TIFF announce their upcoming programming slate, and trust me, there is some really good stuff including TIFF ’21 favourites SPENCER (we’re definitely seeing this again!) and THE POWER OF THE DOG, plus some cool retrospectives!

TIFF CINEMATHEQUE SERIES

Céline Sciamma: Portraits of Desire – November 11 to 21, 2021

Since the success of the widely acclaimed Portrait of a Lady on Fire — which won both the Queer Palm and the Award for Best Screenplay at Cannes 2019 — French filmmaker Céline Sciamma made both a departure from her three previous films and a masterful culmination of an oeuvre that sensitively and intelligently deals with such urgent themes as gender identity, female bonds, and the blurred boundaries between friendship and love. This programme was created to celebrate her work upon the release of her fourth feature, and now, two years later, it’s even more urgent and resonant as audiences await the theatrical release of the director’s latest film, Petite Maman (2021), which had its Canadian premiere at the Festival. Included in this retrospective are Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Girlhood, Tomboy, and her debut, Water Lilies, as well as the animated film My Life as a Courgette (which Sciamma co-scripted).

Paul Thomas Anderson: Evolution of a Master – November 25 to 28, 2021

Size matters in the films of Paul Thomas Anderson, and the increasing visual and thematic scope of his work is illustrated by these 70mm presentations tracing his evolution from big, unwieldy indie-cinema talent to a refined, mature American master. From the pyrotechnical brilliance of his sophomore breakthrough, Boogie Nights, to the elliptical psychic case study of The Master, to the wry fairy-tale riffage of Phantom Thread, Anderson has always crafted images strong and detailed enough to match his ideas. With introductions by critic Adam Nayman, author of the acclaimed 2020 book Paul Thomas Anderson: Masterworks, and a screening of David Lean’s 1949 romance The Passionate Friends, a major influence on Phantom Thread, this series seeks to honour these movies’ monumental accomplishments. 

Musicals! The Movies that Moved Us – December 2, 2021 to January 6, 2022

Whether you know all the words to each song or you’re discovering these classics for the first time, there’s no denying the show-stopping pleasure of the form. The best musicals are grounded in sophisticated narratives, remarkable visual invention, and towering achievements in technical craft. Watch how Stanley Donen, Vincente Minnelli, Farah Khan, Jacques Demy, Ken Russell, Mani Ratnam, and more turn the delights of movie musicals to their own particular passions. Comprising 25 films, the programme will delight any fun-loving musical fan with movies like Singin’ in the Rain (1952), West Side Story (1961), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Mughal-E-Azam (1960), All That Jazz (1979), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), Grease (1978), and Purple Rain (1984).

Guillermo del Toro Presents: Film Noirs from 20th Century Fox – December 3 to 19, 2021

In anticipation of Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming release Nightmare Alley, TIFF Cinematheque presents a curated selection of film noirs from 20th Century Fox, hand-picked by del Toro himself. Inspired by the runs of similar genre-making studio films such as the highly-stylized gangster pictures championed by Warner Bros. in the 1930s (which cemented the anti-hero archetype in the face of the Hays Code’s guidelines) and the legendary monster movies helmed by Universal Studios between the ’30s and ’50s (whose creatures became the visual and emotional reference points for all subsequent horror-movie monsters), del Toro sees the brilliant stream of film noirs made under the 20th Century Fox banner as equally deserving of canonization. Before taking a turn down Nightmare Alley, audiences will have a chance to explore the director’s top five influential film noirs from the studio’s golden age of hard-boiled cinema, all on archival 35mm prints or in restored presentations.

SUBSCRIPTION SERIES

Subscriptions are on sale to Members now and to the public on October 27.

Reel Talk: Contemporary World Cinema – November 7, 2021 to March 20, 2022
Offering a global snapshot of the best cinema from around the world, Reel Talk: Contemporary World Cinema provides a focus on non-English-language, art-house films that may not see wide release.

Secret Movie Club – November 14, 2021 to January 23, 2022
Back again in its old clubhouse, TIFF Bell Lightbox, this series offers some of the best new indie cinema before it hits Toronto theatres. Last season’s lineup included Minari, The Mauritanian, and Together Together.

