21-year-old Singer/Songwriter Scott Helman has given us a taste of what he’s capable of with a refreshing brand of airwave-friendly Indie Pop-Rock. His hits Bungalow and Machine have been unavoidable on Canadian radio and some of that buzz spread stateside even with the likes of Teen Vogue stamping him one to look out for last year. Helman is priming the release of his debut full-length album Hôtel de Ville through Warner Music Canada, who were quick to spot his talent and sign him to a development deal at the age of 15. Hence while he is rather young, he has long been an artist in the making and you sense that when you hear him speak.

We had the pleasure of sitting-in on Helman‘s intimate open rehearsal held at Coalition Music today, getting a chance to preview some of the material off his new album. In attendance were a few select journalists and also students from Coalition Music‘s The Music Business High School Credit Course. Warner Music Canada President Steven Kane also was on-hand to present Helman with a platinum plaque for Bungalow.

We got a quick minute to chat with Helman post-rehearsal, asking him a few questions about what’s changed since we last heard from him and what’s next for the emerging talent.

1. Three years have passed since you released your debut EP Augusta and now you have your debut album coming. What different can we expect this time around?

Helman: “I think the difference is I really know who I am now and that makes it easier when you want to make a record that dives deep.”. “I’d say sonically, I am a bit older now so I wanted to experiment more with sounds and sonics. My Alternative and Rock and Roll bone is definitely in this record. And a lot more poetry I think.”.

2. How has the creative process changed?

Helman: “Nothing’s really changed. Just like on Augusta, I am still collecting thoughts. The only thing that’s changed is my maturity and being able to access more things that are relevant to myself.”.

3. What is shaping your sound right now?

Helman: “I really like The 1975. I really like the epic-ness of it.”. “I like that Amy Winehouse did what she really wanted to do and wasn’t influenced by anybody but herself.  I kinda try to take that with me.”. “I’m creating a show and not writing so I’m not really listening to music like that right now, but I really like how Tom Waits builds his sets because it really takes you into his world. It’s kinda a weird place that he built for you and I really want to create something like that.”.

4. You spent much time touring, especially in 2015.  What are some of the crazier fan experiences you’ve encountered?

Helman: “Most of them are people just pouring their hearts out and telling me things – just having one-on-ones with fans and getting to talk about stuff that matters.”. “In terms of the crazier things, it’s usually the moms. The moms don’t have that shyness or this is someone older than me. They have that ‘you could be my son’ type of thing going on.”.

5. What’s next?

Helman: “Touring. I’m really excited to get out of the cave. There’s a whole world out there. I’m gonna collect some postcards I think.”.

Watch our Chat:

Check-out the brand new Video for Helman‘s latest single, Kinda Complicated below:

See our Snaps:

Loved sitting-in on Scott Helman’s open rehearsal today where he received a platinum plaque for his single “Bungalow”. We previewed new music from his debut album Hôtel de Ville, out next week. He tells us his best fans are the moms! Chat coming soon.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 4, 2017 at 3:41pm PDT

Warner Music Canada release HÔTEL DE VILLE by Scott Helman Friday, May 12, 2017. Download it here.

For tour dates and VIP packages, click here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Warner Music Canada)

Paramount Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to take Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa Readers to an Advance Screening of BAYWATCH!  The Screening takes place Monday, May 22, 2017.

Synopsis:
BAYWATCH follows devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) as he butts heads with a brash new recruit (Zac Efron). Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.

BAYWATCH also stars Alexandra Daddario, Priyanka Chopra, Kelly Rohrbach, Ilfenesh Hadera and Jon Bass.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

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

Paramount Pictures Canada release BAYWATCH Thursday, May 25, 2017.

(Photo credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

Hot off his appearance at the Met Gala Monday night where he dazzled us with a custom dress for Katie Holmes, fashion icon Zac Posen is officially in Toronto! He is in town to present Sandy Chronopoulos’ House of Z at the 2017 Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival, which is a portrait of him as an artist, centering on his rise, fall and rise again in the world of fashion. This marks an ambitious feature debut for Chronopoulous, a producer at CITY (Rogers Media).

