MAN” BRINGS CHEER OVER HOLIDAY WEEKEND

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME spreads some cheer at the Box Office once again this weekend, taking the #1 spot over Christmas weekend with a superb $138.6 million from 4,336 theates for Sony Pictures, a two-week total of $467.3 million. On Christmas Day alone, it earned $36.1 million in North America. This places it third for all-time best Christmas Day gross of all time, behind Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens ($49.3 million) and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker ($32.1 million).

Debuting in second is SING 2 with $23.7 million from 3,900 theatres for Universal Pictures. Its predecessor opened in 2016 with $36 million. This Sequel gets 67% on the Tomatometer.

In third is THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS with $12 million from 3,552 theatres for Warner Bros. This fourth Film in the Series gets 66% on the Tomatometer.

THE KING’S MAN debuts in fourth with $6.4 million from 3,180 theatres for 20th Century Fox.

Rounding-out the Top Five this Christmas weekend is Football Sports Drama AMERICAN UNDERDOG with $6.2 million from 2,813 theatres for Lionsgate Films/Mongrel Media. It gets 77% on the Tomatometer.

#EDITORSNOTE: TEAM MR. WILL TOP TENS OF 2021

While it felt the latter part of 2021 was rather hectic on the release side for films, it certainly was a memorable, although sometimes chaotic year in Cinema. As we saw several films which should’ve surfaced in 2020, banked for our enjoyment on the big screen this year, it makes it even more challenging to narrow down our favourites. Truly, the Films that made the cut in 2021 truly were outstanding as they had to shine amongst a quality slate of releases.

Though it seems we’re making one step forward and two steps back in making it through this Pandemic, we were so happy to have been able to be back in theatres once again and enjoy a hybrid version of the Toronto International Film Festival. For that we are grateful and we look forward to sitting in a theatre once again, full capacity with popcorn and drink in-hand, even if not yet.

Team Mr. Will break down their favourite releases of 2021 for us and as always, it is an exciting and eclectic mix. Films like CODA, ROADRUNNER, NINE DAYS, C’MON C’MON and MASS might not be on all Critics’ Top Tens, but they fared well among the Team and found a home with us. If you’re still deciding what to see or are on the fence about, let us help you out!

So grateful for this amazing family of Writers and their esteemed opinions and hard work delivering for us year-round.

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AMANDA GILMORE (@GilmoreAmanda)

I think Cinema is at its best when it entertains, increases empathy and enlighten us. The films in my Top Ten check those boxes for me. However, 2021 is filled with impactful Cinema and my list could easily be 20! Other films I love are Awards Season favourites King Richard, Belfast & Spencer. This list was made before viewing A Hero, Parallel Mothers & Cyrano.

The Worst Person in the World & Petite Maman would be below but they release in 2022. Keep an eye out for them!

Top Ten Narratives (in alphabetical order):

C’mon C’mon
CODA
Drive My Car
Judas & the Black Messiah
The Lost Daughter
Nine Days
Passing
The Power of the Dog
tick, tick… BOOM!
West Side Story

Fav Docs (in alphabetical order):
Flee
Summer of Soul
Writing With Fire

NICHOLAS PORTEOUS (@noveltyhat)

1. NYC Epicenters
2. Life in a Day: 2020
3. The Last Duel
4. Dune
5. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
6. C’mon C’mon
7. Spencer
8. The Green Knight
9. Bo Burnham: Inside
10. Annette