SPECIAL EVENTS 

Viola Desmond Day: Jennifer Holness on Subjects of Desire – November 8, 2021 at 7pm
TIFF is commemorating the 75th anniversary of Viola Desmond’s historic stand against racial segregation and her barrier-breaking work as founder of the Desmond School of Beauty Culture with a special advance screening of the award-winning documentary Subjects of Desire, followed by a conversation with director Jennifer Holness. This provocative and culturally significant film is told from the perspective of women who aren’t afraid to challenge conventional beauty standards, and is partially set around the 50th anniversary of the Miss Black America Pageant, which was created as a political protest against dominant standards upheld by the beauty pageant industry.

Note: A TIFF digital event commemorating Viola Desmond Day is taking place on Monday,  November 8 at 12 pm ET with scholar Cheryl Thompson and Cameron Bailey, TIFF Artistic Director and Head, for a special talk about Black representation in 1940s cinema. They will discuss what the film experience was like for Black spectators at the time, and how systemic anti-Black racism continues to persist in the film industry to this day. Watch this conversation on TIFF’s Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channels.

TIFF Next Wave 48-Hour Challenge Screening – November 28, 2021, 2:30pm to 4pm

The highly anticipated return of the TIFF Next Wave 48-Hour Film Challenge welcomes teams of young creators to produce a short film in only 48 hours. TIFF will showcase all of the films shot during the challenge and celebrate the next wave of emerging filmmakers. Following the screening, one team will be awarded the grand prize for best film by a jury of film industry professionals.

NEW RELEASES

Opens October 27
Passing
Rebecca Hall | UK, USA | 2021 | 98 mins.

Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga star as two Black women contending with the notion of “passing” for white, in this 1920s-set psychological thriller. Shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio in beautiful black and white, this film was made for the big screen. Nominated for five Gotham Awards, including Best Feature, Best Screenplay, and Outstanding Lead Performance (Tessa Thompson).

Opens November 4
Spencer
Pablo Larraín | Germany, UK | 2021 | 111 mins. 
Official Selection, 2021 Toronto International Film Festival

Kristen Stewart stars in Pablo Larraín’s haunting chamber drama that imagines a tumultuous Christmas in the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Opens November 12
tick, tick… BOOM!
Lin-Manuel Miranda | USA | 2021 | 112 mins. 

On the cusp of his 30th birthday, a promising young theatre composer navigates love, friendship, and the pressures of life as an artist in New York City.

Opens November 17
The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion | Australia, New Zealand | 2021 | 127 mins.
Official Selection, 2021 Toronto International Film Festival

TIFF Tribute Actor Award honouree Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst lead Jane Campion’s drama about two brothers whose lives change when a widow and her son arrive at their ranch.

(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)

One of this Fall’s most anticipated cinematic events is Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. The star-studded Superhero flick is directed and co-written by Academy Award-winning Filmmaker Chloé Zhao. ETERNALS centers on an alien race of immortals who re-surface after thousands of years to protect earth and its inhabitants from the evil Deviants.

We were incredibly-fortunate to sit-in on the global press conference for Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS and it was a star-studded affair with guests including:

In this epic panel, its stars and Creators shared a common sentiment – their great respect for Zhao in helping them find a truth about themselves in their respective characters. One interesting thing about this Film is that these Superheroes don’t look like your typical kind because in order for them to reflect humanity, they should look like humanity.

Producer Kevin Feige talks about this bold new step in direction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Feige: “Post-Infinity Saga, we wanted to take a bold new step and say we don’t know everything about the universe, yet. And there are these ten spectacular superheroes you haven’t met who’ve been here the whole time.”.

Director/Writer Chloé Zhao is asked about her first meetings with Feige and what they looked like.

Zhao: “It started with me showing him a Macro Photo of sand and quoting a Poem from William Blake and in that Poem, Blake is trying to convey that you can see the endless beauty of the cosmos, even within the smallest things you can find on earth. The vision of the Film was to set-out to capture that scale. Something as large as the creation of the sun to the whispers of lovers. Going on location and doing this kind of an immersive shoot together with the support of this amazing Cast is how we got here today.”.

Thena is the Goddess of War, played by Angelina Jolie. She is asked how she finds strength and survival in her own survivor story, in addition to what attracted her to the role?

