Timed together with the Premiere of its celebrated twelfth Season tonight, FOX‘s Family Guy came direct to Toronto today as part of the Just For Laughs Festival. Toronto Fans got not one, but full two servings of Peter, Lois, Chris and Meg Griffin as Stars Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green and Mila Kunis flew-in from Los Angeles for back-to-back Live Performances of their beloved Animated-Comedy Series. A 40-piece Orchestra accompanied the Cast even.
By surprise, Attendees witnessed seeing Kunis’ Partner Ashton Kutcher enjoying the Show together in the Audience with them. The Couple flew in this afternoon as Fans and Paparazzi stared in awe as they quietly exited the Terminal and right into their SUV. Repeated pleas of “Ashton, please can I get a Photo with you?” came and dissipated into thin air as the City received an encore serving of major Starpower. TIFF ’13-Goers will remember that Kunis was just here a couple weeks back for Paul Haggis’ Third Person.
Audiences were treated to two-plus hours of Entertainment from the Stars of Family Guy and even got a chance to interact with them afterwards, in a rapidfire Q&A at both Shows. Some Fans successfully were able to get MacFarlane to role down his Window upon exiting the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts as generously he signed Autographs from his Vehicle. Kunis and Kutcher however were quick to exit, opting for privacy. The Cast head over to Barberians Steakhouse for two hours of post-Show Celebrations.
I was one of the few who were lucky enough to get up-close and personal with MacFarlane and he was amazingly nice, stopping to take a Snap despite clearly having had a long day. “It’s only a couple of you. Why not?”, he said to me and another. I couldn’t resist bringing my own TED Doll (the famous foul-mouthed Teddy Bear whom he voiced/created in the 2012 Blockbuster) out and he was happy to pose with us! His Castmates Green and Borstein (a ’90s Icon in her own right as recurring Character Ms. Swan on FOX‘s In Living Colour) also were amazingly nice. “Oh, how nice! A real Camera instead of a Cell Phone for once!”, she said to me after our Snap.
Family Guy Season Twelve premieres on FOX at 9:00 PM EST tonight!
More Snaps below:
Quickly becoming an important annual fixture in the City, the Bliss Ball took place Midtown at The Estates of Sunnybrook tonight. Now in its second year and put-on by The Dilawri Foundation, proceeds from the Ball go to The Patient Amenities Fund at SickKids Hospital, aiding those Families requiring Financial Aid.
Among the amazing Talent here in support of the Event this year were the likes of Carly Rose Sinclair of The Voice, Katharine McPhee, Chris Noth, David Blaine and the Headliner, Nicole Scherzinger, formerly of the Pussycat Dolls. Popular Television Personality Mario Lopez hosted the Event which saw Sex & the City Star Noth auction off a stay in his Apartment, in addition to a private Dinner with Mr. Big himself.
We spotted Lopez flying-in from Los Angeles earlier today on the same flight as Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, who were in-town for the Just for Laughs Festival‘s presentation of The Family Guy Live. The Host of Popular Entertainment Staple EXTRA Tweeted, “Taking off to Toronto.. Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis sitting next to me.. Cool couple.. Ashton tackled me on the plane. Both wrestlers..”. Although Fans had to ask a few times, Lopez finally agreed to take Photos and was nice about as he awaited his Vehicle’s delayed arrival.
Learn more about the Bliss Ball here.
See my Snap with Lopez below:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Several Films are coming out of Sundance Film Festival in Park City this year with Oscar potential/buzz and winning the Audience Award, U.S. Drama is The Weinstein Co.’s Fruitvale, produced by Forrest Whitaker’s Significant Productions and OG Project. The Film from first-time Director Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale centers around Oscar Grant, who was shot to death on January 1, 2009 after Police responded to fight which took place aboard a Train in the Bay Area. Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand and Chad Michael Murray star in what is looking possibly like a TIFF 2013 Title. The Sessions which won the same Award last year also en route to premiering at TIFF 2012, while Helen Hunt who starred in the Film went on to receive an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her work.
The Weinstein Co. also is gaining a fair amount of buzz with Lovelace, the Biopic about Pornstar Linda Lovelace starring Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Juno Temple, James Franco and Wes Bentley. The Hollywood Reporter already is calling it, “smartly done”. Variety however has a more mixed reaction, but still feel the Film “goes down smooth”, despite its’ “Movie of the Week Melodrama”.
Watch this Clip below:
CBS Films also acquired Toy’s House, which on paper is reminiscent of Stand By Me, about three teenage Boys who try to make a life in the Wilderness. The Comedy stars Breakout Stars Nick Offerman, Allison Bride, Moises Arias and Nick Robinson.
Kill Your Darlings perhaps is the Beat Generation Film which those disappointed by On the Road, are waiting for. The Film centers around a Murder investigation surrounding three Icons of the era, Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster) and Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan). Variety praises the Drama, but admits “the Picture’s Pansexual content and intellectual focus will limit its specialty-market reach, but it should court a small, discerning audience.“. The Hollywood Reporter raves about Up-and-Comer DeHaan most, stating that he is a “febrile, magnetic presence, making no mystery of why Ginsberg, Kammerer and Kerouac would be so drawn to fickle Carr.”. Strong possibility we might see this one a TIFF 2013.
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints has gained lots of praise, the Drama starring Casey Affleck as an Outlaw who escapes prison to find his Wife (Rooney Mara) and Daughter, whom he has yet to meet. Variety feels that the Film is “too lyrical for mainstream expectations… but a powerful Indie Player”. Likewise, The Hollywood Reporter says “this is an out-and-out Art Film”. IFC Films releases in the U.S.
jOBS possibly is the most hotly-buzzed Flick to screen at Sundance this year and although reviews still are scarce for the Biopic of Apple Founder Steve Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher, The Hollywood Reporter states, “Regardless of his outsized stature, their ability to keep the movie frequently engaging is an indication of their studious dedication to the Project.”. Open Road Films releases in the U.S. on April 13, 2013, commemorating Apple‘s 37th Anniversary. (UPDATE 3/16/13: It has been confirmed that this date is now postponed to allow for a proper promotional strategy).
Watch the Teaser Trailer below:
Last year’s Sundance Film Festival spawned Beasts of the Southern Wild, which currently is nominated for four Oscars including Best Actress, Best Directing, Best Writing and Best Picture.
(Photo credit: The Weinstein Co.)
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