Fox Searchlight x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance first to see THE SHAPE OF WATER, hot off a rousing reception at TIFF ’17.

Screenings take place as follows:

THE SHAPE OF WATER – TORONTO
Wednesday, December 6 / 7:00PM / Cineplex Yonge and Dundas

THE SHAPE OF WATER – VANCOUVER
Wednesday, December 13 / 7:00PM / Cineplex International Village

THE SHAPE OF WATER – CALGARY
Wednesday, December 20 / 7:00PM / Scotiabank Chinook

Synopsis:
From master story teller, Guillermo del Toro, comes THE SHAPE OF WATER – an other-worldly fable, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg and Doug Jones.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance.

Fox Searchlight release THE SHAPE OF WATER Friday, December 8, 2017 in Toronto, Friday, December 15, 2017 in Vancouver and wide Friday, December 22, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searclight)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Run-of-Engagement Passes to see TIFF ’17 selection, THE DISASTER ARTIST, based on Greg Sestero‘s Memoir about his experience working on Tommy Wiseau‘s Cult Classic, THE ROOM.

Synopsis:

A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Tommy Wiseau‘s The Room (2003), starring Tommy (James Franco) and his best friend, actor Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). The two met during an acting workshop, when Greg was just an aspiring actor.

Tommy takes Greg under his wing, setting him up in Los Angeles in an apartment Tommy rarely uses. While Greg soon finds an agent (Sharon Stone) and a girlfriend (Alison Brie), Tommy isn’t as lucky, so he decides to write, direct and star in his own movie, despite lacking talent in any of those areas.

The Room, made on a production budget of $6,000, was notoriously awful. It opened in two Los Angeles theaters in June 2003 and grossed a pitiful $1,200, but in a twist of fate, went on to earn a cult following, earning the dubious honor of being dubbed “the Citizen Kane of bad movies.”

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City. Re-Tweet this corresponding Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

Elevation Pictures release THE DISASTER ARTIST Friday, December 1, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Run-of-Engagement Passes to see TIFF ’17 selection, THE BREADWINNER, produced by Angelina Jolie.

Synopsis:
Parvana (Saara Chaudry), a little girl living in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, goes with her father to the market to earn money to buy food for their family. Women are not allowed out in public, so her mother and older sister stay home, but Parvana tries to keep a low profile in order to not attract attention.

Unfortunately, some members of the Taliban take offense at her presence in the market square and take her father away to prison for breaking the rules. As the food supply for the family, including her baby brother, dwindles, Parvana finally has to cut her hair in order to disguise herself as a boy so she can make money for food before they all starve.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

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

Elevation Pictures release THE BREADWINNER Friday, November 24, 2017 in Toronto and nationwide Friday, December 15, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

I’m sure many of you are just as excited as we about STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. In addition to an amazing fan event held in Mexico last night in which Director Rian Johnson, Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley attended, now comes a brand-new look at the eagerly-awaited Film!

See the new look:

Photos from last night’s Black Carpet event:

You can buy tickets now here!

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Friday, December 15, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

We grew-up with Peter Rabbit but you’ve never seen him look so good! See the new Trailer for the upcoming Film Adaptation of the beloved bunny.

Synopsis:
Peter Rabbit, the mischievous and adventurous hero who has captivated generations of readers, now takes on the starring role of his own irreverent, contemporary comedy with attitude. In the film, Peter’s feud with Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) escalates to greater heights than ever before as they rival for the affections of the warm-hearted animal lover who lives next door (Rose Byrne). James Corden voices the character of Peter with playful spirit and wild charm, with Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Daisy Ridley performing the voice roles of the triplets, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail.

See the Trailer:

Sony Pictures Canada release PETER RABBIT Friday, February 9, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures)

We have had the pleasure of driving several vehicles in the Ford Canada family over the years, but none ever have given us the level of confidence we felt at the wheel of the 2017 Ford Explorer Limited Edition.

Coloured like the blue jeans we wear so comfortably, the vehicle we drove in ways was metaphoric of how at home we felt in this spacious ride. In fact, it can seat up to seven with an optional back row of seats.