Jolie: “I was attracted to this project for many reasons. I am a fan of the MCU, was a big fan of Chloé, and when they first talked to me about the story, it really was the Cast and the idea of what this family would be. I really just wanted to be a part of this family even before I know who I was I was going to play.”.

“Chloé‘s known for bringing-in reality to film, to somebody’s true self. So a lot of us were cast to bring out something from our own lives, something that we weren’t even aware of and then let it live and grow within the Film. She’s maybe the most fantastic thing I’ve ever played in a superhero, and yet my children thought she was the most like me they’ve ever seen. It’s hard to talk about her but her vulnerability – which she’s trying to balance -and being able to be the same woman who’s also considered very strong.. and yet she’s able to holds both, which most people do.

Sersi is played by Gemma Chan, who learns her places and embraces her strengths as the story progresses.

Chan: “Sersi is a superhero, but her powers aren’t the most obvious and flashiest. She might not be the best fighter, but what she does have is empathy and a real affinity for humankind. She’s a free spirit. I love that. That’s one of the most enjoyable things about thing Film going on this journey with the character. She learns to trust herself and grow into her own power really. That’s a really interesting thing to explore.”.

Richard Madden plays Ikaris, one of the most powerful Eternals, who is in a conflict of love (with Sersi) vs. loyalty in the Film.

Madden: “I’m used to playing lovers often. But to play someone who’s such a soldier, completely driven by love, is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. He’s actually wrestling with two characters who are very full of love and it comes out he’s actually the opposite of that. He’s trying to bury that love because it gets in the way of his duties. He’s constantly wrestling with it and that made it interesting for me.”.

Salma Hayek talks (hilariously) about finding success as a superhero at an unconventional stage in life. She plays spiritual leader, Ajak.

Hayek: “This was really humbling. I dream big. And in my big dreams I wanted to be a superhero, work with the best Directors in the world, make big Blockbuster movies and movies that are Art from a very big place. But it didn’t happen for me. You fight for it in your 20s, 30s and 40s and you go, ‘Screw them! They don’t get it! They missed out! I would’ve been a great superhero! Screw them! I’m gonna go do something out, like have a baby!’. (laughs) And then you give up! It’s very humbling when you’re in your 50s, a brilliant Director gives you the opportunity to do both! I was wrong. Everything is possible.”.

Kumail Nanjiani brings a ‘Bollywood Swagger’ to his role of Kingo and even does a musical number. He talks about the challenges of going outside his comfort zone.

Nanjiani: “I can’t put Chloé on the spot, and I can’t swear, so put-in a swear word here! Chloé lied to me. When we first talked about the Movie, she said there was a Bollywood dance scene and I said ‘I don’t think I can do that.’, She said ‘Okay, we’ll make it a Bollywood action scene and as soon as I got to London hehehe.. it’s a dance scene! And I was like, ‘Get me a dance teacher alright?’. And they were wonderful teaching me the Choreography, working with me for months and months because I was so outside my comfort zone.”.

“For me, ultimately it came down to trust… usually my instinct is to have a moment of and fear, but in meeting her, I realized she’s not going to let me suck in this thing so if she wants me to do something, I’m gonna do it!”.

“She had this whole Movie, this whole universe inside her head. I didn’t understand it until I watched the Movie. I felt, ‘This isn’t something I would do, but if Chloé says do it, let’s do it!'”.

Brian Tyree Henry plays Phastos, an intelligent inventor. He talks about finding the humanity in his character, who experiences his share of despair.

Henry: “I think it really came down to trust and I really wholeheartedly trusted Chloé, to piggyback off of Kumail. What attracted me to this part was I think of all the black men out there and how we are portrayed. What I love most about Phastos is that he is an Ancestor. All of us are Ancestors, technically. So Phastos predates everything and goes through all these things which actually makes him lose faith in humanity very quickly. And I remember coming into this project, I lost faith in humanity and just looking at all the things we’ve been through and looking at images of how black men were portrayed and how power was taken away from us, the lack of power. What I love about Phastos is that him being an Eternal, knowing that he can never die, he still chose love and still decides to have a family even though he may have to watch them perish. And try to bring heart and love into everything he did. It just really resonated with me.”.