The Film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival recently to rousing reception and debuts here in Toronto with a special Q&A by another fashion force, Jeanne Beker.

As he was headed to his Q&A, we were lucky to get a snap with Posen who along with Chronopoulos, was in great spirits!

See our Snap:

With the handsome and brilliant fashion icon, #ZacPosen. He is in town for #HotDocs to present Sandy Chronopoulous’ #HouseofZ tonight.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 3, 2017 at 8:08pm PDT

You still have opportunities to see HOUSE OF Z, more on this and showtimes at Hot Docs here.

(Photo credit: Hot Docs/Mr. Will Wong)

Just call it the summer of Stephen! With two big hits about to come to theatres later this year, the world is about to fall in love again with the mind of Stephen King! See this new Trailer for the upcoming adaptation of The Dark Tower.

Synopsis:
There are other worlds than these. Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, the ambitious and expansive story from one of the world’s most celebrated authors, makes its launch to the big screen.  The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.

See the Trailer:

Sony Pictures Canada release THE DARK TOWER Friday, August 4, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Canada)

It’s here! While we’re waiting for the August release of Marvel’s The Defenders, here’s a new Trailer to whet your appetites.

Synopsis:
Marvel’s The Defenders follows Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones). A quartet of singular heroes with one common goal – to save New York City. This is the story of four solitary figures, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realize they just might be stronger when teamed together.

See the Trailer:

Netflix Canada stream MARVEL’S THE DEFENDERS Friday, August 18, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

It was a star-studded night in the City and the Red Carpet was rolled out for the Canadian Premiere of the hotly-anticipated second installment of Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Its 2014 predecessor has seen outstanding reception critically and commercially, grossing a stellar $773 million worldwide.

In town for the occasion was none other than veteran actor Michael Rooker whose star in recent years has continued to rise with prominent roles in AMC‘s wildly-popular The Walking Dead as Merle Dixon and now his recurring role as original member of the Guardians of the Galaxy team, Yondu.  The blue-skinned character with a protruding red fin from the back of his head is the last of his species and has the unique power of controlling his arrows with the cue of a whistle.

Taking place at Varsity Cinemas, Rooker along with characters Rocket, Groot and Star Lord, graced the jampacked Red Carpet in fedora and sunglasses, speaking to Canadian outlets about the reprisal of his role. We had the pleasure of speaking with him and asked him about his experiences with two of the internet’s most ardent fandoms to how to perfect a whistle.

Your relationship with Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) changes in this second installment as there is a bomb-drop.  How do you think fans will react?

Rooker: “I really don’t know. I have no expectations. I throw out the dice and let them fall as they may. I’ll see what happens.”.  He adds, “From what’s going on in Europe and other places in the world, they are responding in a very positive way. It’s gonna be a fun, crazy moment.”.

How do you perfect a whistle?

Rooker: “Do you whistle at all?”, he asks. ” There are so many people who can’t whistle and I can’t believe that. I knew how to whistle when I was a kid.” . “The first thing you’ve gotta do is wet your whistle and then just blow air through your lips and tongue and that works. Some people are just hummers.”.

You’ve had the pleasure of starring in two massively popular franchises. What are some of the crazier fan experiences you’ve encountered?

Rooker: “There’s always crazy stuff that you do experience especially if you go to fan events and stuff like that. The fandom is wild.”.  He tells me, “I’ve had guys following me around all day long and I’ll maybe sign a few things for them tonight if I can. But they have been and they’ve been driving their cars trying to track me down. It’s very cool. I’m very impressed with all the fandom.”

See our Chat below:

See some Snaps of from the Red Carpet below! Hover mouse over left and right of the post below to navigate slideshow:

(Swipe left!) Amazing seeing Michael Rooker who plays Yondu in the #GuardiansoftheGalaxy franchise, at the Film’s Canadian Premiere. #Yondu #TWD #MichaelRooker #TheWalkingDead #GOTG2 #GOTGVol2 #GuardiansoftheGalaxy2

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 2, 2017 at 4:05pm PDT

Official Synopsis:
Set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is written and directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Baby Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Tommy Flanagan, Laura Haddock with Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell. Kevin Feige is producing, and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Nikolas Korda and Stan Lee are the executive producers.