In a near-tie for my favorite this year: two Documentaries attempting to process recent history. Life in a Day revisits the original 2010 experiment, sourcing thousands of hours of amateur footage from across the world shot on a single day in 2020 that might as well represent the era. Spike Lee‘s NYC Epicenters–a four part miniseries available on Crave–looks at every major New York disaster since 9/11 up to the present moment with absolutely crushing clarity. Sidenote: Netflix‘s ‘Turning Point‘ gives 9/11 some much-needed context as the inciting incident in a much broader tragedy for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Bo Burnham’s Inside grapples with our collective quarantine routine, and though I have misgivings about how accurate it is to Burnham‘s real experience of the pandemic–dropping it a bit further down the list–I cannot deny the singular power of his music to bring meaning to our perpetually sealed-off lives. In third–and the first narrative on the list–The Last Duel failed to connect with the Box Office but succeeded in keeping me locked at a 70° angle as I untangled the all-too-familiar cycle of assault, denial, and public scorn told from three distinct perspectives, brought together by a relentless, titular duel more explosive than anything Ridley Scott has ever yelled at a journalist. Dune could not be less connected to our present, so it was nice to become ensnared in its deadly world with the most well-integrated Visual Effects I’ve ever seen. Roadrunner and C’mon C’mon are both stories of Documentarians who live their work. For Joaquin Phoenix, it’s a spiritually healing act. For Anthony Bourdain, it’s a bit more complicated. Spencer synthesized Diana‘s tragedy into a devastating weekend of pheasant hunting, pea soup and Jazz. Sidenote: ‘Diana the Musical‘ is worth a Netflix skim for a horrific glimpse into yet another way of defining her story. The Green Knight revitalized title cards–along with reflections on destiny and death. And Annette finally put an end to our cultural obsession with selfish toxic male stars–j/k!

GEORGE KOZERA (@PartyG)

2021 was the year I capitulated, when it came to the Movies. I firmly believed that they HAD to be seen on a big screen to even be considered worthy candidates to make my personal “Best” list. To me, VOD always stood for movies that studios deemed unworthy of a theatrical release and streaming services were like HBO: good stuff but, like HBO movies, should not be considered Oscar-worthy. My feelings came crashing down when I saw my first movie in a darkened theatre when we were finally allowed to do so. It was the Documentary “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain”. It was also the 107th movie I had watched this year. The final nail in the coffin was when I was given the choice to see “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” in the theatre or to stream it and I chose the latter.

Whittling down the 288 titles I watched in 2021 to my Top Ten was no easy task! And apologies to the movies I haven’t seen yet (The Lost Daughter, Drive My Car, A Hero, Parallel Mothers and The Green Knight) that could have made the list and those that I could not squeeze-in (Annette, Flee, Belfast, Being the Ricardos, Don’t Look Up, In the Heights and Passing).

1. The Power of the Dog
2. West Side Story
3. Mass
4. CODA
5. tick…tick…Boom!
6. (tie) Summer of Soul/Attica
7. Nine Lives
8. The Humans
9. Dune
10. The Worst Person in the World

JUSTIN WALDMAN (@DubsReviews)

What a mess 2021 has been, we thought we couldn’t possibly still be in this god damn pandemic anymore but here we are. Thankfully, even through the endless, and I mean ENDLESS delays we got some content this year that was absolutely incredible. Only one movie on this Top Ten list only played the festival circuit, and I cannot stress enough that it must be viewed when it comes out. Everything on this list deserves its placing, and if you haven’t seen some of these picks, please please please go and see it to warm your Cinephile heart. I present to you my top 10 of 2021. May 2022 bring forward some other excellent Cinema!

Alone With You Green Knight
I’m your Man
Language Lessons
Licorice Pizza
Mass
Red Rocket
Tick Tick Boom
Titane
Violet

Note: at the time of publication I have not seen Drive My Car, or Parallel Mothers.

Happy New Year everyone, and Bon Cinema!

DAVID BALDWIN (@DaveMABaldwin)

Were we wrong thinking 2021 would be better than 2020? While it was not nearly as much of a dumpster fire, there is still so much wrong and so few lessons learned. I loved being able to experience movies in a theatre again, yet am depressed at how few people turned up for anything that did not involve Marvel characters (though I did enjoy some of those ones too). Fingers crossed we can lose the increasingly annoying “Exclusively in Theatres” rhetoric at some point in 2022. All of that said, I was able to experience a whole world of titles at digital festivals and likely saw more movies this year alone than I have in previous years (or at least compared to all the years I have tracked on Letterboxd!). So it was not all doom and gloom.

Here is a look at my ranked Top 10 list of titles that had a profound effect on me, inspiring my creativity endlessly in a year where I felt so little, followed by alphabetical lists of 2020 films I could not see until 2021 and a few festival favourites waiting for proper release.