“I remember the first time they approached me to be a superhero and I asked, ‘How much weight do you want me to lose?’, and Chloé said ‘What are you talking about? We want you exactly as you are.’. And to be a black man and have someone say they want you exactly the way you are is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.”.

Kit Harrington plays Sersi’s human boyfriend Dane, who seems to handle all sorts a catastrophe with a calm cool.

Harrington: “He’s a nice guy. I felt from the beginning I had to represent something that was worth saving. I hope that Dane comes-off a nice, stand-up guy and one thing I respect about him is that a man flies out of the sky shoots lasers out of his eyes and steals his girlfriend, and he’s kinda cool with it!”.

“I come in at the start and in some ways intro the Movie, and then it goes its own wonderful direction, so I felt a bit separate, but I do think the advantage is that you do have a glimpse of the humans at the start and it tells you who these guys truly are trying to save.”.

Some Snaps from the Junket:

Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS arrives in theatres November 5, 2021.

*Please exercise caution in observing COVID-19 protocols if seeing this in-theatre*.

(Photo/video credit: Marvel Studios Canada)

We are thrilled to give our Readers a chance to attend an Advance Screening of Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS! Screenings are as follows:

TORONTO

Wednesday, November 3

7:00PM

Yonge & Dundas  

VANCOUVER

Wednesday, November 3

7:00PM

Scotiabank Theatre

CALGARY

Wednesday, November 3

7:00PM

Scotiabank Theatre Chinook

EDMONTON

Wednesday, November 3

7:00PM

Scotiabank Theatre

Synopsis:

Marvel Studios’ “Eternals” welcomes an exciting new team of Super Heroes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The epic story, spanning thousands of years, features a group of immortal heroes forced out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s oldest enemy, The Deviants. The outstanding ensemble cast includes Richard Madden as the all powerful Ikaris, Gemma Chan as humankind loving Sersi, Kumail Nanjiani as cosmic powered Kingo, Lauren Ridloff as the super fast Makkari, Brian Tyree Henry as the intelligent inventor Phastos, Salma Hayek as the wise and spiritual leader Ajak, Lia McHugh as the eternally young, old soul Sprite, Don Lee as the powerful Gilgamesh, Barry Keoghan as aloof loner Druig, and Angelina Jolie as the fierce warrior Thena. Kit Harington plays Dane Whitman.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and in the comments state your City. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet for an extra chance. You must be following.

Rules and regulations here.

NOTE: Winners will be contacted from our official account only. Do not accept friend requests from others requesting you enter your personal information on a link.

Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS is in theatres November 5, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Marvel Studios Canada)

Sandra Bullock is back at long last! Check-out the riveting Trailer for THE UNFORGIVABLE, coming to Netflix!

Synopsis:

Released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime, Ruth Slater (Bullock) re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past. Facing severe judgment from the place she once called home, her only hope for redemption is finding the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind.

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosi, Rob Morgan, Emma Nelson, Will Pullen, Thomas Guiry and Viola Davis.

THE UNFORGIVABLE arrives in select theatres November 24, 2021 and on Netflix December 10, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

By George Kozera

Taking place between October 26, 2021 and November 2, 2021, CINEFRANCO is a celebration of French-language Cinema. This year’s Festival includes a mixture of in-person and virtual events and premieres, with COMING HOME kicking-off the Festival and Closing Film VINLAND.

Here are our thoughts on some of the titles we’ve previewed in advance.

TOKYO SHAKING

Only the French can take the conventions of a typical American Disaster Movie and it make it uniquely their own and original. Whereas TOKYO SHAKING deals with the effects on Tokyo of an earthquake, followed by a tsunami and, ultimately, a nuclear reactor meltdown, this beautifully crafted film deals with human and emotional issues of these terrifying circumstances rather than focusing on the paths of possible massive destruction.
Alexandra (a stellar performance from Karin Viard), has recently moved to Japan from Hong Kong to pursue further notches in her already outstanding career belt as an executive at a bank. She has a great rapport with her Congolese intern Amani (Stephane Bak) and her Japanese assistant Kimiko (Yumi Narita), but a somewhat contentious one with her new boss Dominique (Philippe Uchan). When the disasters hit, she not only worries about the safety of her two children that moved with her and deals with constant pressures from her husband still in Hong Kong, she tries to ensure the safety and travel arrangements for everyone working at the bank.
Eschewing the standard Disaster Flick clichés, TOKYO SHAKING deals with honour, corporate avarice, strengthening personal and work relationships and ultimately peace and spirituality with enough gentle humour interspersed throughout to lighten the loads. It is a towering, remarkable achievement.