Not to be forgotten is its sizy trunk with Foot-Activated, Hands-Free Power Liftgate. Hands full of pre-holiday shopping bags and groceries like us? Simply kick its bumper to load and unload cargo from its trunk. We love easy access and loathe fumbling for keys. That keyless ignition and lock are a dream. Just stand beside the door with the remote key in your pocket and the door unlocks.

The car undeniably is a bit if a ‘gas guzzler’ with fuel economy of 14.4 l/100 km city and 10.5 l/100 km highway. In fact, we ran through a tank of gas in less than 2.5 days with a trek to the countryside to see our dear Princess, the 2017 Ford Explorer Limited Edition and downtown from the suburbs. On that same token though, the Explorer gave us nothing but pure power on the road with its 2.3L EcoBoost® engine, producing 280 horsepower and providing 310 lb.-ft. of torque.

We are a bit obsessed with staying connected and charged at all times and the car hit all the marks with mulitple USB charge ports, even for our passengers who could control their climate too. Its SYNC® 390 is ahead of the curve with its voice-activated technology. The touch screen console displays climate control options, audio, navigation and even gives an audio transcription of text messages while we’re focussed on driving. Although we’re not an Apple® user, Siri® Eyes Free is available and ready to connect to your iPhone®.

That rear-view camera gives you that added piece of mind when reversing and parallel parking (yes it has parking assist too!) in the City.

While our Holiday gear-up playlist alternated from Mariah Carey’s first Christmas album, the Grease Soundtrack (we were invited to a sold-out weekend performance at Winter Garden Theatre!) and the new Taylor Swift album, we marveled at several details in the music which we never heard before on our headphones through the car’s premium 12-speaker Sony® audio system.

Everything about the 2017 Ford Explorer Limited Edition is a perfect balance of purpose and luxury from its gorgeous perforated leather seats to its trimmming and pleasing ambient lighting. Seating not only is heatable, but also coolable and that heated stearing wheel will come in handy this v. chilly Toronto winter. The moonroof which is concealable with a retracting cover, gives the experience that added touch of elegance.

While we never once had a doubt about how secure we felt driving this vehicle, additional saftey features like Post-Crash Alert, AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™, Belt-Minder® and a Front Passenger Knee Airbag are designed to keep us and our loved ones out of harm’s way and we appreciate this.

The 2017 Ford Explorer Limited Edition starts at $47,399 CAN and is crammed with value.

More here.

Snaps from our Explorer Weekend! Hover cursor left and right to navigate albums:

The weather might be miserable, but driving the 2017 #FordExplorer has been nothing short of a remarkable experience. Power, style and purpose highlight this luxurious ride. Have been able to catch-up with loved ones and get Holiday-ready with flare! Swipe left for more.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 18, 2017 at 8:53pm PST

Loved spending the day with these lovely ladies who show so much love and support always. There’s always time for Kelly’s! ❤

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 18, 2017 at 9:01pm PST

Surround yourself with love. ❤

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 18, 2017 at 5:39pm PST

(Swipe left!) Had way too much fun at #GreaseToronto tonight! With most weekend shows sold-out, you will be happy to know that it has been held-over till January 2018! I admit it is impossible not to make comparisons to the original Film. I can’t help it. While the forehead mics on the actors and change in song sequence take a bit of getting used to, this take on #Grease preserves the spirit of the original and we love the diversity in casting. Great performances from this young cast including its leads #JanelParrish and #DylanWallach. Outstanding work from #KatieFindlay (Rizzo) and #JessicaGallant (Marty). You will love what they’ve done with Greased Lightnin’, Beauty School Dropout and Born to Hand Jive!

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 18, 2017 at 8:44pm PST

5 PM ET.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 19, 2017 at 8:51pm PST

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

It amazes me that there still are people in this world who haven’t discovered GREASE! The stage version of the beloved ’50s-set Musical just opened in Toronto officially at Winter Garden Theatre, running through to mid-December. The Production directed by Broadway Choreographer and Director Josh Prince, stars Pretty Little Liars’ Janel Parrish in the lead role of Sandy.  Playing Danny is fresh-faced Dylan S. Wallach,while the important role of Rizzo is filled by Katie Findlay, a familiar face whom you may remember from How to Get Away with Murder and The Carrie Diaries. Kenickie is played by Matt Magnusson.