1. Nine Days
2. The Mitchells vs. The Machines
3. Mass
4. Titane
5. Dune
6. The Worst Person in the World
7. Judas and the Black Messiah
8. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
9. Riders of Justice
10. Licorice Pizza

2020 Favourites That Were Available This Year
Minari
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Saint Maud

Unreleased Festival Favourites
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
Catch the Fair One
The Fallout
Petite Maman
Sundown

MR. WILL (@mrwillw)

Three things we always look for in a great film. One, it has to take us on a real journey and there’s gotta be something at stake that’s meaningful. It doesn’t matter how big the stakes are. It is the Director and Actors’ jobs to make it feel like the journey they are going on matters. Two, we love it when an Actor transforms and we laud bravado in a performance. Three, we want to feel something when we walk away from a film. These Films meet all the criteria for me. Whether it be Kristen Stewart’s transcendent performance as Diana in Spencer which we’re still obsessed with, or what it means for a father to go for broke because he believes so much in his daughters in King Richard, or films like Zola and Red Rocket which pushed the envelope giving us a glimpse into the lives of Sex Workers, my eyes were opened and sometimes welled-up from some of the masterful work I saw in my Top Ten.

Don’t forget to check-out highlights from our 2021 Star Sightings in Toronto here!

1. Spencer
2. King Richard
3. Red Rocket
4. Blue Bayou
5. The Eyes of Tammy Faye
6. Zola
7. West Side Story
8. Dune
9. Coda
10. Licorice Pizza

To another amazing year in Film ahead! Thank you for continuing to join us!

Team Mr. Will

#EDITORSNOTE: MR. WILL STAR SIGHTINGS 2021

We’re lucky to have even have had the chance to partake in any star-spotting this year given the circumstances we’ve been in! And even though what we got was a reduced version of TIFF ’21 this year, we’re still thrilled that talent still came through, while production on various Series and Films also continued around town this year. And as always we’re happy to go as close as the talent want to get, ensuring safety first. One day we’ll look back and call this our “Masked Era”.

While this is only a fraction of the quantity of star sightings we’ve had in the past, we did our best to do what we do safely. Some exciting names still passed through Toronto in 2021 and we were there!

I’d have to say it was epic that Toronto’s Simu Liu exploded onto the international stage as a mega star for his work in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Not only was it amazing catching-up in person – he actually remembered my name – we also got a quick interview with him! Other names like Rebecca Ferguson, whom we’ve admire for quite a while, came through for TIFF ’21 and we’re glad we finally got to meet her properly! And when do we not get excited to see Jessica Chastain in-town? One of our highlights was getting a Selfie with Mila Kunis, whom we love, together with beanie bright and early in the AM? While concerts were scaled back quite a bit this year, we’re happy to have met some emerging names on the international scene who actually happen to be Canadian, like Mustafa the Poet and BBNo$! And how cool was it that hot off his venture into space, earning him the distinction of oldest person ever to go to space, William Shatner came to Toronto for Fan Expo Limited Edition?

Let’s take a walk down memory lane!

See some of our favourite star sightings of 2021, in no particular order!

While we will wait a bit for these case counts to go down, we look forward to Toronto being the star-studded City it once was once again!

Mr. Will

#NEWMUSIC: MICHELLE TREACY – “HIGH HEELS IN THE MOSHPIT”

Ottawa-born and Toronto-based Michelle Treacy has been on the verge of a breakthrough for a bit now! After getting a rare chance to duet with Lady Gaga back in 2016 for a piano-side rendition of “Born This Way“, she had a stint with Sony Music Canada releasing a few singles for her. Then she gained nationwide recognition on CTV’s THE LAUNCH and since then has been releasing music independently under Position Music.

Five-track EP HIGH HEELS IN THE MOSHPIT has Treacy exploring a new side of her persona and you really hear her progression as an Artist on this collection of highly-danceable Punk-Pop-Rock. The sound is cinematic in a Tarantino, Psychadelic Woman-on-a-Mission way and she teams with Producers including Grammy-winning Yung Spielburg, Ricardo Temporao and Eraserhood Sound. She lets loose completely on this cohesive set and the earworms are non-stop. At 13 minutes, you’ll find yourself listening on-loop.