ELÉONORE

Writer/Director Amro Hamzawi has manipulated the roncom tropes with an original piece of work to highlight the exceptional talents of his sister Nora Hamzawi. In the titular role of ELEONORE, she illuminates the screen and we quickly fall in love with this somewhat depressed, failed author who is working at a publishing house that focuses on erotic literature while dealing with continual put-downs from her mother and younger sister. When the working relationship with her boss Harold (Andre Marcon) morphs into one of friendship and respect, we watch Eleonore transform from a sarcastic young woman who could never commit to anything (dead end jobs, dead end one night stands, dead end family relationships) and blossom into a fascinating person. We root for her and want her to succeed and be happy!
Many people erroneously associate movies from France as being mostly stylistically sexy or serious. I am here to tell you that they also excel at comedies (despite their love of Jerry Lewis movies!) and ELEONORE will have you at least giggling and smiling throughout as you traverse the scenic sidewalks of Paris while our cinematic heroine impetuously takes us on a hilarious journey of her own.

TA PLANETE NATALE

I was initially intrigued by the synopsis of TA PLANETE NATALE as I don’t think that I have ever seen a French language movie set in a small rural town in Ontario and was looking forward to an original spin to a story that may have been inspired by Writer/Director Sebastien Higgins growing up in such an environment. Instead, I was treated to an almost oppressively melancholic story with a Cast of characters that (to quote a classic blues song) “if it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all”. Higgins has an ear for authentic dialogue as I loved the throwing of “les mots anglaise” often into the conversations and the Cinematography was gloriously stark. As Nathan and Maripier (Samuel Glaude and Celia Fournier-Cantin respectively), the star-crossed lovers who dream of better lives, the young performers display great chemistry and elevate the Film when it is just these two characters together. They overcome the weaknesses of the Script with finesse.

EFFACER L’HISTORIQUE (DELETE HISTORY)

I tend to gravitate towards absurdist Comedies and when EFFACER L’HISTORIQUE opened with a lead character scratching her derriere against a tree, I knew I’d be in for a treat! What I did not know at that particular moment was just how much this Movie would turn into a delicious, hilarious smorgasbord of hysterical proportions! Marie (Blanche Gardin), Bertrand (Denis Podalydes) and Christine (Corrine Masiero), despite everything else that is going wrong with their lives, all desperate need a hacker to erase negative things from the internet that affect them adversely. Marie needs to have a sex tape erased as she is being blackmailed and can’t afford the cost. Bertrand wants to eliminate a tape where is daughter is being bullied. Corrine wants her many one-star Uber reviews vanished forever. How they go about it, alongside their other unique peccadillos, will keep you in stitches throughout. Look for American Indie star, Denis O’Hare, in a surprising cameo role but, most importantly, look for tissues to wipe away the tears emitted from laughter. EFFACER L’HISTORIQUE is a must-see!

PROFESSION DU PERE

I have a lot of respect for Writer/Director Jean-Pierre Ameris for tackling a difficult subject of a man suffering from wartime PTSD symptoms alongside the unequivocable love a young boy has for his father with PROFESSION DU PERE. Set in Lyons in 1961, 11 year old Emile (an outstanding performance from Jules Lefebvre) idolizes his dad André (Benoit Poelvoorde) much to the bemusement of his mother Denise (Audrey Dana). André regales his young son with tales of his being a parachutist, a Judo champ, a singing legend, a soccer player and being best friends with a man who is an advisor to President John F. Kennedy. When President de Gaulle starts a war with French Algeria, Andre’s lessons and demands of his child become more fearful and dangerous as together they hatch a plan to assassinate de Gaulle and his political advisors.
Through no fault of the exceptional performance by Poelvoorde and Dana, I had great difficulty watching PROFESSION DU PERE as watching children being violently disciplined or placed in dangerous situations, personally distresses me. Whereas the clearer head of the mother ignoring many of the signs are authentic to the times and her actions may have been made clearer at the Movie’s closing scenes, it was a hard watch for me.