We had the joy of meeting Parrish, Findlay and Magusson who have settled nicely into the City for the past bit. Parrish‘s parents came out to support her at today’s matinee and even brought her flowers! Aww! 💐

See some Snaps! Hover left and right to navigate.

(Swipe left!) With some of the Cast of #GreaseToronto including #PrettyLittleLiars’ #JanelParrish, #TheCarrieDiaries’ #KatieFindlay and #MattMagnusson. #Grease

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 12, 2017 at 1:22pm PST

UPDATE: We had the absolute pleasure witnessing GREASE TORONTO live this past weekend and we had so much fun!  See our Review below and hover your cursor left and right to navigate some more Cast Snaps:

(Swipe left!) Had way too much fun at #GreaseToronto tonight! With most weekend shows sold-out, you will be happy to know that it has been held-over till January 2018! I admit it is impossible not to make comparisons to the original Film. I can’t help it. While the forehead mics on the actors and change in song sequence take a bit of getting used to, this take on #Grease preserves the spirit of the original and we love the diversity in casting. Great performances from this young cast including its leads #JanelParrish and #DylanWallach. Outstanding work from #KatieFindlay (Rizzo) and #JessicaGallant (Marty). You will love what they’ve done with Greased Lightnin’, Beauty School Dropout and Born to Hand Jive!

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 18, 2017 at 8:44pm PST

Tickets still are available for GREASE THE MUSICAL and with most weekends shows already sold-out, we’ve caught wind it has been held-over till January 2018! Click here for more.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

It ain’t U.S. Thanksgiving yet but Warner Bros. must give thanks to a powerful opening for JUSTICE LEAGUE earning $96 million in its opening from 4,051 theatres – completely in another league than its competition. This latest DC Comics Adaptation gets a B+ CinemaScore from Audiences and 40% on the Tomatometer from Critics.

WONDER starring Canada’s Jacob Tremblay has a very wonderful opening in second with $28.3 million for eOne Films/Lionsgate Films. Audiences are smitten with an A+ CinemaScore and a strong 83% on the Tomatometer.

THOR: RAGNAROK slips to third in its third week with $20.3 million for Disney. Thus far it has made $245 million domestically.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS slips to fourth in its second week with $14.1 million for 20th Century Fox. In North America thus far it has grossed $52 million.

DADDY’S HOME 2 slips to fifth, also in its second week with $13.6 million for Paramount Pictures. It has made $49.4 million to date.

THE STAR earns $10.2 million from 2,837 theatres for Sony Pictures. It opened on Wednesday. The Nativity Story-centered Film gets 62% on the Tomatometer and an A CinemaScore.

LADY BIRD expands successfully to 238 theatres for A24 Films/Elevation Pictures with $2.4 million. Over three weeks it has made $4.6 million and has a perfect 100% CinemaScore.

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI expands to 52 theatres this weekend and earns $1.1 million for Fox Searchlight. The Oscar Contender sits at 94% on the Tomatometer and has the distinction of winning the TIFF ’17 People’s Choice Award.

JIGSAW rounds-out the Top Ten with $1 million for eOne Films/Lionsgate Films. 

Since 1978, The Cheesecake Factory has been exciting tastebuds throughout the United States. Tallying-in at a total 209 locations worldwide and its first ever location set to open in Canada at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, calling the Brand created by David Overton a success story would be an understatement.  Many of us have ourselves or at least know that one friend or family member who treks across the border with the specific intent of splurging on their generously-portioned entrées and signature Cheesecakes of course. Gas is expensive these days, isn’t it? Brace for your delicious dreams finally to become a reality next week, Toronto!

We were among the select media outlets and influencers lucky enough to be invited to preview the hotly-buzzed establishment recently. Believe us, it was a privilege we cherish with many trying to land a spot at the opportunity for a taste.