“Anything Goes” has Treacy re-introducing herself with a renewed bravado, singing “Bottom to top, I’m everything you want most”. “Precious is the Time” is about feeling good, raising those hands to the sky and the good vibes continue on “It Feels so Good to Be Back“, where Treacy proclaims that she’s “sweeter than a Cinnabon“! Lucky for her, we like sweets.

Whatever dark patches she’d landed on prior, this now is in the past, and she’s ready to have some fun and that’s the message here. “Hustler Baby” has her declaring “Yeah I’ve got it! I’m in St. Tropez wearing high heels in the Moshpit!”, a line so provocative it inspired the title of the EP. The abbreviated collection closes-out with “Love Every Minute” has her re-affirming herself with an edgy sass.

You can preview the EP in full below:

(Photo/video credit: Position Music)

#HORSERACING: A PIC BY MRWILL AND MR WILL’S PRINCESS AND PRINCE’S DIARY – DECEMBER 2021

We hope your Holidays have been amazing! We know it’s been a while since we’ve updated you on William (Mr Will) and Princess (A Pic by Mrwill) but we were so happy over the Holidays to catch-up with them!

As many of you remember, MR WILL now is retired and transitioning into his next career as a Show Jumper! Brooke Sisson has overseen his development since leaving Woodbine Racetrack and has helped him find a new forever home in Port Hope. He will be moving from his temporary home in Lindsay this week to enjoy the rest of his winter. He seemed very happy and content in his retired life and with access to the backstretch having been closed to Media the past two years, I haven’t been able to visit him in quite some time. This was a sweet reunion, and my Mom was so happy to finally meet him! We hope to see him later this year at one of his shows! So happy for him.

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His previous Owner Michelle Love gave me the honours of naming her new yearling filly by Reload and out of the mare Jungle Jewel. She was HIP #225 at the CTHS Yearling Sale this year! While I thought “You Were Meant for Me“, a massive hit in the mid-90s for Jewel, was a good choice too, Michelle went with another huge hit for her, “Foolish Games” the theme song from “Batman and Robin“. Fitting, since the Music Video for the song had horses in it. Love it! How exciting!

Princess (A PIC BY MRWILL) has been in great spirits of late since moving into a new pen with racing veteran CUMMINGS ROAD at Emily Fisher‘s family farm. Also grouped with her are donkey and miniature ponies Freddie and Eddie Fisher! We can confirm she’s definitely the Queen over there after being a bit of a fish out of water with the other mares who have formed a strong bond over the years. Princess being the youngest mare, struggled a bit to connect with the others, but is living her best life now as Queen Bee.

Emily and her partner jockey Keveh Nicholls are expecting their first child in early March. So Excited for them!

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Wishing you all a safe and amazing New Year!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

A PIC BY MRWILL MR WILL woodbine

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “THE BATMAN” (THE BAT THE CAT TRAILER)

A new Trailer for THE BATMAN has arrived, The Bat and the Cat Trailer!

Synopsis:

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne.

Starring alongside Pattinson (“Tenet,” “The Lighthouse”) as Gotham’s famous and infamous cast of characters are Zoë Kravitz (“Big Little Lies,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (“Love & Mercy,” “12 Years a Slave”) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (“No Time to Die,” “Westworld”) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the “Transformers” films, “The Plot Against America”) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (“The Magnificent Seven,” “Interrogation”) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (“Farewell Amor”) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the “Planet of the Apes” films, “Black Panther”) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (“The Gentlemen,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) as Oswald Cobblepot.

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release THE BATMAN March 4, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Pictures Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: “BEANIE MANIA”

We had no idea this was even in existence until we stumbled upon it on Crave Canada! We were one of those people who collected Beanie Babies in the ’90s and while we never made any money off them, we actually unloaded them below what we paid, nonetheless we very clearly remember this era – driving around town hunting at toy small toy stores.

Director Yemisi Brookes explores the phenomenon and how a group of suburban women helped propel the popularity behind these unassuming collectibles, which led eventually to a secondary market and an unforeseeable demand. We meet some of the former employees at Ty (a few Canadians even!) who were behind the product and the drama that brewed once the success of Beanie Babies took off. We also get a look at the scandal that landed illusive Creator Ty Warner in prison almost. Beanie Babies certainly were no joke. People risked their lives, robbed and went bankrupt at a chance for the riches that came with being the lucky one who had that rare coveted Beanie.