See the Trailer:

Our Review, written by Justin Waldman is coming shortly, stay tuned.

Marvel Canada release GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Friday, May 5, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Marvel Canada)

One of this spring’s most eagerly-awaited blockbusters is King Arthur:Legend of the Sword and stars someone the City loves and welcomes back once again, Charlie Hunnam.  The Sons of Anarchy star who has built a legion of loyal fans worldwide, returns to the very place he filmed both Crimson Peak and Pacific Rim. Tonight we rolled out the red carpet for him and the acclaimed Director Guy Ritchie at the Toronto Premiere of the historical action-drama, held at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto.

Ritchie‘s eagerly-awaited take on the legend of King Arthur promises to be gritty, with a modern edge. Skirting around historical facts, the Film plays-up its fantastical element. The accessible Hunnam tells the story of the “prince among thieves” to a new generation of fans. The Film also features an exciting supporting cast including Jude Law, Poppy Delevingne, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou, Aidan Gillen and Eric Bana.  There also may be a surprise or two.

Official Synopsis

When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Arthur’s uncle, Vortigern (Jude Law), seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy.

See the epic Trailer:

Despite the threat of continuous rains which have been dampening the City, fans came out in full force tonight for the indoor Red Carpet to get a glimpse of their beloved Hunnam and Ritchie.  It is said that some queued as early as 6:00 AM outside the theatre. Despite a whirlwind day which earlier saw the duo in New York, jetting into Toronto in time for the Red Carpet this evening, they remained gracious and energetic, feeding off the electric energy of their Toronto admirers. Ritchie and even moreso Hunnam, were more than giving signing autographs (memorabilia including figurines of himself and arms even!) and taking selfies with fans who were separated into organized sections.

We’ve had the pleasure of meeting Hunnam multiple times in the past and it was amazing seeing him shine bright tonight!

See our Snaps of all the excitement. Hover mouse over left and right of each post below  to navigate slideshow:

(Swipe left!) Charlie Hunnam + Guy Ritchie draw pure fandemonium to Scotiabank Theatre for the Canadian Premiere of #KingArthur. #CharlieHunnam #GuyRitchie #SoA #NikonD3300 #wu1a

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 2, 2017 at 7:58pm PDT

(Swipe left!) Charlie Hunnam + Guy Ritchie arrive for Canadian #KingArthur Premiere! #CharlieHunnam #GuyRitchie #SOA (@wbpicturescan)

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 2, 2017 at 5:34pm PDT

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD Friday, May 12, 2017.

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

Television personality and science educator Bill Nye is in town for the 2017 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Appearing for his Documentary Bill Nye: Science Guy (premiering Wednesday, May 3, 2017) and also as part of the Scotiabank Big Ideas program, in which he spoke at tonight at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Just released last week was his new 13-episode Netflix series, Bill Nye Saves the World.

Our David Baldwin attended the talk which saw Nye really make a call to action for climate change. “We have to fight this for the betterment of human kind”, he says. “We can power Canada renewably right now if we just do it.”.

See a Snap:

Our Dave Baldwin had the pleasure of seeing #BillNye tonight at #HotDocs as part of their Scotiabank Big Ideas program. He really made a plea for climate change and believes Canada could be powered renewably if we just did it! #BillNyeTheScienceGuy

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 2, 2017 at 10:21pm PDT

More here.

(Photo credit: David Baldwin)

Hot off its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, JEREMIAH TOWER: THE LAST MAGNIFICENT now is primed for a release. Before the term “celebrity chef” was a thing, there was Jeremiah Tower, known perhaps as the first of its kind and for revolutionizing the concept of farm-to-table eating. At the top of his game on the west coast however, Tower stepped away suddenly from the spotlight, leaving many in the culinary world to wonder why, that is until he re-appeared again 15 years later  helping relaunch the troubled Tavern on the Green in New York City. The Documentary focuses on his journey to self-discovery and is told in part by interviews with the likes of Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain (Executive Producer), Martha Stewart and more.