L’ETREINTE

French screen legend, Emmanuelle Beart, has her meatiest role in years in L’ETREINTE. In the role of the recently widowed Margaux Hartmann who moves to a small town near Versailles to study German masters at a local university, Beart sears and dominates every scene with a performance that is perfectly modulated, intricate and fascinating to watch as it unfolds. The 50ish year old woman gets along fabulously with her younger fellow students and has the moral support of her older sister who lives nearby. Her failed sexual tryst with one of her professors is compounded with a night where she and her student friends sneak into an indoor swimming pool where she watches from afar as these younger people all strip naked and have sex. This ignites something inside her that was dormant for years. L’ETREINTE switches gears to an almost “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” vibe and Beart attacks these situations with fervour and internalized intensity. Special attention must be paid to the performances from Vincent Dedienne as Margaux’s friend and advisor and from Tibo Vandenborre as the professor who, unknowingly, initiated Margaux’s transition. L’ETREINTE is sexy and stylish with an unabashed adult sensibility. It is also a most welcomed return of Emmanuelle Beart to the silver screen.

LIVE STORY CHRONIQUE D’UN COUPLE

Quebec Director Jean-Sebastien Lozeau had the unenviable task of making unlikeable characters interesting to watch in LIVE STORY CHRONIQUE D’UN COUPLE. Sebastien Ricard plays Alex, a recently divorced Director, who unabashedly loves his young son to such a strong degree that it is the detriment of wives or girlfriends. He reignites a long-ago relationship with an old flame, Monica (Marilyn Bastien) who is also divorced and has her own issues being a single mother and employment mis opportunities. Their relatively new relationship suffers greatly when Alex starts to live stream their trysts on the internet. The entire movie consists of scenes with arguments, accusations, making out in hotel rooms, shouting matches, insecurities, the occasional lovey-dovey chatters and a few out of nowhere surreal scenes. By the time LIVE STORY CHRONIQUE D’UN COUPLE ended, I felt like I lived in a world with only one television station and all it played for eternity was endless “Dr. Phil” episodes.

More here on CINEFRANCO and how to get tickets.

It was a weekend of Birthday celebrations unlike any other and the 2021 Honda Civic 5D Sport Touring was there for us through it all! While navigating a return to semblance of our normal is taking a bit of getting used to after 19 months, we are just relieved our friends and family have remained healthy and sound through this all. That was our only birthday wish this year!

So happy to have a chance to preview this gorgeous and flashy ride in Rallye Red, as our travels these past few days took us to the city and back multiple times, and also out to the country. The Civic 5D Touring‘s versatility is proven time and again leaving little doubt why it remains one of Canada’s top-selling cars!

Powered by a 1.5 litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, turbocharged 4-cylinder 180 horsepower engine, this car drives like a dream. Above this, it comes with the conscious Eco-Assist and ECON mode options designed to help you maintain fuel efficiency. While it goes without saying that gas prices are astronomical right now, you get the most value for your dollar with a Fuel Economy of 7.7/6.3/7.1 litres/100 km (city/highway/combined).

The Civic 5D Sport Touring runs deep in bells and whistles, possessing style and edge. A leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated seats (front and rear), driver’s seat with 8-way power adjustment and a one-touch moonroof are among some of its most distinguished features. Its 18″ aluminum-alloy wheels with black inserts give it that perfect sporty finish. And we cannot rave enough about how spacious its hatchback trunk is! We love the thought that went behind having a second tier there as it came in handy more than once! And we are a huge fan of Proximity Entry after having our hands full shopping.

The car’s 542-watt AM/FM Premium audio system with MP3/Windows Media® Audio playback capability controlled by an easy-to-use 9″ colour touch display, and BOSE® sound system with 12 speakers including subwoofer, are a perfect companion to our driving. You can connect via several options including Bluetooth to your smartphone and playlists, Sirius XM and we adore the wireless charging plate in plain sight so we can navigate our Google Maps while driving and staying charged. Our only small irritant is our phone having to be reconnected at the start of our drives with a list of other phones being memorized on the car’s list of connected devices. This can be resolved easily by deleting other devices off the list of phones.

