#TIFF19: “MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong After his boss is shot and left for dead, private detective Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton) sets-out to find out why. But along the way, he gets caught in the middle of 1950s political turmoil and a whole lot of people that want him to stop before he gets hurt. Norton has been trying to get his adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s Book onto the big screen for at least a decade. His passion for the Project is effusive, and that may be why the Film feels ... Read more

#TIFF19: “THE VIGIL”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong Yakov (Dave Davis) is out of his element and struggling with PTSD. He gets asked one evening to be a shomer (watching over the body) for a recently deceased Holocaust survivor at their home. Yakov needs the money, so he agrees. But soon after arriving at the house, Yakov starts hearing and seeing very chilling and gross things. And he might not survive the night. While knowing and understanding Yiddish folklore might help, I was pleasantly surprised ... Read more

#TIFF19: “JOKER”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) makes his living as a party clown. He lives with his mother, has serious mental health issues and dreams of being a Comedian. But a set of circumstances will set him down a different path – one that involves becoming Gotham City’s greatest villain, The Joker. With Joker, Co-Writer/Director Todd Phillips (of The Hangover and Old School) set-out to create a dark, gritty, intense and disturbing take on the legendary ... Read more

#TIFF19: “FORD v FERRARI”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong Sales of Ford cars are slumping in the early 1960s. They need to reinvigorate the brand, fast. Inspired by the work Ferrari is doing, the company plan to build a car that can compete with the best of the best at the “24 Hours of Le Mans” endurance race. But it will not be easy. The 152-minute running time of Ford v Ferrari is daunting, but it proves to be one of the most rewarding and entertaining films at this year’s Festival. Director James ... Read more

#TIFF19: “THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong Tunde Johnson (Steven Silver) keeps reliving the day he dies at the hands of Los Angeles police officers. While the concept of reliving a day repeatedly has been done before, this Film does an entirely unique take on it. Screenwriter Stanley Kalu uses the repeated day to address racial stereotypes, race relations, and police brutality. Kalu’s focused Script is also a story of accepting one's identity and presenting oneself honestly. Silver is a ... Read more

#TIFF19:”WASP NETWORK”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong Wasp Network focuses on a few Cuban intelligence agents who pose as dissidents during the country’s 90s post-Soviet Union economic collapse. Director Olivier Assayas is a master of telling multiple character storylines and making them all come together naturally. With Wasp Network, he continues on this path. This time around he focuses on three different intelligence agents with different things to lose and gain. Although the Film does get a bit ... Read more

#TIFF19: “HARRIET”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong The Film follows the story of Harriet Tubman (Cynthia Erivo) in her quest to not only claim her own freedom but the freedom of all slaves. This Film documents the pivotal moments in Harriet Tubman’s adult life, with a focus on her efforts in transporting those enslaved to freedom areas. For those who know this empowering and inspiring Story, the Film won’t tell you anything you didn’t already know. It that has been brought to the big screen ... Read more

#TIFF19: DAY SIX – NATALIE PORTMAN, ZAZIE BEETZ + JON HAMM

Things finally are reaching a simmering point now at TIFF '19, giving us a chance to catch some screenings finally! Tonight's big ticket was Noah Hawley's LUCY IN THE SKY at Princess of Wales Theatre, which saw Natalie Portman narrowly escaped rain! She channeled some major Black Swan tonight! See some Snaps below. Hover cursor right and left to navigate album.   View this post on Instagram   #TIFF19: ... Read more

#TIFF19: “FRANKIE”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong After Frankie (Isabelle Huppert) finds out she has a serious illness she summons her family and close friends to join her on a holiday in Sintra, Portugal. Director Ira Sachs has a way of shooting a Film with many characters and making it feel intimate. The Script is rich with uniquely different characters who have particular quirks in their dialects. These loveable and honest characters are brought to life by a killer Cast consisting of Huppert who ... Read more

#TIFF19: “WAVES”

Review by Mr. Will Wong Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) seems to be on the verge of greatness under the persistent urging of his father (Sterling K. Brown). While everything seems fine initially, things take a drastic turn for the worse after his girlfriend Alexis (Alexa Demie) finds out she is pregnant with his child and his world crumbles. In the face of a tragedy, which threatens to tear Tyler's family apart, his father, mother (Renée Elise Goldberry) and sister (Taylor Russell) are left to ... Read more