The Documentary is concise, balancing just the right tone in exploring how crime and corruption plagued the brand as the millennium approached, but also a bit of lightness because well, Beanie Babies are meant to be cute and fun. Brookes gets what’s at stake for the key players, exploring the legacy of these toys and how it changed their lives, some for the better, some for the worse.

It is no mystery what I’ve named by dog beanie after, but even I had no idea about the behind-the-scenes, and this HBO Max production was highly-educational and entertaining.

BEANIE MANIA streams now on Crave Canada.

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF “CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG”

Paramount Home Entertainment x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a Digital Download of CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG! Right in time for the Holidays. The DVD and Blu-ray also are coming soon in February!

Synopsis:
When Emily discovers her little red puppy named Clifford has grown ten feet overnight, she turns to her eccentric Uncle Casey for help. But when a mad scientist tries to capture the larger-than-life playful pup, it takes the entire neighborhood to hide Clifford as they race across the city. Get ready for the incredible, laugh-out-loud comedy adventure that is BIG fun
for the entire family!

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG Digital* & Blu-ray Bonus Content
• Part of the Pack— Get a behind-the-scenes look at Clifford’s big movie with interviews from cast and crew.
• Acting is for the Dogs—There’s more to Clifford than meets the eye: meet the puppeteers who brought the giant red pup to life!
• The Magic of Bridwell – See where Clifford’s big adventure began from creator Norman Bridwell’s early drawings for the beloved Scholastic book series to Clifford’s worldwide fame.
• Tips & Tricks for Taking Care of a 10-Foot Dog – Get hilarious tips on how to take care of a giant dog!
• Deleted Scenes

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG DVD
The DVD includes the feature film in standard definition.

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK.

Rules and regulations here.

NOTE: Winners will only be reached by our official Facebook account. Do not accept friend requests from others asking you to give out your personal information.

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG is available on Digital December 24, 2021 and on DVD/Blu-ray February 1, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Home Entertainment)

#FIRSTLOOK: “EMILY IN PARIS” SEASON TWO

We’ve been waiting for this! While it’s been divisive, we side with those who loved the first season of this Darren Star creation and if there were any doubt about it, the second season of EMILY IN PARIS gives us more of what we came for. Flashy fashion, garçon problems and office drama. Such is the life of Emily and we can’t get enough of it!

Season Two picks-up where we left-off and Emily (Lily Collins) must confront the affair she had with Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), reconciling her feelings for him, while having kept it a secret from her friend Camille (Camille Razat)… who happens to be Gabriel‘s girlfriend. Things are complicated as Emily is working on Camille‘s family’s Champagne account at Savoir, the Marketing Agency at which Emily works and the bottle is about to pop as truths are uncovered.

Emily‘s tough-to-please boss Sylvie (Philppine Leroy-Beaulieu) mixes business with pleasure as she falls for an up-and-coming young Photographer, while Emily‘s best friend Mindy (Ashley Park) becomes involved with a struggling Musician whom she must conceal her billionaire Pop Princess identity from.

The cultural clashes continue as Emily continues to adapt to the local Parisian culture, but finds a companion in classmate Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) whom also feels like a fish out of water. And Madeline (Kate Walsh) shows-up from the U.S. office, trying to impose American corporate values on the office in Paris, and finds herself in over her head, oblivious to the deep-rooted ties there.

Collins continues to shine in this plum assignment and has fun doing it. Emily thinks often with her heart and sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t and that’s the appeal of Emily in Paris. It’s a gorgeous, romantic escape and we aren’t afraid to fall with Emily as we know her heart is in the right place in the end.

We zipped through these delightful ten new episodes rather quickly and are ready for Season Three!

EMILY IN PARIS Season Two streams now on Netflix.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TEASER FOR “DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS”

Marvel Studios just released a brand-new glimpse of DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS! See the new Teaser below:

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opens in theatres on May 6, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Marvel Studios Canada)