The Toronto menu boasts an impressive 250+ dishes, plus 50 legendary desserts and Cheesecakes.  If there ever was a doubt that Canadians might be getting any less of an experience, founder Overton and several staff including the Franchise’s PR Director Alethea Rowe traveled into the City to ensure that same high standard synonymous with the Brand is attained locally.  We were told that The Cheesecake Factory‘s original Lighting Guru was on-site helping fine-tune that customer experience with precision.  Playlists even are chosen and are uniform across all locations. Despite the many calculations involved, sitting at the Yorkdale location felt seamless and organic.

We admit, we’ve only had their Cheesecake, which can be found at luxury grocers like Pusateri’s in-and-around the City. We’ve long desired to have a proper sit-down meal here and finally got our wish.  To say we were impressed does not do justice to the experience. Nope.  It’s rare you walk into a restaurant and the staff give off a genuine air of pride letting you know they are working for a great place and we felt exactly this.  In fact, it is little wonder seeing this knowing that The Cheesecake Factory is ranked within the the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by Fortune Magazine. Whether they be behind the cake counter or serving us at our table, team members were keen to offer recommendations when asked and so incredibly attentive.  One of our servers who trekked all the way from Queens, New York to help launch the Restaurant,  was helping shadow our official server-in-training. Both had opinions on what they loved most and they meant it.  They agreed however The Cheesecake Factory does salmon just right and we admit we rather enjoyed their recommendation, Miso Salmon – sweet and umami over a bed of sticky white rice. Our only wish was for just a few more greens on the plate but we were satisfied!

Let’s talk appetizers. The Cheesecake Factory‘s Avocado Spring Rolls are renowned and as we learned, patented.  While competing chains have tried to duplicate their success, none have been able to topple their delightful sundried tomato and chunky avocado-filled creation. As if these weren’t pleasing enough, we tried also their Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes – just heavenly topped with Pico de Gallo and avocado, leaning perhaps more towards thin, fried cornbread patties than their actual namesake.

The Cuban Sandwich came highly-recommended also and did not disappoint. Sizable and paired with a side of salad or fries, layers of roast pork and ham sat on thinly-slice pickles and swiss cheese.  You certainly don’t leave this place hungry.

We learned also that The Cheesecake Factory‘s top-selling cakes are in exact order: their classic Fresh Strawberry, Ultimate Red Velvet Cake (which for a short time was #1) and recent addition, Celebration (think colourful Funfetti Birthday Cake!).  We already have reserved space in our tummies for Oreo and Key Lime varieties on a future visit!

The buzz is deafening for this inaugural Canadian location. Throughout our visit we could see mallgoers try to get in despite the Restaurant being open for invitees only.  Expect big lineups and expect additional announcements to come soon.  We predict a smashing success for The Cheesecake Factory here in Canada.

Watch our experience at The Cheesecake Factory Yorkdale right here:

See some Snaps:

 Avocado Spring Rolls

 Miso Salmon

Wheat Honey Bread

 Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake 

 Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

The Cheesecake Factory Founder David Overton

The Cheesecake Factory Yorkdale opens its doors Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

Join the community and “like” The Cheesecake Factory Canada on Facebook here.

All video and photography done on the Samsung Galaxy S8+.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Already breaking Box Office records in Mexico, Disney•Pixar’s COCO is set to hit theatres for U.S. Thanksgiving. After a rigorous audition process spanning a year alas the perfect lead was found in 12-year-old Anthony Gonzalez who won the role of Miguel in the Adrian Molina/Lee Unkrich co-directed Film. The young Actor is in Toronto today to promote the Animated Feature in which he stars alongside Gael García Bernal and Benjamin Bratt.

COCO gives us an interesting take on death, centering around Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), in which death versus grieving, is viewed as a celebration of things which the dead had loved while they were alive.

After an extended spirited appearance on Breakfast Television which saw Gonzalez singing and joking with Dina Pugliese, he braved the freeze to complete a second day of Canadian Press today.

See our Snap! What a charmer!

With the charming young star of Disney•Pixar’s #COCO, #AnthonyGonzalez. The Film in which he stars as Miguel, centers around #DiadelosMuertos (Day of the Dead), celebrating the things which the dead had loved. It opens U.S. Thanksgiving and already has broken Box Office records in Mexico.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 17, 2017 at 5:39am PST

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release COCO Wednesday, November 22, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)