See the Trailer:

In town for one night only on one of the most star-studded nights in Toronto’s recent memory, Tower appeared at a special screening of the Documentary at Cineplex Yonge & Dundas, where he reflected upon his storied career with an intimate audience, including some lucky Willionaire$ who won passes recently. At the Q&A, one young culinary student asked him advice for aspiring chefs.  Tower imparted, “I think that the measure of one’s life is the chances one takes. Take chances. You can always pick yourself up off the ground.”.

We even had the pleasure of meeting the icon himself!

With culinary legend #JeremiahTower, in town for his Documentary #TheLastMagnificent. The Film features interviews with Mario Batali, Martha Stewart and Executive Producer Anthony Bourdain. “You’ve had a busy day”, he tells me.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 2, 2017 at 8:09pm PDT

The Orchard release JEREMIAH TOWER: THE LAST MAGNIFICENT Friday, May 5, 2017 in select cities.

Our Review will be coming later this week!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/The Orchard)

Gilbert Gottfried has built a brand around foul-mouthed insult comedy over the years as a stand-up comedian. On that same note, he also has become part of our cultural fabric, addressing boldly issues of race, religion and sex which can be heard on his podcast Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast!. His unforgettable performance in Disney‘s Aladdin as Iago the parrot and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as Kraang Subprime have gifted generations with timeless memories and he’s currently the subject of an eponymously-titled Documentary, Gilbert,  from Filmmaker Neil Berkeley which premieres at the 2017 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.

We think we know Gottfried from his outspoken public persona, but Gilbert portrays him as a loving husband, father and brother. We get a private, reserved man, not just the larger than life persona we are so used to seeing.

Our David Baldwin and Siobhán Rich had the pleasure of meeting with the comedy icon earlier and he speaks very candidly about his experience being followed by cameras to cracking jokes in light of tragedy, to the upcoming live-action version of Aladdin.

Why give us such intimate access to your life in this Documentary?

Gottfried: “Because I’m an idiot and a masochist”, he jokes. “Filmmaker Neil Berkeley, came up to me over two years ago and said ‘I’ve always had a dream to make Gilbert Gottfried Documentary.’. I told him, ‘You should really set your dreams much higher!”. “And then he started following me around and it made me uncomfortable every single second. I hated it and I’m too much of a wimp to tell him to go get away from me.”. “In revealing myself, it always seems like that scene from The Wizard of Oz. Don’t look at that man behind the curtain!”.

Having seen the Documentary, what do you think of it?

Gottfried: “The Documentary to me feels like what my vision of hell is. They put a big movie screen in front of you and you’re forced to watch your whole life. The reviews are surprisingly great but boy, it’s torture!”. He adds, “I’m happy to watch myself as Pierre the chef. I don’t want to watch myself as myself.”.

What inspires you?

Gottfried: “The fact that I have low intelligence and no class whatsoever.”.

Tell us about your involvement with Autism Documentary Life, Animated and also St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Gottfried: “More of it happens by accident. I can do wonderful things as long as I’m not directly involved. If I’m involved there’s always a lawsuit and a scandal.”. “For Life, Animated, the son had a puppet of my character from Aladdin. His father would put a puppet (of Iago) on his hand and started talking to his son and his son reacted like a old friend.”.  He recalls, “My wife and I got in touch with the father and had me surprise his son at the school for autistic children. They had a Disney club and they were re-enacting Aladdin.  I walked in and they went crazy.”.

“St. Jude Children’s Hospital is a hospital for little children and I thought, I was gonna get in trouble. People were tearing-up and I got up there and think,  this is really officially gonna end my career. I go up there and my joke starts with ‘This blind guy goes to a hooker…’ and the audience is laughing. They loved it.”.  “And I look over at the man whose daughter had cancer and he was smiling with a glow around his face. And I thought, this is what comedy can do in a tragic situation.”.

“The first thing in tragedy no matter how poor taste it is, is crack jokes.  I got a standing ovation.”.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin?

Gottfried: “They haven’t asked me to do it, but I think any Film that doesn’t use me is making a major mistake.”.

See the Chat:

More on GILBERT here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/David Baldwin/Siobhán Rich)