True to Honda standard, the Civic 5D Sport Touring is packed with safety features including 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System; 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System; Auto high beam; Brake Assist; Electronic Brake-force Distribution; Collision Mitigation Braking System™; Forward Collision Warning (FCW); Hill Start Assist; Lane Departure Warning; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM); Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control and so much more.

We really appreciate the rear-view camera giving us line of sight day or night (especially with it getting dark rather early in the Fall), and its parking assist really takes the stress out of things like parallel parking.

The car comes armed and ready with a variety of life-saving mechanisms such as an i-SRS airbag system (front); SmartVent™ side airbags; Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure; Childproof rear door locks (which sometimes can be a nuisance but serve their purpose!); Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor system; and the HondaLink™ Assist Automatic Emergency Response System.

2021 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT TOURING starts at $35,000 CAN.

More here.

Some highlights from our weekend of safe festivities!

So thrilled to hear the 2022 models from Honda are arriving very soon. Cannot wait to preview these new arrivals in their roster!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

While Fan Expo looked a little different this year, fans still were able to enjoy the three day event safely amidst our current climate. The three-day event took place this weekend at Metro Toronto Convention Centre, bringing together fans of Comics, Sci-Fi, Horror, Anime, and Gaming together under one roof with a chance for them to meet some of their idols. The event was modified to a Limited Edition version this year, working around safety guidelines and restrictions/caps. It normally draws hundreds of thousands of people every year when at full capacity.

While there were several guest cancellations this year due to uncertainty and changes in scheduling, fans still were able to feast on an exciting array of programming and stars including the likes of Kit Young, GeorgeTakei, Robert Patrick, Melanie Scrofano, Robbie Amell, Stephen Amell, James Marsters, Italia Ricci, Trailer Park Boys (including a fun #Swearnet backdrop seen above for fans to pose at), Christopher Eccleston… and of course the legend himself William Shatner, fresh off his successful mission to space, giving him the distinction of being the oldest person ever to visit it.

George Kozera from Team Mr. Will and I were able to check-out some of the thrills and sit-on (literally on the floor) on some of the exciting Q&As with the talent. George even got to ask Shatner a question!

Some highlights and quotes:

ITALIA RICCI

This former Supergirl star, hailing from Richmond Hill, Ontario is connected to a few superheroes, being married to Robbie Amell (The Flash) who is a cousin of Stephen Amell (Arrow) – the latter married to Cassandra Jean, also who has starred in Arrow. When asked about her family being like a mini Comic-Con, she says “Well, none of us got the keep the costumes. Maybe Stephen, I don’t know. But yeah, it’s been fun. Supergirl shoots in Vancouver, but when I shot season one, it was on the Warner Bros. lot. But I had a lot of fun and didn’t think they would kill me. I thought ‘I’m coming back for sure!'”. Ricci also filmed Designated Survivor here in Toronto and when asked about McDonald’s vs. Pizza, she says she takes her son almost daily to McDonald’s right now, although she admittedly still hasn’t found amazing Pizza in the City just yet. Her hunt continues.

JAMES MARSTERS

The most fascinating tidbit revealed during the Q&A session with Marsters (Spike on TV’s BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) was that the Producers of the Show were unhappy with the success of the Angel character and that the audience attention was drawn-away from Buffy. Originally hired for a five to ten episode storyline (it stretched to 97 episodes), Marsters said ” I would have fired myself to keep the integrity of Buffy intact.”.

WILLIAM SHATNER

At 90 years young, the iconic, natural-born raconteur William Shatner greeted the crowd with “Hello, fellow Canadians” where he quickly added, “I haven’t been able to say that in a long time” and entertained the rapt and adoring crowd with stories of his childhood growing up in Montreal, living in Toronto on Sherbourne Street as a struggling Actor trying to find work and living on his one inexpensive meal at the Sherbourne Hotel. When I asked him about his experience working in JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBERG he replied, in part, “Imagine being a youngActor, sitting on a bench and watching icons like Judy Garland and Spencer Tracy perform”. He promoted his new album “Bill“, then spoke at length of his recent space flight on Jeff Bezos‘s rocket and likened the darkness he saw to death itself. There was only a very brief mention of STAR TREK (while never mentioning the title), none of BOSTON LEGAL (for which he won his only Emmy,) but it didn’t matter; Shatner owned the room!

CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON

Watching Christopher Eccleston at his Q&A was revelatory. He was self-effacing (“I am the worst Marvel villain ever” and “My dad said to me:you finally get a job in Hollywood and you play the invisible man?”), brutal honest (he spoke of his one season as DOCTOR WHO as contentious and hated the direction that the BBC wanted to Series to proceed. However, he also mentioned two episodes that contained some of his best work ever due to the exceptional Script and, in hindsight, would have liked to have done one more year to correct the acting mistakes he felt he made). Highly complimentary of other Actor’s work (“I don’t envy the next Actor who steps into the shoes of James Bond after what Daniel Craig has done in the past 15 years” but didn’t think he’ll ever get a chance to play the character “not with these ears!”) and comparing Toronto lovingly with his hometown of Manchester.

STEPHEN & ROBBIE AMELL

These Toronto born first cousins admitted they were not very close growing up (Stephen: “I was 13 years old. He was 6. He had little in common”), but eventually bonded when they discovered their mutual love of acting. Whereas Stephen was saddened when ARROW ended its TV run, he was excited about exploring new opportunities and then the pandemic hit and “nothing!!!” though he is thrilled with his new HBO show HEELS. Robbie was thrilled to report that the second season of CODE 8: PART ll is back in production and is currently being filmed in Toronto. The chemistry between the Amell boys was infectious and giddy to watch!

Some more Snaps from the event:

Some exciting Cosplay at Fan Expo Limited Edition 2021!

To learn more about FAN EXPO, visit here. This was fun, and thrilled to days ahead when it returns to its regular capacity!

(Photo/video credit: George Kozera/Mr. Will Wong)

DUNE debuts atop the Box Office this weekend with $33 million from 4,125 theatres domestically for Warner Bros. The Denis Villeneuve-directed remake of the 1984 Film of the same name, gets raves with 84% on the Tomatometer. This is best opening for Warner Bros. post-Pandemic.

HALLOWEEN KILLS still is going strong in second with $14.2 million from 3,727 theatres for Universal Pictures. Ove two weeks it has grossed $72.8 million.

NO TIME TO DIE lands in third with $11.9 million from 3,807 theatres for Universal Pictures, a three week total of $120 million.

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE is in fourth spot with $8.8 million from 3,515 theatres across North America for Sony Pictures. It has made$181.6 million over four weeks.

RON’S GONE WRONG rounds-out the Top Five with $6.9 million from 3,560 theatres for 20th Century Studios. The Animated Feature gets 81% on the Tomatometer.

Columbian Megastar MALUMA (Juan Luis Londoño Arias) was in Toronto last week with his Papi Juancho Tour hitting Scotiabank Area. The North American leg of the Tour just wrapped in Chicago and will head early next year to Europe.

Known best for his global smash hits “Hawái”, “”Corazón” and several high-profile collaborations with the likes of Shakira, “Chantaje” and Madonna, “Medellín“, the Reggaeton-Latin Pop star has amassed a huge following around the world, with over 52 million Instagram followers.

It was also announced that he will be voicing the character Mariano in Disney‘s upcoming Animated Feature ENCANTO, in theatres November 24, 2021. Check-out the Video announcement:

We spotted Maluma on his way to his show, and while he wasn’t able to roll-down his window understandably, he was so kind to pose through the window of his SUV! An honour, we’ll take it!

Check-out some of his biggest hits!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Sony Music Entertainment)

ALWAYS JANE is a ground-breaking four-part Series following model Jane Noury‘s journey undergoing her transition as a woman. Check-out the new Trailer!

Synopsis:

Jane Noury lives with her family in rural New Jersey, and like any teenager, must balance friends, family, and school. While today’s political and social climate might not seem like the easiest time for a transgender teenager to grow up, you haven’t met her family. The Nourys wear their hearts on their sleeves and find irreverent humor in daily life, while Jane sets her sights on life beyond her family.

ALWAYS JANE premieres on Prime Video November 12, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video)